Following the Grandparent Trail

Once again, Marty and I are on the road, this time visiting our grandson who lives on the Virginia/Tennessee border.   Because the drive is so long, we decided to break up the travel, staying overnight, once again, at the Strasburg Hotel, which is always a favorite for us.

Along the way, we stopped at a highway rest stop, where we spotted many varieties of Sunflowers.  Just look at how large some of these plants are!

These flowers were the largest that I have ever seen, but there were several different sizes, ranging from very small to gigantic, each one adding their own beauty.

I just couldn't resist taking a few shots.

Finally we were at our destination, and, believe me, we wasted no time having fun.

After a quick lunch, we decided to cool off in the pool.

After just about 10 minutes, rain decided to fall upon us, and a clap of thunder assured our departure from the water.   But, it didn't take long before these two decided to jump back in as soon as the sun popped out.

Once the shivering and purple lips showed up, it was time to dry off

and get changed into appropriate attire for some fishing.

Earlier today, we stopped  at a local shop for bait, and, of course, Grandpa G asked where the best fishing hole in the area was.  Clear Creek lake seemed to be the venue of choice, so we headed out with Joshua strapped into his carseat, to find the perfect spot.

Grandpa G and grandson wasted no time getting serious about their adventure.

 And, within seconds, a tiny sunfish was caught, much to the delight of Grandpa G and his grandson.

It certainly was a beautiful day to be out fishing.  Notice the perfect reflection of the clouds in the water.

Another cast and another little fish.

But, as you can see,  it didn't take long for the enthusiasm to wear off.

Or perhaps it was all of those photos being taken by Gramma G!

We certainly tuckered the little guy out (and Gramma G is pretty tired herself), so after reading him  a story, he was tucked in and sent off to dreamland.

Tomorrow promises to be equally exciting as Grandpa G has promised us a trip to Blackbird Bakery.

Now, I ask you, can it get much more exciting than that?

I'll keep you posted!

Another "Grand" day for Gramma

As predicted, Saturday was yet another fun-filled day.

Aunt Amy came over early, and wasted no time getting the cookie baking started.

Rolling Dough Balls

Pressing them flat

Don't they look like cookie pros?   

The end result were delectable shortbread cookies, but you'll have to take my word for that since we were so busy enjoying them that I forgot to take a photo.

There was a game of Jenga

Then we headed outside for some baseball with Gramma G pitching

but her sidekick got a bit distracted

After Aunt Amy gave her some batting tips, it was time for this cutie to try a swing or two.

 She hit it!

Then, she tried her hand at some pitching.

Ok, so perhaps she needs some practice. 

Then it was time for some swinging

where a little caterpillar decided to drop from a tree and join along.

It was really moving fast, making it a bit difficult to photograph, but apparently squinting made it easier to see.

Of course, we couldn't pass on some slides.

Doesn't that look like fun?

We bid Aunt Amy good-bye and kept busy waiting for PapPap to show up.

These two made some awesome garlic bread to to with the homemade spaghetti made from Gramma G's home grown tomatoes. 

Finally, Pap Pap G arrived and we enjoyed another great meal, followed by some of that home made peace ice cream from yesterday.  Yummy!

Then it was time for the ultimate evening excitement, which involved the full moon

Pap Pap G......  and a telescope!

It was an exciting moment for Pap Pap and his grandson while they analyzed the craters in the moon, but, alas, the clouds moved in.....so, unfortunately,  there was no star gazing!

But that left more time for Pookie stories from Pap Pap G.

What better feeling can there be, than hearing strings of giggles echoing down the hallway?

Yep, it was certainly a fun day, can't you tell?

Fun Times with the Grandkids

Mommy and Daddy are out gallivanting themselves, and you know what that means!

Fun with Gramma G!

We started out the day making blueberry muffins

 which have been proclaimed to be "the BEST blueberry muffins EVER!" by this little cutie.

Then we headed outdoors for some baseball where Gramma G was the pitcher, tossing balls at this little fellow who managed quite a swing  (and, just for the record, let me mention here that it's not  easy to take a picture and pitch at the same time....at least it wasn't for me! )

and little sister was happy to retrieve the fly balls.

