The Polar Express

One of Matthew’s birthday presents was a ride on the Polar Express. During the month of December the Grand Canyon Railway magically transforms into the Polar Express. You board the train and head magically to the North Pole where Santa boards the train and gives every child a large silver bell. The ride is complete with hot cocoa, which is as”rich and thick as melted chocolate bars” and cookies. The waiters on each car are dressed just as they are in the story. They have done a wonderful job in recreating the story. On our way home from the North Pole our waiter had everyone singing Christmas carols, with friendly competition between parents and children, or one side of the car against the other. The kids really got into it! We learned moves to the Twelve Days of Christmas which will forever be forged into my memory. Our waiter, a large portly man, leaped down the length of the train during “lords a leaping” and while singing the chorus to “Deck the Halls” the Fa-la-la-la-la’s were done in time to a Rockette style high kick. The kids enjoyed the energy and the adults were wondering which team he was batting for.

We stayed the night in Flagstaff and took the kids sledding Friday morning. We had a great time- a few bangs, bumps and bruises- but nothing a fast trip down the hills couldn’t cure.

Dawn, Brian’s older sister, spent this last week with us. She is on winter break from her PhD studies at Mizzou. She is finishing her thesis up this spring. Three of her five job opportunities lie here in the great state of AZ. You can bet we are rooting for any of the three! The boys love to have her come (so do we). Andrew monopolizes her time, loves to come snuggle with her and always wants to sit on her lap, not his chair when she is around.

The boys tried snow boarding down a few smaller hills with the sleds- this is Brians attempt at it. I didn't keep clicking fast enough..you can guess what the results were...