Saturday, December 20, 2008

The Polar Express!

Yesterday we got to do my favorite Christmas activity of them all! I love, love, love the Polar Express! Olivia fell in love with the movie last year and we literally watched it probably 100 times last December. She has toned it down this year, but she still cries every single time it is over. So for the second year, Michael and I took her to Bryson City to ride The Polar Express. It is SO worth the 2 1/2 hour drive from Knoxville if your children like the movie or book. The website is http://www.gsmr.com/ if you want to check it out, but be warned, it sells out way in advance, so plan ahead! We went last year and had a great time, but they had even improved on it this year! Can you tell I had a good time? Olivia was really on top of her game this year, she had to wear a gown because the girl in the movie is (luckily we had already planned on a gown) she didn't think she should wear a bow because the kids in the movie didn't wear bows, she fussed at me for not wearing my pj's, she was determined to find the boy from the movie so we could sit with him and she kept telling me she might fall asleep on the train because the kids on the movie did. Of course she didn't, and stayed awake all the way home (11pm), and for those of you who know my child that is way, way, way, way, way past her bedtime! That is a "way" for every hour past! And we were lucky enough that Nana came and spent the day with Ana Blair. As Olivia says, Nana is her "favorite friend!"
Olivia with her ticket that the conductor actually came around and punched for them
Getting ready to board the train as it pulled into the station
I didn't get a picture of her with her hot chocolate, but she was so excited about it! She didn't love it, but she still drank a little just to follow the story. Our car was even served by dancing chefs!
After "Hot, Hot, Hot Chocolate!" we read the book together

This was when they told us we were about to pull up to the North Pole
They turned the lights out when we got there so we could see all the lights better. Guess who had to go potty then? Have you ever tried to take a 3 year old to the bathroom while on a dark, moving train?
Olivia and Santa, she was a little nervous but did it anyway!
Singing "Jingle Bells" with her bell that was a special gift from Santa
Caroling on the way back from the North Pole



3 comments:

Jennifer said...

You guys have had so much fun on all of your holiday outings! I'm so jealous! I didn't even know some of this stuff was out there to do. Makes me want a re-do on my December! I need you to do a blog post, say next October, with upcoming December events. Oh, and I have to remind myself, you just had a baby - you go girl! I feel like a bad mom.

The Roper's said...

That looks like so m uch fun...we will have to do it next year! Hope ya'll have a merry christmas :)

Deana said...

We did Polar Express last year and we loved it so much!! I wish we could have done it again this year but we just seemed to have so much going on b/w Thanksgiving and Christmas. I am so glad you guys had a blast!!!
I bought Dayne a special pair of pj's last year when we went and he still refers to those as his Polar Express pj's and we love the movie so much that we are on our 3rd dvd now- from him watching it so much!!!