We took a pleasant walk in the afternoon as the weather was just perfect!

Then, it was time to concentrate on some culinary delights for dinner:

Corn on the cob with Chicken haystacks,

which involve piling lots of yummy foods into a stack, then enjoying the results.  They were a BIG hit.

But, the 'creme de la creme' was the home made peach ice cream for dessert.   They patiently waited while the ice cream maker churned out the delightful concoction that they had help to mix.

I never saw two more delighted faces than when I scooped the treat into little bowls for their enjoyment.

Obviously, it was good down to the last drop!

We certainly had a grand time today, but tomorrow will be even more exciting.  

Aunt Amy is coming over in the morning!  And Pap Pap G will be popping in later in the day.  It's guaranteed to be another fun-filled day, no doubt about it!

Knoebels

Yesterday was a fabulous day to spend at Knoebels Park.  The humidity was low, the skies were blue, and the temperature was just right!  You couldn't ask for a better day, and since it was the Fairchild Semiconductor Family Picnic, Marty and I found ourselves making the drive to the happy event.

And, apparently, it was Family Fun Day for a lot of people, because the traffic was horrendous, taking us way over 2 hours to arrive at our destination.

But once we arrived, we were greeted with a friendly smile, lunch on the company, and gratis tickets for both of us to go out and enjoy the day.  How could you beat that?

We used to make the trip to this park annually with the kids, but, alas,  those fun days are way behind us.  And, to be quite frank, most of the rides that the kids thought were fun now look like sure-fire ways to cause bodily harm!  

So, what do two Empty Nesters do at Knoebels when there are no kids for entertainment?

Our first choice was the Haunted  Mansion, always a safe bet,  and just as amusingly scary as always.

Then, onto the antique cars, which seems a bit silly to be driving as an adult when one can drive a car anytime one chooses.  But, the roadway was scenic, the bumps bumpy, and the shaking from the car stayed with my legs for a few minutes afterwards!

We thought the boat ride would be cool, but the line was always way too long.

Should we try the teacups?

No way!  But Marty did take a great photo.  Too bad you can't see our matching Fairchild Semiconductor tee shirts!

The only logical destination for us was the Vintage carousel.

This had always been a fun ride for the kids.  Once through the entrance gate, the kids would always run to get a horse on the perimeter so that they could reach and grab for the brass rings which pop out on a wooden arm after the carousel begins to turn.

Apparently, this was just as fun for Marty, as he wasted no time heading for one of those horses himself,  so that he could grab the brass rings when it was time. 

I opted for an interior horse, which did NOT go up and down.    That was enough fun for me, plus it made it easier to use the reverse setting on my phone,  so I could capture some photos of Marty in action.

He managed to grab five, which obviously made his day.

At this point, Marty decided that he would dare the Phoenix, which he rode alone, as I knew better than to even think about getting on.  And, from the stories I heard from the youngsters coming off the ride, I know that I made the best decision, which was seconded by Marty after he managed to survive the apparent sensation of being thrown from the car during the ride.  We'll see what aftermath results from that experience!

Finally, I gave into riding the Ferris Wheel since the seats are heavy duty with umbrellas overtop, preventing one's riding partner from attempting to make the seat swing like a pendulum.  Now, why would I worry about such a thing?  If you have to ask....you don't know my husband.

While we were waiting in line, I couldn't help but shudder at the thought of getting on this ride:
Straight up:

Straight down:

Not to mention the rotating curves after the descent.  This sparked sufficient fear in my heart just looking at it!

Finally, we were on the Ferris Wheel, enjoying the breeze and the views.  I just knew better than to look down, as I do have an extreme fear of heights.  But distances didn't bother me, and here you can see a wooden roller coaster nestled among the trees.

This photo is testament to the absolutely gorgeous day that we had.

Aahh.....and here you can see Marty's Fairchild Shirt.  

Would I do this again?  Maybe.....but I sure would love to have some little ones along next time.

And, so, I share a photo from the past:

Nothing beats Clowning Around at Knoebels with a kid in tow.  

And, no....Marty doesn't count!