Riding the Train

The Wabash Frisco and Pacific Railroad Association run a miniature train in Wildwood, Missouri.  For over a year I have wanted to do a family outing to this area so that Cedric could ride the train.

The train only runs May – October and only on Sundays.  This is part of the reason why we have yet to do it until now.  We have been going to a Saturday early evening service at church, so Sundays are less hectic and we are more likely to do family outings.

This turned out to be a great family outing. 

The train is a 30 minute ride in “open cars” through woods . . .

along the scenic Meramec River.

Its complete with lots of train things like signals, sidings, turntables (not wheelhouse – my mistake), and bridges.

And lots and lots of beautiful scenery. 

For my train aficionados this was pure awesome.

We will definitively come back in the Spring when Eli will enjoy it more. He spent the entire ride asleep in the Ergo.

Apple Butter Madness

This past weekend was Old Iron Works days back in my home town.  This is the third year my sister and I (with the help of our husbands, parents, siblings, aunts, and girlfriends) have demonstrated making apple butter in a kettle.  Making apple butter in a kettle is only fun if you have a small army of people!  Though we have done it with 5 people and that wasn’t too bad.  Cedric stayed with Zach’s parents for the weekend – THANK YOU Stephanie and Peter for driving him to their house.  Eli went to Old Iron Works and was seriously The Best Baby Ever.  Until the drive home, but that’s another story.

Here I am wearing Eli in the Ergo and nonchalantly handing money to my sister.

Grandma June supervising my Dad adjusting the fire.

Dad was in his element coaxing people to stir the apple butter.

My sister, the mastermind behind all this apple butter craziness.  Seriously you know its bad when you peel 144 pounds of apples and think, “Hey that only took a couple hours, we’re getting faster.”

I wish the Internet could have a scratch and snip option because this picture would smell like apples, cinnamon, and wood smoke.

“I have two teeth! Feed me!!” This is what I imagine Eli is thinking…

Maramec Springs is beautiful, especially in the Fall.

The Houghs surprised us with a visit on Saturday.

Minus my brothers, this is my family.  Right after this picture we all went our separate ways home.  Eli cried almost the entire way home – he had finally reached his “I’m done, people!” stage.  But poor little Riley-Roo blew chunks leaving an entirely different kind of smell in my sister’s car. 

At the end of this weekend, I always feel like I never want to do this again.  But even just a few days later when I look back I think, “That wasn’t too bad, and next year the kids will be older and it will be easier.”   Is this normal?

Mr. C Turns 4

For Cedric’s fourth birthday we had two small gatherings, rather than one large party.  We celebrated at my parents farm and had a dinner at our house with Zach’s family.  Cedric specifically wanted a few things, a cake with monster trucks on it (see above picture – yes I did this myself), Gordon, Old Hiro, and a rock throwing machine.  When asked for more details about the rock throwing machine, he described it as something with a long arm that would throw rocks into the sea. 

Anybody?

Since we live in a land locked state, that was one wish unfulfilled.

Here is the birthday boy sporting his headphones.  These have greatly increased his quality of life!  Normally he would be stuck inside whenever the lawnmower or tractor are running (not to mention chainsaw and wood splitter) because of the noise.  But with the headphones he now has in his words, “Big, Strong Ears!”

We had a lovely little party at our home the following weekend.  Cousin Eden gladly helped Cedric open presents.  And since the monster truck cake had been made, I whipped up a batch of these cupcakes.  They may be the best cupcakes I’ve ever made.

Cedric and Eden love books.  Here they are reading at Cedric’s party.  When books were opened they both just stopped and looked.

Here they are at Eden’s 3rd birthday party.  Same thing happening.  Present opening stops to look at books.  Hilarious.  And awesome too.

Here are Cedric’s stats from his 4 year well-baby visit, where he did call our pediatrician (Dr. Molitor) Sir Topham Hatt.  Our pediatrician looks NOTHING like Sir Topham Hatt.  It was hilarious.

