Busch Garden 7/15

The main reason for our trip down south was to see Nathan and Brenna in Williamsburg Virginia. Because Brenna works at Busch Gardens, she was able to get us into the park for free which was GREAT! It was a lot of fun just hanging out with them all day. She even got Mason, Brianna, and Kennedy on one of the roller coasters. They all loved it and went 3 times. We would have tried another one but the lines got really long and we didn't want to wait. There were a lot of rides that they did get to do, plus we saw several shows. The Emerald Beat was Irish dancing, we saw an oldtime swing band, and the Pet adventures show. We left the park about 8:00 and headed back to the hotel to go swimming with them. It was nice just to be together. I hope that we can see them again before we leave this part of the country.

When we were in DC, Chelsea stopped to tie her shoe and happened to leave her cell phone on the sidewalk. When we discovered it was missing it was almost time to board the bus for the tour. Her and I went running down the street to check to see if it was still there. She got really lucky and it was still there. Then again while in Busch garden, she set it on a shelf in the bathroom and left it there. Only this time when she went back, it was gone. Before we left the park she checked lost and found but it wasn't there. When we got back to the hotel I plugged in my dead cell phone and there was a message on there saying they found the phone. So we got Brenna to go back there with us so we could pick it up. She got lucky twice. I told her next time she wanted to take her cell phone on vacation, I was going to get her a big purple fanny pack to wear around her waist to keep it safe.

Washington DC 7/13-14

We had planned to spend sunday afternoon and monday morning in DC. I told the kids they had to wear red, white, and blue since we were going into DC. After our tour of the Gettysburg battlegrounds, we headed into DC and bought tickets for a twighlight tour from 7-10 pm around the monuments. When we were on the metro Kennedy looked around her and whispered to me, "Aunt Jalyn, how come everyone isn't wearing red, white, and blue?" It then occured to me that she thought it was something like St. Patricks day where everyone wears the same color. That made me laugh and I told her she was only wearing those colors because I said so. Since we had some time to kill, we decided to walk over to see the capital building and surrounding sites.

Here are a couple pics from the capital

The twighlight tour ended up not being very much fun for me. This whole week we had been up by 7 am and running all day only to fall into bed between 11-12 pm. Cord decided at this point that he had absolutly had it with this vacation. The tour drove around while the driver explained various sites, and there were 4 scheduled stops where we could get out and see the monuments. When we were on the bus, Cord was SCREAMING and throwing a major fit on the ground. There was not one thing I could do to make him happy. You can imagine how the people around us felt about this "screaming brat" on their bus. To make matters worse, when we were at the first stop the heavens opened and poured rain down on us. By the time we got back to the bus we were all soaking wet. I hope we will be able to go back when Mike can go with us so we can really see these sites without being wet and miserable.
Monday afternoon we were able to take a tour of the capital building which was very interesting. Cord slept through the whole thing which was nice. Each state has 2 statues in the capital. Here we are by Brigham Young. The other Utah statue was Philo T. Farnsworth, the inventor of TV.
Monday morning we went to Arlington Cemetery. Kennedy was especially interested in the eternal flame of John F. Kennedy since they shared a name. Then Kennedy asked if we could go see the "Tomb of the UnDead Soldier". We wouldn't let her live that one down. It's a good thing we brought her for entertainment. We were able to see the changing of the guard which was a nice experience.

More Washington DC pics

These are pics from the Kennedy flame and the capital building. I love the last pic. We were all so exhausted from walking all over the city and found this bench to sit down. I pulled out the camera and said, "everyone look tired". They didn't have to act. You can also see above the Thomas Jefferson statue the the kids are all wet from the rain.

Gettysburg 7/12

As we pulled into Gettysburg, the sites were amazing. I don't mean the historical sites, I mean the THOUSANDS of Harley Davidson motorcycles that invaded the streets of this small town. They were everywhere. I really wish I had taken a picture but I couldn't stop staring long enough to think about it. We finally made our way to the new visitors center and watched an amazing movie about the civil war and the significance of the Battle of Gettysburg. There was also a very nice museum inside the center. On thing my dad wanted to see was the battlegrounds. They had bought a CD that you listen in your car as you drive around to the various locations and it explains it's significance. The problem was, the motorcycles were having some sort of parade and the main streets were blocked off. It was late and we were tired, so we headed to the hotel. We decided to go back the next morning for the tour. There were monuments everywhere. I took some pictures of my favorite ones.

Valley Forge 7/12

Valley Forge was a very pretty drive. We saw George Washington's winter quarters, a beautiful church built in his honor, several statues and momuments, and then stopped at the Visitors Center to watch a short movie about him. Cord was not going to sit still for the movie so I can't tell you what it was about. But the kids said they enjoyed it and learned something new.


This church was beautiful. The stained glass windows have images of George Washington kneeling. It was really nice to walk through.

