Kids' Day, The Colorado Railroad Museum, and Our Day Out with Thomas

Every year around this time, we pick a day and designate it to be kids' day. We try to pick things to do that we think our kids will especially love. Recently, Oliver has been all about Thomas the Train, so we got him tickets to "A Day Out with Thomas." We took them for Kids' Day this past Saturday. I didn't want to get him too excited ahead of time because it is really hard for little kids to wait. So, we carefully worked him up to it by saying things like, "I've heard Thomas might be coming into town from Sodor." The day before we went, we asked him, "Would you like to see Thomas?" He stared off in the distance and broke out in a big smile. "Yes, I do!" he exclaimed. That settled that!

When I'd called the museum to get tickets, the man who helped me let me know that there would be a lot of activities for kids. He also told me it's really busy and to get there at least an hour before our train departure time. Our tickets were for 1pm, so we needed to be there by noon. We arrived a little before 11am, and I am so glad we did! The place was packed. I had no idea it would be the event it was. There were large signs directing us to "Thomas the Train Parking." We had to drive about two miles past the museum to park, and then we caught the shuttle they provided back to the museum. As we drove past the museum, we saw Thomas. You have no idea how pumped Oliver got from seeing Thomas. Well, maybe you do.

We parked our car and took the shuttle over to the museum. It was the first bright, hot, and sunny day in a few weeks. I had no idea the event was all outside! Andrew laughed at me when I said that, but it's true. We didn't come prepared and didn't have hats or sunscreen. We spent a lot of the time trying to keep the kids shaded and cool. It was absolutely worth it, though. One of the first things we did was stand in line for photos with Thomas. We got to see Thomas drive around the park a few times (he did 3 loops for the riders). 

After Thomas stopped, we go to go stand and have our photo taken. They sold the photos for $18, but they also let us take our own. I snapped one of the family super quick. I didn't want to hold up the long line behind us, and, consequently, I ended up with a single, blurry photo. Oh, well!

Even Joanna got into the Thomas spirit! She kept yelling, "Thomas!" all day. A few times, she walked up to kids who were wearing Thomas the Train shirts and pointed at them and yelled, "THOMAS!" at them. It was kind of funny.

In the library at the museum, a woman read stories about Thomas.

There was a big tent full of train sets for the kids to play with. Our kids loved this tent, and we sat in there for probably a full half hour.

We got to go into an old train car, where they were giving out temporary tattoos.

Sir Topham Hatt was there, too! The line to see Sir Topham Hatt was a few blocks long. We didn't wait in line, and I just snapped a photo of him from the distance.

Rather than wait in line in the sun to get a spot on one of the front cars, we waited in the shade to get a shady car at the back of the train. The wait wasn't too bad, and the kids did great!

Here's our view of the museum as we went around on the train:

There's Thomas, pulling our train!

We were all exhausted after our day out with Thomas. The kids were amazing, though, and never got fussy or cranky the entire time. We really felt like we'd just spent the day at Disney World or something!

Everyone was too wiped out to do much after that. I ran to the store and picked up ingredients to cook with Oliver. We made smoothies and a pizza. After we ate, he helped me bake pumpkin bread for the first day of fall! In all, I think it was pretty much the best day he could have hoped for, and Jo had a good time, too.

Third Annual Kids' Day

We held our third Kids' Day yesterday. Kids' Day is a day we dedicate every year to doing fun things with the kids in town. The whole day is theirs!

In the morning, we met my mom for breakfast at Starbucks. Oliver and Jo split a piece of pumpkin bread. It's their favorite! Once we finished eating, we drove to Longmont and went apple picking (post here). The kids loved the farm!

After nap time, we suited up the kids and went to the local rec center for a swim. Jo is a born swimmer. She loves the water. We can't leave the bathroom doors open because she crawls to the shower or tub, pulls herself up into a stand, and starts yelling desperately to get in. When we give her baths, she splashes and laughs and has a ball--and when it's time to take her out, she is just devastated. She cries and tries to get back in!

The pool seemed like a great idea for Jo. The Link Rec Center pool is heated to over 90 degrees and feels like bath water. Jo took to it immediately. She wasn't content to sit in the shallow area and splash. She wanted to get in the pool. She wanted us to hold her by the arm pitties and drag her around while she kicked and kicked like the little swimmer she is. We'd sit her on the pool edge, and she'd jump in! We'd catch her before she went under, of course. She is fearless!

