It was really fascinating being in a building where the founders of our country made many decisions and where the Declaration of Independence was signed. Some of the pieces of furniture that we were able to see was actually used by our founding fathers. We really did have a great guide, although I don't know how good the other guides were. He kept everyone interested and made the information where a adults and children alike were able to understand. This was so much better than just reading about the founding of our nation. This made it so real for all of us.
We took a quick tour of the Liberty Bell. The history of the bell is a bit of an interesting one. I won't go into here, mostly because I have forgotten some of it and I don't feel like double checking what I remember.
We were going to stop by a cemetery where many of the men who were involved with the founding of our nation. However, they were going to charge us, which I think is outrageous. So we managed a pic of one of the grave markers.
One thing that we managed to do was not pay attention to where we parked. We had a general idea but weren't sure exactly where. We basically speed-walked back the van in the light rain. We found the van with a few minutes to spare on the meter. It was a very educational and interesting visit to Philadelphia. We were quite tired and ready for our drive to New Jersey.
Friday, December 12, 2008
Thursday, December 11, 2008
Philadelphia, the three hour tour, the three hour tour
Part 1:
On our way to NJ, we decided we would stop off in Philadelphia for some sight-seeing and history lessons. We drove around downtown Philadelphia trying to find a place to park our van and camper. Many parts of that drive were scary and quite uncomfortable. We looked like the only crazy people driving around that area pulling something. Many of the streets were narrow and packed. We finally find a place where we can park our camper and van all at the same place, metered parking. The day happened to be a lovely slightly overcast day, with a small amount of precipitation falling from the sky. We were able to leave the dogs in the van with no worry of them overheating. Randy put enough money in the meter for three hours, so we have to make sure we can find our way back by then. We have no clue where we are needing to go, so we just start walking back towards the town. This is our first experience going to any sort of a National Park and we don't know what to expect. With a few directions from passersby, we make it to the main area for information and to get tickets to go on a tour of Liberty Hall. What an experience just being in the building. It was so nice and full of information. There were people dressed in period costumes, a first for us. I didn't know exactly what they were there for, I didn't know if we should ask them questions or stare at them or ??? So, we took a picture or two and walked by. We had a ticket for all of us to go on a guided tour. We wandered around looking at the area and in some of the historic buildings. We made it to the line for the tour and waited for a bit. Our guide was an expert in our country's history and was quite a character himself.
On our way to NJ, we decided we would stop off in Philadelphia for some sight-seeing and history lessons. We drove around downtown Philadelphia trying to find a place to park our van and camper. Many parts of that drive were scary and quite uncomfortable. We looked like the only crazy people driving around that area pulling something. Many of the streets were narrow and packed. We finally find a place where we can park our camper and van all at the same place, metered parking. The day happened to be a lovely slightly overcast day, with a small amount of precipitation falling from the sky. We were able to leave the dogs in the van with no worry of them overheating. Randy put enough money in the meter for three hours, so we have to make sure we can find our way back by then. We have no clue where we are needing to go, so we just start walking back towards the town. This is our first experience going to any sort of a National Park and we don't know what to expect. With a few directions from passersby, we make it to the main area for information and to get tickets to go on a tour of Liberty Hall. What an experience just being in the building. It was so nice and full of information. There were people dressed in period costumes, a first for us. I didn't know exactly what they were there for, I didn't know if we should ask them questions or stare at them or ??? So, we took a picture or two and walked by. We had a ticket for all of us to go on a guided tour. We wandered around looking at the area and in some of the historic buildings. We made it to the line for the tour and waited for a bit. Our guide was an expert in our country's history and was quite a character himself.
Chocolate, Chocolate, mmmmm Chocolate
We managed to make it to Hershey's chocolate factory tour. It was a bit on the cheesy side but the kids enjoyed it. They show you how chocolate is made, starting with the cocoa bean all the way to the finished product. You should be able to see just about everything that we saw through all of the pictures that Randy took. The kids really enjoyed the tour. We also we given chocolate before the tour and after the tour, but Randy didn't get to enjoy his treat. They were giving dark chocolate away on the day we were there. He isn't a fan of dark chocolate so he gave his away, much to my delight. I was able to enjoy a double dose of chocolate. You didn't hear me complain.
We have enjoyed our stay at Hershey park Thousand Trails. The pool here is large!! It was a bit on the cool side, but the kids enjoyed it. We haven't been here very much but what we have has been fun. I wish we could extend our stay here a little longer but a very large RV show is happening in Hershey and the park is booked.
Now we are off to New Jersey.
We have enjoyed our stay at Hershey park Thousand Trails. The pool here is large!! It was a bit on the cool side, but the kids enjoyed it. We haven't been here very much but what we have has been fun. I wish we could extend our stay here a little longer but a very large RV show is happening in Hershey and the park is booked.
Now we are off to New Jersey.
Monday, November 17, 2008
4 Score and Seven Years Ago...
A little cheesy, but I couldn't resist.
Absolutely amazing- incredibly touching- very moving- are just a few phrases uttered during our tour of Gettysburg. I was very surprised at the enormous area on which the Battle took place. I was not expecting such a massive area. I don't know how much of the land that we covered and saw on our tour, but I do know that Gettysburg park covers 5,733 acres.
We purchased an audio CD that was dramatized. We were able to go along at our own pace, this includes getting lost a few times, enjoy the air conditioning of the van and relax while seeing an incredible piece of America's history. It can't get much better than that, well except for the lost part.
The CD was a great purchase- I thought it was a little costly at $21 but then I am pretty frugal, i.e. cheap. The CD guided us along the roads and gave us the history of the battle. There were many moments where I was lost in thought and pictured the soldiers fighting for their beliefs and their lives. It was one of the most moving moments of my life. I could envision the young and old, poor and rich, illiterate and well educated, who believed so strongly in their cause that they were willing to fight brother against brother, father against son and friend against friend. To imagine the intensity of their courage was so moving and heart wrenching, there were many times I found myself tearing up.
We were able to see lots of cannons that are on the property still. I believe (although I could be wrong), that these are still used in reenactments. There were also various buildings around the grounds that are from the time of the battle. It was so amazing being there, including visiting the cemetery where Lincoln gave the Gettysburg Address. I can't say enough about Gettysburg and our experience there. It was something I will never forget and I hope my children won't either.
