The Polar Express!

Just a short aside before I start this post.  I was just looking back through old posts to see if I could find one of our old Polar Express trips.  Sadly, I don't think I was yet keeping the blog.  But how fun it was to walk back through those memories.  I am SO glad I have them recorded here.  Especially now that we are climbing out of the "little kid" phase.  How quickly we forget those sweet, small details, and what treasures they are to my heart to read them and remember.  I am sure these memories will be just as cherished someday. 

We took the kids to ride "The Polar Express" this Christmas.  This is an especially fond memory of Dan and mine with respect to Matthew.  He LOVED trains as a 2 -4 year old.  As a tiny guy he would request the movie so that he could drive his trains around the track while watching the Polar Express drive through the snow.  It was so cute.  I can still  vividly picture him with his book balanced on his lap, sipping hot cocoa while listening to the story being read on the train.  How he cherished his silver bell!  And so we boarded feeling like there was no way this trip could compare, yet excited to do one more ride.

How wrong we were.

There was no lacking in excitement.  Though we were seated in "coach" in a 1955 commuter car that groaned and complained all the way down the track, it was magically transformed through the eyes of the kids.

They were SO excited about their Golden tickets.

I couldn't resist a special seat next to Matthew.

The "ghost" on the train broke character momentarily to comment on how Matthew looks like a mini Ron Howard.  We have always thought he resembled "Opie" on the Andy Griffith show, so it was funny that he said the same thing. 

"Is anyone in need of a little refreshment?"

 "Hot! Hot! Hot! Hot Chocolate!!"

"Tickets Everyone! Tickets!"

And then the reading of the story....

It's the North Pole!!!

And of course a little caroling and dancing is always in order...

And then the big moment.....

Santa!!!!

He presented each of the children with their own silver bell. 

I think Matthew was just as excited as when he was three.

The kids were bubbling with excitement and the evening really was magical through their eyes.  I thought perhaps the boys were getting a little bit old for this, but I was wrong.   

Dan and I agreed that it was our favorite trip yet.