Saturday August 8, 2009
Today we leave Spokane excited to be on the last stretch of our trip. We stop a pretty overlook along the highway, and then drive to Ellensburg where we ate lunch at a BBQ restaurant. The food was very tasty, but we were all sad to be eating our last meal out. We drove to Olympia, dropped Nick off at his house, and then drove home. We all ran in to hug Tata. I find Zuko and kiss him to death (poor kitty).
We begin to unpack, with melancholy feelings. Our adventures are over, but at the same time, it feels so good to be home. I know this is a trip I will remember all my life. There were good times and bad times, but all the experiences will be memories and stories I will tell for the rest of my life.
Wednesday, August 12, 2009
The Last Night
Friday August 7, 2009
We are not sure if we are going to drive home today or just stay somewhere in Eastern Washington. We set out from Missoula after another wonderful Holiday Inn Express breakfast. We were still looking for some horse back riding and our search lead us into a little town called Wallace, Idaho. It is an old mining town, but when we asked about horse back riding, they said that there was none in the area. Dejectedly, we all got back in the car. We drove on until we saw a state park and decided to stop. When we pulled into the parking lot of Old Mission State Park, Mama was surprised to recognize the place. We had stopped here on a previous vacation, but the mission had been closed. After watching the visitor center's movie, we walked up to the mission. It was very beautiful inside, and we were all happy we made this particular stop (Besides Myles who stayed in the car). Since we made these two stops, we decided not to drive all the way home, and instead stop in Spokane, Washington.
When we got to Spokane, we immediately went to have a Costco lunch! Yay! Then we made reservations at the Ramada Inn. It did not have complimentary breakfast, but it did have an awesome giant water slide! Gavyn got to chooses where we went for dinner, and he wanted to do a grocery store dinner. We each got six dollars, and went into Safeway and bought whatever we wanted, as long as we had protein, healthy food, and a drink. Then we drove to the hotel room, and watched the new episode of Psych. Then we went to the pool, which was awesome because it was 8 feet deep. This is the first pool all trip that has been more than 5 feet. The water slide was also fun. We went back up to the room, showered, ate, and played a party game. It was a very fun last night of vacation.
We are not sure if we are going to drive home today or just stay somewhere in Eastern Washington. We set out from Missoula after another wonderful Holiday Inn Express breakfast. We were still looking for some horse back riding and our search lead us into a little town called Wallace, Idaho. It is an old mining town, but when we asked about horse back riding, they said that there was none in the area. Dejectedly, we all got back in the car. We drove on until we saw a state park and decided to stop. When we pulled into the parking lot of Old Mission State Park, Mama was surprised to recognize the place. We had stopped here on a previous vacation, but the mission had been closed. After watching the visitor center's movie, we walked up to the mission. It was very beautiful inside, and we were all happy we made this particular stop (Besides Myles who stayed in the car). Since we made these two stops, we decided not to drive all the way home, and instead stop in Spokane, Washington.
When we got to Spokane, we immediately went to have a Costco lunch! Yay! Then we made reservations at the Ramada Inn. It did not have complimentary breakfast, but it did have an awesome giant water slide! Gavyn got to chooses where we went for dinner, and he wanted to do a grocery store dinner. We each got six dollars, and went into Safeway and bought whatever we wanted, as long as we had protein, healthy food, and a drink. Then we drove to the hotel room, and watched the new episode of Psych. Then we went to the pool, which was awesome because it was 8 feet deep. This is the first pool all trip that has been more than 5 feet. The water slide was also fun. We went back up to the room, showered, ate, and played a party game. It was a very fun last night of vacation.
An Old Fashioned Soda Fountain
Thursday August 6, 2009
Today we planned to drive to Missoula, Montana, which was about a four hour drive. We needed something to brake p the driving, so we decided to stop at a soda fountain that was written about in our road food book. It was called Coles, and it was very cute and old-fashioned. Gavyn had a black and white, Myles had a phosphate, Nick had a Big Sky, I had chocolate ice cream with the special huckleberry sauce, and Mama had a chocolate peanut butter milkshake. It was a fun stop and a very yummy snack.
We drove the rest of the way to Missoula, which turned out to be a very nice college town. We ate a yummy Mexican dinner, and searched for a place to stay. Finally, we decided on the Holiday Inn Express. We had a free night there, and Mama booked the free night online in the lobby of the Holiday Inn Express :). We were very tired because it was very late, so we all went straight to bed.
Today we planned to drive to Missoula, Montana, which was about a four hour drive. We needed something to brake p the driving, so we decided to stop at a soda fountain that was written about in our road food book. It was called Coles, and it was very cute and old-fashioned. Gavyn had a black and white, Myles had a phosphate, Nick had a Big Sky, I had chocolate ice cream with the special huckleberry sauce, and Mama had a chocolate peanut butter milkshake. It was a fun stop and a very yummy snack.
We drove the rest of the way to Missoula, which turned out to be a very nice college town. We ate a yummy Mexican dinner, and searched for a place to stay. Finally, we decided on the Holiday Inn Express. We had a free night there, and Mama booked the free night online in the lobby of the Holiday Inn Express :). We were very tired because it was very late, so we all went straight to bed.
Saturday, August 8, 2009
Theodore Roosevelt National Park
Wednesday August 5, 2009
This morning we woke up, broke down camp, and went in to explore the park. We did part of the senic loopincluding a small hike along the edge of Wind Canyon. Nick was not very happy about how high up we were, but even he could not deny how beautiful the views were. Along the drive we also stopped at a prairie dog town. They were so cute, poking their little heads out of the ground. During the drive, we also saw a herd of Buffalo, a lone wild horse, three wild horses, and a single buffalo right next to the road. It was very pretty, and everyone wished we had a week to spend at beautiful Theodore Roosevelt National Park. We left the park, and drove all the way to Billings. We got a room at the Country Inn and Suites, and then went across the street to eat Chinese food. It was so yummy! Tired and full we went back to the hotel and went to sleep.
This morning we woke up, broke down camp, and went in to explore the park. We did part of the senic loopincluding a small hike along the edge of Wind Canyon. Nick was not very happy about how high up we were, but even he could not deny how beautiful the views were. Along the drive we also stopped at a prairie dog town. They were so cute, poking their little heads out of the ground. During the drive, we also saw a herd of Buffalo, a lone wild horse, three wild horses, and a single buffalo right next to the road. It was very pretty, and everyone wished we had a week to spend at beautiful Theodore Roosevelt National Park. We left the park, and drove all the way to Billings. We got a room at the Country Inn and Suites, and then went across the street to eat Chinese food. It was so yummy! Tired and full we went back to the hotel and went to sleep.
Camping in Medora
Tuesday August 4, 2009
Today, sadly, was mostly a driving day. We drove from Minot to Medora, only stopping to look at some view points. Medora is a small town, right outside of Theodore Roosevelt National Park. We decided to camp there, because it was so beautiful. The overlooks we saw from the freeway were so beautiful. We set up camp, then went in to town and bought hot dogs for Myles and I, and buffalo burgers for Nick, Gavyn, and Chris. We got them cooked over our small fire, and had a satisfying dinner. I was very tired, so I went to bed directly after that. I think that the rest of the family stayed up and played some cards.
Today, sadly, was mostly a driving day. We drove from Minot to Medora, only stopping to look at some view points. Medora is a small town, right outside of Theodore Roosevelt National Park. We decided to camp there, because it was so beautiful. The overlooks we saw from the freeway were so beautiful. We set up camp, then went in to town and bought hot dogs for Myles and I, and buffalo burgers for Nick, Gavyn, and Chris. We got them cooked over our small fire, and had a satisfying dinner. I was very tired, so I went to bed directly after that. I think that the rest of the family stayed up and played some cards.
The Geographical Center of North America
Monday August 3, 2009
After a satisfying continental breakfast, we set out. We decided that today we were going to drive to the geographical center of North America. So instead of driving straight through North Dakota, we drove up to Grand Forks, and then across. Along the way we saw America’s largest structure, which was a TV tower that is 2,063 feet high. Then we continued on, eating lunch from the cooler along Turtle River. After driving for another two hours, we arrived at the geographical center of North America! IT was very fun, especially since earlier in the vacation we stopped at the geographical center of the continental United States. We stayed in Minot, at a creepy hotel called The Vegas. The best part about Minot was the place we went for dinner, a cute little dinner called Krolls. They had delicious milkshakes, and some interesting German Food. It was a weird little place, but the food was good.
After a satisfying continental breakfast, we set out. We decided that today we were going to drive to the geographical center of North America. So instead of driving straight through North Dakota, we drove up to Grand Forks, and then across. Along the way we saw America’s largest structure, which was a TV tower that is 2,063 feet high. Then we continued on, eating lunch from the cooler along Turtle River. After driving for another two hours, we arrived at the geographical center of North America! IT was very fun, especially since earlier in the vacation we stopped at the geographical center of the continental United States. We stayed in Minot, at a creepy hotel called The Vegas. The best part about Minot was the place we went for dinner, a cute little dinner called Krolls. They had delicious milkshakes, and some interesting German Food. It was a weird little place, but the food was good.
Wisconsin Cheese
Sunday, August 2, 2009
Breakfast was rather a disappointment, because the hotel ran out of food. But we ate what we could, and set out towards Minnesota. There was not much of Wisconsin left, so we were looking desperately for cheese. We finally found the Cady Cheese Factory! It was very cute, and of course filled with cheese. We bought some cheese curds to eat, and went back on to the highway. We didn’t make another detour until Minneapolis, where we stopped at the Mall of America. It was huge! The Mall of America had an entire theme park inside of it! We just stopped to eat at its colossal food court. Then Nick bought two new pairs of jeans, and Chris bought some new shampoo. Then we left to see how far we could drive before nightfall. We made it to Fergus Falls, Minnesota. We stayed at an AmercInn, which was actually a very nice hotel.
Breakfast was rather a disappointment, because the hotel ran out of food. But we ate what we could, and set out towards Minnesota. There was not much of Wisconsin left, so we were looking desperately for cheese. We finally found the Cady Cheese Factory! It was very cute, and of course filled with cheese. We bought some cheese curds to eat, and went back on to the highway. We didn’t make another detour until Minneapolis, where we stopped at the Mall of America. It was huge! The Mall of America had an entire theme park inside of it! We just stopped to eat at its colossal food court. Then Nick bought two new pairs of jeans, and Chris bought some new shampoo. Then we left to see how far we could drive before nightfall. We made it to Fergus Falls, Minnesota. We stayed at an AmercInn, which was actually a very nice hotel.
Mount Olympus
Saturday, August 1, 2009
This morning we packed quickly and set off for Mount Olympus Water and Theme Park. When we got there, the first thing we did was ride Hades, the world’s longest underground roller coaster. It was so much fun. When we crested the largest hill, we dropped straight down underground. It was super fun! But, the best part of the park was Poseidon’s Rage. It was the greatest wave pool ever. Every two minutes a nine foot wave would come crashing over us. Because Nick is such a strong swimmer, we always had a place right in the front of the crowd. We spent about two hours in Poseidon’s Rage, and later came back to play in it again. We also went on a lazy river, called The River Troy, which had the fastest current of any lazy river ever.
