I'm always on Santa's naughty list, and that's just the way I like it! If you're not naughty, how do you have any fun at all?
ANYWHO, enough about naughty ol' Bev.
On Saturday night we took the kids on a train ride to "The North Pole." Each year the Believe in Books Literacy Program puts on a special event based on the children's book The Polar Express. Tickets are hard to get; there is a lottery system due to the limited seating and popularity of the show. My mother heard about it ages ago and started entering us all in the lottery every year. It took her three years, but she finally got the call a couple of months ago and we were able to get tickets.D was sooo excited when he first caught a glimpse of the train (it's back there somewhere but you'll have to take my word for it).
The train ride is very short, but just like in the book the children are served hot chocolate and chocolate candies with nuggat centers. Once the train arrives at the "North Pole" there is a little show where the elves greet you, the book is read aloud, and then Santa comes out and greets every child in the place and gives out the "first gift of Christmas."
My kids were pretty determined to get some face-time with the Big Guy, so when he started making his rounds D was front and center, grinning at him. Santa kindly said hello to him and shook his hand, then continued on around the room. Before I knew it D had followed him and he managed to shake Santa's hand AGAIN. Jim and I kind of chuckled awkwardly and steered D back to our seats, but then next thing we know little M is heading towards Santa, so D ran over to "help" his brother say hello. Poor Santa - every time he turned around he saw a pair of blond brothers in matching green pajamas! By the third time he kind of stood back and looked down his nose at D and then said, "Are you two related? Haven't I seen you before?"
The whole thing is pretty special for the kids, and mine just loved it! On the train ride home each child gets a little jingle bell from Santa's sleigh, just like in the book. What could have been supremely cheesy was actually kind of magical, and personally, this Bah Humbugger really needed some magic this year.
Good times.
My favorite picture of the night was taken during dinner before the show. We stopped at a pizza place and M had just woken up and was quite cranky. He kept staring at us like he didn't even recognize us and we were starting to fear that people would think we'd kidnapped the kid! Finally he retreated to the corner to get his bearings:
What a SCOWL!
It was a nice weekend, all in all. The company dinner party on Friday night was fine; no surprises. As always I got in a few good jokes after a glass of wine and all of my uptight idiot coworkers act like I'm "coming out of my shell."
"You're so much fun, Beverly!" They say, surprised.
"I'm always fun," I reply tartly.
Fuck 'em. Jerks who do nothing but bitch about coffee, carpet stains, and dead rodent smells don't deserve Fun Bev - they'll get Surly Bev and they'll like it, by God.
In other news, I'm one follower away from reaching that magical number: 69. You know how I'm gonna feel about that:
Have a good Monday, everyone!