Polar Express

Bibi used to read The Polar Express by Chris van Allsburg each year to her boys. When Keith and Adriel were engaged, the Wiggins Family went to watch the new movie with Tom Hanks in the theater. The year Laura was born, Bibi made sure a copy of the book made it into Laura's hands. So when Adriel heard about "The Minivan Express" excursion, she thought it would be a great new Wiggins tradition. In lieu of Bibi and Babu being gone, Grammy and Grandad were invited for a fun filled evening of Movies, Lights, and Music!

The Plan:
1. Mommy and Laura make cookies.
2. Grammy, Grandad, Uncle Paul, Aunt Zina come over.
3. We watch Polar Express while having hot chocolate, popcorn, and cookies.
4. Laura and Karen get new pjs and put them on.
5. Laura and Karen are given golden tickets to the polar express, minivan series.
6. Daddy punches their names into their tickets as they climb into Grammy's express Lincoln.
7. We sing Christmas songs as we drive around looking at Christmas lights.
8. We end at the Lights of the Ozarks and pet the reindeer (We'd already gone on the camel ride).

See and download the full gallery on posterous

What happened:
1. Mommy and Laura made L's first batch of cut-out cookies. Don't be fooled by the picture; the icing didn't cooperate, and they were ugly from the get go. But they tasted great. Forgot to take a picture of her cutting them out; sorry.
2. Grandad didn't come. He wasn't feeling too well after visiting Grandma Barb in the hospital.
3. The Hardin contingent decided they didn't want to watch the movie. But everyone had a cookie. No hot chocolate, though.
4. Laura and Karen didn't exactly get new pjs. But they put on their Razorback pjs that they'd only worn once.
5. Money being tight, when Mommy forgot to buy the gold paper, it was decided tickets would come next year.
6. We piled into Grammy's car. It was a tight fit. Complaining commenced.
7. Laura sang: Silent Night; Twinkle, Twinkle; and a song she composed herself entitled, "Christmas Song." Everyone else giggled at how cute she was. Except Karen who slept most of the ride.
8. We went to the square, realized none of us had cash, and went back home, putting on the new Susan Boyle Christmas cd; Aunt Z likes Hilary Duff better.

The next morning, Mommy, Laura, and Karen watched the Polar Express. Without hot chocolate, popcorn, or cookies. But we cuddled on the couch!

I'm not going to blame all the misfires on the Hardins. Just most of them :-) We had a lot fun, but it'll probably be just the four of us next year.