Ice!

This past Friday afternoon, we ventured across the river to Maryland's National Harbor and checked out the Gaylord Hotel's Christmas decorations and the adjoining ICE! exhibit. The exhibit was pretty pricey, but kids under four are free and we didn't know when we might see something like this again so we made the splurge. The display is 15,000 square feet of carved ice sculptures (many using really cool colored ice) and ice slides, all maintained in a frigid nine-degree tent. It was definitely cold (and our toes were numb after 45 minutes or so), but we all had lots of fun -- although Isaac might have loved it more if he could walk without falling in his giant exhibit-issued coat!

The whole family in an ice sleigh in our big blue coats.

We needed those coats, even over our own coats!

Amelia reverted back to her own coat early on so she had better use of her hands to feel the crazily smooth ice sculptures with her gloves.

Amelia exploring the igloo

Tunnel of lights

Ice cathedral

Poor Isaac and his too big coat and hat. He still seemed to have fun!

Ice bear (and a good view of how giant Isaac's coat was!)

Ice toys

Amelia on the ice slides. We all tried them at least one -- they were FAST!

Ice nativity... hard to photograph well but very beautiful in person.