There are certain perks that come with this blogging gig, one of which is getting invited to events like blogger day at the
Shrek the Halls ICE exhibit at the Gaylord National, which is in Maryland or DC or maybe just across a harbor from Virginia, but regardless is somewhere near me.
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Team Stimey at Team Shrek! |
We were lucky enough to go last year
and had a really fun time, so when we got an invitation again this
year, we jumped at the chance. I would like to thank the Gaylord
National for hosting us (and disclose that we didn’t have to pay for any
of the activities you’ll read about) so graciously. I had a really fun
time, but more importantly, my kids had a really fun time, so thank you!
I’ve decided to show you how fun ICE! is by posting a pictorial time
line of our afternoon there. It will show you both the joys and sorrows
and also the potential sensory nightmare that you might walk into. Don’t
worry, you’ll know it when you see it. I apologize that some of the
photos are blurry. One of my kids rubbed their fingers all over the lens
to remove the condensation from it. It is not the fault of the Gaylord
or their decidedly non-fuzzy reality.
We started at a cupcake reception, which was lovely. You won’t get
that if you go to ICE! Sorry. You have to be part of a MEDIA EVENT for
that.
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Jack was the only one of my children willing to attempt to make an “event” next to the sign. Thank you, faithful Jack. |
The Gaylord has events (at extra charge, see bottom) that go along
with ICE! to make it a full-day experience, which is great. One of those
is the scavenger hunt in which kids figure out clues to find things
throughout the hotel.
My guys, Sam especially, remembered the scavenger hunt from last year
and was totally stoked to go at it again. I don’t know if the hotel
decided that last year’s scavenger hunt was too easy or what, but they
upped their game this year and made the hunt decidedly more difficult.
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Thinking…thinking…by Shrek, I think I’ve got it! |
We figured that we’d be able to finish the hunt in the half hour or so
before our ICE! tickets, but that was not to be. We went down an
escalator and found a clue. Then we went down some stairs and across a
room and found another clue. Then we went up some stairs and found
another clue, at which time I took a photograph of my family figuring
out said clue, when…PHOTOBOMB!
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I know that I say this a lot, but I might really mean it this time: This could well be my favorite photo in the history of time. |
After that clue, however, things fell apart a little bit. We went up and
down and up two floors then back down, then we thought we figured it
out, but then it turned out we didn’t, but then, ALEX FOUND IT!
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This, ladies and gentlemen, is what a hero looks like. |
Then Sam and Alex figured out the clue while Quinn made his “cute” face
and then we got reprimanded by an employee for playing on the shoe shine
stand.
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Then I started yelling, “DO YOU HAVE ANY IDEA WHO I AM?” and… No, not really. I just said, “Yes, sir,” and dragged the munchkins out of the chairs. |
From there, we walked over to the ICE! tent and got ready for the
main event. They show you a little movie before you go in, which this
year was all about the construction of the ice sculptures. They bring
people over from China to build the exhibit. How cool is that? I mean,
in a non-literal sense.
This year’s exhibit is based on
Shrek the Halls
and was very fun. My kids were looking forward to the ice slide, which
they remembered from last year. What I remembered, however, was how cold
it is in there (9 degrees), so I’d brought coats, hats, gloves, and
scarves. Plus the staff gives every visitor a big blue parka to wear.
This, incidentally, is where it all went to hell.
I’m going to give you a tip: If you have a child with sensory issues,
maybe consider getting him an adult coat instead of a kids’ coat,
because the kids’ coat on top of his own coat may just be too intense.
Quinn started SCREAMING.
SCREAMING. This was particularly
awesome because they line you up right after you put on coats and take a
photo in hopes that you will buy it later. They couldn’t find our photo
when we came out, which is a shame, because oh lord, I bet it was a
doozy. I might have bought it just as proof of how horrified Quinn was.
I was trying to help him adjust his coat and make it better and he
just kept screaming, “IT’S TOO STRAIGHT! IT’S TOO STRAIGHT!” And Alex
and Sam and Jack kept walking forward and I didn’t want to lose them
because it is IMPOSSIBLE to find people once you’re inside because it is
dark and everyone is dressed exactly the same, but people were staring
and Quinn continued to shriek, “IT’S TOO STRAIGHT! IT’S TOO STRAIGHT!
IT’STOOSTRAIGHTIT’STOOSTRAIGHTIT’STOOSTRAIGHTIT’STOOSTRAIGHT!!!!!!”
Oh, we were a scene and a half.
Finally I managed to get the rest of my family to stop and I realized
that what Quinn meant was that with his coat and the blue coat, he
couldn’t bend his arms—they were too straight.
So I did what you have to do when you’re the mom: I traded coats with him.
And by “traded,” I mean “he wore mine and I carried his.”
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And all was right with the world. If a little cold. |
The rest of the trip through the exhibit was awesome. Quinn went down
the ice slide over and over and was happy as a clam. (Someone at the
bottom of the slide was all, “His coat is too big for him,” and I almost
decked him.)
I came to realization that cold-weather wear makes people look ridiculous:
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Sam, Jack, Surly Alex |
Alex was surly because I had just made him step out of my photo so I
could get a good person-free shot. I may or may not have said, “You are
ruining my picture!”
Add this to the list of reasons why you’re glad you’re not married to me.
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Both photos are pretty cool, actually. |
Anywho, we enjoyed the rest of the exhibit and then headed back over to
the Gaylord to make a gingerbread (actually, sugar cookie, but who
really cares) Christmas tree. This was my kids’ favorite part of the
day, I think.
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They did an excellent job. |
But better yet, Jack found his new best friend—Gingy. See, Jack had
run into Gingy, the giant gingerbread man, at some point earlier in the
day and had pretended to try to take one of his gumdrop buttons and
Gingy had reacted in an extremely excellent way and Jack was just
waiting to do it again.
He was not disappointed.
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Sorry about the blur, but it all happened really fast. |
Then, shortly thereafter…
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Not creepy at all, Gingy. Not creepy at all. |
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Thumbs up, gumdrop friend. |
Here’s the thing: Jack was just one kid wandering around the Gaylord
that day. What that dude inside Gingy did to make him feel special and
to laugh? That is the kind of thing that will make me go back to the
Gaylord National and decorate gingerbread every single year, blogger
event or not. Gingy made the day for me.
Thank you, Gingy. May your gumdrops remain stuck to your chest.
After that, it was a matter of heading back to the ICE! tent for the
character meet and greet, which is always fun. As you might expect, Jack
loves these. Quinn even went up to all of the characters, which is a
first for him, I think.
After that, we finished the scavenger hunt and claimed our prize. We
were going to wait for the free nightly tree lighting and indoor snow
fall, but by this time my sensorily sensitive children were done.
Quinn was standing in the middle of the atrium shouting, “I want to
go home! I want to go home!” and Sam was sulking because he evidently
didn’t get ALL the credit for the scavenger hunt.
We hung out by the fountain for a minute and then left for home.
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The fountain calmed them down considerably. |
ICE! at the Gaylord National runs through January 6. You can find all the information and prices on the website at
http://www.gaylordhotels.com/gaylord-national/christmas-on-the-potomac/ice-experience/index.html.
You can go just to do ICE! or you can add the scavenger hunt and
character meet and greet. The gingerbread decorating is separate as
well. The tree lighting is free nightly. There is also a Santa there
that you can have your photo taken with.
I know that, despite a couple of hiccups, my kids had a wonderful
time and really enjoyed going. Thank you so much to the Gaylord National
for treating us to such a lovely afternoon. Team Stimey truly
appreciates it.
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Thank you, ICE! at Gaylord National! |
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