Day 9 - July 9

Today we packed up from our stay at the Canandaigua KOA to go and visit the town of Arcade, New York, in which Ryan's parents, Robert and Dorothy, are serving as full-time senior missionaries for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. (Visiting them was the primary reason that this entire Epic Family Tour was organized.) Arcade is a small town among many small rural towns south of Rochester, but has some nice features...the most exciting of which for our family is...they operate a pleasure train tour regularly.

Roderic and Hyrum both chose to forego playing Mini Golf at the KOA in order for us to make it to Arcade in time to ride the train at noon.

Riding on the Arcade and Attica Railroad. It seems we're raising at least 3, maybe 4, railroad enthusiasts:
An actual steam engine, built in 1920! Burning coal. Said to be one of the last East of the Mississippi still making regular trips. The whistle is plenty loud at crossings. Thunderously so. Roderic wouldn't take his hands off his ears, but he stood there in awe staring at the wheels and the pistons for 20+ minutes.

They spent the rest of their souvenir money on toy trains: a push-and-go locomotive for Hyrum...

and a LIGOA train set (totally a Chinese knock-off of LEGO) for Roderic. He hasn't stopped building and then tearing apart the thing since, including trying to build it in the car...and at a stop they went scattering all over the floor. And he lost a piece...surprise. He's a LEGO adict, to be sure. But they are very good for him.

After that, we explored the diesel engine and freight cars parked permanently on a siding near the parking for the railroad station. Fun had by ALL!

Next the kids got a Wii break at Grandpa's and Grandma's apartment--the first time they've touched a Wii in a week. Leo had a blast, but needed lots of supervision, because the machine and the controllers are kept down at his level! (At our house, they're 8 feet off the floor.)

Lastly, it was on to eating a relaxing dinner at the Arcade Village Park (thanks Grandpa and Grandma for dinner!), and then playing on the equipment for the next 2 hours. Hoping it would tucker the kids out enough that they'd fall asleep at a decent hour. (That part didn't work out so well.)

Leo climbed up and rode down this slide almost entirely by himself at least 15 times, and would have done it more! (But always with someone right behind him on the way up, to catch him if he were to fall--mind you--but he never actually needed us, as it turned out.)

Later Leo saw the water park. He got wet. It wasn't sooo hot out, but Ryan let him anyway, he's such a softie. Leo is a real go-getter, and can't get enough play in water.

She's gorgeous!

Playing "King of the Mountain".

Grandma loves to give presents to her grandchildren, and this is their first time being with her in 10 months. The excitement of getting presents from her lasted late into the night, despite their early awakening in the morning, the long train ride, and playing at the park!