Thursday, August 15, 2013

Vacation is over!

And what a great time we had with Emily and Joe.  They were wonderful travelers and very interested in everything we did.  Sometimes you would think they weren’t listening but when asked a question they had the answers immediately so what you see isn’t always what is real…they do listen and retain what they see and hear.  Loved every minute of our vacation.

A week was long but hardly long enough for what we had planned.
I won’t put all the pictures on because it would take me a long while to do it and you would get very bored so just a few from each day.
So I will do the first 4 days to start with.

Day 1 – on the drive out.
We stopped in Cranberry for the first night so we didn’t have but 4 hours to go the next day – 14 hours would have been too much for the kids – and us!

(Click pictures to make larger)
On our way   On the road

At the first hotel 1   At the first hotel

They loved going through the tunnels in PA
 
Tunnel 1   Tunnel 2

Day 2, Sunday – arrived in Lancaster, checked into the room and headed for lunch at Jennies Diner on Rt. 30 – a wonderful old diner that serves wonderful food and lots of it.
Jennies Diner    Jennies Diner kids

Then over to Strasburg to take a ride on the Strasburg Railroad.  It was a fun 45 minute ride up to Paradise and back on a steam locomotive.  We chose to sit in the open air cars and boy it was windy – I had rooster tails the rest of the day.
kids by strasburg train 3   kids on strasburg train 1

kids on strasburg train 2   All of us on train

After that we had to have ice cream of course so on to the Strasburg Creamery
ice cream joe    Em and Grandpa ice cream

We were meeting Doug’s cousins Linda and John and their daughter Kyle for supper at Hot Z’s – another favorite of ours when we are in Lancaster
 
Us with John and Linda    Kids at hot Zs

Day 3 – Gettysburg
We hired a guide to come along in our car and this was the best thing we did being the kids were with us.
Our guide was like a walking book – he had such knowledge and made it fun and interesting.
Our guide   Guide by cannon

Guide with Emily   Guide with Joe

karen doug by lincoln   kids by lincoln

After the tour we headed for the Dobbin House for lunch
 
Joe and Doug at Dobbin House   Em and me at Dobbin House 

Emily ordered Apple Cider and said how fun it would be to take a picture and send it to her parents because it looked like she had wine to drink
Emily with cider   Us at Dobbin House

Day 4 – Market day
We first went to downtown Lancaster to Central Market and then headed up to Roots Market
Every time Doug and I went to Lancaster we took a loaf of Cinnamon Swirl bread back home to Joe – we did this from the time he was about 2 – he called it ‘circle toast’ and so we HAD to buy some for him to take home.  Bought him 2 loaves and put it in the freezer that night to keep it fresh.  And we bought one for us for the week too.
Kids at Central market   Joe by his bread

market 2   market 3

From Central Market we headed to Roots
 
Roots market 2    Roots market 1

From there we went to Kitchen Kettle and on to Amish country
Kitchen Kettle kids   kitchen kettle 2

 Em trying on hat

I will leave you with this for today because the next day was New York City – a few photos on this day!
I made a few purchases on the trip – I’ll probably put them on the last post.

See ya!
Karen

18 comments:

  1. Hi Karen! What a great trip! Especially since you spent it with the kids. They will remember it forever I'm sure. When you come to NY next come to Long Island and visit! You won't be disappointed! Lighthouses, beaches, LI farms, wineries. Maybe someday! Maggie

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  2. hello dear, such fun trip and lots of fun.
    i love all the pictures...such happy memories.
    sending you big hugs x

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  3. Looks like you had a wonderful time. How did your back hold up with all of that walking? We finally get to go on our vacation the week after Labor Day week. Hate to wish my life away but it seems like it will never get here.
    Blessings,
    Sandra
    Homespun Elegance
    www.plainfancymerchant.blogspot.com

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  4. So much fun, looking forward to the next installment!
    Judy

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  5. Hi Karen,
    Looks like you/hubby had a blast w/the grandkiddos! What fun places you got to visit w/them.
    My hubby is a big fan of anything to do w/trains, so I will have to show him your pics. We visited there several yrs. ago when our boys were little, but didn't get to ride on the train.
    Can't wait to see/hear about the rest of your trip!

    Hugs,
    Tanya

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  6. What a wonderful start to your vacation!! Looks like you had a great time.... looking forward to hearing about your time in NYC.... we live 30 minutes away (as the crow flies, of course!), and my husband commutes into the city for work. Thankfully, we live in a quiet little village so he can get away from the hubbub of the city!
    Love Gettysburg and Lancaster!! Will have to hit some of those places to eat the next time we go!

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  7. Looks like you all had a great time. Looking forward to the New York photos as I'd love to get there one day. What a great idea to hire a guide.
    Hugs,
    Karen

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  8. I love when you write about your visits to Lancaster County and the surrounding areas... In your pictures I know exactly where you were. So glad you had a good time!

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  9. I'm tired already. I don't know if I will hold up for NY!

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  10. Looking forward to NY. Never been to Lancaster or Gettysburg, but would love to sometime. Looks like everyone enjoyed themselves on this leg of the trip. Janice

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  11. My dream...to someday go to Lancaster! Thanks for sharing so far! I am looking forward to traveling to New York with you soon!
    Be blessed,
    Cindi

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  12. What fun. Thanks for taking us along.
    Hugs :)
    Lauren

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  13. Looks like you made a lot of nice memories! Enjoyed to pictures.
    I love PA. It has been a while since we have been up there but would love to go back for some antique shopping!

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  14. Looks like you had a great time and how special to spend time with just them. Really great memories made during times like that.

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  15. Karen: Nwo you know why I am trying to move back to be close to my family! I never got to do what you just did for that wonderful trip and I am so sorry about that. Your pictures show just how much fun everyone was having...thanks for sharing.
    {{HUGS}}
    Joy

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  16. Looks like a real fun trip and great memories for Grandkids..awesome pictures and made me wish I was with you too :)

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  17. Karen,

    I know everyone had just a wonderful time and great memories!!!! hugs! OLM

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  18. Isn't Gettysburg amazing? TraderVic and I loved it there when we went last year - the guides are certainly worth every penny. Visiting Gettysburg (all the way from Oz) was on my bucket list. We had dinner at the Dobbin House - so good!

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So glad you came to visit - feel free to leave a comment.
I will try and answer as many as I can - maybe not immediately but I will get to you!

Karen