The Polar Express

Since my entire family was going to be together this Christmas, my parents thought it would be fun to do a special family present.  They bought everyone first class tickets to the Heber Creeper's Polar Express Train ride.  It was about an hour and a half and full of awesome!!  

The ride started at 7:30 and since Jason goes to bed really early and is really cranky when he is kept up, we decided it was better to get a sitter for him and let him sleep.  That turned out to be a wise decision.  Poor kid would have had a really hard time staying up so late.

The rest of the kids did really well and had a BLAST!!!  Since we were in first class, we got to sit in the front with the owner telling stories and jokes in the microphone that all the cars could hear.  We also boarded the train on a red carpet.  That was fun!  There were elves dancing through the isle and we all sang lots of songs.  The kids even got in the isles and danced with the elves.  After about 40 min the train stopped and let some dear get off the tracks (that's part of the book, there weren't really any dear) and then we pulled up to the "North Pole" and Santa boarded our train.  He gave everyone a bell and talked with all the kids as we rode back to the station.  Lydia was SO excited  when Santa came aboard that she ran right up to him and gave him a huge hug.  It was adorable.

Matt was making an angry face!

Inside the station.

Dave and Abby!

Getting ready to board.

Rachel loved having Lydia around.  She grabbed her anytime we were around.  They enjoyed being together.

The only family picture we got since Lydia was running around having the time of her life.

We got a cookie.....

...and hot chocolate.  We got to keep the mugs with our first class tickets.

The conductor punching our tickets. 

Who's outside???  IT"S SANTA!!!

"Mommy!  He's coming mommy!"

He remembered her from running down the train isle.

She was happy to oblige him!

Having lots of fun!

My parents with most of their grandbabies!  Jason and Kaylee stayed home to sleep.