North Pole Express

I love to do Christmas stuff and I love to pack it in as close to Christmas as possible..just makes it feel so much more like Christmas when we are out seeing Santa and doing festive things!  On Monday we headed to Grapevine to ride the train and do the North Pole Express.  My only complaint was the 86 degree weather...not really feeling the Christmas vibe when I am sweating my booty off!!  Not to mention the boys had on their long sleeve PJ's:)  Charlie liked it, but was very cautious about the whole thing.  He knew that Santa was going to make an appearance on the train and well, he is not really loving Santa this year...specifically,  how he will enter our house.  We have two fireplaces..that don't ever get used..hint, hint Bradley..and Charlie is very curious about how Santa will get in and he would prefer he not use the chimney.  I told Charlie that Santa could just skip our house and give Charlie's toys away to someone else.  Charlie's response was "That's okay, I just DO NOT want him in my house"...alrighty then!

Little-big man was tired and then full blown freaked out at the loud noise in the tent that they sent you to, prior to getting on the train.  I was holding him by the waist as he stood on my lap and I felt his entire body start to quiver.  I turned to Bradley, perplexed, and before I could speak Easton started screaming..and kiddo can scream LOUD.  He cried/screamed a few more times when everyone started clapping..he lives in the wrong house if he cant handle loud noise!

The boys checking out the "snow" that was blowing on us..as we were wiping sweat off our faces..

This was the only smiling picture that I got and I only got one from Charlie by telling him "Whatever you do, DO NOT smile at me.." and then I snapped away at my defiant child!!:)

He held our tickets to get punched and he waited patiently for his turn..and never moved.  I think he was afraid he would turn and the conducter would miss him.

I got a tiny smile when he turned back to me after getting his ticket punched:)

But this was kinda his face the rest of the time..okay, this is dramatic and this was a really bad shot, but he was...stoic.??,  the whole time.

And he was thrilled to get his bottle..

and thrilled to have his momma go all white trash on him and strip his clothes half off.  Peeps, it was HOT!..check out the red cheeks!

Still not head to toe smiles...

just taking it all in.

Leaning over because he could see that Santa was making his way down the train..if we were hot, you know Santa was dying.  Santa walked down and shook hands with all the kids..any guesses to what my kid did..!

Attempt to look the other way and go with the "If I cant see you, then you cant see me" theory..

and flat out refusing to even move his hand!  There were plenty of kiddos on the train completely loosing their minds when Santa came near, so I have no doubts that Santa wasn't offended!

This is my child..that is a face I know and see often!

Getting lots of use from these PJ's!!

I did not get any pictures from Casa Mana last night, but our entire family of 4 loved it this year!  One of my favorite shows so far that we have seen there!!  We went, we loved it and since I have no pictures of it..we all looked totally hot!