Spectacular S: Spookomotive train ride.

We have been laying low for the past two weeks. First we were concentrating on working on SS's adjustment to school. She is doing very well at school, not eating, but we can always feed her at home. At home she is as clingy as she was when we came home from China. It can be very exhausting, but we expected some regression. I am glad we chose half days to begin her transition. Then last week SS (and I) got a nasty cold, again to be expected as she is among a bunch of colossal germ carriers. We have been staying home, keeping her from the nasty rain, because we wanted to make sure that she would be healthy for Halloween.

Our neighbors have a lame skeleton outside and SS is terrified of the lame looking thing. As much as we are itching to get out the fab decorations Grand Min and Nana gave P, the kid dictates what we can do. We will try next year, but it was not wise to exacerbate SS's fears. Kudos to P because he was dreaming of finally getting the whole haunted house scary look this year. The man even has a fog machine people (we got it dirt cheap on an after Halloween sale), that is how serious he is about Halloween. The things we do for love, or fear of the nice county social worker showing up at our door.

We decided to combine SS's love of trains with some mild Halloween fun and headed to Sacramento for SS's first Spookomotive ride. The plan was to go last week, but SS was not well and would not have enjoyed it. Children under 5 and under ride free on coach but pay full price on the first class car, where we wanted to ride. When I requested three tickets the clerk informed me that SS paid full price. I looked at P (I was OK with coach) and he said he did not care he wanted the first class car. The clerk looked at me incredulously and said "you want to pay that to take her? Why don't you wait until you can come alone with your husband so you can enjoy it." I explained to the nice lady that we would not enjoy the ride unless SS was with us. Seriously, what is the big deal, my husband is a Halloween freak. She then charged me for two tickets, I replied we needed three and she still repeated the price for two. Alrighty then, SS got another freebie. We are so afraid of what that kid will be coming home with when she is older.

It turned out we had the first class car and crew all to ourselves. Each ticket included a drink and a cookie as big as SS's head. SS repaid her Baba's kindness by refusing to share even one bite with him. P's decision was very convenient because the coach cars are open and it started to rain as we were about to depart. It was only 55 degrees and SS had a good fleece on (thanks Godmother C), but she is still getting over her cold, so we preferred nice and warm. Another plus is that the coach cars were decorated with a lot of skeletons and that surely would have driven SS over the edge. We had a nice ride, and were able to stand outside to watch the engine move from the front and back into our car for the return trip. The conductor gave s a nice history lesson on the ride back, but I missed most of it, because SS MUST talk to me and LOUDLY whenever anyone wants my attention. I did get that the car was built in 1921, and the interior was originally avocado green, and it was refurbished with virgin Mahogany. I do not know a thing about wood but the conductor seemed very proud of that fact. SS had a blast waving to people as we were arriving at the depot, probably thinking they were all there for her.

SS has been saying boo-yah! since we came home. What the heck? Where does she get that from? Funny thing is that P is watching the World Series. This kid is a riot.

SS will make a hat out of anything.

This is so cool, we have never seen a set up like this with the trailer in front of the bike. If there's a collision the kids (it's a double) get the brunt of the impact. Just what every parent wants.