Train Night 2012

ALL ABOARD!!

We have a special tradition my father-in-law started, Train Night. Every December (except last year when we went to Ice & Snow instead)he sets up his amazing Polar Express train and we bring the kids over to watch the movie. I'm pretty sure the first year it was just Isaac. By the following year we had a 3month old Riley. This picture is from 2010 when the kids were 8 and 15mo. That was the first year they both interacted/reacted to the festivities.

This year we changed things up a bit. We hosted Train Night at our house since we have a 3D TV and Polar Express on 3D Bluray. Mike made Chicken Bryon for dinner. Grandpa and Ya-ya brought the train and desert. We just set up a circle of track on the living room rug. His train has multiple speeds and can go forward of backwards. It makes steam and has whistle and people talking sounds. It's a pretty fancy toy even when it only goes in a circle.

Isaac was even old enough to man the controls this year! It was very exciting for me both because I LOVE train night and because we don't have our inlaws over very often. They are a lot of fun, but also very busy folks. I had pitta chips and hummus and crackers with fancy cheese waiting when they came in the door. I even put on my apron. It was fun. The kids got to wear pj's since they were at home which is more authentic to the movie anyway. My inlaws were impressed with dinner and even said it was "better than Carrabba's!"

I'm just a huge fan of Christmas in general and Santa specifically. We rang the sleigh bell and I could still hear it. I bet I'll still hear it in 30 more years too. If you get the chance to see Polar Express in 3D I highly recommend it. I saw in IMAX 3D in the theater when I lived in New York and it was spectacular. It was pretty great on the 3D TV too.