We
actually had an awesome time, but wouldn't cha know it? I forgot the
camera!!!!!! I thought I was so oragnised, too. Ha, ha, plonk!
Mid Valley is only a 15 minute walk from our house, but it was so humid that we drove down. Also we anticipated a large crown so we didn't take the pram for Phebe, but rather the back pack.
Well, we parked at the entrance closest to to Santa Seat, but naturally he wasn't there when we walked passed, (it was only 11.30 and he was due at 12) so we made our way to the food court entrance, where we met a pair of jockeys on reindeer.
It was one person wearing a suit, where they made the body of the rider, and the front legs of the reindeer, and the rear legs of the reindeer were wired loosley to the front legs so they walked automatically with the front legs. The jockeys legs were these little things that were part of the costume, and the neck and head of the reindeer were controlled by the reins which were held by the person. The reindeer riders were goin around the people offering their steeds for petting (freaky looking things they were! Long tangled eyelashes and hidious teeth! LOL!), and giving lollies away. My three got some and were not afraid to give the reindeers a scratch, unlike many of the kids, who shied away from the idea.
As we reached the doors we saw two 15 feet candy cane people! The people themselves were on stilts, and the top part of the red and white cane was inflated, and they were wearing red suits, and the peoples faces had white clown make up on them. They were giving away santa stationary to write letters to santa on, and paper crowns for the children, and they were a bigger hit than the reindeer riders!
We finally made it out the doors and there was this huge truck with a band on it, the singers dressed in blue and white dance clothes, belting out Christmas songs.
At the side of the truck, some people were giving away helium baloons, so we pushed our way through the croud to there first, where the children all aquired a balloon each, tied to their wrists (though I took Phebe's off, and tied hers to the back pack, as there was less chance of it being lost!) and Malachi almost immediatly started to have an anxiety attack about his baloon popping, or blowing away or something, but we wer mostly able to shush him.
We stepped back a bit and enjoyed the last of the music till the announcement was made that Santa was here, and we pushed forward again.
Up the stairs into the truck Santa bounced and waved to all the children and grown ups, and I encouraged Malachi and Hadassah closer (Phebe stayed in the pack), where they were able to grab some of the lollies Santa was throwing into the crowd. After this it was announced that Santa would walk to his seat through the Centre, and every one was welcome to come with him.
Off we all went, Michael and I kept the children as close to the front of the croud to keep out of the crush, and we watched as Santa would occasionally throw lollies about, as did his helpers. The children were quite happy to stay close and watch the goings on.
Finally we got to Santa's seat, and we scurried to the already forming line to sit on Santa's lap. We were only about six people down the line, but we must have waited nearly 20 minutes, and by this time the children were really starting to get stroppy, but we finally made it to Santa, not for a photo, but for a chat and hand shake, and the children were well content with this.
On the way out we collected a gift bag for each of the children, and got a free ticket on the little merry go round they had there too, but then we reached the Merry go round we learnt that it was having a fit and wasn't running at that particular moment,and please could we come back in an hour? Well, this wasn't fine with the children, who set up a proper roar as we dragged them away, but we explained that we would go to Macca's and play on the play ground till it was fixed, and they were pacified with this.
Off to the car we went, as Maccas is also 15 minutes walk from our house, only in the opposite direction, and is a 5 minute drive from Mid Valley. When we got there, Michael ushered the children off the the play ground, and told me to get us lunch as we hadn't eaten yet. It was very busy, and must have taken me more than 5 minutes to finally get our order (a couple of Angus's, and fries and coke for the children, too), and we were finally able to just sit and watch the children play (and occasionally tear up to the table to grab a chip or a slurp of drink. (It was terrible humid, and inside that pray gym thing they have there it was have been cooking!!)
When the food was all finally gone I thought ice cream would be appropriate, as they children were all bright red with exertion, and Michael offered to get that. He was gone a while, too, but when he got back we extracted the children from the play ground and their new friends, and we sat them down to lick frantically at their rapidly melting ice creams, while Michael had a large choc sunday and I had an oreo mcflurry.
After the ice cream was either eaten or wiped up we packed the children back into the car and we trundled off to Mid Valley again, and were quite relieved to see the merry go round was in working order, so while Michael loaded them on and then watched them I popped into Coles and bought water for the children, and IBproven for Michael.
Finally we came home, and I am pleased to report that Phebe and Hadassah are both dead asleep, and Malachi is playing a very quiet Nintendo 64 game :)
Mid Valley is only a 15 minute walk from our house, but it was so humid that we drove down. Also we anticipated a large crown so we didn't take the pram for Phebe, but rather the back pack.
