Tonight I took the kids to the Riverview Country Christmas! The school Choir was caroling there and Camilla was singing, so we decided we would all go. Since moving here, I've been spoiled and able to leave kiddos with my parents when they are here. Everyone was gone tonight, so we made the best of it! It was one of the coldest nights we've had in a while and the snow was gently falling the entire time. It was magical! I made sure to put double socks on all of the littles and bundle Sawyer up in a hat that he couldn't rip off. Armed with a warm bottle and a freshly heated wheat bag, we loaded into the van for the five minute drive. We went an hour early to enjoy our wagon ride before the rush of school kids and it was so fun! I have to admit I was a little bit worried about how it would all work out taking six kids all by myself, but we had some good pep talks before we left home and the big kids were pretty helpful! We arrived just as a wagon was getting ready to leave and they kindly waited while I unloaded everyone and got our tickets. The school gives out free tickets to the kids, so I only had to buy one for myself!
We all found a cozy place to sit and put a few layers of blankets over our laps. The ride took us by the river, through the trees, and around a fantastic light display. The littles sat mesmerized by it all for the entire trip and hardly said a word! By the end we were a little chilly and we still had to wait for the choir performance to begin.
The boys kept warm with a game of broomstick hockey while Sawyer started to squirm in the sling. I put my mitts on over top of his to keep his fingers warm, but he continued to protest.
These three did penguin slides down this snow hill for quite a while! Camilla even built stairs up the back for Oliver to join in later.
I was feeling brave, so I took all six kids into the cute little gift shop and had heart eyes over all of the gorgeous Christmas ornaments and decor for sale. I've been dying over these handmade German carousels online and found a few tucked in a corner in this little place. I will definitely be going back sans kids! As we left the lady kindly suggested that the shop next door with concession and tables might be a better place to warm up next time.
Just as the choir was gathering together to sing, Sawyer decided he was finished with the cold. In desperation I asked Hyrum to watch his younger brothers and went to the van with intentions of hunkering down there with a screaming, cold baby. I felt defeated. As I was buckling Sawyer into his seat he started to settle. I had a prompting that all would be well, so I wrapped a warm blanket around him and carried his whole bucket seat back to the crowd standing around the sweet caroling choir. Hyrum was kneeling beside Oliver with his arm around him for warmth and protection while Joe and Finley were in the middle of a wrestling match in the snow nearby. I peeled Finley off his brother and watched the singing with a bucket seat on one arm and an unruly little boy in the other. Eventually they all went and played on the snow hill with the rest of the children and I snuck into the tent nearby to warm up by the fire. I set the bucket seat near the fire and before too long Sawyer was warm and content once again. It was a huge relief to be able to support my girl and keep an ear on the boys while warming up by the fire.
When the choir had finished, we drove home for a cup of hot chocolate before bed. Sawyer fell asleep, so I hauled in the whole carseat again and set it over a heat vent so he could get warm. We sipped our hot chocolate by candle light and talked about the evening. Soon their eyes started getting heavy and a few of them were asking to go to bed. I warmed a heat bag up for each of the little boys and tucked them in with a kiss. I'm certain they were both fast asleep before I even left the room. I warmed the left over bottle of milk and unbuckled a very sleepy Sawyer from his seat. He peeked open one eye and them promptly fell back to sleep on my shoulder. I fed him the warm bottle and then tucked him into bed for the night and he didn't wake up once during the whole ordeal. It felt nice to breath the crisp Winter air and let the scents of a wood burning fire tickle our noses.
