Lake Erie/Marlblehead

(Trying to get caught up on some blogging and some photos. I will be posting these backwards so they will all be in order when all vacation posts are done.)

On our last day we woke up without any real plans. We were going to wake up and take our time getting back home. We decided to take a scenic route, which was so nice and ended up being my favorite part of the whole trip. Aside from U2 of course, this was my favorite time with the entire family.

We passed all sorts of farms, most of which were open for selling produce. It reminded me a lot of what early Chandler looked like, and also reminded me of a story my mom told me when she was out here last summer....about how when her and her mom would travel in Ohio they would stop at a place and buy a tomato or something and eat it along side the road. I saw one sign for a place selling homegrown peaches that said, "Take a peach to the beach." We passed farm after farm, and things that seemed so Americana. It was so nice to not be in a hurry.

I saw a sign that said something about Marblehead lighthouse/state park and we decided we'd drive along and find it. The sign said that it was about 10 miles. We wound through a neat town that I would LOVE to go back and spend more time in. It had the neatest downtown area, with pretty old restored buildings, neat little art stores and antique stores, and local restaurants. We plan on going back and maybe spending a week or so there.



First we stopped at a little place along the side of the road to look at Lake Erie up close. Where we were, you could see Cedar Point across the water in the distance. We were taking pictures of the kids and letting them jump around on the big rocks. There was a woman and her husband sitting in chairs, reading magazines under a tree and enjoying the breeze coming off the water. She asked us if her husband could take a photo of all five of us. It sounded like a good idea, but seeing that he was down in his chair with a magazine I hated to have him move. He wasn't the one who offered, but I know he wouldn't have minded if we said yes. I just thought it was funny that she was the one who offered for him to take the picture. I've done that with Mike before.

After we had been there for about 10 minutes, another car with two older women pulled up and they got out and walked near the big rocks to look at the lake. Mike offered to take their picture together. It looked like a mom and daughter, mom being in her early 80's maybe. Mike started a conversation with them after taking their photo together. They talked about the state of the world, jobs going overseas, and how her husband had spent his whole life working for one of the auto manufacturers. She also told us how she had spent summers over at Cedar Point, long before all the 'scary' coasters. They were so sweet. I wish I could remember their names.

Then the other couple got up to walk around a bit and we started to talk to them. Same kind of small talk, but they were so proud telling us about their retirement home that they built and about their kids, and how they sail on the lake. They were really nice people, and it was really nice to talk to people and make friends. The kids enjoyed us being sidetracked since they probably thought we weren't watching and were throwing rocks into the lake, and watching some bird who kept diving under the water and coming up with fish.

We got back into the car and drove on to the lighthouse. Even though we really weren't in a hurry, we didn't have as much time as I really would have liked to have spent at the lighthouse. The weather was BEAUTIFUL. The park was pretty big, and people were running, playing frisbee, and eating outside. Unfortunately the lighthouse was closed for the day, but I wanted to just sit at the side of the water and love on the breeze. I could have spent hours here.


I have to admit to not realizing the scope of how big the great lakes really are. I knew that they were like oceans, that you couldn't see across them because of their size, but I've never seen one up until now. I definitely want to spend more time near them, and go back often.

The boys LOVED the big rocks. They jumped all over them.

Of course they had to play and try to dodge the water as the waves came up.

Which of course resulted in very wet shoes.

Megan brought her sketch book with her and found a good spot to sit for awhile. She was busy sketching the lighthouse and ships.

With a perfect view like this:

The residence at the lighthouse:




We got back into the van and started to head home. Along the way we spotted a few of the Ohio Bicentennial barns. I love barns, but these are fun to find on road trips.

Forgot to add one....

Forgot this photo. The kids thought that this was a funny name. I kept hearing giggling next to me when I was reading something else across from where this plane is parked inside. When I got home and was looking for a link about something else, I came across this. Oooo. Maybe it wasn't MY kids giggling. I always find out about these 'haunted' things after I've seen them.

Mother's day (I'm catching up....)

I had a post started for this the other day, and now it is gone. UGH. So I will try to remember what I had before.

Mike had been asking me what I wanted to do for mother's day. One of my favorite places to go that is relatively close to be able to do in a day, plus constitutes as a road trip, is the Air Force Museum in Dayton. It is such a neat place. The weather was ideal for being able to see things outside too. It really was a perfect day. I was asked by two separate volunteers at the - not busy - museum if I chose the destination for mother's day. I think they were surprised when I said that I actually had. It was really nice since it really wasn't busy.

