The week started with the Ugly Sweater Run at Principal Park. What a fun event! Lots of gigantic Holiday inflatables for cool photo ops, candy canes and more. Runner brought toys for Toys 4 Tots that went right to kids in our community.
If it wasn't -1 degree with the wind chill, it would have been a fabulous family friendly event. There was a Groupon for it, so only $20 got you registration, a hat, hot chocolate along the 5k route and 2 beers or hard ciders at the end. Fun event! Looking forward to next year!
Next up, we hit the Jordan Creek Mall Santa and Build-a-Bear for their Holiday "Bears". Nathan picked the Rudolph and of course we spent the ridiculous amount of money on the matching hat, scarf and sweater for Rudolph, you know, because it was too cute not to.
Our elf (Named Elephant) returned for the season which is fantastic because my kid always behaves a little bit better when he knows the creepy elf is watching him.
While at the mall, we also got to check out Live, Love, Bake which recently opened up near Banana Republic on the first floor of the mall. They have a cupcake kiosk. What a great idea and they have really great cupcakes! I tried a gluten-free chocolate-chip and it was really fabulous. It was a little more pricey than the competitors around town at $4, but it was huge! It was moist and delicious though and worth every penny.
In the middle of all of this, we had time to meet my friend Carye for a painting class, via El Arte Uncorked, to make some festive Christmas ornament paintings. We also got some matchy-matchy photos of the boys taken since they only see each other a couple times a year.
Continuing the fun, we had our Thanksgiving meal at Tally's in Beaverdale which was fantastic as always. Robert's (the owner) wife has celiac disease, so there is always a ton at Tallly's that is gluten free for my family members to eat.
We don't discriminate around here and since we have all sorts of heritage going on in our family, we made time for Latkes and Hanukkah house building! It was really for the kids, but they lost interest quickly and the grown-ups ended up doing the building...
What the kids did love was the chocolate we picked up at Beaverdale Confections! I just love this shop. We picked up Thanksgiving, Hanukkah and Christmas themed chocolates along with fantastic gift baskets for only $10 each! They'd make great teacher gifts! (hint, hint...) A great stop to celebrate Small Business Saturday too.
Once our Thankgivukkah celebrations were over (and my brief dabble in Black Friday Shopping in which I stood in line for an hour and a half for an iPad deal...not worth it),we headed to the Festival of Trees and Lights at Hy-vee Hall. This is one of my most favorite events of the season and is for such a great cause that is very near to my heart. Every year this events gets bigger and better is lots of kids crafts, train rides, beautiful trees including a scavenger hunt, snacks, silent auction and entertainment. Definitely an event not to miss.
Luckily we still had time to take our annual drive through the Jolly Holiday Lights at Waterworks park where you can drive through thousands of holiday lights throughout the park for $10 (more for limos and busses and only $5 on Monday nights) to benefit Make-a-Wish foundation. We love turning up the Christmas music, drinking hot cocoa and enjoying the lights. They had 3D glasses available a few years ago and Nathan loves to wear them every year, they don't offer them anymore though, but that's what he's wearing in the photo.
That takes us to our road trip to The Scenic Valley Railroad and Museum in Boone for the Santa Express train ride! This is always a hot with the kids. You ride the train out to "The North Pole", read the Santa Express book, drink hot chocolate and eat cookies and there is of course a visit from Santa. It was my 2 year old nephew's first train ride and he was enthralled for every minute of the hour and a half excursion.
We fit in a trip to the Science Center, which I highly recommend during the holiday to catch the Polar Express in the IMAX theater and check out the current traveling exhibit which is very cool.Today, we end our very busy visit with family with DIsney on Ice at Wells Fargo Arena. Many Iowans have made this a Thanksgiving week tradition every year.
Are there any Holiday events that you love to do in Des Moines (or close-by)? We'd love to hear about them!
For me, it's back Ugly Sweater Party planning! Our annual Contest/Party is being held soon and we can't wait! Here's a photo of some of our friend's from last year's event! I'm getting the fruit cakes and leg lamps ready!
PS...I almost forgot! A new find (for me) this year is the Lincoln Place Lights this very cool house at 129 Lincoln Place Drive in Des Moines (not far from DMU). They have a fantastic holiday lights display, that if you set your radio to 94.3, their light show is in sync with the music! Check it out!
