Advent: days 14, 15, & 16

Sunday was one Advent we'd really been looking forward to... a ride on the Candy Cane Train! The train begins in Bath and is a super trip up the coast. It's a 90 minute ride and we're treated to hot chocolate, cookies, dancing elves, singing, story-telling, and, of course, Father Christmas...

Before we left, Chas and Raf worked on some art...

And then we were off...

Charlie was asleep when we first arrived so Raf and I headed into the train station and enjoyed the treats in there, including a model railway.

And then we boarded the train... the boys were very excited.

 The scenery was stunning on such a beautiful, sunny day.

We stopped off midway to watch the elves dancing outside. Charlie was desperate to get off the train to join them.

As the elves finished dancing, a storyteller in our carriage began to read the children stories.

But Raf was feeling very impatient for someone to arrive (we were right at the front of the train and the very last people to see Santa. Here he comes!

Raf was very shy (though this was a much happier Santa than the one we met at Breakfast with Santa.

Chas didn't seem too interested in speaking with Santa but did give him a high five.

A really wonderful day... Monday was a very low key day.

But very exciting for the boys... because they met a new friend!

Raf closes his eyes in anticipation of his new friend!

Wow!!!!!!

It's an ELF! Raf has been desperate for us to have our very own Elf on the Shelf. I can't say I love the idea of this little guy 'watching us', but we're turning him into a kindness elf, who encourages us to do kind, giving things this Christmas.  Raf called the the elf 'the Candy Cane Train' (!!) and I added the word kindness.... so he's known as the Candy Cane the Kindness Train.

And the next day the Elf did suggest a giving activity...  There he is holding the cracker.

Writing and delivering Christmas cards to our neighbours!

Charlie hard at work...

And we're off... We made the mistake of at first knocking on people's doors. But the boys (in their tired, unlistening states) barged in to houses in their messy boots and made themselves a little bit too much at home!

The boys had a really nice time delivering their cards... but it was a very long time for such a small neighborhood!