Summer time... and the livin' is easy
As I watched my friends and their kids prepare for a summer of camps, classes, sports and driving to and from all of it, I thought of my childhood and how summers were pretty low maintenance and care-free. While I feel very blessed to have the opportunities for children we do here, I want to share a little of my experience - un-plugged, family-centric and schedule-less. With that in mind, and that their Nana & PopPop would love nothing more than to spend time with them, I decided Van, Wes and I would spend a portion of our summer in Titusville. For three weeks we stayed at my parents' house and had a wonderful, wonderful time!!
After a very family-friendly flight from Denver to Akron, we arrived at my parents' place greeted with big wheels! A Batman big wheel for Van and a racer car to ride for Wesley - Oh my goodness! PopPop got to experience the impatience of a four year old for the first time in almost 25 years as he assembled Van's bike. I don't think he minded though.
For the first few days we park-hopped around town, got to see my dad's new camp and ride the 4-wheeler (wow, was THAT a hit!!), visited with Grandma Jac and saw Nana at work (which was doubly cool because it's right across from a fire house with fire trucks!) Once the boys were adjusted to the time change I expanded our routine and we were off to the beach! We drove up to Presque Isle to hang out at the family beach there. Van had been up once before, when he was Wesley's age, but it was Wes's first time in all that sand. They both had a blast!
Back at home, Nana had been working hard so she could take some time off to spend with us. She, Grandma Jac and the boys and I went up to Troyer Farms strawberry fields to fill a few baskets. This always meant summer to me, and strawberries are the boys' favorite and these were just SO flavorful! Much smaller than the ones we get at home, but sooooooo sweet and red and yummy. Wes was a good helper for about 15 minutes, and Van was excellent at letting Nana know where the berries were. Picking was not their forte, but they enjoyed the fruits of the labor later.
PopPop had a great idea to spend a day at Cook Forest State Park. At the Fun Park there on Rt 36 Van finally got to play mini golf (he and Nana had been practicing a little golf at home and he'd been very excited to play). Wes just loved putting the ball in the hole, too, but had a more hands-on method. Van and PopPop and I had the whole go-cart track to ourselves. Van was pretty bummed to not be able to have a car to himself at first, but when we got going he forgot all about it and LOVED it! He and Nana rode the bumper boats, and afterwards we drove out Double W Ranch for pony rides! It was a really great day for everyone, and in such a beautiful place - wonderful!
Soon, Josh joined us and the boys couldn't have been more excited to see Daddy! We were waiting to do a few things until he arrived, so now the big fun could begin! To start we went up to Waldameer and Water World in Erie. I remember it being much bigger, but then I was much smaller. The boys had so much fun on the kids rides - Van kept cycling between the space ships, motorcycles and pedal train. When we'd had enough and needed to cool off we headed into the water park and chilled out in the Lazy River. The boys and I also got to go to the beach with Daddy and we met up with the Weaver family who we hadn't seen in a very long time - it was so great seeing the kids play together!
We also got to ride the OC&T with Daddy. It was so much fun! Both the boys just love trains, so to go on a big, old train like this was just too exciting! We got on at Perry Street station and rode the train all the way to Petroleum Center where we had planted cars to get us to camp (just down the road). The OC&T is the only train left in the US with a post office ON the train... so we sent a postcard to Van's best friend, Brody. (I hear it was a big hit.) At camp later that evening Van and some friends were told of gold being hidden in the hills around the area, and that they just might find some if they went looking. Low and behold... they did! It was the Great Gold Rush of Black Stone camp! Each kid filled a bag with all the gold nuggets they could find and used them to buy things from the Sundries Shop back at the cabin. They had such a blast! And the evening was topped off with s'mores... with the biggest marshmallows I've ever seen!
One thing that Josh really wanted to do with the boys was to take them to the Carnegie Nat'l History Museum. He'd spent a lot of time there as a kid when his mom worked just up the street, and he wanted to share it with Van and Wes. Grandpa Gary, Wendy and Chuck all met us at the museum. Chuck used to work there, so he was quite helpful in all the ins and outs of the exhibits - especially the kid's exhibit "M is for Museum." Afterwards we checked out The Church Brewery (phenomenal beer and cream soda!) and then headed back to their house to chat and catch up. It was a lovely afternoon.
Before this great trip was over we needed to do two things: let PopPop and Nana take the boys fishing, and Josh and I wanted to go kayaking. PopPop picked the perfect place for the boys' first fishing experience: Roden's pond. It was a pretty guaranteed catch if ya cast a line in. Nana did most of Van's casting, but he got the joy of reeling 'em in! It was a blast, and a beautiful pond to boot.
Kurt, Lindsay, Josh and I, along with Jen and Lisa who came up from Pittsburgh, got to take a few hours and go kayaking on the Allegheny. Josh hadn't seen Jen & Lisa in about 8years, and the last time I saw them was at my baby shower for Van - a lot has happened since then! We had some catching up to do and where better to do it than floating down the Allegheny with a few drinks?! It was a gorgeous day and we had a nice, slow float, then came home where Nana and PopPop had a big dinner ready - salads, smoked ribs and chicken, awesome! A really wonderful day to end our trip.
