Day Four : Mystic CT

Hooray for two nights in the same hotel and being able to spread out all our stuff and make a mess!  Today we awoke in Mystic CT.  We didn’t have quite the leisurely morning we had hoped for, oh well.  The kids were still up by about 7:30.  We enjoyed a continental breakfast, complete with a pancake maker.  The kids loved watching them fall out the end, esp Chloe – she was dancing excitedly at one point. 

After breakfast, we took a drive through and around Mystic.  The New England scenery is beautiful – the rocks and green grasses and glimpses of water everywhere.  We ended up on Stonington Point, and we got out to explore the rocky beach.  We had a blast climbing the big boulders and watching boats and birds.  And what trip to the beach in clothes and sneakers would be complete without getting those clothes and sneakers wet??  Congrats to Abby for stepping in the water and soaking herself!  Fortunately, we had clean shorts and underwear in the car, but we did swing back by the hotel for dry shoes.  We then parked in downtown Mystic and wandered the little downtown area.  We stopped in a few stores, and we watched the Mystic River Bascule Bridge rise.  It’s a pretty cool drawbridge.  Chloe was very excited to see the boats going by – “Mommy picture that one, yes yes!”  We have lots of pictures of boats going by the raised drawbridge.  After that, we spent a good bit of time at the Mystic Knot Work store.  The kids each picked colors for their own Weekapaug bracelets [although they don’t call them that in Mystic!], and the storekeeper tied them for us while we waited, super cool.  Coleson’s Aunt Betty used to tie bracelets for all the kids each summer, so it’s pretty neat that our kids have their own to wear this summer.  We had awesome sandwiches at the Drawbridge Café [my Santa Fe turkey was the best :)] before heading back to the hotel. 

Despite all the cool and new and exciting things to do on vacation, the kids wanted to swim in the hotel’s indoor pool so bad they could hardly think straight :)  So off to the pool we went.  I snuck out for a quick run, and then we watched a couple of minutes of TV to relax before heading off again.  We were able to walk right across the street to the Old Mystic Village.  We saw some shops and visited ducks at the duck pond, including some really cute babies.  We had dinner at Mango’s Pizza.  Pizza, wings, and cheesy bread – it was quite good and between the five of us, we ate every bite.  We then went to Twisters’ ice cream right along the Mystic River.  The ice cream was good, but the view was Amazing!  We sat at a picnic table along the river watching the boats and the setting sun.  Ryan and Abby each had a turn with the camera, and we took some fun pictures by the water before returning to the hotel.  After some late nights, we were glad to get the girls in bed at a decent hour.  Ryan and Coleson had some bonding time on the fitness center treadmills, and now we’re all going to call it an early night.  We’ve got big plans tomorrow!  Aunt Betty, a ferry, and bike riding, here we come!    

[PS, this is how you sugarcoat a day for a blogpost.  While it was an overall good day - any day on vacation is better then a work/school day - it was also a bit of a tired, grumpy day for most of us.  The kids each had their own fair share of whines and there were a couple of potty training accidents.  Mommy's really glad for a normal bedtime tonight.  And also wishing for a margarita.]

NYC from Ellis Island

Statue of Liberty by Ryan

We started tired and did not want to get out of bed but we got of bed Chloe was first out of bed than me and last Abby. For Breakfast I had a banana and bagel Abby had a banana and a bagel  Chloe had a banana and some frosted flakes daddy had a banana and a bagel and mommy had a banana and a bagel. Than we drove four hours and only one stop! Than we arrived at the Statue of Liberty!  First we had a picnic lunch.then we rode a ferry boat to get Ellis Island. Then we looked around Ellis Island. Then we got on the ferry boat again. Then we went to the statue of liberty. We got to go to the pedal stool! Then we look at the gift shop. Then we got lemonade. Than we looked around the Statue of Liberty to get a good view. Then we went to another gift shop and got t-shirts! Then we got back on the fairy boat. Then when we got back to the dock we went back to the car. Than we kept driving and we found a restaurant on the side of the road and we had hot dogs and a burger for dinner. Than we kept driving to the Hotel. When we got there we got ready for than we went to bed.

