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This past year, Cheekwood had an amazing G-Scale train layout.  Every part of the scene was made out of natural elements (except for the actual track for the trains, of course).  We had all been meaning to get out there to see them since the exhibit closed on December 31.  We finally made it on the 29th.  Just in time.  The weather was even nice for us.  Very sunny and not too cold.  Also very muddy, as we found out.  Geema bought a membership, and was able to get all of us in free.  Aunt Joanna came too!  This is a picture-heavy post, so bear with me.

Here is a video of Joshua watching the long, long freight train go past.

After watching the trains for a long time, we sat on a bench and snacked. We were right next to the trains, so we could watch them while we ate.

Then we thought to walk over to the mansion. We had heard that there were Christmas trees to see. Joshua LOVES Christmas trees. I think it’s the lights. Here we are on our walk.

The Mansion.

Me and Joanna.

We couldn’t take pictures inside the mansion, but we didn’t stay long either. The trees were nice, but not enough to hold small people attention.

Julia had her eye on something outside that she just HAD to see. She took Geema with her on her search.

What was it that Julia couldn’t wait to find, of all the amazing things at Cheekwood that day? A working truck moving dirt around. Sigh, she is her brother’s sister.

So, more walking. There was a neat water feature/stream running through the front yard of the mansion, and Joshua wanted to see it.

Joshua even climbed on the rocks and let me take a picture.

After that we walked back to the trains. Did I mention it was muddy everywhere? Well, it was deceptively muddy. This pretty green field, actually mostly mud. Didn’t know that until after they both fell down in it while running.

Just look at those knees!!

Again, the trains were amazing! Here are some of the famous Tennessee sites they had remade with the sticks and acorns and things.

Union Station

Tennessee State Capitol

The Parthenon

We had such a great day! Thanks Mom (Geema)!

So, we finished up our morning at home, then drove to Mt. Pleasant where presents and brunch were waiting for us. Yum! We ate quickly, so we could move on to the presents in the living room.

Joshua got some nice additions to his Thomas and Cars collections.

He and Jason have laid out the fanciest track upstairs for his Thomas engines.  He just loves to watch them go around and around the track – which fills our dining room!

Here are Kynlee and Wil opening presents.  We let the kids go first so they would have something to play with while the adults opened presents after.

Julia thought Aunt Holly’s lap was best for present opening.

Jason and Joshua’s big present from Nana and Papa was a set of Pullman passenger coaches to run with his new train set.  As soon as presents were done and the trash cleared up, they set the train and track on the dining room table.  Joshua’s engine is the “Pennsylvania Flyer.”

Julia was just as excited about Joshua’s new trains.

All in all, A big Christmas for everyone!  We stayed a couple nights with Nana and Papa.  Here are some random bath pictures.  Everything is more fun at Nana’s – even bathtime!

You’d think we’d be done with Christmas by now, but we’re not…stay tuned. 

This is the first year since the kids were born that we were at home for Christmas morning. We did the traditional Christmas Eve things. We made gingerbread cookies with Joshua’s train cookie cutters and Julia’s princess cutters. I let the kids help for just one batch, and then I sent them into the living room and finished the rest myself. They turned out great. Julia’s princess cutters had a castle, wand, and a glass slipper cutter. Shoes! Yes!

We let the kids choose a couple of their cookies each to leave for Santa, then after bath and dressing in their cute Christmas PJ’s, they sat down with Jason for “Twas the Night Before Christmas.”

Well, there was no trouble getting them to sleep. Julia had no clue, but goes to sleep pretty easily, and Joshua was convinced when I said Santa wouldn’t come until he was asleep. Jason sat up setting Joshua’s train out and I started a present-wrapping marathon. I was so behind.

Here was the scene in the morning. We turned his train set on, and then woke him to come see what it was. He ran in, took one look and ran back to his room. I wasn’t sure what had happened until he came running back with his glasses on. Here’s his second entrance, with glasses.

He loved it.

Then we woke Julia. Her first reaction was more of, this is all great, but why did you get me up?

It didn’t take her long to get into the Christmas mood.

So, we had breakfast and played with the new things, then we packed up for Nana and Papa’s for more Christmas-ing fun!