The night before our company left we all went to the North Pole Express train ride. I thought this was the same as the Polar Express (and it is for the most part) but the story is that the kids are just taking the train to see Santa. They did receive a bell, but the story line didn't include any of the bell like it did in the Polar Express.
First I made my kids stand by this old fashioned car while we waiting on our cousins who were sitting on Santa's lap.
Evan and Emma on Santa. They did a really great job!
We are doing this on Saturday (and I already paid for the breakfast with Santa) so mean mom didn't want to fork over another $20 for a picture here, so I just had mine wave and say "hi". They didn't seem too disappointed.
Of course we had to get pictures of our crew.
So sweet!
People started lining up early for the train ride so while some people waited in line we took the kids over to the ornament making station to make some ornaments.
Finally the line started moving and we got to go inside the tent. It turns out there is a little show with a singing man telling us that we are about to get on the train to see Santa. We were sitting near the middle so they asked my kids if they wanted to bring a letter onstage. Elizabeth wasn't too sure but Ben was all about it, so they went together.
After the show we exited out of the tent into "snow!" (foam) The kids were so excited!
Look at those happy faces!
We then took about a 30 min. ride up and down the track. The kids were excited because there was lots of music playing and Santa walked through the cars to say hi!
(Jessica's big head kept covering me up - ha!!)
Amy, Jim, Emma, Evan, and my mom.
The kids were dancing in the aisle after receiving their bells.
Santa stopped for a picture. How exciting!
There he goes back up the aisle.
After the train ride we stopped to get a picture by the train.
Of course a picture by the giant ornament.
We had such a great time with our family. Unfortunately they had to go home the next day. Their trip went way too fast!
I typed out captions for each of the photos, and then blogger erased it all! So, instead I'm just going to type it all here and call it good! :) 
The best part of the night!
Evan and Emma on Santa. They did a really great job!
Of course we had to get pictures of our crew.
So sweet!
People started lining up early for the train ride so while some people waited in line we took the kids over to the ornament making station to make some ornaments.
Finally the line started moving and we got to go inside the tent. It turns out there is a little show with a singing man telling us that we are about to get on the train to see Santa. We were sitting near the middle so they asked my kids if they wanted to bring a letter onstage. Elizabeth wasn't too sure but Ben was all about it, so they went together.
After the show we exited out of the tent into "snow!" (foam) The kids were so excited!
Look at those happy faces!
We then took about a 30 min. ride up and down the track. The kids were excited because there was lots of music playing and Santa walked through the cars to say hi! 
Amy, Jim, Emma, Evan, and my mom.
The kids were dancing in the aisle after receiving their bells.
Santa stopped for a picture. How exciting!
There he goes back up the aisle.
After the train ride we stopped to get a picture by the train. 
Of course a picture by the giant ornament.
We had such a great time with our family. Unfortunately they had to go home the next day. Their trip went way too fast!
We had some special visitors come to town the week of Thanksgiving. My Aunt Amy, Uncle Jim, Uncle Ross, and my cousins Emma and Evan. My kids are so lucky to get to spend time with their fun cousins.
Every year for Thanksgiving my mom gives the kids a pair of pajamas. This year she told my Amy which pj's she was getting so Amy could get the same and all the kids would match. We had quite a time getting all 6 kids to look at the camera at the same time!
We moved to the couch hoping a new location would help.
The kids on the couch are Ben, Cooper, Emma, Elizabeth, Jackson and Evan. 
My mom had a fun gingerbread party set up for the kids. She always decorates the table so cute!! She purchased 3 gingerbread houses already put together that the kids decorated after breakfast.
She found these cute headbands in the dollar section at Target. Perfect for the gingerbread theme.
After we ate the decorating started!
This kept everyone occupied for a long time - they all worked really hard and pretty much covered every surface of their houses.
Our finished product. Thanks so much for having us over, mom. We had a blast!