Day Three : the Statue of Liberty

Hello from Mystic, CT!  We started the day at Granddaddy’s house.  After waking up, eating a quick breakfast, throwing stuff in the car, and saying our goodbyes, we headed up 95north.  Our drive was a fairly uneventful four hours or so.  We arrived at Liberty State Park in New Jersey at lunchtime to see the Statue of Liberty.  We had read that the New Jersey side was easier, had more parking, etc.  That was true – we had no trouble finding a good spot.  We enjoyed a beautiful view while picnicking on peanut butter and honey sandwiches.  We had the NJ skyline to one side and the Statue and the harbor to the other, hard to beat that!  After eating, we headed for the ferry.  The lines weren’t bad at all and we had a good seat at the front of the boat by the window.  Chloe cried just a minute when boarding the boat, but after that everyone was fine.  Our first stop was Ellis Island.  There wasn’t too much exciting on the island itself, but the views were amazing.  NYC has such an awesome skyline.  And of course the Statue on the other side.  We meandered a bit, took photos, and the girls “climbed” a tree.  We then rode the ferry again, this time to Liberty Island to see the Statue.  We had pedestal tickets, so we headed up first.  The climb was somewhere around 200 steps, not too bad of a climb [and way better than a claustrophobic elevator ride!].  The views were great, although it was a narrow squeeze and pretty congested up there.  And I was sad that you really couldn’t get a good straight-up view of the Statue.  We climbed back down and enjoyed more beautiful water views and picture taking.  We treated ourselves to a large fresh lemonade, as well as tshirts for the kids.  Our only long line was waiting for the ferry back to Jersey.  There was a very large student group ahead of us; I guess we now know how others must have felt when the Walton Band showed up oh so many years ago! 

It was a great day and a fun experience.  The kids have really been looking forward to this day.  We had read about the Statue in a Scouting magazine Ryan gets in the mail, so we knew lots of fun facts.  And Abby told her Waumba Land teachers at church last week that she’d be at the Statue of Liberty this Sunday!  We were pretty worn out by the end, but that’s okay!  Nothing that some Oreos and naps in the car can’t fix.  As usual, Chloe was asleep almost right away, but as a nice surprise, Abby also took a short nap.  We wound our way all around the sidestreets of Jersey City on our way out of town [the “avoid tolls” option :)].  Once safely on our way, we stopped at a small, local restaurant on the side of the road just inside New York state, before the Tapan Zee bridge.  We actually passed it and made a U-turn to go back – it looked fun and we weren’t sure what else we might find!  It was called The Filling Station and was a small burger place.  We walked up to order and sat at picnic tables to eat.  The food was pretty good, the atmosphere was nice, and the employees were friendly and helpful.  We had dogs and burgers and yummy fries and Cokes that tasted really good after a long couple of days of travel! 

We arrived at our Holiday Inn Express here in Mystic about 9:30.  It appears to be a great hotel – nice room, continental breakfast, and an indoor pool.  Fortunately we weren't going towards New York on a Sunday night.  The traffic was crazy going the other direction; all the city folk returning from their weekend beach houses were sitting on the highway forever!  It was still packed at 9:30 even 90miles into CT.  We’ve got some fun ideas for tomorrow, but first we’re really looking forward to a slow start in the morning.  Good night from Connecticut!

Day Two : the 4th of July!

