Trains, Trains Everywhere

Our first morning visiting my grandparents, Grandma mentioned that there was a train museum in the area. I looked up The Southeastern Railway Museum and it seemed a lot like The Heart of Dixie Railroad Museum that the boys love to visit near us. So we loaded up and headed out.

The entire way there Walker kept saying, "We're going to ride a train." I wasn't sure if they had a train ride, or just train exhibits so I told him, "I don't know if we are going to get to ride a train, but we are going to see some trains." To which he responded, repeatedly, "We are not going to see the trains we are going to ride a train."

I began to worry that a meltdown was coming, but it turns out Walker was right. With admission to the museum you get a ride on a real train. It was as if he had willed it to be.

Waiting on the train.


Eli became very unhappy while we were waiting. I couldn't decide if he was tired, hungry, or just missing his usual train riding buddy (Grin), but in any case after sufficient amount of fussing I gave in and let him have his pacifier. We haven't had to do that in public in a while, but he was pitiful.





The train ride calmed him down.


The boys operating an old steam engine.




Stationary exhibit inside...do not try this at home.

Off to See Grandma and Grandpa's New House

Last week the boys and I made a trip to Atlanta, or more accurately Duluth, to visit my grandparents in their new house. They moved a few weeks ago, and I've wanted to see them in the new place as much as they wanted us to come and see it.

The boys traveled beautifully. There new place is beautiful and they have done a great job of putting the place together. I think they will be very happy in their new community.

The first morning we were there Grandpa and Walker put together some new barstools and a breakfast table. Walker kept staying they were building a skyscraper and Grandpa was more than happy to assist.



Here the boys are sitting on the newly built barstools at Grandma's kitchen counter. It made me a little sad to see how big they were just sitting up there, but it was nice to travel without a highchair.



Eli's camera face, again.


They have a great open area, they call the "Downtown Town Green" just a few minutes away. The boys loved running and playing in the wide open spaces. We ended both of our evenings there. Not many pictures of the playtime, but here is one of Grandpa and Eli. Of course Eli had to stop here, he had lost a shoe.

Mommy is Not a Koala Bear

Walker's new thing is to ask to ride on my back. It is lots of fun (and quite a workout), but it makes it pretty impossible to get anything done around here! Have you ever tried to do housework with a toddler on your back?



Saying "hello" to the camera

Best Buddies

It is amazing how close Walker and Eli are. When they wake up in the morning the first thing they do is search for each other. Even if they are not playing with the same thing, they are always in the same room, within feet of each other.

When we first brought Eli home I prayed this time would come, but it is still amazing that it is already here.

These are some pictures I took on a couple of normal mornings. I didn't pose them, they just put themselves in these positions.

Look how cute they are sitting together. (there is no mustard in that bottle, just a newly discovered, never been used, toy).


Eli's new camera face.


Dancing on the serving tray.





Walker looking for Eli to give him his light up necklace from the Disney parade (Grin got his money out of these. These batteries have lasted forever!).


Found Him


Now What?


Do you think they are too close to the TV?

The Parking Garage

What exactly do little girls play with?
**Note: This is not the complete collection, just all that fit in this space. Time to build a parking deck.

More McWane

We went to McWane twice last week. That seems like a lot, but it really isn't considering Walker asks to go everyday. Again...thanks Uncle Map for the membership.

Of course he doesn't call it the McWane Center, he calls it the "Lightning McQueen Center". It is so funny we will ask him if he wants to go to the McWane Center and he will reply, "Yes, Lightning McQueen Center," like he is correcting us.

Eli knows that is not the name. He will go and get a toy Lightning McQueen and give to Walker, like he is trying to show him the difference. Further proof that he understands every word we say, but has no motivation to say something back!

Walker is always a little disappointed when we come home and didn't see Lightning McQueen. He always says, "Lightning McQueen was not there, he is all gone." One day he will get the difference, but he is certainly not going to take our word for it!


Walker and Eli on the big piano. Eli was more interested in checking himself out in the giant mirror. All those compliments have gone to his head.


Walker making an emergency exit. What exactly is this exhibit supposed to teach?


Eli hoarding the trains and the groceries.




Jason and Eli flying the plane.


Jason and Walker watching the trains.

Latest Funnies

• Last night when I was taking Walker to bed he turned around to say night, night to daddy. "Night, Night, Daddy. You go to sleep on the soffat (sofa)." Jason usually closes his eyes (and just maybe dozes off) during the little bit of TV Walker watches before bed. I can just see him telling strangers that daddy sleeps on the sofa.
• Walker has started calling me "Mr. Mommy". I will call him Mr. Hungry (at lunchtime) or Mr. Dragon (when he is in his dragon towel) or Mr. Busy (when he is working on something) and so forth. I guess he thought it would be funny to do it to mommy, too.

So if you meet a toddler calling his mommy Mr. and talking about how his daddy sleeps on the sofa, please give me the benefit of the doubt.

Friday Night Dates

Jason has been working incredibly hard lately, lots of long hours and no real down time. Things are finally starting to calm down, so Friday night we went out to dinner by ourselves. You know, like a date, where we tasted all our food and took our time.

We throughly enjoyed our time, but it would make a pretty boring blog...so on to what the boys did.

The boys had dinner at Grammy and Grin's house. They were more excited about the adventure than we were.

First they ate homemade, Mickey quesadillas.





Eli can't have cheese, but Grammy and Grin are creative.




First ketchup experience, I think he liked it.


Then they got to enjoy the wonderfully cooler weather in the backyard.






This picture is from another night at Grammy and Grin's, but it was too cute to not include. I'm pretty sure when the boys get a little older they will be trying to bring Gracie home in their overnight bag.

Local and Organic Fruit...

...Straight from Pops' backyard. My dad has two giant fig trees in his backyard.



We went over to visit last weekend and Walker helped pick a snack right off the tree.



Walker enjoyed them a little too much and I was worried about the effects (mommy's you know what I mean), but he seemed alright. Eli enjoyed one also, but wasn't as interested as Walker. I know my dad is excited to have a fig eating buddy.



This brings back wonderful memories of me picking fruit right out of my grandparent's backyard when I was little. My favorite were their blueberries. I guess the boys will just have to wait and see what else Pops grows over the years.