the "oooh" face

I've always enjoyed anything related to Christmas lights. I remember when we lived in South Carolina there was a neighborhood that would line their driveways with paper lanterns and hand out popcorn while you drove around enjoying their lights and I may have snuck in there more than once to marvel at the magical scene. It was one of my favorite things to do around Christmas time. Side note: I love living in a place where people take their Christmas decorations seriously. When we were first married we lived in a little subdivision of town homes and these people were total party poopers - it was so depressing (our house was one of three that had lights. BOO!!). However, I can happily report that the sweet people of the Valley do a magnificent job when it comes to outfitting their homes for Christmas. I have seen some incredible ones so far! There's one house in particular that is on top of a hill surrounded by farmland and at night it's this lone bright beacon of holly jolly - there are candles in every window and not one, not two but three trees! The third one is perched at the top floor right in front of a giant arched window and my god if it doesn't just make my heart stop every time I see it! 

When we were dating, papa bear introduced me to these "festivals of light" drives and I thought it was pretty much the greatest thing I had ever seen. We missed going last year on account of being stuck in the house with a days old baby (not a bad reason to be stuck in the house for) and so this year it was on!!

I was so excited to have Birdie experience it with us. I really, really hoped she would enjoy it but as most things go with babies you just never know - occasionally a wooden bowl will elicit more glee and enjoyment than the most carefully selected and whimsical toy (go figure). On that note she has a strange affinity for creating "cars" out of odd objects she finds around the house. Today it was a small wallet she found in my drawer. I was typing away in bed when I look over and this pot-bellied trouble maker is all up on her tippy toes, her head halfway in my nightstand drawer rummaging around and throwing what I assume were dumb objects over her shoulder. She must have been eyeing that wallet since she opened the drawer because when she finally fished it out a look of pure unadulterated pride washed over her face. She plopped down to her knees and then vroom they went all around the house. It's always an adventure when I'm cleaning the house after she's gone to bed, I'll find spoons inside shoes and socks in pretty much every random corner of the house (this kid despises socks, if anyone has any tips for keeping them on her feet I'm all ears). It's like Birdie's version of breadcrumbs that she leaves everywhere she goes and even though my back breaks from picking them up all day I love it to pieces. 

But back to the lights! We decided to squeeze in our little date in the middle of driving to DC and Birdie had been asleep for the first leg. She woke up when we stopped for gas so we saw it as a good time to grab some hot chocolate at Starbucks. As we sipped our drinks we told Birdie all about what she was about to see, hoping it would calm her restless little feet that were kicking up a storm in the backseat. Not a minute too soon we finally arrived and upon entrance turned the Christmas station waaaaay up. It was time!!

Well you guys this kid pretty much died and went to heaven!! The only "word" we're getting around these parts is "wow" and it is used very sparingly in only the most deserving of situations. Well that night the "wows" were out in full effect! As the display would get closer and closer she would reach up her hands trying to grasp it as oohs tumbled out of her sweet little mouth. There may have been some jumping too around the Peter Pan display. 

The first thing I ever told Birdie when she was born was that we would be best friends. When I discovered, much to my glee, this year just how much she loves Christmas I knew we were soulmates. I had the best time taking in the lights as papa bear chauffeured us through the winter wonderland. My personal favorite was the part where they made the lights look like falling snow - it took my breath away! 

For $15 it was quite the excursion! Our car was a cozy Christmas wagon o' fun! I'm already dreaming of how much more fun we'll have next year!! Because it gets funner every year doesn't it?!