Well, we parked at the entrance closest to to Santa Seat, but naturally he wasn't there when we walked passed, (it was only 11.30 and he was due at 12) so we made our way to the food court entrance, where we met a pair of jockeys on reindeer.
It was one person wearing a suit, where they made the body of the rider, and the front legs of the reindeer, and the rear legs of the reindeer were wired loosley to the front legs so they walked automatically with the front legs. The jockeys legs were these little things that were part of the costume, and the neck and head of the reindeer were controlled by the reins which were held by the person. The reindeer riders were goin around the people offering their steeds for petting (freaky looking things they were! Long tangled eyelashes and hidious teeth! LOL!), and giving lollies away. My three got some and were not afraid to give the reindeers a scratch, unlike many of the kids, who shied away from the idea.
As we reached the doors we saw two 15 feet candy cane people! The people themselves were on stilts, and the top part of the red and white cane was inflated, and they were wearing red suits, and the peoples faces had white clown make up on them. They were giving away santa stationary to write letters to santa on, and paper crowns for the children, and they were a bigger hit than the reindeer riders!
We finally made it out the doors and there was this huge truck with a band on it, the singers dressed in blue and white dance clothes, belting out Christmas songs.
At the side of the truck, some people were giving away helium baloons, so we pushed our way through the croud to there first, where the children all aquired a balloon each, tied to their wrists (though I took Phebe's off, and tied hers to the back pack, as there was less chance of it being lost!) and Malachi almost immediatly started to have an anxiety attack about his baloon popping, or blowing away or something, but we wer mostly able to shush him.
We stepped back a bit and enjoyed the last of the music till the announcement was made that Santa was here, and we pushed forward again.
Up the stairs into the truck Santa bounced and waved to all the children and grown ups, and I encouraged Malachi and Hadassah closer (Phebe stayed in the pack), where they were able to grab some of the lollies Santa was throwing into the crowd. After this it was announced that Santa would walk to his seat through the Centre, and every one was welcome to come with him.
Off we all went, Michael and I kept the children as close to the front of the croud to keep out of the crush, and we watched as Santa would occasionally throw lollies about, as did his helpers. The children were quite happy to stay close and watch the goings on.
Finally we got to Santa's seat, and we scurried to the already forming line to sit on Santa's lap. We were only about six people down the line, but we must have waited nearly 20 minutes, and by this time the children were really starting to get stroppy, but we finally made it to Santa, not for a photo, but for a chat and hand shake, and the children were well content with this.
On the way out we collected a gift bag for each of the children, and got a free ticket on the little merry go round they had there too, but then we reached the Merry go round we learnt that it was having a fit and wasn't running at that particular moment,and please could we come back in an hour? Well, this wasn't fine with the children, who set up a proper roar as we dragged them away, but we explained that we would go to Macca's and play on the play ground till it was fixed, and they were pacified with this.
Off to the car we went, as Maccas is also 15 minutes walk from our house, only in the opposite direction, and is a 5 minute drive from Mid Valley. When we got there, Michael ushered the children off the the play ground, and told me to get us lunch as we hadn't eaten yet. It was very busy, and must have taken me more than 5 minutes to finally get our order (a couple of Angus's, and fries and coke for the children, too), and we were finally able to just sit and watch the children play (and occasionally tear up to the table to grab a chip or a slurp of drink. (It was terrible humid, and inside that pray gym thing they have there it was have been cooking!!)
When the food was all finally gone I thought ice cream would be appropriate, as they children were all bright red with exertion, and Michael offered to get that. He was gone a while, too, but when he got back we extracted the children from the play ground and their new friends, and we sat them down to lick frantically at their rapidly melting ice creams, while Michael had a large choc sunday and I had an oreo mcflurry.
After the ice cream was either eaten or wiped up we packed the children back into the car and we trundled off to Mid Valley again, and were quite relieved to see the merry go round was in working order, so while Michael loaded them on and then watched them I popped into Coles and bought water for the children, and IBproven for Michael.
Finally we came home, and I am pleased to report that Phebe and Hadassah are both dead asleep, and Malachi is playing a very quiet Nintendo 64 game :)
It really was a great day! And aside
from Phebe being in a foul mood right now, we are not suffering any ill
side effects (tiredness, body aches, head aches, frayed tempers etc) I
am so pleased!
Just between you, me and the door post, Michael and I were both anxious about today, because usually this sort of thing does not go well for us. The children are stroppy, we have head aches, or the outing is unpleasant in some way or other. This outing was a pure joy, and the first of its kind we have ever experienced!
Just between you, me and the door post, Michael and I were both anxious about today, because usually this sort of thing does not go well for us. The children are stroppy, we have head aches, or the outing is unpleasant in some way or other. This outing was a pure joy, and the first of its kind we have ever experienced!
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