Below: a photo I found when I loaded the card onto my computer. Matthew had my camera for awhile and was busy taking pictures. He must have taken 100 photos of planes, plus any strange looking mannequins, or some things I simply could not figure out why in the world he would take a picture of them. Apparently it meant something to his little 8 year old mind. This one below made me laugh. Only Matthew would find some random statue and take a picture of it's butt. So I did have to include it in my post here.


We started outdoors and walked around for awhile. I really didn't take too many pictures on this trip because I really was more interested in being a part of the goings on. Plus I was into reading a little more this time. The last time we were here, Matthew was 6. He wore out a little easier, (which meant the "I'm bored, I'm tired, I'm thirsty and all that comes with a smaller child at a place like this.) Plus that meant harder to keep track of. This time he was very into what we were looking at. He would look at something for a long time and read about it. Then look at it some more. I could see his little mind at work.

Also this time around we really concentrated on the WWII stuff. The place is so big, you really cannot see it all in one day. I'd really like to have several days in a row of seeing things.



One thing that was really neat this time around is that Matthew is obsessed with anything about WWII. Especially weapons. He had already known that the museum was home to the Bockscar and was really excited about seeing it. He could tell you all you wanted to know about it and Fat Man before going to the museum. Being able to see him actually looking at this in real life was pretty neat.

I didn't get a photo, but near the plane was a case that had some things from the crew of the plane. One thing in particular was a pair of darkened goggles that had been worn on the flight over Japan. Maybe I think too much when I'm looking at things like that, but I stood there in amazement just thinking of exactly what was witnessed through those very goggles. It's so different than seeing a photo in a history book and feels so humbling.


Below: I don't remember seeing this section at all the last time we were here. I was probably a little odd when I was younger, but I loved Jimmy Stewart. Loved him. I found a display with a story about him during the war, and there was his jacket. I just thought it was SO COOL. It was interesting to read about him, and to looking at the photograph on the left above the jacket....and be able to compare small things like a crease in the leather in the photo to the jacket below.


If you didn't think that my love of Jimmy Stewart was strange....I came around a corner and heard some familiar music. My mom has to know where this is going. A display of Glenn Miller stuff, including one of his trombones. The photo of it below also has a mouthpiece above the one in the instrument. The one above is the one that Jimmy Stewart used in the movie "The Glenn Miller Story" in which he used one of Glenn's trombones. The mouthpiece in the instrument is Glenn's. I still love Glenn Miller. After reading more about him here, I think I love him even more now. It was such an interesting time when he was around, and I always thought what he did with his talents for the troops of that period was neat. It was really nice to see a lot of his memorabilia in a museum instead of lost in a private collection somewhere. Seeing this really touched me, and brought back a lot of my own memories. Honestly Glenn.... (for you mom!) lol.


Below: click on the image to enlarge. This letter was really neat to look at. For historical value, the fact that it still exists, the fact that it was written and signed by GM and mostly that it was typed out on a real typewriter. I kind of laughed trying to explain a 'typewriter' to the kids. Let alone this being the old school type before electric ones. We had a manual typewriter at home when I was a kid, and even though it wasn't as old as the one that typed this letter, I will always remember the sound that it made when you would type with it. - Also, if you read this letter, it is
what became my favorite part of the movie. St. Louis Blues march. I have no idea why those goofy letters come up during that video. Definitely not part of the movie!

Then we moved over to the POW camp part of the museum. I stood here for a very long time looking at the things in the case. It's so easy to forget what people have gone through for you to have the life that you are used to now. When I would look at these items and wonder what the person was like that carved a small piece of wood into a box, or made a working clock or stove out of the little bits of metal they would collect from tin cans, etc. The things that they would do to pass the time or survive. It's another humbling part of the museum. I can't find the words to explain how it feels to be looking at something like what they have displayed here.

My favorite in the case was this small journal made out of cigarette package wrappers. I would look at it and wonder about the person the handwriting belonged to. What was his story.


Below: funny carvings. I also loved the box that was made out of scrap tin and woven together.

I thought I had gotten a picture, but there was a small collection of molds made from hand carved wood. They would take tin and pound it into the mold so that they could make wings like the pins they had on their uniforms. The designs were so tiny and intricate. You can actually see one of them in the bottom left of the 2nd photo down from this one.


This is another part that I think is interesting when we go, and I have a photo from the last time we were there. I'd like to find it and compare to the one below to see how it has changed in two years. It appears that there are a lot more cups turned upside down then I remember from before. Here is an article, but obviously outdated since the case has been moved to this museum in Dayton. I hate to think of the amount of people from this era that the world is losing every day.

