2019 Trip to Santa's Village and Story Land

We debated whether or not to go on this trip this year given the circumstances BUT how can you let your little kids down...just couldn't do it AND we had already purchased our park tickets and paid for our hotel so it really was a no brainer.

We also always have such a great time...the kids have the time of their lives and we get to spend some quality time with our friends that we don't get to see often enough (even though we live in the same town)

I am so glad we went...we all agreed that it ended up being our best year yet...the kids are at the perfect ages...they got along for the most part....played endlessly and squealed with pure joy....all of this in the middle of the White Mountains in NH makes it the perfect little getaway.  The bonus was that the parents had a blast catching up...reminiscing and such...and Mama is so very grateful for the QT with her bestie Jill...my heart was squished.  

Saturday

We headed straight up to Santa's Village and it took us a little over two hours.  It was a pleasant and peaceful drive and I always snap a few pics of the mountains.  The pics never do them justice.  They are beautiful...it was foggy too so tough to see how majestic.

Once there, we always have to take our traditional family picture of course!

The kids go into "Elf University" and get their punch cards.  They run around the park finding the elves and punch holes in their cards so they can get a prize at the end of the day.  Once they start that process, then the rides start of course...it is all pure Christmas Magic...even in the heart of summer!

We fed the reindeer...

 

and posed in front of Dancer of course

 

We decorated gingerbread cookies- the most delicious gingerbread you will ever taste!

and they even had Christmas coffee RTG!

Inside Santa's House

 

Meeting Santa!

 

At the end of the day the kids turned in their cards and got cool certificates and key chains :)

After Santa's Village, we drove 45 minutes over to the Attitash area and stopped for dinner at The Red Parka.  It was so cute and yummy.  At this point, we were all wiped!  

After dinner, we checked into our hotel- The Grand Summit Hotel- we had stayed here two years ago and wanted to go back- it was the best place in all our years- their pool and hot tubs rock- the kids have an absolute ball!  This first night, though, we all crashed early...or tried to anyway...

 

There was a fire alarm and we all had to go outside...boo...we laughed though...it's all you can do....
 

Then we crashed!

Sunday

We were up bright and early and grabbed a quick breakfast at the hotel.  Then we were all off to Story Land which was only less than 10 minutes from our hotel!  Another great park day- I was very impressed by us- 6.5 hours each day- back to back- we rocked it!

Our Obligatory Annual Kid Pic....

Look how much they have grown....

2018

2017

2016

Oh my Word- I can't take it!

 

In Jail Again! ;)

When I was little, you had to ask this lion fountain, "May I please have a drink of water?" Then it would turn on and you could get a drink.  It is just stationary nowadays :)
 

Once we were all Story Land'd out...we headed to dinner to our annual fave stop, The Red Foxx, for an awesome dinner and drinks.  This is the restaurant that has both a toy/play room AND a movie room for the kids so we can pretty much let the kids run wild and it is OK!  Genius right?

After dinner, we headed back to the hotel to change and made the long-awaited pool time happen for the kiddos....Rob headed to the liquor store to grab some adult beverages and bumped into my Uncle and Cousin- we laughed so hard- such a small world...of all places! 

Then it was pool time....the kids were so happy...it is an awesome pool AND has two adjacent hot tubs...what more could you want?

The next morning, we hit the road at 6am so I was back at my desk by 8 and ready to rock this new week.  As we were checking out, I spotted this sign at the front desk.  This is NO JOKE..this is total NH folks....very funny that I live here....made me chuckle ;)

I am really glad we went...I don't regret it...helped us to stop...live in the present...and push the anxiety to the side for a couple of days anyway...the smiles on our girls' faces were priceless...and these years are so short XO