Polar Express here we come!

So this post is going to be short and sweet! This year we again attempted the Polar Express train ride! Last year we went on the Santa Special during the day because Christian was not a fan of Santa! However, this year he is all about Santa and already sat on his lap in Peoria after Thanksgiving! We were excited because we have been waiting for this year to arrive in our household! Santa is a good guy and not someone to be afraid of after all!

Well, this year I had the date on my calendar for

months when the Polar Express tickets went on sale! We did not want to miss the chance of not getting to ride the Train this year! We had planned to go with our friends the Copelands because all our boys are like siblings! I think they actually believe there is some blood relation between them! The other day they asked if Christian could come live with them! How sweet is that! I do not think Susan wants a 4th boy running around her house! :) Now, of course the day came and almost

went before I remembered the sale of the Polar Express tickets! Seriously? I think some days

my head would fall off if it were not attached! We got are tickets ordered and all was good with the world! Now we just had to wait for a month and a half to go on our adventure ride to the North Pole! It is so cute for those that do not know. The Polar Express is a train ride that takes you to the North Pole to visit Santa (like the book). All the kids dress in their PJ's and get cookies and milk. They read the Polar Express story on the way up North and sing Christmas Carols too. The excitement in the air is so much fun! The anticipation of getting a glimpse

of Santa is almost to much to bear for theses little ones! They are bouncing off the walls! Santa and Mrs. Claus board the train and take pictures and the elves give out gifts. This year it was an ornament with the Polar Express on it, which is now hanging on the Christmas tree! They are also given jingle bells like in the book! It is a fun thing to do with the kids! Christian has loved the train ride each year! Notice I said, "Train Ride"! Oh well, there is always next year! The story goes like this...

December 6th came really quick and Christian, Elijah and Preston were very excited about the train ride and seeing Santa Claus. I do not think Porter (11 weeks older than Henley) and Henley cared about it, but they loved the train ride and cookies! We got to the station a little early because we wanted to make sure we got the seats facing each other! We thought the boys would enjoy this better and would not be hopping back and forth all over the train. It was a cold night in Birmingham so we all got some hot chocolate to help keep us warm. We were the first on our train and got great seats on the left side of the car. This is the side that you see the North Pole! We had been talking about this all week and Christian was so excited to see Santa! What happened next shocked us! We pulled up to the North Pole and there is Santa and Mrs.Claus waving to all the excited children! Christian is waving and so happy....then he turned and looked at me with this panic stricken face! What is wrong? He said, "mommy I am scared.......

I do not want to see Santa!" What? I thought he was kidding! Brian and I were so confused at his reaction to Santa Claus and did not know what scared him. However, like good parents we told him that it was alright. He did not have to see or talk to Santa when he came through the car. That was just not enough for our little boy...Christian went and HID under all of our jackets! :) Hilarious! We still to this day do not know what scared him that night, but we have pictures of it!

Henley is petrified of Santa this year, which is not unexpected. She was very intrigued by Santa in Peoria, but if you try and put her on his lap that is another story! We are not surprised by this considering there is a handful of people who are able to hold her! This girl has the worst post leaving mommy anxiety I have ever seen!!! You would think someone cut her arms off if I leave her for a second! I guess I should feel loved, but

instead I feel like running from her sometimes! :) Not really...well maybe a little! Regardless of the scariness Henley and I got our picture with Santa and Mrs. Claus! I have started a tradition of framing Santa Claus pictures and I put them all over our house at Christmas time. It is priceless to see all the faces and cries for help over the past 4 years! This year I got to at least put a

smiling Santa picture out! Christian in Peoria sitting on Santa's lap...happy as can be!

It was a real fun night and a tradition we will continue as long as we can! I love the magic of Christmas and I hope my children always will too!!!