We ended our Gettysburg experience in a perfect way- we rented the dvd Gettysburg. We all watched the movie and were able to get a better grasp of what it was that happened and where. Also we were able to see some of the well-known people really come to life on the screen. It was really quite a feeling to see the same rocks and fields that we were walking on and learning about the day before. Most of the scenes were actually filmed at the real battlefield. The whole experience was incredible and we suggest that everyone go there at some point if they can. Watching the movie first might be better but isn't necessary, just going is worth it.
Absolutely amazing- incredibly touching- very moving- are just a few phrases uttered during our tour of Gettysburg. I was very surprised at the enormous area on which the Battle took place. I was not expecting such a massive area. I don't know how much of the land that we covered and saw on our tour, but I do know that Gettysburg park covers 5,733 acres.
We purchased an audio CD that was dramatized. We were able to go along at our own pace, this includes getting lost a few times, enjoy the air conditioning of the van and relax while seeing an incredible piece of America's history. It can't get much better than that, well except for the lost part.
The CD was a great purchase- I thought it was a little costly at $21 but then I am pretty frugal, i.e. cheap. The CD guided us along the roads and gave us the history of the battle. There were many moments where I was lost in thought and pictured the soldiers fighting for their beliefs and their lives. It was one of the most moving moments of my life. I could envision the young and old, poor and rich, illiterate and well educated, who believed so strongly in their cause that they were willing to fight brother against brother, father against son and friend against friend. To imagine the intensity of their courage was so moving and heart wrenching, there were many times I found myself tearing up.
We were able to see lots of cannons that are on the property still. I believe (although I could be wrong), that these are still used in reenactments. There were also various buildings around the grounds that are from the time of the battle. It was so amazing being there, including visiting the cemetery where Lincoln gave the Gettysburg Address. I can't say enough about Gettysburg and our experience there. It was something I will never forget and I hope my children won't either.
We ended our Gettysburg experience in a perfect way- we rented the dvd Gettysburg. We all watched the movie and were able to get a better grasp of what it was that happened and where. Also we were able to see some of the well-known people really come to life on the screen. It was really quite a feeling to see the same rocks and fields that we were walking on and learning about the day before. Most of the scenes were actually filmed at the real battlefield. The whole experience was incredible and we suggest that everyone go there at some point if they can. Watching the movie first might be better but isn't necessary, just going is worth it.
Monday, November 10, 2008
I wonder if it is opening Sunday?!?!?!?
While getting ready to leave, Randy decided that the bike rack needs to go because it is tearing up the roof on the pop-up. You can see where it has scratched and dented the top of the pop-up. The kids are really upset with this idea but it is what we need to do. The bike rack also adds about an extra hour to our departure time so in the end, it would be a time saver. As we were about to head out, a man came over to talk to us. He was a very nice gentleman from Canada. We chatted for a bit about traveling and as we were about to leave he gave us $100. We were so surprised. The money could defintely be put to good use. This has been one of the many blessings that we have experienced while traveling.
Some of you might remember that Randy was taking pictures of the different NFL stadiums. This is where he sort of decided to cease this venture. As we were heading towards Buffalo, Randy had this "great" idea- we can go by the Bill's Stadium and get pictures. I use the trusty laptop to get the address and put it into our GPS. As we are just about to the stadium a thought suddenly pops into Randy's head- "Hey", he says, "Today is Sunday. I hope the Bills aren't playing at home today."
Guess what? It was opening Sunday and traffic was terrible. We ended up adding a least 2 hours onto our estimated drive time. We learned three things that day- 1. Check the game day schedule before you head that direction 2. The GPS looks for the shortest route, even if it is through mountains, we should have backtracked back to the Buffalo area so we would have been on a major highway, not little roads through little towns in mountainy areas -- which now leads me to point number three 3. Western New York has a few mountainy areas and we ended up driving through most of it. Randy was not a happy camper and decided that we would only go to the NFL stadiums if we were near them, no more driving out of the way, on days we shouldn't, through areas we know nothing about.
The drive to PA was beautiful. I really had no idea how beautiful this part of the country is. We took a few pictures but I am sure they don't show the debth and beauty of what we saw. We stopped by a roadside stand and bought some fresh peaches. They were so delicious. We had those as a snack as we entered into PA. The rest of the drive was uneventful but gorgeous. This is an area that I am so thankful we drove through while it was daylight. Our destination is Hershey, Pennsylvania. Here we will tour Gettysburg and the Hershey Chocolate Factory.
Those posts are coming soon.
Some of you might remember that Randy was taking pictures of the different NFL stadiums. This is where he sort of decided to cease this venture. As we were heading towards Buffalo, Randy had this "great" idea- we can go by the Bill's Stadium and get pictures. I use the trusty laptop to get the address and put it into our GPS. As we are just about to the stadium a thought suddenly pops into Randy's head- "Hey", he says, "Today is Sunday. I hope the Bills aren't playing at home today."
Guess what? It was opening Sunday and traffic was terrible. We ended up adding a least 2 hours onto our estimated drive time. We learned three things that day- 1. Check the game day schedule before you head that direction 2. The GPS looks for the shortest route, even if it is through mountains, we should have backtracked back to the Buffalo area so we would have been on a major highway, not little roads through little towns in mountainy areas -- which now leads me to point number three 3. Western New York has a few mountainy areas and we ended up driving through most of it. Randy was not a happy camper and decided that we would only go to the NFL stadiums if we were near them, no more driving out of the way, on days we shouldn't, through areas we know nothing about.
The drive to PA was beautiful. I really had no idea how beautiful this part of the country is. We took a few pictures but I am sure they don't show the debth and beauty of what we saw. We stopped by a roadside stand and bought some fresh peaches. They were so delicious. We had those as a snack as we entered into PA. The rest of the drive was uneventful but gorgeous. This is an area that I am so thankful we drove through while it was daylight. Our destination is Hershey, Pennsylvania. Here we will tour Gettysburg and the Hershey Chocolate Factory.
Those posts are coming soon.
Saturday, November 8, 2008
Yes, we are alive and well
We did not fall off the face of the earth, we were not ate by sea dragons, nor were we consumed by the fiery pits at the edge of the earth, we are all alive and well. Many, many things have happened, some minor, some not so minor. One thing that has kept me from being able to post has been the momentary death of our beloved laptop. Randy thinks he can fix it, but doesn't have the parts he needs. As soon as he can get them, we will have the laptop to use again- the convenience of this piece of technology has been wonderful and we have had a terrible time living without it. We also had a problem with keyboards. At one point we didn't have the laptop or the main computer to use, so it was impossible to make a post and update everyone.