Mount Olympus Water and Theme Park was really fun. Of course the best part was that is all Greek Mythology, which was very fun. After we shopped for souvenirs, we left the park at about five. We didn’t want to spend another night in Wisconsin Dells because the hotel prices were so high because of all the amusement parks. So we drove for about two hours to Eau Claire, and stayed at an old hotel.
This morning we packed quickly and set off for Mount Olympus Water and Theme Park. When we got there, the first thing we did was ride Hades, the world’s longest underground roller coaster. It was so much fun. When we crested the largest hill, we dropped straight down underground. It was super fun! But, the best part of the park was Poseidon’s Rage. It was the greatest wave pool ever. Every two minutes a nine foot wave would come crashing over us. Because Nick is such a strong swimmer, we always had a place right in the front of the crowd. We spent about two hours in Poseidon’s Rage, and later came back to play in it again. We also went on a lazy river, called The River Troy, which had the fastest current of any lazy river ever.
Mount Olympus Water and Theme Park was really fun. Of course the best part was that is all Greek Mythology, which was very fun. After we shopped for souvenirs, we left the park at about five. We didn’t want to spend another night in Wisconsin Dells because the hotel prices were so high because of all the amusement parks. So we drove for about two hours to Eau Claire, and stayed at an old hotel.
Bye-Bye Logan and Aunty Up
Friday, July 31, 2009
After a breakfast that is noisy and busy (our hotel appears to be taken over by a teenage boy baseball tournament and there really isn’t enough food), we say our goodbyes to Aunty Up, Uncle Tom and Logan. They are off to sight-see in Chicago and we are on our way west to visit Wisconsin Dells. While the kids pack the room, Mama takes Big Red to Jiffy Lube for an oil change and to have the fluids and tires checked. Just before we scoot out we book a free room at the Holiday Inn in Wisconsin Dells – we earned two so far this vacation, and we hit the road. We have some more space in the van, but we are sad. Unfortunately our 3 hours drive stretches to 5 when we hit massive traffic in a construction zone, We spend 45 minutes actually parked on the freeway. Good thing we are not in a hurry. We arrive at Wisconsin Dells and check in to the hotel. It is about 5pm. The reason we are visiting this town is because it is famous for its water parks and other kid amusements. We debate whether we should head to the kids preferred destination – Mt. Olympus Water Park and Theme Park for the evening or wait until morning. We are tired, so the kids opt to eat leftover deep dish pizza for dinner, and then go for a swim in the hotel pool which is enormous and does have water slides. We tuck in early and prepare for a busy day tomorrow.
After a breakfast that is noisy and busy (our hotel appears to be taken over by a teenage boy baseball tournament and there really isn’t enough food), we say our goodbyes to Aunty Up, Uncle Tom and Logan. They are off to sight-see in Chicago and we are on our way west to visit Wisconsin Dells. While the kids pack the room, Mama takes Big Red to Jiffy Lube for an oil change and to have the fluids and tires checked. Just before we scoot out we book a free room at the Holiday Inn in Wisconsin Dells – we earned two so far this vacation, and we hit the road. We have some more space in the van, but we are sad. Unfortunately our 3 hours drive stretches to 5 when we hit massive traffic in a construction zone, We spend 45 minutes actually parked on the freeway. Good thing we are not in a hurry. We arrive at Wisconsin Dells and check in to the hotel. It is about 5pm. The reason we are visiting this town is because it is famous for its water parks and other kid amusements. We debate whether we should head to the kids preferred destination – Mt. Olympus Water Park and Theme Park for the evening or wait until morning. We are tired, so the kids opt to eat leftover deep dish pizza for dinner, and then go for a swim in the hotel pool which is enormous and does have water slides. We tuck in early and prepare for a busy day tomorrow.
Chicago Deep Dish Pizza
Thursday, July 30, 2009
First we wanted to give a shout out to our friend Mona W. who celebrated a birthday today. Hope it was a great one. In the morning we broke camp and spent a little extra time sorting and re-packing the car. Today we journey to the Chicago area and that is where Aunty Up and Logan will be leaving our adventure. We needed to extract their stuff and get them ready to leave. Everyone is sad because this is our last day together. Mama will miss the adult company. It will be sad not to hear Logan’s suggestions for dinner and his interesting comments on what we see and do. We decide to drive to skirt Chicago – the kids give thumbs down to exploring another big city, so we choose to go to Joliet to a hotel near I-55 so Uncle Tom will not have trouble meeting us. We arrive with no problems, to find that Tom has beaten us to our destination and we quickly settle in. The kids run to swim in the pool! We decide to go out and sample Chicago deep dish pizza. We end up at a little bar – Maurie’s Table. The kids play some video games and enjoy some appetizers as we wait an almost endless 40 minutes for our pizza to cook. We agree that it is delicious but there is a lot of it left over. Deep dish pizza is filling! We get back to the hotel quite late. A rousing pillow fight marks Logan’s last night with us and we all tuck in.
First we wanted to give a shout out to our friend Mona W. who celebrated a birthday today. Hope it was a great one. In the morning we broke camp and spent a little extra time sorting and re-packing the car. Today we journey to the Chicago area and that is where Aunty Up and Logan will be leaving our adventure. We needed to extract their stuff and get them ready to leave. Everyone is sad because this is our last day together. Mama will miss the adult company. It will be sad not to hear Logan’s suggestions for dinner and his interesting comments on what we see and do. We decide to drive to skirt Chicago – the kids give thumbs down to exploring another big city, so we choose to go to Joliet to a hotel near I-55 so Uncle Tom will not have trouble meeting us. We arrive with no problems, to find that Tom has beaten us to our destination and we quickly settle in. The kids run to swim in the pool! We decide to go out and sample Chicago deep dish pizza. We end up at a little bar – Maurie’s Table. The kids play some video games and enjoy some appetizers as we wait an almost endless 40 minutes for our pizza to cook. We agree that it is delicious but there is a lot of it left over. Deep dish pizza is filling! We get back to the hotel quite late. A rousing pillow fight marks Logan’s last night with us and we all tuck in.
Friday, July 31, 2009
Amish Food
Wednesday July 29, 2009
What can you do to follow up on a silly day spent in Hell? Well, you can drive to Amish Country! Really, we decided to go to the Indian Sand Dunes National Lakeshore to let the kids see a Great Lake up close, but while searching our resource books for a good place to eat lunch we settled on a restaurant in Middlebury, IN. The Garmin who is helping direct our adventure told us it was only a 40 min detour on the way to the lakeshore. So off we went on a series of ever shrinking country roads through rural Michigan and Indiana. There sure are a lot of fields out there. We past many beautiful farms and we were getting worried when we finally arrived at the Village Inn. I was a tiny café in a small town. Our server was indeed a young Amish girl and the ladies busy in the kitchen were Amish too. We arrived at the perfect time for a combination lunch/dinner – lupper, spinner?? Everyone was hungry and happy to realize their varied menu did not force us all to eat dreaded Amish specialties. Aunty Up reviewed the menu and ordered a serving of pretzel bread. She then offered it for tastes and suddenly everyone was on board for Amish deliciousness. Sandwiches, burgers, and all tasty treats were served to kids on pretzel bread, while the adults enjoyed potato-bacon soup, fried chicken and a mish-mash of scalloped potatoes and ham. We saw horse and buggies rolling on the road, to complete our Amish experience. One thing is for sure, we will be searching for the recipe for pretzel bread! Then we realized that we were passing a time change and so we had an extra hour to drive to the Indiana shore. When we arrived to the park we checked out the campsites but decided to opt for a local campground with electricity and the kids nicely set up camp. We had trouble getting a fire going due to wet wood but otherwise our day ended on a nice note will all of us just having a snack because we were still full from our big lunch.
What can you do to follow up on a silly day spent in Hell? Well, you can drive to Amish Country! Really, we decided to go to the Indian Sand Dunes National Lakeshore to let the kids see a Great Lake up close, but while searching our resource books for a good place to eat lunch we settled on a restaurant in Middlebury, IN. The Garmin who is helping direct our adventure told us it was only a 40 min detour on the way to the lakeshore. So off we went on a series of ever shrinking country roads through rural Michigan and Indiana. There sure are a lot of fields out there. We past many beautiful farms and we were getting worried when we finally arrived at the Village Inn. I was a tiny café in a small town. Our server was indeed a young Amish girl and the ladies busy in the kitchen were Amish too. We arrived at the perfect time for a combination lunch/dinner – lupper, spinner?? Everyone was hungry and happy to realize their varied menu did not force us all to eat dreaded Amish specialties. Aunty Up reviewed the menu and ordered a serving of pretzel bread. She then offered it for tastes and suddenly everyone was on board for Amish deliciousness. Sandwiches, burgers, and all tasty treats were served to kids on pretzel bread, while the adults enjoyed potato-bacon soup, fried chicken and a mish-mash of scalloped potatoes and ham. We saw horse and buggies rolling on the road, to complete our Amish experience. One thing is for sure, we will be searching for the recipe for pretzel bread! Then we realized that we were passing a time change and so we had an extra hour to drive to the Indiana shore. When we arrived to the park we checked out the campsites but decided to opt for a local campground with electricity and the kids nicely set up camp. We had trouble getting a fire going due to wet wood but otherwise our day ended on a nice note will all of us just having a snack because we were still full from our big lunch.
This Vacation Has Gone to Hell!
Tuesday July 28, 2009
Today we divided up and Mama took the boys – Myles and Gavyn – to the Professional Football Hall of Fame. They really enjoyed the museum and the Hall of Fame, and learned a lot about the game they enjoy watching so much. The gift shop made them very sad because everything was so expensive. While they were begging for $80 dollar shirts and $50 dollar footballs the rest of the family was hanging around at a park that turned out to be the final resting place of President McKinley. Go figure. When we regrouped everyone was hungry so we picked a restaurant out to the list the Garmin provided and went to a cute little diner. The food was very good and Myles especially enjoyed a delicious BLT that he pronounced was “to die for good.” After being in the car for over a month we decided that we didn’t have far to go to get to hell so we headed for Hell, Michigan. The drive was very scenic and we ended up arriving a dusk at the three buildings that comprise the town of Hell. One of them was a very kitchy gift shop specializing in all things hellacious. We got lots of giggles out of the visit and kids had ice cream with toppings scooped from bowls resting in a coffin! We had fun but then were stuck in the middle of Hell with nowhere to sleep. We drove a bit more to nearby Chelsea and spent the night in a motel that boasted a Swiss Chalet style. Quite a contrast! So now you all know folks who have been to Hell (MI) and back!