Philadelphia 7/12

Our first stop today was at Independence Hall in Phili. We had to pick up our tickets for the tour and then wait. This is the place where the Declaration of Independence was signed and the original location of the liberty bell. It also happened to be the place where Nicholas Cage was able to find the glasses to read the map on the declaration of independence in National Treasure. Mike couldn't believe that we were in such a historic place and all we were worried about is weather National Treasure was actually filmed there. We didn't even have to ask the tour guide, she just told us that parts of it was filmed there, but not all of it. There were a lot of things we could have done here, but we had also scheduled to go to Valley Forge and Gettysburg today. So we just saw the things that interested us the most.

The kids in front of the liberty bell.
This is independence hall.
While walking around, we saw these very authentic looking gentlemen so we asked if we could take a picture with them, to try and capture the mood.

Boston 7/9

The first stop on our adventure was to Boston. Chelsea was away at girls camp but Mike had the day off so he came with us. We wanted to do the Freedom trail. We quickly learned about the metro system but we also had to walk all over. Our first stop on the trail was the USS Constitution. It is the oldest navy ship still afloat. It got the name "Old ironside" from the war of 1812 when the sailors noticed that the cannon balls that were being shot at it seemed to bounce off as if she was made from iron. We got to tour the insides as well.

We got to take a ferry ride from one end of Boston to the other. It was cool to see a different side of Boston.
Mike, my dad, and the kids decided to climb up the monument of Bunker Hill. They climbed 294 steps to the top. I still don't understand why they built a monument to commemorate a battle we lost to the British. Plus the battle was really fought on Breed's hill. Go figure. This was the battle that started the revolutionary war. You know "don't shoot until you see the whites of their eyes."
Perhaps the funnest thing we did in Boston was the Duck Tour. We boarded these old W.W.II style amphibious landing vehicle. Then we cruised by all the places that make Boston the birthplace of freedom and a city of firsts, from the golden-domed State House to Bunker Hill and the TD Banknorth Garden, Boston Common and Copley Square to the Big Dig, Government Center to fashionable Newbury Street, Quincy Market to the Prudential Tower, and more. We had the funniest driver who made the tour a lot of fun. After we drove around town, it was time for "Splashdown" as our ConDUCKtor splashed the DUCK right into the Charles River for a breathtaking view of the Boston and Cambridge skylines.
After the duck tour, we resumed the freedom trail but unfortunately a lot of the buildings were closed. So we were only able to walk by and look at the outside. At one point it began to rain pretty hard so we took cover under an awning in front of a store. Mike told us that if we didn't like the New England weather, just wait 5 minutes. And true to his word, it stopped raining and we were able to walk back to the car. We were all exhausted after a day of walking. Our plan is to go again with Chelsea and see the things we didn't get to see. I think I like Boston a lot better when I'm walking around it instead of being lost driving through it.

Beach Adventures in CT - 7/11

With Chelsea home from girls camp, it was time to start our adventures heading down to Williamsburg, VA to see my brother and his wife. Today we had planned to drive down to Philadelphia (about 4 hours) but had planned a stop at a beach in Connecticut. We searched for one with a lighthouse because that is something I really wanted to see. This beach actually had 2, there is a tiny bump by my mom's head that is a lighthouse at the end of an island of rocks. The 2nd house is in a pic down below. The kids enjoyed splashing in the water and looking for sea shells. Cord seemed interested in all the seaweed floating around. After exploring the beach, we sat down at the park next to it for lunch, and then we were on our way again.

We were bummed that we couldn't go up inside the lighthouse, I guess I'll have to keep looking for one that is open to the public. It was pretty cool to look at though.
By the time we got back to the car, Cord was soaking wet and needed a new change of clothes.
The girls found some crabs on the beach. Brianna's shirt is filled with sea shells.
This beach is only about 1 hr away from us. There was a splash pad, a park, and a carousel ride right there as well. I hope we can go back with Mike and spend the whole day there.

Sturbridge Village 7/10

Today we took a trip to Old Sturbridge Village, the largest outdoor history museum in the Northeast. It is a journey through time to a rural New England town of the 1830s. It is a village set up with more than 40 original buildings that were restored and brought to one central location. These include homes, meetinghouses, a district school, country store, bank, law office, printing office, carding mill, sawmill, gristmill, pottery, blacksmith shop, shoe shop, and cooper shop. All through the village there are authentically costumed staff carrying out the activities of daily life back then. We were able to wander country roads and visit with a farmer plowing fields, listen to the blacksmith's rhythmic hammering, watch as they train a pair of oxen pull a cart through the village, or watch in the sawmill as they cut a tree into boards. The period portrayed by Old Sturbridge Village, 1790-1840, is of major significance because it was a time in which the everyday lives of New Englanders were transformed by the rise of commerce and manufacturing, improvements in agriculture an transportation, the pulls of emigration and urbanization, and the tides of educational, political, aesthetic, and social change. (I borrowed some of this info from the website, I can't come up with stuff like that :) , but it was so nice and relaxing. Even though they had to work harder back then physically, it just doesn't seem as complicated as life can be now.

