The Great Train Adventure

Just before Christmas we took Noli to "The Trains at NorthPark" -- an exhibit that is at a mall in Dallas. They do this every year and it benefits the Ronald McDonald House.  There are vintage and new trains chugging along all through the exhibit, including round and round a huge Christmas tree! They go past landmarks from Dallas, New York, San Francisco and DC. Everything is handcrafted and totally cool!!

Noli and Papa, ready to go!!

Noli had a blast! We made it a train day -- took the light rail transit into Dallas and then transferred to a bus to ride to the mall. She had never riden either and I think the train was her most favorite thing of the day! Expecially when it went through a tunnel.  Oooo, eerie!!

Arriving in Dallas

The first thing you see is a big wall of these little personalized train cars which have been purchased by people as a donation to Ronald McDonald House.  They were also zooming around the tracks in the central exhibit! A lot of them were donated in the name of a child whose parents stayed in R. McD House while they were in the hospital.

Care for a hamburger?

Cute town scene - most of the buildings in the exhibit are from Snow Village from Department 56. It was fun recognizing them from our displays at the Hallmark/gift shop where I used to work!

Looks real!

New York

San Francisco's Golden Gate Bridge

Downtown Dallas Skyline

Downtown Ball!! It's really the Hyatt Regency but when my son was little he called it the downtown ball and it stuck! 

Here's the real one which we saw when we got off the train in Dallas. The ball part is the restaurant and it rotates and is lit up at night. Really cool looking and a magnificent view! Noli said she already knew all about it because her Daddy had shown it to her as they drove by!  

Big Tex at the Texas State Fair

This is called Cadillac Ranch - it's out in Amarillo, Texas - a whole line of about ten Cadillacs painted and stuck in the ground!

*Every item .99 less or more* Don't you love it?

And the best -- Thomas!

And Noli says phooey on leaving!

We had a really good time -- it's always fun to do something special with Miss Noli!

And the totally best part? We didn't have to drive! We didn't have to find a place to park! Yahoo!!