Train Fun Part 2

This is the part 2 to the previous blog post about our trip to North Georgia to see my (David's) Mom and Dad.  They continued to make Tate's weekend by taking us over from Hiawassee to Blue Ridge to ride on an old train through the mountains.  We had a lot of fun and Tate even got to take a tour of the engine (pictured below) after we finished our trip. 

Tate and the engine.

Tate with his Grandaddy who didn't let the torn achilles/boot slow him down.

"All Aboard!"

Family picture...headed down the tracks.

Tate with "Grandaddy and Monna"

He insisted on sitting in between them.

He got to meet the conductor but gave him a funny look in this picture.

He loved the open car where you could watch and hear everything.

This smile sums up the day!

Misty Mountain Railroad - Hiawassee, Ga Part 1

Since David had Friday and Monday off, we decided to go to Hiawassee, Georgia to visit David's parents.  We had not been to their mountain house since before Tate was born and we missed it!  It's so relaxing and refreshing up there.

Knowing how much Tate likes trains, David's parents suggested we visit a model train museum in the nearby Blairsville.  I don't know what I was expecting to see, but I know it wasn't this!  It was incredible.  And it was located in an 80-yr-old man's garage apartment situated behind his VERY NICE house.  He calls it the Misty Mountain Railroad and it is truly a labor of love.  He takes donations, but gives all the money to local charities.  He said the Lord blessed him with enough money to be able to do this on his own. 

His museum is mostly made up of scenes from northern Georgia.  His son built many of the building replicas.  What was so neat about the museum is that you walked THROUGH the display, and not just around it.  Trains were at our feet, at Tate's eye level, and at our eye level.  There is really no way to describe how much there was to see.  I could probably go back 5 times and still not see everything.  Tate had such a good time there.  He was such a good boy, too.  He kept his hands behind his back most of the time and repeated, "I no touch the trains" the whole time (and for days after).  When it was time to go, he broke down in tears and had several onlookers sharing their sympathy with him. 

I've posted a lot of pictures in the hopes that you can grasp how expansive this thing was.  There is no website for the museum, but there is an article online.  Go here and check it out. 

 

Being a good boy with his hands behind his back.

One of the bridges you had to walk under.

So close he could taste it!

Missing in Action

I know I've been missing in action lately, and I apologize. This is the reason why...

I opened my own shop on Etsy.com.  Etsy is an online marketplace for people to sell their homemade crafts or vintage items.  Think of it as an online flea market or craft show.  My "shop" is called The Simple Standard.  So far, I have made pillow covers, rag wreaths, and one wood slat sign, but my overactive creative mind has tons more I want to do.  I have to limit myself because there is just no way I can make everything I want to.  If I did, my family and house would suffer (they already get less attention than before.)  Who knows how long I'll keep this up.  The good thing about Etsy is that I can do it as long or as little as I like.  I'm just thankful to have an outlet for my need to create.