Riding the Christmas Train

This past weekend we took the kids to ride the Christmas/Santa Train down in Chehalis. It was perfect! Just long enough to enjoy the Christmas Spirit, but short enough to not become miserable with a two year old in the cold.
We had a really good time despite the fact that it was about 25 degree out.

Santa made a visit to our seats and promised the kids a few goodies. We don't really make a big deal about Santa around here, but the kids were still a little excited. Morgan kept her distance though.

The back car was an open air car, which was fun. Here is Deaven with the Conductor.
Morgan was pretty fascinated with watching out the window. She was pretty quiet and just took it all in.



It started to snow on the way home. We got maybe a half inch or so. Perfect. The kids got a 2 hour delay, but it melted away in time to not affect the restaurant (remember last year's never-ending snow and ice!?!?).
Friday night we also hit the Ward Christmas Party at the church. It had a "Christmas in Nauvoo" theme, so we all tried to dress in 1830ish clothing. This is our Bishop and his wife, as Joseph and Emma.
It was a beautiful program.
Here we are singing a beautiful version of Silent Night at the end of the program. My dress was on loan from someone who had played Wendy in Peter Pan years ago. It worked.
I have to say that I am loving the Christmas Season this year. Our kids are just getting old enough that they seem to be getting the big picture a little more. I TRY to get most my shopping done before Dec1 so that I can actually enjoy December with out frantic trips to the mall or Post Office.

However, that has been replaced with the 18 dozen cookies I have made already this month. Do you even want to guess how many I have eaten all by myself (even at this very moment?)?

We took the kids out Christmas Caroling last night with some other families for Family Home Evening. We had charted a course through 10 homes of people we felt could use some extra Christmas cheer, delivering home-made treats, poems, gift cards and even a Christmas CD for each. All the families had come together to make the night possible and it definitely paid off as tears streamed down the cheeks of many as they stood in their doorway. It was a wonderful night.

Love this season that the spirit of the Lord is so present. I hope you all having a wonderful season as well!!