A study in contrasts

Laura is completely terrified of Santa. See?

This is my favorite Santa picture so far, as cruel as that may be. I especially like how Will is completely oblivious to her terror, smiling away. These two could not be any more different. It's still kind of disorienting to me that they are actually two separate beings with two very distinct personalities and temperaments. Disorienting but welcome, since I don't think one family can support two Wills.

The one Will that we do have, though, has been a very busy boy here lately. We wrapped up his school year last Friday with a party at school which closed with a preschool mosh pit of sorts as his classmates serenaded us with their own personal jingle bells (and jumping!) and carols. Then we took the kids to their very first wedding on Saturday and we all survived! (It could also have something to do with the fact that my mom and aunt were with us, so we weren't flying solo.)

But backing up a bit, we took the kids on the Polar Express Sunday before last. (Happy birthday to me.) I can laugh about it a little now but at the time, our journey there was anything but laughable. The Polar Express is in Indiana, about an hour and twenty minutes from here (according to Google maps, that is) and we had a bit of a mixup about departure times and boarding times and leaving here times and it culminated in me figuring out that we were an hour away from departure and still sitting here in Cincinnati waiting on our food at Penn Station (priorities, people!). There may have been a little shouting and Will worrying in the backseat the whole drive there (on two squealing wheels, no less) that we weren't going to make it. And I have to say that I had many a vision of arriving there only to watch the train pulling away and then having to come up with some way to make it up to him because his mother has a problem with time and planning and general common sensical-ness. But we made it, with about five minutes to spare, and the kids loved it.

The kids wore pajamas, just like the kids in the book.

The story was read aloud.

Waiting to arrive at the North Pole (actually a field in the middle of nowhere decorated to look like the North Pole, complete with Santa's house).

Waiting for Santa to stop by our seat.

Notice that Laura is not in this picture.

She wouldn't even take the bell (that all the kids got, also just like in the story) from him.

But she perked up after Santa departed and she could play with her bell without the threat of Santa returning.

And then we went back to the station. The kids were looking at the full moon, which was pretty spectacular, especially out in the country with no street lights and other urban disturbances. I tried to take a picture of it but my photography skills are lacking.

Santa Claus is making his appearance after the kids are sleeping tonight and then we're headed to WV for our usual family festivities. I hope everyone enjoys lots of laughter, full bellies, and time with your nearest and dearest over the next few weeks!