Another reason I have not been able to update is time. I am so much busier now than I was when we lived in a house. Even if we spend the day around the campsite, I barely have time to check my email. Speaking of email, if you have emailed me and I haven't responded, I am not ignoring you. I have almost 1000 emails to go through.
We have been having a blast and really enjoying ourselves. I have a lot updates to post and and going to try to get on the computer everyday or every other day and get started on that.
We would like to say hello to a few people we have met along the way- Hello to Terry and Mary, we hope to see ya'll again. Hi Ben- it has been a pleasure for us to get to know you- Hello to the entire Garvin family- thank you for a fabulous time with the manatees, great fellowship and the offer that I am sure we will take you up on.
Life is anything but dull right now and we are so thankful that God is allowing our family to experience so much. We have seen some beautiful country, saw amazing sights, met absolutely wonderful people and been able to do all of this as a family.
Be looking for an update coming in a day or two (I hope).
Another reason I have not been able to update is time. I am so much busier now than I was when we lived in a house. Even if we spend the day around the campsite, I barely have time to check my email. Speaking of email, if you have emailed me and I haven't responded, I am not ignoring you. I have almost 1000 emails to go through.
We have been having a blast and really enjoying ourselves. I have a lot updates to post and and going to try to get on the computer everyday or every other day and get started on that.
We would like to say hello to a few people we have met along the way- Hello to Terry and Mary, we hope to see ya'll again. Hi Ben- it has been a pleasure for us to get to know you- Hello to the entire Garvin family- thank you for a fabulous time with the manatees, great fellowship and the offer that I am sure we will take you up on.
Life is anything but dull right now and we are so thankful that God is allowing our family to experience so much. We have seen some beautiful country, saw amazing sights, met absolutely wonderful people and been able to do all of this as a family.
Be looking for an update coming in a day or two (I hope).
Saturday, September 27, 2008
Hi-Ho Hi-Ho, over the mountains we go....
I don't know for sure, but I think the reason we ended up driving over so many mountains in New York and then into Pennsylvania is because Randy "needed" to take pics of the Buffalo Bills stadium. Heading that direction changed our route through our GPS by a lot. Oh, and in case anyone is wondering, yes, driving to take pictures of an NFL stadium on opening day, does increase your drive time, no way around it.
The scenery that we were able to enjoy was amazing! It was so beautiful. I tried to take a few pictures so that everyone could see what we saw. I don't know how they turned out, but hopefully they are good enough. This drive was one of out prettiest. I definitely could handle seeing that everyday.
We made it to the Hershey preserve before dark. There is a very large RV show in Hershey that is going on while we are here. This has made it hard for us to extend our stay. They are expecting to be at full capacity a few days after we our arrival.
The scenery that we were able to enjoy was amazing! It was so beautiful. I tried to take a few pictures so that everyone could see what we saw. I don't know how they turned out, but hopefully they are good enough. This drive was one of out prettiest. I definitely could handle seeing that everyday.
We made it to the Hershey preserve before dark. There is a very large RV show in Hershey that is going on while we are here. This has made it hard for us to extend our stay. They are expecting to be at full capacity a few days after we our arrival.
Wednesday, September 17, 2008
Niagara Falls- More than a great view
Niagara Falls is one of the Seven Forgotten Natural Wonders of the World and one of the Top 10 Natural Wonders of the World. For us to get to see the Falls was a glorious and mesmerizing moment. We did have a funny moment when Landon sees a squirrel and gets excited and wants us to take a picture. We got a little laugh out of that since we could see the mist rising up over the railing and hear the beginning of the roar of the falls. I am sure that we were all full of anticipation over what we were about to see. When we peaked over the railing we saw mist rising high from the falls, water crashing to rocks below, water rushing and swirling below, and lots of people there to see the same thing we were (a lot were visitors from other countries). It was really awe-inspiring. We looked around the visitor center and found where to buy tickets for us to ride on the Maid of the Mist. To get to the Maid of the Mist you have to pay to go onto the observatory (kinda tricky). Randy got some really neat pictures from up there but I wasn't the most comfortable. If you walk out on it, to the edge, you end up being suspended out over the water and rocks, more than 200 feet. When you are ready, you ride down an elevator to the bottom. There you get your poncho and get in line for your boat ride. It was quite amazing to be on the boat, feeling the spray of the waters and hearing the massive rush as the waters went over and collided with the water and rocks below. Randy took a little video with the camera so you can hear the sound of the water. If you can, click on it and listen and watch. I think it is about 2 minutes long. (Our digital camera can only take videos that around 2 or maybe 3 minutes long)
We went onto Goat Island (I believe that is the name). You cross a couple of bridges and can go out to an island. There is an area where you can stand over Bridal Veil Falls. The area is really beautiful up there. I wasn't expecting it to be so breathtaking. I am so glad that we took a little detour and made it up there.
The couple that helped teach us pickleball invited the girls over to make a bead project, well, the lady, not really the man. The boys ended up making a necklace too. She sat there and helped them pick out the beads and taught them how to make a beaded necklace. It was great. The kids had a great time. She also gave the girls stuff to make a charm bracelet and let the boys take fossilized shark's teeth. She made the kids day and they all had the biggest smiles ever on their faces. Barb, if you happen to read this, thank you so much!
Well, we are off to Pennsylvania now. I hope to be updating the blog again soon!
We went onto Goat Island (I believe that is the name). You cross a couple of bridges and can go out to an island. There is an area where you can stand over Bridal Veil Falls. The area is really beautiful up there. I wasn't expecting it to be so breathtaking. I am so glad that we took a little detour and made it up there.
The couple that helped teach us pickleball invited the girls over to make a bead project, well, the lady, not really the man. The boys ended up making a necklace too. She sat there and helped them pick out the beads and taught them how to make a beaded necklace. It was great. The kids had a great time. She also gave the girls stuff to make a charm bracelet and let the boys take fossilized shark's teeth. She made the kids day and they all had the biggest smiles ever on their faces. Barb, if you happen to read this, thank you so much!
