National Train Day

Did you know that May 8th is National Train Day? Maybe your answer would more likely be "yes" if you were the parent of a little boy. And most likely "yes" if your little boy was obsessed with trains. We fit in this category. So, we went to the Eugene train station to celebrate. Inside the station they had a display with model trains, and they gave away a bag of train-themed goodies: poster, hat, coloring book, etc.

Even the trains root for the Ducks!

Just outside the station they had a bus opened up for touring. Just after trains and trucks, Mateo loves buses and is sure to point one out each time was pass one on the road, so it was a special treat for him to actually get on one and have his way up and down the aisles.

Then, as every good parent would, we let Mateo see the train tracks and climb among them for a while. What's the harm in that? What?
We ended our little adventure just up a way's at Skinner Butte's viewpoint. It's a special place for us as this was where we learned we were having a little boy almost 3 years ago. It was ANOTHER beautiful sunny weekend and the view was gorgeous.

Take me out to the ball game...

We were blessed with another sunny and warm afternoon last Sunday. It was 70 degrees and blue skies and we were not intending to waste any of it! Our pals Alicia and Nick dropped by our house for a quick bbq lunch outside, then we headed over to the new U of O baseball stadium to catch a Duck game vs. USC. The park just opened this year and the Ducks are having a terrific season. They didn't disappoint us as they won 8-4 and we got to witness history as the first grand slam was hit before our eyes.
I'm not sure Mateo was even aware that a game was going on...but he had fun nonetheless. He managed to sit for an entire inning (ha ha) before getting the itch to run around. Fortunately there were lots of stairs and grassy areas to satisfy his urge. Matt and I got our workout in the sun chasing him around.

A highlight of the afternoon is that Matt secured the first foul ball that was hit! Mateo got his very own Ducks baseball!
Keep practicing that throw! You'll be on the mound in no time!
We were all SUPER pooped after the game, and Mateo had powered through his nap time. As you can see, once we got home and settled in on the couch, it wasn't long before we were conked out!

Oregon Coast Aquarium

We woke up to a beautiful, springlike day on Sunday and we knew we couldn't let such great weather/conditions go to waste (I mean, we only get them sporadically around this time of year) so Matt and I thought about a field trip we could go on and decided on the Oregon Coast Aquarium in Newport. We got an early start and headed out for the almost 2 hour car ride which winds through some pretty scenic small towns. Mateo was very excited to point out the cars and trucks he saw along the way. The aquarium has a nice set up for kids: there are several paths/cave-like dwellings that holds sea life in their nooks and crannies. Mateo wasted no time exploring and finding what he could find...





I think my favorite was the sea lion/sea otter exhibit. There were several peak holes where they would just swim by and you could see them either above or under water. They're so cute!

Another highlight is the shark tank with a variety of shark and other ocean fish which I must admit I don't know what they were. But they were fascinating none the less.


Mateo got to touch the sea anenome too. He was at least trying to be gentle. Lots of starfish were in the touch pool too. So pretty!

LOVE the jellyfish.

It was a long and fun day out. We made a pitstop in Corvallis where we let Mateo stretch his legs at the park. A great family outing on such a nice day!