cuyahoga valley scenic railroad!

This weekend was our FIFTH anniversary! I can't believe it's been five years. We've decided to go ahead and go for another year since the last five were so great.

The traditional five year gift is something made of "wood". What was I supposed to get for kent? a table? a chair? a wooden statue symbolizing our love? gag. I decided to plan a little trip INTO the woods.

We wanted to go camping- but Kent took his evil surgery shelf test friday- and we didn't have enough time to get things organized. The best present imagineable was having kent all to me for TWO WHOLE days! I haven't had that kind of time with him for months!!! We did go out childless to dinner that night and it was HEAVENLY. Outback is my favorite restaurant ever I think. I should have taken a picture of our food (it was that good) instead of this goofy picture of the two of us.

Saturday morning we woke up and journeyed over to the Cleveland area to take a ride on the Cuyahoga Valley Scenic Railroad that runs through the Cuyahoga Valley National Forest.
It was so much fun. Zeb, obviously, was in absolute heaven. The weather was a little gloomy and rainy- which Kent and I both LOVE- so it worked out great.

We took the train to a little town called Peninsula. Zeb loved just running around on the train tracks!
He also loved playing on the train cars.

The railroad runs through the park parallel to the "towpath trail". It's the old historic channel system that used to allow boats through this part of Ohio. The scenery was stunning. I love the woods. Cuyahoga reminded me so much of the russian forests we ran through on my mission.
We took a six mile run along the towpath trail and then just let Zeb play around on the train tracks and explore a little bit.

Ohio has some of the most beautiful scenery. After two years here I still cannot believe how green it is.

Here's one of the old "locks" for the boats. Kent was absolutely POSITIVE that Zeb was going to tumble over the edge of. I guess it just made me realize how UN nervous I am with our kiddos. I kept telling him that my dad used to sit us on the edge of places like the grand canyon when we were young all the time and none of us ever fell in- but that didn't seem to ease his mind at all.

We boarded the train a few hours later to make the return trip home. The train car we rode in had a little car seat built in! Ike loved staring out the window and Zeb thoroughly enjoyed listening to the audio tour.


We got to walk all around the train and investigate the different cars. My favorite was the dining car. Zeb loved the car full of overpriced souvenirs and toys.
Here's our final picture as we departed the train and finished our day. If anybody comes to visit during the fall months-this train trip will be a must!
Happy five years, ralph! You are the best husband I've ever had.