Making it Lovely

Tag: Thomas the Tank Engine

  • Another Day Out with Thomas

    Another Day Out with Thomas

    We first met up with Thomas, the cheeky blue engine, two years ago. We missed it last year because we spent the summer up in Wisconsin while we waited to move into our new house, but we went again this weekend. I don’t know if you know this, but carrying a big rock to meet Sir Topham Hatt? It’s a thing.

    Meeting Sir Topham Hatt

    Thomas travels around North America through the spring and summer, and the event is held near Chicago each year at the Illinois Railway Museum in Union, IL. It’s a cool place, with an impressive collection of “rolling stock” (locomotives and cars). Eleanor and August are still afraid of the biggest engines, but the smaller, friendlier ones are much less imposing.

    Horse-Drawn Railroad Car
    Old Railway Signs
    Checking Out the Old Trains
    IL Railway Museum

    The kids got temporary tattoos, played with train tables, and climbed on a giant sand mound. Not sure how that last one was train-related, but they enjoyed it.

    Thomas Activities
    Sandy Sand

    And of course, there was the obligatory Thomas train ride.

    Thomas Ride

    The kids waved at him and thanked him for the ride every time we saw him puff by. My goofy little cuties.

    Rockin' Out!

  • A Day Out With Thomas

    A Day Out With Thomas

    We recently drove out to Union, Illinois, to the Illinois Railway Museum for a Day Out with Thomas. It was a little odd to see a full-sized Thomas the Tank Engine. His eyes moved, he whistled, and he puffed steam. (And while he was putting on a good show at the front of the train, an engine at the other end did the hard work of moving the passenger cars.)

    Full-Sized Thomas the Tank Engine, Pulling Passenger Cars

    We took one twenty-minute ride, soon after we arrived. Eleanor then spent the rest of the day asking when we could go again. Every time Thomas passed by, she was equally excited. “Hi, Thomas!” she yelled, waving her little arms at him. August was into it too, though his enthusiasm is more expressed through grunts and gestures. (Dude, learn some new words already.)

    My sister, Ashley, came with us for the day.

    The old trains were amazing. I felt so small next to them. Barn number 9 housed all of the big steam engines, and Eleanor was afraid to go in. Too scary, she said. (They were imposing.) Ashley and I took August in while E hung back with Brandon.

    Old Trains

    Aunt Ashley got a little bonding time in with August, and an arm workout.

    Cool old signs. (Climax! Tee hee! I’m twelve.)

    Cool Old Railroad Signs

    The day was train-centric (obviously), but there were a few other things to do. Eleanor and Brandon played a round of mini golf. (Bran was proud of his hole-in-one shot.) There was a fire engine there, which is August’s OMG favorite thing in the world, and I thought the kids would have been more into trying on the firefighters’ hats. Don’t they look thrilled?

    Also, Eleanor met Sir Topham Hatt. (Or “The Fat Controller”, depending on which Thomas story you’re reading and how flattering it is toward him.) E carried a rock.

    Eleanor Meets Sir Topham Hatt

    They really did have a great time though! The grown-ups, too. I imagine we’ll be attending for the next few years.

    A Day Out with Thomas

    Me and Eleanor