Santa Picture Attempt #2 = FAILURE

In my second effort to get the Santa picture (1st with both kids) I dragged the whole family to the Tilden Park Carousel on Tuesday the 22nd. I thought the plan was a huge conglomeration of good ideas - live reindeer (only on Tuesdays), pictures with Santa (free!) and a fun carousel. Turns out this was more like the Bermuda Triangle of ideas! I should have realized that the place was going to be INSANE so close to Christmas. When we arrived it was so crowded we had to park the car waaay down the street and continue on foot in the pitch blackness (punctuated by the cars leaving and arriving for the event) to the park itself. Once we finally made it up to the carousel (which was beautifully decorated) we discovered easily 200 people in line for Santa pics. I spoke with one guy halfway up the line who said he had been in line for an hour and it was longer now than when he arrived. What? Yeah. I quickly ditched this Santa attempt and we focused on the reindeer and the carousel. Reindeer sighting was easy peasy, the carousel line was rather lengthy and we had to wait through about 8 rounds to get on but the ride was worth it at the end.

Taki was in charge of the camera - so this is all you get.

Nikos, fresh off a Disneyland Carousel high -

And Olive's 1st Carousel ride with Mom and Dad (she previously went on one with Grammy in DisneyWorld.)