Eat Some Turkey and a trip on the Polar Express

Thanksgiving was a slow affair this year. We hosted Brandon's grandpa and his new wife Marie. We have them over for dinner often but it was fun to dress up the table and make it special, even with only a few guests. It was a record 85 degrees outside so we spent the day watching football and playing soccer outside.

The next day we headed up to the Grand Canyon Railway for the Polar Express. Christian is obsessed with trains and loved looking at all the trains around the town. He kept yelling at them in this cute little voice, "Choo Choo, Choo Choo!" We got there right before the train left the station so we headed from the hotel straight to the train with our jammies on. It was a magical experience. I read that we should bring some plastic baggies for left over cookies and ribbon to string the bells around our necks. The hot chocolate was delicious and the kids just loved being on a real train. When we arrived to the North Pole the kids were so excited they couldn't contain themselves. Dancing in the isles and whispering to all the other kids how wonderful it is to see Santa and the Elf's houses. Elizabeth and Jackson swear they saw Chippy's (our own personal Elf on the Shelf) house. Then we sang Christmas carols, Elizabeth's favorite part, and finally Santa gave everyone their very own bell. The kids loved the trip. I wish I would have brought the book on the train for when they read the story but I'll know better for next time. We ended the night at the hotel for dinner and bed.

Then we came home the next day in the Christmas spirit and decorated the house. Mainly I decorated the house and the kids ran around looking at all the decorations. They helped trim the tree and posed for me at the end with all their Christmas hats and glasses. I love how excited they get about Christmas and decorating the house. It is truly a magical time.