Thursday, December 17, 2015

Christmas Lights!!

A couple of weeks ago, Maribeth suggested we go see the Dancing Lights of Christmas at Jellystone Park. For those of you who might not be familiar with this event, it's basically a scaled down version of the Osbourne Lights at Disney World. And you drive your car through the display. Along with everyone else in Nashville who are driving their cars through the display. But let's start at the beginning ...

As I said, Maribeth got this excursion together a few weeks ago. We decided we'd have some pizza, load up her minivan, and head out. Tonight our group consisted of Steve (who drove), me, Maribeth, Mathieu, Everley, Lynnette, and Lindley. In other words, a full load. KB had given Everley and Lindley each a Charlie Brown Christmas tree, so we took the DVD along in the car to (a) entertain them, and (b) explain what a Charlie Brown Christmas tree was. And so, armed with a full tank of gas, snacks for the girls, and the DVD, we loaded up and headed out.

Normally it's a 15-minute drive. Jellystone Park is an RV park just past Opry Mills Mall. And it didn't take us long to get there. It was after we got there that time started to stand still. See, the line to get into Jellystone Park started on the road just past the mall - and creeped along at the rate of an inch a minute. Apparently tonight was the night that everyone in Nashville decided to see the lights.

So, we crept along until it was finally our turn to pay our $25/car fee and enter the line of cars slowly riding through and past the lights. And did I mention that the Jellystone people want you to turn your headlights off so everyone can enjoy the lights? Which is a great idea in theory, but a bit dangerous when you're trying to make sure you don't slam into the slow-moving-yet-might-be-stopping car in front of you. Oh, and did I mention that this was also the moment when Everley mentioned that she really NEEDED to go potty (I asked the money-taker-lady if there was a bathroom available, and she said there was - at the end of the show)!

So, for the next 30 minutes, we wound in and around the lights, with Steve super-vigilant to make sure he did not wreck the car. The lights are pretty cool, and dance around to the music that you tune in to on your car radio. The 30 minutes was also spent trying to distract Everley from her increasing need for a potty. Which looked to be about 1000 miles (and therefore 6 hours) away.

Eventually we made it to the end and to the potty - which were basically porta-potties stuck over to the side of "Santa's Village." That were lit by a single floodlight and were cold (this night was a cold Nashville night). I managed to locate one that was lit and helped Everley climb onto the throne, after she had perused the contents of the throne and said it was gross. Which it was. I took a picture of her, but decided against posting it - one day she may have to take care of me!!

Two Charlie Brown trees - they play music, too!!

Happy Christmas trees!!  And the light tunnel that was a big hit!

Dancing Lights!  Slow Cars!!  Fun for all!!!
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Thankful today for: family field trip to see the Christmas lights; Everley and the porta-potty; Lindley and Everley and their CB trees



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