the tree lighting at Traverse Mountain // the holidays are here!

There's nothing like humanity, commercialism, and one Disney channel star to get the holidays going.

But seriously. Christmas tree lightings are in my blood. I grew up in the midst of Portland, watching the Pioneer Courthouse Square tree light up. It was way back in the days when they used to light Christmas trees after Thanksgiving ;) Since then, I've been a huge fan. Everyone mills about, they light up the tree, Santa rides in (Santa!), and BOOM - the holidays are here! Bonus points if you can convince your party to get mint hot chocolate on the way home.

Since living in Utah we've been going to the lighting at the Riverwoods, and I love it there. It gets more and more crowded each year though, so we decided to try Traverse Mountain this year. It was fun! There was some sort of Disney Channel star there (I would know who it was if I had ever watched the disney channel in my life), and the younger girls were going CRAZY at her performance. But hey, you can't resist a giant pink/purple Christmas tree. They also had fireworks. Add to that a 35-minute stop inside the Rocky Mountain Chocolate Company and I was one happy girl :)

 (what? I'm supposed to bring my real camera to things like this? What do you mean iPhone pics don't always cut it?)

We love our Canadian friends, even if Mark is crazy and shows up in shorts and a t-shirt while I'm pulling on an extra pair of fuzzy socks and my thickest scarf. The Bennetts are our partners in crime and we don't know what we'll do when one of us moves away!

Let the holidays begin!

Now let's fast forward to Thanksgiving break.

All in favor, say turkey :)