Today we divided up and Mama took the boys – Myles and Gavyn – to the Professional Football Hall of Fame. They really enjoyed the museum and the Hall of Fame, and learned a lot about the game they enjoy watching so much. The gift shop made them very sad because everything was so expensive. While they were begging for $80 dollar shirts and $50 dollar footballs the rest of the family was hanging around at a park that turned out to be the final resting place of President McKinley. Go figure. When we regrouped everyone was hungry so we picked a restaurant out to the list the Garmin provided and went to a cute little diner. The food was very good and Myles especially enjoyed a delicious BLT that he pronounced was “to die for good.” After being in the car for over a month we decided that we didn’t have far to go to get to hell so we headed for Hell, Michigan. The drive was very scenic and we ended up arriving a dusk at the three buildings that comprise the town of Hell. One of them was a very kitchy gift shop specializing in all things hellacious. We got lots of giggles out of the visit and kids had ice cream with toppings scooped from bowls resting in a coffin! We had fun but then were stuck in the middle of Hell with nowhere to sleep. We drove a bit more to nearby Chelsea and spent the night in a motel that boasted a Swiss Chalet style. Quite a contrast! So now you all know folks who have been to Hell (MI) and back!
Failure National Park
Monday July 27, 2009
Today was mostly a driving day. We drove from Niagara Falls, New York to Canton, Ohio. We tried to do some sightseeing by stopping at Cuyahoga Valley National Park. But we missed/ couldn’t find the visitors center. While everyone was discussing what to do next, I got out and walked down to look at the river. It was very pretty. There was also a very nice bike path, with a little bridge that went over the river. I was sad when we had to leave. It was a very weird national park though, because there was a town in the middle of it. Anyway, we decided to continue to Canton, to the Country Inn and Suites where we were staying. We dropped off our stuff there, and then went to Chick-Fil-A, a fast food place popular in the south and the mid-west. Nobody liked it very much, but it was interesting to try. Mama, especially likes their advertising campaign that features cows trying to convince everyone to “eat more chickin.” We returned to the hotel, swam, and got hot, fresh chocolate chip cookies for a late night snack.
Today was mostly a driving day. We drove from Niagara Falls, New York to Canton, Ohio. We tried to do some sightseeing by stopping at Cuyahoga Valley National Park. But we missed/ couldn’t find the visitors center. While everyone was discussing what to do next, I got out and walked down to look at the river. It was very pretty. There was also a very nice bike path, with a little bridge that went over the river. I was sad when we had to leave. It was a very weird national park though, because there was a town in the middle of it. Anyway, we decided to continue to Canton, to the Country Inn and Suites where we were staying. We dropped off our stuff there, and then went to Chick-Fil-A, a fast food place popular in the south and the mid-west. Nobody liked it very much, but it was interesting to try. Mama, especially likes their advertising campaign that features cows trying to convince everyone to “eat more chickin.” We returned to the hotel, swam, and got hot, fresh chocolate chip cookies for a late night snack.
Niagara Falls
Sunday July 26, 2009
We have three bags full of dirty laundry. Yesterday, when Kim was at the hotel, she did some loads, but the washing machine broke! So this morning we went to a Laundromat and spent an hour at least washing clothes. Then we went to the mall, got a small snack, and Nick bought Pokémon Platinum (a D.S. game), so he would not feel left out while the rest of the boys played their Pokémon Games. Finally, we set out for Niagara Falls. We did not arrive at Niagara Falls until six in the evening. We saw the falls, which were breathtakingly gorgeous, and decided that we had to ride the Maid of the Mist. The Maid of the Mist is the boat that goes right next to the falls. It was very fun, and widely thought of as the best view of the falls. I thought it was cool, but I was rather upset as how wet I got. I thought the best view was from the lookout point, because down in the boat there was a lot of spray so it was hard to see. All-in-all everyone really liked Niagara Falls. After a stop at the gift shop, we went out to Vincenzo’s pizza. It was very late when we ate, but very good pizza. By the time we got to the small motel, everyone was exhausted.
We have three bags full of dirty laundry. Yesterday, when Kim was at the hotel, she did some loads, but the washing machine broke! So this morning we went to a Laundromat and spent an hour at least washing clothes. Then we went to the mall, got a small snack, and Nick bought Pokémon Platinum (a D.S. game), so he would not feel left out while the rest of the boys played their Pokémon Games. Finally, we set out for Niagara Falls. We did not arrive at Niagara Falls until six in the evening. We saw the falls, which were breathtakingly gorgeous, and decided that we had to ride the Maid of the Mist. The Maid of the Mist is the boat that goes right next to the falls. It was very fun, and widely thought of as the best view of the falls. I thought it was cool, but I was rather upset as how wet I got. I thought the best view was from the lookout point, because down in the boat there was a lot of spray so it was hard to see. All-in-all everyone really liked Niagara Falls. After a stop at the gift shop, we went out to Vincenzo’s pizza. It was very late when we ate, but very good pizza. By the time we got to the small motel, everyone was exhausted.
THe University of Rochester
Saturday July 25, 2009
Today Chris got to show us her college, The University of Rochester. However, we started the day with a wonderful Holiday Inn breakfast. There was an omelet bar! After Kim and Logan opted to stay at the hotel, Chris took us off to meet her college roommate and friend, Donna and her husband Kevin. We talked with them, and decided to meet up again for dinner in the evening. Then Chris took us to see the College she went to. The University of Rochester is very, very beautiful. Chris showed us the Library, which was my favorite part. It had so many books, and was full of beautiful art and sculptures. After walking around the campus, we went back to the car and drove by Chris’ old apartment and Mike’s medical building (he also went to college the UofR). Then we went back to the hotel for a swim in the pool, which was very fun. After showering, we went out to dinner with Donna and Kevin, at a place called the Distillery. The burgers were delicious! We sadly said goodbye to them, and set off for Chris’ other friends house, Anita. When we got there, she had fresh brownies made for us. They were delicious. Anita and Ray (her husband) were incredibly nice. It was a great day, meeting some of Chris’ friends and seeing her college. Rochester Rocks!
Today Chris got to show us her college, The University of Rochester. However, we started the day with a wonderful Holiday Inn breakfast. There was an omelet bar! After Kim and Logan opted to stay at the hotel, Chris took us off to meet her college roommate and friend, Donna and her husband Kevin. We talked with them, and decided to meet up again for dinner in the evening. Then Chris took us to see the College she went to. The University of Rochester is very, very beautiful. Chris showed us the Library, which was my favorite part. It had so many books, and was full of beautiful art and sculptures. After walking around the campus, we went back to the car and drove by Chris’ old apartment and Mike’s medical building (he also went to college the UofR). Then we went back to the hotel for a swim in the pool, which was very fun. After showering, we went out to dinner with Donna and Kevin, at a place called the Distillery. The burgers were delicious! We sadly said goodbye to them, and set off for Chris’ other friends house, Anita. When we got there, she had fresh brownies made for us. They were delicious. Anita and Ray (her husband) were incredibly nice. It was a great day, meeting some of Chris’ friends and seeing her college. Rochester Rocks!
Sunday, July 26, 2009
We Drive
Friday July 24, 2009
Today we wake up in our adorable, but old cottages and find that it is pouring outside. Yuck!! We are all almost totally out of clean clothes and the rain makes everything damp. Aunty Up cooks us pancakes and bacon and invites us two at a time to breakfast in her cottage. It is good and we supplement the pancakes with cereal. We manage to stuff everything into the van. We end up running around barefoot because there are mini-lakes around the car. Good thing we did not camp!! Not good for the budget, of course. So we decide to head toward Rochester, NY our next destination for sightseeing. It is a long drive but it is raining and no-one wants to doodle around outside. Kids settle in with their books, electronic amusements and Mama heads west. We stop outside Springfield Massachusetts for a pizza lunch break. We enjoy wood-fired pizza, except for Myles who doesn’t get enough pepperoni on his. The restaurant – Bertucci’s – also serves us delicious fresh rolls, with seasoned oil for dipping and all the salad we can eat. We leave and head west again. The driving is OK but we are seeing lots of traffic. However after we cross into New York the going smoothes out and after a weird dinner at a rest stop from the beleaguered cooler and picnic basket we make it to Rochester. We get very nice rooms at a Holiday Inn (free upgrade to suites) and after a little fun jumping on the beds settle down to sleep.
Today we wake up in our adorable, but old cottages and find that it is pouring outside. Yuck!! We are all almost totally out of clean clothes and the rain makes everything damp. Aunty Up cooks us pancakes and bacon and invites us two at a time to breakfast in her cottage. It is good and we supplement the pancakes with cereal. We manage to stuff everything into the van. We end up running around barefoot because there are mini-lakes around the car. Good thing we did not camp!! Not good for the budget, of course. So we decide to head toward Rochester, NY our next destination for sightseeing. It is a long drive but it is raining and no-one wants to doodle around outside. Kids settle in with their books, electronic amusements and Mama heads west. We stop outside Springfield Massachusetts for a pizza lunch break. We enjoy wood-fired pizza, except for Myles who doesn’t get enough pepperoni on his. The restaurant – Bertucci’s – also serves us delicious fresh rolls, with seasoned oil for dipping and all the salad we can eat. We leave and head west again. The driving is OK but we are seeing lots of traffic. However after we cross into New York the going smoothes out and after a weird dinner at a rest stop from the beleaguered cooler and picnic basket we make it to Rochester. We get very nice rooms at a Holiday Inn (free upgrade to suites) and after a little fun jumping on the beds settle down to sleep.
Logan's Brithday
Thursday July 23, 2009
Today we can’t seem to get the kids moving. Kautsky’s are grumpy, tired and just want to head home. Too bad because today is Logan’s 7th birthday and Mama is on a mission to make it a good one. After all he is on a road trip with us and not home with his Dad. The adults head off to get some groceries and it is hard to find a store in Salem. We end up running late and ask the kids to help pack since we are to check out by 11AM. Not a good plan; everyone gets upset and let us just say we agree to have a “do over” load the car in record speed and head for Maine! We had planned to drive to Acadia National Park before turning wheels west, but kids are tired, not too happy so we decide to spend one day in Maine and then start home. No Acadia for us. However, we do go to Ogunquit Beach a totally awesome sand bar with big waves. Logan and Myles both love it. Lydia spends the time defending our food supply from very aggressive seagulls who managed to steal a whole bag of pita chips and try to get away with a box of blueberries! Logan built a huge sand fort and then dug a hole in the dry sand and got buried. Myles and Gavyn drew a super-big Pikachu in the sand…only visible to airplanes and seagulls. We shopped for gift shop goodies and then headed to the famous Maine Diner in Wells, Maine for dinner. We enjoyed delicious fired clams and assorted diner classics in a celebratory dinner for Logan’s day. Then we set out to find a place to stay. We really wanted to camp and Chris found a campground with tent sites on the beach but skies were dark and rain threatens so we opt for this super-kitchy old motel with cottages. We settle in and sure enough it begins to rain. That does not stop us from bringing a lighted birthday cake and presents to Logan. We all sing and enjoy him trying to blow out candles that stay lit. He is very funny trying to blow them out to. He seems to be very pleased with his gifts of a sea creature DS game from us and a couple of awesome books about the ocean from the teenagers. Happy 7th Birthday Logan! We are so happy to share this day with you.