Well, we are off to Pennsylvania now. I hope to be updating the blog again soon!
Sunday, September 14, 2008
New York, land of vineyards
We managed to make it to New York without an incident. We are getting much better at packing up and leaving. Our first time to pack up and leave took most of a day, now we are down to about 5 hours total. Western New York is beautiful. The countryside is quite picturesque. Farms, old houses, vineyards, fields of crops, and hills, or mountains to us Texans. I had no idea that New York state had such a pretty side over on the western part of the state. And to think we almost missed seeing it. Randy found out that we were just 2 1/2 hours away from Niagara Falls from our current campground in Ohio, so we made reservations through our RPI membership to stay at Niagara's Lazy Lakes. We didn't make record time, although I think record time won't happen for a while, maybe never while we are pulling the camper. The kids are all filled with excitement to see the falls, and to be honest, so are mommy and daddy. I never really thought I would actually make it up here. While we were at 1st Baptist of Jefferson Ohio, they had a few backgrounds on their projector screen. One of them was a picture of one of the falls. Randy leaned over and whispered to the boys that we were going to see the falls in a few days and the looks on their faces was priceless. They are quite excited about the prospect of seeing such a large waterfall. I can't wait to see what their response is really like.
Oh, and the couple who did most of our pickleball teaching are here at this campground too. They say that you are often running into people you meet at other preserves.
I will post more later- it seems most of blogging is done going down the road, the internet is usually pretty fast and I don't have to fight anyone for the computer. :-)
Oh, and the couple who did most of our pickleball teaching are here at this campground too. They say that you are often running into people you meet at other preserves.
I will post more later- it seems most of blogging is done going down the road, the internet is usually pretty fast and I don't have to fight anyone for the computer. :-)
Friday, September 12, 2008
OHIO 1st Baptist Church of Jefferson
We went to church both Sundays in Ohio. One Sunday was a church sort of in the middle of nowhere. By the time the preacher was done, we weren't quite sure what he believed. So, the next Sunday we decided to try another church that was advertising in the family center. This one was 1st Baptist of Jefferson, Ohio. We went to Sunday School and it was so nice. The kids really enjoyed it (last Sunday, during church, the kids watched Hannah Montana). They enjoyed being with kids and learning from great teachers. Randy and I also enjoyed our class. We then went into the sanctuary and learned that they also had a kids class available during the service if the kids wanted to go. The people, the church, they were so friendly and welcoming. Not only did we get some excellent teaching, we were also surrounded by people who were so kind. Pastor Gary had a great lesson on time and our days.
We were invited to their evening services. During the summer they meet at a member's house. We asked the kids if they wanted to go and they all unanimously agreed, yes. We were a little late because there was a potluck at TT. This evening was spent singing. The kids got to see the kids they met earlier that day and play and we were able to visit with some of the adults. The singing was great. One man sounded a lot like Johnny Cash and and wrote his own songs. One guy had everyone join in on his two songs, one was Are You Happy. The kids loved that one but the second on, the kids sang and sang days later. It was a take on The 12 Days of Christmas- this was The 12 Days of Summer. He said he needed volunteers and walked right over to us and gave us a small piece of paper. It said, 12 Campers Camping. We felt it fit us perfect.
We visited with the people when the singing was over. They were some of the nicest people we have ever met. They reminded us of the members of our home churches (TX and WI). When we were about to leave, they prayed for us. We are so thankful that we went to 1st Baptist of Jefferson.
If we were looking for a home church in the area, we would definitely be looking there. If you are ever in the area, drop by and tell them we said hi!
We were invited to their evening services. During the summer they meet at a member's house. We asked the kids if they wanted to go and they all unanimously agreed, yes. We were a little late because there was a potluck at TT. This evening was spent singing. The kids got to see the kids they met earlier that day and play and we were able to visit with some of the adults. The singing was great. One man sounded a lot like Johnny Cash and and wrote his own songs. One guy had everyone join in on his two songs, one was Are You Happy. The kids loved that one but the second on, the kids sang and sang days later. It was a take on The 12 Days of Christmas- this was The 12 Days of Summer. He said he needed volunteers and walked right over to us and gave us a small piece of paper. It said, 12 Campers Camping. We felt it fit us perfect.
We visited with the people when the singing was over. They were some of the nicest people we have ever met. They reminded us of the members of our home churches (TX and WI). When we were about to leave, they prayed for us. We are so thankful that we went to 1st Baptist of Jefferson.
If we were looking for a home church in the area, we would definitely be looking there. If you are ever in the area, drop by and tell them we said hi!
OHIO
We stayed at a campground called Kenisee Lakes in Ohio. We managed to get a good system going there. We would have breakfast and get the dishes washed by 10 am (that may not sound like a feat, but believe me, it is). I would drive Randy up to the family center where he would work. The internet was faster than what we could get on the aircard, so he needed to be up there to get decent internet. I would head back and then the kids would start school. At some point I would get lunch started. We would all load up and head back up to the family center and eat lunch with Randy. That was around 1:30-2:00. We found out that if you want to meet people, this is the place to do it. We met so many interesting people up there, were able to share what we were doing and our faith in Jesus. There were so many nice people there. I am so thankful Randy had to go up there and work. The kids loved it there too. They played games and puzzles, got to fish and go out in rowboats, and we all learned how to play pickleball. These "older people" sure know how to play pickleball. I said that I need to find some younger people to play with, maybe they won't be so good.
We also found out what it was like to be pinching pennies while OTR. That was a bit of struggle but also a test of our faith. Are we willing to go to the end, not give up when things get tough? Are we willing to do what He has called us to do? Or are we going to bail out?
We are still keeping-on, keeping on, putting our faith, trust and hope in Jesus Christ.
We have a few pics of Ohio but we didn't do much outside of the campground. One, because of lack of funds and two, there wasn't much to do. Ohio gave us a chance to stay put for two weeks, meet a few wonderful fulltimers, spend time as a family and see where our faith really was.
We also found out what it was like to be pinching pennies while OTR. That was a bit of struggle but also a test of our faith. Are we willing to go to the end, not give up when things get tough? Are we willing to do what He has called us to do? Or are we going to bail out?
We are still keeping-on, keeping on, putting our faith, trust and hope in Jesus Christ.
We have a few pics of Ohio but we didn't do much outside of the campground. One, because of lack of funds and two, there wasn't much to do. Ohio gave us a chance to stay put for two weeks, meet a few wonderful fulltimers, spend time as a family and see where our faith really was.
