Train Museum

On Saturday we decided to go check out the Monon Connection Museum in Monon, a little town about an hour north of Lafayette.  (Thanks, Tiffany, for recommending it!)  We weren't sure what to expect, but it turned out to be awesome!  It's this little museum stuffed to bursting with all sorts of train antiques and such.  Our guide was quite serious about his job, really knew his train history, and gave us a very complete tour. 

The museum was just the right size so that the boys didn't get bored before we saw everything.  In fact, they were quite interested in lots of stuff, like the antique cash registers, phonographs, and typewriters.  They understood what the cash registers were, but how do you explain phonographs and typewriters to kids who can't remember life before having a Wii in the home?  (Phonographs - prehistoric MP3 players.  Typewriters - kind of like computers.  But not.)

Here are a few of my favorite and most interesting antiques.  Can you believe that restroom sign?  I mean, I knew they existed, but it's different actually seeing one.

The museum had a great collection of china from the different liners.  My favorite was the corn pattern.  I don't know why but I just love it.  Living in Indiana, I'm pretty sure I need some corn china of my own!

 

Josh wanted his picture taken, but kept giving me strange poses like this.

Yet again with the pose.  Was he cold?  Nervous?  Or just Joshie?  I vote just Joshie.

Joshie overcompensating for Spencer's lack of enthusiasm. 

Spencer the conductor.  "Tickets, please!"

Joshie the conductor.  "All aboard!"  (Right now Joshie's favorite show is "Dinosaur Train" on PBS.  He was pretty excited about all of this.)

Here was Cole's favorite part of the museum - a ramp.  He ran up and down it approximately 428 times in a row.

More poses from Josh.  The tour guide let the boys sit in a little train-like car thingy.  Okay, I never learned what it was.  Some sort of vehicle that drives on tracks.

There we go - a normal pose!  Just ignore Lance wrestling with a rather crabby Cole in the background...

Cole wanted to climb and climb and climb and pull levers that should not be pulled.  You know, typical Cole stuff.

Up in the viewing area of the restored caboose they had out back.  It was pretty cool.

Cole in the caboose, after checking out the potbelly stove.  Could you imagine having a pot belly stove with a toddler around?  Nightmare.  Then again, burning his hands is probably a lesson that even Cole wouldn't have to learn twice.

Coming out of the caboose with Grandpa.

We went to the Whistle Stop Restaurant, which is attached to the museum, after our tour.  The service was TERRIBLE - we waited at our table at least 10 minutes before anyone acknowledged our existence. It wasn't busy; there were only two other families there.  But the food was decent, so I guess that counts for something.

And the day ended with a fun adventure - I was taking Spencer and Josh to the potty before we left.  While we were in there the power went out.  You can imagine the excitement that erupted with that in a windowless bathroom.  Good thing I had my emergency flashlight in my purse.  Moms are better than any Boy Scout - we're prepared for any situation.