I thought I'd just keep it all to one spot, OK? After my trip, this thread will just fall off into the back pages and die.....

About missing the fireworks in DC on the 4th.....good thing The Princess didn't want to go: The Hubby, The Son and My Brother came back hot and sweaty and very tired. The way the police had the traffic flow set up and where the 3 musketeers ended up watching the fireworks, they could not get over to the Metro/Subway entrance and ended up WALKING all the way back to the hotel.......YIKES!!!! The Princess would NOT have made that, and if she'd fallen asleep on someone's shoulder......ugh!

Today we went through Valley Forge...did the drive-thru tour. You can call a number on your cell phone and enter a code based on where you are in the park. Then you can listen to a 2 - 3 minute talk about that location and what you are seeing. Really neat. Wish we had more time to explore as there were several places we could have spent a lot more time at.....

We are currenly driving through very pretty farm country on the Pennsylvania Turnpike towards Harrisburg. Tomorrow is Hershey chocolate factory tours and Hershey Park.

Someone asked if I would get to see JudyG...unfortunately, no. Judy lives in the Northeast part of the state, and we're not travelling in that area. There is just SO much to see and do in this part of the country. Maybe another trip up to this area will allow us to get together.....

I've finished Chapter 7. Maybe I can put it into a pm for my beta girls to look at....

I'm a native Pennsylvanian. Harrisburg has a very good Civil War museum. The Gettysburg National Military Park is also good- they have a yearly reenactment around July 4th.

Thanks, MK. I have to confess, however, that the only reason we are in Harrisburg is b/c the kids want to do Hershey....so that's where we'll be tomorrow. Chocolate World followed by Hershey Park. Monday, it's off to Pittsburgh!

Their desire to go to Hershey is the whole reason we're vacationing in Penn....*sigh* the things we do for our kids.....

I remember going to Hershey when I was, six or seven! I had lots of fun, don't think my stepdad did however, amusement parks weren't his thing. Even though, years later he said he liked seeing the cholocate factory tour! Have fun, FM!

There's also the William Penn Museum in Harrisburg (lots of PA-related exhibits), and if you somehow get to mid-state, there's the Frost Entomological Museum on Penn State's main campus. It's in a small building across from the Creamery--yummy ice cream! I have a friend who works at PSU who told me about the "Bug Museum", if your children are interested in that kind of thing you may want to check it out (I have 2 boys and they liked it a lot).
If you can't get enough of amusement parks, there's also Knoebel's Grove in Elysburg--free admission, parking--lots of rides and swimming pool present. The website is www.knoebels.com.
As a PA resident, glad to know you're enjoying your trip. Hope you like Chocolate World--my cousin's wife works at Hershey in Product Development--she was part of the team that created the Take 5 bar. Talk about a dream job!

You must, must must stop and eat at a Quaker Steak and Lube restaurant. They are everywhere in PA. Fun food. Not much healthy food on the menu. The atmosphere is so great for the kids. All race car themed. Even the kid's meals come in little cardboard pop-up-cars. It will be a nice treat after a long time on the road.

If you are in hershey, you aren't far from Harrisburg...maybe 30 minutes down the road...and you can't skip lancaster or gettysburg

If you're still in the Hershey vicinity, Lake Tobias Wildlife Park is about 45 minutes from there. Its kid-friendly and not high priced, $4 to get in. They have a 'safari' ride on an open air bus where you get to see buffalo, elk, deer and other large herbivores. They come right up to the bus and you can feed them. The park is about 100 acres. I've been there and its a nice place. Here's their website
http://www.laketobias.com/homepage/

Wow, FM! Sounds like you happy family had great time during weekend! Have fun with the vacation!

Hershey Park was a BLAST!!!! We arrived around 9am today, and went straight to Chocolate World (Park opens at 10). Did the tour, walked through the shops, bought a few things....around 10:15, hubby makes trip to car with purchases, then we walked into Hershey Park.....and left at 7:45 pm. TONS OF FUN!!!!! Went back to Chocolate world and ate late supper, grabbed a few more things --- candy that would've melted in the car --- and headed back to the hotel. Kids are in bed, hubby is waiting on the dryer, and I'm here on the boards.....

Tomorrow we are off to Pittsburgh. There is a great children's museum, shopping district, The Incline, etc. Not sure what we will do Tuesday before the Astros game......we may do Gettysburg before driving to Pittsburgh, and do museums and shops before the game. I'm kindof "amusement-park"-ed out right now....

