Tag: Christmas

Visit Mankato–Christmas Lights Festival

This post brought to you by Visit Mankato

Christmas is coming, Christmas is coming! 

Children are at their brightest during the Holiday season, don’t you think? Their faces are shining, their eyes are bright, they even seem to have an extra bounce to their already bouncy steps. 

They get Christmas. They understand that this time of year the world around them seems to get a bit brighter, happier, and festive. And children thrive on it. 

I have always tried to take time each Holiday season to bring our kids to festivities and events around the Holiday season that foster this love for the season. Holiday events seem to bring out the best in people, the kindest of the kind, and the giggles in even the most stern of people. I try to teach my children that the world and people in it are good. There are lots and lots of good people. 

What better way then Holiday activities and events, right!?!

If you are able to make the trip to Mankato, MN you will find one of the best and brightest of the Holiday events…

Pat Christman Cars travel through the lighted tunnel at the Kiwanis Holiday Lights as the rest of Sibley Park shines behind it last week. The park is lit up for 33 nights this Christmas season.
Pat Christman
Cars travel through the lighted tunnel at the Kiwanis Holiday Lights as the rest of Sibley Park shines behind it last week. The park is lit up for 33 nights this Christmas season.

The Mankato Holiday Lights event runs from November 27th until December 31st and features over 1 million LED lights you can walk or drive through. It is so much fun to watch children’s faces (okay, even adults!) when they see it! 

When you go, be sure not to miss the ice skating, sleigh rides, or reindeer. Children of all ages love to see that! 

And of course, smile and giggle at the joy and cheer from those around you. It’s contagious, people!

 

Santa hat brownies

santa hat brownies

These Santa Hat Brownies have a great story attached to them, which I just have to share with you.  Before I  do, though, I want to make sure you know they are legitimately good brownies.  They are made from a box mix, but they are a great activity to share with your kids (or someone else’s) leading up to Christmas.  This is one of those activities that you just go buy the supplies for and wait to create until that time when boredom sets in.  Or there’s a snowstorm.  The instructions for their creation is at the end of this post if you don’t want to hear the fun story attached.

santa hat brownies

Now the fun story:

So, sometimes I have brilliant kids. Sometimes their stupidity astonishes me. If you have kids, grandkids, or have seen kids in the store…you understand.  I recently had each of those moments, and at the same time.  One child behaved astonishingly brilliantly, the other just made me shake my head.

You see, my Levi desperately wanted a Kindle Fire. He seemed to be of the impression that if he had his own tablet he would be allowed to play games on it as often as he wanted.  He thought that I wouldn’t enforce screen time (no electronics on weekdays, etc., etc.)

silly child. 

santa hat brownies2

But that’s another story.  Anyway, we wouldn’t buy one for him. I know, mean parents.   But if he saved his money, we said he could get one. $160 (or whatever it is) is A LOT of money for a pre-teen.

santa hat brownies

Katie felt bad for him. She wanted to be a good sister, a hero. She wanted to help…or so she says.  I think she was just being brilliant.  She offered to loan him the remaining $60 he needed. He was sooo happy. She was sooo willing. I was unaware of any of this.  She shows up with a paper and hands it to me.

santa hat brownies

“Read this, you are a witness”, she says to me.

“Levi hereby agrees to be my peasant until he has paid off the $60 dollars he owes me. He will do whatever I say, whatever I need to make me happy. He cannot complain or say no or I will take away his Kindle.”

I read. I gave legal advice to Levi that went like this…

“DO NOT SIGN THE DOCUMENT”.

He signed. He got the Kindle. He is finding cats, bringing tea, doing chores, giving massages. And decorating Santa hats for his sister.

Brilliant and Stupid.
In one fell swoop.

santa hat brownies

Okay, now you can have the recipe for these Santa Hat Brownies. 

[amd-zlrecipe-recipe:5]