Day out with Thomas the Train 2009

It's late, so I'm hoping to not ramble on too long before I hit the sack tonight! :) Maybe I should just refer you to this post and not have to repeat anything! :) The boys rode Thomas the Tank Engine (actually just a passenger car) for the 2nd year in what I see as a many year succession of this event for us. This year however we were not in a huge rush to get to my parents to help clean up after a tornado, so had more time to spend and enjoy the event. It was a beautiful day and overall, I think the boys had a terrific time with Thomas. I don't quite see our obsession dwindling down anytime soon, but it sure was nice to be among fellow "Thomas freaks" if you must know.

I tried to get a picture of the boys before we left for the morning with their Thomas shirts. I didn't have time for shopping around for new (matching) shirts this year, so we just choose from the MANY that we have. Here Malachi was pulling Zachary's hair:

Then, he decided to pull Logan's hair:

Finally, I smacked his hand, but we still got a smile before a scream (and I promised my boys haircuts to stop Malachi's constant wandering hands- see a later post this week):

Ah, don't they look excited! :)

Logan's hair was difficult to calm down and really it wasn't even worth the hassle as by the time we got out the door it was already sticking every which way again! We made it to Krispy Kreme after we left Jarin and Brendan's house. It was our lucky day- National Doughnut Day (Can you even believe they have such a thing?)!!!! So, we each got a free donut of our choice, but then felt kinda bad about eating for free, so bought donuts for later on.

Here is Thomas:



Okay, so I really HATE being in pictures, but Malachi needed to prove that he was there too and he wouldn't stand by himself! He wasn't freaked out at all by it which I had kinda predicted he might be.

Oddly enough, they had a petting zoo at the Thomas event. Don't ask me why, but it was sort of neat.

This was Malachi's perch most of the day:

Zach and Logan LOVED the maze! Here Zachary was trying to take Malachi through it, but Malachi was not as patient and got ticked off about half way through. He started throwing his fit, so we rescued him!

We barely made it to this picture. They tried shutting it down because I guess its easy to over-heat in that costume. I didn't want to wait a whole 'nother hour though!

Logan wanted a picture by Percy like he had last year, but we couldn't find one. Murdoch would just have to do.

They got tattoos:





I'm looking back again at this post and thinking how crazy my life was last summer at this time also. This is the eve of the busiest week for the summer. EVERY day we have VBS in the morning and sports at night. MWF are t-ball and TR are soccer! Ah. . . . . Oh, and did you think I'd forget about the give away that I'd promised!? Of course not. I'm crazy enough to throw that into my most busy week ever. Partially because I scheduled it a LONG time ago. Keep checking back. You won't be disappointed, especially if you're the winner of the wonderful Target giftcard.

Train Table

The one thing Zachary asked for for Christmas:

It was really kinda a bit cute- if not a tad bratty- but after opening all the presents under the tree, Zachary was very disappointed. Of course, he loved the stuff that he got, but he really wanted a train table. When asked what was wrong, he said, "Mom, I only asked Santa for one thing. ONE THING! And, he couldn't even bring that!" It was cute how he said it. So, we started cleaning up the wrapping paper trash when he noticed an envelope under the tree. Sure enough, it had a note from Santa explaining that a special toy had fallen out of his bag while he was checking on the sleeping boys. Shawn went downstairs to record the moment and it was hysterical. If I can get it downloaded to my computer, I'll have to post it. Zachary went down a few stairs and peered into the side where they play at and he about fell down the rest of the stairs because he was so estatic about seeing his new train table. Shawn tacked the wooden tracks onto the table so the boys couldn't pull it apart all the time. They were constantly asking us to build new tracks for them. This way they can still construct their own plastic tracks, but have a permanent wooden one.

We made a flying trip to KC last night. Shawn gets random thoughts in his head to do spontaneous things so we drove down there to visit my sister and future brother-in-law as well as leave Zachary for a few days. Zachary supposedly is helping her get her wedding invitations ready to go, but tonight he called and was headed out to the movies, so I'm not sure how much work is getting done. We'll be headed down there again on New Year's Eve (tomorrow) and then back on Thursday. We might leave Logan for those couple days since they'll be headed back this way on Saturday for a bridal shower.

