Could You, Would You, On a Train?

I have known Rita for all my life it seems. She told me that she met me when I was two, but for all intensive purposes, that is basically my whole life. Rita sews, amazingly well. She made me clothes when I was little. Some of my first memories are standing there being measured by Rita. She has made me curtains, and an apron, and when I was older, she made my temple dress. I owe her a lot.

Her husband Mike is pretty cool too, but in a boy way. He does trains. When I was little we would visit at Christmas time. The tree would be up and there would be trains galore underneath. They were cool trains that ran by themselves and some would do things like load cows, or unload wooden logs. They were just cool. I think my Dad liked them even more than we kids did. Here is the table 'o trains, without the Christmas tree of course.



So when we went to Washington, I had to take my kids to see the trains. (And Rita). I was in for a surprise as well. They have trains outside too.



I guess they don't use them as much in the winter, so I had never seen them before. They have these trains that run along through gardens and around a pond.



Oh, I forgot to mention, Rita is an excellent gardener as well. I told her it wasn't fair that she has so many talents.

The girls watched the trains and we even played Superman. (You know, faster than a speeding train.)



Eventually all the rough-housing led to the flipping.



I think Tyler was showing off for Rita. We did some balancing where Tyler holds them with one hand straight up in the air. (Don't fall Ives!)



They sure do love it. And I love the crazy hair that comes with it.





Behind Robyn is a shed where the trains live in the winter. They actually have a hole in the side where the trains drive right out. Super cool.

Pearl was content to stick with Rita.



We had such a great time and I feel blessed to know someone like Rita.