Below: Apollo 15 Command Module Endeavour.

We really didn't get to spend too much time outside the WWII hangar because we did end up going to see an IMAX movie about space that we had to be at, at a certain time. By the time the movie was over, it was getting close to time for the museum to close. We did get to see this below. Hopefully next time we will be able to spend some more time in some different areas. I would like to go back and see the space stuff. There is so much to see, from so many different eras.

Today we....

I really don't have any creative titles for my posts anymore. Hey, it's summer. As silly as it seems to blog about everyday, non exciting things.....I spent some time going back to past years on my blog the other day. It's interesting to see what was so 'everyday' back then, compared to now. That is the stuff that is the most fun for me to remember anyway. What a normal day was like for us.

This morning I worked. I was up early to get ready (well, early for what has become a habit of sleeping in until 9 or so.) I had to go in at 8:30. I was up late talking to Mike on IM. It was 4:30 am his time. He couldn't sleep and as I was checking my email I heard the IM chime on my computer. I never expect to hear from him at that time. He wasn't feeling well and had a fever. He couldn't sleep. He was going into the doctor as soon as they opened in the morning. So before I leave for work I get a message from him that he's back from the doctor and he has malaria. He has one more week before he comes home, and he's on bed rest at his hotel all the way in Africa right now. :(

I talked to him after I got off of work. He still wasn't feeling well, but he's armed with a lot of medication.

The weather outside is beautiful today. I decided I was going to look for something to do outside. Especially since I had already worked and didn't care if I got dirty. I started to mow the lawn, but Trevor came out and asked if he could learn how to mow. He took over. At one point when I thought the hill was getting tough for him I asked him if he wanted me to do a little bit for him. With all this confidence in his voice, like he's been mowing lawns forever he says, "Nah....I'm good. I've got it." I have to say, for his first time doing an entire yard, he did a great job.


Then while I was at it, I vacuumed out my car. It's happy now. I'm happy. I like a clean car! I even bought it a new air freshener when Matthew and I went to the store afterwards. (My sister's favorite Kroger. It's not the same without her.)

I had some other photos from yesterday and even a bunch that I want to catch up on from Mother's Day, but blogger is being picky today and only let me post a couple. Even these two took several attempts and a long wait. I hope to get the others on later tonight.

Tonight we are making homemade pizza and then settling down to watch America's Got Talent.

Today we...

Today we slept in. I love that about summer vacation.

Then we went to the library. It's funny how the kids each have certain things that they look for when we go there. Trevor didn't have much luck this time as most of the books he likes to read are really popular books in a series of some sort. So he usually has to put his name down to have something put on hold for him when it comes back in.

Megan found some books on cartooning and anime, and a how to book on computer graphics.

Matthew found a funny mixture of things. He loves 'comic books' but they aren't flimsy comic books about super heroes like you would think. They are always in a section called "graphic novels" and are stories that are drawn in boxes....like traditional comic books. He found a cool one on Pearl Harbor and then some goofy ones about Lunch Ladies and things like that. He also picked up a few picture books on WW2 and the Lusitania. He is just like a little Mike. He still likes to spend time watching the military channel. Every now and then something will record and I'm like, "WTH? Who did that?" It may have a weird title or something, but it's usually some military thing he has recorded. He even recorded Kelly's Heroes....yeah, with Clint Eastwood and Telly Savalas! He wants to watch it with me, but has watched it already. He can't learn enough about WW2 right now.

Then we stopped at a nursery and bought a few plants, some potting soil and some mulch. I am hoping to get those in the ground in the next few days. I started a bit of a project near the front door in an area that was full of weeds. Photos soon...I promise. I wanted to get the front looking nice before I took any photos.

Then we came home and made some homemade minestrone soup.

And totally random, but these things popped up when I was looking through garden stuff trying to get ideas on some plant placement in my front yard:

If these are not the cutest things...... I swear I want that little one because seeing it sitting in a bowl of water, with little flowers coming out of it's shell....how can that not make you totally happy?

Today we....

As I was working out in the front yard today, and Trevor was sitting on the steps watching the turtles roam....he said, "We have been out of school for one week today." It is strange, I look forward to the first part of summer vacation. I love having the kids home, and there is so much promise and potential of "what should we do?" But....it feels longer than one week too. Mostly, and this is a good thing so I am not complaining, but the kids have been pretty busy. Lots of social stuff going on and me driving them back and forth to places. I sometimes wonder if my new neighbors wonder why I come and go so much. So one week down, and I think everybody is pretty happy.

