Fresh Start

Its really best to start reading this blog from the end and work your way back to the beginning. Somehow, it all makes more sense. I didn't end up getting to describe much of the second half of the trip, mostly due to exhaustion. Also, some of the picture links are broken now... sorry. I may try to fix it later when I have time. HAHA yeah right.

State Tourism Sites
Lancaster County, PA
Oklahoma City National Memorial
The Hermitage
Appomattox~ Site of Lee's Surrender
Mount Vernon
Smithsonian Natural History Museum
Ford Theater
Spy Museum
Chancelorville

Drive to Niagara Falls (Mass and NY Turnpikes) Also Known as The Day Andy Erupted.

Ok, this is gross. If you have a weak stomach just skip this day. Trust me!

We spent the day driving on the Massachusetts and New York turnpikes. Long….. and very dull. I kept telling the boys we needed to try to synchronize our bladders so we didn’t have to stop at EVERY rest stop to use the facilities, but no such luck. Along the turnpikes they have very nice rest areas. Since they are toll roads they have areas with small stores, fast food and gas where you can do your business and not have to pay tolls getting off and on.

We eventually stopped for lunch at a McDonalds, and sat down to eat. He hadn’t mentioned it earlier, but Mr15 was apparently not feeling very well. Perhaps he was a bit car sick? I have no idea. BUT, after a few hungry bites and chugging half his red soda, I noticed that he was holding his hand over his mouth, his cheeks were puffed out, and *something* was running down his arms into his lap. I asked him if he was OK, was he choking? No, he wasn’t choking. He opened his mouth to answer and vomited all over the table on everyone’s lunch!!!!! Hubby and the other two boys all jumped up from the table and ran away heaving. So, poor Mr15 and I sat there. Of course I jumped up and tried to contain the mess, and move the food that hadn’t been hit yet. Someone gave me some napkins and I asked the person at the closest food counter to call for a mop and disinfectant.

We had to haul things down from the roof rack to get clothes out for Mr15, and he had to try to clean up in the public bathroom. I felt really bad, but once I determined that he was OK and I stopped having my own stomach churning, I stood around laughing for about 10 minutes. The other people in the McDonalds must have thought I was totally insane. They just might be right!

7/16/05 Interesting Hotel… seeing the falls

7/14/05 Boston Bus Tour

7/13/05 7/13/05 Phantom of the Opera, drive to Boston

7/12/05 New York...Mind Blowng

We took a very interesting bus tour of NYC. We took a bus in from our hotel and then had to find our way back out to our hotel afterward. Let’s just say I found the city very overwhelming! Probably my favorite thing was the Staten Island Ferry. It was a great ride, and we had a very good view of the Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island. I realized how much I miss home and the ocean. I would have liked to gone to both of these islands, but time simply wouldn’t permit. After the tour we walked to the Empire State Building. The view is fantastic! We could have spent all night up there, and the boys did indeed manage to ditch us by walking around the circle top faster than we did. HAHA We were very late getting back to our hotel because we spend so much time enjoying the view.

The streets of NY are absolutely overwhelming. Mind Blowing is an understatement. They are crowded, dirty, hot, smelly and loud. Very loud. Times Square has almost as many lights as Las Vegas. I’m glad I went, but I think I don’t want to go back to New York, it was very stressful to just walk down the street.

Empire State Building

7/11/05 Hotel in Jersey, just outside New York

We took a day to sleep in, do laundry, catching up on journals and blogs, and generally laze around the pool. Thank goodness! We sure needed it! The boys are all restless, but tomorrow we go take a bite out of the Big Apple! The next day we plan to go see Phantom of the Opera on Broadway! Wooo Hooo!!!

I’m going to be placing posts into the blog and filling them in over the next couple days as I have time to think and upload pictures.