Thanks for all the advice on where to go and what to see. So much to do, so little time.......

I really don't care when you say it will die. I say I don't like this. Sorry Flashy Mom. I just don't like it... this thread. Shouldn't it be moved to off topic?

Hey I really didn't even get a fourth of July. I sat at home and watched tv all day. It was boring. And I really don't have a family either. So please if you're going to talk about this stuff put it in off topic. It's bugging me. Thank you very much.



(Hey this has nothing to do with CI either!)

The Carnegie Museum is a blast and is just down the street from my alma mater (Carnegie Mellon) and very near to the University of Pittsburgh and its enormous gothic Tower of Learning.

And Kennywood the amusement park is a blast...it's an old fashioned sort of amusement park and not branded or full of panic inducing rides...it's a mellow sort of place.

Fun food shopping (and eating) is in the Strip District. A blast to go to on the weekends...stay out of the McDonalds there (it's McDonalds...) and either eat street vendor food or drop into a place like PrestoGeorges for a really good deli sandwich.

I wonder where in the 'burgh Jeff Goldblums parents live...you could stop in on them and welcome them to the family for us

-The Vault (who is not into chopped ham...aka chippy chop ham...a Pittsburgh specialty)

Could you just see me and my family knocking on their door to do just that? "uh, Hi.....we're fans of Law & Order: Criminal Intent tv show, and we're excited that your son, Jeff, is going to be on the show starting in Season 8, if there is a season 8, provided that the actors don't go on strike, and would Jeff go on strike with them if there is one? And, oh, uh, would you mind taking a picture with me, cuz my friends on the USA network Law & Order message boards are NEVER gonna believe this..." I think I'd be arrested!

Not sure what we're going to do tomorrow. We have tickets for the Astros game tomorrow night and need to go buy posterboard and markers and make signs....(The Hubby is so embarrased by the thought....kids and I LOVE the idea....), have thought about Kennywood, but don't have whole day for it, also thought about Children's Museum, Aquarium, riding the Incline, checking out Station Square, etc, etc, etc.....

Today we left Harrisburg and went to Gettysburg. Very powerful. HUGE new welcome center with museum, large shops, restaurant, art gallery and movie. You can "rent" a park ranger for a private guided tour, or drive around for free. We drove through certain parts, making sure to see the Soldier's Memorial at the site where Lincoln gave his Gettysburg Address. In the museum, there is a room where you can sit and listen to SAM WATERSTON recite the address as Lincoln, and read along with it. Very powerful. The Son said that was his favorite part!

Some rain, but very pretty drive through the Appalachians.

Chapter 5 of my fan fic, It Always Comes Back, is now posted in the fanfic forum.

Sounds great FM. You guys must have a lot of energy.

I have enjoyed reading about your vacation with your family. Sounds like something my family would enjoy, too. We did the Williamsburg, VA, thing last year. We love our nation's history, and add in chocolate and baseball, well that is just three of our favorite things. Thanks for sharing. I would like to go on a similar trip one day. This year we are going to Myrtle Beach.

Well they are Pittsburghers...people there are very friendly even though the town is on the East Coast (imagine that kind of hospitality in Yankee territory) and it isn't tiny. They're also very family-oriented...I can't tell you the number of times I got invited to spend time with the families of my college friends who were from the Pittsburgh area. But you have a good point...you could potentially be seen as a little too 'nebby', Pittsburghese for 'nosy' by the Goldblums



Station Square has the most awesome fancy weekend buffet in the Grand Concourse...high school & college kids take their families there to eat when they graduate...they have champagne fountains and chocolate dipped strawberries etc. At least that's the way it was when I graduated eons ago

As for sign making go for it. You'll be in the minority because you'll be Astros fans in a sea of Bucs fans but you'll be respected for your enthusiasm (even if it is for the 'wrong' team

Gettysburg is impressive...have been there a couple of times...my father collected Civil War firearms etc and he and my mother liked to eat at the Spring House Tavern there. Of course now that he lives in the middle of the Shenandoah and is surrounded by Civil War battlefields (New Market to the south, Cedar Creek to the north) he's less inclined to want to drive to Gettysburg.

