All aboard the Santa Express!!

This past weekend we took our annual trip on the Santa Express!

Every year our momstown mamas look forward to this field trip.  While it's not a long trip, it's just so much fun! 

The South Simcoe Steam Train runs the Santa Express every year on weekends for the month of December.   It's a great chance to spend time with family and friends. We take a short trip, spend time with our families and just enjoy the spirit of the holidays and take in the excitement of the kids.

Every year, I prepare for this trip months in advance as our group is usually so big that we have to get tickets on day one of sales or our group can't be together, tickets sell fast here!  So on November 1st I start my calling to the ever busy reservation line to book our tickets... this year we had 61 traveller... and that didn't include babies!!!

It's not easy to coordinate a train trip of this size but it's so worth the effort as the kids have so much fun!

The train is run solely by volunteers including the elves and Santa himself! 


We all gathered out in the cold, and it was cold, to wait for our turn to board the train.  As the train rolls into the station the kids get super excited.

Boarding is not easy with so many people and kids and so much excitement and anticipation, but after some shuffling and organization, we are all set to go!!

As the train departs from the station, Santa comes in and starts his journey down the train car where he takes the time to sit with each and every child to talk to them and hear what they want for Christmas.

The kids and the parents get so excited to have Santa visit them.  Some kids are happier than others of course!

Santa is a great listener and has such a great personality that even the most timid and normally scared child will crawl up on his knee for a chat.

While the train ride itself is quite simple, a half hour ride out and half hour ride back, the visit with Santa makes the ride all worth the while.

Pictures With Santa

Every year moms and dads stalk the malls looking for Santa.  Getting their child's photo taken with Santa is always a great way to kick off the Christmas season.

We have all done it, lined up for what seems like hours with other crazy parents and their crying or overly excited child, waiting to see the big guy. 

There he is, sitting on his big chair, all jolly and and full of holiday spirit waiting for the next child to tell him their wishes for Christmas.  I always wonder what he is thinking.  Is he thinking oh gees not that screaming kid, or great another crying baby for me to scare, or i hope this kid doesn't pee on me again.... He has to sit there for a long time and see a lot of kids... what would you be thinking?


But not all the kids are happy to be seeing Santa... like my son.  My Son screamed "NO, scary!" before we even got in a line! So being child number 3 I didn't force him.  The first two I forced to sit on his knee crying or not. Yep, I was that mom!









I know my son is not alone here.  I know there are tons of kids who want nothing to do with the big fat strange man and his big white beard and furry red suit who Ho, Ho Ho's at random. Until of course it's time to get the gifts.  But really, what are we telling our kids!  At Halloween we send them out to strangers houses to beg for candy and at Christmas we send them to sit on a strange mans lap and disclose their secrets!  Strange and all for our pleasure as a parent. 

Yet we do it... every darn year.  I have pictures from every year since my oldest had her first visit with Santa. (that would be 15 Christmases now!!)  Most are full of smiles.  The tears and scared faces came from the little ones.  Last year I couldn't even get my son to sit on Santa's knee. 

This year I was able to get all 3 to sit with Santa.  Albeit the only way my son would even go near him was in the arms of Megan, my oldest.... and she was none too thrilled to have to sit on Santa's knee but she did it for me,and for her little brother and sister and was full of smiles.  Can you see Santa by the way... he's there, you just have to look!

These are my kids with Santa... can you find him?

So many of our momstown mamas were happy to share their pics with me.  Almost all of them have happy smiling kids,  What makes a mom more happy than to have a smiling picture of their child on Santa's knee to display for the world at Christmas Time.

Thank you to everyone that shared their pictures with me!  I loved seeing all the kids reactions to Santa.

A trip to the North Pole with momstown Barrie

Today we embarked on our annual Christmas adventure tradition to the North Pole!

The South Simcoe Steam Train runs this fun train ride every year to raise funds for the historic train station as well as for the local food bank.


The momstown Barrie families headed down to Tottenham to board the Santa Express to the North Pole!

Despite the cold temperatures this morning everyone was smiling and excited for the adventure.


