...now go hug the ones you love. That's my biggest plan for today :)...
Thursday, November 27, 2014
Sunday, November 23, 2014
looks like a beach, sounds like a beach...
The Great Lakes...
...so vast that they are called inland oceans...
This was our first time visiting any of the huge lakes and I have to tell you, it was a strange experience. Strange? Yes...
You see, they really ARE like inland oceans. There is water farther than your eyes can see...
...there are winds and waves...
...sand dunes and the grasses that grow at a typical beach...
...even the sounds are very much like being at the ocean. The only thing missing is the smell! That wonderful salty smell that only the ocean has. It was a strange thing to see and feel all these things that scream ocean, only there was absolutely no smell. I caught myself breathing deeply several times expecting salt air and almost choking because it was just THAT weird to me (maybe i'm what's weird, but that's ok too ;)haha!).
Anyway, lack of smell aside, we really enjoyed our time there. We took a walk along the edge of the water, then we drove back over towards the Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore Visitor Center.
We had stopped by earlier in the day to pick up Jr. Ranger books and while we were over there we paid a visit to the Chellberg Farm.
There are lots of trails in this section of the park, we followed the one that led past the sugar barn where they make maple syrup...
...and on to the farm...
When we were done at the VC, we decided to take a little drive...
to MICHIGAN!
Indiana was state number 45 that we have visited and Michigan makes 46, woohoo :)! We basically gave Michigan a "high-five", just to say we've been there, and then we had to turn back around and make some Western progression.
***Michigan, we'll for sure be back one day when we have time to stay for a while. Soon, I hope, because from what I've seen and heard you sure are pretty...
...so vast that they are called inland oceans...
This was our first time visiting any of the huge lakes and I have to tell you, it was a strange experience. Strange? Yes...
You see, they really ARE like inland oceans. There is water farther than your eyes can see...
...there are winds and waves...
...sand dunes and the grasses that grow at a typical beach...
...even the sounds are very much like being at the ocean. The only thing missing is the smell! That wonderful salty smell that only the ocean has. It was a strange thing to see and feel all these things that scream ocean, only there was absolutely no smell. I caught myself breathing deeply several times expecting salt air and almost choking because it was just THAT weird to me (maybe i'm what's weird, but that's ok too ;)haha!).
Anyway, lack of smell aside, we really enjoyed our time there. We took a walk along the edge of the water, then we drove back over towards the Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore Visitor Center.
 |
| "hello :)" |
 |
| "look, mom, a water horse egg!"...indeed it is... |
 |
| The Florida Tropical House on Lakefront Drive |
We had stopped by earlier in the day to pick up Jr. Ranger books and while we were over there we paid a visit to the Chellberg Farm.
There are lots of trails in this section of the park, we followed the one that led past the sugar barn where they make maple syrup...
...and on to the farm...
When we were done at the VC, we decided to take a little drive...
to MICHIGAN!
Indiana was state number 45 that we have visited and Michigan makes 46, woohoo :)! We basically gave Michigan a "high-five", just to say we've been there, and then we had to turn back around and make some Western progression.
***Michigan, we'll for sure be back one day when we have time to stay for a while. Soon, I hope, because from what I've seen and heard you sure are pretty...
Tuesday, November 18, 2014
More flight lessons...
We found the perfect place to stop for the night just outside of Dayton, Ohio. One thing I am realizing is that 99% of the time reservations are not necessary (for hotels, not talking about more specialty lodging...definitely get reservations if you can for those). Anyway, after our scary hotel situation in Asheville, I simply stopped reserving ahead of time. Two reasons...obviously to avoid scary hotel situations and also because more often than not we change our minds at the last minute on where we want to stop for the night. With reservations you have no choice, you have to go there. Without them, you go wherever you feel like. This time we felt like going to Dayton :).
**I just thought of a third reason...we have found that it's cheaper to just walk-in and request a hotel room rather than reserve online or even call. Crazy but true! And definitely welcome :).**
Great nights sleep, free laundry at the hotel (wondermous!), and a Tim Horton's right up the street. Yes indeed, we were off to a great start to our next day ;). It's the little things, ya'll :).
Any of ya'll that are familiar with the Dayton area can probably guess why we wanted to stop there for the night. They have NPS sites! These really are great for the kids and their schooling. I don't know how many times they have been doing their regular school books and called out in excitement because there is a picture or a passage describing one of these places that we have visited. Touched, seen with our own two eyes...there just is no comparison :).
With our box of Timbits in hand, we set off to find the Wright Cycle Company Complex...one part of the Dayton Aviation Heritage National Historical Park. We found it, parked, and as we were walking across the grounds to go into the visitor center we noticed a Ranger just outside the door to the Wright Cycle Company Building. This building stays locked and is opened up when a Ranger is available to accompany you inside. He was available, so we went in there first :)...
