Vacation Log: Maryland…to Pa July 2009

Over the Fourth of July, we visited with my husband’s side of the family in Chestertown Maryland.  We headed to Rock Hall to catch the local fireworks and it was just a beautiful night!  I can’t believe the beautiful weather we have had during this vacation.

Anyway, we spent several days at Mom Mom’s and had an awesome time.  We appreciated her hospitality.  With three boys, we pack an awful lot of commotion.  But she was gracious, as always. We miss seeing her on a regular basis!

After saying good-bye to her, we headed north, to Lake In Wood Campground, where we are staying until Sunday.  It’s our third year staying here, and I can’t wait to share some of the things our family loves about this place! 

But that will indeed have to wait.

We’re off to visit with friends from our old church. 

Checking In…And Sharing Pictures from Knoebles!

Wow!  Where is time going??  Don’t you wish that during vacations you could add a few (hundred) hours to every day?

We have been having so much fun! And busy days make for a very tired bunch of kids (and parents!) come this time of night. 

But since the troops are all sleeping and I still have a little steam left, I thought I would show you more pictures from our visit to Knoebels Amusement Park in Elysburg, Pa. 

These were just a few of the many, many rides we enjoyed.

The Balloon ride was a super family ride.  But I seriously recommend sitting on the “going forward” side if you want to keep your lunch!  During this trip through the air, I was not…(Ugh!!)  But turning in the seat to watch the rest of the family and to take this picture did help.  Lol!

These little race cars were a HUGE hit!  I’m not sure who got more excited, the little guys driving…or the families cheering them on!  What a hoot!!!  It was amusing to see my two older boys lamenting that they were too TALL to participate. 

Then, check out my guys on the big Ferris Wheel below!  I had to chuckle when I spotted them in the pink gondola!  :) I’m surprised they didn’t give up their spot in line to get the more masculine blue car which came next!!

Among the thriller rides, this next one was the boys’ favorite.  It happens to be a ride that I’ve only ridden two times in all my years of going to Knoebles.  The second time happened only because I forgot how terrified I was on my FIRST time on it!

It was called the Fandango (I think) and the crazy thing not only swung back and forth to the point of being almost  up-side down.  It also rotated.  ‘Nough said.  No amount of begging from my peanut gallery could get me on it this year.  Though they cycled through the line probably eight or ten times each.  Several times each day.    (My guys are just left of bottom center.)

Speaking of peanuts, by dinner time, this one was in serious need of some down time.  After falling asleep on his daddy’s shoulder, he finished out his nap on a picnic table.  The rest of us took in some ice cream.  Shhh…don’t tell him what he missed! 

(There are tons of tables, by the way, under huge pavilions right on the grounds.  We often bring a cooler, plop it on a table, and visit it throughout the day when we are ready for lunch or a snack.  Just one more thing I love about Knoebels!) 

It wasn’t long before we were ready for more fun!

And who doesn’t love the swings??

 

 

 

If you’ve never been to Knoebles, I simply can’t recommend it enough.  It has everything you can imagine in the way of rides, from coasters and thrillers,  to things your toddler will love!  And since there is no admission fees, there are tons of Grandparents who tag along to enjoy the day!

It is an AWESOME family park.  Thus, the reason we go there when ever we can fit it into our trip to PA! 

Oh, and one more thing.  While we were there, my son lost his little digital camera.  We didn’t realize he had lost it until we were looking for it at Mom Mom’s house in Maryland.  Two days after our park visit.

We called the park office and described the camera (which incidentally had our last name written on it with a sharpie) and they said they had it, believe it or not! 

I offered to pay to have them ship it to us.  But the staffer said no, that they don’t charge anything. They are just happy when people call and so they can get things reunited with their owners.  How cool is that???

The two things that stand out to me are… first—that the atmosphere at the park is one where people do the right thing and take things (even valuable things) to lost and found, …and second—that the park goes over the top to make it so completely family friendly!

Totally Cool Dude…All Done In

After two days on the road, it’s no wonder that this is how the little guy arrived at Knoebels Grove Amusement Park.  EVEN with his older brothers bubbling over (loudly) with their excitement at all the rides they could see from the parking lot.

But no worries.  It wasn’t too hard to get him moving once he spied the rides!  We spent the evening in the park enjoying “Family Night,” where they let you ride all the rides you want for a fraction of the all-day ride pass.  Oh what fun!

We go back tomorrow for the day with our friends.  I can’t wait to show you some of our favorite rides!!

For more fun pictures, check out Five Minutes For Mom!

Day 1: 417 Miles

Today was a dream day as far as travel goes.  The weather was beautiful, and the boys were relatively content.  Sigh.

I’m so thankful for Lego’s and DS’s.  The little lap tray I picked up at Toys R Us turned out to be a wonderful asset.  I debated whether it would be worth the room it took up.  But it definitely was!  My little guy built, and rebuilt, and modified his Star Wars Lego’s speeders countless times and the little side pockets held all the loose bricks.

