This past Saturday, after our
Christmas Tea....my mom and stepdad treated us to an afternoon at The North Pole Express. I'm pretty sure Parker and Grace were excited, but I was, too! The girls are so much fun right now with Christmas. Especially Parker. She has a deeper understanding of what's going on and she really believes.
And- it was the girls first time on a train.
So in preparation of our big adventure- we read the book
The Polar Express (they had opened it earlier in the week for
our book advent). Also- each year Kristin and I get the girls a new set of Christmas pajamas...and so this was a good occassion to bring those out!
Riding the tricycles in this little fenced in area for the kids....
Aunt Aubrey and Grace...
Grace giving a high five!
Aunt Sis, Uncle Phil & Payton
Aunt Aubrey and soon-to-be Uncle Greg!
This picture is so funny....they all wanted to be next to Aunt Aubrey and not Greg (eventhough they all DO like Greg...just shy sometimes).
Gramma & Poppa
Aubrey was originally holding Grace...then she reached over and wanted Greg to hold her. She found herself a new best friend! Ha! I always say that Grace is the 'smart' one in that if she can get someone to hold her, carry her, or push her in a cart or stroller....she will! I just feel bad because she gets heavy after a while and I'm sure that's not everyons favorte thing to do. So I told her she needed to let me hold her for a minute so Greg could take a break and wouldn't get tired. Instead- she chose Aunt Aubrey to hold her and told Greg she'd come back after he 'took a break.' She's a mess!
Walking to the train....
Snow! {real, pretend fake snow!}
Parker's really becoming more independent lately. I guess she has for a while now....but rarely wants to sit in my lap. When we go on a playdate...just wherever...Parker will usually leave me and go and do whatever it is she's supposed to be doing and rarely check in with me.
But this gal....she's going through a phase where she usually wants me to hold her and sit with her and just wants to be right there doing whatever it is I'm doing. She'll run off and play for a minute, but it won't be long before she'll be back by my side. And in all honesty-
I love it. I just try to soak it all up because I know before too long she'll be running off to play with her friends and not giving me a second thought (as it should be) and won't want to sit in my lap and just cuddle.
I know I look silly n this picture....but Grace is so funny these days and will just start talking to me and telling me things and she'lll be so serious with the most serious face and I just agg her on because I love it and think it's so darn cute.
At first, Grace was acting like she didn't want to see Santa..
Santa passed out silver bells to all the kids just like in the book....and if you can still hear the bell...then you still believe!
There were 2 girls who sang Christmas carols on the trains and the girls just stared...and would even sing, too, if they knew the song.
And what's a trip on the polar express without hot cocoa? (eventhough it was warm and in the 70s!)
We had a fun time hanging out with the family- it's hard to get us all together these days, but thankful it worked out!