With yesterday's trip to T&D's Cats of the World still fresh on our minds, today seemed like the perfect time to take the kids out to our local dollar theater (aka Carmike Cinema 6) to see Disneynature's African Cats. As you may know, movies generally do not go well for us - the theater is too loud, too dark, the seemingly innocent kid's movies inevitable scary scene (like thunderstorms and barking dogs) scares someone, etc., etc., etc.
I've now learned that if the film has anything other than a G rating, Matt or Cathy (or maybe both of them) will cry, fuss, take 20 trips to the bathroom or just ask to leave repeatedly until we actually leave. Today's film met my simple criteria and the kids seemed willing to go along... I am sure the promise of $1 popcorn and soda played a role in their decision, but I am not complaining.
Personally, I am a big fan of the Disneynature documentary films - the cinematography is generally spectacular - and this was no exception. The film follows two families - a pride of lions and a single cheetah raising five cubs in the Masai Mara National Reserve in Kenya. It's narrated by Samuel Jackson and is pieced together more as a story and less as a documentary. I still found it interesting and entertaining.
The lion and cheetah cubs are adorable and the film focuses on the role the mothers play in teaching their cubs how to survive. In order to tell the story, the 'stars' were given names: Sita, a beautiful cheetah has five cubs... only three of which survive into adulthood (two were taken in the night by a pack of hyenas - one of the cheetah's biggest threats). As the cubs grow, Sita teaches them how to hunt and protect themselves in the Savannah.
Mara and her mother Layla are a part of the River Pride; Layla is one of the most experienced hunters in the group but has been nursing an injury made worse when hunting zebra. Ultimately unable to keep up with and support the pride, Layla left the group and died alone. In a struggle between Fang (the leader of the pride) and Kali, the cubs were forced away and Mara was left, for a time, to fend for herself; she was ultimately accepted back into the pride - Kali's pride. Dramatic? Sure. But I was willing to overlook it because of the beauty of the land and the majesty of the cats. I left the theater making a mental note to add an African safari to my bucket list...
As for the kids, things went mostly better than expected. Matt liked the movie so much that he's been asking if I would take him again tomorrow... and maybe I will. Cathy did better than I expected, but was frightened a bit by some of the hunting scenes. She asked when the movie would be over a few times, then put her head down on my shoulder and took a short nap. When it was over, she very happily declared that the movie wasn't scary at all. Of course it wasn't - she slept through the most gory parts!
I'd love to take the kids to a drive-in movie this summer, while such things still exist. The Super 322 Drive-In, located between Phillipsburg and Clearfield is likely a good bet for that. There's also Tangled and Toy Story 3 scheduled as part of Movies on the Mountain out at Tussey Mountain in August. With both films starting at 9pm, I imagine the kids will fall asleep long before Woody and friends get anywhere near that scary looking incinerator. And if something else that looks appropriate for the kids makes its way to the $1 theater this summer, I am sure we'll be there giving it another try. After all, how can you beat an afternoon of entertainment (including snacks) for $7?
Tuesday, June 28, 2011
Monday, June 27, 2011
Jar of Fun #2
The Jar of Fun is a pretty simplistic concept. Reach into the jar, grab a slip of paper, go where the slip of paper sends you. Today, it was anything but simple.
The first piece of paper Matt pulled out was for Lincoln Caverns, near Huntingdon. The big reveal goes something like this:
Me: It's Lincoln Caverns
Matt: Mommy, what is it?
Me: It's a cave that you walk through.
Matt: I don't think I want to do that.
Cathy: Me neither.
Me: Should we pick something else out of the jar?
Kids: Yes.
This was a little disappointing since I thought we'd all agreed on the destinations before we put them into the jar. I do recall the lack of enthusiasm they had for Penn's Cave a few years ago... I assumed it was because that was a water cavern and both kids were concerned about the depth of the water, the risk of falling out of the boat, and the speed at which I could pluck them back out of the water if they should fall in. But, maybe there was more to it...
Needless to say, Lincoln Caverns is out of the jar, along with Indian Caverns, which had also been in the jar. However, I purchased a Groupon for Indian Caverns over a month ago, so we'll all be going there some rainy day this summer - it just won't be because we pulled it out of the Jar of Fun.
The next slip of paper to come out is for the Whittaker Center for the Sciences and Arts in Harrisburg and the three of us were quite happy with this choice. I grabbed the computer to look up their hours, directions, etc. only to find that they aren't open on Mondays.
Matt's third reach into the jar actually produced a destination for today's adventure. The winner? T&D's Cats of the World - a wildlife refuge dedicated to providing a safe home for unwanted, abused and mistreated exotic and wild animals. The animals come to T&D's from a number of locations and we heard many of their stories today. For example, there were three beautiful young tigers that had originally been props for a children's photography business. Interestingly, there were regulations limiting the cats to 20 minutes of work every hour (the reason there were three of them) and only until they were five-months old. At that point they were considered too large and dangerous to interact with children; they were scheduled to be put down before T&D's rescued them.
Other animals had been raised, often illegally, as household pets - including a number of raccoons, monkeys, small cats, bears, and even a deer. Some came there because of zoo closings (including a zoo in Scranton) or injuries that would make it impossible for them to survive in the wild. All told, there are more than 200 animals in this privately-owned refuge.
T&D's is open from May through September from 12pm to 6pm each Saturday and Sunday. If you choose to visit during that time, you can wander the grounds freely; volunteers can be found by virtually all of the animal exhibits both to be sure that the animals are protected and to answer any questions the public may have. In June, July, and August, they also provide two tours, at 10am and 2pm, Monday through Friday. During the week, you can only go at one of these two times and you are required to stay with your tour guide for your visit. I thought our tour guide was fantastic and I'd certainly recommend this approach. Admission was $10 for adults and $5 for kids ages 12 and under. They only accept cash though, so come prepared. There was one family in our group - a mom, dad, and a roughly four-year old girl - that didn't realize this and planned to use their credit card. Rather than sending them away, our guide put them on the honor system, asking that when they get home, they send a $25 donation to the center. I was so impressed with their kindness and imagine that there are few places and few people who would be so trusting.
To provide an example of the poor conditions some of these animals live in before they come to T&D, we heard about one particular monkey (though I cannot remember specifically which breed it was) that lived in a large bird cage before it was rescued. The monkey had a difficult time acclimating to the much larger environment and the staff worked very hard to rehabilitate the monkey. We were told that the monkey's bore quite easily which is why their cages are full of toys and climbing materials. We learned about prehensile tails - tails that can be used to grab and hold. We also learned that at T&D's, the monkeys can (and do) watch TV. There are a number of sets inside the monkey house and while I don't know this for a fact, I suspect that because these animals were pets before coming here, they likely watched a lot of TV. 
Our tour guide was fantastic with the kids and offered them a number of opportunities to feed some of the animals on the property. Matt quickly learned that Cathy wasn't the only kid to drop things on the ground... he quickly scooped up all the dropped food and set about feeding the animals with a steady hand.
 |
| Feeding the white-tailed deer... |
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| ... and the peacocks! |
The main draw of the attraction really is the collection of big cats, including tigers, lions, mountain lions, leopards, and lynx. During the ride down and in talking with our guide before the tour started, Matt was really interested in seeing a cheetah. He can talk endlessly about how fast they are and I'd bet he remembers this from our visit to the National Zoo back in April. Unfortunately, there are no cheetahs at T&D's. Instead, they do have a several serval. Our guide talked about the difference between these two cats: a cheetah uses its fast speed to chase prey and can quickly adjust to a change in running direction by using its tail for balance. A serval on the other hand hunts from the grass, leaping up to 10 feet in the air to catch birds as they fly by. The tails are remarkably different but the two cats otherwise share many features.
We talked about animals such as the cheetah again while visiting the wolf pack... seems that while some animals use quick bursts of speed to catch their prey, wolves have remarkable endurance. These animals can run at slow speeds (he suggested 5 MPH) for hours eventually wearing down their prey. I have to admit that I was a little envious of the wolf... not the speed, but the distance. I would love to be able to run for hours without tiring. 
The tigers were very enjoyable to watch and they truly reminded me of giant kittens. We watched some roll around together, some lounge in the water and some kick and chase a ball around their pen. The tigers seemed to range between 300 and 500 pounds depending on their age, gender, etc. But the one thing they all have in common is a healthy appetite. T&D's gets a lot of donations from area grocery stores once meat has passed it's expiration date and can no longer be sold to the public. They also receive donations from area farmers whose farm animals died within hours of T&D's being notified. Volunteers pick up the donation which is then butchered (if need be) or simply fed to the animals. They go through over 12,000 pounds of meat a month... suddenly my grocery bill doesn't seem so bad!
 | ||
| My own little lion and lioness! |
The tour lasted just over two hours and was really enjoyable and educational for everyone. Matt gave it a five (maybe he's starting to understand the rating system!) though Cathy abstained from voting. I tried to engage the kids in conversation on the drive home about the things like liked, didn't like, etc. and was told that they liked it all. I hope that is a good sign!