Oliver sure adores his baby sister. We're the luckiest parents ever.

We spent the rest of the afternoon using appliances. We used the apple peeler in the morning for applesauce. In the afternoon, we used the stand mixer to make pumpkin bread, and then we used the ice cream maker (currently Oliver's favorite appliance) to make ice cream. The boy loved it. He's so hilarious, and I love how passionate he is about making things.

Our Saturday was all "kid." I'm glad we get to have these days to appreciate our family and our children's interests!

Pick Your Own Apples!

Yes! Fall is here!

Haha, I'm such a goober. I recognize that one day doesn't really make a difference from the day before, but I love having an official start to fall every year. It gives me something to celebrate! I love autumn. From here to the end of the year is nothing but fun. We get to go up to the mountains to see the changing aspens, we get to go to a pumpkin patch, we celebrate the kiddos' birthdays, we celebrate Halloween, we celebrate Thanksgiving, we celebrate my birthday, and then we decorate for the holiday season. The air gets cool and crisp, we bake everything with cinnamon, it's chilly enough to let the slow cooker run all day for dinner. It's just the best.

Today is actually our annual Shattuck Kids' Day. We have more adventures planned for this afternoon, but we spent the morning on a farm!

Last year, I searched for an orchard in the Denver area that would let us pick our own apples. I found just one place--Ya Ya Farm and Orchard in Longmont. I contacted them in August to see when apple picking would start for the season. They told me that they have huge waiting lists to get in because sign-up begins in  early spring! I waited until April and contacted them again. They kindly told me my name was added to the list, and I'd find out this summer if we made the cut. I'm serious.

Well, we made it! Last month, I received a confirmation email that we could come on down today. The drive was a solid hour, and I wasn't sure what to expect. They said they limit each party (no groups!) to one bag of apples. So, I worried it would be a waste of a drive. Let me tell you now--it was an awesome experience. Seriously, it was easily the best thing we've ever done with the kids.

Grandma Judy came with. Jo wasn't up for apple picking, but she loved watching everyone else do it. 

Oliver was all about the apples!

He decided the needed a taste test. They passed.

It doesn't get much better than running around the orchard with Grandma and picking apples from the trees.

 Once the apples were in our bag, Jo decided they were pretty OK.

We went to their little barn store to pay for our bag of apples. My mom bought a box of apple cider donuts (out of this world), and even got us a jar of apple blossom honey.

They were setting up for their annual apple festival today. They do a big barbeque and hay rides, but that wasn't until later. We weren't going to hang around for long enough to join in those festivities, but we did decide to spend some time exploring the farm.

Chickens!

The chickens were fat and happy and seriously roamed around clucking, "Bawk, bawk, bawk, bawk." Oliver loved them, and Jo frantically tried to propel herself to the chicken enclosure. Here she is desperately pointing, wanting so badly for Grandma to let her play with the chickens.

Jo got to meet a horse. Well, she didn't get too close obviously. She laughed and laughed at the horse. Then, she asked Daddy for a pony.

We also visited the turkeys.

And we pet the farm cat. Oliver was afraid of the old farm lab, Betty, but he loved the cat.

She's hunting for something!

In addition to a pony, Jo wants a pet kitty.

We went back to the shop and bought a basket of carrots and apples to feed the horses ($1).

Oliver was too afraid to feed the horses himself, but he excitedly told Andrew which horses to feed and what to feed them. Jo gleefully laughed and squealed every time a horse took one of the fruits or vegetables.

We spent a couple hours enjoying the farm. The kids had a blast, and when we finally decided it was time to go, Andrew told me we should come back and do this "a few times a year!" This farm only does apple picking, but I am going to check out a few places closer to our home that let people come to pick their own berries and other produce.

Once we got home, Oliver and I immediately got busy making applesauce. He loves our apple peeler (Thanks, Grandma Colleen!).

Here are our peeled apples. We split our bag with Grandma Judy, and we still ended up with a good amount.

If you've never made your own applesauce before, it's so simple. It's easier than mashed potatoes! Just peel and chop your apples and put them in a pot. Add enough water to just cover the apples, put a lid on your pot, and simmer the apples for about 30 minutes (maybe just 20 minutes at lower altitude). Once the apples are fairly soft, take the lid off and mash them. Cook your applesauce until the water mostly cooks away, and you're done!

