A Ride on the Polar Express

My mom's all time favorite Christmas story to read to us is The Polar Express. When I was in college she sent me a care package one December. There was a silver bell in the box that had a note on it...."Remember the Polar Express". She has bought the book for each of us and for each grandchild. She absolutely loves the story!

Sometime over the summer it was discovered that there was a Polar Express Train. My mom was so excited! We had to get tickets! Tickets went extremely fast. I think we heard the other night that they were sold out by August. It was in Monticello, IL, about 3 hours away. Everyone in the family thought it was a great idea for a holiday trip so we got tickets to go.

We loaded up and left about 2:00 p.m. on Saturday. The train ride was at 7:00 and we wanted to get there early to grab something for dinner and get some pictures taken. Amy told her kids we were going on a mystery trip. They couldn't wait to see where we ended up!

Mom, Dad, Kara, Claire, Dane, and I rode in mom and dad's minivan. Claire and Dane both napped on the way up. Once we put their carseats in, the only way out of the van was to go straight up to the front and out one of the front doors. It was quite the workout for Kara and I.

Everyone wore their pajamas on the train (Well the kids did). I found these cute little pjs for Dane. They say, "Perfect Little Present" on them.

The train station where we got our tickets.

Our tickets were gold tickets that said "Polar Express" on them. The conductor punched everyone's initials into the ticket, just like they punch the words into the tickets in the book.

All of the cousins in their pjs at the train station.

Mommy and Dane at the train station

Dane was watching everything when we got on the train

Holding his ticket waiting for it to be punched

On the train they told the Polar Express story and there were dancers and singers. They served hot chocolate and snacks.

The Frost Family

Kara and Claire

Dane and Mommy

Waiting for the train to start moving

Mama and Dane

My mom had a ball watching her grandkids enjoy the trip!

Have you ever seen such an excited little boy??? He is obsessed with trains and to be on a Christmas Train was just over the top for him!

The Conductor after he yelled, "All Aboard", just like in the book.

Waiting to have our tickets punched.

The movement of the train put Dane right to sleep.

The train pulled up to the "North Pole" and Santa came out and boarded the train,

Santa stopped to see us even though Dane was sleeping

Thanks to Mama and Papa for getting us tickets and taking us to see the Polar Express.

Dane slept all the way home!