Today we went to Rabbit Hash. Oh and how I WISH I had thought of charging my good camera battery. The weather was perfect today, and the lighting was ideal. I did get a few photos with my phone, which is good in a pinch but not really great about photo quality.- But now I have plans to go back (maybe next week) and take some more photos. It is so pretty around there right now. I don't know what it is about the place, it is just cool. There are flowers everywhere. It has become somewhat of a tradition to drive there a few times during the summer. Even in the dead of winter one of us will say, "I wish we could drive to Rabbit Hash. I wonder what it looks like with snow." It's our summer thing.


We did our usual. Picked out some sodas from the store, sat near the river and pet the german shepherd that followed Trevor around the entire time, looked around at the "old things and antiques" and took the long way home through all of the tall trees and farms. It was a nice, simple day.

(Looking at this photo....that line of sun in the grass in the back is the only sun the yard gets during dinner time. All of the rest of the yard is shaded from the big trees around us. The neighbor's tree actually creates a canopy over our entire deck.)

I made chicken enchiladas and we ate out on the deck with both umbrellas up. It makes it feel like a party. :) While we were eating I got a call from Mike in Africa. That was a nice surprise.


Photo thanks to Trevor.
I mentioned the turtles. They were so happy out in the yard today. There are plenty of things for them to eat. One likes to see how far he can make it up the hill before somebody goes out to retrieve him and bring him back. He's always been an escape artist. I don't know where he thinks he is going or even why. He has it pretty darn good at our house. Jet....she's funny. You wouldn't think they have much in the way of personalities, but they do. She likes to stay close. I had to keep stopping my yard work because she likes to climb on my foot and stand there. I move her and she comes back. Or sometimes she'll find a spot in some long grass and hunker down and stick her head in the air. They are pretty cool.

Finally, tonight was so pretty. After dropping Megan off at a friend's house, I took Piper for a walk while the boys played Legos at home. I saw the season's first fireflies. An official sign of summer.

T McD end of the year.

It's a good thing I got this picture before we left for school. We were supposed to go for an awards ceremony where Trevor was going to get an award for being on the A/B honor roll. We had gotten to the school and about 15 minutes into the principal calling names and listening to applauding, Trevor leans over and says, "Do I hear the tornado siren?" I said no, how could he hear that. Besides, he's a bit sensitive when it comes to tornadoes. He's not good about any sort of natural disaster. For years when we lived in Phoenix he had a huge fear of volcanoes. Of course our first full day in Kentucky after moving here....we spent time down in the basement because of a tornado watch. He still reminds me of that.

I was actually surprised when the principal stopped and said that they just found out there was a tornado watch and that we'd all have to move into the center of the school in the hallways for the next 30 minutes because the watch just was called for Boone County. Some people were able to sneak out, some were corralled and told they couldn't leave. I understand better safe than sorry, but I also had just called home where Matthew and Megan were and told them to go down to my room. (The basement.) I didn't want to stay. We parked close, and we live close. So we got into the car and came home. It was an ugly storm.....about 10 minutes after we got home the sky turned green. That's always weird! Trevor grabbed his turtles and we all hung out in my room. (Which also has the laundry room, so why not do some laundry while waiting it out. lol.)

All is good. We never lost our power (which I heard over 50,000 people without) and I folded some clothes. I feel bad that we missed the ceremony....but I am still so proud of this kid. It doesn't surprise me at all that he is on the honor roll. He loves to read, and loves to learn.

Mike is back to work right now and we are still getting settled. I always have nervous energy for the first couple of weeks, so I should be able to get some things done. I have enjoyed doing some yard work and trying to get some things in the garage put away so I can park my car in there. I promise to post some photos soon.

I can't believe that all three kids will be out of school on Thursday. The end of another year. I am proud of them all, and all the things that they learned this year. Megan and Trevor read like crazy and were both in the highest point clubs for AR. Matthew learned so much....his favorite things to learn about this year were about the Titanic (he brought in a piece of coal that I bought at the Titanic museum years ago.) The Civil War, and WWII. He is a little sponge. A sponge that also likes to sit around and watch the Military Channel. lol.

Out of order, random update...

I'm not sure where to begin. Sometimes I hate having a blog and feeling like I need to keep up with it, other times I don't know what to say, and other times I'm grateful for it because I like to go back and see things from years that have passed. So this is when I feel somewhat guilty for letting so much time go by between posts.

