The Little Elf Express

Last year with a nearly one year old M and an adorable three year old boy one evening while Loving Husband was out working late I took the kids out 'hunting' for Christmas lights.  We had a lot of fun and driving around aimlessly searching for GOOD Christmas lights.  :)     It was so much fun that  this year I wanted to punch up that theme a bit more so off to Photoshop I went to draft some tickets and turn our vehicle into a Christmas Train:  The Little Elf Express.

With tickets printed, an evening where the whole family could participate, and two kids believing they were headed to bed - I disappeared and decorated the car.  I had battery operated light strung through the garland above their heads.  Ellie the Elf was in the car hanging out in the back on a strand of the garland.  We had warm apple cider in all the cup holders and we had some red and green M&Ms to keep us munching.     I brought out to the car our Christmas themed blankets and then Loving Husband and I switched - he got the car going with warming it up and put on some Christmas music and I presented the kids with their Christmas hats and their tickets to ride the Christmas 'Train'  the Little Elf Express!

They were so excited to go!   They enjoyed all their treats and Ace even made the cute statement "Mom, I won't eat too much because candy makes me hyper."  :)    Mae was adorable and was on the hunt for every snowman that she could find after seeing a giant blow up one at the first house we drove by "NOMAN!!!!"  It was cute - she would just giggle so loud and full of joy it was so much fun to listen to!

At one point in the adventure we allowed Ace to give the directions - we give him options of "left, right, or straight"  (sometimes only a combination of those three)  and he chooses.    He chose really well once and he guided us to an amazing house that was covered in a million lights.   Bless them and their electric bill, yikes!    We pulled over and let the kids unbuckle and take it all in!   It was a good find and a good way to (almost) end the evening.

 

 

I say almost the end of the evening because you see Miss Mae here - this is at the giant display.  She had fallen in love with Mickey Mouse.   She did not want to get back into her seat.   So Mommy promised her a visit to a different Mickey (there was one we had previously driven by) so she complied in order to go say hi to that Mickey and we were on our way.   On our way to see that Mickey we drove past a super sized Mickey and turned to go see that one instead.   It was a lot of fun and they headed to bed as soon as we got home.  
An excellent beginning of a fun tradition with the whole family!  :)  

The husband grabbed this shot in which he claims this captures the theme of the evening... aka mom with her camera.  I have to say - I only brought the cell phone camera and I did not take many more pictures than the husband did.  ;-)