Wednesday, September 3, 2008
Life at the speed of where
As in, where do the days go? Life seems to be moving at fast forward speed for us. I will make this one short because I have Ohio to blog about but I didn't want to leave out my final post about Michigan.
Have you ever been going in a direction that you knew was the direction that you should be going, the one that God wants you to go. But, at some point, a little doubt creeps in. Well, it was starting to happen to me. Not that it should have at all. I guess, a little (or a lot) of my flesh creeping in. One night, not too long before we were to leave, a man stopped by our site. He is a Christian who was getting started to embark on a journey similar to ours. He ended up being a huge encouragement to us. His name is Neal Smith and is a Christian singer. We chatted for a little while and God ended up using us to encourage him and vice versa.
Our stay in Bear Cave was enjoyable, fun and encouraging. We have pics coming soon. Sorry for the delay in getting those up. We need a moderately fast connection to upload those, but we haven't had that yet.
Up Next: OHIO!
Have you ever been going in a direction that you knew was the direction that you should be going, the one that God wants you to go. But, at some point, a little doubt creeps in. Well, it was starting to happen to me. Not that it should have at all. I guess, a little (or a lot) of my flesh creeping in. One night, not too long before we were to leave, a man stopped by our site. He is a Christian who was getting started to embark on a journey similar to ours. He ended up being a huge encouragement to us. His name is Neal Smith and is a Christian singer. We chatted for a little while and God ended up using us to encourage him and vice versa.
Our stay in Bear Cave was enjoyable, fun and encouraging. We have pics coming soon. Sorry for the delay in getting those up. We need a moderately fast connection to upload those, but we haven't had that yet.
Up Next: OHIO!
Saturday, August 23, 2008
Michigan Part Two
There are a lot more people here at Bear Cave than were at Horseshoe lake. The activity center here is quite large and has a few more things to do. The view out the back is just lovely and if you step out the back door you can here the waterfall that is on the property (hopefully pictures will be coming soon). The have a pingpong table, pool table, game/puzzle room, toy room for small kids, arcade room, plus lots of tables and chairs. We played pingpong quite a few times. We can rent pingpong paddles for free, we just have to leave a $1 deposit. The kids are really enjoying their time here. Randy is able to get in plenty of work and the kids plenty of play. We have been able to get the Olympics in pretty clear-- Randy bought a special "thing" that allows us to use an antenna and plug it into the computer or laptop and watch tv. It isn't as good as watching it with cable or dish but it will do. The boys have even gotten in a few epsiodes of their Saturday morning cartoons.
There has also been a little more excitement (if you read Reianna's blog you already know what I am going to talk about). We have had a few bats visit us. It was dusk and Jazz noticed something flying near us that didn't look like a bird. Lucky for us it came back. We all managed to get a closer look and it was a bat. Randy showed us something that he used to do when he was younger. You take a white sock (not sure if white is necessary), put in some rocks and throw the sock into the air. The bats will fly toward it thinking it is food. I don't know if everyone knows this, but I sure didn't. I can't even remember if I have ever seen a bat "in person" before. It was fun for everyone. The bats have come back for the past three nights to visit us. We have all had a great time at Bear Cave. We are leaving soon and heading to Ohio. Well, are off to "do something fun" as the kids call it. We might get in a rousing game of pickle ball.
I will post again later. Take care.
There has also been a little more excitement (if you read Reianna's blog you already know what I am going to talk about). We have had a few bats visit us. It was dusk and Jazz noticed something flying near us that didn't look like a bird. Lucky for us it came back. We all managed to get a closer look and it was a bat. Randy showed us something that he used to do when he was younger. You take a white sock (not sure if white is necessary), put in some rocks and throw the sock into the air. The bats will fly toward it thinking it is food. I don't know if everyone knows this, but I sure didn't. I can't even remember if I have ever seen a bat "in person" before. It was fun for everyone. The bats have come back for the past three nights to visit us. We have all had a great time at Bear Cave. We are leaving soon and heading to Ohio. Well, are off to "do something fun" as the kids call it. We might get in a rousing game of pickle ball.
I will post again later. Take care.
Tuesday, August 19, 2008
Michigan
We made it to Michigan without too many difficulties. This drive sure made the drive to Horseshoe Lakes Indiana a breeze. We went to a campground that is with an affiliated resort through RPI. The name of the resort is Bear Cave and is near Buchanan, MI. This resort has an actual cave on the property and a bit of known Indian history. Now, if you are looking at our route so far, it doesn't look exactly like someone was paying attention to where they were going. I have to admit that was the case. This should have been our first stop and not our second. But hey, we are brandnew at this. If we started out knowing everything and not making any mistakes, then we would be mighty boring know-it-alls. (at least that is what we are telling ourselves).
We found a campsite we liked but we ended up moving because behind us was the St Joseph River and not much of a divider. We were a little concerned that the kids (mainly the boys) would not stop their bikes before rolling down the hill and right into the river. Thankfully though, we hadn't set up anything and moving was easy. We moved over just a bit where we could see the river and the playground and we were near the bathouse (all important items in our family). We set up a lot quicker than our first time and the girls really pitched in too. We knew (mostly) what needed to be done and what order to do those things in. The only problem we can see are the lack of bars on the cell phone and air card. The boys hit the park right away which was really nice. They could play to their hearts content without us having to be right their with them. There are also lots of kids here and they made friends instantly. The boys are really having a blast.
We went swimming the second day we were here. The pool is a lot bigger than the pool in Indiana but it does seem to be a bit colder. Randy and I skipped out on the swimming. Well, Randy actually found some shade and an outlet so he could work. The kids seem to be really loving it here and absolutely no complaints. I will post more later. I hope everyone is doing well.
We found a campsite we liked but we ended up moving because behind us was the St Joseph River and not much of a divider. We were a little concerned that the kids (mainly the boys) would not stop their bikes before rolling down the hill and right into the river. Thankfully though, we hadn't set up anything and moving was easy. We moved over just a bit where we could see the river and the playground and we were near the bathouse (all important items in our family). We set up a lot quicker than our first time and the girls really pitched in too. We knew (mostly) what needed to be done and what order to do those things in. The only problem we can see are the lack of bars on the cell phone and air card. The boys hit the park right away which was really nice. They could play to their hearts content without us having to be right their with them. There are also lots of kids here and they made friends instantly. The boys are really having a blast.
