All Aboard!

A few months ago I purchased tickets to ride an old Steam Train out of Centraila from Groupon for half price! So last Sunday it was time to use the tickets and have some family fun!

Tickets please...

The train has an open car right behind the engine and then two covered cars followed by another one car at the end. We decided that with Owen's noise issues we'd sit as far away from the engine as we could. We did bring earplugs, but he didn't want to wear them.

Love how Ella is swished between us in this picture!

This boy was in heaven!

Ella loved "drinking" water from the water bottle. She spilled more than she drank, but it was such a hot day it didn't matter one bit.

Along the away we saw lots of corn fields...

barns...

and just enjoyed the fresh air!

After a while Owen wanted to walk all the way to the back to look at the tracks.

That's where we met the Conductor. He was a really nice guy and I found out that the train is ran by his family. His cousin was the one that would switch the track, his Dad was the Engineer and his Mom ran the candy cart.

I had been waiting for a shot like this...love that look of a train going around a corner!

Once we got to the end of the line the Conductor told us the engine would detach from the train and ride down a parallel line and then attach instead to the train from the end we were on and then it would take us back.

Waiting for the engine to come!

Here's the engine backing up beside us.

There is goes!

And here it comes!

We found out the parts that hook the trains together are called knuckles. Owen was fascinated with them!

It was neat to get to see the train THAT up close and personal.

I was sure that once the train got that close Owen would run for the back and not want anything to do with it, but he's really gotten brave. He just stuck his fingers or thumbs in his ears and enjoyed the ride.

Jack liked the train ride, but probably the least...I'm not sure if he was tired or just not as interested. He didn't have a bad time though.

I thought this was a fun shadow of me standing in the corner of the car.

After a while we decided to go sit down inside and have snacks in one of the covered cars. It was probably the hottest day we've had all year and I didn't put sunscreen on any of us, but thankfully we didn't get burned. The kids sure did look flushed though.

Happy Mama & Happy Boy!

It wasn't long after we had snacks that we were pulling back into the station. It was about an hour and a half ride of pure fun and great memories!