I'd have to say that I think it was a great find for the Central PA area and I could envision us heading down there again some time. So, for Jar of Fun #2, the third time (or the third pick) really was a charm!
Sunday, June 26, 2011
Day 17 - Arts and Crafts
I am not someone who can sit still easily... while the kids can sit for hours watching Mickey Mouse Clubhouse, Phineas and Ferb, or our latest discovery (Sid the Science Kid), I have to be moving. I need to do something, anything, to keep me busy.
It's one of the reasons I started to run longer distances last fall. As things were winding down with my job, when there were no more projects that required my attention, I needed to get up and away from my desk. There was no better way to do that than to run through the streets of Bellefonte or along Spring Creek with the guys. With their encouragement and support, I ran the Nittany Valley Half Marathon last fall and the Broad Street Run this spring.
It's also one of the reasons I created the Jar of Fun. I want the summer to be memorable for the kids, in part because I imagine this is the only opportunity we will ever have to spend an entire summer together. But more than that... I just need to get them out of the house!
If you knew me before I was blessed with Matt and Cathy or before I went to graduate school, you know that there was a time when I was freakishly neat. That's just not the case any more. Now don't get me wrong, you can generally sit at the kitchen table or walk across the floor without sticking to it, but you are much more likely to encounter dust or clutter now than you were 10 years ago. Unfortunately, what I am finding already this summer is that the kids can pass through a room in 10 minutes and undo hours worth of cleaning. But, if I get them out of the house, there's less opportunity for that 10 minute tornado and the three of us will have much, much happier days together... at least that's the theory I am working with.
Now, we can't run to the Jar of Fun everyday to get out of the house, mostly because we'll run out of both places to go and cash to go there with long before the summer is over. So, we've been busy looking for other ways to fill the time.
Last week, Michaels Arts and Crafts started a great summer craft series: Passport to Fun each Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday through July 30. The schedule is the same for each of their stores across the country so if you have kids and a Michaels store in your area, you should really check it out. From 11:00am to 2:00pm, the kids can drop in and make different crafts based on traditional items for 18 different countries. The projects generally take a half-hour or less.
We started last week making a Swedish doll and flag pin, followed by a German Loden hat and cow bell pin, and finished with Egyptian heiroglyphics and a mummy pin. Each activity this past week was free, as are most of the international-themed crafts. Please note that a few do require a small purchase. For example, this week (Tuesday) we'll need to purchase a can hug, or coozie, in order to do their Bahamas themed tropical can hug.
It's a brilliant marketing move for Michael's to offer these craft opportunities to the kids because I suddenly seem to be spending lots of money in their store. The kids love to do crafts (even though I am pretty sure I hate them) and so we've purchased some things we can do at home - painting, sun catchers, and puzzles to name just a few. Some I've given to the kids already, but most I am now saving as weekly rewards for the responsibility charts I've recently added to each of their rooms (that's a story for another day).
For now, we are happy to have someplace to go and be crafty a few times each week and know we'll inevitably find ourselves having snacks at Target afterwards or be playing at the Park Forest or Welsh pools for a few hours before we head home (maybe even both).
But before we can go crafting again on Tuesday, we'll need to get through tomorrow first... and that means it's time to reach back into the Jar. Stay tuned to see where we go!
It's one of the reasons I started to run longer distances last fall. As things were winding down with my job, when there were no more projects that required my attention, I needed to get up and away from my desk. There was no better way to do that than to run through the streets of Bellefonte or along Spring Creek with the guys. With their encouragement and support, I ran the Nittany Valley Half Marathon last fall and the Broad Street Run this spring.
It's also one of the reasons I created the Jar of Fun. I want the summer to be memorable for the kids, in part because I imagine this is the only opportunity we will ever have to spend an entire summer together. But more than that... I just need to get them out of the house!
If you knew me before I was blessed with Matt and Cathy or before I went to graduate school, you know that there was a time when I was freakishly neat. That's just not the case any more. Now don't get me wrong, you can generally sit at the kitchen table or walk across the floor without sticking to it, but you are much more likely to encounter dust or clutter now than you were 10 years ago. Unfortunately, what I am finding already this summer is that the kids can pass through a room in 10 minutes and undo hours worth of cleaning. But, if I get them out of the house, there's less opportunity for that 10 minute tornado and the three of us will have much, much happier days together... at least that's the theory I am working with.
Now, we can't run to the Jar of Fun everyday to get out of the house, mostly because we'll run out of both places to go and cash to go there with long before the summer is over. So, we've been busy looking for other ways to fill the time.
Last week, Michaels Arts and Crafts started a great summer craft series: Passport to Fun each Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday through July 30. The schedule is the same for each of their stores across the country so if you have kids and a Michaels store in your area, you should really check it out. From 11:00am to 2:00pm, the kids can drop in and make different crafts based on traditional items for 18 different countries. The projects generally take a half-hour or less.
We started last week making a Swedish doll and flag pin, followed by a German Loden hat and cow bell pin, and finished with Egyptian heiroglyphics and a mummy pin. Each activity this past week was free, as are most of the international-themed crafts. Please note that a few do require a small purchase. For example, this week (Tuesday) we'll need to purchase a can hug, or coozie, in order to do their Bahamas themed tropical can hug.
It's a brilliant marketing move for Michael's to offer these craft opportunities to the kids because I suddenly seem to be spending lots of money in their store. The kids love to do crafts (even though I am pretty sure I hate them) and so we've purchased some things we can do at home - painting, sun catchers, and puzzles to name just a few. Some I've given to the kids already, but most I am now saving as weekly rewards for the responsibility charts I've recently added to each of their rooms (that's a story for another day).
For now, we are happy to have someplace to go and be crafty a few times each week and know we'll inevitably find ourselves having snacks at Target afterwards or be playing at the Park Forest or Welsh pools for a few hours before we head home (maybe even both).
But before we can go crafting again on Tuesday, we'll need to get through tomorrow first... and that means it's time to reach back into the Jar. Stay tuned to see where we go!
Tuesday, June 21, 2011
Day 11 - Idlewild and Soak Zone
Today's outing was a planned trip rather than a random reach into the Jar of Fun. I mentioned when we returned from Reptiland last week that this was BOGO week at Idlewild and Soak Zone. With a coupon available at Sheetz, King's Family Restaurant, or Parkvale Banks, you get one free admission for each paid admission (a savings of $31.99 per ticket). With taxes, today's trip came to $65.98. Not too bad for four passes to the park... If you are interested in the BOGO deal, it runs through this Friday.
The Kennywood Corporation took over the park in the early 80's and Jumpin' Jungle, a playground for kids, was added in 1983. Walking in from the parking lot, it immediately caught Matt and Cathy's eye and was our first stop. While we took advantage of each activity in this section of the park, the kids really favored three: Bigfoot's Mudslide, Jungle Catch, and Bubbling Springs.
Bigfoot's Mudslide is a smaller version of the giant slide that shows up at carnivals and fairs around the state each summer only with a nice, wide set of stairs to climb. This is where we learned that, with sneakers on, Cathy hits that magical 42" mark that opens a whole new set of amusement park opportunities! I think we went down that slide a half-dozen times, maybe more.
Jungle Catch has a number of stations that blow air straight up out of pipes, enabling small, lightweight plastic balls to 'float'. Once the balls were floating, Matt took great pride in his ability to hit them to the edge of the play area. He also seemed to enjoy pushing several balls into the pipe and temporarily plugging it up. I guess it's true what they say: boys will be boys.
Bubbling Springs is a ball pit... otherwise known, to me at least, as a cesspool of germs and disgustingness. Matt's interest in the pit came primarily from the fact that there are 'targets' inside the pit that the kids can throw the balls into. He's been a great fan of watching baseball since the 2008 season and is developing more and more interest in learning to play the game too. He's been hitting wiffle balls in the backyard, practicing to catch fly balls, and sliding into bases. He's also insisting that come next spring, he'll give up his beloved spring soccer for pee-wee baseball. So his 'pitching' seemed like a natural thing for him to do.
Cathy on the other hand really seemed to enjoy going into the pit, but once inside, she didn't seem to move much. She made it clear across to the far side of the pit her second time in before deciding she was stuck and needed help getting out, giving me the opportunity to experience the ball pit for myself. The balls hurt to walk on and it's difficult at best to walk through them... no wonder the kids all have such a hard time getting out of the pit.
I was surprised that this section of the park was an absolute favorite with both Matt and Cathy; we visited twice and spent the better part of two hours here over the course of the day. Good thing this section closes early or I am sure we would have made a third stop before we were allowed to climb into the car.