We went swimming the second day we were here. The pool is a lot bigger than the pool in Indiana but it does seem to be a bit colder. Randy and I skipped out on the swimming. Well, Randy actually found some shade and an outlet so he could work. The kids seem to be really loving it here and absolutely no complaints. I will post more later. I hope everyone is doing well.
Friday, August 15, 2008
A few experiences we've had so far..... UPdated
I said that I would share a few more things that happened to us on our first week "traveling"-
Many campgrounds have various hikes you can go on throughout the parks. I remember going on some as a kid. When I envisioned some of what we would do, hikes were on the list. We had gone on a trail before- the kids on bikes while I jogged. We had experience with the trails at this park so I was sure we could handle a longer one. We set off on a trail with the dogs, we as in me, the girls and Lance. Randy and Landon stayed back at the campsite. We were heading on a trail and then we ran out of, well, trail. There is no trail left, just tall overgrown brush. We then head in a different direction, not sure where we are heading. We end up in woods and are walking a path that hasn't been used in a long time. The kids full of youthful adventure and excitement want to push forward. I am thinking we should turn back since I am not even sure we are on Thousand Trails property any more. We climb over a large fallen tree and deeper into the woods. I was remembering all of the scary movies I watched as a kid that I shouldn't have- too many scenes that don't end well. We walk on and on and on. Finally we come to a clearing and I see something that looks familiar. We are on a trail in Thousand Trails, all-be-it and old unused one, but at least we were on the property the whole time. There was a running joke at our old church, www.frontlinecc.org about FoxNews Alerts. Before we left our pastor and friend joked and said he would be watching the alerts on Fox News to see what happened to us- that kept ringing through my head. The kids and I are going to be the next alert Fox News sends out. Of course everything in the end worked out, we went on a grand adventure, the kids had fun, got some fresh air and exercise all while mom looked cool and collected on the outside.
The next story is one I will remember forever- one that had a great ending (compared to what we thought it was) and will make a great story to share with Landon's friends, wife and his kids.
Where we were camped at in Horseshoe Lakes was very nice and quite ideal. We were near the bathhouse, near the lake, in a circle drive area that the kids could ride their bikes on, and with plenty of trees for shade. We had gotten back from a trip to a nearby town where we had stopped and bought green tomatoes and watermelon. I grew up eating fried green tomatoes and thought that sounded like a wonderful addition to dinner. Randy gets the laptop and starts working, I wash the tomatoes and start slicing, and the kids get busy unloading the van and then start playing. After a few minutes we notice that Landon isn't there, we don't see Lance's bike (the boys are sharing it until we can find a bike for Landon) and no one knows where he is. I send Reianna one direction, Chloe another and I go down the trail, all of us on bikes. I am searching and calling his name, but no Landon. I head back the way I came since there are so many different paths to take and no way I can do all of it on my own. We head back and exit the trail. I see that the van isn't at the campsite and don't know what happened. A few minutes later I see Randy coming around a corner. He took off in the van looking for him and he sent Jazzlynn on foot to look for him. About this time Reianna and Chloe show up with no luck. I am starting to really get anxious. I was already scared, worried, frightened, etc. He hasn't taken off like this before and there are so many areas where if you are not careful and not able to stop, you will end up in the water. We were all thinking the worst at this time. It was such a terrible feeling, I was starting to panic. Randy asks if anyone checked inside the bathhouse and no one had. I go into the men's room and see his shorts and underwear on the floor. I didn't see his feet and became even more frightened. I opened the stall door and he wasn't there. I pretty much lost it at this point. I thought he had been abducted and we would never find him. I opened the next stall door. I wasn't expecting to find him, one since we have been calling his name and two, his clothes were in the other stall area. However, there he was, asleep on the toilet. Although, at the time I didn't know he was asleep. I ran outside to tell Randy that I found him but I didn't know if he was ok. I was just so happy I at least knew where he was. I ran back in and tried to wake him up. It took quite a few shakes to get him to wake up. He finally opened his eyes and looked at me. I was so happy he was ok. I was mad that he didn't let me know he needed to go to the bathroom, that he had just completely frightened the family but the feeling of happiness overtook everything else. I went outside so Randy could help him and started to cry. All of the feelings and emotions that I had felt started to come to the surface.
I think that is all I am going to share for now. I will hopefully get Randy to get some pictures up so everyone can see where we have been. I will try and post about our trip to Michigan and what it is like here. Take care everyone!
Here are a couple more that I didn't have time to post-
One morning we are doing our morning routines- I am making breakfast, pancakes that my dad taught me how to make, and everyone is getting ready for the day. While I am busy I notice a blue car driving in our circle staring at some new guests who arrived overnight. Sidenote- the people in campgrounds seem to be quite nosy. They stare at you while you drive by at the designated speed of 5mph and might or might not wave. I just thought they were being nosy and wanted to see who these people were that arrived after we went to bed. Well, they come back and drive by again. I am busy trying to make breakfast so I can't really see what is going on, but I do know that they have their eyes on the newcomers. A little bit later they come back, this time with a sheriff, the manager of the preserve and a few more campers. I have no clue what is going, what is being said or what happened but obviously something happened that wasn't quite right.
Before long I hear some words that I won't repeat and a door slams. Two people end up getting arrested and the rest of the family leaves. I don't know what happened, we didn't ask. I was curious what one would do at a TT in a few hours that could get you arrested but to be honest, it wasn't any of our business. What did happen though is that our children saw people get arrested for their first time (might have been mine too, I am not sure). At least it was a mostly civilized event as the arrestees went peacefully.
There is something else but every time I get the laptop in front of me my mind goes blank. Oh well, maybe I will remember again and make a note of it. But knowing me I will forget where I put the note.