This building is one of four that the Wright brothers worked on their bicycles in and the only one that remains today. It still has their tools laid out and everything...
After some good conversation with the Ranger on the contents and history of the cycle shop, we thanked him and headed on over to the VC. Jr. Ranger books were acquired and then we descended upon the museum. I say descended because we each got so involved with our reading and looking that we were spread out all over the place. That's ok, I love seeing the kids so interested in learning :)..(we were practically the only ones there, so I was cool with the spreading out situation).
We saw the print shop where the brothers printed their newspaper and life-long friend Paul Laurence Dunbar printed his many poems, novels, plays, etc...
With books complete, we went down to the Ranger desk to finish up. The Rangers rotate their posts throughout the day and it just so happened that the same guy who showed us around the cycle shop was now at the VC desk. I liked his style...he challenged the kids to do more/learn more in a way that they thought was just fun and games :). There was a red line outside marking how far the first flight flew and a sign telling how fast. He challenged the kids to each run the distance of the line while being timed to see if they could outrun an airplane. They thought that was big fun :)! Challenge accepted and conquered (and they learned some great historical facts in the process)...
We spent a long time there, but there was another part of the park that we really wanted to visit. With just enough time left in the day, we headed over to the Huffman Prairie Flying Field. Here we saw the Wright Memorial...
...and visited the adjacent Interpretive Center. This place was all about the planes! The kids had so much fun here and once again the Rangers were awesome. The man running the desk when we got there was a real jokester and had all the kids laughing (and learning, love it!). I have to say, though, that their very favorite part was in the back corner of the museum. There they found a 1911 Wright Model B Flight Simulator and one of the sweetest ladies that we have ever met stationed back there to help the kiddos...
This lady (i wish i could remember her name!!!) stayed past closing to let each of the kids have a turn on the simulator. I never expected that :)! I had already told the kids that most likely only the littlest ones would get a chance to try it because it was nearing closing time. Well, she made sure that they all got to do it and let them keep trying until they had successful flights (they are awarded certificates). Warms my heart right up :).
The VC had closed for the day, we were locked in :), but she also went over the kids books with them and awarded them their badges. You just don't come across that level of niceness every day :).
It was time to go, so we left to find some food and decide where we wanted to head off to next. I asked the kids to vote between visiting the Gateway Arch in Missouri or Lake Michigan in Indiana and Michigan (two states we had never been to). Their decision? The lake! We only made it a few hours in that direction before it was time to stop for the night. A cozy room in Fort Wayne, Indiana, worked out great...
Good night :)!
**I just thought of a third reason...we have found that it's cheaper to just walk-in and request a hotel room rather than reserve online or even call. Crazy but true! And definitely welcome :).**
Great nights sleep, free laundry at the hotel (wondermous!), and a Tim Horton's right up the street. Yes indeed, we were off to a great start to our next day ;). It's the little things, ya'll :).
Any of ya'll that are familiar with the Dayton area can probably guess why we wanted to stop there for the night. They have NPS sites! These really are great for the kids and their schooling. I don't know how many times they have been doing their regular school books and called out in excitement because there is a picture or a passage describing one of these places that we have visited. Touched, seen with our own two eyes...there just is no comparison :).
With our box of Timbits in hand, we set off to find the Wright Cycle Company Complex...one part of the Dayton Aviation Heritage National Historical Park. We found it, parked, and as we were walking across the grounds to go into the visitor center we noticed a Ranger just outside the door to the Wright Cycle Company Building. This building stays locked and is opened up when a Ranger is available to accompany you inside. He was available, so we went in there first :)...
After some good conversation with the Ranger on the contents and history of the cycle shop, we thanked him and headed on over to the VC. Jr. Ranger books were acquired and then we descended upon the museum. I say descended because we each got so involved with our reading and looking that we were spread out all over the place. That's ok, I love seeing the kids so interested in learning :)..(we were practically the only ones there, so I was cool with the spreading out situation).
 |
| these old menus intrigue me...and kind of appall...sliced tongue??? :P... |
 |
| ...apparently they thought it was wonderful... |
We saw the print shop where the brothers printed their newspaper and life-long friend Paul Laurence Dunbar printed his many poems, novels, plays, etc...
With books complete, we went down to the Ranger desk to finish up. The Rangers rotate their posts throughout the day and it just so happened that the same guy who showed us around the cycle shop was now at the VC desk. I liked his style...he challenged the kids to do more/learn more in a way that they thought was just fun and games :). There was a red line outside marking how far the first flight flew and a sign telling how fast. He challenged the kids to each run the distance of the line while being timed to see if they could outrun an airplane. They thought that was big fun :)! Challenge accepted and conquered (and they learned some great historical facts in the process)...
 |
| Jr. Rangering :) |
We spent a long time there, but there was another part of the park that we really wanted to visit. With just enough time left in the day, we headed over to the Huffman Prairie Flying Field. Here we saw the Wright Memorial...
