The Polar Express

December 6th we traveled south to Mt. Pleasant to visit Santa's workshop and ride the Polar Express. Nate is crazy about trains and I was happy to spend the money to buy some family time. Magical? Maybe for Nate. They put this coating on the windows so you couldn't see out clearly and realize we just lapped the track 3 times to get to "The North Pole". After we arrived, we stepped out basically into a shed (so cold!) that had a gift shop, a craft room, a bar they were serving hot cocoa and cookies from and a red caboose where Santa was. There were people dressed in pretty weak imitations of elves and the places wasn't really decorated at all. I was kinda bummed, but Nate didn't seem to notice. He loved it. After I ate 3 sugar cookies I started to feel better about it. There were some major highlights: the conductors that rode in each train car were dressed up perfectly, just like the guy from the book- hat and all. Santa was perfect with a real white beard (but Nate still wouldn't sit on his lap or even give him a high five), they gave us really cool jingle bells (like from the book), the gift shop was super cheap, they took a free family photo, and the unlimited cookies were quite good. So it wasn't exactly a winter wonderland, but it was still worth going. Here is the link for all you locals to check out next year. It is Midwest Central Railroad. Tickets go on sale in October and you HAVE to buy your tickets the day they go on sale. We did take Andy even though he isn't pictured. He slept the whole time (thank goodness because it was so cold and he stayed bundled in his car seat.) Oh and the whistle on the train was really cool, not ear splitting like most. And the steam that came out made it feel magical. I have heard if you go on one of the night rides it is really cool. The only do it the first 2 weekends in December (that is why tickets are so hard to get).

Waiting for them to shout "All Aboard!"

Next in line to see Santa inside the red caboose

Eating sprinkles off the sugar cookies


Nate kept saying "chuggachugga"

Blessed Baby

Russell Men
Great Grandpa Rich, Chris, Nate, Uncle Jon, Andrew and Kapka (Grandpa Steve)

My family
Uncle Ben, Aunt Erica (and 5 mo. baby bump), Cousin Lauren
Grandpa Harold, Grandma Amy, Nate
Chris, me, Andrew

November 30th Chris blessed Andrew. We were lucky enough to have family join us, including Chris's grandparents from Atlanta and Chris's brother home from California. Though I could not hear it, Chris said Andrew was cooing and laughing during the blessing. Thank goodness because I couldn't get him to sleep before that so he was very tired. Doesn't that always happen? Thanks for making the effort to join us family. We sure love you.

True story- When we were saying goodbye to Chris's grandparents the night before they flew home I told Nate to give Grandpa Rich a hug and Nate said, in front of Rich, "No, he's grouchy!" I was so embarrassed, but Rich only replied, "Perceptive!" Thank goodness he has a sense of humor!