Chattanooga - North Pole Limited Christmas Train

  

My friend Kathy and I made plans to visit Chattanooga for a couple of days at Christmastime several weeks before we went. I was still sick at the time, but I kept praying I'd be better before the trip. I was still struggling a bit when the trip came around, but I really, really wanted to go.

Doug, Bri and I usually go to Chattanooga each Christmas, but we didn't go in 2015 because of the passing of my friend Carole that March. It was still a little too raw for me to go that year (I had visited Chattanooga with Carole several times at Christmas). 

I was finally feeling better emotionally in that regard and really wanted to experience Chattanooga again. The good news is ~ though I wasn't perfect ~ I had a wonderful time. Amazing memories were made.

We went the first weekend of December and arrived on Friday afternoon. Doug, Bri and I stayed in the same hotel as Matt, Kathy and Chani, so it made everything super easy.

We bundled Bri up in some jammies and we all headed out to the North Pole Limited train...

The girls were very excited to get to the train...

Holding hands...

We were greeted by a soldier...

The inside of the train station is warm and inviting...

Waiting for the train...

A few photos before getting on the 7:30PM train...

Train time (photo bomb by Doug)...

We like to exchange our gifts on the train. I got the girls matching stuffed kitties...

And cat ears...

So silly...

Looking at their tickets...

As the train headed toward the North Pole, story telling and singing ensued...

Pretty lights on the way...

Santa and Mrs. Claus were waiting for us...

The dads...

The elves were there to greet us too...

We started to head back to the train station, and Mrs. Claus came into our car to visit...

Then it was time for Santa to come into the car. The kids started chanting his name...



Santa arrived and wanted a little snuggle from Kathy...

Then he talked to the girls...

The girls went to the other side of the train to see if they could spot Rudolph...

It was a fun, relaxing ride and the girls had so much fun.

It was time to head back to the hotel and get some rest for the next day. The hotel room was so nice. Bri got her own room...

And there was a fireplace in the small living area...

We turned in for the night because we had a busy day planned for the next day!