Story Book Forest was added to Idlewild (originally as a separate attraction) back in 1956. I am pretty sure it hasn't changed one bit since then, other than to decay a bit with time. The gates of the park, along with this section, open at 10:30am with rides and Soak Zone opening an hour later. It's my understanding that there are many characters from favorite nursery rhymes at each of the displays within the Story Book Forest early in the morning. However, we did not get there until mid-afternoon and found only two: Raggedy Ann sitting outside of Old Mother Hubbard's shoe - an odd location for her even though she told us she was 'babysitting' Mrs. Hubbard's children - especially given there was a display for both Raggedy Ann and Andy earlier on the trail. The other was Little Red Riding Hood who warned us that the Big Bad Wolf was sleeping inside the house we were about to walk through. And sure enough, there he was, dressed up like grandma and watching us with one creepy eye.
I could have done without the tour of this section, though it was fun to read through some of the nursery rhymes and I was surprised by how many I could remember hearing as I was growing up. When we saw the Little Train That Could, Matt told us that his teacher read this story to his kindergarten class and let Cathy know that she'd be hearing it in the upcoming year. I realized that while Mother Goose was a big part of my childhood, she has been pretty absent from my kid's. Perhaps a trip to the library sometime soon can change that.
We took a train ride across the Loyalhanna Creek to Raccoon Lagoon (otherwise known as the land of rides I don't want to or am too big to ride).
Raccoon Lagoon has the slogan "If you're small, we've got it all". I'm always a little surprised that these rides still hold an interest for Matt, but they do. And I am certainly glad for that - it makes a day at an amusement park much better if I can keep the kids together and interested in the same things. And since there are possibly two more parks coming up later this summer (plus a trip to Hershey Park this fall) I hope it lasts just a little longer!
I am quite certain that Cathy's favorite ride of the day was Cattail Derby - a miniature version of the bumper cars. Watching her drive her car (quite skillfully) around the floor, I thought back to the trip the kids and I took to Knoebels last summer: they rode the bumper cars there at least half a dozen times and each time Cathy just couldn't manage to hold down the 'gas' and steer; she'd get frustrated and the ride attendant (who I thought was going to kill me by the end of the day) would have to hop on Cathy's car and help her out. It's great to see the progress that she's made over the last year!
The kids both love the handcars and they have both a kid-sized version and an adult version. I got to crank my way around the track with Cathy as a passenger (she was too short to drive the adult-sized version) until Matt came along and relieved me from my duties. It was much harder work than you'd think it should be and I was happy to let him do the work instead.
Matt also managed to get me on the Tea Party - an evil spinning tea-cup ride that reduces grown-ups to jello. He's at an age where the faster something spins, the more fun the ride is, whereas I am the complete opposite. The faster something spins, the more sure I am that I will lose my lunch all over whoever is unfortunate enough to be sitting next to me. Since today it would have been all Matt's fault, I would have been OK with that. Instead, I forced him to stop spinning our cup and resigned myself to the fact that old-age is starting to catch up with me in unexpected ways.
Mister Rogers' Neighborhood of Make-Believe is also on this side of the creek and offers the chance to take a life-sized trolley ride through the (wait for it) Neighborhood of Make-Believe, stopping first at King Friday's castle where we were all invited to return to the castle for a Hug-and-Song party. I suspect that I should remember something about this from all the times I sat down and watched Mister Rogers' Neighborhood while I was growing up but it did not seem at all familiar. The characters I mostly remembered, though I suspect it helps that we saw them a few weeks ago at the Children's Museum of Pittsburgh - subject of one of my very first blog posts. It's also pretty dated but the look on Cathy's face as we stopped to visit each of the neighborhood friends and invite them to the party was priceless. The party itself was lost on me as our driver pointed out the momma deer and babies that were having lunch just feet away from our trolley.
The Royal Hanneford Circus had a big-top performance that was actually quite fun to watch. There were the obligatory animals with four legs - in this case four poodles and three cats. Some of the tricks were cute and I am sure it was the highlight of the circus experience for Cathy... before they came out, all I heard was "where are the animals?" and after it was over "I want to leave." There were two girls, allegedly sisters, that could bend in ways that just didn't seem possible for humans to bend and I should have thought to take a picture. Instead, picture this: the first girl bends her legs over her head so that her head and chest are on the floor and her feet on down flat on the ground. She walks herself into a clear box and closes it. Impressive (and freaky) on its own? No doubt. And just when you are done being in awe of this bendy girl, the other one bends very similarly and before you know it, there are two girls in the box. I think this alone made it worth the price of admission.
Last, but not least, we made it into Old Idlewild, where we quickly learned that there weren't too many rides that the kids could go on (in this section, having a child that is only 42" is a blessing for those of us that don't want to spin in circles). I'd had several recommendations for the Wild Mouse roller coaster, but it was closed today. Instead, I focused the kid's attention on Rollo Coaster - a 1938 coaster built by the Philadelphia Toboggan Company. Cathy was the first to balk at the idea but I somehow convinced Matt that if he just gave it a chance, he would like it. To help with the argument, I reminded him about the summer I taught him to love water slides...
For those that don't know this story, I took a day off from work and just Matt and I went to Delgrosso's Amusement Park. We got about half way up the steps for our first slide of the day when the apprehension started... but the line was completely down the steps and I was carrying a HUGE tube, so I told Matt the only way down was down the slide. The closer we got to the top, the more nervous Matt got until he was finally in a heap of tears. We stepped aside at the top of the slide and I tried reasoning before I finally just made him do it... I was now the mean mom forcing her four-year old onto the slide and if he hates it I would probably scarring him for life. Before we went down, I promised him that if he hated it, he wouldn't have to do it again. But I just knew that wouldn't be the case. Sure enough, three seconds into the ride - before we even round the first curve - I hear this little boy behind me yelling "Wwwwhhhhhhheeeeeeeeeee!!!!!" and "I want to do it again!!!".
Back to the roller coaster. It's not a big coaster at all... the biggest hill is just around 25 feet. But it's by far the biggest thing that Matt has ever been on. And sure enough, on the way down that very first hill, he's laughing so hard and smiling so broadly that I know I have a coaster enthusiast in the making. I can still hear that laughter in my head hours later and it's so fantastic. Of course we had to ride it again, and again. Three trips in all.
For all the things we saw at the park today, the one thing we didn't do was Soak Zone. The day started off looking pretty miserable, overcast and breezy, and by the time the sun came out and stayed out, it was well after 4pm. Soak Zone closed at 6pm (as it does every day) and I was starving. So we opted for food instead. If I am feeling up for it and if we can find friends, we may head back again between August 22 and 26... carload week. During carload week, with a coupon from Giant Eagle, you can get a carload of up to eight people into the park for just $89.99 + tax. If you have the Giant Eagle Advantage card with you, they'll take $4.00 off at the gate.
Speaking of food, you can take food into the park with you and there are picnic tables and pavilions everywhere if you chose to do so. We packed a lunch and snacks, but chose to buy our dinner there. Taco salads for the grown-ups from Loco Roberto's and chicken and fries for the kids from Potato Patch. The food was pretty good and reasonably priced compared to other parks that I have been too... dinner for four came to less than $30.
So, the big question of course is what did we all think of the park? My initial impression is that is was OK, but I wouldn't be upset if I never got back... it's dated and in need of some work. There were multiple "out of order" signs in each of the bathrooms I went into (and I was probably in all of them during the day). Story Book Forest may have been better if more of the morning characters were available in the afternoon. And of course, I realize that I may have viewed the park a bit differently if I had actually gotten down to Soak Zone - what I could see of it from the Rollo Coaster looked very nice - but $31.99 for each person (including the kids) for what we did do is excessive and I wouldn't have gone if it weren't for the BOGO deal. If you are local to the State College area and are interested in going sometime other than this week, Centre Region Parks & Recreation offers discounted tickets for $25 each.
As for the kids - they had a great time. That alone made the trip worthwhile. Matt is still struggling with the rating system, initially giving Idlewild an 18 on my 1 to 5 scale. In trying to clarify his position a bit, he's claiming that it's better than Hershey Park, better than Knoebels and that he likes it the same as Delgrosso's. I promise you, he's only saying that until he gets to one of those places. Then he'll have a whole new perspective. Cathy, on the other hand, had no opinion... she was fast asleep.
The Kennywood Corporation took over the park in the early 80's and Jumpin' Jungle, a playground for kids, was added in 1983. Walking in from the parking lot, it immediately caught Matt and Cathy's eye and was our first stop. While we took advantage of each activity in this section of the park, the kids really favored three: Bigfoot's Mudslide, Jungle Catch, and Bubbling Springs.
