Saturday, May 23, 2009

Thomas the Tank Engine


Another steam engine parked in the yard













This is the face of pure, unbridled joy.
Riding the train


We have known that Thomas the tank engine made annual visits to the Heber Valley for a few years but we did not anticipate that we would one day have a son that is completely enthralled with trains. Of course Thomas has everything to do with this. The funny thing is we don't even know how he got hooked on it. I think we were flipping through channels one morning and landed on PBS for too long or something. (Honestly, I'm not sure what is so enchanting about it, the show is really pretty boring.) But the love affair continues just as strong today as ever. We don't leave home without packing a train or two along and while Wow Wow Wubbzy is currently giving Thomas a run for Jack's favorite show to watch, nothing gets playtime like his trains. They get as much use as a construction site port-a-john if not more. So of course we were not going to let Thomas come and go without paying a visit.

Sarah has diligently planned on today for a very long time and she executed with surgical precision. We drove down to Heber this morning and met up with the Willits family to spend a day out with Thomas. By the way I wish I was in the Thomas business, these people have to be making a killing of of this stuff. It was kind of like a carnival centered on Thomas and his counterparts from the majestic island of Sodor. Sir Toppham Hatt was even there chubbin' it up. (In real life don't you think that Mr. Hatt would be like the jerk of an industrialist who runs the town and ruthlessly crushes anyone who crosses him, like Mr. Potter to George Bailey?) They had a petting zoo (complete with a biting pony, and baby camel that, no joke, peed for like 3 straight minutes), decal tattoos, balloon animals, bubble blowing, movies, train sets, a Dugger family style bluegrass band and of course a ride on Thomas' train.

It really was a lot of fun and Thomas was legit. I always thought that they just kind of jerry rigged an existing engine to look like Thomas but this was a dedicated engine (or really more of a car, I don't think it was doing anything but enjoying the ride). It was awesome. I think that everyone really enjoyed it a lot, but of course there was nothing more entertaining than watching Jack watch T-bone roll the rails.

It all worked out so well. We got to do everything that was there, wore the kids out in time for naps and finished just as it was starting to rain.

7 comments:

Anonymous said...

I've been waiting for this to happen and the wait was worth it!! Great post! I love your description of everything! And I LOVE the pictures! Thomas looks great and I really love the pic. of Jack looking out the window of the train, also the one of the boys on the tracks, the family pics, and Eric, Jack, and Addie (all of them really). How fun that Jack could share it with cousins! What a great way to spend a day! I know this will be a special memory for Jack always! Good job parents. Choo -choo!
~mom

ryan and danielle said...

ooo how fun! what a agreat thing for jack! it will be a special memory for him forever! LOVE all the pics and your story of the whole day! did someone get bitten by the pony??

ryan and danielle said...

oh, and by the way, next time I see you guys plan on a full day of photo shoots! :) i do want to shoot more kids actually. :)

taryn said...

I thoroughly enjoyed reading this re-cap of the day. No one can come up with those comparisons like Eric! I'm so glad Sir Toppham Hatt was there chubbin it up because Colson really wanted to see him. I love Jack's happy happy face!

Kristi Clinger said...

I wish I could have been there. I would have gone in a heart beat. I love trains and Thomas. It sounds like you had lots of fun. The best part for me would have been having the kids exhausted at the end of it!

Shelley said...

I'm so glad you guys had a great time. My dad took Carson to see Thomas when he was 2 and he still talks about it to this day. I put a picture of him next to the big Thomas in his room. It sounds like Jack and Carson share in their train obsession!

Anonymous said...

That looks like so much fun!!! I'm glad you guys got to do that.
Itza