Today, I've been scanning pictures like crazy trying to get the slideshow for the wedding put together. I have a "surprise" one and a traditional one. I'm not the bachelorette party type, so I need to get something made to replace me on that occasion. So, I'm back to working on that and will get some blogs scheduled tomorrow for my time away. :)

Post-Wide Yard Sales

Today was the local post-wide yard sales. And, sometimes I've been die-hard and been there driving around in the freezing rain at 7am, but today, we slept in (until 7am) and then just mosied along, not really in a hurry, just going to browse. And, you know what they say- when you're not really looking for anything- yeah, we returned with a whole van FULL!

Zachary found a HUGE Thomas poster for a great price. Funny how they can spot those a mile away! We were just driving past and he yelled that we needed to stop! (These pics are from Zachary's camera- by the way.)

Zachary found this toy and spent his last dollar. I really don't say much, but try to "guide" them in their choices. It is supposed to be a fun day, after all and we did give them their money to let them spend as they'd like. After he paid the guy, he started playing with it, making Logan jealous, so Logan ran up to the guy and gave him a dollar and said, "Now, I can have the toy!" It was kinda funny.

Then, the "buy of the day":

It's a Thomas "tent"/play area. I'm sure you'll see it in more pictures as they play in it. I'm not sure how to wash it up (it is fairly clean, but I'm a huge germ-ophobic). Again, Thomas thing that they spotted a mile away. Hmmmm . . .

So, it was a great day spent as a family. We had 2 birthday parties this afternoon of some of Zachary's friends. However, one was canceled I guess because no one rsvp'd or something, so we got home a little earlier and I caught a quick catnap. The boys washed the van for me since it got all yucky with mud after the state fair. And, it's bathtime now and off to bed.

Today's the Day!

I'm running around like crazy trying to get the house in order for Shawn's return as well as the birthday party. The weather is also not cooperating with us, as it appears that there is the forecast of storms in the area this evening, which could cause a slight flight delay. UGH! Right now, the flight is set to arrive in KC at 11:50pm (which not my idea of a sunny day being at the airport at midnight or later). And, Shawn is being dropped off at the conference at a little past noon, so he'll be spending all day in the airport. And, yes, that was the earliest flight he could catch- thank God it's now and not back in March when I was about 9 months pregnant and he flew up there and back.

I have a to-do list so long that I don't even have time to sit and write it down. I dropped Logan & Malachi off at Grandma Pam's this morning, stopped at the local thrift store to drop off several donations, and then dropped in at Tasty Pastry (yum!) to get a box of pre-ordered donuts. (They know the Chances!) Now, I have a bit of tidying up (laundry, vacuuming, beds made) to do and then to head to Manhattan for several errands.

This week has gone fast, in a way, but also slower in the evenings. I really miss my boys- Shawn & Zachary. I'm ready for them to be home again. Aunt Laurie has been kind enough to spend time making Zachary a birthday cake. She said she was tired of working on it and was going to leave Thomas's face white, but Zachary told her, "But, Laurie, Thomas has a gray face!" So, they finished the cake. I think she's learning quite a lot about Thomas this week. It's funny to share the excitement with others.


They also made Logan a small cake of his own.


And Zachary is now enjoying Snickerdoodle cookies- something I really don't make all that often. We enjoy our Monster cookies- probably since they have all my favorite things in them- oatmeal, choc. chips, pnt. butter, and of course, M&M's.
Logan has really started to miss Zachary and been a little sad that he's gone. However, I'm sure that the fighting will resume shortly after they reunite as jealously and attention-getting sets in. Boys are a lot of fun- rowdy, full of energy, dirty- but, definitely a lot of fun.


Malachi still likes to sleep with his hands behind his head. It's adorable (not being biased or anything). I realized that of all his K-State & KU outfits, I really hadn't taken many with him wearing a KU one. So, I had to get one while he was happy & talking. He's getting to be quite the chunky baby. Soon, we might start trying solid foods with him, but we're really not in too much of a hurry. He loves his bottles & so, why change a good thing?