Santas elves join us for the beginning of the ride to sing carols and chat with the kiddies.

Then the big guy himslef arrives! Santa boards the train and makes his way through the train car to visit with all the families!


Santa is so kind to take time to sit down with each family to chat with the kiddies and to get some photos taken.

As always, this was a super fun morning and lots of memories were made. The kids always feel so special to get their time with Santa and mom and dad love the smiles (or tears) as Santa chats to the kids.

Can't wait to do it again next year!

Santa Came to momstown!

HO HO HO! What a jolly day it was!

We had our 4th Annual Christmas Party today and it was a blast!

It's always so nice to see everyone together, having fun, mingling and just smiling.


We had so many newer members out this year and it was really great to see them fitting right in and having fun.

It was also great to see some of our original members still coming out, now with more kids than they started with, and having fun too! I always love these big events and having everyone together!

The kids had a ball doing crafts, playiing games and running around!


As usual we had a great pot luck feast that filled the kids up and calmed them down (just a bit) for a visit with a very special guy.

Santa made his arrival after lunch and the kids were so excited (except for my son who screamed in sheer terror!).


The kids all lined up patiently with their moms and dads, who were just as excited by the way, and they waited their turn to see Santa.

Some of the kids were so happy to be sitting on Santa's knee, some were not as thrilled. A candy cane and a gift late they were all happy!


Thank you so much to everyone that came out to make the day special! A special thanks to Santa for making a trip just to visit the moms and tots of momstown Barrie!

Santa Claus came to momstown Barrie's Christmas Party!

The holiday season is in full swing, and we made it official at momstown's Christmas party with a special visit from the Jolly Man in the Big Red Suit!


Our Annual Christmas Party was a big success once again. With lots new faces and lots of familiar ones, everyone came together for a great time.

The kids danced and played and laughed and had a great time. There were lots of sweet new babies dressed for the holidays and waiting on the arrival of Santa
Santa was a big hit with all the kids as usual! The
kids all got a special sweet treat and coupons to Boston Pizza in Barrie!

Now onto more Christmas festivities as the big day approaches! momstown Barrie has a big week of Christmas fun planned, sleigh rides at Belcroft Tree Farm, Christmas Cheer Night at Boston Pizza, Caroling at Victoria Village and a trip on the Santa Express!!! What a week its going to be!!!.

It's Official! The Holiday Season is here!!

It may only be November 20th, but the Christmas festivities today around town made you feel like it was December 25th!

The welcoming of Santa to the mall and the annual Santa Claus parade reminds children (and parents too!) that Santa Claus has come to town!!! Lineups for miles to sit on Santa's knee could be seen everywhere you went today.

We, once again, missed the Barrie Santa Claus parade, but I know that many of the momstown mamas were there with their kids and hubbies enjoying the festivities and watching the excitement on the kids' faces as Santa approached.

With the parades, sightings of Santa and the excitement that builds about Christmas being just around the corner, comes the annual family event that we all cherish... the Putting Up of The Christmas Tree... and so the tradition continued in my house today.

The tree went up, but not without some drama, as per usual. We opted for a "fake" tree a few years back to avoid the mess of the real trees and to be able to enjoy the tree for longer. The problem with the fake trees is trying to remember where all the pieces go. We tried to eliminate that stress last year by getting a new one that is only 3 tiers and even prelit, no more untangling and stringing lights! However, this created a whole new difficulty, where do all the plugs go? Why is this side lit and not that side? Why are there plugs with no outlets?


So after much under-the-breath cursing, heavy sighs and whines from children who just want to put the decorations on, all the connections were made, the lights were lit and the tree was "pretty".

Let the decorating commence!!! Chubby baby hands grabbed at anything that could be reached from the ground level with squeals of delight, unsteady but determined hands of a 3 year old hung ornaments in clusters that frustrated her dad but made her proud and the stealthy eye of a tween who wants her 'special' ornaments in the front made sure the tree was full of colour. And all the while a proud mama snapped pictures of the joyous event for the scrapbook where this memory of childish pleasure and Christmas joy will be captured forever.

And so the season of joy has begun! Bring on the fun!!