The Swervin' Ervins: Oklahoma Railway Museum

WARNING:

I am about to spam you with pictures.

I'm sorry - I really can't help myself.

But I'll try to make it interesting by adding in a little witty dialogue.

Because it really, really was a fun day.

And my kids are highly entertaining.

Don't believe me? I have proof:

He was screaming with pleasure and running towards me - I just got lucky capturing that expression on camera...

I need to preface these photos by telling you that yesterday was Maddox's 2nd birthday. We decided to celebrate today (Thursday) because Ben's in class on Monday and Wednesday nights and he would miss out on the festivities. So in honor of Maddox's birthday we took advantage of some unexpected free time with field trip to the Oklahoma Railway Museum. I can't believe I haven't made it over there before now! Especially since it's free.

Nevertheless, we have remedied this gross oversight. Hence the dozens and dozens of pictures I took today. I whittled it down quite a bit, but still ended up with well over 30 pictures that I'm dying to share.

This is an outdoor museum with trains and equipment all over the place for the kids (and grownups) to climb on. I'm so glad our neighbors went with us - Kelsey and Eva haven't been able to spend much time together in about 2 weeks and they were dying to be together.

Our group "posed" picture on the steps of the first train we boarded. And yes, Connor is wearing sandals and socks. No, I haven't lost my senses or become one of those "sweatshirts and shorts" loons (you know who you are). He hurt his big toe riding his scooter barefoot a couple of days ago. Closed-toed shoes still hurt, and he needed socks to keep his feet warm.

Kelsey decided to be the conductor: "Tickets! Tickets, please!"

Eva, on the other hand, is quite the little lady these days.

I love, love, love this picture! It perfectly shows how the kids felt about our visit. They just couldn't get enough and wanted to see everything!

Going down the stairs has never been such fun!

I saw my first red caboose! I really, really did! It was wooden and built in 1878. It was awesome!

Just inside the caboose are two chairs accessible by a short ladder. Kelsey climbed up one and immediately said, "Mommy, hand me the camera!" I had to snap a picture of her plea before handing it over.

This is what it looks like from the top:

And from a different car, but another "top chair" picture...

The caboose was apparently where the engineers lived, too. Or someone. There was an iron sink...

...and even a wood-burning stove with a cook top! (Though I'm pretty sure Dr. Pepper wasn't around back in the late 1800's...)

There was even a bed with pillows. I wanted the boys to pretend to be asleep on the bed (without using those highly questionable pillows laying there), but they were more interested in playing. I have no idea what Connor's trying to do here, though...

This is a great picture of the variety of time periods represented here. You can see the older blue engine on the right, as well as the newer black and yellow on the left. And what's that behind the blue engine? Is that a red caboose?! Why yes, yes it is!

The kids couldn't get into this one, but they sure had a good time climbing up there!

Getting down was a trickier matter.

Even Eva felt a little concerned with the steep steps, and she had the longest legs of all the kids.

I have such handsome boys...

And it was so, so nice not to have to use Maddox's "leash" most of the time we were there. He was so entertained and everything is kid-friendly. I only had to use it in the museum car, which was to be expected.

This car was used to transport railroad employees from one station to another. I'd hate to have to ride on that car in the winter.

The back of the bench is a single board that both sides lean back on. It isn't angled for comfort at all. Yeah. So glad I didn't work for the railroads back then.

Maddox loved looking off the side.

And just for laughs... here's that hilarious picture of Maddox again.

I never knew I loved trains so much!

We found another car with a pair of seats up high. This time we left Maddox climb up, too.

He's really good at getting his point across, even if he doesn't talk much. Obviously he wanted to get down, right?

But don't let him fool you. It was just so he could climb up the other side to join Connor and Eva.

Over and over again... See how he's right behind Kelsey on the ladder? The boy is going to fall off something and break his arm someday, I just know it.

Eventually we made our way back out to the entrance/exit area and the playground that was there. Maddox loves slides, but sometimes he's nervous about letting go.