CRAZY about Thomas

This is an incredibly LONG post, just because of the pictures. I took our boys on a Thomas the Train treasure hunt the other day and a little adventure turned into an overwhelming journey! I'm not even real sure how we got started with Thomas the Train. I don't know when it was introduced to the boys, but whenever it was, they took to him instantly & haven't backed off at all in the intensity of their adoration for Thomas & his train friends. When we remodeled downstairs, the boys both wanted Thomas bedrooms and every special occasion, we have Thomas themed things- even with the prying and bribing to use something else.

The love for Thomas & craziness of it all has been fed by family, friends, and even people that we don't really know (from freecycle). And, as much as Shawn & I roll our eyes at every blue train, we do feed the addiction as well. Our kids soon came to realize that Wal-Mart did not have as good or detailed of a Thomas selection as Target did. And thank goodness we don't have Toys'R'Us close by. I realized that some part of every day revovled around Thomas the Train. And when a stranger asks about their cute little shirts they wear or a quick comment about the Thomas shoes, it's opening a door for an endless conversation of the trains, their specific names, personalities, and more information you would ever care to know about.

We debated about decorating their bedrooms with such a toddler type theme (although it says it's all easily removeable) because soon, (we hope) they might grow out of this Thomas phase. But for now, we aren't sure it's a completely bad thing. They could be into worse phases, or have role models that we really didn't approve of. And most of the Thomas stories are rich with vocabulary that helps the boys. (Like the time Zachary told Logan he was "cross" at him!) Also, since Malachi was a boy, we figured we've still got awhile in this Thomas stage now. :)


Day out with Thomas & Friends- June 2008



Zachary w/Sir Topham Hat. Logan was actually scared of him.

Halloween Last Year- We actually had 2 of these costumes- another was a gift from freecycle after Halloween was over, but they both enjoyed having one to wear.

Thomas activities & blankie helped calm Logan during his many hospital visits. (And yes, they were washed very good after being on that floor!)



Noisy Thomas shirts- accidently made the mistake of letting them wear it to church once. Whoops!

Traveling with Thomas

Chicken nuggets with a Thomas buddy & drink

Thomas Birthday (1 of 2 that we've had now)

Hmmm. . . which Thomas shoes should we wear today?





New Thomas shirt from Aunt Laurie

Going Swimming with Thomas & showing off some scrawny muscles!

Overalls from Aunt Laurie - one of my favorite pictures of the boys

Thomas Bedroom- Logan

Logan's 'new' bedroom set from a fellow freecycler- He was estatic!

PJ Time - and of course gotta have a cookie dough beater!

And, this took Zachary awhile to line them up neatly- and this is just some of the trains that he could find. Trust me, some were still hidden under beds, in the closets, and probably still buried in the sandbox outside.

Thomas beach towel

Night time stories w/Thomas - we found out fast that the stories needed to start an hour before bedtime! They are NOT short little stories! :)

Zachary's bedroom- notice he hasn't learned to make his bed. Also Grandma made him a Thomas curtain that's kinda cute.

Time to brush our teeth for bedtime - these sing & have music which was cute about the 1st few times we used them. Then, I just keep hoping the water will get in them and we'll get to throw them away.

Bubble Bath & Bath Toys with Thomas- Sometimes we even have blue water! :)

Fun with the Thomas Sprinkler - it doesn't even work all that well, but just because it's Thomas, they love it! :)

Trading in the Thomas scooter for a bigger set of wheels on his birthday!

And, if that's not enough, last weekend we were shopping at Target and they have "infant Thomas" now with a lighter blue and a more "babyish" Thomas -so we could dress Malachi in some Thomas outfits. Luckily, we passed on the opportunity to get those, because soon enough, he'll know exactly who Thomas is and more than he probably would want to really know about Thomas. Hope you enjoyed our treasure hunt. The boys had fun searching for Thomas things and giving each other clues about them when they spotted something.