Glow Wild at the Birmingham Zoo

 I won 4 tickets to this event thru work, and when I told the family, the boys teased me a little about them not getting to go.   But this was a good night with the girls to see the lights.   Davis almost went with us, but I think it was better for him to not go...plus this is very expensive if you don't have free tickets ($20/ticket).   Compared to the Zoo Light Safari that we had attended years back, this was a much cooler event, and the weather was perfect.   It was cold, but not too cold.

We immediately made our way to the train to avoid the lines, but due to some rain earlier in the day, the crowds were very thin at this event on this night.   But it worked well as we got to select whatever seat we wanted on the train, and the girls wanted the very back.  The tunnel was probably the coolest part with the lights all around, but neither Belle nor Magan could get their phones to work at that time.  

There were some really cool flowers that would light up and blow up each time you got near to them, and Ruby thought these were great.   And each section with the glowing animals was pretty neat, and Ruby kept asking for pictures with each one.   At the glowing purple area where the lion is, I don't remember what Belle and I were doing, but there was some crazy dancing, and just being goofballs together.   Later near the snakes, Ruby joined in as we all tried to form snakes with our bodies.   Something about the absence of a crowd and the cover of darkness, lets the little kid in all of us come out and ... for me, that guy has always been silly.   And I am glad those girls have enough silly in them to play along too...and just a giggle from my sweet Magan is all I need to keep doing more and more to hear it again.  

We did have a crazy attack from a pair of dragons that almost devoured us all.   And when those little girls look up at me with those beautiful eyes...one asks for a "Prenzel", and the other for some Hot Chocolate...I can't say no.  I have seen Father of the Bride...I know one day I will be a mess, but for now, they are my princesses, and I love each moment with them.  I asked the girls what was their favorite thing on this night...and it was the "prenzel" (This is how Ruby cutely pronounces it).   Really, tho, it was a pretty amazing pretzel.  Then leaving the zoo, the girl sitting beside me in the van, with the pretty brown eyes looked over and said "I want some Mellow Mushroom pizza"...Yes Ma'am!  Hard to say no.  

Scout Court of Honor and Christmas Party

 The Court of Honor included the Eagle ceremony for Brandon Brown.   I have been his scout leader since the 1st grade, and it has been great to watch him grow, watch him and Sam become the best of friends, and now to see him hit the highest rank in scouts.   And then he honored me with a Mentor Pin during the ceremony.   Even tho my current role is much more behind the scenes, I really appreciated him remembering me and all the fun times our group had through the years.   

Zach, Eli, and Evan also came home from college to participate in this event, so there were 5 Eagle Rank scouts together again.  I must admit that I have met some eagle scouts over the years, and had to scratch my head abit at how that was allowed to happen...but for these guys, all future leaders.   

The Christmas party was a few weeks later, and not much going on there, except for the following stories that Sam and Davis told me.  Sam wore his Space Santa ugly sweater to the event, and Grant Dabbs made him speechless with his random comment "One small Ho for man, One giant Ho for mankind".   We love Grant, and he is always good for a quote.  They later found that Max paid a kid $20 for a boxcutter, and later looked it up to find it only cost $10.   

Watch out for those Carolers!

We had a lot traveling this year, and due to an upswing in the flu/covid/crud going around, I had alot of our older ones opt out of the caroling this year, but we had a good group and had a fun time singing some Christmas songs.   We got to be with Mrs. Linda (twice) Justice, Mrs. Retha Vinsant, Tom and Donice Cox, Mrs. Ginger Street, Flynn and Jeanette Gerald, Larry and Wanda Harrison, and Martha and Vince Decker.

The boys crack up each time singing about the figgy pudding, and I was the designated song leader this year (so hit or miss sometimes).   Apparently Jingle Bells starts off with some dashing thru the snow...but I always started it with Jingle Bells.   After services we began with a good meal from Freddy's.   And "Deck the Halls" is just a weird song, I have no idea what 60% of the words I am singing even mean.   We need to change that up next year.  But the girls were all happy because last year I had forgotten all the lines about figgy pudding.