Today we can’t seem to get the kids moving. Kautsky’s are grumpy, tired and just want to head home. Too bad because today is Logan’s 7th birthday and Mama is on a mission to make it a good one. After all he is on a road trip with us and not home with his Dad. The adults head off to get some groceries and it is hard to find a store in Salem. We end up running late and ask the kids to help pack since we are to check out by 11AM. Not a good plan; everyone gets upset and let us just say we agree to have a “do over” load the car in record speed and head for Maine! We had planned to drive to Acadia National Park before turning wheels west, but kids are tired, not too happy so we decide to spend one day in Maine and then start home. No Acadia for us. However, we do go to Ogunquit Beach a totally awesome sand bar with big waves. Logan and Myles both love it. Lydia spends the time defending our food supply from very aggressive seagulls who managed to steal a whole bag of pita chips and try to get away with a box of blueberries! Logan built a huge sand fort and then dug a hole in the dry sand and got buried. Myles and Gavyn drew a super-big Pikachu in the sand…only visible to airplanes and seagulls. We shopped for gift shop goodies and then headed to the famous Maine Diner in Wells, Maine for dinner. We enjoyed delicious fired clams and assorted diner classics in a celebratory dinner for Logan’s day. Then we set out to find a place to stay. We really wanted to camp and Chris found a campground with tent sites on the beach but skies were dark and rain threatens so we opt for this super-kitchy old motel with cottages. We settle in and sure enough it begins to rain. That does not stop us from bringing a lighted birthday cake and presents to Logan. We all sing and enjoy him trying to blow out candles that stay lit. He is very funny trying to blow them out to. He seems to be very pleased with his gifts of a sea creature DS game from us and a couple of awesome books about the ocean from the teenagers. Happy 7th Birthday Logan! We are so happy to share this day with you.
The Freedom Trail
Wednesday July 22, 2009
Aunty Up decided that she and Logan would hang at the hotel today so the rest of us headed downtown to walk Boston’s famous Freedom Trail. It is a very weird national park that leads people from Boston Commons (the oldest park in the US founded in 1634) along several miles of Boston’s old town connecting many famous historic buildings. We did not make it all the way to the end, but we saw many sights and learned a lot. We stopped for lunch at the Quincy market – which took a long time and was very crowded. We were told by the food court folks that it was actually a very mellow day and that was just mind-boggling, since we were in a crowd of jostling, hungry folks. The Freedom Trail wandered through Little Italy so we had a cannoli and continued. After seeing the Old North Church we made our way back via Metro to the hotel. It was after 4pm and we met up with Aunty Up and Logan. Once again the van would not start. We managed to jump it and after a stop for Gavyn to get a souvenier Patriot’s shirt we headed out of Boston. Myles was in an especially bad mood and that made all of us touchy and upset. But Mama headed to Walden Pond State Park. Due to traffic and our delayed departure we got there about 7pm and the boys took a very short swim and some of us ate dinner. We slid out of the park 8 minutes before it closed and made our way to Salem. We passed the Minuteman National Park but it was so late we just looked out of the window at the Lexington Battlefield. It gave Aunty Up and Mama shivers to see the very place where the Revolution started. Too much to do, not enough time! We ended our day in a cute motel – The Clipper Ship Inn near Salem.
Aunty Up decided that she and Logan would hang at the hotel today so the rest of us headed downtown to walk Boston’s famous Freedom Trail. It is a very weird national park that leads people from Boston Commons (the oldest park in the US founded in 1634) along several miles of Boston’s old town connecting many famous historic buildings. We did not make it all the way to the end, but we saw many sights and learned a lot. We stopped for lunch at the Quincy market – which took a long time and was very crowded. We were told by the food court folks that it was actually a very mellow day and that was just mind-boggling, since we were in a crowd of jostling, hungry folks. The Freedom Trail wandered through Little Italy so we had a cannoli and continued. After seeing the Old North Church we made our way back via Metro to the hotel. It was after 4pm and we met up with Aunty Up and Logan. Once again the van would not start. We managed to jump it and after a stop for Gavyn to get a souvenier Patriot’s shirt we headed out of Boston. Myles was in an especially bad mood and that made all of us touchy and upset. But Mama headed to Walden Pond State Park. Due to traffic and our delayed departure we got there about 7pm and the boys took a very short swim and some of us ate dinner. We slid out of the park 8 minutes before it closed and made our way to Salem. We passed the Minuteman National Park but it was so late we just looked out of the window at the Lexington Battlefield. It gave Aunty Up and Mama shivers to see the very place where the Revolution started. Too much to do, not enough time! We ended our day in a cute motel – The Clipper Ship Inn near Salem.
The Boston Aquarium
Tuesday July 21, 2009
We were all so tired that we got quite a late start, catching the tail end of the “famous” Holiday Inn Express complimentary breakfast. Boston was waiting for us but so was pouring rain. We donned long pants, closed shoes and rain jackets and set off for the famous New England Aquarium. We were supposed to take the metro, but the hotel shuttle guy drove us straight there for a little extra money. Today was a special treat for Logan, as he loves all things ocean, especially octopi. The rest of the boys decided to tag along, because it sounded like fun. Our teenagers, however, connected with Nick’s former Nanny - Aubrey and set off to explore the city with her. The Aquarium was very crowded at first and it was hard to see many of the exhibits. Due to the rain it had been taken over by the stroller set, and about 50 daycamps. We escaped to a lunch out in the town and unfortunately my boys did not behave very well. Too much vacation, perhaps? Aunty Up and Logan decided to hang out on their own for a while. I scolded my boys and they apologized, and we went back to the Aquarium which had emptied out quite a bit and had a nicer afternoon. The teenagers reappeared around 5pm toting loot from an unexpected stop at a mall. We hung around the area after the Aquarium closed for a special treat for Mama. At 7pm we went to see the new Star Trek movie in IMAX. Wow. It was the best Star Trek movie ever made and Mama and Aunty Up had the best time ever. Cheering and clapping and enjoying a totally awesome addition to the mythology that we grew up with. Sure hope they make a new series or at least another movie. The kids liked it too and we had the best evening of the trip after the movie. We stopped for ice cream, played in the fountain downtown and had fun on the Metro as we headed back to the hotel for our second night.
We were all so tired that we got quite a late start, catching the tail end of the “famous” Holiday Inn Express complimentary breakfast. Boston was waiting for us but so was pouring rain. We donned long pants, closed shoes and rain jackets and set off for the famous New England Aquarium. We were supposed to take the metro, but the hotel shuttle guy drove us straight there for a little extra money. Today was a special treat for Logan, as he loves all things ocean, especially octopi. The rest of the boys decided to tag along, because it sounded like fun. Our teenagers, however, connected with Nick’s former Nanny - Aubrey and set off to explore the city with her. The Aquarium was very crowded at first and it was hard to see many of the exhibits. Due to the rain it had been taken over by the stroller set, and about 50 daycamps. We escaped to a lunch out in the town and unfortunately my boys did not behave very well. Too much vacation, perhaps? Aunty Up and Logan decided to hang out on their own for a while. I scolded my boys and they apologized, and we went back to the Aquarium which had emptied out quite a bit and had a nicer afternoon. The teenagers reappeared around 5pm toting loot from an unexpected stop at a mall. We hung around the area after the Aquarium closed for a special treat for Mama. At 7pm we went to see the new Star Trek movie in IMAX. Wow. It was the best Star Trek movie ever made and Mama and Aunty Up had the best time ever. Cheering and clapping and enjoying a totally awesome addition to the mythology that we grew up with. Sure hope they make a new series or at least another movie. The kids liked it too and we had the best evening of the trip after the movie. We stopped for ice cream, played in the fountain downtown and had fun on the Metro as we headed back to the hotel for our second night.
'56 Jag
Monday July 20, 2009
This morning we got up ate a quick breakfast of cereal and then waited excitedly for a ride in Uncle Ernie’s beautifully restored 1956 Jaguar roadster. Mama and Aunty Up remember this car very well when, as children, they used to see it outside Kinematics - Uncle Ernie’s business. It sure has come a long way from the rusty body that sat outside. It was a dream come true just to sit in it. Each of us got to take a short ride! Uncle Ernie did an amazing job on the restoration work and it is truly beautiful! It was fun to zoom along with the wind in your hair. What a treat! We then packed the car again. Uncle Ernie checked our tire pressure and filled the window washing fluid for us. We set off to tour the Westerly Armory, where Uncle Ernie has been volunteering. It turned out to be a very interesting local history museum dedicated to service men from Westerly. We got the insiders tour and went from the top of the tower to the very scary furnace room in the basement. The kids enjoyed the collection of memorabilia which included uniforms, biographies of local military heroes, some awesome models of military airplanes, and even a GI Joe. Roberta, our tour guide, provided the kids with juice, soda, and donuts. It was an unexpected and interesting stop. We had Uncle Ernie lead us to a local grocery store and then we said goodbye, headed for Boston. The kids were hungry, however, so we decided to stop at a park to have a late lunch…well that somehow ended up with us back at the beach. Most of the kids had fun – Lydia is never excited about swimming – but it was a very crowed spot. So we arrived at a Holiday Inn Express quite late very grumpy and tired.
This morning we got up ate a quick breakfast of cereal and then waited excitedly for a ride in Uncle Ernie’s beautifully restored 1956 Jaguar roadster. Mama and Aunty Up remember this car very well when, as children, they used to see it outside Kinematics - Uncle Ernie’s business. It sure has come a long way from the rusty body that sat outside. It was a dream come true just to sit in it. Each of us got to take a short ride! Uncle Ernie did an amazing job on the restoration work and it is truly beautiful! It was fun to zoom along with the wind in your hair. What a treat! We then packed the car again. Uncle Ernie checked our tire pressure and filled the window washing fluid for us. We set off to tour the Westerly Armory, where Uncle Ernie has been volunteering. It turned out to be a very interesting local history museum dedicated to service men from Westerly. We got the insiders tour and went from the top of the tower to the very scary furnace room in the basement. The kids enjoyed the collection of memorabilia which included uniforms, biographies of local military heroes, some awesome models of military airplanes, and even a GI Joe. Roberta, our tour guide, provided the kids with juice, soda, and donuts. It was an unexpected and interesting stop. We had Uncle Ernie lead us to a local grocery store and then we said goodbye, headed for Boston. The kids were hungry, however, so we decided to stop at a park to have a late lunch…well that somehow ended up with us back at the beach. Most of the kids had fun – Lydia is never excited about swimming – but it was a very crowed spot. So we arrived at a Holiday Inn Express quite late very grumpy and tired.
