Traveling to the North Pole

It has been such a fun Christmas season in our home.  The boys are really getting into the lights, decorations, wrapping, and telling the story of the manger. 

We had a special surprise hidden up our sleeve for them.  And there was NO WAY I was going to let them know beforehand...for our sanity.  The surprise required us to leave the house at 8:30 PM...just past their bedtime. 

With both snug in their PJs, we broke the news that we were going to go ride a train to the North Pole.  GL's reaction was so cute and full of energy.  Brody did the same...not because he felt the same, but because that was what brother was doing.  Poor little guy loves trains but for some reason had fear of the whistle...as he told us over and over in the car on the way there. 

Once there and we met up with all of our friends, he calmed down and got excited. 

Brody jumped in but GL wanted to stay with Daddy.

Once we boarded the Polar Express, we go cookies and hot cocoa, a Chrismas story read to us, and views of twinkling lights as we traveled to the North Pole.  And then we say him!  Santa was awaiting our arrival.  THEN he boarded our train car and rode back to the station with us.  He asked each child what they wanted for Christmas and took pictures together.  Garrison and Brody refused to sit on the man's lap at the mall a couple of weeks ago, but GL was all about the man that night.  He told him that he wanted a Super Hero watch, a Spiderman glove, and a Super Hero car.  Brody sat in my lap to talk to Santa and even reached out to touch his whiskers.  He told Santa that he wanted a bike.

GL and Bryson enjoying their cocoa and cookies.

Brody could not wait to see Santa.

Thx De for the hook-up!

It was an awesome evening...

one we will never forget.