Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk

The day after Thomas the Train we took the boys to the Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk. This was their first time at the beach and they loved it. We got to the Boardwalk about an hour before it opened and set up camp on the beach. It was cold and foggy but the boys were ready to play. Around lunch time the sun came out and we had a picnic on the beach. We all hung out for a few more hours to play and relax at the beach. Then in the afternoon we left the beach and headed up to the Boardwalk to watch the rides and have some cotton candy. The boys loved the Boardwalk and I think we might have to make another trip to the beach before the summer is over. Enjoy the pics of the beach boys...

Our day out with Thomas the Train

This year we had another GREAT Day Out with Thomas the Train!! Last year we took the boys to the Day Out with Thomas in Woodland, just north of Sacramento. They had a good time last year but us adults were bored out of our minds. In Woodland they had the event in a parking lot of a supposed "train depot" and it was hot, crowded, and the scenery on the train ride was freeway on one side and warehouses on the other...one word...BORING!!!!!!!!! So this year I wanted to take the boys back just because they loved it so much last year, but Patrick said he wasn't going to go back to Woodland. I checked on the Day Out with Thomas website for other locations and I found Roaring Camp Railroads in Felton, CA, up in the Santa Cruz mountains. This was the perfect place so I bought the tickets and we took the boys last weekend!! WOW, Roaring Camp's Day out with Thomas was nothing like Woodland. I mean you can't even compare the 2 locations. It was just beautiful up in the Santa Cruz mountains and the event was spread out around the Roaring Camp location so it never felt crowded at all!! The weather was just perfect and NOTHING could beat the wonderful train ride through the redwood trees..it was just so beautiful. I don't think we will ever go back to Woodland again. So the boys had a great time and us adults had a great time as well...we are definitely going to go back next year to Roaring camps Day out with Thomas!!

Here is Logan when we arrived. Both boys were so excited and couldn't wait. It was hard getting their pictures because they were in shock and had these blank expressions on their faces. Oh well, mom's gotta take a million pictures to remember the event :)

Our family photo with Thomas the Train!!!!!

When we first arrived at Roaring Camp they had us park in this huge dirt parking lot right outside the railroad yard. Then we had to walk up to a "shuttle" train that actually took us into the Roaring Camp location. The shuttle was about a 5 minute train ride and it passed by their train roundhouse where lots of other trains were being worked on and the boys loved it!! It was really nice because the boys got to ride 2 trains that day, the "shuttle" train and Thomas. The above picture is the boys on the "shuttle" train...they are just so excited!!!!!

Here is a picture of the "shuttle" train that took us to the actual Day Out with Thomas site.

The boys right after we got to the Day Out with Thomas site. Logan is excited and Dylan seemed excited too, but also overwhelmed...you can tell by the blank stare...aww, my cute little man, say cheese :)

Dylan getting his awesome Thomas tattoo with daddy. Look at that precious smile...he was loving it!!!!

Mommy's big boy getting his "salty the train" tattoo. Smile, handsome man!!!!

Logan on Thomas the train.

Another family photo...this time on Thomas the train. I know the boys don't look excited in this pic but they couldn't wait for Thomas to start moving!! I think they were still overwhelmed with everything :0

Here's what it looked like with everyone getting on the train ride. I think the train had about 10 or 12 cars hooked up...it was super long!!

Here is the train depot and part of the Roaring Camp location. I just could not get over how nice and beautiful it was and the location could not have been nicer.

Going through the redwood trees. The best part was that pretty much the entire train ride was in the shade and the weather was perfect!! Logan was so cute. At school he was learning about the rain forest so when we started going through the big trees he said, "wow, mommy these trees are huge. I love riding Thomas through the rain forest". I thought it was so cute that he thought we were in the rain forest.

Here is Thomas the train using all his strength to pull us up into the redwood trees of the Santa Cruz mountain. What a strong and reliable engine he is...good job Thomas!!

Just a cute picture of Dylan riding Thomas. He enjoyed the train ride so much and loved looking over the side at all the trees...my little cutie-pie!!

The boys with Sir Topham Hat, the railroad director of the Island of Sodor. It was funny, when we finally go up to Sir Topham Hat the boys didn't want to get near him. So I went up to say "Hi" and shake his hand and when I turned around, both boys were right there and want to say "Hi" too, and we were lucky enough that the boys stayed up there long enough to get a cute pic with him too!!

So we had a REALLY, REALLY, REALLY great time and the boys can't wait to go back next year and see Thomas in the mountains!! Thanks for a wonderful Day Out Thomas...we'll be seeing you next year!!!!!!!!!!!!