Santa Train 2011

18 years of Santa photos

Monday was the day for our annual trip to Seattle to see Santa.  Each year, my mom (the Boma) sponsors a trip to get the kids' photo taken with Santa.  We started our day in the 23 degree heat, catching the train in Stanwood.  There is no station to wait at, just a platform next to the tracks, so we waited inside the van as long as possible.  The train was pretty full so they had to shift people around to get the kids and I sitting together. 

Jacob tried to entertain a grumpy hungry Miriam

It didn't work!

Anastaya brought a book along for the ride down,

Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix

It's so neat to see the area we live in zipping by from another vantage point.  My mom, Millie and Gabe, Casey and Carmen joined the train in Edmonds.  By then, the train was even more full so they were several cars away from us.  Once in Seattle, we hopped on the underground buses to be whisked to Westlake Center.  Our group of 8 kids and four adults makes quite a spectacle traveling around Seattle.  In past years, we've had a small child in a stroller which works well for holding the assorted coats and bags that accumulate over the day.  This year, I brought my old lady cart (usually used to haul groceries home from Haggen, between Jacob and my mom in the photo below) to stash things in.  It worked out great and was extremely full by the time we loaded up for home.  I think I rocked the old lady cart!

There's a stranger smiling in the photo too, thanks to Millie.

Can you find him?  (between Anastaya and Isaac)

We're in one of those articulated buses, my mom Anastaya and Elizabeth are sitting in the part that bends.

The exit from the bus tunnel is right next to Nordstroms' Santa photo area.  We learned they have a new procedure this year.  Instead of making you wait outside in the cold, they take your cell number and call you when the line inside is short enough to fit your party.  Since the weather was still in the 20's, that sounded good to us.  We've had some cold outside waits in past years.  We went over to the holiday carousel at Westlake Park.  By the time the kids were finished riding (a 90 second ride!) and had enjoyed some hot mini donuts, it was time to head back to Nordy's. 

Mini donuts are a weakness of mine.  I've gone out of my way to get some before.  In fact, Dode and I have researched buying our own donut robot for home  use (too expensive, even used!)  This year, they didn't sound that appealing to me so there was more for everyone else!

They try to make the wait inside pleasant by giving everyone cookies and hot cider.  This year, they added touch screen interactive books on the wall for children to play with.  We waited about a half an hour for our turn with Santa.

Miriam enjoying a cookie.  See that messy hair?

Boma went to work on it.

Millie gave Jacob a nice big kiss

waiting in line, Santa was visible through the window with red curtains you can see behind William

Anastaya tightly braided her hair the night before to give herself big curls

Some of the fun decorations we could see while standing in line

I love fat birds.

When we were the next people in line to see Santa, his helper came to tell us that he needed to go feed his reindeer and would be back in a while.  He must have spied the size of our group and decided he needed a break before tackling us! 

We're next!

You get to sit on the couch of honor when you're up next.

Our crew

Elizabeth, Isaac, Jacob, Carmen, Anastaya

Miriam, Santa, William, Gabriel

Gabriel said his smiler was broken.

Elizabeth cut and sewed the scarves as a school project.

After getting our photos, each of the kids could tell Santa what they wanted.  Miriam asked for a slinky for Christmas. Score!  I can pick one of those up at Dollar Tree!  It will go in her stocking.  I wonder if she'll remember asking for it.

Leaving Santa behind, we headed to the Cheesecake Factory for lunch.  Everyone stuffed themselves silly. 

Elizabeth had this peanut butter milkshake...

two plates of these shrimp....

and she shared a piece of cheesecake with Millie

Jacob and I shared this peach smoothie.  It was great.

Thai lettuce wraps, no chicken

A week later, Elizabeth is still talking about how pretty my lunch looked

Next, it was time for viewing the gingerbread village at the Sheraton Hotel. 

We do things in the same order every year.  I think Miriam and Gabe have gotten pretty comfortable (too comfortable in my opinion) navigating around Seattle.  They kept running ahead, completely without a care.  Once they get very far, it's hard to get their attention.  As we were heading down the street to the Sheraton, they rounded the corner and disappeared.  They were hiding near the door we go in to see the gingerbread houses, waiting to surprise us.  Part of the tradition at the Christmas village seems to be visiting the bathroom at the hotel.  This year they added locks to the bathroom doors.  We didn't know that until Miriam had a bathroom emergency.  My mom hustled over to the front desk clerk to get the code before it was too late. 

After the gingerbread houses, it was time to descend on Barnes & Noble bookstore.  We took over the small table in the children's section as our base of operations and everyone went off to the section they were interested in. 

all done, waiting for Casey

It's always so hard to pick just one book.  The kids easily got it down to two books, but picking that one "perfect" book is quite a challenge.  Our day was winding down.  We had time for one more whirl around the carousel before browsing at one of my favorite shops in Seattle, Fireworks Gallery.  There are so many unique things there that I could enjoy.  I've bought the kids some of their favorite gifts over the years there.  Then, it was time to take the bus back towards the train station.  After the bus, we diverted to Uwajimaya, a large Asian store in Seattle that's only a block from the train station, to pick up a few hard to find ingredients before heading back to the train station.  The kids were kept occupied on the trip home by their new books and grandma's ipad.  The ride home took about 30 minutes longer than normal because we had to wait for a freight train in Everett and then there was thick fog to get through.  The kids just wanted to be done.

Everyone was wiped out by our big day in Seattle.  No one wanted to get up for school the next day.  The girls told me it's one of their favorite days of the year.  Hopefully, Boma feels that way as well!