Summer Vacation: Idlewild and Seven Springs Ski Resort, PA

We enjoyed our summer vacation with the Falks this year.  We thought the kids would really like going to an amusement park and had heard great things about Idlewild in Pennsylvania.  The park is about an hour southeast of Pittsburgh and has been in existence since 1878.  As a result the entire park is full of mature trees and historic charm.  It was a wonderful place for families and I think we will definitely return.  There are rides, Storybook Forest, Mister Rogers Neighborhood, and even a water park that we didn't even get to because there was so much. 

We stayed in a condo at Seven Springs Ski Resort which was nice.  There was a pool in the condo area and we went swimming a couple times a day. The guys brought their mountain bikes and rode one day.  In the future they will probably try the downhill course and rent equipment.  The rainy days meant we enjoyed the arcade at the resort a few times too. A good trip of 4 days.

Spring Day at the Park

 Trillium was out in full bloom at Wooster Memorial Park when we went for a Sunday walk. 

 

We searched for salamanders and were surprised to find some new species we had never found at the park before today.  

Spotted Salamander 

 Ellen is becoming a little naturalist too.  Here she is looking for more salamanders under the flat rocks.

Daniel was excited we had found a salamander just like the one on his shirt.

All that hiking wore Ellen out so I carried her on my back the rest of the way back.  Surprisingly, it's not too hard or uncomfortable for either of us.

Reading His First Book

We've been working with Hooked on Phonics Learn to Read materials the last month.  Daniel has done great with the short and easy lessons.  He's also been doing great memorizing his sight words for preschool.  So far he can recognize: so, you, I, the, of, is, see, to.

After the first three lessons in the Hooked on Phonics material there is a short book to read.  He seemed quite motivated to try and read it once I told him he could pick whatever sweet he wanted if he actually read it.

I'm so proud of Daniel!

New and Local

I finally convinced Aaron that we needed a new mattress after I hogged the center of the bed for the last few weeks.  So we ended up with the exact same mattress we had since we loved it for over 8 years.  It was delivered this afternoon.  After inspecting it, I told Daniel we would look at the tag and see when it was made.  2/20/2013 on State Street in Cleveland, OH.  That was yesterday, AWESOME!!!

I love Midwest manufacturing!

Christmas Morning

 Christmas tree splendor on Christmas Eve

 Christmas morning

 Quite pleased that Santa HAD come after all.

 Reading the Christmas story together before opening gifts

Ecstatic that Santa brought the excavator that he wanted.

 Santa thought Ellen would like some balls to throw since she has such a great arm already.

 A coffee maker for Aaron's desk from the kids and Mommy.

  Ellen opening the crib I had when I was a little girl (made by Poppy).

Playing with new toys and a trace of stocking chocolate on her mouth.  Life is good.