"never takes a rest-riding through the mountains & the snow...
and that's the way things happen on the POLAR EXPRESS!"
Today was our annual pilgrimage over the river & through the woods to the North Bend train depot where we board the Polar Express. A short 20 mins later & we magically arrive at the "North Pole"!
Of course-as is tradition-we stop at Krispy Kreme for some christmas doughnuts for breakfast & then spend the day in Bellevue before our much anticipated train ride.
This year we went to Bell Square and the kids were delighted about the flying reindeer in the middle of the mall ceiling! Reminds me of the amazement I used to feel about walking through the tunneled out bottom of the 25 foot christmas tree in the North County Fair mall when I was little. Great memories...we played at the LEGO store, had a snack at Jamba, and enjoyed a little jaunt through TIFFANY & Co. for a ring cleaning. Emma looked around in awe of all the sparkly diamonds and asked me if that is where you come to get married....of course I told her YES! :) Gotta train em' young. lol
Her response was "Oh when I a big girl I come here with my love?" So sweet. Of course her "love" is already taken...(it's Dadda).
Emma desperately wanted to Ice Skate at the park, but they didn't have any push carts for the little ones, so it was a no-go. It was a record day for rain in Seattle....POURED ALL DAY! So the white fur boots Em decided to wear that day....are now poop colored....just smothered in fine Bellevue mud! This much rain meant crazy snow in Ellensburg! Winter Storm???? Yes-a really big one! We ADORE snow!
These kidlets get excited about this tradition every year-somehow it never gets old! We were supposed to be joined by our friends from Ellensburg, but leaving 3 hours after we did-they got stuck in the snowy mess in CleElum and had to turn back home. It was a bummer. Good thing they plan on being with us again next year though....
Drawing smiley faced on the steamed up train car windows...
The kids enjoy their dinner & I get in some extra squeezes.
Singing Rudolph the Red Nose Reindeer with the train conductor....
Thanks for the new Rudolph Christmas jams Nana! A Nana tradition since I was little.
When they reached the North Pole and entered Santa's house, they peeked over the couch to get a look at Ho Ho.
Bryce HATES to sit with Santa, but he's trying to make the most of it. At least he spoke to the big guy this year-he must REALLY want that toy he asked for (fingers in the mouth & all). Bryce asked for "Cha-Chow Car"...what else? And Em asked for a Barbie car. Every Santa they've seen this season, and their requests never change. Such high hopes these 2 have....
Bryce is in LOVE with trains.....Thomas, Dinosaur Train, his rediscovery of his Geo Trax sets.....he is in HEAVEN! Funny that after you meet Santa, they pop you out into his workshop (GIFT SHOP) which is plastered with Thomas the Train EVERYTHING! Bryce's heaven-my nightmare. The train depot hosts a "Day out with Thomas" in the early summer, we might just have to try that this year....
Hot Chocky & Cookies in the old US Army kitchen car....
playing with the big Thomas the Train table-it was a great day for Bryce!
The little toy train gift from Santa's elf. Instead of getting a candy cane-you get an addition to your train set. This year the kids got a passenger car, last year they got an engine car. Em can't wait to get home to paint hers!
Dadda & the munchkins
On the train back home-a surprise visit to each family by Santa! He sat & chatted with the kids & handed out candy canes (which Em later whispered to me were "nasty" :)
(Why does Em look possessed???? and Bryce terrified?)
I switched with Mike and drove home through the crazy snow. The Tundra is a CHAMP in the snow! We are definitely blessed to have such a great car to keep us safe in such conditions. Many miles of snow, slush & ice, then freezing rain! MAN! When we reached home we had over a foot of snow (all from today!)
The trees in town looked amazing! Look at them holding on to all that snow...
Mike gets pretty excited when it snows this much. He is a snow fanatic! Our tree however-is NOT a fan of the snow, we heard it snap 2 minutes after being home-which means it is going to fall on that fence that I love so much. :/ See it leaning.....yikes!
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