Arriving at Uncle Ernie's
Sunday July 19, 2009
Today we packed the car and said a sad goodbye to our Nana. We were a bit crowded at her house but we had so much fun enjoying all the NY area has to offer and being together. After lots of hugs, we set off toward New England. We took a lovely scenic drive through Connecticut along the Merrit Parkway and there was cheering from the back seat when we finally spied the ocean. We arrived at Uncle Ernie’s right around dinner time. He is Mama’s great uncle – her PopPop’s brother. He lives in a lovely home with large grounds. The adults thought the screened in porch with the view of the bay was a great place to hang out, but the kids were all about the basement. Down under the house the boys found a ping-pong table and cool bedroom waiting for them. The most exciting part of the basement, aside from a very tiny and rustic bathroom, was a genuine, well appointed bomb shelter. We all went inside and tried to imagine living in that room. It has a hand crank air filter and a pump to supply water. Weird but very cool! We piled into the van and went to dinner at Ninety-Nine. We were a big and noisy group and Uncle Ernie enjoyed the antics of the kids at dinner. We stayed up pretty late sharing news and hearing stories of Uncle Ernie’s very interesting life. Lydia was very happy to get to sleep in an antique canopy bed. Aside from missing Nana, it was a very good day!
Today we packed the car and said a sad goodbye to our Nana. We were a bit crowded at her house but we had so much fun enjoying all the NY area has to offer and being together. After lots of hugs, we set off toward New England. We took a lovely scenic drive through Connecticut along the Merrit Parkway and there was cheering from the back seat when we finally spied the ocean. We arrived at Uncle Ernie’s right around dinner time. He is Mama’s great uncle – her PopPop’s brother. He lives in a lovely home with large grounds. The adults thought the screened in porch with the view of the bay was a great place to hang out, but the kids were all about the basement. Down under the house the boys found a ping-pong table and cool bedroom waiting for them. The most exciting part of the basement, aside from a very tiny and rustic bathroom, was a genuine, well appointed bomb shelter. We all went inside and tried to imagine living in that room. It has a hand crank air filter and a pump to supply water. Weird but very cool! We piled into the van and went to dinner at Ninety-Nine. We were a big and noisy group and Uncle Ernie enjoyed the antics of the kids at dinner. We stayed up pretty late sharing news and hearing stories of Uncle Ernie’s very interesting life. Lydia was very happy to get to sleep in an antique canopy bed. Aside from missing Nana, it was a very good day!
Hayden Planatarium
Saturday July 18, 2009
We wake up with sore feet and nearly empty wallets, but we know that there was so much in New York we did not see. Myles is very sad not to have seen the Planetarium, which Mama had promised, so we load back up and head back to the Big Apple! Today is Saturday so the traffic is more mellow. Logan elects to stay behind with Nana so it is a smaller party who journeys to Central Park West. But first we journey all the way to Battery Park to see the Statue of Liberty, from afar, and to drive by Ground Zero. We get snagged by NYPD for parking (with about 20 other cars) in a very poorly marked transit zone. But it is almost worth it. The Battery area has been transformed into a real park and NY has a definite West Coast vibe as tons of families are out enjoying the beautiful day. Flowers, fountains, and grass have transformed the area. We note that the line for visiting the Statue is at least as long as the one for the Empire State Building. It was just re-opened for visiting July 4th after 9/11. We head uptown past Ground Zero and toward Central Park. The van proves to be a problem here again, since we find no surface parking except on the street. After almost an hour of crusing the streets, Kim elects to stay outside and feed the parking meter which requires tending hourly. The kids and Mama head into the museum and while it is crowded we enjoy the exhibits. The Planetarium was still great and we all agreed that the Powers of 10 exhibit was the best. The teenagers cover more ground and see lots of the Museum of Natural History. We return to the car after 3+ hours to find that Kim has had an excellent afternoon browsing the shops on 79th street and sipping iced coffee while feeding the meter. We are all happy and pretty tired and we wave good bye to NYC and head back for our last night at Nana’s.
We wake up with sore feet and nearly empty wallets, but we know that there was so much in New York we did not see. Myles is very sad not to have seen the Planetarium, which Mama had promised, so we load back up and head back to the Big Apple! Today is Saturday so the traffic is more mellow. Logan elects to stay behind with Nana so it is a smaller party who journeys to Central Park West. But first we journey all the way to Battery Park to see the Statue of Liberty, from afar, and to drive by Ground Zero. We get snagged by NYPD for parking (with about 20 other cars) in a very poorly marked transit zone. But it is almost worth it. The Battery area has been transformed into a real park and NY has a definite West Coast vibe as tons of families are out enjoying the beautiful day. Flowers, fountains, and grass have transformed the area. We note that the line for visiting the Statue is at least as long as the one for the Empire State Building. It was just re-opened for visiting July 4th after 9/11. We head uptown past Ground Zero and toward Central Park. The van proves to be a problem here again, since we find no surface parking except on the street. After almost an hour of crusing the streets, Kim elects to stay outside and feed the parking meter which requires tending hourly. The kids and Mama head into the museum and while it is crowded we enjoy the exhibits. The Planetarium was still great and we all agreed that the Powers of 10 exhibit was the best. The teenagers cover more ground and see lots of the Museum of Natural History. We return to the car after 3+ hours to find that Kim has had an excellent afternoon browsing the shops on 79th street and sipping iced coffee while feeding the meter. We are all happy and pretty tired and we wave good bye to NYC and head back for our last night at Nana’s.
Empire State Building
Friday July 17, 2009
Today dawns bright but hazy as we set off to visit NYC. The City is about 40 miles south of Nana’s house. We squish into the car and head downtown. Chris is a little nervous to drive but all goes well. We find a surface parking place for Big Red but it is pretty far from our first destination…The Empire State Building. We do not get a very early start so arrive at the same time as lots of other people. Chris takes the kids up to the top and Kim and Nana wait below. Little do they know they are in for a very long wait! The reconfigured Empire State Building visitor area hides lots of people storage. It felt like we waited in line just to wait in line! We eventually make it to the top and the view is pretty good, considering it is hazy. The teenagers are excited to be at the site of Mt. Olympus in the Percy Jackson books and spend a lot of time looking for the elevator to the 600th floor. We finally return to street level after 4+ hours! This changes our plans for the rest of the day. We hunt for street food to feed the hungry hoard, but it is late and we end up sampling some mediocre hot dogs. Definitely not living up to the memory of the ones eaten years ago! Nick samples a potato knish and enjoys it a lot. We then begin the long walk back to the car. We are close to Rockefeller Center and wander in to see it. Kim spent time in this area when she worked downtown so some of us go inside to see the interesting murals on the walls, then we take a side trip to underground NY and dip below the center to a large mall, thoroughfare that covers many blocks. The kids like it and we sit and enjoy a snack and they play some games that New Yorker’s deem decent performance art and everyone agrees it was a fun stop. Though tired we decide to detour through Times Square and spend some time in the giant Toys R Us. The older kids just sit but Logan manages to get a pre-birthday treat of a new box of Legos. It is now getting dark and the light show is in full swing. We ogle the new seats set up for viewing, thanks to the New York City Green Space initiative. It is a mind blowing spectacle reminiscent of the movie Tron. We make it to the car, tired, hungry, dirty, but very satisfied that we have had a good day in NY!
Today dawns bright but hazy as we set off to visit NYC. The City is about 40 miles south of Nana’s house. We squish into the car and head downtown. Chris is a little nervous to drive but all goes well. We find a surface parking place for Big Red but it is pretty far from our first destination…The Empire State Building. We do not get a very early start so arrive at the same time as lots of other people. Chris takes the kids up to the top and Kim and Nana wait below. Little do they know they are in for a very long wait! The reconfigured Empire State Building visitor area hides lots of people storage. It felt like we waited in line just to wait in line! We eventually make it to the top and the view is pretty good, considering it is hazy. The teenagers are excited to be at the site of Mt. Olympus in the Percy Jackson books and spend a lot of time looking for the elevator to the 600th floor. We finally return to street level after 4+ hours! This changes our plans for the rest of the day. We hunt for street food to feed the hungry hoard, but it is late and we end up sampling some mediocre hot dogs. Definitely not living up to the memory of the ones eaten years ago! Nick samples a potato knish and enjoys it a lot. We then begin the long walk back to the car. We are close to Rockefeller Center and wander in to see it. Kim spent time in this area when she worked downtown so some of us go inside to see the interesting murals on the walls, then we take a side trip to underground NY and dip below the center to a large mall, thoroughfare that covers many blocks. The kids like it and we sit and enjoy a snack and they play some games that New Yorker’s deem decent performance art and everyone agrees it was a fun stop. Though tired we decide to detour through Times Square and spend some time in the giant Toys R Us. The older kids just sit but Logan manages to get a pre-birthday treat of a new box of Legos. It is now getting dark and the light show is in full swing. We ogle the new seats set up for viewing, thanks to the New York City Green Space initiative. It is a mind blowing spectacle reminiscent of the movie Tron. We make it to the car, tired, hungry, dirty, but very satisfied that we have had a good day in NY!
Mission Complete
Thursday July 16, 2009
The kids wake up to find that someone is sleeping in the van. The super-secret mission was a drive to the airport to pick up our friend Nick Cypert. Nick wished to join us for some adventures and since we had an extra seat in the van and his parents are so cool he is now part of our adventures. Nick is almost 16 and has been one of our family’s best friends for the past 5 years or so. He fits right in and is welcomed with loud cheering from the kids. The grownups are tired from their late night raid to Newark so we decide to have a quiet day near Highland Falls. So we visit the new Fort Montgomery Historical Park and learn about the key battles in the Revolutionary War fought just down the road from Nana’s. The visitor center is very interesting and we see a good movie about the battle for the control over the Hudson River. We hike down to the river and enjoy a small snack of ripe wild raspberries that just happen to grow near the trail. No-one gets poison ivy! It is a hot day so we troup back to Long Pond. All the kids but Dida swim and then in the evening we drive back down to the county to enjoy dinner at the Nanuet Restaruant. This is an old pizza place that our family went to when Chris and Kim were little and where our Dad enjoyed many lunches. It hasn’t changed a bit. All the kids enjoy the thin crust pizza, the sparkly ceiling, and the interesting decorations of signed straw hats and framed photos of old Hollywood movie stars. We are a happy, tired and full group as we head home early to gear up for our trip to NYC planned for tomorrow.
The kids wake up to find that someone is sleeping in the van. The super-secret mission was a drive to the airport to pick up our friend Nick Cypert. Nick wished to join us for some adventures and since we had an extra seat in the van and his parents are so cool he is now part of our adventures. Nick is almost 16 and has been one of our family’s best friends for the past 5 years or so. He fits right in and is welcomed with loud cheering from the kids. The grownups are tired from their late night raid to Newark so we decide to have a quiet day near Highland Falls. So we visit the new Fort Montgomery Historical Park and learn about the key battles in the Revolutionary War fought just down the road from Nana’s. The visitor center is very interesting and we see a good movie about the battle for the control over the Hudson River. We hike down to the river and enjoy a small snack of ripe wild raspberries that just happen to grow near the trail. No-one gets poison ivy! It is a hot day so we troup back to Long Pond. All the kids but Dida swim and then in the evening we drive back down to the county to enjoy dinner at the Nanuet Restaruant. This is an old pizza place that our family went to when Chris and Kim were little and where our Dad enjoyed many lunches. It hasn’t changed a bit. All the kids enjoy the thin crust pizza, the sparkly ceiling, and the interesting decorations of signed straw hats and framed photos of old Hollywood movie stars. We are a happy, tired and full group as we head home early to gear up for our trip to NYC planned for tomorrow.
