Canadian Pacific Holiday Train

I'm probably not done blogging (and bragging) about the Art of Homemaking -- but I need to TAKE A HOLIDAY BREAK..!!

Two weeks ago, my Christmas Grandma Camp started to ramp up. WE HAVE A LOT TO DO...AND very little time to do it all..!!

So, to review -- we had a pretty good start -- the kids brought out the mugs and rugs...and we were on our way to see the Canadian Pacific Holiday Train.

I actually said these words..."what could go wrong?"...

Well, as it happened, a lot went wrong. The biggest problem was that the kids were bickering...back and forth...fighting, whining...bullying...all day long.

By 4:00 that afternoon -- there was a gigantic Meltdown.  It was bad....crying, yelling, bad language, banging things...a HUGE FIT.

And it was Grandma having it...

Honestly. SHAME ON ME....but, alas, these two angels had worn away my last good nerve. I pitched my huge fit....We were sitting in my parked car at this point....and both kids apologized.

We were sitting by the side of the road...and I knew they were both shocked and sad by my tears (and screaming,and bad language).  I was completely done with the whole day.  Nothing I had planned seemed to suit either one of them....

But, I didn't want my crappy fit to be what they would remember.

So  -- I calmed myself down.  And said something like this..."Okay.  We are going to snatch victory from the jaws of defeat.  I am going to accept your apologies...and we are going to genuinely start over.  We are going to be kind to each other.  No more eye rolling...judgement...snarky comments...pouting...whining...  This is OUR NEW BEGINNING...we have a chance to save this day and make some HAPPY MEMORIES...which is all I want....and the two of you have the power to make that happen..."

My favorite picture from that day.  20 minutes after my Grnadma Meltdown.  Sitting in a booth at Happy Joe's, waiting for our pizza...

Warren's shirt says, "Dear Santa, I can Explain."

The internet said the train would be stopping in Clinton at 6:45 -- near the Sawmill Museum. We had a great parking spot -- right near Happy Joe's pizza...so we decided to order a pizza (to stay warm) until the train came...

The next problem was that THE TRAIN NEVER CAME...ugh...

By 7:00, the crowd we were standing in realized the Canadian Pacific Holiday Train was stopped three miles north of the internet posted location. Ugh. The SHOW, and the FIREWORKS -- was all happening well north of where we were parked and waiting...

But -- with our renewed determination to SAVE THIS DAY...we got back in the car, and decided to CHASE THE TRAIN...because, as it left Clinton, it would be going very near my house in Princeton, Iowa...

At several places, we got really close to the train...

I snapped some pictures out of my window...

At one point, we were traveling at the same speed with the train...

The kids were thrilled...

We chased it for about 15 miles...

My hope is that the three of us remember how, working together, WE SAVED CHRISTMAS...