1. Choose to see the lights on Temple Square during the last family home evening before Christmas (not an original idea!)
2. Ride the Trax downtown on the same evening as a sold out concert/sing-along at the Energy Solutions Arena.
3. Bounce a screaming baby for an hour and a half in a loud, tightly packed train car while your toddler climbs all over you and everyone else.
4. Have your baby go poo and explode out of her diaper in all directions while riding the aforementioned, over-packed train.
5. Miss your stop and end up having to walk back four blocks to your destination.
6. Receive lots of dirty looks as you cut ahead of all the ladies waiting in line outside the bathroom so you can get to the changing table to clean your still disgruntled baby. (For an even better evening be sure to forget a change of clothes so that your little girl has to remain in her yellowed clothes for the remainder of the night.)
7. Don't bring a stroller and have your toddler continually escape you, running through people's legs and across the fenced-off lawn.
8. Get everyone together and smiling for a picture then have your camera batteries die right as you snap the picture.
9. Instead of enjoying the lights, be sure that your son becomes fixated on the one light he finds that does not work.
10. Make sure your toddler cries about having to get back on the train because the horrific memory of the train ride downtown is still fresh on his mind.
On our way home, after about the six or seventh stop, enough people got off the train that we could actually sit down. As I sat there I thought and laughed about our horrible night. Really, I don't think that things could have gotten any worse. All we wanted was a fun, family activity for Christmas, but it more closely resembled a nightmare.
Our experience tonight helped me to remember that Christmas is not about the lights or the presents, or the yummy treats. It is about celebrating the birth of our Savior Jesus Christ. I would just like to testify here that I know he lives and I love Him.
Merry CHRISTmas.
8 comments:
Well said :) I have a friend that just posted about the same thing! She lives in Utah and rode the trax too. They were actually going to the concert. It was a free sing-along with free food. I believe that's why it was so packed! They didn't go to either and ended up at Temple square too, although everything had already closed. I'm so sorry it was a bust, live and learn huh?
Oh goodness, what a party! Guess I'll go get you that child back pack with the leash thing. Or maybe, I should just give you some cash for a sitter next time! Well, Merry Christmas, we miss and love you guys, best wishes....Koyles
Oh my goodness!! I would have loved to see Sam's face during all of this!! You have a much better attitude then most!
Hope you had a Merry Christmas!!
Have you guys heard anything about where you'll be living? Colorado still??
Oh too funny, not at the time I'm sure but it was fun to read knowing it wasn't me :) We went to see the lights the week before and it was much more relaxing - just rode trax with some teenagers who just finished a choir concert downtown, so it was highly entertaining. We are finally moved so if you are still in Salt Lake area for a bit let me know and we should get together one day for lunch or something!
I'm glad you could laugh at it. I always say that if I don't laugh I will cry. Oh, the memories made! Make sure you keep a copy in your journal for the years to come.
That's funny you were signed in as your Mom, because I was trying to figure out who Mary Ellen was and thinking it was someone Andrew knew or something. We live in West Jordan, let's hang out soon that would be fun. Would sometime next week work for you? I think I am free just about any day, let me know.
UPDATE!!!!
I don't know how I missed this one, but all 10 reasons are exactly why we didn't go see the lights at Christmas. When I mentioned to Danny that we had missed it he said, that's okay there's always next year, or the year after that!
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