Choo Choo! All Aboard!

For the boys' birthdays this year, we're letting them choose a place in the area to go as a family. Between museums, water parks and fun centers, we actually have quite a few options. Because Gordon has been really obsessed with trains lately, it wasn't difficult to talk him into going to the Union Station in Ogden, where they have a neat train museum. We've been talking about it for weeks, and the big day finally came on Saturday!

First, I have to share this picture of Gordon in the new birthday outfit he (with my help, of course) picked out with his birthday money from Nonny and Bob. Seriously, can you get any cuter?!


Ogden is a quick 45 minutes from Logan, and the drive down was full of exactly what we were anticipating: trains! Gordon has become an eagle-eye at finding trains around us, and he was thrilled with the number we saw. Outside of Union Station, there is a display of a large black engine pulling two vintage cars. I got a kick out of the slight nervousness of Gordon when it came to climbing on the train-- I don't think he had ever imagined what one looked like so close!


Once inside, we bought the boys Jelly Belly suckers to keep them occupied while we waited for my parents and sisters Caitlan and Allison to join us. You'll notice the candy in pretty much every picture from here on out!

The station wasn't busy, so we had fun letting the boys run around the big main waiting area and climbing on the benches.


As my family arrived, they pretended to be asleep. (We really didn't have to wait that long!)


If you're a Utah resident and like trains, I'd definitely recommend this museum. It is fairly basic, but interesting, and you can't beat the low cost. The boys had a great time looking at the old time railway memorabilia and climbing inside the old caboose.


And here we are on the "Gandy Wagon" (I think that is the right name...)


One of the most fun things about the museum are the model trains-- there are several, and they go through different scenes in the West to demonstrate the far reach of the railway system. Gordon could have spent hours just watching them go through tunnels, over bridges, and around hills and mountains. It really was a cool little setup.

It was really fun to have my parents and sisters join us on our adventure. We enjoyed a tasty little dinner at Red Robin after the museum, where I was only slightly appalled to learn that they no longer sing a birthday song to the birthday kid. I declined the free birthday sundae (I know, mean Mom), but Gordon and I did split a chocolate shake.

We drove back to Logan, where we enjoyed spending the rest of the evening with my family and I'm positive Caitlan really appreciated all of my advice and suggestions regarding her budding romance. It's fun to reminisce about those fun dating days. Sigh.

With all of the trains, food, and fun people, I think we can definitely count Gordon's birthday wishes as completely fulfilled!