Our homemade applesauce:

Second Annual Kid's Day

Andrew and I decided to designate today as our second annual Kid's Day. Kid's Day is our favorite made-up holiday!  Last year's Kid's Day included a day at the park, Costco, and a trip for ice cream. We had numerous possibilities on our list of fun for today, but we knew we wouldn't get to them all.

We started the morning off with Oliver's favorite breakfast: McDonald's. Go figure, but that's what our kid likes!

After filling up on egg & cheese McMuffins, we decided to make the scenic drive through Georgetown to Guanella Pass. Guanella Pass is filled with aspens, and, at high altitude, their colors are at their peak. I was so proud of Oliver. The drive took about an hour, and he stayed happy the entire time!

Here is a picture I took from the car as we drove through the pass:

We spotted a big horn sheep on the way up:

We decided not to drive through the whole pass, so we stopped at Clear Lake to stretch and play before turning around and heading back to Georgetown. When we arrived, I took Oliver to his first outhouse. He was interested in the deep hole below the toilet seat, and he held onto me as he peed. Here's a photo of us exiting to commemorate the event:

And then we set out for the short hike from the parking lot to the lake:

The water level of the lake was low, and it was a little steep to walk down to the water's edge. So, I stayed behind as Andrew and Oliver climbed down. Oliver was thrilled to find rocks to throw into the clear water:

After Oliver and Andrew were finished throwing rocks into the water, we hiked back to an area between the lake and the parking lot. It had some lovely views of the aspens, and it was scattered with boulders. We decided it would be fun to help Oliver learn to rock climb on the boulders.

Once Oliver was done rock climbing, I decided to bee-line it back to the outhouse. Andrew described the events that happened next. Oliver saw a little stream. He looked up at his dad with a look that asked, "Can I?" Andrew told him to go for it. Oliver ran in and started stomping and splashing around. He threw pebbles into the water. Andrew laughed, looked on, and snapped photos.

Our hour at the lake was a blast. If we'd packed a picnic, we would have stayed longer. But we started to get hungry and thirsty, so we headed back down to Georgetown. As soon as we left the lake, we drove by a flock (is it a flock?) of big horn sheep. Notice their horns aren't very big yet:

We stopped at a small scenic overlook on our way back down the pass. I took some photos of the aspens from above, and a nice couple took our family photo:

Really, the trip was so fun and relaxing. We finished it off by enjoying lunch at "The Happy Cooker" in Georgetown. On the way home, Oliver fell asleep. He only slept for about 45 minutes, but he insisted he didn't want to nap any more once we were home. So, we rested for a bit and then decided to head to "Geoffrey's" birthday party at Toys R Us. I'd gotten an email from Toys R Us that said today was Geoffrey's birthday party, and there would be a celebration at every location from 12pm to 3pm. There was supposed to be a parade every half hour, beginning at 12:30pm. There were also supposed to be some freebies and giveaways.

To be honest, I wasn't sure what to expect. Part of me hoped it would be a really fun, free event. Another part of me thought that it couldn't be too spectacular if it's at every location. We decided to check it out without getting ourselves too excited. The only thing I told Oliver was that he'd see a parade (his first!).

We arrived at the Toys R Us/Babies R Us in Littleton. While the parking lot was pretty full, there was no other sign of an event going on inside. I thought maybe there'd be balloons or something, but there wasn't. I knew then that the event wouldn't be very exciting.

At the entrance, we let Oliver play on the Bert & Erie ride. We didn't put the money in it to make it go, but Oliver loved it just the same. He recognized Bert and Ernie, and was excited to sit with them and point out all of their facial features.

We went inside after playing on the Bert and Ernie ride, and we saw nothing. It was just a regular day at the store. I thought maybe this location wasn't going to have the birthday party. Andrew thought the same thing because he said, "Maybe they don't do it at this one because it's half Babies R Us." Then, I spotted a sign that advertised the party today. So, we went in. There was a single table set up. It had a few coloring pages and crayons scattered on it and a stack of paper crowns (the kind kids get at Burger King). There was no one there to talk to. We grabbed Oliver a crown that he wouldn't wear, and started to browse as we waited for the clock to hit 2:30pm. We would at least see a parade, right? Wrong. Geoffrey showed up, and he waved hello to the kids. Oliver was excited to see him and got his photo taken with him:

I think other parents were disappointed, too, because they also had their cameras out. There was no parade, no anything. We walked around the store and saw that there had been a few more tables set up, but they were all being broken down. It was barely past 2:30pm. Oh well.

