winter wonderland

This weekend marked Carter's last english football lesson in Hyde Park.  He'll have to settle for soccer lessons in a school yard from now on!  Maybe some of their english brilliance with the football rubbed off on him (if not we still have HOCKEY!!!!).

After football however, we had a surprise for the kids, on the other side of the Serpentine in Hyde Park, was a winter fair called Hyde Park Winter Wonderland with everything from:an outdoor skating rink, christmas rides, circus, food, art market and Santa Claus!

We weren't sure what to expect but it turned out to be huge and very nice. Especially for a temporary fair that only happens for about 6 weeks leading up to christmas.  

As it turns out, it was a German Christmas fair! Most of the vendors where German and the food was traditional German food.

The first ride the kids HAD to go on was a pirate ride that included walking through dark scary rooms with lots of pirates, treasure and crocodiles.

They even made the ride more festive by adding a climbing Santa.

After touring around a bit we stopped for some lunch at the Bavarian Village.  

We had spicy and non-spicy bratwurst with some german wheat beer and hot mulled wine.  

Averie enjoyed the music and did some dancing!

She just loves shaking her bottom!

Later we had a treat...so many choices!

Averie had chocolate covered marshmallows on a stick.

Carter had a candy apple.

Jenn had some churos (not very German) and I had candied almonds.

Now it was time for some serious riding!

The kids took a spin in a Lamborghini tractor (?).

This ride had a London theme; with a rotating double decker bus and tube signes.

This was Carters next ride, a haunted house.  He was a brave little man.

Later he found a tractor to climb on (getting in the Alberta spirit again).

While Averie went for a ride on a fairytale carriage.

Carter and Averie could both agree the airplanes were a good idea, but Averie had to have the pink....

And Carter got the red (here he comes chasing down those white and green planes!).  Luckily we ended up first in line after the group ahead of us so the kids got what they wanted!

Last ride of the day; the swings!  We both dreaded putting our kids on the swings, but over and over we have refused them and this time the swings actually seems like the right size for them, so we went for it.

They loved it!

So we let them go on twice... then it started raining!

Mike