Riding the Santa Train

I've been busy with all our end-of-term activities and pre-Christmas activities, and probably should be writing profound holiday-related posts of spirit and joy and all that other stuff.

Instead, I'm going to post gratuitous photos (which should have been edited down, but neener, neener, this is my blog, get your own if you don't like it or go watch "Glee" or something.) This was such a fun family day, I just wanted to share it all. And, it saves me from putting everything up on Facebook, too.

With Christmas quickly approaching, we decided to treat the kids for a ride on the "Santa Train" on the Welshpool-Llanfair Railway. An afternoon ride across the gorgeous countryside under a beautiful blue sky to meet Father Christmas' train, and end it with a snack of mulled wine and mince pies - what could be more exciting??

(Apparently, a bit too exciting, as halfway there, after snorting down a full travel cup full of applejuice and a cup of Cheerios, well shaken up in her tummy by the twisting, winding roads we were travelling - Pea hurled all over herself. Repeatedly. Which isn't a good thing on a narrow, winding road, where there is no place to pull over.)

After a quick stop, a clean up and change of clothes, and a rinse of the winter coat in the restroom, a perkier Pea was ready for her ride on the Santa Special:

And look, here is a rare picture of Momma! An actual picture! Not taken by the camera held out in front of myself! And my hair isn't totally mussed!

After a bit of a ride through the countryside (which we were almost too excited to enjoy), we were met by Santa's very own train, travelling from Welshpool.

Here is the big guy himself, ready with gifts for the boys and girls on the train...

One of my favorite pictures - the anticipation of a happy 3 year old.

As Santa (or Father Christmas, as he is more commonly referred to here) had 4 passenger cars to visit, he had some helpers hop on the other cars to entertain us and ease the anticipation. Here, a very cheeky Rudolph the Red-Nosed reindeer chats up the kids.

He was accompanied by what we can only assume was a very large elf....Boo and Pea were pretty taken with him, too.

At long last...Father Christmas himself! He rode with us for a while (there was only one other family in our car, so everyone had lots of time to tell Santa that they had indeed be good, and to get a bag with some really lovely gifts in it...)

Santa even had time to take a picture with Mommy! (Mommy has been a good girl, too. Really. Never mind what you've heard.)

The kids didn't waste any time playing with their gifts, including reading (and re-reading) the book Santa gave to Maddie.

Waving goodbye to Santa, his reindeer, elves and puppeteers:

On the return to the Llanfair station, Pea played with the other kids in our passenger car while Boo rode on the platform outside. Despite the cold, it was his favorite place to be. It was a special moment for my train-mad boy!

The End.

At the Home of "the Train Lady"

One of our favorite "events" is when Elaine Silets of "Huff and Puff Industries", known as "the Train Lady", opens her home for the Garden Conservancy's Open Days program. Her gorgeous 10-acre property is home to not only her family and business, but also five different gardens and miles of model trains interspersed. All in all, there is approximately 6,000 square feet of railroad, bridges, vignettes, and waterfalls and lakes to view.

Quite frankly, its a train lovers dream.

Before we can even get to the gardens, the kids need their first (but not last) ride on the train:

I simply couldn't seem to take a picture this particular morning to capture how extensive and spectacular the main garden was - its very spread out and the magic is diluted without the detail (and with all the other people interspersed.) Mrs. Silets creates - and creates is the correct word to be used - garden railways for people and companies all over the world. These aren't the basement railways of our childhood - the one-track layouts start at $7K and garden layouts at about $20K. These, needless to say, were spectacular.

Could he BE any more excited?

One of the most impressive bits of the property is the train layout Elaine created for her late husband, Harvey. Outside, it looks just like an old train depot. But inside? Ohhhh. Inside is a replica of the city of Chicago.

I was thrilled that we had the opportunity to see it, as I thought that last year might be the final viewing - she has donated it (the value estimated at over a cool $2mil) to the City of Chicago last year.

One of MY favorite places is her Japanese stream garden and its little train.

Perhaps a bit TOO peaceful for Princess Pea....

But lovely nonetheless....

It was one of the first real summer days we had experienced - sunny skies, warm weather, being together watching the kids' faces light up with each discovery, and lots of lots of trains - it was a perfect family outing.