Barnes and Noble (and that damn Thomas the Train Table)

I love Barnes and Noble. Before having the psuedo-triplets, it was somewhat of an oasis for me.  I love books, love reading and love coffee. 
Need new reading material?  Head to B&N.
Bored on a rainy weekend afternoon? Head to B&N.
Fight with the hubby? Chill out at B&N for a little while.

It's completely different with three chuckle-heads.  I still get my coffee, but we also must purchase chocolate milk and sugar cookies from the Starbucks cafe.  Then there is story time..no way can all three sit still through an entire story and a craft. And have you ever tried to do three crafts at the same time? While you are helping one color, another is glueing his fingers together, and yet another is terrifying other children with the safety scissors.

And then it's off to the train table.  My kids, especially the boys, love the train table. Many times I have pushed a stroller full of three children screaming out of Barnes and Noble because we only got to play at the table for an hour.

This love for the Thomas table led the hubby and me to a great idea...for their 3rd birthday, we decided to buy the twins their very own Thomas Table! It is awesome. It has bridges and caves and a helipad. The lights flash, parts of the track rattle and whistle when you chug over them.  The kids loved it. For a couple of months. Now it mostly serves as a table for discarded sippy cups. Every now and then there is a renewed interest in it, but it just does not hold the same appeal as that damn Thomas table at B&N! Why would they want to play with a tricked out train table in their own home when they can play with a germ covered, filthy one with six other kids and argue with strangers over who gets Percy and who gets Thomas? And they still complain when it's time to go.

That is, if we make it there at all. Not long ago we were waiting to meet friends for story time. It was a beautiful day and we were meeting outside the store. There are beautiful koi ponds, and turtle ponds with little bridges and small waterfalls. I'm still not quite sure how it happened, but one minute A was right next to me, and then all of a sudden he was in the Koi pond. Yep, he fell in the freakin koi pond. My poor little guy.Thankfully it was only about chest deep and I yanked him right out, but it was somewhat traumatic for him. So we loaded up and headed home. A crying because he was wet and afraid the giant fish would have eaten him had I not pulled him out, and the other two crying because they didn't get to play with that damn Thomas Table.