The older two mainly occupied themselves with their new Nintendo DS games.  I picked up Lego’s Indiana Jones, and Lost in Blue 2 for the trip.  I haven’t heard much about the Lost in Blue game.  But I hear plenty of comments like, “Oh, COOL!”  and “Awesome!  You gotta see THIS!!”

Ahhh, the silence (well, accept for the constant shooting sounds of the little guy, and the whispering sounds from headphones) of contented boys.  There is NOTHING as soothing on a long trip.

By three this afternoon, we made it to the Cabela’s in Wheeling, West Virginia, and had plenty of time to explore.  This is always a highlight for us.  The boys just love the exhibits!  My son took this picture of the African Elephant.

Pretty cool, eh?  It looks like my son was about to get stampeded!  Lol!

I picked up two Coleman camp chairs for a great price!  They even had the sun canopy, cooler, and cup holder!  We’ve never had such fancy chairs!  Our tattered economy line camp chairs date back to when they first came out with them, and my husband has been lamenting his lack of a cup holder every time we use them.  Now, he won’t have to beg to sit in one of our neighbor’s chairs when we all go camping!

It’s the little things…:)

Well, it’s late and we have lots more traveling to do tomorrow.  The boys are already settled, and I’m turning in…

We’ll see if I can get online at the next hotel.

Ready, Set, GO!

Our van is jam packed.  Our bikes are secure.  I’m exhausted and my kids can’t sleep. AND we have three Nintendo DS systems all being charged (at least when someone isn’t hiding behind the couch playing…). 

You know what it all means, don’t you?  It means we’re going on…

A Road Trip! 

Our vacations usually take us east to Pennsylvania and Maryland where we visit with friends and family.  (And try to eat as many hoagies as possible!  Lol!  That’s something Indiana simply doesn’t have!)

This year, we are squeezing in a trip to Knoebels Grove Amusement Park in Elysburg, Pa.  That will be tons of fun.  But what will be even better is that we’ll be meeting and hanging out with some of our dearest friends in the world, and sporting five boys between us! I can’t wait to see them! 

Knoebels is America’s largest free-admission amusement park, and it boasts some of the oldest rides in the country.  I believe their wooden roller coaster may be just that!  (My bones don’t take it anymore, but the boys want to try it this year!) 

I might (might, mind you) be persuaded to go on one of the smoother metal roller coasters.  Just once, though.  :0

Then we’ll head south to Maryland to visit with my husband’s family and take in some fireworks.  O.K., LOTS of fireworks.  Some Friday, and some Saturday.  We have our chairs, blankets and bug spray all ready to go!

From there, we travel back up to Blue Ball, Pennsylvania (just a few miles from where we used to live),  where we’ll be staying at a cabin.  I seriously can’t wait to tell you about this campground.  It is totally awesome, and it took us moving all the way to Indiana to find it on the internet! 

While there, we’ll see my side of the family.  And lots more friends.

We’ve been waiting a long time for vacation to finally get here.  Just ask the boys!  Lol!  I’m taking my camera and hoping to find some place with internet so I can post a few pictures for you.

But If I don’t, at least you’ll know where I am!  We expect to be home sometime around July 14.  If I haven’t already posted some pictures, I’ll be sure to post some then!  

A Happy Reunion

My husband made the early flight!  (Thanks so much for your prayers!!)  He stopped home to change, and then crashed our cookout at the neighbors’ place. 

The boys were totally surprised!  You should have seen their faces when he appeared.  I didn’t have my camera, but it would have made a beautiful picture.  They dropped what they were doing and made a beeline for hugs. 

It was a fun evening of swapping stories.

Yesterday, we took a walk to see what what was blooming.  These cone flowers were out by my woodshop. 

We’ve missed our walks.  It’s so nice to have him home. 

Today, he is working on some things that need to be done before we leave for vacation Tuesday.

He’s tilling the garden to set back the weeds, and setting out the Japanese Beetle traps.  It seems the beetles have arrived in full force.  The idea is to get the outside work done before it gets too hot. 

I’m not sure what we’ll be doing for the rest of the day.  But I wanted to let you all know that he made it safely home. 

Again, thanks for all your thoughts and prayers while he was away.  I can’t tell you how much your thoughtful comments and prayers meant to me! 

Everyone’s Excited…

These are the beautiful lilies that surround my neighbor’s pool.  I just love them!

After two weeks in Germany, my husband gets home tonight!

His plane landed in Chicago about 45 minutes ago and he’ll fly from there into Indianapolis.  My boys are expecting him around midnight tonight. 

What they don’t know is that he was able to switch to an earlier flight.  He called me on the run (literally) and said if he can make the gate, he’ll be flying out of there in half an hour, and quite possibly be home by seven.  SEVEN!  Yeahhh!!

I’m taking the boys to a cookout and swim at our neighbors’ place.  (They got home last night, too!)  So it will be a fun evening.  I can’t wait to see the boys’ faces when their dad shows up to join the party!

Pray he makes that earlier flight!!