The Polar Express

Yesterday we drove over to Bryson City to take a ride on "The Polar Express."  This was the first time we've ever done this and since I had no idea what to expect, I opted for the 8pm ride and decided we would spend the night afterward.  The lady who took my registration information encouraged me to put the kids in their pajamas for the ride.

Had it not been raining the entire day and night, had the train not been 15 minutes late, and had I not just gotten flu shots for myself and the children the day before, this would have been a PERFECT evening.... but alas, it did rain all day & night in Bryson City (well, mostly mist) and I let Kyra choose the Abby Cadabby footie pajamas, so someone had to carry her all night... then the train was 15 minutes late, so we waited in mist for 1/2 hour... 

Once we were on the train though, it was great if only because the kids were SO EXCITED!!!  We were served candy & hot cocoa, they read a story and when Santa finally got on our car, I thought the kids would lose their mind!  Henry asked for a  Batcave & McDonald's Kitchen, while Kyra asked for a sweater & a cradle for her baby doll.  Honestly, Santa was rather surprised that Henry asked for the McDonald's Kitchen given the kitchen he brought them last year, but I digress.

By the time we got back to our hotel, it was well after 10pm and I thought Henry felt a little warm, but figured it had been a long day.  At 3am, I heard him moaning and say "I'm hot."  The poor guy was burning up!  I gave him Tylenol, he and Brad switched places in the beds, and I waited for the Tylenol to kick in!!  I got a cool washcloth for his forehead, worried that my Tylenol had expired & tried to remember if I had seen a drug store (or hospital) in Cherokee... thankfully, at some point we both fell asleep.  He wasn't 100% today and I do wonder if he'll be able to go to school tomorrow, but they both are already talking about taking the ride again next year!!