A Super Secret Mission
Due to lack of Internet access and a busy schedule, we have fallen behind with our travel log/blog. Mama has some free time today and is going to write a few days to try to catch us up.
Wednesday July 15, 2009
There is so much to see in this area. The boys are really enjoying hiking along the part of the Adirondack Trail that is just up the hill from Nana’s house. They have discovered a giant rock and surprise, surprise, a creek to wade in. The adults spend the day trying to get some laundry done. Nana does not have a dryer, but kind neighbors help. We decide to take the kids to see the West Point Museum. The boys are having fun outside and do not really want to go, but that all changes when they see that the entire museum is dedicated to the army and its history. The girls are reclining in air conditioned splendor while excited boys run around and exclaim over displays of famous battles, historical armaments including a 4000 year old Egyptian axe, and the full size tanks in the basement. Myles especially enjoys this stop. We visit the West Point Gift Shop and then drive through Highland Falls and head back home. Mama takes Lydia off to see Harry Potter #6. We have a tradition of going to see the HP movie at the midnight premiere, but we were too tired the night before. Both agree it is a very well done movie, but sad. Meanwhile Aunty Up takes the boys to Long Pond. Long Pond is a lovely lake run by the town for swimming fun. The boys had a good time. It is similar to the beach where Chris and Kim spent summers at the Masonic Camp on Lake Kenawake, and it made a very peaceful afternoon. Nana makes homemade fried chicken for dinner and the kids tuck in. Chris and Kim however head off on a mysterious super-secret mission that leads them deep into New Jersey. More on that tomorrow!
Wednesday July 15, 2009
There is so much to see in this area. The boys are really enjoying hiking along the part of the Adirondack Trail that is just up the hill from Nana’s house. They have discovered a giant rock and surprise, surprise, a creek to wade in. The adults spend the day trying to get some laundry done. Nana does not have a dryer, but kind neighbors help. We decide to take the kids to see the West Point Museum. The boys are having fun outside and do not really want to go, but that all changes when they see that the entire museum is dedicated to the army and its history. The girls are reclining in air conditioned splendor while excited boys run around and exclaim over displays of famous battles, historical armaments including a 4000 year old Egyptian axe, and the full size tanks in the basement. Myles especially enjoys this stop. We visit the West Point Gift Shop and then drive through Highland Falls and head back home. Mama takes Lydia off to see Harry Potter #6. We have a tradition of going to see the HP movie at the midnight premiere, but we were too tired the night before. Both agree it is a very well done movie, but sad. Meanwhile Aunty Up takes the boys to Long Pond. Long Pond is a lovely lake run by the town for swimming fun. The boys had a good time. It is similar to the beach where Chris and Kim spent summers at the Masonic Camp on Lake Kenawake, and it made a very peaceful afternoon. Nana makes homemade fried chicken for dinner and the kids tuck in. Chris and Kim however head off on a mysterious super-secret mission that leads them deep into New Jersey. More on that tomorrow!
Saturday, July 25, 2009
Fresh Bread
Tuesday July 14, 2009
Today, even though we are in New York, we decide not to go into the city. We went around the town that Chris and Kim grew up in. We saw the house they lived in when they were kids, and the High School they went to. We also went to the famous Rockland Bakery. It was very cool. You walk in, and the bread is just sitting there in giant baskets and coming fresh out of the oven. You just put on a plastic glove and grab whatever bread you want. We also got cold cuts from the deli part of the Rockland bakery. After that we went to the Jewish bakery. We went there because the whole bakery is milk free, so Myles could choose anything he wanted. He was in heaven. Then we traveled to the graveyard where Chris’ and Kim’s grandparents used to live. Chris and Kim grew up playing all day in this graveyard. We had a picnic lunch, then played around while Chris, Kim, and Nana talked to their family friend Paul, who now lives in the graveyard. Then I drove around the graveyard, which is tradition because Chris, Kim, and Nana all learned to drive there. It was a fun day, and by the time we got home we were exhausted.
Today, even though we are in New York, we decide not to go into the city. We went around the town that Chris and Kim grew up in. We saw the house they lived in when they were kids, and the High School they went to. We also went to the famous Rockland Bakery. It was very cool. You walk in, and the bread is just sitting there in giant baskets and coming fresh out of the oven. You just put on a plastic glove and grab whatever bread you want. We also got cold cuts from the deli part of the Rockland bakery. After that we went to the Jewish bakery. We went there because the whole bakery is milk free, so Myles could choose anything he wanted. He was in heaven. Then we traveled to the graveyard where Chris’ and Kim’s grandparents used to live. Chris and Kim grew up playing all day in this graveyard. We had a picnic lunch, then played around while Chris, Kim, and Nana talked to their family friend Paul, who now lives in the graveyard. Then I drove around the graveyard, which is tradition because Chris, Kim, and Nana all learned to drive there. It was a fun day, and by the time we got home we were exhausted.
Wednesday, July 22, 2009
Celebration for Myles
This past week we stayed with my grandma (Nana) who lives outside of New York City. She doesn't have high speed Internet, so it was difficult for me to update the blog. I will try to catch up ASAP.
Monday July 13, 2009
since we arrived at Nana's so late yesterday, we were all exhausted. We just spent the day at home, relaxing and being lazy. However, when dinner time rolled around we decided to go out for Chinese food, at Chris' families traditional celebratory restaurant. We went there to celebrate Myles graduating from sixth grade. Myles is not a huge fan of Chinese food, but he agreed to go to The Ocean Empire, because it is a special place to Chris, Kim, and Nana. While we were there, the waiter came up to Myles and asked, "Do you play Pokemon?" Myles, of course, said yes, and the waiter took out his DS and asked Myles for help getting past a certain part in the game. For the rest of dinner, Myles was helping the waiter to defeat his Pokemon game, Pearl. Myles had a lot of fun, but for the rest of us, it was a little weird.
Monday July 13, 2009
since we arrived at Nana's so late yesterday, we were all exhausted. We just spent the day at home, relaxing and being lazy. However, when dinner time rolled around we decided to go out for Chinese food, at Chris' families traditional celebratory restaurant. We went there to celebrate Myles graduating from sixth grade. Myles is not a huge fan of Chinese food, but he agreed to go to The Ocean Empire, because it is a special place to Chris, Kim, and Nana. While we were there, the waiter came up to Myles and asked, "Do you play Pokemon?" Myles, of course, said yes, and the waiter took out his DS and asked Myles for help getting past a certain part in the game. For the rest of dinner, Myles was helping the waiter to defeat his Pokemon game, Pearl. Myles had a lot of fun, but for the rest of us, it was a little weird.
Tuesday, July 21, 2009
Jersey Shore
Sunday July 12, 2009
Today we woke up and went back into Philly to see the Liberty Bell. It was really cool, and we got there early enough so the line was very short. We also got to see Benjamin Franklin’s grave, which was very beautiful. Another weird thing we saw was a lady playing the glass harmonica, which Benjamin Franklin invented. It is a long piece of cork going through various sizes of glasses. It was a beautiful instrument, and it sounded wonderful. The lady who was playing it was blind, but she was so good she even played the Star Wars Theme Song! Then we left Philadelphia and drove to the Jersey shore. We spent the afternoon at the beach in a town called Neptune City. The boys had a blast at the beach! Then we drove straight on to Nana’s house. We didn’t get there till 1:30 in the morning! We were all exhausted, and went straight to bed.
Today we woke up and went back into Philly to see the Liberty Bell. It was really cool, and we got there early enough so the line was very short. We also got to see Benjamin Franklin’s grave, which was very beautiful. Another weird thing we saw was a lady playing the glass harmonica, which Benjamin Franklin invented. It is a long piece of cork going through various sizes of glasses. It was a beautiful instrument, and it sounded wonderful. The lady who was playing it was blind, but she was so good she even played the Star Wars Theme Song! Then we left Philadelphia and drove to the Jersey shore. We spent the afternoon at the beach in a town called Neptune City. The boys had a blast at the beach! Then we drove straight on to Nana’s house. We didn’t get there till 1:30 in the morning! We were all exhausted, and went straight to bed.
Philly Cheese Steaks
Saturday July 11, 2009
Today we had to leave Washington D.C. It was very sad, because we had so much fun there, and of course we had to say goodbye to Terry, Dennis, and Julia. We left D.C. around 2:00, and drove to Philadelphia. Then we went to Pat’s King of Steaks, the first and most famous Philly cheese steak place in Philadelphia. The line was very, very long, and we waited in it for about an hour. But it was so worth it. The Philly cheese steaks were so delicious! Mine had cheese whiz on it, which sound gross but was actually really good. It was definitely a fun experience, and I think everyone should eat at Pat’s if they go to Philadelphia.
Today we had to leave Washington D.C. It was very sad, because we had so much fun there, and of course we had to say goodbye to Terry, Dennis, and Julia. We left D.C. around 2:00, and drove to Philadelphia. Then we went to Pat’s King of Steaks, the first and most famous Philly cheese steak place in Philadelphia. The line was very, very long, and we waited in it for about an hour. But it was so worth it. The Philly cheese steaks were so delicious! Mine had cheese whiz on it, which sound gross but was actually really good. It was definitely a fun experience, and I think everyone should eat at Pat’s if they go to Philadelphia.
Friday, July 10, 2009
The National Archives
Today we woke up bright and early, at 7:30 in the morning. We got ready and headed off for Washington D.C., but in two separate cars because there were eight of us. Then we went to the Museum of Natural History. It was very cool, but extremely busy. The boys and I got through all the exhibits on the second floor which included the ocean, dinosaurs, and mammals. After that we went outside and ate lunch om the front lawn of the Museum.
Then we walked to the National Archives. This was my favorite part of the day. We got to get right up near the Declaration of Independence, the Constitution, and the Bill of Rights. I cannot begin to describe how powerful it was. To be so near to Those powerful documents...I mean when you think about it they are the most important documents in the world. And to see with my own eyes the signatures of the men that formed the United States of America. Wow. It was extremely moving, powerful, and just indescribable. I highly, highly recommend it.
After the National Archives, we went to another part of the Air and Space Museum, called Udvar-Hazy. All it had were airplanes, and a small space section. It was in a big hanger, which was very cool. Everyone had fun, but I think Myles liked it the best.
After such a busy day we are all exhausted. We just finished dinner (leftovers from last night) and I am full and tired. Goodnight!
Then we walked to the National Archives. This was my favorite part of the day. We got to get right up near the Declaration of Independence, the Constitution, and the Bill of Rights. I cannot begin to describe how powerful it was. To be so near to Those powerful documents...I mean when you think about it they are the most important documents in the world. And to see with my own eyes the signatures of the men that formed the United States of America. Wow. It was extremely moving, powerful, and just indescribable. I highly, highly recommend it.
