Originally I had planned to write and post each day. I realized I had no wireless and most days no cell signal. So I just kept writing and figured someday I would be able to hit publish! I also didn't realize how tired I would be each night and writing was in my head!
The Beginning:
The first train to DC was nothing special. We still had two very energy charged boys! Miles was pretty laid by and read his new Harry Potter book I had downloaded on kindle. I was impressed by how he could now read it by himself with just a little help now and then! Thank you first grade teacher!
To say the boys were excited fails to do justice to our bouncy boys! Our first train had us meeting a lady from Sydney, Australia who heard us talking about the Aussie McDonald menu! We had a nice chat about Australia and she said I had done more in Australia than her!
When the boys and I talked later, Miles reminded me one family was from was from France but lived in London.
Treat of the day was the boy's Nana coming to the station to get hugs while we waited for our next train. She bought us lunch and the boys were so happy to see her. Both were sad Oxjo wasn't feeling well and was at home.
These boys are so sensitive with their love and we had a few talks about hoping he felt better. Nana wrote back Oxjo was very happy to hear about the visit.
When they saw the sleeper they were as jumpy as a firecracker on the fourth of July! The only problem is 1 top and bottom and bunk is long and 1 top and bottom is 3/4. Both boys wanted top bunk. The attendant wasn't sure I could sleep on 3/4 bunk and said bottom was wide enough for 2. Ha! Never underestimate the determination of a travel nanny!
The trip to Chicago took us through West Virginia and a passenger pointed how the rivers' names and showed us Harper's Ferry. That led to a small talk about its importance. Miles pointed out a deer and Zachy has told everyone he saw a deer, "a whole one", on the train! (this was apparently a main event as it was one of the first things he told everyone later!) We talked about how the land was already changing and the towns "were so small". "What do the kids do here", asked Miles. That lead to a discussion about the freedom kids here had that you could not have in the city.
My favorite quote of the day goes to Miles. We had dinner and the kids could choose from adult menu. Miles ordered steak. The waiter asked how he wanted it. He looked puzzled and said "cut"? He also wanted to know how do you cook all this food? The waiter told him they had two cooks down below who did an amazing job feeding people 3 times a day! Miles decided they must be very tired by end of the day!
Chicago!
Chicago saw us taking a water taxi to Navy Pier and a bus back.
Favorites:
Zacky: I loved that big ferris wheel (think London Eye) and I was a little scared that first time and that's why I held on to you so tight! But then I wasn't, right Mimi? And it was so much fun looking down. The people looked like dolls!
Miles: I liked those swings. Papa went with me first time but I liked it so much I took my money and went again!
How does Chicago compare to New York?
Combination thoughts:
Nothing is as big as New York! OK some of these buildings might be as tall! The streets aren't as busy. We have way more taxis too!
It is fun here though..
Miles bought a Chicago bears small vinyl football as it "might be something to play with later".
Zachy bought a Chicago bears small stuffed animal. He is just so cute Mimi and will fit right in my backpack so don't worry!
We still had a lot of daylight when our train started out at 3pm as we were heading west. The view car was great as not only could they look out and see the land change but we could play cards. There was several Boy Scout troops on train going to Philmont. They pretty much took up the tables but we managed on our seats and used window sill to place cards. Papa showed his luck in cards by beating us in War.
Miles had wanted to stay in bed with Fire but I told him that for next 2 hours he needed to be with us as I chose the train so I would have more time to talk with him! That brought up the topic of "mom and I were strict!" I told him strict, to me, was when you had certain rules that you insisted on being followed and not taking the child's abilities in consideration. A rule was simply a rule. But I thought of myself as someone with high expectations. I knew what he was capable of doing and yes, I wanted his best as much as possible. I would never ask anything I did not think he was old enough to do. I agreed there were always exceptions like days we feel tired or extra grumpy, and compromise is always a possibility. Little did I know that one train of thought would be repeated throughout our trip!
So we talked...
Question: Was the train fun? What you expected?
Zacky: I liked the train cause you see cactus, flat land like Kansas, then everything changes! The food on train was really good! I liked the quesadillas the best!
Miles: I really liked sleeping on the train! It was so interesting to see all the different ways the land changed all the time. It was kinda interesting to see America and the way it looks different. I never thought it could be so different! It was kind of awesome!