Have fun making up your minds about what to do while in PGH

The Vault

Well, if ya'll paid any attention to the goings-on across the country weather-wise, you'd know that it rained A LOT up here yesterday evening. We made 4 innings and saw Hunter Pence hit a solo homer before the rains came. And came, and came, and came.....so we called back to the hotel for the shuttle, and they came a picked us up.

Found out today that the first delay lasted 2 hours and 39 minutes! The game finally ended at 1am Eastern Time, Pirates 4, Astros 3. (Boo) Did not get to make signs, but want to for Sunday's game in D.C. against the Nationals. The Stros are winning tonight......

Today was driving day. Lots of construction and rain really made our trip slow going and turned what should have been a 3 hour drive from Pittsburgh to Jersey Shore (near Lock Haven) a 5 hour crawl. 50 miles an hour and rain and fog....yuck! Anyway, we arrived safely and had a nice visit with friends. We are finally in a hotel in Williamsport. Williamsport is the home of the Little League national offices and the Little League World Series. We are going to drive by the fields and stadium tomorrow on our way back to Philly.

Does your son play Little League? That will be exciting to see. Rain and fog? That is icky--although right now I wouldn't mind some of it here--110 degrees today.

Yes, I love them!! Right across the border from Ohio is Sharon, PA. They have a huge shoe store called Reiyers (SP?) and a huge department store called Winners. Within that complex there is a Quaker Steak and Lube. I've eaten there several times. Your son and husband especially would enjoy it.


I loved Hershey Park! Did your kids notice that the lightpoles all look like Hershey kisses? Did you take the trolley tour?


Then don't read it!!

Flashymom, if you are going to PIttsburgh you aren't too far from Ohio. Come to Ohio!! We have lots of................RAIN!! Tornado warning last night. Oops, that's not a good PR thing! Anyway, if you went to and liked Kennywood Park you will LOVE Cedar Point. Sounds like your family is having a ball.

Angela

And what's your opinion on PA's infamous roads?
If your family is interested in softball as well, the National Softball Museum is located in Sunbury (south of Williamsport, about 30 miles or so).
Glad to know you're enjoying my home state--have a safe trip to Philly. Just thought: maybe you'd be interested in going to the Franklin Institute in Philly--quite a few hands-on exhibits there, especially in the aviation area. We were there last Sept. for the King Tut exhibit and really enjoyed the entire museum.

Keep us posted!
Goddess

so when will we get ch. 7? I haven't seen it yet.

I am sorry you had a boring 4th and that you don't have a family but that is no excuse for talking mean to one of our family members. You are starting off on the wrong track. Here is a place where you could in time feel you are a member of a close family of friends. If you want to be a part of us you need to apologize to Flashymom and the rest of us.

I'll pm it to you. I don't have your email addy with me....sorry.....

We did the "typical Philly tourist" day: Independence Hall, Independence Mall area, Liberty Bell, Christ Church Cemetary......dinner for my birthday.

Hubby went online and pre-ordered tickets for Independence Hall. It's a no-charge attraction, but they run tours through and give tickets for times to help with crowd control. This way, you are guaranteed a nice trip through the building. There is a $1.50 charge per ticket on-line, but we didn't have to worry about tickets running out before we could get to the visitor's center. The kids picked up Jr. Ranger activity sheets and earned their Junior Park Ranger badges. Neat program.

There is an organization called Once Upon a Nation that does storytelling throughout Philly, Valley Forge, Gettysburg, and other places (www.onceuponanation.org). We came upon 3 men in military garb mustering recruits for the Continental Army. The Son immediately joined up. He got chosen to carry the flag. One young man did the recruiting, one man played the drum and one played the fife. We had followed the music and found them. After a few minutes, they led us all around to the back of a building where the group of kids (recruits) was handed over to Sgt. Mad Dog (can't remember his last name) who gave them some military training. It was fun for the kids and funny for us to watch. The kids got wooden muskets and learned how to load them, hold them, march, and charge with bayonnets attached, all pretend of course. Firing the musket consisted of holding it out and screaming "BANG!" Was a wonderful 20 minutes we weren't expecting. Other storytelling benches had storytellers in period garb talking about various aspects of colonial life.

Was emotionally moving to be in Independence Hall and see THE CHAIR that Washington sat in when he presided over the Continental Congress as it wrote the Constitution. To be in that hall brought tears and goosebumps.

