ICE at Gaylord Texan Resort

During the break, I had the opportunity to go with Dad, Amanda, Katsu and Andrew to see the Ice exhibit at the Gaylord Texan Resort. We spent a little time in the lobby of the hotel first, experiencing all the decorations up for Christmas. The trees were gigantic and very pretty.

They also had several minature train sets and villages around the lobby.

Here is a lifesize gingerbread house, completely (supposedly) edible.

Andrew liked watching the trains too.

I liked how they had some of the trains go through actual normal-sized gingerbread houses (though the decorating skills on those was less than spectacular).

It was also really fun to watch how excited Andrew would get. There were these water features and paths winding all around the lobby and he would stop nearly every foot to gaze at the little streams and fountains.

Then on to the main show! Everything in here was sculpted or molded from ice. In order to keep it from melting, the whole place was kept freezing cold.

Everyone was given these bright blue heavy parkas so we could withstand the cold. ... kinda made us all look like neon blue marshmallows though.

Some were really beautiful clear ice sculptures.

Others were more whimsical and brightly colored.

... even with my sweatshirt and the huge parka, halfway through I felt sooo cold! I barely could feel my fingers at all. If I went again, I'd definitely bring thick heavy gloves.

They also had a large slide completely made of ice that you could go down. Dad and Katsu did, but the line was really long and by then I was too cold to want to actually sit on ice.

... a visit with ice Santa.

... trying to keep my teeth from chattering...

They also had a large display of the nativity, which I really liked.

Andrew always managed to find anything car related, so we had to take a picture with the children's train outside the entrance. ... it was funny, after we finally got out of the ice exhibit, we asked Andrew if he liked it, and all he cold say was "...cold..." haha, poor guy. At least he found some cools trains.