Many campgrounds have various hikes you can go on throughout the parks. I remember going on some as a kid. When I envisioned some of what we would do, hikes were on the list. We had gone on a trail before- the kids on bikes while I jogged. We had experience with the trails at this park so I was sure we could handle a longer one. We set off on a trail with the dogs, we as in me, the girls and Lance. Randy and Landon stayed back at the campsite. We were heading on a trail and then we ran out of, well, trail. There is no trail left, just tall overgrown brush. We then head in a different direction, not sure where we are heading. We end up in woods and are walking a path that hasn't been used in a long time. The kids full of youthful adventure and excitement want to push forward. I am thinking we should turn back since I am not even sure we are on Thousand Trails property any more. We climb over a large fallen tree and deeper into the woods. I was remembering all of the scary movies I watched as a kid that I shouldn't have- too many scenes that don't end well. We walk on and on and on. Finally we come to a clearing and I see something that looks familiar. We are on a trail in Thousand Trails, all-be-it and old unused one, but at least we were on the property the whole time. There was a running joke at our old church, www.frontlinecc.org about FoxNews Alerts. Before we left our pastor and friend joked and said he would be watching the alerts on Fox News to see what happened to us- that kept ringing through my head. The kids and I are going to be the next alert Fox News sends out. Of course everything in the end worked out, we went on a grand adventure, the kids had fun, got some fresh air and exercise all while mom looked cool and collected on the outside.
The next story is one I will remember forever- one that had a great ending (compared to what we thought it was) and will make a great story to share with Landon's friends, wife and his kids.
Where we were camped at in Horseshoe Lakes was very nice and quite ideal. We were near the bathhouse, near the lake, in a circle drive area that the kids could ride their bikes on, and with plenty of trees for shade. We had gotten back from a trip to a nearby town where we had stopped and bought green tomatoes and watermelon. I grew up eating fried green tomatoes and thought that sounded like a wonderful addition to dinner. Randy gets the laptop and starts working, I wash the tomatoes and start slicing, and the kids get busy unloading the van and then start playing. After a few minutes we notice that Landon isn't there, we don't see Lance's bike (the boys are sharing it until we can find a bike for Landon) and no one knows where he is. I send Reianna one direction, Chloe another and I go down the trail, all of us on bikes. I am searching and calling his name, but no Landon. I head back the way I came since there are so many different paths to take and no way I can do all of it on my own. We head back and exit the trail. I see that the van isn't at the campsite and don't know what happened. A few minutes later I see Randy coming around a corner. He took off in the van looking for him and he sent Jazzlynn on foot to look for him. About this time Reianna and Chloe show up with no luck. I am starting to really get anxious. I was already scared, worried, frightened, etc. He hasn't taken off like this before and there are so many areas where if you are not careful and not able to stop, you will end up in the water. We were all thinking the worst at this time. It was such a terrible feeling, I was starting to panic. Randy asks if anyone checked inside the bathhouse and no one had. I go into the men's room and see his shorts and underwear on the floor. I didn't see his feet and became even more frightened. I opened the stall door and he wasn't there. I pretty much lost it at this point. I thought he had been abducted and we would never find him. I opened the next stall door. I wasn't expecting to find him, one since we have been calling his name and two, his clothes were in the other stall area. However, there he was, asleep on the toilet. Although, at the time I didn't know he was asleep. I ran outside to tell Randy that I found him but I didn't know if he was ok. I was just so happy I at least knew where he was. I ran back in and tried to wake him up. It took quite a few shakes to get him to wake up. He finally opened his eyes and looked at me. I was so happy he was ok. I was mad that he didn't let me know he needed to go to the bathroom, that he had just completely frightened the family but the feeling of happiness overtook everything else. I went outside so Randy could help him and started to cry. All of the feelings and emotions that I had felt started to come to the surface.
I think that is all I am going to share for now. I will hopefully get Randy to get some pictures up so everyone can see where we have been. I will try and post about our trip to Michigan and what it is like here. Take care everyone!
Here are a couple more that I didn't have time to post-
One morning we are doing our morning routines- I am making breakfast, pancakes that my dad taught me how to make, and everyone is getting ready for the day. While I am busy I notice a blue car driving in our circle staring at some new guests who arrived overnight. Sidenote- the people in campgrounds seem to be quite nosy. They stare at you while you drive by at the designated speed of 5mph and might or might not wave. I just thought they were being nosy and wanted to see who these people were that arrived after we went to bed. Well, they come back and drive by again. I am busy trying to make breakfast so I can't really see what is going on, but I do know that they have their eyes on the newcomers. A little bit later they come back, this time with a sheriff, the manager of the preserve and a few more campers. I have no clue what is going, what is being said or what happened but obviously something happened that wasn't quite right.
Before long I hear some words that I won't repeat and a door slams. Two people end up getting arrested and the rest of the family leaves. I don't know what happened, we didn't ask. I was curious what one would do at a TT in a few hours that could get you arrested but to be honest, it wasn't any of our business. What did happen though is that our children saw people get arrested for their first time (might have been mine too, I am not sure). At least it was a mostly civilized event as the arrestees went peacefully.
There is something else but every time I get the laptop in front of me my mind goes blank. Oh well, maybe I will remember again and make a note of it. But knowing me I will forget where I put the note.
Saturday, August 9, 2008
A little late, but finally coming along
Well, I don't really know what to say except sand slipped through the hourglass a little quicker than we thought possible. Time really seemed to be moving in fast forward for a while. We made it to Indiana later and more exhausted than I thought was possible. I will try to give a quick run-through the last week of our lives (but anyone who knows me, knows I can ramble on about nothing).
