Christmas is Coming

Oh gosh-I had to post, because tomorrow I'll have lots more pictures to post! : )  I have to keep up.  Heehee
Today was a great day-a real train ride, a basketball game, church, some Tim's Pizza, and a fun evening at Target! (No pictures from Target!)

Thanks, Sandra for a cute picture with my boy!  This is before we left the station.

Another one of her awesome pictures!

This is the engine that pulled our train.  (Ignore the huge sign!)

He thought this was so cute-a miniature crossing sign!

Emily and Mary Claire sharing a seat.

A lady came along and showed us how to flip the seat back the opposite way-to make the seats face each other.  So handy! : )

I got to sit with this adorable confection! : )  This is Rose-Emily's baby sister!

Santa came to visit!

We didn't get the best smile.

My version of Ethan watching the trees and houses go by.

Sweet Nora!

Sissy after she found out they had hot chocolate for sale outside!

As we pull back into the station.  We were going slow enough it didn't distort the other train. : )

Aww..thanks for a great picture, Sandra!

My sweet kiddos.

I *love* this one!  (check out his hands!)

All around outside, they had games and miniature trains set up!

She was throwing bean bags through the holes in the tree!

This is the only one with both kids, but Ethan is down, and Mary Claire is super high!

Then we had Clay's basketball game!  We missed the first one while we were on the train, but we caught the second one-standing room only!

Ethan entertaining himself, "flying" in his space ship.

Clay in the herd (green, #12)

Under the goal as the basketball (very top) gets ready to swish!

I have to say, getting to the train on time-with two kids to bundle up (the high was going to be 43!) was a little stressful.  Totally worth it, but getting out of here was kinda crazy!  Ches had already left with Clay for his first game, and I was fielding both alone.  Not normally that hard-maybe it was all the mittens, scarves, coats, hats, etc.!
We did fine once we got there.  The kids were so excited-they just wanted to get on the train!  It was a great ride, except that Santa (our surprise) missed the train!  We drove right by him, and waved, then found out he was supposed to be on our train.  We drove down about two blocks, and stopped to wait for him.  He drove up in a little SUV with Mrs. Claus and an elf, and boarded our train!  Ethan asked about 15 times where his sleigh was, and I kept making things up.  He's pretty smart.  Then Santa got off in Lowell, and Ethan wanted to know how he was getting back to his sleigh! Ha.

Last night, I took Mary Claire to the doctor again, she was just sure she had an ear infection.  Enough that she wanted to go to the doctor right after school.  On a Friday!  She did have fluid, but not an infection.  We got a prescription, but we are only supposed to fill it if she wakes up with pain in the night or gets a fever.  I really hope we don't his this point!

Afterwards, we went to Wal-Mart to get a few groceries, and since I'm on the hunt for a Barbie Townhouse, I just thought I'd check.  I didn't have a good plan, but since we were there...  Of course, she wanted to look at toys anyway!  We got Ethan's favorite: the Cris-Cross-Crash and I got him a Thomas train set (like we need another..).  But when she found a Strawberry Shortcake Berry Cafe (like I used to have! and she's gotten rid of I might add..), that's what she wanted.  She said more than the Dream House!  Then she found this sweet fashion boutique, which she had to have!  Well..knowing how things disappear in front of my eyes, I got them both.  Yes, even with her.  I just told her to be surprised on Christmas morning. : )  Ches still wants to get her the Barbie dreamhouse-if we ever find it!

Clay finally did pick out some stuff at Target tonight-he's been adamant he wants this Lionel New York line train at Hobby Lobby, and hasn't picked ANY other thing.  He keeps telling me he's thinking (for two weeks now!)...  But tonight, he found a remote control car, a transformer, an Atari game (it's just the joystick, it plugs into the tv, and has 12 games!), a Lego Toy Story 3 train (which was out of stock!), a remote control tank that comes out of the controller (I know-confusing!), and other stuff not quite so important.  I'm just thrilled there is anything else.  I have to have a mom & dad gift, and a Santa gift at least!  I bought the Atari game thing, as I don't know if it'll sell out.  I guess they are older, and will be glad to know that they have something under there that they know about.  A big secret between us, if you will.  I don't know-maybe I want a little mystery to be gone.  I think the big kids already know about Santa, so maybe this way they see how we work-and they've both seen me buy for the others now too-I'm checking their secret-keeping-skills! : )

Ok, I'd better go to bed-it's 12:30am!  We are going to Missouri to meet Angie and Andalynn tomorrow, to have lunch and drive to Oklahoma to see the Nutcracker ballet!  Mary Claire is excited-she had a new dress she can't wait to wear, and I don't have a clue what I'll wear. : )  More pictures tomorrow!
Ps-what are you getting your kids for Christmas?