The Polar Express

There are some things so magical they defy description. Taking our boys to ride The Polar Express was one of them. If you've never seen the movie, watch the trailer HERE

The movie is an amazing rendering of Chris Van Allsburg's book by the same name. It's one of the first movies Finny ever watched. I found out this year that all over the country passenger trains are turned into The Polar Express for a few weeks during the holidays. The Austin trains were all sold out so I went digging around and found that Palestine, Texas has a Texas State Railroad system and that tickets were still available. I decided to make it a surprise for Finny. I found a pocket watch on Craigslist just like the one the conductor uses in the movie. It even has a train on the front! I found him a robe just like the boy in the movie wears (although he refused to wear it, he does claim to really like it). I wrapped these up and gave them to him the night before we went. I was SURE he would know what the surprise was as he is such a mastermind, but he didn't. Because we were going with Bowie and Autumn he kept thinking we were going to the beach for Christmas (wishful thinking!). The drive took 3 hours and we all had a wonderful time talking and being silly. We stopped and bought crap to eat and drink. We stopped to pee. We stopped to think about peeing. Such glorious fun with 2 babes who are not babies anymore, but fun, fun people. We got a hotel room, ordered pizza and ransacked the room properly. I finally told Finny where we were going and he was VERY excited. The whole thing was just picture perfect. The train depot was very big and gorgeous and totally decorated to the nines. The boys got their "golden tickets" and we boarded car #46. The ride was JUST like the book; staff dressed like chefs doing cartwheels and back flips, hot chocolate and candy, the music from the movie playing, all the children in their pajamas. The train rides for about 30 minutes while they serve the drinks and candy and a taped voice over reads the book aloud. THEN, all of the sudden, you hear a murmur then a rumble then all the kids start yelling and everyone runs to one side of the car and you see...THE NORTH POLE! A huge lights display with Santa's house and Santa with elves waving from the porch. The train stops and everyone dances in the aisle while you take pictures. After the train starts up again, the workers start coming up and down saying they THINK Santa is on board. Oh my...he IS! He comes down the aisle and gives every child a silver bell (just like in the movie) and signs books (he signed ours: Merry Christmas! Love, Mr. C). The conductor comes and clicks your ticket just like in the movie.

I am not kidding, I had to turn away a handful of times as I was just downright weepy with the love of it all.

I absolutely ADORE with all my heart being a parent and being able to provide my child with such magic. I am so grateful to Jack for working like he does so that I can stay home with my child and live a totally FREE life. I never, ever want this to end. Living the life of radical unschoolers is a gift I could have never imagined for myself in a million years. And, yet, SOMEhow I manifested this and here we are. Our life together is not perfect, it is hard at times, BUT it IS magical and it IS free and it IS a way of living that I would not trade for anything in the world. Ever. I do hope, at some point, we can find a way to share the experience of earning money so that Jack can be at home more. I continue to believe that we will and I continue to ask the Universe to keep me open to the possibility of it.

Y'all come over and we'll pop some corn and watch The Polar Express.

Love,

Michele and Finnigan the Curious