I want to play dress up!!

This weekend we headed up to see Aunt Christie again and this time, we went to Dicken's on the Strand, http://www.galvestonhistory.com/Dickens_on_The_Strand.asp, and it was so, so, so, much fun!! Our family has gone once before, when I was about 16- and I forgot how much fun it is and all the beautiful costumes that the ladies wear. You can go to the above website to check out, what it is all about. Galveston used to be the richest city in Texas before the big hurricane in the early 1900's, when it practically washed the city away... and it has never full recovered to it's old status. Back in the late 1800's and early 1900's/civil war era - Galveston had huge ties with England... and this weekend kind of celebrates that- and you see all kinds of characters from Charles Dickens stories! It really took the Christmas spirit to the next level for us! Groups of carolers all around, "poor" people asking for money in their british accents... bag pipes, shows.... the Queen of England (fake) but still! LOL! Here are a ton of pictures that were taken- I wish I had a better camera to really focus in on the costumes of some of the people- they were amazing!! Next year- I am going to play DRESS UP and go:) My kids loved every minute of it... and I'm going to have so much fun dressing them up next year - and the weather was perfect- a windy 75!! Enjoy:)

All my kids going and getting in bed with Aunt Amy and Minnie (well actually Erin was still asleep with me)
Ethan- with his finger in his favorite place in the whole wide world!!
Awww!! I think he is ready for a baby brother or sister!
Ethan playing around with Christie's sunglass case and accidently closing it on his own lip!
Awww!! So cute!! They love Minnikins!
Snow?! In Texas! Yep - until it melts!

Cute carolers!! There were all kinds of groups dressed up like this carolling around! It was very Christmasy!
Me and Dante with the cool pirates!! Their costumes were AWESOME!! Erin and Ethan chickened out!

The kids petting and about to feed the Alpacas?? They are not lamas- they are something different- and a lot cuter!

The man who died in the street, because the police beat him.
I loved the back of this ladies dress!! It was gorgeous!

I told Dante to go take a picture with the Ghost from Scrooge and he was like - NO, I 'm not scared of him- I just don't want to take one with him. Then this lady turned around, and goes, Yes, you do want to take a picture with me, come on! And grabbed him and held onto him! It was so funny! Look at Dante's face!
Here is the ghost Dante "was NOT" scared of!
Dante would have spent all day with these guys and their guns if he could have! It was a pretty cool place to be.

Christie and Ethan with "Walter" the horse. He was such a sweetie! Walter used to be a prison horse, and then he got stabbed in the right eye by an inmate and was partially blinded. Poor guy! Dante heard the story, and so whenever anyone came up to pet him- he made sure to pass the story on!



This little boys outfit was soooo cute!!!
Here is Christie, Ethan, Dante, Amy, Minnie, and Erin all waiting for the parade to start!

Ethan with 2 gumballs on the side of each cheek. He looked sooo funny! It looked like it really hurt!

As we are waiting- we finally are graced with the presence of Scrooge himself!

Ethan bored and just messing around.

Parade starts!!

Pirate brigade!
Aren't these little girls adorable!!



Here is one of the "rag" ladies! I felt like I had just stepped into Oliver Twist! Ladies selling roses and milk, etc...
I loved this ladies outfit!! I wish I had gotten a closer look. What girl doesn't want to dress up like that- umbrella included??
Old school firetruck and firemen...
Oh look- I started a fire!!
Isn't this buggy so cool!
Old school cops! Love it!

I loved the bagpipes!!
Father Christmas!
Another school caroling group.

These bikes are so cool- and they had young kids riding them too!

It was an awesome Saturday and I can't wait til' next year!!!