The North Pole Express 2016

On December 21, Max, my parents, and I took the kids the the North Pole Express in Grapevine, Tx. I bought these tickets in September! Kellyn and Rhett had been 2 times before when they were little and was nothing to write home about. They train just drove up the track then reversed backwards down the same track. Santa Clause would pass out jingle bells and that was about it. Then we all got off and went into a small tent to listen to story time while the children sat upfront by the stage. Fast forward about 6 years and they have completely revamped it!

They require you to arrive 1 hour before your scheduled departure time. So we got there at 4:00. It was sunny when we got there, but dark by the time we got off the train. 

There are plenty of fun things to do now while you wait.

Then it was time to get our tickets. We got in line and got our 8 tickets! But then we had to keep waiting 30 more minutes. :(  Oh boy, trying to keep this one contained in line inside a tent was crazy! Thankfully my parents were there to help and we passed her from person to person. 

We finally boarded the train!!!

My little elf wearing his big brother's pajamas. :)

I got to sit with my best guy, Rhett Micah, while Max got stuck sitting with the climber. :)

My dad likes to take pictures of every even so i turned the camera on him so we don't forget he was there too. 

Priscilla got a little sleepy and came to Mommy. :)

Mrs. Claus handed out jingle bells and sat with us for a picture! But where was Santa?

Headed off the train. 

When we walk off the train and down the ramp it was snowing bubbles! Thick suds!

Well this should have been Christmas card, but we'll know better next year. 

After the snow we walked into a big tent to find Santa!! This was a huge production with singing and dancing elves and free melted chocolate snow at the end!

This was a far cry for just 5 years ago. 

By now it was close to 7:00 and someone was getting tired and not so sure of everything she was seeing. 

Photo op on the way out of the tent. This would have been another good Christmas card. 

Well maybe not this one. :)

Standing on top of a present while we waited for the bus to take up back to our car. 

Afterwards we went to eat dinner at Fudruckers.

Look at Rhett's eyes from 2012 and 2017 infant of the same tree at Fudruckers. They are slanted the same direction. :) Kellyn was 6 and Rhett was 2 1/2. Now they are 10 and 7 1/2. 

OH how things have changed over 5 years!