hobby trains

We had a great weekend.  Brian and the littles took a very very long adventure on Saturday, and this mama stayed home and cleaned and organized!  I just need another entire Saturday, and this house will be in full order.  For about a week, but still!  It was great.  And I'll share pictures from their adventure soon, because Brian finds the most amazing places to explore.

On Sunday we all ventured to St. Louis where we went to a hobby train show.  Fletcher was beyond excited.  He kept telling me it was the best day of his life!  And we've been to many a train museum, so this show was extra special, I guess.  There were aisle upon aisles full of trains set up and running, some that were down on the floor, some at kid eye level, and just a few at adult eye level.  There was a small Thomas train for the littles to ride, and the day revolved around getting to do just that.  The line for Thomas snaked around the event center, and I had doubts we'd make it.  But we saved it until the end of the show, and by then the center had somewhat cleared out.  Fletcher was all smiles and good cheer, and Rowan was pretty happy to be there too.

Most of the exhibits were set up by curmudgeon-ey old men with a twinkle in their eye when the little's jaws would gape open.  "Don't touch!" they'd say gruffly.  Then their resolve would soften upon the look on Fletcher's face, and they would share a nugget of information about the train, or lift up a panel to show the controls.  Fletcher is a complete devotee to trains, and it is something I hope he doesn't grow out of too quickly.

 It was a frigid day, so after the train show closed, we drove down a few streets to an Irish pub where we warmed up and ate dinner.  I kept staring out the window, just enjoying the feeling of being in a city again.  Guess I'll always be a city girl at heart.

Fletcher says he'll never forget the best day ever.