Next to the ice skating rink in downtown Mexico City, they have a little place where kids can make snowmen.
So, while we were waiting to go on the ice at the rink, we went and made a little snowman. Here’s a quick video of Nathan and me making his first ever snowman with “imported” snow. It was a lot of fun.
Mexico City is home to the largest artificial ice skating rink in the world (Spanish site). The rink, which they built for the first time last year in the zocalo (downtown center square), is back this year. We went yesterday to skate on the gigantic rink.
They have done a great job of making it a very family friendly place. First of all, entrance to the rink is free, so everyone regardless of economic status, can attend. They also have a place where kids can make snowmen and go sledding down an artificial hill.
We arrived downtown at 11, and we got into line so they could give us our bracelets that we needed to go on the ice. Our turn was at 4 in the afternoon! Luckily, we had gone with Jon and Nicolle, so we had help taking care of the kids.
Since we had to wait, we went to McDonald’s, Nathan and I made a snowman (but he was an inch too short to go sledding). Then, in a stroke of genius, someone suggested that we go up to the restaurant at the Majestic Hotel on the corner of the zócalo and got something to drink. The view from the restaurant was incredible. From there, you could see the skating rink and the entire downtown square.
Finally, it was our turn to skate. Nathan made it around once. He had a great time, but he was so tired by the time it was our turn.
Overall, we had a great day. Check out our Flickr set from yesterday.
I love Christmas season! I truly believe it’s the most wonderful time of the year.
We put up our Christmas tree on Saturday. Here are some pictures.
You can see the whole set on flickr here.
Watch the video on Vimeo by clicking here.
We were outnumbered in our house yesterday by Mexicans because we invited some friends over to share the festivities with us.
The youth pastor of our church and his family were there. A music professor from the seminary and their family was there. Jon and Nicolle, the interns from Huntington who are here until December, were there.
It was a great Thanksgiving. It’s always fun to share family traditions with spiritual family. Since we’re far away from “home”, we enjoy trying to create the same atmosphere here as if we were in Florida. I think we achieved that yesterday.
Of course, the honored guest was the turkey (imported from the country of Chile). Janell did a wonderful job cooking everything, and we all had that too full and tired to move feeling at the end of the day while watching the football games.
The kids had a great time, too, although the house took a beating because of it. There were toys everywhere. Luckily, we stayed on top of cleaning up, so the evening wasn’t too terribly full of washing dishes.
I am thankful that we can have this tradition even living here in Mexico. I love sharing something that is 100% American with people from another culture. It’s pretty fun for everyone…except the turkey.
The other day I was at work, and I opened my email to a surprise. It was an email from Janell. I love getting email from her, especially when they have pictures of the kids in them.
When Janell emailed me the pictures of them playing, the email said, “I don’t know who likes it more, but the crying has stopped (for now).”
See the video here on Vimeo.
We are desperate to get Benjamin to sleep a little more at night. The night before last night, he had a great night sleeping, so we felt good. We had given him a little cereal before to try to get him to sleep a little longer, and it seemed to work.
So, last night, we tried again. I’m not sure he liked the cereal or not. He was eating it. You be the judge.
Well, it didn’t help him sleep. Oh well. At least we got to use his new high chair.
See the video on Vimeo if you can’t see it here.