Our Saturday started about 4:30am, at least for Chloe and Mommy.  I awoke to her crying Mommy.  Our rooms at Granddaddy’s are set up jack-and-jill style, so I crossed through the bathroom to check on her, only to realize she wasn’t on her pile of blankets.  She had set up her bed on the floor right up against the big bed, despite our attempts to put her near the wall.  Without glasses and in the dark, it took me a few seconds to locate her.  She was saying “in here,” which come to find out meant under the bed.  She was way up under there, and not only that, she was sideways.  So I had to lay and pull her feet and together we worked her out.  I suggested moving her bed, yet she still insisted on laying on the floor right by the bed.  So I piled up the extra decorative pillows under the edge of the bed, and back to sleep we went :)

Suzzette and I had hoped to run a 5k to celebrate the 4^th, but with the rain, it didn’t happen.  After breakfast, we did venture out to find a parade though.  We met up with Chris, Suzzette, Emma, and Franklin in Great Falls.  It was pouring when we got there!  We hung out under the Safeway overhang and then eventually a Wells Fargo.  Fortunately the rain subsided in time for the parade.  Suzzette kept the kids entertained while we waited with games like Simon Says and the Hokey Pokey.  It was a cute, small town parade complete with firetrucks, politicians, community groups, tons of candy, horses, and even Spiderman in an old-fashioned mail truck.  After the parade, the kids did a few jumpy bounce houses.  Most of them were too big for Chloe and Franklin, but we did find one that worked well enough.  Abby was a great helper and assisted the two little ones all the way through.  Thanks Abs!

After the parade and festivities, we said goodbye to Suzzette and headed back to Granddaddy’s for lunch.  We enjoyed some much needed downtime in the afternoon – watching a movie, a run for Mommy, and of course playing in the basement.  We had a wonderful dinner at The Greene Turtle with Granddaddy and Grandma Jo-Ann.  It was a nice burger place and quite tasty.  We then headed to the town of Leesburg for fireworks.  We had a great spot on the lawn of a Catholic church, away from the biggest crowds.  Ryan had a blast running and playing with two brothers – eight and six years old.  They ran and ran and ran.  It was fun to watch him having so much fun.  There was also a five year boy and his three year old sister nearby, and Abby and Chloe occasionally played with them.  They were cute little towheads :)  Abby spent most of the evening with Granddaddy and Grandma Jo-Ann though.  She’s our sweet, cuddly one.  Another highlight was catching fireflies.  Ryan was really pretty good at it!  Chloe fell asleep in my arms about 9pm.  She was NOT a fan of the fireworks.  She woke up sort of when they started, but she refused to actually wake up and acknowledge the world.  She kept her eyes squeezed shut and her head buried in my arm.  She would not let me sit her up on my hip, she insisted on burrowing down into my armpit and hiding.  She didn’t flinch or cry at all, it was more like she was in a trance – she was totally off in her happy place.  The rest of us enjoyed the fireworks.  It was a great show with a nice soundtrack of patriotic music.  After the fireworks, Ryan’s new friends came to find him and say goodbye.  They asked something about if they’d see him at fireworks next year, but Ryan told them he lived in Georgia and was just on vacation.  It was a pleasant evening, and the girls were quickly asleep in the car.  It was about 10:30 by the time we got back to Granddaddy’s, so we all went to bed right away.

Happy Birthday America!  We love you!  We have so much to be thankful for this day and everyday.  Our country is the best, and I love celebrating the 4^th of July! 

Summer 2015 New England roadtrip!

Hello from Granddaddy’s house in Ashburn, VA.  It’s summer roadtrip 2015!  Our adventure started yesterday afternoon.  Coleson got home from work about 4pm.  We drove Maya and her crate over to Nana’s, wished Pop-Pop a happy birthday, and said hello to Jason & Amber.  We then starting throwing stuff in the back of the van.  As the kids get older, it gets easier to pack!  Just the basics this trip, not even a pack-n-play, although we did bring the napmat and a blanket for Chlo-Chlo.  She’s too big for a crib, but we’re still afraid she’d fall out of a real bed in a hotel room.  So anyways, we left home about 5:15.  We picnicked in the car and made it about seven hours before stopping at midnight at a Red Roof Inn in Durham, North Carolina.

