Every night...

Every night this time of year, goes a little something like this.

We play with the train that my cousins and I played with at my Grandparents when I was little.

(Isn't it so neat that is STILL works?!)

The wheels squeak, the music sounds like it is coming from a fried record player and the horn is an ear piercing, screeching noise that I can't even begin to describe...

but the littles LOVE it and so do I!

We have been through 5 packs of C batteries because they only last about 10 laps around the track before the horn stops chooooo choooooing.

And according to Cliff, EVERY train HAS to Choo Choo!

We also have Christmas movies on.

Every night after dinner and bath we tune in to some of the old school movies that Ross and I enjoyed when we were little - our favorite is How The Grinch Stole Christmas, of course.

But on the weekends, we mix it up with a little Polar Express - LOVE it!

Then, once the movie is over, the boy lines up his "Christmas Friends" aka Alvin and the penguin who both sing.

Different songs.

And we watch the three of them perform in less than perfect harmony.

Each performance is followed by hoops, hollers and very exaggerated claps because to us,

it's beautiful.

Then it's prayers and to bed they go!

We LOVE this time of year!