Seeing the Liberty Bell was also extremely emotional for me and The Hubby. All that history, all that meaning.....

We went to Christ Church Cemetary and saw Benjamin Franklin's grave. His wife and family are also buried there, along with his son-in-law and his family. We stopped by St. Georges, which is the first Methodist Church in the world. Very meaningful for us good Methodists.....

Ate dinner just off Independence Square at LaScala's --wonderful food. Kids said we have to come back to Philly and eat there again, plus recommend it to anyone going to Philly for a visit. It's at the corner of 7th and Chestnut streets....there is a parking garage upstairs from the restaurant, and they validate you for FREE parking after 3 pm....while walking to the car we found a gelateria that makes their own Italian-style gelatos. YUM!!!! Kids thought it was wonderful. I loved having it again, it reminded The Hubby and me of our trip to Italy for our 1st anniversary. The owner was sitting on the sidewalk with a friend and we got to visiting about Italy, Europe, travel...nice visit, nice people.

Too little time here.....have to come back. So much more to see in Independence Hall area, plus did not get to the zoo, South Philly for cheesesteak sandwiches, climb the "Rocky Steps"....Still had lots of fun and made for a really nice birthday.

Got goosebumps as I read about your experiences at Independence Hall and the Liberty Bell---I'm a member of DAR and 2 of my ancestors were at Valley Forge with Washington that terrible winter. Someday I want to go there and take rubbings of their names from the wall.
Happy birthday fm!!!!

Thanks, Goddess. I'm DAR, too....just not sure who's name(s) would be on the wall.......lol, got too many who fought in the Revolution.....I'm a Williams by birth AND by marriage, a Pegues, a Davis, a Hawkins...............I'm related to 17 of the original 22 Magna Carta Barons, the House of Windsor, the House of Spencer, French-Huegenot.......DRT....

We made it safely back to DC yesterday. Today we'll visit a few places but the main event is the ASTROS GAME!!!! Last night they beat the Washington Nationals 6 - 4, and we're hoping for a win this afternoon. If we feel up to it after the game, we may go see some more sights, but prolly just let the kids go hang out at the pool.

Tomorrow is last day; we fly home at 3 pm.....seemed like trip would never get here, now seems like trip is over too soon.

O...M....G!!!! This is AMAZING! I have a lot too who fought in the Revolution....29 at last count....plus my genealogy is really tangled once you get back to about that time period...my one ancestor from Germany had 5 children who lived to adulthood, and I'm descended from 4 of those children. So now you know why I act the way I do!
That is soooo cool that you know your history back as far as you do! My mom is like you (my parents are 6th cousins through one branch of the tree, and 8th cousins through another family). My paternal grandparents were 6th cousins via another branch of the tree, and my paternal grandfather's parents were 4th cousins, through those children up above.
I happen to be a St Clair descendant, and you should've seen some of my relatives when The DaVinci Code was published....anyway!
Make some signs for all of us to look for; I'll check and see if the game is televised. Have a safe trip home! Sounds like you had a great vacation.
Maybe Angela could give some scrapbooking tips....I know I want to PM her for tips for my vacation next month.
Keep us posted!
Goddess

My grandmother on my father's side was in the DAR and a few years ago both my sisters joined. They have all the genealogy information; I couldn't begin to tell you about my ancestors. My father used to tell me all the time that his father (who died before I was born) always said, "Her ancestors came over on the Mayflower and mine were here to meet them." As a kid I thought that was the funniest thing I had ever heard. Then I discovered that's what Will Rogers used to say. My grandfather was a HUGE Will Rogers fan. My father had a scrapbook that he kept of newspaper articles by and about Rogers.

My father also always told me that John Adams and John Quincy Adams were our ancestors. I was pretty impressed as a kid, but now I wonder if he was telling the truth. Nobody could BS like my dad! He also said we were related to Eli Whitney (my father's middle name was Whitney).

I know vacations rush by much too quickly, FM, but these are memories that will be so special for your kids when they are grown.

Today was a marathon whirlwind of activity. We went to the monument end of the Mall and visited the Vietnam Veterans Memorial, the Lincoln Memorial, the Korean War Memorial and the World War II Memorial. The kids and I liked the Lincoln Memorial best.