We decided to let Oliver play with a train set that was on permanent display. He wasn't very interested in the train cars, but he loved the gates and the fixtures, like the water tower.

After the disappointing trip to Toys R Us, we went home to make smoothies. Oliver loved putting in all the fruit. Helping in the kitchen is his favorite thing ever, so I made sure to include some kitchen activities for Kid's Day.

After smoothies, Andrew took Oliver outside. Let me explain that our back porch is filled with grasshoppers. We're not sure why. Andrew counted twenty on our porch this afternoon. Anyway, Oliver walked up to a group of them, and he pointed closely at them to Andrew. They all jumped and scattered, much to Oliver's delight. He chased a few down, pointing at them, as they continued to jump away. I saw the end of it from inside the house, and I couldn't help but laugh. I grabbed my camera to capture a few last minute photos of Oliver with the grasshoppers.

Oliver found one by our shed. If you look closely, you'll see it to the left of the potted plant, against the white piece of scrap material:

Oliver never hurt the grasshoppers. In fact, he never even touched them. But he was so interested in them. He definitely has some of his daddy's genes! Here is Oliver picking up the scrap material, which the grasshopper was standing on:

Yes, there's a fork in the photo. Oliver had brought it outside with him because, apparently, that's what toddlers do:

You'll have to look closely at this photo to see what I'm about to describe. There is a blurry brown spot just to the right of Oliver's head. That's actually the grasshopper as it jumped away! I luckily and coincidentally got it on film when I snapped a photo of Oliver examining it:

Andrew caught the grasshopper for Oliver and showed it to him. He explained to Oliver that he has to be very gentle. Oliver hung on to Andrew's every word. It was so touching to see.

We followed up dinner with a trip to the park. We went to Sister City Park, which is Oliver's favorite park. They don't have a little kid section like Kendrick Lake Park, but it forces him to go on the big slides. I think that's what he likes about this park! Here are some shots of my little man enjoying the swings:

Last week was the first week that Oliver has been willing to go on the slide all by himself since winter. He went down a hot slide once (it was my fault; I didn't check it) back in March and has refused to go down a slide by himself since. That changed last week with this slide:

Oliver went down the twisty slide about a dozen times before Andrew was able to convince him to try another slide. They explored the tube slide, but Oliver was too afraid to go down it by himself. And, so, that's how Andrew ended up squeezing himself into the tube slide:

After squeezing themselves through the tube slide a few times, Oliver moved on to the whale ride. He thought it was OK, but he quickly abandoned it in favor of the slides.

After the whale ride, Oliver decided to brave the tube slide himself. Here he is at the top of the slide:

He did it!

Oliver loved the tube slide once he did it himself. He wanted to do it again and again and again. So, he did! Once he mastered it, he moved onto a very small slide. Because it was so simple, I told him that it was the "butt slide." I told him he had to go down it on his butt. He was skeptical at first, but he agreed to try it. It was a winner! I caught him at the bottom the first few times, but then I stepped back to take photos of him. I think his concerned expression is pretty cute:

Unfortunately, after sliding down this slide a few times, something happened. Oliver stood up and walked away. Then, he started pointing and running in circles. He looked very, very concerned. I asked Andrew, "What's wrong? Is he going to puke?" He kept doing it, and I started to worry. What if he got whiplash from a slide? Did he hit his head, and I missed it? Andrew ran to his side. He picked up Oliver and carried him back to me. He whispered, "Oliver pooped."

Our poor guy! This was his very first poop accident since mid-July. We didn't know what to do because there weren't any bathrooms at the park. Andrew wanted to take him behind a bush and quickly remove his pants to get the poop out. I told him that a grown man can't take a child behind a bush and remove his pants. I didn't have a better idea, though, so I went with. We got the turd out, and then we went to leave. Oliver started sobbing. I felt so bad. I didn't want him to think he was being punished for having an accident. I also felt so heartbroken for him that he'd had to poop and didn't know where to go in order to do his business. Really, I felt so sad for him. How scary in his little mind to know he had to poop, but he didn't know where his potty was. My poor baby. We decided to let him go down the little slide one more time, and then lured him away with the promise of a bath.

Oliver got his bath, and he got to watch an episode of "Sid, the Science Kid" before heading to bed. I think he felt 100% by the time bed time rolled around. I'm so glad we had such a fun-filled Kid's Day, but I still feel so badly for him because of how much he'd panicked at the park when he had to poop.