Jungle Catch has a number of stations that blow air straight up out of pipes, enabling small, lightweight plastic balls to 'float'. Once the balls were floating, Matt took great pride in his ability to hit them to the edge of the play area. He also seemed to enjoy pushing several balls into the pipe and temporarily plugging it up. I guess it's true what they say: boys will be boys.Bubbling Springs is a ball pit... otherwise known, to me at least, as a cesspool of germs and disgustingness. Matt's interest in the pit came primarily from the fact that there are 'targets' inside the pit that the kids can throw the balls into. He's been a great fan of watching baseball since the 2008 season and is developing more and more interest in learning to play the game too. He's been hitting wiffle balls in the backyard, practicing to catch fly balls, and sliding into bases. He's also insisting that come next spring, he'll give up his beloved spring soccer for pee-wee baseball. So his 'pitching' seemed like a natural thing for him to do.
Cathy on the other hand really seemed to enjoy going into the pit, but once inside, she didn't seem to move much. She made it clear across to the far side of the pit her second time in before deciding she was stuck and needed help getting out, giving me the opportunity to experience the ball pit for myself. The balls hurt to walk on and it's difficult at best to walk through them... no wonder the kids all have such a hard time getting out of the pit.
I was surprised that this section of the park was an absolute favorite with both Matt and Cathy; we visited twice and spent the better part of two hours here over the course of the day. Good thing this section closes early or I am sure we would have made a third stop before we were allowed to climb into the car.
Story Book Forest was added to Idlewild (originally as a separate attraction) back in 1956. I am pretty sure it hasn't changed one bit since then, other than to decay a bit with time. The gates of the park, along with this section, open at 10:30am with rides and Soak Zone opening an hour later. It's my understanding that there are many characters from favorite nursery rhymes at each of the displays within the Story Book Forest early in the morning. However, we did not get there until mid-afternoon and found only two: Raggedy Ann sitting outside of Old Mother Hubbard's shoe - an odd location for her even though she told us she was 'babysitting' Mrs. Hubbard's children - especially given there was a display for both Raggedy Ann and Andy earlier on the trail. The other was Little Red Riding Hood who warned us that the Big Bad Wolf was sleeping inside the house we were about to walk through. And sure enough, there he was, dressed up like grandma and watching us with one creepy eye.I could have done without the tour of this section, though it was fun to read through some of the nursery rhymes and I was surprised by how many I could remember hearing as I was growing up. When we saw the Little Train That Could, Matt told us that his teacher read this story to his kindergarten class and let Cathy know that she'd be hearing it in the upcoming year. I realized that while Mother Goose was a big part of my childhood, she has been pretty absent from my kid's. Perhaps a trip to the library sometime soon can change that.
Raccoon Lagoon has the slogan "If you're small, we've got it all". I'm always a little surprised that these rides still hold an interest for Matt, but they do. And I am certainly glad for that - it makes a day at an amusement park much better if I can keep the kids together and interested in the same things. And since there are possibly two more parks coming up later this summer (plus a trip to Hershey Park this fall) I hope it lasts just a little longer!
I am quite certain that Cathy's favorite ride of the day was Cattail Derby - a miniature version of the bumper cars. Watching her drive her car (quite skillfully) around the floor, I thought back to the trip the kids and I took to Knoebels last summer: they rode the bumper cars there at least half a dozen times and each time Cathy just couldn't manage to hold down the 'gas' and steer; she'd get frustrated and the ride attendant (who I thought was going to kill me by the end of the day) would have to hop on Cathy's car and help her out. It's great to see the progress that she's made over the last year!
The kids both love the handcars and they have both a kid-sized version and an adult version. I got to crank my way around the track with Cathy as a passenger (she was too short to drive the adult-sized version) until Matt came along and relieved me from my duties. It was much harder work than you'd think it should be and I was happy to let him do the work instead.
Matt also managed to get me on the Tea Party - an evil spinning tea-cup ride that reduces grown-ups to jello. He's at an age where the faster something spins, the more fun the ride is, whereas I am the complete opposite. The faster something spins, the more sure I am that I will lose my lunch all over whoever is unfortunate enough to be sitting next to me. Since today it would have been all Matt's fault, I would have been OK with that. Instead, I forced him to stop spinning our cup and resigned myself to the fact that old-age is starting to catch up with me in unexpected ways.
The Royal Hanneford Circus had a big-top performance that was actually quite fun to watch. There were the obligatory animals with four legs - in this case four poodles and three cats. Some of the tricks were cute and I am sure it was the highlight of the circus experience for Cathy... before they came out, all I heard was "where are the animals?" and after it was over "I want to leave." There were two girls, allegedly sisters, that could bend in ways that just didn't seem possible for humans to bend and I should have thought to take a picture. Instead, picture this: the first girl bends her legs over her head so that her head and chest are on the floor and her feet on down flat on the ground. She walks herself into a clear box and closes it. Impressive (and freaky) on its own? No doubt. And just when you are done being in awe of this bendy girl, the other one bends very similarly and before you know it, there are two girls in the box. I think this alone made it worth the price of admission.
Last, but not least, we made it into Old Idlewild, where we quickly learned that there weren't too many rides that the kids could go on (in this section, having a child that is only 42" is a blessing for those of us that don't want to spin in circles). I'd had several recommendations for the Wild Mouse roller coaster, but it was closed today. Instead, I focused the kid's attention on Rollo Coaster - a 1938 coaster built by the Philadelphia Toboggan Company. Cathy was the first to balk at the idea but I somehow convinced Matt that if he just gave it a chance, he would like it. To help with the argument, I reminded him about the summer I taught him to love water slides...
For those that don't know this story, I took a day off from work and just Matt and I went to Delgrosso's Amusement Park. We got about half way up the steps for our first slide of the day when the apprehension started... but the line was completely down the steps and I was carrying a HUGE tube, so I told Matt the only way down was down the slide. The closer we got to the top, the more nervous Matt got until he was finally in a heap of tears. We stepped aside at the top of the slide and I tried reasoning before I finally just made him do it... I was now the mean mom forcing her four-year old onto the slide and if he hates it I would probably scarring him for life. Before we went down, I promised him that if he hated it, he wouldn't have to do it again. But I just knew that wouldn't be the case. Sure enough, three seconds into the ride - before we even round the first curve - I hear this little boy behind me yelling "Wwwwhhhhhhheeeeeeeeeee!!!!!" and "I want to do it again!!!".
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| On Rollo Coaster |
For all the things we saw at the park today, the one thing we didn't do was Soak Zone. The day started off looking pretty miserable, overcast and breezy, and by the time the sun came out and stayed out, it was well after 4pm. Soak Zone closed at 6pm (as it does every day) and I was starving. So we opted for food instead. If I am feeling up for it and if we can find friends, we may head back again between August 22 and 26... carload week. During carload week, with a coupon from Giant Eagle, you can get a carload of up to eight people into the park for just $89.99 + tax. If you have the Giant Eagle Advantage card with you, they'll take $4.00 off at the gate.
Speaking of food, you can take food into the park with you and there are picnic tables and pavilions everywhere if you chose to do so. We packed a lunch and snacks, but chose to buy our dinner there. Taco salads for the grown-ups from Loco Roberto's and chicken and fries for the kids from Potato Patch. The food was pretty good and reasonably priced compared to other parks that I have been too... dinner for four came to less than $30.
So, the big question of course is what did we all think of the park? My initial impression is that is was OK, but I wouldn't be upset if I never got back... it's dated and in need of some work. There were multiple "out of order" signs in each of the bathrooms I went into (and I was probably in all of them during the day). Story Book Forest may have been better if more of the morning characters were available in the afternoon. And of course, I realize that I may have viewed the park a bit differently if I had actually gotten down to Soak Zone - what I could see of it from the Rollo Coaster looked very nice - but $31.99 for each person (including the kids) for what we did do is excessive and I wouldn't have gone if it weren't for the BOGO deal. If you are local to the State College area and are interested in going sometime other than this week, Centre Region Parks & Recreation offers discounted tickets for $25 each.
As for the kids - they had a great time. That alone made the trip worthwhile. Matt is still struggling with the rating system, initially giving Idlewild an 18 on my 1 to 5 scale. In trying to clarify his position a bit, he's claiming that it's better than Hershey Park, better than Knoebels and that he likes it the same as Delgrosso's. I promise you, he's only saying that until he gets to one of those places. Then he'll have a whole new perspective. Cathy, on the other hand, had no opinion... she was fast asleep.
Saturday, June 18, 2011
Miracles
My cousin Denise shared an article her cousin had written about his brother and sister-in-law and their everyday struggles raising two boys, now young men, with Fragile X syndrome. I thought the story was beautifully written, tragic and heartbreaking, and yet at the same time uplifting. I think it is something that everyone should read, and I hope you will. As a mother myself, I know there is nothing more powerful than the unconditional love you have for your children, no matter what struggles and challenges they may face in life. The Callahan family is a perfect example.
