Polar Express 2015

We took a ride on the Polar Express to the North Pole Friday evening!!!  We even saw Santa and his elves!!!

For the 4th year in a row, Tate and I joined our friends Palmi and Alonzo on an adventure to the North Pole.  We loaded up our cars and headed for Palestine, Texas!!  Here we boarded The Polar Express and made our way to the North Pole!!

Palmi and I met in college as freshmen.  As such we've been friends for 30! years!  We've seen each other through many, many, many ups and downs.  From making bouncy balls in Organic Chemistry lab to racing across the college campus to turn in our Physics homework to her wedding, the birth of my son, losing her father, fighting like sisters and loving like none other, we've been steadfast in one another's lives for 30 years.  Our boys adore each other, and we're so very blessed to watch their friendship unfold.  Her sweet boy is 10 and on the autism spectrum, so he and Tate do very well together.  I love watching how Alonzo loves my boy and Tate loves the attention (and truly cares for Alonzo).

We drove separately, yet arrived at the same time at our hotel.  We got unpacked and a tad bit rested then got the boys some food.  Once their bellies were full, we all donned our pajamas, and we headed to the Texas State Railroad where we would board the Polar Express.

Ready to go at the hotel!!!

There were lots of photo ops of course, and thankfully our boys still agree to pose for us :).

Then we saw the train pulling into the station!!!  Tate's joy was so awesome to see and hear!!

Finally they called 'All Aboard!'

We boarded our train car and waited to leave the station!  Our train car was decorated and the staff was so very much fun!  They sang and danced for us and got everyone in the spirit!!  Once they sang the hot chocolate song they brought us all hot cocoa and we dove into our chocolate chip cookie (of course I brought Tate his own!).  Then the chef, elves and waiters walked up and down the aisle with large Polar Express books as we listened to Liam Neeson's audio of the book.

Our 4th year riding the Polar Express with Aunt Palmi and Alonzo!!!

Then the lights dimmed.  The air in the car got chilly.  Josh Groban's voice came through the speakers  bringing joyful hope and anticipation as we approached the North Pole!

And then there he was!!!  Santa Claus and his elves along with the reindeer at the North Pole!

I keep wondering when Tate will wonder how we can get to the North Pole in less than 30 minutes or how it's not covered in snow or that the reindeer are plastic and not moving.  But since he hasn't mentioned any of this and still seems to absolutely still truly believe I'm going to enjoy every single minute of his wonder.

After we left the North Pole, the waiters and elves asked to wish really hard for Santa to join us!!  Lo and behold our wishes came true!!

All too soon we were back at the train depot.  We disembarked and made our way back to the car.  It was just at Tate's bedtime, and he could barely hold it together or keep his eyes open.  He was out within 10 minutes of getting in the car.  Too bad the car ride to the hotel was only 15 minutes.

He's a happy little believer tonight!