We drove over an hour in the rain to stand in line in the rain to ride a passenger car pulled by the famous little blue engine from the Island of Sodor...in Spencer, NC's Transportation Museum. It was a cool, wet day, but that didn't dampen Gordon's excitement in the least. We were glad to join up with our good friends and their two boys, niece and grandparents. We didn't stay as long as they did, the rain and crowds got to me and once Gordon saw the "important" stuff, after just a couple of hours (and plenty of purchases), we headed further down I-85 to Concord Mills Outlet Mall. Gordon and I sat down to dry off and fill up on a warm lunch in the mall at Chili's and then ride the carousel. He loved riding the carousel, and I wish there had been two of me so I could have taken his picture riding his horse. After another hour or so of shopping (I wore G out running in through that huge mall) we headed back north and home. It was a really fun day, one I'd looked forward to for a long time since I bought the tickets back in May.
The walk from the car to the museum - chattering all the way about Thomas.
Exploring real train tracks.
I asked for a "nice smile".
Here he comes!
He is watching Thomas & thinking...
...and wondering why he doesn't talk and his eyes don't move (because of the rain was the only thing I could come up with!)
I asked for a "nice smile". Here he comes! He is watching Thomas & thinking... ...and wondering why he doesn't talk and his eyes don't move (because of the rain was the only thing I could come up with!)Hat head.
Impatiently waiting...
Wonderful friends!
The back of the shirt (we got this at the event...good thing, it was cold enough for it)
Looking at the real roundhouse.
It almost looks like he's looking at a TV instead of a window.
Goofing around.
Posing for the "official" photographers...which you can buy...or take yourself if you are quick.
Wonderful friends! The back of the shirt (we got this at the event...good thing, it was cold enough for it) Looking at the real roundhouse. It almost looks like he's looking at a TV instead of a window. Goofing around.Posing for the "official" photographers...which you can buy...or take yourself if you are quick. 
Here he comes again.
I bought G a $9 Thomas shaped balloon. He has never been happier in his life. This was short lived (more to come on that). 
I bought G a $9 Thomas shaped balloon. He has never been happier in his life. This was short lived (more to come on that). 
The roundhouse turntable was turning...hard to get that effect in a photo!
He was even excited to hug the giant and poofy looking Sir Topham Hatt (if he refuses to sit on Santa's lap this Christmas I'm going to be pretty annoyed after he had no problem hugging this guy!)
He asked me to take a picture of him standing by this "oil car". Then he had to look at it on the back of the camera to make sure I really took it. Booger. 
He was even excited to hug the giant and poofy looking Sir Topham Hatt (if he refuses to sit on Santa's lap this Christmas I'm going to be pretty annoyed after he had no problem hugging this guy!)
He asked me to take a picture of him standing by this "oil car". Then he had to look at it on the back of the camera to make sure I really took it. Booger. 
Things went great until the ride home. The $9 Thomas shaped balloon that Gordon prized and cherished and squealed about didn't make it. It didn't even make it to I-85. As I came down the ramp to merge it floated in my view behind me and I reached back to bat it out of the way and my finger nail went right through it. I felt like a real heel. Gordon watched his beloved balloon deflate before his eyes into a pile of mylar with string. He was so sad, but didn't cry (which was almost worse), and he was in denial: "it's not losing its air! No it's not." He had to face it. On the up side he learned to say and use new longer words like "helium" and "deflated" and some shorter words I said after feeling the helium whooshing out from the hole I made...I hope he never repeats those. I felt bad. I'm going to find another one of those balloons for his birthday - I'm on a quest!
Looks like he's doing some kind of dance
Disconcerting how he swung his head and pierced his gaze on me right through the window and blinds...intense stare! 
Some interesting flora.
So green! 
Showing Papa what he found.
Later in between rain storms we went down to 
Doing yoga with his new bear?
Feet wrestling with Grandma.
I knew it was time to head back home...
Wild turkeys on our way down the mountain.
We stopped at The Mountaineer on our way out of town and took some pumpkin pictures. 