This is a new feature of the village, a ride in a real stagecoach. It sure was bumpy. The girls said they felt like Cinderella going to the ball.
They have a lot of hands on activities for the kids. They were able to dip their own candles and then make a little tin candle holder to put it in.
There was a house just for children to dress up and touch things. The kids especially loved pretending to be pioneers and doing housework (I did say PRETENDING to do work). Brianna liked it so much she bought a bonnet with her own money.
This is at the playground where the kids had all kinds of things to climb on and play with. I really like muesums where the kids can touch things and learn how things really work. There were also several stations set up throughout the village that showed different games the kids in the village would have played and the kids would get to try them, like walking on stilts or rolling the hoop. One very interesting part was the blacksmith's shop. There were people there actually making a hook. My dad loved watching this and told me that his grandpa was a blacksmith (I never knew that). My dad remembers helping him in his shop. There was a head blacksmith there who looked just like my dad's grandpa which brought back a lot of memories for my dad. The whole day was very relaxing, the weather was nice and not so humid, and Cord was happy because he didn't have to be in the stroller. He could just walk around with us. My mom especially loved the lesson at the old school house. Being a school teachert herself, she loved learning about how the schools functioned back then.

Sturbridge village pics

Cord loved just being able to walk around and explore the village. The kids enjoyed trying their hand at several of the childhood games they have set up there.

Family

These wonderful people are my grandma and grandpa Alldredge (my dad's parents). They have been such a big part of my life growing up. They have always been so supportive of our family. They have always been there for weddings, birthdays, graduations, holiday celebrations, and family dinners. Growing up I remember that it was part of our Sunday routine to go and visit grandma/ pa. We would sit in the front room and listen to grandpa's stories, or go play out back with other cousins there to visit. My grandpa used to have farm animals on the back property. We loved to scout around for chicken feathers. There was also this amazing 4 seated swing in the back that would go around like a merry go round. When it came time to leave, you had to move fast or Grandpa would get you and hold you down as my parents would head out the door to leave. There were several occasions that I remember having to rescue a sibbling from grandpa only to get caught in his trap myself. Grandma always had sugar cookies in her fridge for us to eat. She made the best cookies. And quite often their house smelled like homemade bread.
Every year we would have an Alldredge reunion and go camping somewhere. This year is the first one we have missed in a long time. My grandpa grew up on the Arizona strip and had all kinds of stories about his childhood (you know, walking up hill to school both ways, etc). One year we went camping on the strip at the old school house and he made all us grandkids walk to where his house used to be. I'll admit it was a pretty long walk, but I'm pretty sure there wasn't snow on the arizona strip.
Every chance they get, they bare their testimony to us. They are such a good example. They both have served many hours in the temple. I remember going to do baptisms for the dead with my youth group, and there would be grandpa. Or I would go to do a session and see grandma there. She would always give me a hug. They are always together and you can see how much they love each other. I have always loved to see them dancing together. I feel so lucky that they are such a big part of my life.

For family home evening, we went to the St. George temple visitor center. Then we walked around the temple together. How grateful I am that my parents were married in the temple, raised me with the gospel so that I could marry my eternal love in the temple. How grateful I am for the ties that bind us all together for eternity. Its hard to not be so close to family at this time, but I do cherish every moment that we spend together. Hopefully time will go by fast and we'll be back in Utah before we know it. Meanwhile, I am grateful for the things we do get to experience out here. Or at least I should say that I don't completly hate it out here. But don't worry, I don't see how I could ever love it enough to stay out here for good. The whole time we were in Utah I kept calling Mike and telling him how good it was to be back HOME!

Independence day celebrations

Some of our July 4th traditions include a family BBQ, small fireworks and sparklers at Grandma's house, watching the city fireworks on top of the Blue Bunny parking garage next to the Schwendimans, and homemade ice cream at Aunt Darlene's house afterwards. Since we had to leave Utah on July 2nd, we decided to try and do a couple of those traditions. We got together for dinner and fireworks.

Thanks to grandpa for running the show for us!
Now back in MA for the real 4th of July, things were not so exciting. We were able to have some friends and the missionaries over for a BBQ. But it was so humid outside while we ate, that it ruined my cheetos. (Don't you think that would make a great country song? "The humidity ruined my Cheetos." I'm still working out the rest of the lyrics). We heard that the city of Springfield were setting off fireworks from Memorial Bridge. It was a little difficult finding a place to watch them, but we set up space on the baseball field in Longmeadow. There were a lot of people there so we figured it would be a good spot. Have I meantioned that there a lot of trees out here? Well, when the fireworks actually started, we were only able to view the tops of them because there were so many trees in the way. Cord was not entertained which meant Mike or I had to try to keep him busy. The best part of the evening was the glow necklaces that I bought for the kids to keep them entertained. We did not see any small fireworks for sale anywhere, not even sparklers. Maybe it's because of all those trees. It is interesting to note that even though several of the cities around Springfield had fireworks or other celebrations going on, most of them were not on the 4th. They were spread out over the span of about 2 weeks. I thought that was crazy.
This pic was supposed to be up higher, but I'm too tired to move it. One thing the cousins like to do when they get together is to put on a show. They worked hard on this production of "Thriller" that they preformed before we watched grandpa's fireworks. They even sell tickets to their shows. I wished I had actually had my video camera on because this one was quite good. They are all very creative.