Tardy for the Train

Text messages and emails had been sent.  10am at the zoo parking lot.  But somehow the friend carting two children beat the two of us taking one.  (I had no excuse, but my friend Amber had been at Sam's at 7am that morning getting things ready for a baby shower.)  So the tardy ones circled the zoo parking lot for 30 minutes waiting for a spot to open up on a surprisingly packed Friday morning, while Jill somehow kept her two young children from melting down as they waited for a train ride but had to watch 3 trains pass without boarding. 

We finally parked, found one another, bought our tickets and fed some ducks as we waited for the next train.  Collin in his hat that will be a summer wardrobe staple -

Amber's middle child & my godson, Holden (who has the world's best dimples) and Collin posing by a duck that was arm's length away in the bushes. 



A blurry picture of our crew  - Jill with her two blonde beauties Kiley & Chase, Collin, and Amber & Holden in the back.  Amber, Jill and I have been friends since junior high, and Jill and I were in Brownies together in elementary school.  These girls have been my friends for almost 20 years, and it's a blast to now join them on play dates with our children!

 Jill and Kiley.  Chase, not a fan of the very loud train whistle - 

Collin, wide-eyed on lookout throughout the train ride, and Holden, full of grins.  It was a great outing - a $3 train ride where we jumped off at a park for awhile, then jumped back on to return to the entrance for a picnic lunch.

 Collin at the picnic - 

Holden was the sweetest friend to Collin.  He shared his Cheetos (a delicious new food for Collin, which after discovering them, was hesitant to share with the ducks), his fruit snacks, his sandwich.  I had intentionally left Collin's sandwich in the car as a stay-awake tactic, so that he would take a 2-hour nap at home rather than a 20 minute nap in the car.  Holden's food was much tastier than poor Collin's trail mix!

We had a great Friday off with friends - a fun glimpse of many more play dates to come in the summer!