...and visited the adjacent Interpretive Center. This place was all about the planes! The kids had so much fun here and once again the Rangers were awesome. The man running the desk when we got there was a real jokester and had all the kids laughing (and learning, love it!). I have to say, though, that their very favorite part was in the back corner of the museum. There they found a 1911 Wright Model B Flight Simulator and one of the sweetest ladies that we have ever met stationed back there to help the kiddos...
This lady (i wish i could remember her name!!!) stayed past closing to let each of the kids have a turn on the simulator. I never expected that :)! I had already told the kids that most likely only the littlest ones would get a chance to try it because it was nearing closing time. Well, she made sure that they all got to do it and let them keep trying until they had successful flights (they are awarded certificates). Warms my heart right up :).
The VC had closed for the day, we were locked in :), but she also went over the kids books with them and awarded them their badges. You just don't come across that level of niceness every day :).
 |
| more Jr. Rangering |
It was time to go, so we left to find some food and decide where we wanted to head off to next. I asked the kids to vote between visiting the Gateway Arch in Missouri or Lake Michigan in Indiana and Michigan (two states we had never been to). Their decision? The lake! We only made it a few hours in that direction before it was time to stop for the night. A cozy room in Fort Wayne, Indiana, worked out great...
Good night :)!
Monday, November 17, 2014
o"HI"o
Well, hello, Ohio. Nice to meetcha ;). The 44th state that we have visited...
But what do you do in Ohio? We did what we always do and consulted the trusty NPS website. We were coming into the southwestern portion of the state and there just so happened to be a NPS site in the same area. So, we headed into Cincinnati and to the William Howard Taft National Historic Site. Gots to edjicate these chillun'...
There is a decent sized parking area in the back (thankfully, I never have learned the art of parallel parking). Then you just follow the little path up to the Visitor Center. Inside, we were greeted by another wonderful Ranger who joked around with the kids and gave them a few helpful hints for completing their workbooks. Ok, off to see the sights...
This site centers around the Taft home where former President Taft was born and raised. The downstairs is set up like it would have been when the Taft family lived there. They sure had an interesting style, check out the foyer...
So many patterns! The flooring, the wallpaper, the rugs, the light fixtures! One thing's for sure, it certainly isn't boring :).
Upstairs is a museum with lots of great info on the Taft family. We learned that he was the only person in United States history to hold both the office of President and then later the office of Chief Justice...
...and that his wife was one of the main reasons that the Cherry trees were originally planted in DC...
...and that it was pretty much a given that there would be oysters served at a Taft dinner party ;)...
We ended our visit back at the VC where the kids completed their books and were awarded their Jr. Ranger badges. Then it was drive through the city (the kids always want to go smack dab downtown), stop long enough to grab some Chipotle, and head on up I-75 to figure out just exactly where we were going to spend the night...
But what do you do in Ohio? We did what we always do and consulted the trusty NPS website. We were coming into the southwestern portion of the state and there just so happened to be a NPS site in the same area. So, we headed into Cincinnati and to the William Howard Taft National Historic Site. Gots to edjicate these chillun'...
There is a decent sized parking area in the back (thankfully, I never have learned the art of parallel parking). Then you just follow the little path up to the Visitor Center. Inside, we were greeted by another wonderful Ranger who joked around with the kids and gave them a few helpful hints for completing their workbooks. Ok, off to see the sights...
 |
| oh look! peonies... |
 |
| terrible picture, but so what ;). someday i want to grow these flowers. it was too hot for them in florida... |
This site centers around the Taft home where former President Taft was born and raised. The downstairs is set up like it would have been when the Taft family lived there. They sure had an interesting style, check out the foyer...
So many patterns! The flooring, the wallpaper, the rugs, the light fixtures! One thing's for sure, it certainly isn't boring :).
Upstairs is a museum with lots of great info on the Taft family. We learned that he was the only person in United States history to hold both the office of President and then later the office of Chief Justice...
...and that his wife was one of the main reasons that the Cherry trees were originally planted in DC...
...and that it was pretty much a given that there would be oysters served at a Taft dinner party ;)...
We ended our visit back at the VC where the kids completed their books and were awarded their Jr. Ranger badges. Then it was drive through the city (the kids always want to go smack dab downtown), stop long enough to grab some Chipotle, and head on up I-75 to figure out just exactly where we were going to spend the night...
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