In with my paycheck last year for working on the North Pole Express were three passes to come ride the train during the year. There they sat on the ribbon board in my kitchen till November when I realized they expired in a matter of weeks. So one Saturday Matt and I took the four youngest on a train ride on the Heber Valley Railroad.
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| We weren't banking on any entertainment but at the Soldier Hollow platform some bandits got on the train and we had to put our hands up. A couple of weeks earlier I had gone to the local Cowboy gathering and Buck-a-roo fair where I donated "Cowboy" cookies. I wished I had some with me to soften the angry mobs.  |
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| "I put my hands up in the air sometimes, saying eh-o, gotta let go." |
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| The whole "show" was rather hokey if you ask me. |
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| A photographer comes on board and takes your picture then you can buy it for $12. I wish I would have just taken a picture of the picture that day, like I did here a few weeks later... |
..while at tithing settlement the director of the railroad invited our family to ride the next night for free 11/30. Jamie brought some the kids and Jon and Lindsey brought theirs. We were towards the back of the train. Mallerie brought Morgan so it goes without saying we were the rowdy back of the bus. I hadn't heard from anyone this year if they needed Readers again for the North Pole Express. I should have just picked up the phone and asked. It turns out the lady who "hired" me last year doesn't work there now and since I was the alternate I wasn't on any list. But when we came to ride that night as a family I was asked to come read the following Friday; funny how things work out. I should add 'when you pay your tithing.' Since it was at tithing settlement where we ran into the train director who is the Bishop of the other ward.
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| Mallerie's personality really comes out when she is around her friends; particularly this friend, Morgan. I ran into her bus driver at the grocery store. I said, "Hey, thanks for giving Mallerie a ride to school every day." We chatted and from that chat I learned just HOW bubbly Mallerie is. Consequently the bus driver has assigned Mallerie to sit up by her. I asked Mallerie about this later, "Does anyone else have an assigned seat?" "No just meeeeeee!!!" |
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| Samantha looks like she's rattling off quite a list. I was sad that Katrina didn't join us that night. She said she was way too busy with homework. When Friday night rolled around and she had big plans I reminded her, "Remember you are too busy, better stay home." |
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| You'd think the ruckus would have been coming from this bunch, but they were quite well mannered. After all, we were in route to pick up SANTA. |
Santa! Baby!
The train website says that they have invited High School Choirs from all over Utah to be the entertainment this year. I figured that is why the reader on our train did NOTHING. Literally, no Night Before Christmas, no playing the soundtrack with singing, no meet-and-greet, no nothing. I had to yell out, "Look, we're at the North Pole." Jamie asked, "So how is it different when YOU read on the train?" I'll tell ya, I get off my duff and mingle and ask people where they are from and let the kids tell into the mic what their Christmas wish is. I give a history of the train car we are riding in and of the Railroad in general. We sing Jingle bells with real bells to MUSIC. All the songs we sing are to music. But my favorite is the soundtrack that goes with "Twas the Night Before Christmas." It sounds so pretty in the background as the story is read aloud. The riders can tell jokes from stacks that are already printed and we all around have a good time. I am not saying I am the best reader on the train but now I know I'm not the worst either!
As part of the 'free' train ride we had committed to be back the next morning at 6:30 AM when Big Buda from Good Day Utah would be featuring the Heber Valley Railroad. As we drove to the station bundled head to toe Graham asked why were leaving in the middle of the night so dark it was. As I sat on the train with them both Callie and Graham gave a gasp at the same time at something out the window. I looked outside to see what had garnered their attention. It was...the sunrise.
So now I am back to reading on the train a couple of times a week. Not a big fan of the choirs coming in. The first time I read they were standing in the isles so half the train couldn't even see when we reached the North Pole. So now if they are singing and I can see we are getting close I just say into the mic, "Thank you carolers you can start filing to the back and off the train." Offending people is my specialty. It's a great gig. Very laid back if you can't do it. If there is a good crowd it can be loads of fun. The last time I read though we got stuck at the North Pole for 35 minutes because the switch was stuck. I went through every trivia question and story in the box. When we had to go further to get on the right track a man asked, "Where are we going now?" I was as done as he was with sitting on that train, "The South Pole."
