It was a long work week at the fair but I can't complain, it was fun and I was able to work right alongside Belén and meet tons of people. The other kids were excited because this was the first year they got to come every night. Oh, and our office's booth won First place for best community booth!

Now that it's over, I can start cleaning the house. It looks as if 5 kids lived here alone all week, which they pretty much did. Afterwards I can resume normal blogging activities - details, thoughts, and even a little project that I did for the library. But, the house is killing me so I need to tackle it first. If you need me, I'll be buried under toys and laundry.

Visiting the Amish

With my niece and nephew visiting from Washington state, it gives us the opportunity to be "tourists in our own town." Yesterday we drove a bit farther into Amish country to take a buggy ride.

The kids were able to pose with a buggy driver.

Trae was too busy chasing animals to get in the group shot.

I love seeing the roadside signs for the Amish. This was a buggy repair shop and a place to give your horse a drink.

Blair enjoyed the view from sitting up front.






Taking hay to the animals.

Belen said she would love to mow the lawn this way and would do it all the time.

Reese enjoyed being up front too.


Traffic jam PA style.

A one room school house, K-8th grade. The Amish only go up to the 8th grade. When the driver, Aaron, told my nephew Bryson that, he asked if he could convert! The gentleman said yes, they need another stable boy on his farm.

We drove through miles of beautiful pasture and between corn fields. The corn is mainly used for the animals while tobacco is their cash crop. They also have other businesses and have proven to be quite business savvy. While on the ride, our driver yelled over to two of his grandkids, speaking Pennsylvania Dutch.
The kids whined back, "Oh all right!" in English.

We all laughed. I guess kids are the same everywhere.

Along the way home we bought some homemade peanut butter cookies - yum

and some homemade root beer - not so yum.

My mom's was really good. I may have to find her recipe and try it myself.

If you have a good one, let me know.

Up next for our town tourism:

Knoebels amusement park - the largest free-admission park in the United States.

It's also our favorite.

The scenic hour or so drive makes for a great time to talk with my husband.

The kids excitedly talk with each other in the back of the car and decide their plan of attack for the rides...and when they'll have an ice cream cone and a potato pierogi.

You gotta love summer

and Pennsylvania.

Have a great day.

Hugs,

Laura

Progress and parks

I came home from camp and found that Trae had been potty-trained. Then I found out it was only for #1. But still, progress...

I also found that more of the old cabinets were gone and in their place were nice, new cabinets. Jon enlisted the help of our friend, Chris, and they tried to get this done before I got home. Even though it wasn't, I was so happy to see that a lot had been done.

Jon also installed the apron front sink that I have been dreaming of for 15 years. I literally hugged it when it went into place. The butcher block counter tops were also installed. Jon felt bad that he didn't let me say good-bye to the old, chipped Formica counters...

We have a few more cabinets to hang and I have to go to Baltimore for the tile back splash. Someday soon I'll be able to take off the blue protective film on the dishwasher. Progress...

Taking a much needed break from the mess in the kitchen, we hopped into the car and headed to an amusement park about an hour and a half away. It was a great evening and we ended it by going on the Skloosh water ride; sufficiently drenching ourselves for the ride home.

Jon and I love road trips. Even though it wasn't far, we enjoyed talking to each other over the soft hum of the engine and while the babies slept.

All of them...

After the Skloosh; ice cream hits the spot.

Trae

Reese and Blair in the last car. Watching their faces cracked us up.