All Aboard..........

A few months ago I was released from the YW Presidency and called as the Activities Chairman. I was kinda bummed thinking the activities committee was just for those who just needed a calling. Well, I was wrong. I was totally wrong. I know now I was called to that calling by inspiration. It has been such a fun calling and has helped me to get to know so many more people in the ward. I was a little worried going into the holiday season knowing there was going to be a party, but I had no committee. The last week in November they called a few people to my committee.

I came up with the idea of the Polar Express and had started planning it. Luckily I have some awesome people on my committee who helped make this night a success!!

The Cook's, The Hunt's, Bro. Stapley, and Bro. Vance all came and helped set up. Most of the day it was only 5 of us working, but it was nice having the help we did. We spent all day Saturday setting up.

Believe it or not, I wasn't all that stressed out beforehand. I only started to stress once people started showing up and they just kept coming. This activity was the most attended than any other church event our ward has ever held, so I had to keep getting more supplies out of the closet, and we had to set up 3 more tables. We already had set up 13 tables and had chairs around the sides of the gym.

We had dinner catered by Moki's Hawaiian Grill-to die for!! Everyone LOVED it. Especially me because that meant, I didn't have to stress beforehand that we had the food all ready. They dropped it off and then later on in the evening, they picked up all the dishes. SO NICE!!

Our program was great. We had Bro. Gardner from the ward be our "Conductor". He dressed the part and did great. The little kids loved the 15 min movie. Some of the kids loved Mr and Mrs. Clause.

Steve, his Sister Jen and his brother in law Brian worked so hard in the kitchen cleaning up and making sure everything was taken care of in there. The ward all helped clean up. I was so impressed and so grateful for all the help cleaning up. 9 hours of setting it all up and it was put all cleaned up in about a half hour or so.

Overall, it was a success. I loved doing it. Well worth all the hard work and planning. So, if anyone is wanting to do a polar express party, I have lots of ideas!

I know I am so blessed to have the calling that I have. I love my calling. I love the people in our ward. I am so grateful to get to know all the ward. I can't wait for our next activity. I think we will try to do a Golden Green Ball for Valentines. Hopefully I can pull it off.

Here are some pics of the evening:


This was near the end of the night. We were so busy all night, but had to get our chance to get a shot with Santa and Mrs. Clause.

Cleaning up after the party Halle and Lizzie goofing off in the train.

The backdrop. Took us SOOO long to set up. It was worth it though.

Front and Center. We put the screen down until it was time for the movie. We showed the reading of the Polar Express Book. Had all the little kids come down in the front to watch it.

Before the chaos began. Before we had to push the tables closer together to add more.

Santa Area. Our Santa and Mrs. Clause were SO awesome. They were so nice to all the kids and they LOVED playing the part.

The train was such a pain. It just wasn't working out quite the way I wanted, but oh well. It worked out just fine. We didn't try the fog machine for the steam until right before and the fog machine we borrowed was actually broked and leaked a gallon of Fog juice all over the floor behind the train. Bummer!