To wrap up the past month, we moved. Mike was home. We did a lot, but sometimes nothing at all. I feel like we didn't really get a chance to relax as much as I would have liked (I know Mike can really use the rest when he comes home.) But there was and still is so much to do to make this house more "our home" and what makes it more personal for us. There were so many projects. Big ones and small ones. Cleaning, rearranging, unpacking, hanging some pictures or shelves.....and really.....I hope I don't have to do this again. I am tired of moving. I kept thinking in my head that quote from Lethal Weapon where Danny Glover kept saying, "I'm too old for this shit." This isn't fun anymore. Hey, we even had people come in and pack AND move for us.

I love Newport. We went there a couple of times while Mike was home. First...to a restaurant that I have been wanting to go to for awhile. A friend at work kept telling me about Pompilios in Newport. I guess the area has quite an interesting mafia history, prohibition type stuff. Plus I had heard that they had the best alfredo sauce ever. After reading the menu and seeing some photos I noticed that the cast and crew had eaten and filmed inside the restaurant for Rainman. This is about the third time I've stumbled upon something we've been to that was in the movie. I don't remember anything about it, bits and pieces really. I think I may have to find this movie again and see it from another perspective now. See what I recognize. OK.....and yes, that was the best alfredo sauce I've ever had. That photo does not show the size of that manicotti. Yum.

We also saw a movie (Bridesmaids) and walked around the outdoor mall for a bit, and watched the river for a bit. I bought Trevor a book from Barnes & Noble (The second book in some series that he is hooked on and has been waiting for this to come out.)

For Mother's day I wanted to go to the Air Force Museum in Dayton. We had a great time, and I promise to post some photos of that next. They are on a different card.

Below:
Matthew's daily planner for school. I noticed that he had made a little heart around Nigeria where his daddy is. I thought that was cute.

It's still spring, but this marks summer!!

Thanks to my job, I was able to not only save up for a super cool patio set....but I was able to stack all of my discounts and coupons to get a sweet deal on my entire patio set!! I am definitely a Kohl's success story. Now I joke that I have sold my soul to the company. I will be there forever. Constantly paying off my card. Lol. BUT - after buying pieces at different times and taking them over to the house even before the official move in....and patiently waiting for the weeks of rain to stop.....we finally had our first night out on the deck. Granted, it was still kind of chilly, but we were determined to enjoy the deck for the first time.

I caught the boys out playing with Legos before we started to cook dinner on the grill. I bet they will spend a lot of time out there. They already have even without using the table. There is a patch of woods in our backyard at the top of the hill where they have made a little clear area for a fort. Which consists of a few pieces of wood to sit on, nothing fancy. They go up there and sit for hours. I think they will enjoy this entire yard this summer.

The deck had these tiki torches attached all around it. There are 8 of them. They will be coming off, but Trevor had to play Survivor with one. The garden that you see in the background is actually part of our neighbor's yard. They have a HUGE house, and this garden is BIG. The best is.....I don't have to tend it, but I get to enjoy looking at it through my kitchen window and when I'm outside. The back part of our fence is missing, so that is part of our fence (which will be coming down) so it's kind of hard to describe how the yard looks. The people next to us have a huge yard, which kind of looks like it is part of ours on the side. Again, the best.....not my yard to tend, but it looks like our house sits on a huge piece of property. Win/win!!
Megan and Mike out grilling. Mike was making steaks and Megan was using the burner on the side to saute some mushrooms and onions. That's the other side of our fence. It runs along both sides of the side of the house, but is not in the back. Kind of like parenthesis with our house in between....like this [ ]. So we have a clear view in the back. You would miss out on the wood view otherwise. I promise to get photos soon. - The last storm knocked a couple of panels down.
First official sit down meal. (Love the tire swing!) Behind that fence at the top of the hill is the pasture with the horses.
With buying my patio set when I did, I earned enough Kohl's cash (plus my discounts, coupons and buying on power hours!) I got the fire pit for free. My favorite thing about living here is that (at least in my first neighborhood where people actually sat outside) fire pits were always going, and kids would roam and play while neighbors sat around talking and having a drink together. Even if it stays on my deck, I plan on getting many, many hours with that fire pit. I love summer and fall nights.
Getting sticks ready to roast marshmallows for smores.

Oooo. I love the burnt ones. The boys made a few of those just for me!





That is our first night out doors. I'm sure there will be a lot of photos like this during the summer.