What do you do on a train for a day and a half?

One of the first things you do after you get a little shut eye on the train....... EAT, of course!! We decided to go and find the dining car!!!  Now, I must say when you are walking between cars on the train it is a little weird at first.  For some strange reason.... I always believed that a train would be a smooth ride because it is going along some tracks.

 I am here to inform you, that is not necessarily true.  :)  There is acutally quite a bit of rocking back and forth.  A note of caution to everyone......... hold onto the backs of the chairs as you walk.....or you may just end up in a strangers lap.  :0 

The food was really very good on the train.  Not a huge selection and it was expensive. However, it was super fun to be able to sit at the tables and look out the big windows. Of course, you must also humor mom with some more picture taking opportunities.

It was so very amazing to be able to see the fun things that we saw on the trip.  Jayson told me that this hotel looked like a castle hidden away in the forest. ( I just love sitting and listening to them and watching the excitement on their little faces as their imaginations are hard at work!) It was very interesting for me to be a passenger rather than the driver.  I was able to sit back, look out the windows and enjoy taking in all of the sights. It is amazing how much more fun a trip can be when you are not worried about potty breaks, getting gas, hotels along the way etc.... 

Besides having our own seats in coach, there is a viewing car that you can go and sit in.     It ,too, is a lot of fun.  Instead of sitting faced forward you get to sit side by side and really enjoy the scenery.  We saw rivers, mountains, lots of GREEN (which is very rare in Sunny So. Cal), deer, prairie dogs, horses,cows, and even a group of "mooners".  Now that is a sight and thankfully one I don't see everyday. 

The kids were so funny.  They would sit and look out the windows, go down to the snack cart and entertain the guy that worked there, play some DS/IPAD games, nap, and even crochet.  Bryan made me this amazing water bottle holder. ( I may have him market them to make some extra cash.  :)  ) We decided to take a walk down to the snack car and this man was counting the kids as we walked by.  He then asked them why they all had matching shirts.... surely, they must be some sort of a sports team traveling together.  The kids giggled and said, "No, mom just wants to be able to see us all."  I could see he was a little shocked.  I merely smiled nicely, and told him ," this way they can run but they cannot hide. "  Sometimes it is easier to come up with something funny to say instead of having to explain why all my children appear to be the same age. :)  

Today my wish for everyone..... take some time to slow down and look out the windows around you.... you have no idea what amazing things you are missing if you don't.