The Crabb Family: The Polar Express

This weekend we took the kids to The Polar Express train ride at the Heart of Dixie Railroad Museum in Calera, Alabama. Sam was SO EXCITED. He woke up three times the night before to ask if it was time to go to the North Pole yet.
It really was such a neat thing to do with the kids and I hope that we make it a Crabb family tradition.

Sam and Ellie wore their Christmas pajamas just like in the book.

So excited! I kept asking Ellie if she was gonna hug Santa Claus and she would just nod her head yes. But after her reaction to Santa at the North Pole Stroll a couple of weeks ago, I knew that wasn't gonna happen. :)

It was Siberia cold. 20 degrees and 40 mph gusts of wind. And we had to wait outside! There are layers of tights, turtlenecks and long johns under those pj's.

We found a museum car that we could play in for a minute that was heated. Of course Sam didn't want to leave. He said, 'Y'all go to the North Pole, I'm gonna stay here and play with these trains.'

All aboard!

We rode in the Long Island car, a restored 1956 commuter coach.

We took our seats and the conductor read The Polar Express over the speakers. Then we sang Christmas carols and started looking out the windows for the North Pole.

Ellie did not want to stay in her seat. She ran up and down the aisle making friends with everybody and crawling up in their seats. She even gave some random boy a kiss.

Good old pacifier calmed her down.

The flash reflection messed up this picture but you can barely see the North Pole out of the window. Not as 'North Pole-ish' as I would've liked but there were lights and reindeer and SANTA AND MRS. CLAUS!