Trains...

Noah is crazy for trains. It's hard to tell when exactly it started, but it has been this way for a long, long time. He's been on small-scale trains, full size trains (the kind that goes out and back in about 20 minutes) and trains that are really just cars pulled by a lawn-mower type tractor. You would think for a boy that is that nuts for trains, he would be grinning from ear to ear when we encounter one. That's not the case, though, no matter what kind of train it is. The bigger, more serious the train, the more serious he gets. For a full size train, the expression on his face is like someone took his favorite toy away from him. He gets a big frown, his eyebrows furrow deeply and he gets a look on his face like someone is getting ready to punish him.

That's when we know he is having some serious fun. We took this trip for the (almost) sole purpose of letting Noah ride a real train for Christmas - combining a real train, and Santa Claus, and the snows of Colorado all in one trip.

The Polar Express is a widely loved book and movie, and is recreated on various trains around the country. But there are few places where you can experience the mountain wilderness, the snowy rivers and the exquisite "North Pole" like the Durango-Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad in Colorado. The train arrives out of the mist, puffing steam and coal exhaust as it rolls into the station to pick all the kids up. The kids, and many of their parents, are dressed in pajamas, robes, slippers and various other bedtime wear as they get ready for the journey of their short lifetimes.

Noah enjoyed the hot chocolate, the cookie, the dancing & singing chefs, the conductor punching our train tickets, and especially Santa handing out his very special Christmas bell.

We peeked at the train the morning of our big train ride

We watched the Engineer shovel coal and spit shine (literally) the windows

Choo Choo!

Leaving for Silverton

Later that night:

A family picture, right before we leave the station

Excited for the train to arrive, running around in his footed PJ's

Getting ready to board the train.

Getting his Christmas cookie.

Alllll aboard!!!!

Having fun with the train tickets. He looooved those tickets.

Hey...is that Santa? Holy cow, I think I just saw Santa...

Getting a Christmas bell from Santa.

He played with that bell for the rest of the trip back, and most of the night.