The North Pole Express

We took Will and Alex to Calera for a train ride to the North Pole on December 2. Last year we tried to take Will but it was sold out (IN OCTOBER) when we tried to buy tickets. So we settled for a "Special Train Ride with Santa" and went ahead and put it on our calendar (FOR JULY??!!) to remember to buy our tickets.
I think this will become an annual event for the Vakakes family. It was cold as we waited! Poor Alex, all bundled up, had no idea what to think. A real live conductor punched our tickets before we got on board and Will thought it was so fun that it was just like the conductor did it in the Polar Express (a favorite movie these days...)Will and Alex wore their matching Christmas PJ's and looked adorable. The ride started out with the reading of a book about how it is possible to take a train to the North Pole. The North Pole wasn't quite what I envisioned.......it wasn't covered in white, but instead with giant inflatables of anything Christmas related that you could think of. When we pulled up, Santa and Mrs. Claus were waving from their sleigh. Will was totally into it and had his face smashed up against the glass window, taking it all in. We sang Christmas carols and enjoyed chocolate milk and cookies while Santa made his way through the train and greeted all the boys and girls. My favorite memory from this night was looking at Will, eyes sparkling, singing "Ningle Bells, Ningle Bells!" It was too cute and we realized he knew more Christmas carols than we thought. Alex was just happy to be along for the ride.I am pretty sure this would be on Will's list of Top 3 best moments of his entire life to date. Trains, Cookies, and Chocolate milk.....what more could any almost 3 year old want? :)