Only a few hours into our trip, we’ve had our first casualty : Critter.  If you know anything about Chloe, you know that Critter goes everywhere.  Critter is Mommy-made and very special to both of us.  He is super well-loved and actually just had knee surgery two nights before we left.  We know she had fallen asleep with him in the car Thursday night, but I remember noticing when we were in the hotel room that she wasn’t holding him.  And of course, a couple minutes later when we laid down, she started crying for “Dritt-Er.”  We assured her that he was in the car, and she was able to fall asleep.  Let me tell you, we have looked everywhere for him.  We couldn’t find him the next morning in the car, we walked to the room and back several times, we’ve torn through our suitcases, I even checked the trashcans in the stairwells at the hotel.  We’ve check twice with the hotel office and they have our name and number in case he shows up.  He’s literally disappeared into thin air.  Chloe has taken it fairly well – fortunately Abby is not attached to her Critter, and so “Abby Critter” has filled in occasionally in the past.  Chloe has clung to Abby’s Critter today and is currently sleeping with him.  I keep praying Critter will show up, and I keep checking the car even though I know he’s not there. 

After checking out of our hotel, we got donuts from the gas station next door and coffee from McDonald’s before finishing up the last four hours to the DC area.  We meet up with Choi family in time for lunch today, woohoo!  We picnicked with them at an awesome park on Burke Lake – we have a box in the truck with bread, PB, honey, lots of snacks, apples, etc.  After lunch we rode a fun little train and watched the ducks [geese] down by the lake.  We finished up with ice cream and a rootbeer float for me at the park’s ice cream parlor.  It was a cute place and a fun afternoon.  After the park, we stopped by David and Kelley’s new townhome.  It’s a great place with a basement and nice backyard.  The kids enjoyed hanging out with Hannah.  She’s in between Abby and Chloe’s age, so the girls especially play really well.  It’s always fun to see the Chois and catch up on life! 

This evening we arrived at Granddaddy and Grandma Jo-Ann’s.  They had an awesome dinner for us – rice and beans and pork and corn.  It was delicious!!  The kids spent the evening in the basement playing ping-pong with Granddaddy and coloring with Grandma Jo-Ann.  They’ve also added a fun placehouse since our last trip.  The weather was a little drizzly, so we passed on a scooter ride with the kids, and instead Coleson and I snuck our by ourselves for a short run/walk.  It was a nice treat!  Thanks Granddaddy for watching our kiddos.  We thought briefly about checking out local fireworks tonight, but the kids were pretty tired.  Chloe asked for bed and fell asleep without a peep [and with Abby’s Critter]; the rest of us weren’t far behind.  We’re excited for a fun-filled Fourth of July tomorrow!  Unfortunately it’s supposed to rain, but surely there’ll still be lots of patriotic fun to be had! 

Are trip to Maxim,s house By Ryan

We left on Monday to go to Maxim,s house. When we got their we played with thier toy,s. Then we had sandwich and watermelon for lunch. Next we went to the pool. We rod the lazy river. We played and swam in the pool. Then we went back to the house and took shower,s. When we were done me and Maxim played on the tv. Then we had pizza for dinner. Next we put on are pj,s. Then chloe and stratum went to bed and me and Maxim and Abby played. Next  Abby went to bed. Then me and Maxim read a book in bed. Next we went to bed. On Tuesday we woke up and played. Then we had French toast or a bar with fruit for breakfast. Next we went hikeing and played on a playground. Then      we went to jeray,s mike, s subs for lunch. Then we went back to the house then me and Maxim played in his room. Next me and Maxim played on the tv then we played outside. Then we had hot dogs, veggie sticks and carrots. Then we went outside rod bikes. Then we went home.

