The kids have been asking about going on "that Polar Express Train thing again" since about July. Time goes soooooo slow when you're 4.5 and 3 but November finally got here and it was time for the train.
In true Basham baby fashion, both kiddos were little hellions leading up to this trip. So much so that had I not already spent the money on the tickets and the hotel room, I might have cancelled the whole thing. The whole morning before we left, they fought. And fought. AND FOUGHT. Particularly Lily. So painful. I was in tears.
But we loaded up the car and headed out anyway. Departure was purposefully planned for nap time and thank the heavens both kids fell asleep almost immediately. The two hour car ride was very peaceful. I got caught up on some work emails which lifted a big weight off my shoulders since I was so far behind.
Miracle of miracles, when the kids woke up from their naps, they were totally different people. They were PLEASANT. What a relief.
We got to the hotel 2 hours before check in time, hoping we could check in early and have more time to swim, but it was a no go. So we went back in to town and found a playground - the weather was great and there were a couple other kids there so it all worked out ok. Then back to the hotel to check in a swim for an hour or so before departing for the train. They had a hot tub. It was great.
We arrived a little early so we could get some pictures. How do you like Lily's cowboy boots with her jammies?
Lily wrote out her own letter to Santa. She wants this Snoopy thing she saw at Target. I think Joel knows what she's talking about. Tyler wants the same thing so I guess Daddy'll be on duty to pick that up. She is also desperate for a "big baby" - she wants a doll baby that's as big as a real 18 month old child - not a sweet little baby doll. I think her Aunt Katie and Grams took care of this one.
Somehow we managed to be the last people on the train. Not sure how we did that considering how early we got there. Anyhow, the only seats left were way in the back and the window wasn't big enough to see anything out of. I was SUPER UPSET. We paid a lot of money for these tickets and we can't see out the window??? A few minutes later one of the elves said she might be able to move us to another seat and sure enough we did get moved. Whew. Crisis averted.
Tyler has this thing about sticking his tongue out for selfies.
We were on the train approximately 5 seconds before Lily started asking when she was going to get cookies and hot chocolate. If I said it once, I said it 4,187 times, "Not yet, baby, please be patient." And then it was time. But the hot chocolate was so hot they couldn't drink for another 10 minutes and you'd have thought that the was the worst possible torture ever.
Lily said, "Mommy, it's like I have coffee just like you!"
Once the hot chocolate was gone, Lily started in with, "When do I get to dance?!?" It's incredible how much she remembered from last year. So again, I was like, "Not yet, baby, please be patient." Brok-ken. Rec-cord. But then it was time. And that girl danced and danced.
And then Santa came. And I was holding my breath. But seems with Lily, we've turned the Santa corner and she's not afraid anymore. But she also told me later that this wasn't the real Santa because his beard wasn't long enough. Wow. Nothing gets past her! Tyler on the other hand wanted nothing to do with Santa - you can see Joel's hand in the photo attempting to hold Tyler in the frame so I could get a picture.
But once Santa was gone, the dancing could commence and they both danced until we got back to the station.
After the train ride, we went out for dinner. I had a splurge meal and I'm sad to say it wasn't that good. I had a burger and tried to be good so I got the small once. But it came out like a burnt brick so I sent it back and got the big burger. But before it got to me, I chowed down on french fries that weren't that good. By the time my burger showed up, I was full but ate it anyway. Didn't really enjoy it. Dumb, dumb, dumb.
We headed back to the hotel and hit the sack. The kids went to sleep pretty easily. Took me forever to fall asleep. And then I woke up what seemed like every 15 minutes because Lily was hacking up a lung in her sleep. I think I got about 2 hours of sleep collectively all night. Joel wasn't much better off. Then of course Tyler woke up at 4am claiming, "It's wake up time Mommy." No, son, no it's not. They laid back down but at 6am, they couldn't take it anymore and we got up and hit the breakfast. And the coffee. Lots and lots of coffee.
Then back to the pool for a bit before packing up and heading home. We had a great trip and the kids already asked when they get to go again.
