The Polar Express

I probably have two posts worth of Christmas pictures to share, but our Polar Express day deserves a post of it's own. I've been wanting to do a Polar Express type of activity during the Christmas season since Will was a little boy and into trains (like most boys are), but this was the first year it actually happened. Hello! He's turning 12 in a few months! I kind of missed the boat on that one, but I live by a "better late than never" philosophy (which is why all of my friends and family probably received their New Year's cards today) so it's all good.

I scheduled our tickets for the first day of Christmas break, and it was the perfect kickoff. We had a beautiful dusting of snow the night before so it couldn't have been more beautiful as we headed up the mountains to Heber City: 

It took us about an hour to get there, but it was easy to spot once we got close:

I couldn't help but stare out the window most of the time. It was so gorgeous!

Warm and cozy in the train car sipping hot cocoa:

Elizabeth woke up not feeling so good, but she was being a real trooper. She started perking up once we got her some hot cocoa:

Hot cocoa makes everything better:

Just look at this scenery:

Once we got to the end of the line (the "North Pole"), and after seeing Santa waving at us from outside the train, we stopped for several minutes as our host went around the train car requesting Christmas carols. After lots of "Jingle Bells" and "Rudolph" type songs (Rachael is requesting and singing "Frosty the Snowman" in the picture below) Kate said if they asked her she would request "O Come, O Come Emmanuel" in Latin. She and Will were a little bit above the whole thing. Like I said, we kind of missed the boat on the older kids and the Polar Express experience.

Elizabeth holding a card for The 12 Days of Christmas:

Finally we got word Santa was coming. Here's Rachael waiting . . . 

and waiting . . .

There he is!

Will was the first child Santa saw, and he looks like he's being accosted by him here in this blurry picture. It was a pretty funny moment as Santa realized this was an older boy who was probably present against his will, so he ended up asking him if he wanted a Barbie for Christmas:

"Hey, can you check my prostate later?"

Kate was trying to hide in the corner, but to no avail. Santa wouldn't neglect anyone! He asked her if she wanted a flat iron when she didn't offer up her own request:

The little girls were a bit more accommodating:

I believe! I believe! (But why doesn't his hair and beard match?) Okay, seriously. Isn't this just the cutest picture ever?

Meanwhile, Will is making faces on the train car window:

And I unintentionally caught this "evil elf" picture which had all family members over the age of 8 in stitches:

Brandon is actually cracking up in this picture below because he had just purchased the present Rachael requested of Santa while on the train with his iphone and the Amazon 1-click purchase option for Amazon Prime members. It was the Thursday before a Tuesday Christmas! And it would have arrived in time with that awesome 2 day shipping if it hadn't been for the massive east coast snow storm that not only detained my parents in Denver for 2 nights, but also delayed several of our last minute Christmas gifts from arriving. (Including the plush prostate and testicle I intended to put in Brandon's stocking. Doggone it!)

The whole thing was so cute from start to finish, including the conductor who came around to punch everyone's tickets:

And the little jingle bells they passed out to everyone near the end of the ride:

More beautiful scenery on the ride back:

And the drive home:

 More belated Christmas cheer coming soon!