Sunday, August 1, 2010

one spectacular weekend!

Howdy, everybody! (We're leaving for Texas in a week and a half, so I thought I'd start practicing my "howdy"s!) We had a really great weekend! Here's how it started . . . 

we found out an advantage to having a cement sidewalk running through our backyard--more room for sidewalk chalk drawings! (and for perambulations with baby dolls)


After we'd decorated our backyard with birthday chalk drawings for Nancy, we had the Joneses over for an early birthday dinner. They did all the cooking! :) Scott grilled some amazing ribs and corn on the cob . . . 



Annie and Anne feasted on the cobs while they waited for dinner. . . 




The birthday girl slaved away in the kitchen and posed for blurry pictures! :)



Here are some of the ultra-tasty results . . .










And here's just a cute picture of Annie I took that I think really shows her free-spirit summer self.




Then, per yearly tradition, we drove to Cowan's Gap State Park in central/western PA with my mom and dad. We spent one lovely, lazy day on the man-made beach and swimming in the beautiful lake!







this has become one of Annie's favorite things to do in sandy water. . . 






The next day, my dad, Brant, and I headed across the dam . . .  



 . . . to hike the Horseshoe Trail. We also did this last year (except last year Brant was carrying Annie on his back; this time she stayed at the beach with my mom). 




Lemme tell you about this trail. The map marks it "For Experienced Hikers Only." It is so so steep! Here is Brant at the foot of it.



And we're off!




We crested the top of the mountain and then hiked down a few hundred feet to walk along the ridge. This is what the path looks like on the other side of the mountain, the part we had to walk down. It's rocky and even steeper than the path going up. 



But the Horseshoe Trail is worth the overlooks!




Here we're overlooking the state park--that's the beach down there!




On the way home, we stopped for a few hours at the East Broad Top Railroad. I can't begin to describe how fun this was. Train rides, old-fashioned style . . . I love it!



The train arrived 45 minutes before it was scheduled to leave, so we could explore the cars and climb around on the tracks.













This was the car we sat in for the 45-minute ride through PA countryside. It was built in 1882. So cool!!!







ALL ABOARD!!!







Bye for now! :)

4 comments:

Kathryn Quinn said...

Love the pictures! Thanks for the memories. It should be noted how Annie enjoys playing with other kids at the beach. The one picture shows her with those kids building their elaborate waterway.

Kathryn Quinn said...

and I love Annie's free-spirit summer look!

Maggie said...

i miss all of you! i'm sad we didn't get more time to hang out. that is one cool train!!!

Spencer G said...

Man, I love that second to last picture of Annie looking out the train window. And it was so nice to talk to her today!