Is it hard not to be bored?
Zacky: Not really. I can walk around the train. There's the part where there are windows from ceiling down and I can see stuff.
Note: Zacky is a kid of motion. He can sleep anywhere and was probably the only one to get 10 hours every night. He is slow to wake up like his Mimi, but then he is a bundle of energy. A tablet is fun for 10 minutes by himself. Luckily I brought my earphone splicer as mainly he wanted to watch Miles. That might be good for another ten minutes. Then he was off walking the train or getting into trouble by trying to rough house with Miles! Like most boys that age, they love to pester, chase each other or a number of other things bound to bring tears. I finally realized that they had to have X amount of time to be goofy. I just told them sooner or later someone is going to get too rough and get hurt. Since I had warned them to "slow down", I had no sympathy for the one that got hurt.
The first time it got carried away and they came to tell me "he hurt me", I reminded them of my motto of "no sympathy".
Miles: It's a little hard to turn off my Fire! But I like seeing the land like West Virginia and just these small towns. New York is so big and these are so small! Then we got into Kansas it was so flat and Mimi said those crops were all corn. Lots of corn! The desert is really awesome! New Mexico has all this red dirt and rocks.
The boys did great sleeping on the train. They fell asleep fast around 9-9:30 as always awake by 6:30! During the day, I made both boys put tablets down and the four of us would go to view car and play cards and talk.
Miles loves Mimi stories. If bored, he wanted stories till I thought my poor imagination had shrunk to the size of a pea! Miles is also at the age where he wants to know what his mom was like when a baby, toddler--well all her life! I racked my brain for memories and by end of day I felt like I had lived another life time! I guess he is at the age where he is trying to see his parents as ''real people''. Family is very important to Miles. He wanted to know all about his Kentucky relatives because "they are of my blood, Mimi!" He wanted to know what I was like when I was growing up. Did I fall in love with Papa at first look? He was in the military? That would lead to more questions in California when we went on the Midway aircraft carrier. Miles is an unusual 7 year old when it comes to wanting to know about his family. My brain would be so tired by end of the day!
That is one of the nice things about slow trains. You really get to talk and you might have to coax them, but once they start they really have a lot on their minds!
I did give in a couple times a day to let them veg out with tablets. They loved just laying on the beds and playing or tablets. Zacky has way too much energy and containing it in a small room was a challenge! But his saving grace is he tells us many times a day how much he loves us and to thank us for taking them on this awesome trip! A lot of love in this little energy bundle!
Zacky has a great imagination and we often made pictures out of the clouds. Plus, the kid loves to talk! I guess with Miles around he doesn't always get that center stage. So he would just tell me everything on his mind. He is a funny kid!
Family sleeper is small! But suitcases could be put right outside in a luggage area. Showers are small but decent. Miles loved them and Z, who has never liked showers, had just had a conversion right before we left. I still had to ''coax'' Z to bathe every 2nd day! Despite the close quarters, the boys were pretty good. A few time at dinner or during the day in view room, folks would tell us how well behaved our boys were though that may have been due to the screaming 3 and 4 year old that seemed to always be in come kind of melt downs!
One 2 year old cute little girl took a liking to Zacky and would stand by him or offer her plastic crocodile to play! He was sweet to her but asked later why she wouldn't leave him alone! I told him that children recognize someone who is safe to play with and she must think he was a kind person. I am a kind person, Mimi! I don't mind as she is soooo cute!
We talked to the train crew from time. Our first attendant had been working for Amtrak for 6 months and said everyone had a system and he was still trying to get his right! Miles was fascinated how the food came so quickly considering how many people. He asked the waiter how "did they cook all this food?" The waiter explained they had two master chefs below who took the orders and prepared them. They came up a chute for the waiters to serve. Miles decided they had one of the hardest jobs! Out waiter on the third train told how he had decided to drop out of college and try something new. What he liked about the train was you could work your way up and experience counted. His goal was to become a conductor and then engineer. He said it did not require a college degree, you simply had to study the material and pass all the tests. Then you could start out as an apprentice to get your experience. He liked the fact he could work and learn at the same time and it would be rewarded.
The first hiccup of the train ride happened right after Lamy, Colorado.
No comments:
Post a Comment