The boys were sad to leave Nana & PopPop but happy to go home, I think. It was time. We had an absolutely fantastic time in PA! I can't say enough how grateful Josh and I are to my parents for hosting us and being such phenomenal grandparents. It means so much to us that the boys could have this experience. <3
After a very family-friendly flight from Denver to Akron, we arrived at my parents' place greeted with big wheels! A Batman big wheel for Van and a racer car to ride for Wesley - Oh my goodness! PopPop got to experience the impatience of a four year old for the first time in almost 25 years as he assembled Van's bike. I don't think he minded though.
For the first few days we park-hopped around town, got to see my dad's new camp and ride the 4-wheeler (wow, was THAT a hit!!), visited with Grandma Jac and saw Nana at work (which was doubly cool because it's right across from a fire house with fire trucks!) Once the boys were adjusted to the time change I expanded our routine and we were off to the beach! We drove up to Presque Isle to hang out at the family beach there. Van had been up once before, when he was Wesley's age, but it was Wes's first time in all that sand. They both had a blast!
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| (Van with Sam Weaver) |
Back at home, Nana had been working hard so she could take some time off to spend with us. She, Grandma Jac and the boys and I went up to Troyer Farms strawberry fields to fill a few baskets. This always meant summer to me, and strawberries are the boys' favorite and these were just SO flavorful! Much smaller than the ones we get at home, but sooooooo sweet and red and yummy. Wes was a good helper for about 15 minutes, and Van was excellent at letting Nana know where the berries were. Picking was not their forte, but they enjoyed the fruits of the labor later.
PopPop had a great idea to spend a day at Cook Forest State Park. At the Fun Park there on Rt 36 Van finally got to play mini golf (he and Nana had been practicing a little golf at home and he'd been very excited to play). Wes just loved putting the ball in the hole, too, but had a more hands-on method. Van and PopPop and I had the whole go-cart track to ourselves. Van was pretty bummed to not be able to have a car to himself at first, but when we got going he forgot all about it and LOVED it! He and Nana rode the bumper boats, and afterwards we drove out Double W Ranch for pony rides! It was a really great day for everyone, and in such a beautiful place - wonderful!
Soon, Josh joined us and the boys couldn't have been more excited to see Daddy! We were waiting to do a few things until he arrived, so now the big fun could begin! To start we went up to Waldameer and Water World in Erie. I remember it being much bigger, but then I was much smaller. The boys had so much fun on the kids rides - Van kept cycling between the space ships, motorcycles and pedal train. When we'd had enough and needed to cool off we headed into the water park and chilled out in the Lazy River. The boys and I also got to go to the beach with Daddy and we met up with the Weaver family who we hadn't seen in a very long time - it was so great seeing the kids play together!We also got to ride the OC&T with Daddy. It was so much fun! Both the boys just love trains, so to go on a big, old train like this was just too exciting! We got on at Perry Street station and rode the train all the way to Petroleum Center where we had planted cars to get us to camp (just down the road). The OC&T is the only train left in the US with a post office ON the train... so we sent a postcard to Van's best friend, Brody. (I hear it was a big hit.) At camp later that evening Van and some friends were told of gold being hidden in the hills around the area, and that they just might find some if they went looking. Low and behold... they did! It was the Great Gold Rush of Black Stone camp! Each kid filled a bag with all the gold nuggets they could find and used them to buy things from the Sundries Shop back at the cabin. They had such a blast! And the evening was topped off with s'mores... with the biggest marshmallows I've ever seen!
Before this great trip was over we needed to do two things: let PopPop and Nana take the boys fishing, and Josh and I wanted to go kayaking. PopPop picked the perfect place for the boys' first fishing experience: Roden's pond. It was a pretty guaranteed catch if ya cast a line in. Nana did most of Van's casting, but he got the joy of reeling 'em in! It was a blast, and a beautiful pond to boot. Kurt, Lindsay, Josh and I, along with Jen and Lisa who came up from Pittsburgh, got to take a few hours and go kayaking on the Allegheny. Josh hadn't seen Jen & Lisa in about 8years, and the last time I saw them was at my baby shower for Van - a lot has happened since then! We had some catching up to do and where better to do it than floating down the Allegheny with a few drinks?! It was a gorgeous day and we had a nice, slow float, then came home where Nana and PopPop had a big dinner ready - salads, smoked ribs and chicken, awesome! A really wonderful day to end our trip.
The boys were sad to leave Nana & PopPop but happy to go home, I think. It was time. We had an absolutely fantastic time in PA! I can't say enough how grateful Josh and I are to my parents for hosting us and being such phenomenal grandparents. It means so much to us that the boys could have this experience. <3
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