All Aboooaaard!!!!!!

The Tennessean restaurant is an old train that has been converted to a very nice, $$ restaurant. It’s really cool – you can eat on a train and not worry about motion sickness which is good since you just paid all that money for your dinner! Just after Thanksgiving The Tennessean converted its train restaurant to The Polar Express. So we invite Nikki and Mason and the Scott Family to join us.

First, we get there first. First! We are never first. So while we wait I take a few pictures of the girls in the Town Square.

Yes, they just LOVE each other. Best of friends. Isn’t this how you treat your BFF?

Next Nikki and Mason show up. They BEAT the Scotts! So I subjected Mason to the photo shoot as well.

Then the Scotts showed up. So while we wait to board the train, I take their picture too. Maybe it will be their Christmas picture. After all, I’m a fabulous photographer and one day when I’m famous they will be able to say – yes we know her – she has taken our family portrait. Maybe not.

So I add Carson to the photo gang.


When it’s time for our trip, the train conductor gave each child a golden ticket…

Then we board the train and the conductor punches the golden tickets.

We are the FIRST group on the train. Seriously, I should’ve played the lottery that day.

And the kids are very excited.

Here’s our “punched” golden ticket.

…And the other side.

First course – Hot Chocolate. And I’m not kidding. The first one to try it said, “Wow, that’s really hot!” Only to have the next 8 people say the exact same thing, like we didn’t believe the person before us.

Apparently Mason burned his tongue really good and had to let it cool down.

Main Course? Why chicken tenders and fries because what else would a fine dining establishment serve?


And then we were treated to a reading of The Polar Express by this gentleman. I wish I had gotten his name – he was fantastic – an actor in his spare time.

Then it was time for dessert – a warm chocolate chip cookie. Sydney can attest to the fact that it was finger lickin’ good!

At the end of our journey each child received a magical bell…


They’re magical alright – they can ring for hours on end in the hands of these children. Plus, they can “magically” appear when you decide to chance it and walk through the house barefoot. Luckily they ring when you step on them – loud enough to cover the verbiage flowing from your mouth as you hop to your bed…