Trains, New Friends and a Dinner Date

The Farrells made the trek out to the East Bay this weekend and basically showed us a bunch of fun family things to do right in our neighborhood that we had never even heard of...slacker parents! We also got to meet Jack for the first time (slacker friends!)

Here we are at the Steam Trains at Tilden Park. $2 a person (2 and over) and you get a 12 minute ride around the park - lots of fun. Mark and Liz clued us in to the fact that you can actually buy double the tickets and ride around twice without having to get back in line. After the 30-seconds-or-so of awkward when you have to explain to the people waiting for your seats that you are going again it is fabulous!

Hmm, looks like we are more thrilled by the prospect of the upcoming ride than Nikos.

Katie and Brooke join us for the ride.

The Farrells show the novices the ropes.

Brooke and Nikos demand some alone time on their own bench.

Nikos mesmerized by the trees. I think he is going to be an arborist or something, he really loves the outdoors.

Okay, we are approaching the tunnel. All of the veteran parents work it up "here comes the tunnel, here comes the tunnel!" Through the tunnel there's lots of cheering and hollering and good-natured screaming.

Afterwards a bunch of high fives are handed out (I noticed Madison even garnered one!) and I am wildly curious to see the look on Nikos' face. Drumroll...the expression on his face is the same one you would see if he was say, just sitting on the couch. I'm bummed I didn't get a picture of it but I do have he next best thing.

DisneyWorld 2002. Taki and I (followed by my parents) fly down the big hill on Splash Mountain where Taki debuts his deadpan expression. Ah, like father like son.

After enjoying the trains we headed over to Montclair for some Mexican food.

Here's a shot of Brooke and Nikos after Brooke just powered down her mojito while Nikos and his monkey innocently look on.

Hmm, not so innocent now, I think Nikos is giving some sort of rollin' with my homies sign. Alternatively, it is amazing how so soon after the demise of the mojito Brooke takes on the picture of innocence.

Here's a shot of Jack in his mini-straight jacket before leaving to go home. Adorable!