After the National Archives, we went to another part of the Air and Space Museum, called Udvar-Hazy. All it had were airplanes, and a small space section. It was in a big hanger, which was very cool. Everyone had fun, but I think Myles liked it the best.
After such a busy day we are all exhausted. We just finished dinner (leftovers from last night) and I am full and tired. Goodnight!
A Day Off
Today we had a more relaxing day. The adult cousins went shopping (Chris, Kim, and Terry), while Myles, Gavyn, Logan, and I stayed at home. The boys played Play Station 2 and I read and watched a movie. Then we tidied up the house. When Chris, Kim, and Terry got back, we set off to go to a small water park, called Ida Lee. It was very fun. There was two big water slides, a lazy river, and a normal swimming pool. We all had a good time. About half way through Aunt Terry and Aunt Kim left to go pick up Nana! After swimming we went back to the Ashburn Cafe and got some more good food. Nana met us there! It was really exciting to see her! After a delicious dinner we went home, showered, and went to bed.
Thursday, July 9, 2009
A Sightseeing Adventure
Today (Wednesday) we had a great sightseeing day. We took the train into D.C. which was very fun, especially for my cousin, Logan. Then we walked to the capitol building to take a tour of it. Unfortunately, no food was allowed inside, so we had to eat our picnic lunch in front of the visitors center. Then we went on the 2:00 tour and get to see statuary hall, the crypt, and the rotunda. The rotunda was my favorite, because it was so intricately done and incredibly beautiful.
After the capitol we went to the Air and Space Museum. It was really cool, but we only had an hour to spent there before it closed. We all touched the famous moon rock, which was cool and fun. There was lots of cool things, like the Hubble Space Craft and a whole section of the museum made to look like you were on an Aircraft Carrier. My Aunt Terry joined us there, and she took Aunty Up, Myles, and Gavyn in her car and Chris, Logan, and I rode the train out of D.C.
After transportation we met at a restaurant called Ashburn Cafe. It was beyond delicious. I had a huge calzone, stuffed with Ricotta cheese, mozzarella cheese, pepperoni, and mushrooms. Myles had a hamburger sub, and Gavyn had a meatball sub. Logan had a personal pizza. Aunt Terry had blue cheese gnocchi, which were to die for. Chris and Aunty Up split the gnocchi and a eggplant sub. The french fries were the best I've ever had. They were fried on the outside and soft and fluffy in the inside. It was an amazing restaurant, and overall it was a really good day.
After the capitol we went to the Air and Space Museum. It was really cool, but we only had an hour to spent there before it closed. We all touched the famous moon rock, which was cool and fun. There was lots of cool things, like the Hubble Space Craft and a whole section of the museum made to look like you were on an Aircraft Carrier. My Aunt Terry joined us there, and she took Aunty Up, Myles, and Gavyn in her car and Chris, Logan, and I rode the train out of D.C.
After transportation we met at a restaurant called Ashburn Cafe. It was beyond delicious. I had a huge calzone, stuffed with Ricotta cheese, mozzarella cheese, pepperoni, and mushrooms. Myles had a hamburger sub, and Gavyn had a meatball sub. Logan had a personal pizza. Aunt Terry had blue cheese gnocchi, which were to die for. Chris and Aunty Up split the gnocchi and a eggplant sub. The french fries were the best I've ever had. They were fried on the outside and soft and fluffy in the inside. It was an amazing restaurant, and overall it was a really good day.
We Had a Bad Day
We did get to see the Lincoln Memorial which was cool, but otherwise the day was bad.
A Quick Glimpse
Sorry I haven't posed for awhile. Chris' computer has been down and we just got it working again.
Today (Monday) we wanted to have a relaxing day. So Dennis took us on a car tour of Washington D.C. We drove around the mall, and saw all the sights of D.C. from the outside. It was very cool and, never having seen D.C. before, I thought it was beautiful. After the driving tour we came home and talked about what we wanted to see and do during our stay here in D.C. Dennis cooked a delicious dinner of chicken in red sauce, which was a great end to a relaxing slow moving day.
Today (Monday) we wanted to have a relaxing day. So Dennis took us on a car tour of Washington D.C. We drove around the mall, and saw all the sights of D.C. from the outside. It was very cool and, never having seen D.C. before, I thought it was beautiful. After the driving tour we came home and talked about what we wanted to see and do during our stay here in D.C. Dennis cooked a delicious dinner of chicken in red sauce, which was a great end to a relaxing slow moving day.
Monday, July 6, 2009
The Shenandoah Valley
We camped last night, and it rained. Luckily, Mike and I slept in Big Red, so we were warm and dry. The people in the tent weren't (haha). Then we packed down the campsite (Well, actually, the adults packed up the campground. The children were exiled to the wet, gross playground). We drove for awhile, and then stopped for lunch at McDonald's in a town called Fincastle. Then we continued on to a town called Lydia, which was actually more like a gas station with a sign that said Lydia. I got my picture taken next to it anyway. Then we entered Shenandoah National Park.
It was actually rather a joke. It was so foggy, you could barely see your hand in front of your face. So the famous beautiful views of the Shenandoah Valley were lost to us as we blundered through the fog. But we went to the Visitors Center anyway, watched the little movie, and got our passports stamped. Then we left and drove to Washington D.C. We are staying with Chris' and Kim's cousin Terry and her husband Dennis. It was really good to see them. We finally all had our own rooms! We had yummy steaks for dinner, with potatoes and salad. It is so nice to just unwind a little, because we will be staying here for about a week.
It was actually rather a joke. It was so foggy, you could barely see your hand in front of your face. So the famous beautiful views of the Shenandoah Valley were lost to us as we blundered through the fog. But we went to the Visitors Center anyway, watched the little movie, and got our passports stamped. Then we left and drove to Washington D.C. We are staying with Chris' and Kim's cousin Terry and her husband Dennis. It was really good to see them. We finally all had our own rooms! We had yummy steaks for dinner, with potatoes and salad. It is so nice to just unwind a little, because we will be staying here for about a week.
Saturday, July 4, 2009
The Great Smoky Mountains
Today we had another delicious Holiday Inn Express breakfast consisting of eggs, toast, cinnamon rolls, and various juices. Then we set off for the Great Smoky Mountains. They were so beautiful. Unfortunately this was the busiest day of the park all year; the park ranger said Fourth of July is always the busiest. So there was a lot of people there. But we still got to do some cool things in the park.
First we did a small hike (only 2.6 miles round trip) to Laurel Falls. Myles ran ahead of the rest of us and arrived there fifteen minutes before Mike and I. Ten minutes after us, bringing up the rear of out party, was Chris, Kim, Gavyn, and Logan. We got some great pictures of the falls, but Chris hasn't loaded them on to the computer yet, so I cannot put them on the blog. Hopefully tomorrow!
After our nice hike we ate a picnic lunch on the lawn in front of the visitors center. The visitors center was very nice, and we watched the little movie on Great Smoky Mountains National Park. It was very busy, so after that we left.
We drove for about an hour, then looked for a camp site. We found a place with a small camp site, because all the other campgrounds were full. But at least it has wifi so I can update the blog! After a dinner of hot dogs, beans, and s'mores (yum) we are all pretty tired. Tomorrow we are going to D.C.!
First we did a small hike (only 2.6 miles round trip) to Laurel Falls. Myles ran ahead of the rest of us and arrived there fifteen minutes before Mike and I. Ten minutes after us, bringing up the rear of out party, was Chris, Kim, Gavyn, and Logan. We got some great pictures of the falls, but Chris hasn't loaded them on to the computer yet, so I cannot put them on the blog. Hopefully tomorrow!
After our nice hike we ate a picnic lunch on the lawn in front of the visitors center. The visitors center was very nice, and we watched the little movie on Great Smoky Mountains National Park. It was very busy, so after that we left.
We drove for about an hour, then looked for a camp site. We found a place with a small camp site, because all the other campgrounds were full. But at least it has wifi so I can update the blog! After a dinner of hot dogs, beans, and s'mores (yum) we are all pretty tired. Tomorrow we are going to D.C.!
Friday, July 3, 2009
The Athens of the South
Uncle Tom loves me so much that he left his house this morning to buy fresh hot Mrs. Winner's cinnamon rolls for breakfast. They were, as always, delicious. After breakfast we loaded Big Red (our car) which groaned under the extra weight of Logan, Kim, and their bags. Then we made our way to Nashville, Tennessee, the Athens of the South. We discovered why it earned this name by visiting a full size replica of the Greek Parthenon. It was so awesome! Myles, Gavyn, and I got to go inside of the Parthenon, and see the 42 foot tall statue of Athena, Goddess of Wisdom. It was my favorite sight seeing stop on the trip so far.
Then we continued on to Knoxville, Tennessee. Chris and Kim wanted to stop at this burger place called Litton's, because it was in Chris' road food book. We took a twenty minute detour to get there, just to find out it was closed! So, then we turned around and came to our hotel, another Holiday Inn Express (which means another Holiday Inn Express breakfast!). Everyone was so hungry, so we went to a small local Mexican restaurant to have dinner. It turned out to have very good food. When we got back to the hotel, Logan, Myles, and Gavyn went swimming, and of course I got delegated to watch them. Now, finally, I am able to go to sleep.
Then we continued on to Knoxville, Tennessee. Chris and Kim wanted to stop at this burger place called Litton's, because it was in Chris' road food book. We took a twenty minute detour to get there, just to find out it was closed! So, then we turned around and came to our hotel, another Holiday Inn Express (which means another Holiday Inn Express breakfast!). Everyone was so hungry, so we went to a small local Mexican restaurant to have dinner. It turned out to have very good food. When we got back to the hotel, Logan, Myles, and Gavyn went swimming, and of course I got delegated to watch them. Now, finally, I am able to go to sleep.
Thursday, July 2, 2009
The Gateway Arch
Today we woke up and had fresh french toast made by Aunt Del. Then we set out to see the confluence of the Mississippi and Missouri River, Chris' Grampa's house, and The Gateway Arch with Uncle Denny and Aunt Del. Mike, Myles, Gavyn, and I went tot he top of the Arch. It was so cool! I felt like I was taller than everything else. When we got back down, Uncle Denny and Aunt Del bought us Gateway Arch Shirts. I was so excited!
Sadly, we had to leave the Arch and Uncle Denny and Aunt Del. We are going to miss them. In Sikeston, Missouri we stopped at Lamberts, the home of throwed rolls. In this restaurant, the waiters come out with big baskets of rolls and throw them across the room at you. It was so awesome! Plus the food was really good.
Finally, around 8 o'clock, we arrived at Kim, Tom, and Logan's house in Memphis, Tennessee. Since then, the boys and Logan (our cousin) have been running around playing with each other. It is so good to see them. Tomorrow Kim and Logan are coming with us on our journey to the Great Smoky Mountains.
