but I just haven't gotten around to blogging about it yet! Vacation was a success even if it was quieter than normal. This was our first vacation without any family joining in on the fun. Last year we had three cabins of family, this year it was just us. I think it's fair to say that I had my fill of "family time" by the end of the week. Without the distractions of cousins or television, and being couped up in the cabin during the many periods of rain, these kids got just a bit, well, annoying. I don't want to sound like I'm complaining because there certainly good times had, but I was more than ready to head home at the end of the week.
AND, Jill is officially the world's worst traveler. She had multiple melt downs in the car on the way there, and then continued to have melt downs everyday where she complained quite verbally, that she wanted to go home to her regular house. Every day. Several times a day.
On a happier note, the elk didn't disappoint. They were out again in full force this year. As Thomas would happily tell you, I'm just crazy about these elk for some reason. I think that it must be that we got dragged around the middle of the state as children for hours on end looking for them but never found a single one. Now, they're everywhere! I think the back story behind the is fascinating too. The original eastern elk herd was hunted out of existence in the 1800's but sometime in the early 1900's, the government transported Rocky Mountain elk and re-introduced them throughout the state. This herd, in Elk County, is the only surviving heard.
Can you spot the antler in the above shot?
This bull was hanging out next to the sign. Pretty sure the locals pay him to hang out there.
Morning elking with the kids. They were all over the road and I had to drive very slowly to avoid any accidents.
And the kids were there too! Here they are hanging out on the dam rocks (the rocks just below the spillway.)
After our quiet mountain get-away, we came home for a couple of days and then crashed my brother's vacation house in Fenwick Island, Delaware. I'm not sure they bargained on all the noise our crew would bring along, but they were so gracious to host us for two nights. Thanks, guys! Their house was lovely and the beach was too. It made us realize how much our kids want a beach vacation next year and they're absolute fish when it comes to the ocean. So a great vacation summit will be held soon and we can get our acts together and come up with a plan for next year.
We have one more camping trip planned for Labor Day weekend. I booked and payed for this cabin last year and then basically forgot about it. I'm not sure we'll stay for the four nights since it's so close to the beginning of the school year, but I'm cautiously looking forward to it. It's at a beautiful park and I do love a road trip. If only the young one would stop her tantrums....
As an aside, I've been receiving phone calls from a man named Ralph Isreal for about a month now. He's an automated message man who leaves 5 minute messages about events for singles in the Philly area. I have no idea how he got our number or why he needs to call us every. stinking. day. I dread checking my messages because we have to listen to the entire thing before we can delete it. His messages go on and on and on and his voice sounds like he's got a clothespin on his nose. I finally looked up his outfit on the good ol' Internet and sent them a nasty email to get me off the calling list. And to do it NOW!!! I just received a very apologetic email back from them and they assure me my number will be removed. We shall see.
On a final note, Sam had a surprise visit today from his 5th grade teacher. She came to the door when I was in the shower, so I have no idea what condition she found the living room in. All I can say is that I'm glad Jill actually had real clothes on; see, she likes to tie receiving blankets around herself like a sarong, usually paired with lovely plastic high heeled Cinderella shoes. She gets quite testy if we try to persuade her to put something real on. His former teacher wanted him to know that she still thinks of him and wants to wish him luck in the junior high. She remembers him as a happy, helpful student. She had two books that she thought he might like, so she typed him up a lovely note and dropped them off. How nice is that? It makes me feel so happy to know that there are teachers out there who take a sincere interest in our children and care about their futures especially since sixth grade was such a miserable experience for both Sam and myself. I so wish he could have had a teacher like the 5th grade one.
Wow, that got long! Signing off for now...
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