 

our awesome weekend

Summer has been great, but the last two weeks have been fairly busy and we haven't had much family time.  Coleson was in Vegas this past week for work and the week before that both Ryan and Abby had camps.  Ryan's camp was an evening camp, which meant no family dinners and no Mommy/Daddy time after bedtime - it's hard to do that when Ryan's up til all hours of the night :) 

Coleson returned from Vegas Thursday night, and the kids and I picked him up from the airport.  We arrived a little early so we could hang out in the cell phone lot watching the planes.  We enjoyed that quite a bit, and it was so nice to see Daddy! 

Friday night we had our first homecooked, family dinner in what felt like forever.  Taco pasta, one of Mommy's favorites, yumm!  Ryan's been growing his hair out - well, more like Ryan just hasn't had a haircut.  He doesn't like it long, but he doesn't want it cut.  And it's summertime, and Mommy doesn't care, so it's just been growing wild.  The topic of his hair came up again at dinner and Ryan decided he was ready for a cut and he wanted it short again.  Well, the long look is looking pretty good on him, so after a bit of convincing, off went Mommy and Ryan for a real haircut.  Not a Mommy buzz, but a professional with scissors and everything.  He picked Sport Clips, based solely on the name and that they had TVs.  It's still "long," at least for Ryan, but it's all cleaned up and trimmed.  He looks so super handsome and way too grown up! 

Saturday we went on a cave tour and gold mining with Ryan's Cub Scouts pack.  I'd never been either, so I was actually really looking forward to it.  We were at Consolidated Gold Mines in Dahlonega.  We learned the name is because at one time there were six different mines in that area that consolidated together.  There were about 30 or 35 of us on our tour - John was the only other boy from Ryan's den, so they stuck together most of the time.  The mine was really pretty neat.  Lots of cool things to see and a guide who told us lots of cool facts.  The kids all did great, even when he turned off the lights.  And even when he turned on one of the old drills that echoed loudly around the mine.  The girls won't use hand dryers in public restrooms, but they did fine with the drill, go figure!  After the tour, we went panning for gold.  It was okay, but the kids enjoyed it and we all got our token three or four specks.  The gems were way more fun, in my opinion.  Each kid had a huge bucket of sand with gems and rocks.  They were able to shovel them on to the sifters and find the treasures.  It was a lot more interactive and fun and messy!  We returned home for some downtime in the afternoon, followed by dinner at our favorite Mexican place - Las Palmas.  It was a really nice dinner.  Very relaxing and enjoyable, a great end to our day.

More adventures on Sunday - after church and lawn mowing, we rented a canoe and kayak on Lake Allatoona.  It was a blast!  The canoe held three of us and the kayak two.  The kids weren't much help paddling, but Mommy and Daddy got a workout :)  We explored for awhile and even ventured across the lake [boats and waves, but it actually wasn't bad at all].  We then pulled the boats to the shore for a break.  The kids loved swimming in the lake!  It was a perfect day - low 80s instead of the high 90s we've been having.  Lots of blue sky and sunshine.  We saw huge birds, and the train crossed the cool bridge across the lake three times during our two-hour rental.  After some snacks, we boarded our boats again to meander around the lake some more.  But all the kids really wanted to do was get back in the water.  So once we were back in the no-wake zone, we let them jump out for a quick swim before returning the boats.  It was soo much fun!!  I could get used to life on the lake!  At some point, Abby said something about loving this day, and they kept asking when we could go again.  We picked up some Little Ceaser's on the way home to cap off our pretty-much-perfect weekend.  I'm so thankful for this amazing family of ours, and the wonderful opportunities we are blessed with!  I could say something cliché about being intentional and experiencing life together, but let's leave it at : it's so much fun having fun with them!! :) 

And PS, despite our 2-4pm canoe rental timeframe, no one got sunburnt, or even red!  Hooray!

Coanoing and kayaking by Ryan

Today we went kayaking and canoeing at holiday Harbor. First Abby and daddy road in a kayak me Chloe and mommy road in a canoe. Then we stopped at a beach and swim in the lake then we had a snack then me and Abby traded baots. Then the me , Abby and Chloe got of the boats and siwmed in the deep water. Last went back to the harbor.