Five years ago, I thought my life would turn out very similarly to theirs. When Cathy was four months old, we learned that her head circumference (and therefore her brain) was growing slower than it should. A month later, as I held her in my arms, she had the first of eight seizures that terrified me and broke my heart. We took Cathy to The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia for neurology care - EEGs, a CT scan, MRI, and metabolic testing told us nothing an so we were referred to their clinical genetics group, the prevailing belief that whatever caused Cathy's microcephaly (small head) and seizure disorder must have a genetic cause.
I was sure that when we walked into the Clinical Genetics office, they would look at Cathy and immediately tell me what was wrong with her, what we could do for her, and what sort of outcomes we could expect. They couldn't. Cathy's history was suggestive of disorders such as Angleman and Rett syndrome, both of which are terribly debilitating. Cathy was tested for these two specific disorders. The geneticist also ordered a SignatureChip assay that could diagnose hundreds of known chromosomal abnormalities (detecting the slightest additions or deletions to each chromosome). We quickly learned that Cathy has a deletion on the top of her 10th chromosome, something that she and I share and that is likely meaningless. After this initial call, there was nothing left to do but wait. Seems it takes quite a long time to run the tests for both Angleman and Rett - months. Three long months. Three of the longest months I have ever known.
My nursing background, coupled with easy access to the Internet, was nothing but a curse. I spent weeks combing various websites, learning everything I could about these syndromes. If this was the card that my family was dealt, I wanted to know how to play it. I could so easily relate to the Callahan's concerns for their grown sons because they echoed the concerns I had: what sacrifices would my family need to make in order to take care of my little girl? Who would care for her when my husband and I were no longer able? What would be fair to expect of Matt? And what would he be willing to do?
When the results finally came back, they were negative. Angleman was definitive but Rett could only be ruled out with 90% accuracy. And so I spent much of the next three years alert for and afraid of the tell-tale regression in skills that is typical in girls with Rett syndrome before their 3rd birthday. They never came.
Instead, I was left to reflect back on the words the geneticist said to us as we left her office that January day in 2007, my sweet nine-month old little girl in my arms: "Cathy will be your guide". When she said it, I was dumbfounded - how could this woman be considered one of the leading geneticists in the world and have such a lame answer for us? Rich thought it was brilliant - without expectations, we could let Cathy grow and develop and be who she was going to be.
For a long time, I wanted answers. I needed answers. But over time, I could see that maybe that doctor wasn't so dumb after all and I have long ago made my peace with the knowledge that we will likely never know what went wrong.
After that genetics visit, we enlisted our county early intervention services: we were told that whatever Cathy achieved in life, she would likely need to work harder for it than other kids. While she aged out of some services in the transition to the preschool early intervention program (which has different eligibility requirements than the birth to three program), she continued to receive weekly speech therapy. We also took advantage of a great program offered through Penn State's Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders; their Early Language Group met twice each week during the fall, spring, and summer semesters, providing a 2:1 ratio between children and graduate level speech pathology students.
Because Cathy was receiving early intervention speech services, she was required to have a speech evaluation before her 5th birthday. We asked that a developmental teacher complete a full assessment; Rich and I wanted to know how best to prepare Cathy for the transition to kindergarten and to be sure to get the school district therapists involved in that planning now rather than wait until after the school year had started.
When the testing was complete, we got the best possible news... the kind that makes you believe in miracles, that makes you realize that whatever went wrong didn't matter because everything that really mattered went right. Cathy is the sweetest girl. She is thoughtful and funny. I think about all the things that kids entering kindergarten are expected to know - colors, animals, counting, letters, letter sounds. She knows them all. She writes her letters, recognizes some basic sight words, she asks lots of questions.
And while it shouldn't have come as a surprise, I was still surprised and thrilled when Cathy did not test as being delayed in any area; her test scores ranging between the 45th and 50th percentile for kids her age, her IQ score at 101. She's perfectly average. But at the same time she is exceptional and I am blessed to have her in my life.
I often think back to my darkest days in the fall of 2006, of the overwhelming fear of the unknown. Even now, I sometimes wonder if her life had turned out differently, if I would have handled it with the grace and dignity of the Callahan family. Instead, I am planning to send Cathy to school this fall in a mainstream kindergarten class and without the need for special services (though her IEP will stretch into the early part of the school year should we need it).
I never would have thought this possible five years ago and I am grateful for all the therapists, teachers, and doctors that have helped give my little girl the chance to grow into the wonderful person she is becoming. I find myself imagining what she will be like as a teenager; I wonder where she'll work one day; I picture her as a wife and mother.
Of all the things in my life, I'd be hard pressed to find something else that makes me as happy.
Five years ago, I thought my life would turn out very similarly to theirs. When Cathy was four months old, we learned that her head circumference (and therefore her brain) was growing slower than it should. A month later, as I held her in my arms, she had the first of eight seizures that terrified me and broke my heart. We took Cathy to The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia for neurology care - EEGs, a CT scan, MRI, and metabolic testing told us nothing an so we were referred to their clinical genetics group, the prevailing belief that whatever caused Cathy's microcephaly (small head) and seizure disorder must have a genetic cause.
I was sure that when we walked into the Clinical Genetics office, they would look at Cathy and immediately tell me what was wrong with her, what we could do for her, and what sort of outcomes we could expect. They couldn't. Cathy's history was suggestive of disorders such as Angleman and Rett syndrome, both of which are terribly debilitating. Cathy was tested for these two specific disorders. The geneticist also ordered a SignatureChip assay that could diagnose hundreds of known chromosomal abnormalities (detecting the slightest additions or deletions to each chromosome). We quickly learned that Cathy has a deletion on the top of her 10th chromosome, something that she and I share and that is likely meaningless. After this initial call, there was nothing left to do but wait. Seems it takes quite a long time to run the tests for both Angleman and Rett - months. Three long months. Three of the longest months I have ever known.
My nursing background, coupled with easy access to the Internet, was nothing but a curse. I spent weeks combing various websites, learning everything I could about these syndromes. If this was the card that my family was dealt, I wanted to know how to play it. I could so easily relate to the Callahan's concerns for their grown sons because they echoed the concerns I had: what sacrifices would my family need to make in order to take care of my little girl? Who would care for her when my husband and I were no longer able? What would be fair to expect of Matt? And what would he be willing to do?
When the results finally came back, they were negative. Angleman was definitive but Rett could only be ruled out with 90% accuracy. And so I spent much of the next three years alert for and afraid of the tell-tale regression in skills that is typical in girls with Rett syndrome before their 3rd birthday. They never came.
Instead, I was left to reflect back on the words the geneticist said to us as we left her office that January day in 2007, my sweet nine-month old little girl in my arms: "Cathy will be your guide". When she said it, I was dumbfounded - how could this woman be considered one of the leading geneticists in the world and have such a lame answer for us? Rich thought it was brilliant - without expectations, we could let Cathy grow and develop and be who she was going to be.
For a long time, I wanted answers. I needed answers. But over time, I could see that maybe that doctor wasn't so dumb after all and I have long ago made my peace with the knowledge that we will likely never know what went wrong.
After that genetics visit, we enlisted our county early intervention services: we were told that whatever Cathy achieved in life, she would likely need to work harder for it than other kids. While she aged out of some services in the transition to the preschool early intervention program (which has different eligibility requirements than the birth to three program), she continued to receive weekly speech therapy. We also took advantage of a great program offered through Penn State's Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders; their Early Language Group met twice each week during the fall, spring, and summer semesters, providing a 2:1 ratio between children and graduate level speech pathology students.
Because Cathy was receiving early intervention speech services, she was required to have a speech evaluation before her 5th birthday. We asked that a developmental teacher complete a full assessment; Rich and I wanted to know how best to prepare Cathy for the transition to kindergarten and to be sure to get the school district therapists involved in that planning now rather than wait until after the school year had started.
When the testing was complete, we got the best possible news... the kind that makes you believe in miracles, that makes you realize that whatever went wrong didn't matter because everything that really mattered went right. Cathy is the sweetest girl. She is thoughtful and funny. I think about all the things that kids entering kindergarten are expected to know - colors, animals, counting, letters, letter sounds. She knows them all. She writes her letters, recognizes some basic sight words, she asks lots of questions.
And while it shouldn't have come as a surprise, I was still surprised and thrilled when Cathy did not test as being delayed in any area; her test scores ranging between the 45th and 50th percentile for kids her age, her IQ score at 101. She's perfectly average. But at the same time she is exceptional and I am blessed to have her in my life.