Back to the hotel to make signs for the game. Walked 2 blocks to the Nationals NEW ballpark. Very nice ballpark. Very nice seats until the sun was in our faces.... So, we moved down to the first level area for ice cream and frozen lemonade and large ice-cold sodas.

We made 4 signs (used both sides of 2 posterboards). Not sure if we caught the attention of any of the camera men, but had more fun carrying around the sign that said, "We came from Louisiana to see the ASTROS!" AND, THEY WON!!!! 5 - 0 Yay, Astros!

After the game was "Kids Run the Bases", so we went down after the 7th inning, found the right exit, left the park, turned the corner, and got in line. Stood in the heat until after the game was over and the park was set-up for the kids. Entered one of the direct onto the field entrances through the visitor's bullpen area. The kids had a blast! We had fun watching them. Very impressive set-up and over way too soon.

Thank goodness for cell phones with internet access. Never thought I'd feel that way, but was able to go on-line to mlb.com, find the Astros' gams and "watch" the end of it via the internet play-by-play info. Not quite as much fun, but, hey! We WON!!!!!

Dinner tonight was at VERY NICE restaurant called Zola. Down on corner of F and 8th Streets, in same building as International Spy Museum. Didn't go there cuz of cost, but could see the gift shop through the windows while going into the restaurant. Food there was exquisite! Very fancy, VERY GOOD! I highly recommend it, but you'll have to just close your eyes and sign your name when the check comes.....

All too soon, we have to fly home tomorrow. Think we're going to the National Archives for a quick peek before we have to check out and head to the airport. Leaving from Lake Charles, one doesn't have to arrive 2 hours prior to flight time to park, check bags and be scanned beyond recognition like we'll have to do at Reagan National........will be nice to be back home, even if there is unpacking, and laundry, and grocery shopping and mopping, and ..... hmmmm.....maybe I'll just stay on vacation for a while longer!

Have I mentioned how jealous I am? Have a good trip home tomorrow FM!

Yes, you have....several times, I think.

So, you think I should post Chapter 6 yet?

Yes!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Ok, but you know this means I'd better get Chapter 8 done, and I haven't even been able to start on it yet....

I'll post it tomorrow. Just noticed it's midnight, and I need to get to bed. We have to pack, check out, and be at Reagan National by 1 pm for our 3 pm flight....darn those big airports and all that security mess.....

Have a safe trip home! Only 26 days until my own vacation...but who's counting? lol

24 days now, Goddess! We had a very long paper chain draped around The Princess's room to count down the days until our trip. Lots of fun to pull one off each night and watch it get shorter and shorter.

We made it home safely, and earlier, too. Got off flight from DC to Houston and The Hubby went to check on status of hop to LC. Discovered flight leaving in 30 minutes had room, and the hop we were scheduled for was delayed 30 minutes. Raced over to gate and got checked in. Looked like The Hubby would have to stay behind, so he asked about keys so that I could take the kids home and put them to bed, then pick him up later.......keys not in purse. Hubby mentions someone could drop us off at home, so I angrily tell him I have NO keys, not even house keys. HE had moved them from the beat-up, falling apart bag that began the trip into our new rolling bag that we had bought on our last night in Philly, and that I hadn't touched them!

Angrily, we all four boarded the plane. The wonderfully nice compassionate lady at the gate quickly sprang into action, unbeknownst to us. I had told the stewardess as we came on board that hubby could have the seat way in the back b/c of the keys.......after 10 minutes of waiting the stewardess asked me how many bags we had checked in. I told her 3. She said that they may have found them and gotten them on board b/c she heard someone talking about "3 bags", and she crossed her fingers. Another 15 minutes wait and we take off. Make the typically 45 minute flight in 22 minutes and 30 seconds! Land on time!

As we are coming down the steps onto the tarmac, Hubby says, "I see our bag." ALL of our bags had been located and moved to the earlier flight.

God was watching out for us in other ways, too. A couple from our church was also on the hop, and they hung around afterward while we dug through the suitcase, hunting for the keys. They were waiting to see if we needed them to take us home so we could break into our own home and get the spare van keys and the truck keys, then come back to airport and drive home again....*whew*.....FOUND KEYS!!!! Hubby said HE hadn't put them there, had to have been me......I honestly don't remember having put them where the were in the bag, but have not argued with Hubby about it. I wisely kept my mouth shut and said, oops! Sorry!

Anyway, we made it home safely and I'm almost out from under the laundry.......