Sadly, we had to leave the Arch and Uncle Denny and Aunt Del. We are going to miss them. In Sikeston, Missouri we stopped at Lamberts, the home of throwed rolls. In this restaurant, the waiters come out with big baskets of rolls and throw them across the room at you. It was so awesome! Plus the food was really good.
Finally, around 8 o'clock, we arrived at Kim, Tom, and Logan's house in Memphis, Tennessee. Since then, the boys and Logan (our cousin) have been running around playing with each other. It is so good to see them. Tomorrow Kim and Logan are coming with us on our journey to the Great Smoky Mountains.
Wednesday, July 1, 2009
Fireflies and Rootbeer Floats
Another Holiday Inn Express Breakfast awaited us this morning. Then we got into the car and drove straight to Kansas City. We did finish our audio book, book one of The Belgariad by David Eddings. It was very good and I would highly recommend it. I myself am going to go home and read it and then finish the series.
Anyway, upon arriving in Kansas City, we made a stop for gas and lunch at Costco (I love Costco)! And this was not just any Costco, this was David Cook's Costco! Blue Springs is his home town!
Then we arrived at Uncle Denny and Aunt Del's house (Chris' aunt and uncle). Aunt Del made a delicious dinner, with chicken, pork steaks, hot dogs, coleslaw, and beans. The weather in St. Louis is unusually cool and comfortable - no humidity. Then Aunt Barbara and Andy (my mom's cousin) came over. It was really good to see everyone. Aunt Del made us all root beer floats, which were so yummy. Then the fireflies started coming out. For those who live in Washington know we do not have fireflies, so it was really cool to see them. The boys just came in from catching them, and they caught about eleven! They are going to keep them overnight and use them as a nightlight. This has been such a fun day! Family is awesome, and so are root beer floats and fireflies.
Anyway, upon arriving in Kansas City, we made a stop for gas and lunch at Costco (I love Costco)! And this was not just any Costco, this was David Cook's Costco! Blue Springs is his home town!
Then we arrived at Uncle Denny and Aunt Del's house (Chris' aunt and uncle). Aunt Del made a delicious dinner, with chicken, pork steaks, hot dogs, coleslaw, and beans. The weather in St. Louis is unusually cool and comfortable - no humidity. Then Aunt Barbara and Andy (my mom's cousin) came over. It was really good to see everyone. Aunt Del made us all root beer floats, which were so yummy. Then the fireflies started coming out. For those who live in Washington know we do not have fireflies, so it was really cool to see them. The boys just came in from catching them, and they caught about eleven! They are going to keep them overnight and use them as a nightlight. This has been such a fun day! Family is awesome, and so are root beer floats and fireflies.
Tuesday, June 30, 2009
Kansas, The State of Nothing
I woke up to the wonderful smells of fresh Swedish pancakes, which Vicki made for us for breakfast. They were delicious! After that we had to pack up the car, and after a quick slice of amazing pie, we sadly departed. Then we had to enter Kansas, which is a state full of just rolling wheat fields right?
Wrong. After searching through Chris' travel books, I discovered that Kansas contains the geographical center of the continental United States. So we drove and saw it, which was completely awesome. The boys and I stood on the little raised platform right were the center of the U.S. is. Finally I was in my rightful place, the center of the universe:).
Just a little west of the Center was the worlds largest ball of twine. It had a forty foot circumference! It was a very weird thing to see.
We just arrived at the Holiday Inn Express about an hour ago, and the boys and I walked to McDonald's right across the street to get dinner. Only to discover that they didn't have coke glasses. I am very upset, and it was a bad end to a weird but cool day.
Wrong. After searching through Chris' travel books, I discovered that Kansas contains the geographical center of the continental United States. So we drove and saw it, which was completely awesome. The boys and I stood on the little raised platform right were the center of the U.S. is. Finally I was in my rightful place, the center of the universe:).
Just a little west of the Center was the worlds largest ball of twine. It had a forty foot circumference! It was a very weird thing to see.
We just arrived at the Holiday Inn Express about an hour ago, and the boys and I walked to McDonald's right across the street to get dinner. Only to discover that they didn't have coke glasses. I am very upset, and it was a bad end to a weird but cool day.
The Hadeens
Today we left Rawlins, Wyoming at 9:38 after another yummy Holiday Inn Express complimentary breakfast. After driving for what seemed like forever, we stopped for a lunch from the cooler at a very nice rest area in Pine Bluffs, Nebraska. At the rest stop they advertised for a archaeological dig site just on the other side of the bluff. Chris, being Chris, decided we all had to go. So after lunch we drove around the bluff and checked out the site.
It was actually fairly interesting. They had different layers dung in the earth, so you could see artifacts for the Native Americans and the Settlers. We learned about the things the Native Americans ate, where they lived, and the many different tribes. It was definitely a worth while stop.
After another two or three hours of driving, we reached our destination: The Hadeens in Colorado. This is the family Mike stayed with in America when he was 17 and an exchange student. Vicki and Harold (other parents for Mike) had the entire family over to their house for a huge barbecue. There were like 30 people! Mike seemed to be having a lot of fun, and I remembered most of the people from last time we visited. While we were eating, a huge thunderstorm hit. Even in Washington, we do not get rain like they received here in Colorado. I could barely see my hand in front of my face, the rain was coming down so hard. Nonetheless the boys and I watched for lightening, and saw quite few huge bolts. The storm only lasted for like ten minutes, and afterward there was a beautiful double rainbow.
After almost everyone had left, and only one family was still there, the boys and I went with age mates/cousins down to the local park, and played tag there until 11:00 pm. We just got back and all of us are completely exhausted. It was so much fun to see everyone, and I hope we will get to see them again soon!
It was actually fairly interesting. They had different layers dung in the earth, so you could see artifacts for the Native Americans and the Settlers. We learned about the things the Native Americans ate, where they lived, and the many different tribes. It was definitely a worth while stop.
After another two or three hours of driving, we reached our destination: The Hadeens in Colorado. This is the family Mike stayed with in America when he was 17 and an exchange student. Vicki and Harold (other parents for Mike) had the entire family over to their house for a huge barbecue. There were like 30 people! Mike seemed to be having a lot of fun, and I remembered most of the people from last time we visited. While we were eating, a huge thunderstorm hit. Even in Washington, we do not get rain like they received here in Colorado. I could barely see my hand in front of my face, the rain was coming down so hard. Nonetheless the boys and I watched for lightening, and saw quite few huge bolts. The storm only lasted for like ten minutes, and afterward there was a beautiful double rainbow.
After almost everyone had left, and only one family was still there, the boys and I went with age mates/cousins down to the local park, and played tag there until 11:00 pm. We just got back and all of us are completely exhausted. It was so much fun to see everyone, and I hope we will get to see them again soon!
Sunday, June 28, 2009
Another Long Day
Today started with a wonderful Holiday Inn Express complimentary breakfast consisting of eggs, sausage, toast, cereal, and cinnamon rolls. We left the Holiday Inn (in Boise) at about 9:30 in the morning. As we drove, Mr. Chatterbox (Gavyn) decided to count all the tractor-trailer semi trucks that passed our car. Chris and Mike joined in, but they had to take a break when we arrived at our first tourist attraction: The Golden Spike.
This historic site is where the Union Pacific and Central Pacific rail roads met, making the first American transcontinental railway. It was very cool there. There are real size replicas of the trains that met at the golden spike, and you can go out and touch them! The exhibit area was very inspiring, as they talked about the workers averaging 1 mile a day, but sometimes doing ten miles, and sometimes only eight inches (when they had to blast through the mountains)!
After this slight detour, Chris, Mike, and Gavyn continued counting trucks, while Myles played D.S. and I read (big surprise). When we pulled into Costco for a late lunch (Two Costco lunches in a row. My dreams have come true!), around 4:00, the parents and Gavyn had counted 1,000 trucks! We had a delicious Costco lunch, and then drove for five more hours to arrive at our final destination, Rawlins, Wyoming. The boys and I went for a quick swim and, after showering, everyone is going to bed.
This historic site is where the Union Pacific and Central Pacific rail roads met, making the first American transcontinental railway. It was very cool there. There are real size replicas of the trains that met at the golden spike, and you can go out and touch them! The exhibit area was very inspiring, as they talked about the workers averaging 1 mile a day, but sometimes doing ten miles, and sometimes only eight inches (when they had to blast through the mountains)!
After this slight detour, Chris, Mike, and Gavyn continued counting trucks, while Myles played D.S. and I read (big surprise). When we pulled into Costco for a late lunch (Two Costco lunches in a row. My dreams have come true!), around 4:00, the parents and Gavyn had counted 1,000 trucks! We had a delicious Costco lunch, and then drove for five more hours to arrive at our final destination, Rawlins, Wyoming. The boys and I went for a quick swim and, after showering, everyone is going to bed.
Saturday, June 27, 2009
A Long Day
We just arrived at a Holiday Inn Express in Boise, Idaho after driving for twelve hours today. This morning adventure had already struck our vacation. After the car had all been packed, we were set and ready to leave at 9:30 am. When Mike went to start the car, Big Red's battery was dead, because the refrigerator had been plugged into the car. So we had to jump start Big Red using Black Jake and we didn't end up leaving until 10:00. The classic start to a Kautsky Family Vacation. In Portland we stopped at Costco (widely known as my favorite place to eat) to refill on gas and get a small snack. Across the street from Costco was a small roadside stand with fresh cherries and raspberries sold by a young man raising money for college. We bought a 1/2 a flat of raspberries, and had Costco ice cream with raspberries. And not just any raspberries, but the best raspberries in the world!
The rest of the day went by fairly uneventfully. We stopped at a nice park in Boardman, Oregon to eat lunch, started listening to The Belgariad by David Eddings (which is very hard to understand because the reader reads in a welsh accent and mumbles when he speaks), and ate dinner at McDonald's (Myles and I both got blue coke glasses!). Since we went through the time zone, it is now 11:35, so it is officially past my bed time :). Sleep calls!
The rest of the day went by fairly uneventfully. We stopped at a nice park in Boardman, Oregon to eat lunch, started listening to The Belgariad by David Eddings (which is very hard to understand because the reader reads in a welsh accent and mumbles when he speaks), and ate dinner at McDonald's (Myles and I both got blue coke glasses!). Since we went through the time zone, it is now 11:35, so it is officially past my bed time :). Sleep calls!
We Are Leaving!
The hectic morning of launching has arrived. We are packing last minute things and running aroung the house. It is very busy and crazy. Not sure the next time I will be able to blog, because I am not sure when we will find wifi. Until then!
P.S. I got my permit yeasterday :)
P.S. I got my permit yeasterday :)
Wednesday, June 24, 2009
The Beginning
Welcome to the Kautsky Family Vacation blog. For all of you who do not know, we are going on a huge, drive-across-the-United-States vacation. We will be gone for 4 to 6 weeks. The first week Mike is going to drive the rest of the family to Washington D.C. then he has to leave to get back to work. Chris, Myles, Gavyn, and I will continue up to New York, and back home along the Great Lakes and through Montana. It is going to be huge, long, fun, and most of all, an adventure.
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