Choo Choo! A Father's Day Recap

What did you do for Father's Day?

If you're anything like our family, you did the typical...backyard bbq, maybe go out to dinner, open some gifts, eat some dessert. 

Well this year our family was feeling adventurous, and we set out on a Great Train Adventure.

(Ok, not every person in this picture is in our family, but hey, we love to be inclusive and share the love with our dear friends, boarders and exchange students ;)

This adventure was inspired by the fact that this little trolley museum encouraged the family festivities by allowing fathers and grandfathers to ride free. 

That, combined with the fact that we have a 2.5 year old boy who has never ridden a train (a travesty!), sealed the deal, and come June 15th, we were off on a mini road trip to the Fox River Valley.

The interior of the train car was charmingly vintage, complete with green-velvet upholstered benches, wood floors and red overhead luggage racks (you know, like the kind after which Pottery Barn models towel racks and sells for exorbitant fees). 

The conductors were dressed to fit the part, and seemed to thoroughly enjoy explaining train trivia as we chugged along (with windows open!) down the tracks next to the Fox River.

This guy was a tad bit excited

He got to feel the fresh air through the open window and his face lit up with excitement (which later turned to fear) each time the authentic 'choo-choo' blasted.

He even got to hand his ticket to the conductor

and to take a turn pulling the train whistle!

Even little Link got in on the action, staring out the window and trying to decide whether or not he was scared of the train whistle. (It was loud!)

The trolley dropped us off at a beautiful picnic area along the Fox River.

Due to our lack of advance planning, our time there was short, but it was still fun to walk around and enjoy the beautiful trees along the river's edge.

  

(Isn't my little brother adorable as a father?)

After we booked it back to the train, just as it was about to depart from the station, (how did we not hear the loud "All Aboooaard!" wafting over the breeze!), we had a lovely ride back, with, of course, more obligatory photos of daddy with sons

Then we got to explore some of the other historical trollies at the museum

It was a fun little Father's Day adventure.

This little guy was (understandably) quite wiped out at the end of the day.

And I think the fathers and grandfather enjoyed it as well

I'm not sure how many male readers frequent my blog, but to any that do, I'd like to wish you a happy belated Father's Day. I'd also like to wish God's comfort to those who have the as-of-yet unmet desire to be fathers. I am so grateful to the Lord for giving us two children who have allowed me to see what a wonderful father my own husband has become, and also for my own wonderful father who truly is (all cliche's aside) the greatest dad in the world. 

Happy Father's Day!!!