It was supposed to be nasty all day, and it Wasn't. We sure caught a break with this one; it didn't rain on us once and we were outdoors most of the day. Wheeeew!
First we broke into groups, and each group got a tour of the facilities, the trains and their
various cars, and an explanation on how everything worked, from message delivery to track switches. It was a bit of info overload for six year olds, but they did a great job being polite for the entire hour plus; enough so that our group's guide actually mentioned how polite and well-behaved our kids were. Honesty, it was a bit of info overload for me too, and I'm 35. But he was very passionate about trains and their history, and I did my best to show interest.When we went on the tour through the passenger cars, I about didn't make it. I think I'm getting worse as I get older, not better. But we were all crammed into this dark narrow steel/metal corridor with walls small enough my shoulders almost brushed the sides, with lots of small children being (at this point) loud and chatty and excited. The guide kept stopping and pointing out the tiny sleeping quarters, and talking about polishing shoes and about toilets available and how lush this was for the times, and I'm feeling my heart rate and breathing both accelerating. I could not wait to get out of there and get back in the open air. The worst part was I couldn't even get out if I wanted to, I was blocked in by lots of people with no room to go around, so to get out I'd have had to make a scene and herd everybody out in front of (or behind) me. Of course you can't think about THAT at the time unless you want to end up in LRSchool's Hall of Shame for Most Embarrassing Parental Behavior on a Field Trip, 2007. ;)
One thing that kept my mind on something else was another parent, who was a murmurer. Do you know anyone like that? The guide would be talking his spiel, non-stop, and this sweet, super nice mom was talking the whole time with him. Murmuring comments. "Oh yes, I see that." Or "Oh my, how frightening", or "Mmm-hmmm, I sure do." I don't mean this irreverently, but it was a bit like a church service where people talk back to the preacher when they get fired up. It was...distracting at least.
After the tour was over, we stopped for a snack, then loaded up on the Pumpkin Train. Because
it was supposed to rain, they stopped at the pumpkin patch first, and the kids all got to pick out a pumpkin. The rule was, "If you can't carry it yourself, you can't bring it home." First stop there was a mini petting zoo, where they had fluffy baby bunnies and a baby goat available for the kids to handle. The kids mobbed the animals, but luckily, best I could tell, everything survived the onslaught. :) Next they sent us into a pumpkin patch, but the first round of kids came out screaming, covered in burrs. I found a little humor in it but I kept that to myself, and we all headed to a safer and less prickly pumpkin patch, where Kaylee found her pumpkin. I said "Kaylee, that's pretty big; remember, if you can't carry it, you can't have it." She looks at me, hoists it up, walks for awhile, then says, "See, I can too carry it. Can I have it?" I laughed and said 'okay', at which point she says "I CAN carry it, but I don't really want to. Will you carry it for me?" Ha. I know Steve is laughing at that one.After the train ride, the kids got to play on a playground for about an hour, which they all enjoyed of course. It was an interesting playground too, with stuff on it I have never seen before. I'd describe it but I doubt anybody cares, so just trust me, it was interesting. ;)
We got home just in time to hit McDonalds for dinner, change clothes, and head right back out to gymnastics. Kaylee is now in bed at 7:30 p.m. by her own choice. Now THAT hasn't happened in...ever?? Thankfully she had no homework for tomorrow! But we ARE flying to Missouri tomorrow I think. :)
Oh, Pumpkin Patch Pics up on Kaylee's Site. :)
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