Chugga Chugga

Last week, we were able to go to L-3's company party at This is the Place Heritage Park. I love the perks that come with graduating college and getting a real job!

It was an extremely family-oriented day. L-3 had rented out the entire park, no other visitors were allowed. Pre-registration got us four wristbands good for a lunch and two snacks each and two wristbands good for three child activities each. Seeing that Megan, while technically a person, is too small to eat popsicles or kettle corn or sloppy joes, we all got a little extra food throughout the day. Jane also got a few extra activities, considering that Megan wasn't interested in things like leather stamping or bracelet beading. So, pretty much this day was for Jane, but we all had a lot of fun.

Let's start with the train ride (chugga chugga).


We were there pretty early in the day, before many people had showed up. Jane buddied up with the conductor and got a ride all to herself (chugga chugga). Pretty sweet view of the valley, too.


The park includes a one-sixth size replica of the ship Brooklyn, which brought some settlers to the West Coast by sailing around the tip of South America.


Jane thought it was pretty cool.


And we went panning for gold. I may be mistaken, but I believe this was Chris's favorite part of the day.


He came out with quite the haul, as seen on the left side of the pan.


Megan didn't appear particularly impressed.


We visited the animals.


Jane wasn't shy. I, on the other hand, kept a more than respectable distance.


The water was just as interesting as the animals, apparently.


Pony rides. Sweet! Every little kid needs at least one pony ride in their growing-up years. Jane LOVED it.


Megan and I enjoyed watching--the first time, wink wink.


Somewhere in there we stopped for lunch. We actually met one of the guys Chris has been working with (the company employs something like 3,000 engineers). The wife was very impressed when I told her that I had made the flower clips Jane and Megan were wearing. We had a nice chat during which they announced that they are pregnant with their first baby. They will be finding out the gender in the next few weeks and she informed me that if they are having a girl, she will be hiring me to make flower hair clips for her. I told her I would teach her to make her own instead. Made me feel good, though, that she liked something I had made. All homemaker-y.

We are well past the mid-point of our day here, and Megan was showing it. In true mother fashion, this was probably my favorite part of the day. Megan enjoyed it, too.


We opted to give us all a little break and took the big train (chugga chugga) up to the top of the park. This was hands-down Jane's favorite part of the day.



Each train stop includes a snack booth, so we took advantage of that. Tasty.


Unfortunately, this was also the point that Jane tripped and skinned her knee up pretty bad. Bleeding and everything. She cried when it happened, whimpered while I cleaned it, then SCREAMED when I put the bandaid on.

I have never met a kid so opposed to bandaids. Aren't bandaids supposed to miraculously fix everything!? Not according to Jane. It was really bleeding, though, so I held my ground and forced her to keep the bandaid on (did I really say that?). Chris finally had to hold her to keep her from tearing it off. Notice her facial expression.


No worries. The fun did continue on. Jane got to decorate a medicine bag.


Megan really wanted to help, but most of the crayons just ended up in her mouth. Not helpful.


With two activity punches left still, Jane chose another pony ride. She waited very patiently for her turn, all the while singing "wait, wait, wait your turn, patience, patience, patience everyone." She must have learned that in nursery. Go, nursery!


Don't you just love that smile?


Megan got a turn, too! She rode all the way around "singing" the whole time, just like her sister. Cute!



Our very last stop of the day was one of the pioneer homes. Jane learned the game that helped pioneer children learn to milk a cow,


she rang the dinner bell,


and she helped sweep the house. If only she would be as enthusiastic about cleaning at home.


Chris also tried out the stilts. He was pretty good.


Yay for fun family days!