We left Wisconsin around 1 am on Friday morning. We were all absolutely running on empty with nothing left in our tanks, not even fumes. We were so exhausted that we left things that we supposed to bring, things as replaceable as a hatchet and things as expensive as our digital camera and video camera. When were so out of it and just weren't thinking clearly. We made it to Milwaukee and planned on staying at the La Quinta. We have stayed in that one before and knew exactly where it was. Well, they were completely booked. I had a bad feeling when the parking lot had no places to park. :-( We drove on to Gurnee, IL, planning to find a La Quinta there. We pull in to the La Quinta around 4 something in the morning. Randy runs in to find out if they have rooms and how much- yes they have rooms and they run 160 a night. Can you believe it? I was totally shocked that a La Quinta could cost so much. The guy said he would cut us a deal and only charge us 140 since we were going to be there for only a few hours. If we didn't stink and need showers, I would have tried to convince Randy that we could just sleep in the van until Six Flags opens. We wake-up the next morning, haha, we wake-up a few hours later to get ready to go to Six Flags. We managed to miss the free breakfast, something I wasn't planning on. We manage to make it to Six Flags about an hour after they opened but the kids could barely contain their excitement. We dropped the dogs off at the kennel that they have (which was perfect) and went in, ready for some roller-coaster-stomach-lurching fun. We had a blast but were totally exhausted from the work that we had been doing the days before, and the lack of sleep we were functioning on, so we left around 8. I turn on our TomTom, get it set like Randy says, and off we go, headed to Horseshoe Lakes Preserve in Indiana, or so we think. We drive and drive and drive so more. I dose off here and there, trying to stay awake to make sure Randy doesn't dose off, but sleep wins a few times too many. I slept through our drive through Indianapolis. I knew we weren't supposed to be anywhere near Indianapolis but Randy didn't. He is just going where Mr. TomTom is telling him to go. When I start seeing signs for Cincinnati, I get curious. Randy thinks there must be a Cincinnati, IN. We eventually cross over into Ohio and I knew something was way off- we were supposed to just barely cross the Indiana border from Illinois. I call my dad, he helps, while turning his perfectly cooked bacon (My dad really does know how to cook a perfect breakfast. He is the one who taught me how to cook breakfast and make perfect bacon). He helped confirm what I was thinking, we are way off the mark of our destination. We drive around a town in Ohio looking for free wifi so we can get the actual gps coordinates. We manage to get the right ones found and entered into trusty ol' TomTom and discover that we still have over 3 hours of driving ahead of us. We manage to get to Thousand Trails around 11 am, so full of excitement and energy, mmmmm, not really. We were excited to finally be here, but all we wanted to do was sleep and eat and sleep some more. We check in, drive around, find a campsite and start to get set up. This is our first real set-up since we didn't get everything finished in time for a few shake-down runs. We are just about done when we discover that we don't have a regular rv plug, which is what this electric box needs. Randy is ready to give up, he is covered in sweat, hungry, thirsty, sleep-deprived and absolutely worn-out. We sort of pack up, put kids on bikes and head off in search of an outlet that fits what we need. We finally find one and slowly get our first campsite officially set up. Man does it feel good to finally be here and finished with our set-up. We encountered so many various obstacles that we are ready to relax and rejuvenate, although kids ideas of relaxation and parents are often two different things. The kids wanted to swim, swim, swim, swim..... and Randy and I wanted to sleep, sit, sleep, sit .... We found a compromise and it worked well. We are leaving here on Monday, or at least that is the plan at the moment and the way things have been going, they can change on a whim. I have a few more stories to share, some are funny, some were trying but not only have a wrote a book, we made it back to the campsite and work is waiting on me. I'll share the rest later. Thanks for all the prayers, thoughts, gifts and well-wishes, we are most, most appreciative.
We left Wisconsin around 1 am on Friday morning. We were all absolutely running on empty with nothing left in our tanks, not even fumes. We were so exhausted that we left things that we supposed to bring, things as replaceable as a hatchet and things as expensive as our digital camera and video camera. When were so out of it and just weren't thinking clearly. We made it to Milwaukee and planned on staying at the La Quinta. We have stayed in that one before and knew exactly where it was. Well, they were completely booked. I had a bad feeling when the parking lot had no places to park. :-( We drove on to Gurnee, IL, planning to find a La Quinta there. We pull in to the La Quinta around 4 something in the morning. Randy runs in to find out if they have rooms and how much- yes they have rooms and they run 160 a night. Can you believe it? I was totally shocked that a La Quinta could cost so much. The guy said he would cut us a deal and only charge us 140 since we were going to be there for only a few hours. If we didn't stink and need showers, I would have tried to convince Randy that we could just sleep in the van until Six Flags opens. We wake-up the next morning, haha, we wake-up a few hours later to get ready to go to Six Flags. We managed to miss the free breakfast, something I wasn't planning on. We manage to make it to Six Flags about an hour after they opened but the kids could barely contain their excitement. We dropped the dogs off at the kennel that they have (which was perfect) and went in, ready for some roller-coaster-stomach-lurching fun. We had a blast but were totally exhausted from the work that we had been doing the days before, and the lack of sleep we were functioning on, so we left around 8. I turn on our TomTom, get it set like Randy says, and off we go, headed to Horseshoe Lakes Preserve in Indiana, or so we think. We drive and drive and drive so more. I dose off here and there, trying to stay awake to make sure Randy doesn't dose off, but sleep wins a few times too many. I slept through our drive through Indianapolis. I knew we weren't supposed to be anywhere near Indianapolis but Randy didn't. He is just going where Mr. TomTom is telling him to go. When I start seeing signs for Cincinnati, I get curious. Randy thinks there must be a Cincinnati, IN. We eventually cross over into Ohio and I knew something was way off- we were supposed to just barely cross the Indiana border from Illinois. I call my dad, he helps, while turning his perfectly cooked bacon (My dad really does know how to cook a perfect breakfast. He is the one who taught me how to cook breakfast and make perfect bacon). He helped confirm what I was thinking, we are way off the mark of our destination. We drive around a town in Ohio looking for free wifi so we can get the actual gps coordinates. We manage to get the right ones found and entered into trusty ol' TomTom and discover that we still have over 3 hours of driving ahead of us. We manage to get to Thousand Trails around 11 am, so full of excitement and energy, mmmmm, not really. We were excited to finally be here, but all we wanted to do was sleep and eat and sleep some more. We check in, drive around, find a campsite and start to get set up. This is our first real set-up since we didn't get everything finished in time for a few shake-down runs. We are just about done when we discover that we don't have a regular rv plug, which is what this electric box needs. Randy is ready to give up, he is covered in sweat, hungry, thirsty, sleep-deprived and absolutely worn-out. We sort of pack up, put kids on bikes and head off in search of an outlet that fits what we need. We finally find one and slowly get our first campsite officially set up. Man does it feel good to finally be here and finished with our set-up. We encountered so many various obstacles that we are ready to relax and rejuvenate, although kids ideas of relaxation and parents are often two different things. The kids wanted to swim, swim, swim, swim..... and Randy and I wanted to sleep, sit, sleep, sit .... We found a compromise and it worked well. We are leaving here on Monday, or at least that is the plan at the moment and the way things have been going, they can change on a whim. I have a few more stories to share, some are funny, some were trying but not only have a wrote a book, we made it back to the campsite and work is waiting on me. I'll share the rest later. Thanks for all the prayers, thoughts, gifts and well-wishes, we are most, most appreciative.
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