Union Station is one of my favorite places in Kansas City, especially during the holidays. Every year we go downtown to see the model train display and marvel at the Christmas decorations. The majestic architecture of the train station is beautifully complimented by the brightly lit trees and sparkling snowflakes hanging from the ceiling.
This year we figured Monkey was old enough to enjoy the Kansas City Southern Holiday Express, a train “unlike any other train in the world, with its smiling engine “Rudy”, gingerbread boxcar, flatcar carrying Santa’s sleigh, reindeer and a miniature village, snow covered stall filled with model train displays, the elves’ workshop and even a little red caboose.”
If you want to catch the Holiday Express, you have the option of standing in a three-hour-long line OR, if you’re quick with the internet skills, reserving VIP tickets online so you can enjoy the not-so-cheerful glares of others as you skip ahead to the front. We got lucky this year and snagged reservations before they ran out.
We did not get so lucky with the Santa picture.
My son HATES Santa. HATES HIM.
But he loves trains, and so through the Holiday Express we went.
At the end, Monkey received a big red bag of candy which he later enjoyed, minus the parental chocolate tax. We posed for a quick picture in front of Rudy the locomotive, checked out a few Extreme Gingerbread Home Makeover Prize Winners and got home in time for dinner and snuggles and (unfortunately) another football game on tv.
Next weekend, Texas invades Missouri and we’re looking forward to the house full of chaos with my mom, sister and our nephews. Our chances of a white Christmas are slim, but no matter the weather we’re expecting a festive holiday full of food, friends and family. We wish you all the same!
Mamamash 
Love the pictures and the pure joy on Monkey’s face (minus the Santa one which did make me giggle a little). Your pictures of the trains and the lights make me excited for Christmas. Great post.
Have a very Merry Christmas, AnnMarie!
That’s so beautiful and I love trains too. Lucky Monkey. Also, look at cute baby bump you!
Aw, thanks. I’m still in the “feeling cute” stage. 😉
That is a great family picture (if I do say so myself). And those pictures of Monkey with the trains are priceless! I still can’t believe we had Santa success. Thank you so much for letting us come with you!
It’s such a cute picture – thank you for taking it! I’m so excited you got the whole bunch in with Santa. It makes me laugh to have so many Santa Fails with Monkey. He’ll have a whole album when he’s older. Glad you guys came along!
How beautiful!
It’s amazing how a bunch of tiny lights can transform things!
I love the picture of him with the dimples showing! Texas is loading the sleigh, trying to figure in the luggage, ice chest, people and pkgs. Cindi said I needed to rent a small uhaul trailer for the back. LOL Can not wait to be there!!!
I’m wondering how you will fit everyone and everything in that car! ProTip – pack one bag with what you’ll need for the hotel stay for everyone and keep it up front so you don’t have to unpack/repack the whole car. Also, please stop at stop signs. 😉 Looking forward to the madness!