I often think back to my darkest days in the fall of 2006, of the overwhelming fear of the unknown. Even now, I sometimes wonder if her life had turned out differently, if I would have handled it with the grace and dignity of the Callahan family. Instead, I am planning to send Cathy to school this fall in a mainstream kindergarten class and without the need for special services (though her IEP will stretch into the early part of the school year should we need it).
I never would have thought this possible five years ago and I am grateful for all the therapists, teachers, and doctors that have helped give my little girl the chance to grow into the wonderful person she is becoming. I find myself imagining what she will be like as a teenager; I wonder where she'll work one day; I picture her as a wife and mother.
Of all the things in my life, I'd be hard pressed to find something else that makes me as happy.
Thursday, June 16, 2011
Jar of Fun #1
I gave Cathy the honor of reaching into the Jar of Fun this morning to select our first big destination of the summer... she pulled out Clyde Peeling's Reptiland.
Browsing their website, I learned that Reptiland opened back in 1964, though I'd be willing to bet that most folks outside of the Williamsport area probably never heard of it before Pennsylvania Guys by Sloppy Secondz - the hilarious parody of Katy Perry's California Gurls - got some serious You Tube time and nearly a million hits. Look for the reference around the 0:48 mark.
I first heard about Reptiland about a year ago after friends planned a trip there. I even had Rich take Matt there last fall on a school in-service day when I was unwilling to sacrifice a vacation day that would otherwise be paid out at the end of the year as part of my severance package. But before I conceived the Jar of Fun, I never would have imagined that I would spend an afternoon there.
I have to admit that I really love how they describe themselves on their web page: "Reptiland is a specialized zoo that introduces visitors to the less-loved members of the animal kingdom in a safe, entertaining format." Snakes, lizards, dinosaurs, crocodilians. Yeah, there's pretty much nothing in there that I love, but everything that little kids do (especially six-year old little boys).
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After parting with $12 for lunch in the Crocodile Creek Cafe and $38 in admission charges, ($14 for me, $12 each for the kids) we walked to the main exhibit building. This building starts off with a brightly lit room that a male and female (Rocky and Adrian) alligator call home. We had the chance to watch the alligators feed and we learned some pretty fascinating things about them:
- They are, to some degree, trainable... not in the same way that a dog is, so no shaking hands or playing dead, but they are able to come when called or open their mouth when asked, which makes feeding them a much easier task.
- While these two gators are 'boyfriend' and 'girlfriend' and go through the courting rituals, they've never actually mated. The theory is that when alligators mate in the wild, they are turning in circles in the water, but here at Reptiland, the water in their room is likely not deep enough.
After leaving the alligator room, there's a large room filled with a variety of reptiles - turtles, snakes, geckos, etc. that the kids got a kick out of seeing. They've got an anaconda, king cobra, boa constrictor, rattlesnake, and Matt's favorite: the milksnake. I can still remember him chattering endlessly about this snake last fall, and he was thrilled to have a chance to share it with his sister and me today.
Outside the reptile building is a greenhouse filled with a variety of butterflies. The kids were so hoping to have one land on them - they even stood as still as their little selves are capable of standing - but no such luck. I'm still at a bit of a loss on how this might be connected to reptiles, but they were pretty to look at and with all the flowering plants inside, the greenhouse smelled terrific. We went through this exhibit twice!
From there, we walked around outside where there were several groups of turtles on display, including Galapagos tortoises and several species of smaller turtles. Matt was practically obsessed with the idea of feeding the turtles (and also the Emus on the other side of the park). We bought little pellets and the kids tossed it into the exhibit, but the turtles seemed uninterested. They were not at all like the ducks and trout that we are so used to feeding stale bread in the summertime...
Next up, show time! The show combines video and sound clips with a live lecture (complete with animal exhibits) and offered us the chance to touch a few of the residents of Reptiland. First up, we talked about dinosaurs - and I learned that there's been a change in the way descendants of dinosaurs are now classified. Whereas when I was growing up, you were required to have both horny scales AND be cold-blooded, the cold-blooded requirement was dropped somewhere along the line. So our first exhibit was an actual living descendant of the dinosaur. Now that sounds really cool and in a way it is... but it was a rooster. Horned scaly feet? Check. Must be a dinosaur.
Next up, we talked about the alligator, the difference between alligators and crocodiles (round versus long jaws, visibility of teeth), sounds that alligators make and how that relates to all the sounds that birds make. Our zookeeper pulled out a roughly four-year old, three-foot long gator and gave everyone a chance to touch it. Reminded me of the swamp boat tour we took in New Orleans a few years back and the tiny baby we each held. 
Lastly, we talked about the snake which was in the same reptile category as the lizard... just a few differences: snakes cannot hear and have no ears and have no eyelids. Also, they have no feet. The zookeeper pointed out which part of the snake becomes Coach handbags and belts and shoes and then brought it around for everyone to touch. The kids were much more eager to put their hands on it than I was, but I gave it a quick pet too. And as I watched it slither around the girl holding it, I crossed snake-tamer of my list of potential careers!
Once the show was over, there was nothing really left to do except head over to the new dinosaur exhibit. No, it's not Jurassic Park there, though that certainly would have made it worth the price of admission for me! They did have some lovely dinosaur animatronics, most of which were not done to scale. T-Rex was the only thing that was done to scale with the brachiosaurus the next closest, though probably only have its real size. I had the kids pose with the T-Rex for a little perspective on its size and as you can see, Matt and Cathy look like tiny snacks in comparison. While the website suggests that you arrive right before a showtime (which is absolutely a good idea) and expect to be there for at least 90 minutes, we somehow managed to spend the better part of three hours there. I asked the kids to rate it as we were leaving - something I am hoping to ask them all summer long so that I can share their opinions as well as my own - but the concept of a 1 to 5 scale was a little lost on them. Matt said it was "alright" then gave it a 5 and then told me that Slinky Action Zone was way better. Hopefully as the summer goes on, he'll get a little better with his ratings. As for me, I'd probably give it a 3. I was expecting something bigger - likely because I think regular zoos do as good or better than Reptiland of showing off these 'less-loved' creatures. If it's completely up to me, I won't be heading back. But, boys do love their snakes and frogs and such, so I can imagine Matt looking for another trip back.
We stopped for ice cream right down the road from Reptiland at Weaver's Ice Cream and Pizza Parlor. The place itself was cute - it must have been an old gas station (I say this in part because it is currently, in addition to an ice cream and pizza shop, a gas station) and had a really cool 50s feel to it in terms of the decor. It's no Penn State Creamery but it was a nice treat on a warm afternoon.
Overall, I'd say the first Jar of Fun day went pretty well. It's fun to wake up and know that we are going someplace but not knowing where.
We have a planned outing next Monday to Idlewild and SoakZone. Next week is buy one get one free week and that alone makes it worthwhile to plan the outing rather than leave it to chance in the jar. It's one of the few amusement parks in Pennsylvania I haven't been too yet (I think Kennywood is the only other) so I am looking forward to it.
Tuesday, June 14, 2011
Day 4 - Slinky Action Zone
The weather outlook for yesterday was pretty gloomy, so I loaded the kids into the car and drove down to Slinky Action Zone in Duncansville. For those who are unfamiliar with Slinky Action Zone, I'd say it's comparable to Chuck E. Cheese's (which could very well be a destination later this summer) or Fun Unleashed - another still popular (and local) destination for the Cropp children. The one VERY important difference is that the climbing area is kept separate and mostly out of view from the game options and so I don't have to listen to whiny children ask me for tokens or game cards. They simply climb, slide, and run to the point of near exhaustion, which let's be honest is the point of taking them there.
Slinky Action Zone runs a number of specials (except on school holidays and closings) and on Monday, we caught the buy one get one free deal. Just $5.00 bought the kids roughly three hours of entertainment and gave me roughly three hours to read a book. Tuesday is free soft-play from 11am to 3pm and I am thinking if a rainy Tuesday comes up between now and September, we just might head back.
Since we are often a family with some sort of drama, usually self-created, there was little surprise when Matt came up to me late the afternoon with a large red mark on his face - apparently the result of another boy throwing a ball at his face and striking him just below the eye. I got up and looked for the boy, but he was clearly hiding out. A little girl (and by little, I am guessing she was about 10) told me that it was her brother that hit Matt and that she'd tell him to leave Matt alone. I assumed this would be the end of it.
As we were getting ready to leave, Matt and this little boy both went in the bathroom at the same time. When they both came out, the boy came up to me (mind you it's now 30 minutes later) to let me know that Matt had thrown balls at him earlier. My protective mama instinct took over and I let him have it, pointing out to him that he's much bigger than my son - I am guessing two or three years older - and that if he has a problem with Matt's actions, he should look for me rather than throwing something in his face. Wow, was I pissed. And in that moment, I didn't even care if it was true or not. Considering Matt came to me right away after he got hit and this boy hid from me and then waited nearly half-an-hour to talk to me, I am guessing that Matt didn't do anything in a malicious way.