Height: 42.5 inches (90th percentile), Weight: 40 lbs (75th percentile)

A New Bike

We are really blessed to live near family. Understatement of the year. Cedric's Uncle Brad and Aunt Sylvia got him a bike, complete with a helmet for his birthday. Cedric has been asking for a "big bike" with a "helmet hat" for a while. So last week at our earliest convenience, we crashed Aunt Stephanie's birthday to go to a park and try out the big boy bike. He did great! Even rode at least 0.5 miles before I called it quits - it was time for lunch and he was really hot.

He started out going slow and cautiously staying with Aunt Steph and Eden.

But before long his confidence was up and he was zooming away.

Eden: "Say-gook! Come back!" And then "Momma, push faster!"

What a hot tired boy but he was so proud to ridden so far all by himself. I can't believe it. Not bad for a newly turned 3 year old. I still have plans to try and convert the bike into a balance bike like this one but for now even riding with training wheels is pretty fun.

Fun Outing Failure

My SIL, author of the very thoughtfully written Mudluscious and Puddlewonderful blog, and her daughter (Cedric's cousin) spent a few days here with us in gloomy St Louis. Both kids were fighting colds and even though it was cold and wet outside, Stephanie and I decided no matter what, we MUST get the kids outside and do something. Otherwise we might go crazy.

And from past experience: Crazy Mothers + Wild Children = Crummy Dinner

Stephanie and I have a history of some rather fun outings. We thought killing an hour in the Climatron at the Botanical Gardens would be great. All in all the kids did enjoy getting out of the house, but to be brutally honest, this outing ranks at the bottom.

"What?" You may say, "Getting out of the freezing cold and exploring a tropical rain forest, what can go wrong with that?"

Oh my friend, plenty can go wrong.

Here is Cedric, utterly freaked out by a hallow tree. I was on my knees trying to show him that it was 1) fake and could cause no harm and 2) pretty cool.

Here we have poor, poor Eden after she walked into one of the lagoons. There was nothing but a bit of fern to prevent a curious toddler from walking right into the pond. No graham cracker in the world can make up for having to spend the rest of the outing with a soggy shoe, and soaked pant leg.

And last we have what happens when I, not realizing Eden was in need of some personal space, tell Cedric to give her a hug because she is sad. Thank goodness Aunt Stephanie was there to catch flailing arms. Lesson learned; not everyone wants a hug when they are grumpy.

Here's to better luck next time. And if these pictures make you laugh, its OK. There is something comical about how serious toddlers take life.

Sunrise, Sunset

Photo from Pioneer Woman

Does everyone remember the movie City of Angels, starring Meg Ryan and Nicholas Cage? You know, charming chick flick where a young, hotshot heart doctor hooks up with an angel of death...I thought you'd remember. We all learned a valuable lesson too, that no matter how exhilarating it feels, never NEVER never ride your bike in the middle of the road with your arms spread wide and eyes closed. I don't care if an angel just gave up immortality to be with you...but I digress...

There is a scene in the movie where the angels gather on the beach at dawn to hear the sunrise. That's right hear the sunrise. Something about that idea has always captured my imagination and I was reminded of it again on the morning of Christmas Eve, driving to the grocery store. Cedric had awoken around 6AM and I needed a few things for the family get together and figured we would beat the crowds. You might not have seen the sunrise that morning - you may have been warm and snug in your bed but let me tell you, you missed something amazing. The moon was full, Mars was out and brilliantly red and as the rose and gold of early sunshine pushed back the night I found myself believing that there was music behind such beauty. My heart ached to be able to hear it. Doesn't it seem like something God would do, compose a score for the sunrise that only Heaven and angels could enjoy? I can say that a sunrise is beautiful and God smiles at the understatement.

Driving to my parents for Christmas, Zach and I were able to watch the sunset together. I was struck at how we could be in a car driving 70+ miles an hour and come no where close to keeping pace with the sun and we were soon watching stars come out. Zach thinks that if you were in the desert, driving a very fast sports car, and the interstate was closed you might be able to keep up with the sun as it set. I'm not sure why, but the image of the Earth spinning like mad as it orbited the Sun flashed in my mind. It made me feel small and insignificant compared to the enormity and complexity of space. Oddly, its a comforting feeling. My problems seem so small in the grand scheme of things, yet God still loves me enough to take care of me, little old me, never mind keeping the cosmos in balance and cuing the music for another sunrise...