Ok, I'm finally back to finish my vacation post. Where was I? Oh yes, it was our last day in Eureka Springs and we were watching the storms roll in.
We were getting ready to leave Eureka Springs for Table Rock Lake, but before we left we had one more fun thing to do. We went to take a train ride through the Ozark Mountains. It was one car pulled by a locomotive.
It was really neat because we got to watch the locomotive drive up, switch tracks turn around on this turn table thing and then drive down to switch tracks again and connect to us. While this was happening, it was storming like crazy. Pouring rain, thunder, lightening, hail, etc. We had to put up the windows in the train car and it was so hot. Until the locomotive got connected to us we had no power for the fans, but it was still fun.
Once the train was connected, off we went. It took us out for about 15 or 20 minutes.
The locomotive disconnected again and drove off to get turned around using the wye. When it drove by on the side track the conductor instructed us to take our change and place it on the track for the locomotive to run over and smash. It was pretty cool. I'd never done it before, although I had a bunch of pennies that had been run over by trains when I was younger.
We took pictures of us by the car.
Ok, so they aren't great pictures, but they are the only ones we have. I can't get over the way Shawn is standing. Haha!
Then, after the locomotive reconnected to us, we headed back to the station.
After the train ride, we headed towards Shellknob for some fun lake time. The Ozarks are beautiful!
After getting settled in at the lake house, we went out to swim off the dock. I was surprised at how unafraid my big kids were. As I looked up from setting my stuff down on a dry locker I see both Ben and Sydney jumping of the end of the swimming dock. Of course they had their life jackets on. I don't let my kids anywhere near the lake or docks with out life jackets on.
They loved swimming in the lake!
After a day of swimming, we went up to the house for dinner and fun. Shawn and I played Catch Phrase with Shawn's brother Chris, Chris' girlfriend Morgan, and Shawn's cousins Zach and Randi. We played girls against boys. It was soooo much fun! The kids were running around like crazy and watching a movie while we were playing the game.
After a long day full of fun, the kiddos went to bed and crashed hard.
The whole next day was filled with swimming, boating, and fun! Ben even went tubing with out us even asking him if he wanted to. He made me so proud.
It did storm while we were out, so we hurried to the docks and sat in the boat while the storm cleared enough so that we could get back up to the house on the golf cart.
That night we attempted to do my birthday thing. It was sort of haphazard and a mess which left my feelings hurt, but at least the kids cared and were involved. Zach was pretty funny throwing jokes about my age. The best part was that he's older than I am and his birthday is a week or two after mine.
Sunday, we swam a little more, cleaned up our messes, packed our bags, and headed home. Of course we had to stop at Brahms. It's our favorite fast food place out there, mostly our favorite for the ice cream.
I just love how gorgeous it is down there.
The kids and I slept most of the way home, which was probably nice on Shawn. He got to run the radio and enjoy a little quiet time which doesn't usually happen while the kids and I are around.
We really did have a wonderful vacation. I just wish that we could have stayed longer at both Eureka Springs and Table Rock Lake. Two days at either place is not long enough.
We were getting ready to leave Eureka Springs for Table Rock Lake, but before we left we had one more fun thing to do. We went to take a train ride through the Ozark Mountains. It was one car pulled by a locomotive.
It was really neat because we got to watch the locomotive drive up, switch tracks turn around on this turn table thing and then drive down to switch tracks again and connect to us. While this was happening, it was storming like crazy. Pouring rain, thunder, lightening, hail, etc. We had to put up the windows in the train car and it was so hot. Until the locomotive got connected to us we had no power for the fans, but it was still fun.
Once the train was connected, off we went. It took us out for about 15 or 20 minutes.
The locomotive disconnected again and drove off to get turned around using the wye. When it drove by on the side track the conductor instructed us to take our change and place it on the track for the locomotive to run over and smash. It was pretty cool. I'd never done it before, although I had a bunch of pennies that had been run over by trains when I was younger.
Then, after the locomotive reconnected to us, we headed back to the station.
After the train ride, we headed towards Shellknob for some fun lake time. The Ozarks are beautiful!
After getting settled in at the lake house, we went out to swim off the dock. I was surprised at how unafraid my big kids were. As I looked up from setting my stuff down on a dry locker I see both Ben and Sydney jumping of the end of the swimming dock. Of course they had their life jackets on. I don't let my kids anywhere near the lake or docks with out life jackets on.
They loved swimming in the lake!
After a day of swimming, we went up to the house for dinner and fun. Shawn and I played Catch Phrase with Shawn's brother Chris, Chris' girlfriend Morgan, and Shawn's cousins Zach and Randi. We played girls against boys. It was soooo much fun! The kids were running around like crazy and watching a movie while we were playing the game.
After a long day full of fun, the kiddos went to bed and crashed hard.
It did storm while we were out, so we hurried to the docks and sat in the boat while the storm cleared enough so that we could get back up to the house on the golf cart.
That night we attempted to do my birthday thing. It was sort of haphazard and a mess which left my feelings hurt, but at least the kids cared and were involved. Zach was pretty funny throwing jokes about my age. The best part was that he's older than I am and his birthday is a week or two after mine.
Sunday, we swam a little more, cleaned up our messes, packed our bags, and headed home. Of course we had to stop at Brahms. It's our favorite fast food place out there, mostly our favorite for the ice cream.
I just love how gorgeous it is down there.
The kids and I slept most of the way home, which was probably nice on Shawn. He got to run the radio and enjoy a little quiet time which doesn't usually happen while the kids and I are around.
We really did have a wonderful vacation. I just wish that we could have stayed longer at both Eureka Springs and Table Rock Lake. Two days at either place is not long enough.
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