But, I keep thinking back to Cathy's rules from school - rules she proudly shares with us from time to time: keep your hands to yourself, share with your friends, cough in your elbow.
Why can't everyone be as smart as that sweet little girl of mine?
By the way, tomorrow will be our first official reach into the "Jar of Fun"... be sure to check back and see what we did.
Slinky Action Zone runs a number of specials (except on school holidays and closings) and on Monday, we caught the buy one get one free deal. Just $5.00 bought the kids roughly three hours of entertainment and gave me roughly three hours to read a book. Tuesday is free soft-play from 11am to 3pm and I am thinking if a rainy Tuesday comes up between now and September, we just might head back.
Since we are often a family with some sort of drama, usually self-created, there was little surprise when Matt came up to me late the afternoon with a large red mark on his face - apparently the result of another boy throwing a ball at his face and striking him just below the eye. I got up and looked for the boy, but he was clearly hiding out. A little girl (and by little, I am guessing she was about 10) told me that it was her brother that hit Matt and that she'd tell him to leave Matt alone. I assumed this would be the end of it.
As we were getting ready to leave, Matt and this little boy both went in the bathroom at the same time. When they both came out, the boy came up to me (mind you it's now 30 minutes later) to let me know that Matt had thrown balls at him earlier. My protective mama instinct took over and I let him have it, pointing out to him that he's much bigger than my son - I am guessing two or three years older - and that if he has a problem with Matt's actions, he should look for me rather than throwing something in his face. Wow, was I pissed. And in that moment, I didn't even care if it was true or not. Considering Matt came to me right away after he got hit and this boy hid from me and then waited nearly half-an-hour to talk to me, I am guessing that Matt didn't do anything in a malicious way.
But, I keep thinking back to Cathy's rules from school - rules she proudly shares with us from time to time: keep your hands to yourself, share with your friends, cough in your elbow.
Why can't everyone be as smart as that sweet little girl of mine?
By the way, tomorrow will be our first official reach into the "Jar of Fun"... be sure to check back and see what we did.
Monday, June 13, 2011
Day 3 - Knoebels (without kids)
Earlier this year, we took a family vacation to Busch Gardens in Williamsburg, VA. Nothing is more disappointing for a roller coaster enthusiast than to spend three days in a park with some pretty amazing rides and head home having only gotten on Grover's Alpine Express. I rode it several times, but still. It's no Alpengeist or Loch Ness Monster.
So if you have a few hours without kids and happen to be less than 30 miles from Knoebels Amusement Resort, what's a girl to do but take advantage of a chance to ride the park's two wooden roller coasters.
The first coaster we rode was Twister, a replica of a 1965 coaster (Mister Twister), found at Elitch Gardens in Denver, CO. This is far from my favorite roller coaster, though I do enjoy the double lift hill (a modification from the original design) and the view from the top - just before the 90-foot drop. Overall, the track overs roughly 3,900 feet and reaches speeds approaching 60 mph. And while that sounds like a great ride, it's one of the most jarring and uncomfortable two or so minutes I think I have ever had on a roller coaster.
On the other hand, the Phoenix is probably one of the best wooden coasters I've ridden. This coaster was originally built in 1947 at the now defunct Playland Park in San Antonio, TX and was subsequently moved to Knoebels in 1984. The ride is a little slower than the Twister and it's first drop is not quite as high, but it's a much smoother ride and it offers brief moments of weightlessness which are pretty cool!
Interestingly, both roller coasters have just a 42" height requirement which means that Cathy would be able to ride this year. But, I just can't imagine putting her on either ride.
After a not so great taco and a game of miniature golf that I lost by one stroke after a very badly played 18th hole, we rode the Scenic Skyride - a 14 (very long) minute ride up and down a mountain. Heights and I have never been good friends and this ride is way too far off the ground for my comfort. With a death-grip on the safety bar, I survived... but if I never get on this ride again, it would still be too soon.
After this (and a brief rain delay) we made it back to the car and drove home.
Just as we were about to open the door to the house, Matt asked Nana if they could call us and see when we'd be home, so we were clearly missed. Matt and Cathy were relatively well behaved and both grandparents seemed to genuinely enjoy their time with the kids.
Overall, I'd call the weekend a success.
Perhaps this means it's time to start planning for next year's race. Now if Warrior Dash could just announce it's Pennsylvania dates and locations, I'd get right on that!
So if you have a few hours without kids and happen to be less than 30 miles from Knoebels Amusement Resort, what's a girl to do but take advantage of a chance to ride the park's two wooden roller coasters.
The first coaster we rode was Twister, a replica of a 1965 coaster (Mister Twister), found at Elitch Gardens in Denver, CO. This is far from my favorite roller coaster, though I do enjoy the double lift hill (a modification from the original design) and the view from the top - just before the 90-foot drop. Overall, the track overs roughly 3,900 feet and reaches speeds approaching 60 mph. And while that sounds like a great ride, it's one of the most jarring and uncomfortable two or so minutes I think I have ever had on a roller coaster.
On the other hand, the Phoenix is probably one of the best wooden coasters I've ridden. This coaster was originally built in 1947 at the now defunct Playland Park in San Antonio, TX and was subsequently moved to Knoebels in 1984. The ride is a little slower than the Twister and it's first drop is not quite as high, but it's a much smoother ride and it offers brief moments of weightlessness which are pretty cool!
Interestingly, both roller coasters have just a 42" height requirement which means that Cathy would be able to ride this year. But, I just can't imagine putting her on either ride.
After a not so great taco and a game of miniature golf that I lost by one stroke after a very badly played 18th hole, we rode the Scenic Skyride - a 14 (very long) minute ride up and down a mountain. Heights and I have never been good friends and this ride is way too far off the ground for my comfort. With a death-grip on the safety bar, I survived... but if I never get on this ride again, it would still be too soon.
After this (and a brief rain delay) we made it back to the car and drove home.
Just as we were about to open the door to the house, Matt asked Nana if they could call us and see when we'd be home, so we were clearly missed. Matt and Cathy were relatively well behaved and both grandparents seemed to genuinely enjoy their time with the kids.
Overall, I'd call the weekend a success.
Perhaps this means it's time to start planning for next year's race. Now if Warrior Dash could just announce it's Pennsylvania dates and locations, I'd get right on that!
Sunday, June 12, 2011
Day 2 - a day without kids (also known as Warrior Dash)
It's difficult to believe, but nearly six and a half years into parenthood, this is the first time both Rich and I both left the kids overnight. Now don't get me wrong, we have each individually been away from the kids, but never at the same time. With it comes anxiety - how will they behave? Will their grandparents be sorry they offered to do this for us? Will they miss us and be miserable or will they be so happy we are gone that they don't care if we come back? Despite the anxieties, we packed our bags and hit the road.
So, just how did I spend my first child-free day since January 11, 2005? Playing in the mud, of course!
More specifically, it was my second running of Warrior Dash: Think trail race meets obstacle course and you'll have a rough idea of what the event is like. Only this year, it wasn't like that at all. It was worse. Heavy rains Friday night turned the trails into death traps - well, not quite death traps but it did make for a pretty treacherous afternoon.
But, first things first. This year's event was held at Skirmish USA, which bills itself as 'the world's premier paintball facility'. I've never played paintball, but from my run around their facilities, I imagine it would be a pretty cool place to go if I did. And as with all their events, it's really a big party with a race thrown in for good measure... there are live bands playing all day, people decked out in some pretty crazy costumes (more on that in a bit), beer and turkey legs. Add in some good friends and it really can be the "craziest frickin' day of your life".
As you can see, we all started the day clean. And I think we stayed that way until the second or third obstacle of the afternoon... knee-deep mud.
While some of the obstacles we encountered this year were things we came across last year, a number of them were not. Truth be told, the entire course felt like something of an obstacle this year. The ground was wet and muddy, there were rocks and tree limbs everywhere, and it was difficult at best to get good footing.
Among the new obstacles: teetering traverse, barricade breakdown, arachnophobia, Rio run, the great warrior wall and road rage.
The teetering traverse was a little nerve-wracking for me as the beams were fairly narrow and pretty high off the ground. The guy ahead of me made it to the first peak before deciding it wasn't for him and climbed down. I'm happy to say I toughed it out and made it across - even though I did turn around and back down each descent.
Barricade breakdown was a series of walls, maybe waist-high, to climb over followed by barbed wire to duck under. The challenge here was finding enough space that I didn't kick the person beside me as I threw my leg over the wall. I think there were five walls in total and I was getting tired by the end.
Arachnophobia was simply a series of tangled ropes to climb through while Rio run was a brief run through a stream. There's nothing too exciting about either of these obstacles.
