New Beginnings and a Family Trip

So I haven't posted in a while. I have had a lot going on ;) Last weekend I had my first date with this amazing guy, Tyler Sommers. He is from VA. He arrived on Thursday, a day early. We spent the afternoon and evening with my family. Friday morning (July 4th) we had our first date and then came back and spent the morning with my family. In the afternoon we headed up to the cabin where his mom's extended family was for the weekend. We were there till Sunday morning and came home and spent a few hours here till he had to head home again. It was a great first date and we really enjoyed spending the weekend together. I liked that we had an equal amount of time spent with my family and his family :)

 

 Tyler and I

 Pond at the cabin

Monday morning our family left for our trip. My sister is planning to be going into voluntary service at Mountain View toward the end of this year and with my dating there are a lot of changes happening so we wanted to do a family trip this summer. We really had no agenda which could be really annoying or really fun. I tremendously enjoyed the week and ending up wherever we ended up. Monday we drove up to Bradford PA. My parents had lived there 3 years and I was born up there. Not there in Bradford but actually in NY because the doctor my mom used didn't have a license for PA. Anyway we spent time with a couple that lived across the street from where my parents had lived. We spent the night there in Bradford and then Tuesday we drove to Corning, NY. On Wednesday we drove a half an hour north of Corning to Watkins Glen.

 

Where we used to live in Bradford, PA

In Watkins Glen, Rose Mary, Rachel and I hiked the park there with the waterfalls. We didn't do the whole thing but took our time. We took photos of some of the waterfalls, I took pictures of my sisters and we just enjoyed being in God's beautiful creation. After we came back down, we as a family headed over to Seneca Lake.

Entrance to Watkins Glen

 Beautiful falls 

Rose Mary, Rachel and I at Watkins Glen (cell phone photo)

Boat Ride on Seneca Lake

 

We took a boat ride on Seneca Lake. It is an enjoyable ride. After the ride, we found some lunch and then Rose Mary and I did some shopping there in the town there. After a while we headed back to Corning and spent another night there. Thursday we left Corning, NY and drove down to Williamsport, PA. We did a boat ride on the Susquehanna and then found a place to sleep. Friday we drove home and then decided to end our camping trip at a nearby campground. We set our tent up Friday evening and spent Friday and Saturday evening there. It was really enjoyable being together as a family and just spending time together. I really enjoyed our time spent together this week and I know we made some wonderful memories!! I am so thankful for family!! Now I want to go spend some time with my animals before spending time with my dear friend Elana who is home for the weekend!

Ocean City, New Jersey...August 8-12 2011!!

We went to Ocean City NJ for our week at the beach as a family. We left Monday around 12 or so and got down there late afternoon. Once there we took all our stuff up to our room and unpacked then just

lounged around for a bit! Around 6:30, Mom, Rose Mary, Rachel and I all headed out to the beach for an hour or so. We played in the water and got wet. Didn't stay down there long but just long enough to enjoy ourselves.

Tuesday we slept in. Once everyone was  awake

we made breakfast (we packed all our food for
the trip so we wouldn't need to eat out ;)
and then everone got dressed for the beach
and out we headed. On the beach we got an
umbrella and two chairs for Mom and Dad.
Us girls just laid on our beach towels. We spent
a good portion of the morning and afternoon
on the beach that day. Rachel enjoyed it a
great deal...She didn't find any friends this day
but she stuck with us all.

      

Rachel and I

on the beach.

Rose Mary

hadn't wanted

to come along

to take pics :(

Wednesday and Thursday were pretty similar..we spent about the same amount of time on the beach and Rachel found another Rachel to be with. The other Rachel was 2 months older than her also born on the 25th :) Really awesome!! Then Friday we packed up and headed home. It was a very awesome time on the beach..Rose Mary and I spent some time walking the boardwalk which was a lot of fun!!
 

Beach pics ;)

Red Power Round Up 2010 and Lake Michigan!

------------------------------------Red Power Round Up 2010--------------------------------

------------------------------------Pioneer Land--------------------------------

This was a little "town" that was set up at the fairgrounds where Red Power was at. It was pretty neat. They had a post office, school and a few other things. Quite cool!

----------------------------------Pine Lake and Park----------------------------------

----------------------------------Lake Michigan----------------------------------

We arrived at Red Power Round Up Monday June 21 and we were there until Monday June 26. Wednesday night we had a tornado about a mile north of us. Quite scary. If I never have to hear the tornado sirens again that would be fine with me! Sunday we went to the lake that was close by (not Lake Michigan) and spent the morning and afternoon there. It was a cloudy day and it did rain some. Then Monday we headed up to Michigan City IN to visit Lake Michigan. That was lots of fun. We got to be on the beach and see the lighthouse. We were there for a little while. Then we headed for home Tuesday night. Tuesday we stopped about 20 miles into PA and then drove home the rest of the way today. I am so glad to be home again!!

WE ARE BACK

Ok so we pulled in here at home around 4 this afternoon. Oh how wonderful it was to be home and to see Navajo and the kittens. It was nice just to be home. Here are some pics and an update. Enjoy.

ME RACHEL ROSEMARY Us Girls

Us Again

US AGAIN

WI Dells

Where we got our tickets:)

The boat at the bottom was our boat.

Our Boat

Chimney Rock/Stack of Pancakes

Trees growing out of the rock which is really soft sandstone.

A sign at one of the two stops we made on the boat.

The other sign.

They had a wishing well at the first stop:)

here is the wishing well.

Rose Mary Rachel and Mom.

Some of the scenery on the boat ride.

Some More rocks.

More Rocks

The shore alongside the River.

Pics in the building

We went the zoo on Tuesday before we headed home. So Much fun.

Male Lion

Female Lion

Giraffe which was so cute.

Another pic of the cool animal:)

Hippo

Ostrich (Sp?). He was pecking at the fence. He was fun to watch:)

A Parrot.

Pink Flamingoes. We also saw some bears but they were sleeping so we didn't get any pics of them. This was an awesome zoo:)

Peacock:)

Pictured below.

Bison

Same Bison

Prairie Dogs. They were fun to watch:) Rachel thought it was funny when they dug holes.

Another prairie dog.

Black swans.

Penguins Pictured below. They were cute.

They were on all on the land but then the got into the water.

One of them swimming.

Orangutans pictured below

These guys were also fun to watch. the one was swinging on the ropes.

Swinging on the rope (they were indoors so the lighting wasn't the best.

Swinging again.

Their handprint.

The orangantums were the last animals we saw at the zoo. Overall it was an awesome trip. Hope you enjoyed the pics. On Monday we went to the dells and then on Tuesday before we left for home we went to the zoo. We have safely arrived at home and are very happy to be home. I missed Navajo and so it was nice to come home and see him. Must run but home you enjoyed the pics:)