Christmas magic and frosting

We went on another amazing adventure to the North Pole aboard the Polar Express this year. Jackson was way more involved than last year and had so much fun. Our park district really does a great job with this event. 

We met at a park district building to wait for the Polar Express to arrive.

Jackson was able to write a letter to Santa and drop it in the mail. Although he didn't want me to help, I sneaked in an opportunity to write his address on it so he maybe could get a reply. 

Sure enough a letter from the North Pole arrived at the end of this week. Jackson wasn't as excited about the letter as other Christmas things. I am not sure he fully understood/connected it all but he was interested none the less. 

The trolley ride was filled with the story of The Polar Express, and before we knew it we were at the North Pole. 

Jackson saw Mrs. Claus first and they talked cookies. Then he went to see the big man, asking once again for Ninja Turtle socks. Santa gave him a bell from his sleigh before Jackson said good-bye. 

The Elf hunt was next. Jackson made sure we each had a flash light to find the Elves hiding in the woods. He enjoyed spotting them, but not as much as he just enjoyed carrying the flashlight around. We made a stop at the playground then before checking out the reindeer. 

After drinking some hot chocolate, eating Mrs. Claus's cookies, and Jackson taking a spill off a bench, we took the Polar Express back home. One of the most adorable parts was watching Jackson try to sing Christmas carols with everyone else on the way home. He attempted words very quietly where he thought they should be and listened intently to the whole trolley singing.

The next day was another second annual event, making gingerbread men. 

The kiddos had fun covering their gingerbread man in frosting and lots of candy. Jackson of course kept asking to lick the frosting had it on more places than just his gingerbread by the time he was done. 

There was five little kiddos decorating and it was so fun to watch them all. They enjoyed holiday shaped sandwiches after ward and ran off their sugar high for a bit. This little tradition started last year with Jackson and his friend Angelina. We are so excited it expanded and prevailed to be on the calendar again. 

It is crazy to see the difference a year makes. What baby faces they had last year and how much more they interact together this year. We definitely still had to bribe them to take this photo, but I am so glad we did.