There is a train that stops at the science museum twice a day, and seemingly every time we are at the museum. Last year it went by with barely a glance from the kids, but this year they asked every time if we could go for a ride. I was never prepared, on the spot, for an hour and a half train ride, but I promised over and over that we could ride the train this summer.

Right about the time I realized that Lex starts school in August I also realized that summer is coming to an end and I’d better figure out this train thing!! So I bought tickets online (not realizing that you can buy them on the train!) and wrote it on the calendar. All week the kids grew more and more excited for Friday and the great train ride.

Friday came, dark and overcast, but we stuck to the plan. They both napped with the promise of a train ride in the afternoon. During naptime the sky opened up with buckets of water and impressive thunder and lightening. While I packed a suitcase full of snacks, books and dry clothes, I debated the wiseness of taking them for a train ride versus canceling plans and dealing with their disappointment. I decided to stick to the plan and we bundled up in the limited rain gear we posses and headed out. Lucky for us the brunt of the storm passed as we were getting ready and driving over, so by the time we had to stand outside and wait for the train it was just drizzling. Much more manageable!

The train is a sight-seeing train that runs for 45 minutes up the river and then reverses direction and runs for 45 minutes back down. I was really worried about keeping them entertained for that long, but they did fabulously! A woman at the train station had give me “train bingo” cards and the kids spent almost the entire ride looking out the window to find things to cross off on the cards. It kept them entertained way longer than I ever would have expected!! At one point Eve said “I see a horse!!” I asked where and she pointed to the horse on her bingo card and then crossed it off :) Towards the end I had to bust out a few books (I brought train and rain themed books :) ) to keep Eve happy. Lex decided to go sit by himself on a bench at the other end of the car. I enjoyed their happiness and they beautiful lightening strikes over the river. Overall it was a fun trip.

After a very successful train ride I agreed to let them play at the museum until it closed. A good time was had by all and we topped it off with dinner at Panera Bread with Alan. I think that was our final summer hurrah! :) Off to school this week.