2012 Pullen Park Holiday Express

All Christmas posts are late. I've had a ton of stuff going on in my kitchen!

So this year we actually made it to Pullen Park for their Christmas train ride (that's what I call it). I've wanted to go for the past couple years but for one reason or another it's just never happened. But this year - a few weekends ago - we did it. Grant is all about trains right now (not to worry, Monster Trucks continue to remain #1 in his little heart) so I knew he'd love the Holiday Express.

The park is decorated with lots of lights and they've got little fun stuff going on for the kids to do. There's a little stage with some entertainment and their playground area is of course open. They have to shut down their little boat ride because the unimaginably long line for the train has to wrap around that ride.


But they did add some cute little animal passengers.

Crazy long line.

I think we waited somewhere in the neighborhood of 45 minutes to get on the train. And Grant was so patient! I couldn't believe it. And every time he heard the train whistle blow he'd get this "Oh!" look on his face and freak out trying to see the train. He loved all the lights they had put up around the train route and really loved waving to all the people we rode by.

Family picture while waiting for the train

Still patiently waiting for the train.

I was hoping we'd have time to ride the train more than once. No such luck. The line stayed long from the time we got there to the time we left. But that was ok. Grant got to play on the playground, we got to walk around and see the lights (with Grant going "Pretty lights! See pretty lights?"), listen to some entertainment and then eat dinner. Which was surprisingly good for park food.

That looks says "No, Daddy, my pizza."

After dinner we went on the carousel. Ever been on the carousel at Pullen Park? If you do, I hope you enjoy feeling like you could vomit at any moment. It seems as if there should be a speed limit on carousels...and this one definitely exceeds it. But Grant loved it. We were relatively close to the front of the line so we asked what Grant wanted to ride. He immediately spied the ostrich (on a carousel?!) and yelled "RIDE CHICKEN!!". So I rode the other "chicken" and Husband held Grant on the ride while trying to keep from being thrown off (it was seriously going that fast).

Riding the "chicken".

We made our way to the car after that. It was worth going and I think we'd try to go again next year. They only sell a limited number of tickets so even though there were a lot of people it never felt overwhelmingly crowded. And Grant had a great time, which is all that matters :)

Conversations With My Toddler

I seem to be having flare-ups of my undiagnosed but undeniable rheumatoid arthritis. It happens every so often and when it does...it's pretty much hell. It's a pain that I can't describe. But pressure helps a lot. So for my wrists, I have braces that I wear when I need them to get me through playtime with Grant and then to help me sleep too. Last week I was wearing one and Grant noticed it immediately.

He came over and lightly touched it.

Grant: You have boo-boo?

Me: Yes baby, I have a boo-boo. A big one.

Grant: A big one?

Me: Yup. Mama's whole body is a boo-boo.

Grant: Ok. Who did it?

Me: Karma. Karma did it.

Grant: Kah-ma?

He walks away very slowly and peeks behind the end table next to the couch. Then creeps over and looks behind the love seat.

Husband: You know he's looking for Karma, right?

He totally was.