The Polar Express!

Our nearby library hosts a Polar Express every year for the kiddos, and they get to see Santa. Well, we'd never tried it before because Gage cared nothing about Santa.... But, this year, I was determined to give it a whirl!

Hubby was out of town on business, so I was on my own to load up the kids and head over there to see what it was all about....

Gage loved it. Eliette was all decked out in her snowman outfit, and ready to see Santa!

{Okay, okay....truth be told, she was dreadfully tired and we had to wake her up for the event....}

So, how does the Polar Express run through the library?? With your imagination, of course!

There are tracks laid about to mark your path, and then these backdrops which were painted...I think they said by a volunteer. Gage loved them and he would stop and really pay attention to the detail in the paintings. I loved watching him enjoy this....

Oh, my sweet little handsome boy. I just love him!

Then, it was time to see Santa...

Gage hadn't "seen Santa" since his first Christmas when he was just a wee little lad. He has had NO desire to get anywhere near the jolly fat man. But---he couldn't possibly let that old man have a moment alone with his sister. No way this kid was going to let THAT happen to his little sister. With regard to Eliette seeing Santa, he decided that if it was to be, HE would be there to supervise. Sweet brother....

What did Santa give out?
Bells of course....

So, there was the Polar Express story along the track, you get a candy cane, you get to see Santa, and then you can make a couple of crafts:

The craft room was very crowded and we weren't big fans of that.... Gage made his hot cocoa mug ornament and I made Eliette's. We opted out of craft #2. After that, it was time for singing, real hot chocolate and cookies in the next room. Gage downed his treats (and mine too since I can't have them {still on the MSPI diet}) and we hit the road.

Only thing I didn't mention here: ran into a girl I went to high school with! Small world! okay, maybe it's not that small. We're just a few towns over from where we all grew up... Anyway, it was great to see her and meet her little boy.

....and just for the heck of it, I'll leave you with this hilarious out-take. Check out Santa's eyes! "Dude, what are you staring at!?!?"