another trip to traintown

Last weekend, we took yet another trip to Traintown. I've lost count how many times I've gone with the kids, let alone how many times I've been since I was a little girl. You'd think that I'd be sick of it by now, not so. The steam engine ready to pull it's pint sized passengers, puffs away and Anna eagerly shouts, "I hear the whistle!"

Twists and turns and through the tunnel, Kieran and Anna raise their hands in the air and joyfully scream. There's no such thing as afraid of the dark while at Traintown. We arrive at our stop to feed the animals that seem like they have been frozen in time from 30 short years ago. 

It's no matter that we have the same pictures each time we go...

of the schoolhouse,

 of the jailhouse,

of the outhouse.

It's no matter that we have the same pictures waiting for the train ride to arrive...

waiting for the train to chugga...

or choo.

It's still a thrill to ride the merry-go-round...

 to wave at your mommy and people you don't know,

to look as though you are riding for the very first time with the simple joy of going up and down,

and around and around...

even at 29 weeks pregnant.

It wouldn't be another trip to Traintown, if it wasn't topped off with a coin operated horse that whips pigtails in the wind,

and has little boys pretending to be a jockey (while Nonna commentates in the background)

who of course,

wins the race!

No, it's not just another trip to Traintown. It's another day to be care-free. Another day to have fun. Another day to love life. Another day to be thankful of my roots where I was born and raised.

And another day to know that so strong as the roots I've been given, I am strong enough to pass on to them:

that one day, they will take their children and me as their Nonna,
to another trip
to Traintown.

blessed

Even though it was broiling in Sonoma this past weekend, it was a really fun 2 1/2 days. We took the kids to Adobe Farms Pumpkin Patch-check out the link, it's not directly to the site, but to a video that has Jennifer, Jessy and Adriana on it when she was a little thing!):

Taking a walk thru the vineyard

Fields of flowers @ Adobe Farms

Running with excitement, even in the hot weather!

Peek-a-boo!

I guess this is the pumpkin we would have bought, I was too hot to even think, so we'll have to go to another pumpkin patch near home! Can't have too many pumpkin pictures :)

An attempt at a family picture...Mom is the photographer, Jessy is containing Gabriel, Jennifer and I attempting to get the kids to pose, but it's just too hot!

And to Traintown:

Riding on the train 

Taking everything in 

Adriana knows that I've snapped her picture :)

Anna attempting to hold Gabriel's hand, he said "no" :)

Both dripping, and melting from the heat!

Last ride of the day!

We also went to a wedding reception that was so much fun! They had a photo booth to record the memories-we got to keep them, and the second print out got glued into the guest book-such fun!

  

It was such a great weekend, I didn't want it to end. Normally, I don't cry when my sister leaves, but this time, I did. We love it when our kids are together, they have such a great time. I think it was more difficult for me this time around, because I won't see my sister until Christmas, which seems like such a long time away! I know it will be here before we know it, and I certainly don't want to wish the days away. I'm officially giving up on reading Twilight (sorry, just not my style), and have stolen picked up my mom's copy of  The Last Lecture. I have only just begun to read it, and I know that there are plenty of tears in store, but it's something that I connected with straight out of the gates-that's the only way I'll read! And, it's something I connected with because it is about real life, and living that life to the fullest. I thank God for the family I have, and the life I have been given. I am so very, very, blessed.