Twins and Trains

We decided to have a short get-away at the last minute this past weekend. We've been "teaching" Ryan the basics of baseball with our home-made, chalk-drawn baseball diamond on the driveway (no, we don't have enough grass to move the game to the yard, yet :)!) So, we thought, why not try a Twins game in the Cities this weekend?

I came prepared, as a Mom should, with bug spray, umbrella, sunscreen, etc. Steve asks me, "What do you need all of that stuff for? Isn't it indoors?" Am I alone? I have to ask... How many of you have been to an INDOOR baseball game? Well, sure enough, Steve was right!! That's how it works here, I soon learned !!! Can you tell we really keep up on our teams and their stadiums? Yes, the Twins play in the MetroDOME... totally covered, sheltered from the rain, sun and mosquitos... so yes, I was harassed the rest of the evening by Steve telling me how much the bugs were bothering him!! Regardless, we made it through the game. Ryan was interested off and on... but was asking by the 2nd inning if the game was over yet... guess he takes after his Dad when it comes to following sports!

The highlight of the evening for Ryan was when we were leaving the game and said we were heading to the hotel. He literally jumped up and down screaming..."yeah, we are going to the hotel now.. this is going to be so much fun!"... Guess we should have opted for the really "cheap seats"!
On Sunday, we played in the pool and headed out into the rain to do some shopping and stalling until the next big event. We were headed what we thought was about 30 minutes from where we stayed to enjoy a "Day with Thomas"... for those of you behind or without kids... Thomas is a big blue train! We had driven there on Saturday, hoping to go in the sunshine to enjoy the other activities. They were sold out... but had opened up one more train ride time for Sunday. We took it. But because of the rain, we skipped out on running thru straw bales and face painting and blow up slides... we just waited until the train ride at 3:45. Well, we stalled a little too long and caused me some stress on the drive there... just praying we'd make it. How would I tell Ryan we missed the train and how would I deal with Steve's frustration about the wasted money :)? The drive was about 45 minutes and Steve dropped Ryan and I off at the boarding line... he made it in the end, too! Thomas was a life size engine.... attached to the "back" of the train. Most kids didn't get that. But Ryan sure did. He noticed how we boarded and when the train started, he asked "Why are we going backwards?" We justified it by telling him Thomas must be pushing us, instead of pulling us. When the train stopped and went back towards the station, he piped up..."Hey, Thomas is pulling us now!" Can't fool this guy!

So while the weekend looks like we were just spoiling Ryan... Steve and I had other motives... different restaurant choices than the handful we have here in the big city of Willmar :)! A good time was had by all.