pumpkin train

What better way to enjoy a beautiful sunny fall day than to ride the Pumpkin Patch Express? We picked up Uncle Denny and met up with the Gallmans in Calera at the Heart of Dixie Railroad Museum and then waited in line to board the train while Dennis cried "I want to ride the train" again and again and again. He and Chloe jumped and played and ran around and looked out the windows and had a great time on the train. Dennis pretended to take all our tickets ("Tickets, please!") and pretended to stamp them just like the conductor did when we boarded. He and Daddy picked out a super pumpkin at the patch, one we'll actually carve this year. He and Chloe enjoyed the inflatable jumping structure and the hay ride and the snacks before re-boarding to head back. A good time was had by all, but this was only half our big day today. We dropped Uncle Denny back off and then headed to Dothan for Grandmother's funeral tomorrow.

Dennis loved getting to see the family and gave hugs all around, but mostly he was glad to see Nate (my 11 year old cousin). Nate loves Dennis and has been so good to play with him ever since he was a tiny baby. Gran and Pop had bought a new fire truck to surprise him with at Aunt Louise's and Uncle George's house, something to occupy him, and Dennis played with the fire truck and Nate to the exclusion of everything and everyone else. He took it over to show Granddaddy a few times, and he spent time hugging Granddaddy and Uncle George. He skipped dinner in favor of playing. And back at our hotel room, Dennis did NOT want to go to bed without the fire truck but finally relented and went to sleep. It was a nice day in preparation for kind of a tough one to come. Dennis won't be attending the funeral (or it would be The Dennis Show, as I told Hadden last night), but he'll be with the family before and after. David will care for him while I go.

As a side note, we have replaced our internet air card and it was not as expensive as we feared, so we are back online. That, and our hotel has high speed...