When Life Hands You Abandoned Uhaul Trailers, You Make a Choo Choo Train

The first time I ever went up to the ranch, I thought to myself, "Wow, it looks like Knott's Berry Farm. It must have taken a long time to haul all these props up here." Being, a "city girl" that did not like roughing it, I was completely out of my element. My summer dress and heels did not mesh well with the uneven dirt roads and the occasional horse poop.

Fast forward a decade and I've finally acclimated to country living. I'm not ashamed to say that my wanna be Ugg boots are not just a fashion statement. They actually see dirt, mud, and the occasional horse poop.

The ranch is a little boys dream come true. Colin and Connor have dogs, horses, chickens, peacocks, goats, hills, rocks, and LOTS of space to run, all at their disposal.

I have to admit, I have my fun as well. A couple of weeks ago Charlie and Lynne said they had a playhouse for Colin and brought this home:

My first thought was "Really? Playhouse?....uh, suuure."

But it did have the perfect shape to be a train. I went home and sketched out a plan. Now it was one thing to picture it in my head and another to make it happen. For the first time ever, I ventured into the "Junk Yard", which is a whole other story in itself, and started the treasure hunt for anything that could turn this abandoned Uhaul trailer into a playhouse.

After finding odds and ends, I rolled up my sleeves, grabbed a paint brush, and got to work. Two weeks later I would like to introduce:

The Wheeler Express

The headlight and "wheels" still need to be attached and I have to paint trains, trucks, and cars along the inside rails. I guess I still have a bit of city girl in me, since I almost wouldn't let Colin into his playhouse last night because his shoes were too muddy!