Gaylord National

Christian had to go to Texas for Christmas this year. It was the first Christmas he has ever been gone. We didn't quite know how to celebrate. We wanted to have a Christmas celebration with him, but we also wanted to have a Christmas day for our girls.

So Matt came up with the idea to take the kids to the Gaylord National Hotel to have a fun mini-Christmas celebration before Christian leaves.
The day before school got out we pulled them out early and drove up to the National Harbor. The hotel was beautiful! There were Christmas trees and decorations everywhere!

Waiting in the lobby while Matt checked us in. Check out Lexi's ho, ho, ho jammies that she wore to school. I don't know about that girl sometimes.

We got a package deal from the Navy and to get an atrium room overlooking the inside of the hotel was an extra $100, so we just settled for a room facing the street. Then as we were walking up to our room, Matt led us to an atrium facing suite! They upgraded us for free!
It was a beautiful room with a cool, high balcony that terrified me!

Addie loved it and tried to climb the railing, I seriously almost had a heart attack.
Just thinking about it makes my palms sweaty.
I only felt comfortable with her out there if Matt or I held her, I know I'm such a worry wart, but seriously.

"Matt, you hold onto her!!!"

So darn pretty!

Can you tell which is the trouble maker?

The other side of the hotels empty elevator shafts. They had glass elevators, so fun!

We rode up to the 17th floor and back down a bunch of times.
And I learned something about Christian.
That boy is afraid of heights!
He stood at the back of the elevator and when we talked about going all the way up he was like "Yeah, just to the 8th floor or so, right?"
It was so cute to see my big boy admit he was scared.
I love that kid.
And this kid who loved laughing at her baby brother.

Addie chose me to ride the train with her.
So proud. ;)

Behind us here are the fountains that play a show to Christmas Carols ala Bellagio.

They had cute Dr. Suess sculptures all over.
Addie can be such a picture turd!
She hates posing with the group!

That afternoon we went over to ICE.
First you walk through a Dr. Suess style museum.

Then you don huge blue parkas and go into a 9° freezer to see huge fun Dr. Suess ice sculptures.

Addie looked so funny because her parka was the perfect floor length.
I wanted to get a picture of her standing still and while I was getting the camera ready she fell!
She wasn't walking or doing anything, she just lost her footing and fell.
It was pretty hilarious!

They had these fun ice slides that Addie, Matt, and I loved!
The big kids went once and were done.
Weirdos.

Asking someone to take your picture is like a box of chocolates.
You never know what your gonna get.
Maybe you'll get The Grinch in his Santa suit for your background, maybe not.
Maybe everyone will have their eyes open, maybe not.
And maybe everyone will be fully in the picture. But maybe not.

Still trying to get that full length shot.
Fail.

The big kids ran ahead and we actually got a good photographer.

There you go, full length.
Yahtzee!

Later that night Matt said something about the "Welcome to Merry Ville sign."
He kills me!

The Worlds Largest Peeps Christmas Tree.
Looks delicious!

That night as we were getting ready to go swimming Addie partially disrobed herself and played in the sink. We never let her do that at home (the playing in the sink part, the nakie part we do all the time!) and she could have played for hours. It was all fun and games until she clogged the toilet. Still not sure quite how that happened. The maintenance man that came to fix it just talked and talked and tried really hard to not make us feel silly for having a clogged toilet, like it was just the most natural thing in the world.
Bless his heart.

That night we went swimming.
And by 'we,' I mean Addie and Matt.
Alexis wanted to stay in the room by herself (although she used the excuse that she didn't want to swim) and Christian and I felt the pool water and decided it was way too cold. Then the jacuzzi had a sign that said "No one under 18 allowed per Maryland State Law."
And they mean business about that rule, if you know what I mean.

So Christian went back up to the room and I hung out with the Franks.

Addie taking a break.

The pool area was beautiful and every night they show a movie.
That night it was Jim Carrey's A Christmas Carol.

We all went and showered and opened our Christmas jammies (thanks Allie!) and by that time I was famished! Not sure about everyone else, but I felt like I was about to pass out from hunger.
So Matt went in search of cheap fast food (the family friendly hotel restaurant buffet was $36 per person. No thank you.) and we went downstairs to enjoy the indoor snow fall.
After I ran around the National Harbor in my pajamas.
But that's another story.

Snow machines.

Matt and I were a little confused about what came with our hotel package deal. We thought the breakfast buffet was included (which Addie and I are seen enjoying) but because we got the Military rate, it wasn't.
And it ended up costing $101.68.
For breakfast.
Life lessons, my friend, life lessons.

After our $101.68 breakfast, we opened presents.

I brought all of Christian's presents, all the presents he bought for us, and one or two for each of the girls.

Santa got Christian a nice, new RC airplane.
Which he promptly crashed and broke the propeller off of.

One of my favorite gifts this year.
The official Antoine Dodson t-shirt.
And if you've never heard of Antoin Dodson, Ima run and tell that to you.
Check him out here and here.
And Merry Christmas.

Before we left I got some more balcony shots. I got to know that balcony pretty well as I held Frankie in the wee hours of the morning.

We thought ice skating was included in our package but that wasn't either. As Matt was asking the front desk about it, someone who did have it included overheard and gave Matt 2 tickets because they weren't gonna use them. I love random acts of kindness! Then the big kids said they didn't want to skate, so it worked out perfectly.

Addie was so cute on her skates. She was like a little baby fawn (is that redundant?) learning to walk with her feet sliding all around beneath her.

On our way to the airport we stopped at Chick-fil-A for lunch where Addie and Frankie played and the big kids and parents visited.

And then I dropped my baby off at the airport for his first Christmas away from home. :(
And Matt lost his credit card. :(
But that's another story.
Life lessons, my friend, life lessons.