The great warrior wall, on the other hand, was exciting and horrifying all at the same time. I'd guess the wall was 15 feet high. A rope with multiple knots (good for placing your hands) and small ledges along the wall (great places to put your feet as you climb) on one side, a series of slats - like a ladder - on the other. There were probably five or six ropes on the wall, meaning five or six people climbing the wall at a time. The climb up wasn't too bad, but I had a difficult time getting myself over the wall. For me, the challenge came in finding a place to hold on in order to throw my legs over to the down-side while the wall itself rocked with climbers. Add to that a friend (who did not climb the wall) pointing out to me that it's too far down to jump and my husband looking up at me thinking I might just fall off the wall, and the adrenaline level was UP. After what seemed like an eternity clinging to the top of the wall, I made it over and down without incident. Incident was coming later...
The last 'new' obstacle was road rage - a cluster of tires to run through and cars to climb over. Unfortunately, I didn't make it there before incident found me.
Just before we came out of the woods, I tripped over a pretty big log and slammed down on the ground, striking my left knee and elbow pretty good. A very nice warrior helped me up just as the guys in my party turned around to assist. I realized pretty quickly that it was more than just a little bump and I struggled to run from that point on. Luckily, we emerged from the woods not long after that, climbed through tunnels, over the cargo net, through the road rage, over the fire, through the mud, and then crossed the finish line.... where we all looked much different than we did at the start! The clean girl in this picture is my niece who ran an earlier heat than the rest of us and had more than enough time to visit the freezing water of the tanker trucks to clean off before we even arrived for our race. But I promise there was a time when she was just as dirty as the rest of us!
Earlier, I mentioned costumes. It's one of the things that I think makes Warrior Dash such a fun event to attend. You just never know what sort of crazy folks you are going to see. There were Mutant Ninja Turtles, ballerinas (some of which were boys), drag queens, beer cans, men in dresses and coconut bras, and this... a patriotic banana hammock, a tux collar, and nothing else. Brave. And scary as hell!
Afterward, we drank some beer. But it was cool and misty and we parted ways earlier than I expected with Rich and I heading off for a kid-free night at the Holiday Inn Express in Frackville.
While there's nothing too interesting about Frackville, Rich and I found a great restaurant for dinner: The Wooden Keg Tavern in St. Clair (just a few miles down the road). The Wooden Keg Tavern is in a historic 1860's building; it's claim to fame is that it was once a Molly Maguire hangout. Now if, like me, you don't really know what that means, read on:
Molly Maguires were mainly Irish-American miners in the anthracite coal fields of Pennsylvania who wanted to fight the poor conditions of the mines, the long hours they were expected to work and the low salaries that also led to a low standard of living for the workers and their families.
While some fought the battle for worker's rights in the legislature, the "Mollies" were rumored to use vandalism, robberies, threats, assaults and even actual killings in their fight. A strike in 1875 ultimately led to a series of trials over a two-year period; all told, 19 members of the Molly Maguires were hanged for their crimes.
Historian Harold Aurand called the validity of the trials into question, stating “The Molly Maguire investigation and trials were one of the most astounding surrenders of sovereignty in American History. A private corporation initiated the investigation through a private detective agency; a private police force arrested the alleged offenders; and coal company attorneys prosecuted them. The state provided only the courtroom and the hangman.”
In the basement of The Wooden Keg Tavern, there is a 'tunnel room' which gave the "Mollies" access in and out of the hotel for their secret meetings. All around the room, you'll find clips about the trials, details of the history of the group, and you can walk into the tunnel itself.
They had both typical tavern food as well as some more upscale menu items. We started with an order of onion rings and a crab dip with tortilla chips. Rich also ordered their wings while I had a bacon cheeseburger with homemade fries. Everything was fantastic and I would eat there again without hesitation.
As for the Warrior Dash, despite my Warrior Wounds from this year's event, I plan to do it again next year. My only advice if you are interested in joining us: Register early. If you can register by the first deadline, you'll save almost half over a last-minute entry (I speak from experience here as I've now done it both ways). Hope to see you on the battlefield in 2012!
As for all those anxieties in leaving the kids - well, you will just have to keep an eye out for my next post to see how that went.
So, just how did I spend my first child-free day since January 11, 2005? Playing in the mud, of course!
More specifically, it was my second running of Warrior Dash: Think trail race meets obstacle course and you'll have a rough idea of what the event is like. Only this year, it wasn't like that at all. It was worse. Heavy rains Friday night turned the trails into death traps - well, not quite death traps but it did make for a pretty treacherous afternoon.
But, first things first. This year's event was held at Skirmish USA, which bills itself as 'the world's premier paintball facility'. I've never played paintball, but from my run around their facilities, I imagine it would be a pretty cool place to go if I did. And as with all their events, it's really a big party with a race thrown in for good measure... there are live bands playing all day, people decked out in some pretty crazy costumes (more on that in a bit), beer and turkey legs. Add in some good friends and it really can be the "craziest frickin' day of your life".
As you can see, we all started the day clean. And I think we stayed that way until the second or third obstacle of the afternoon... knee-deep mud.While some of the obstacles we encountered this year were things we came across last year, a number of them were not. Truth be told, the entire course felt like something of an obstacle this year. The ground was wet and muddy, there were rocks and tree limbs everywhere, and it was difficult at best to get good footing.
Among the new obstacles: teetering traverse, barricade breakdown, arachnophobia, Rio run, the great warrior wall and road rage.
The teetering traverse was a little nerve-wracking for me as the beams were fairly narrow and pretty high off the ground. The guy ahead of me made it to the first peak before deciding it wasn't for him and climbed down. I'm happy to say I toughed it out and made it across - even though I did turn around and back down each descent.
Barricade breakdown was a series of walls, maybe waist-high, to climb over followed by barbed wire to duck under. The challenge here was finding enough space that I didn't kick the person beside me as I threw my leg over the wall. I think there were five walls in total and I was getting tired by the end.
Arachnophobia was simply a series of tangled ropes to climb through while Rio run was a brief run through a stream. There's nothing too exciting about either of these obstacles.
The great warrior wall, on the other hand, was exciting and horrifying all at the same time. I'd guess the wall was 15 feet high. A rope with multiple knots (good for placing your hands) and small ledges along the wall (great places to put your feet as you climb) on one side, a series of slats - like a ladder - on the other. There were probably five or six ropes on the wall, meaning five or six people climbing the wall at a time. The climb up wasn't too bad, but I had a difficult time getting myself over the wall. For me, the challenge came in finding a place to hold on in order to throw my legs over to the down-side while the wall itself rocked with climbers. Add to that a friend (who did not climb the wall) pointing out to me that it's too far down to jump and my husband looking up at me thinking I might just fall off the wall, and the adrenaline level was UP. After what seemed like an eternity clinging to the top of the wall, I made it over and down without incident. Incident was coming later...
The last 'new' obstacle was road rage - a cluster of tires to run through and cars to climb over. Unfortunately, I didn't make it there before incident found me.
Just before we came out of the woods, I tripped over a pretty big log and slammed down on the ground, striking my left knee and elbow pretty good. A very nice warrior helped me up just as the guys in my party turned around to assist. I realized pretty quickly that it was more than just a little bump and I struggled to run from that point on. Luckily, we emerged from the woods not long after that, climbed through tunnels, over the cargo net, through the road rage, over the fire, through the mud, and then crossed the finish line.... where we all looked much different than we did at the start! The clean girl in this picture is my niece who ran an earlier heat than the rest of us and had more than enough time to visit the freezing water of the tanker trucks to clean off before we even arrived for our race. But I promise there was a time when she was just as dirty as the rest of us!
Afterward, we drank some beer. But it was cool and misty and we parted ways earlier than I expected with Rich and I heading off for a kid-free night at the Holiday Inn Express in Frackville.
While there's nothing too interesting about Frackville, Rich and I found a great restaurant for dinner: The Wooden Keg Tavern in St. Clair (just a few miles down the road). The Wooden Keg Tavern is in a historic 1860's building; it's claim to fame is that it was once a Molly Maguire hangout. Now if, like me, you don't really know what that means, read on:
Molly Maguires were mainly Irish-American miners in the anthracite coal fields of Pennsylvania who wanted to fight the poor conditions of the mines, the long hours they were expected to work and the low salaries that also led to a low standard of living for the workers and their families.
While some fought the battle for worker's rights in the legislature, the "Mollies" were rumored to use vandalism, robberies, threats, assaults and even actual killings in their fight. A strike in 1875 ultimately led to a series of trials over a two-year period; all told, 19 members of the Molly Maguires were hanged for their crimes.
Historian Harold Aurand called the validity of the trials into question, stating “The Molly Maguire investigation and trials were one of the most astounding surrenders of sovereignty in American History. A private corporation initiated the investigation through a private detective agency; a private police force arrested the alleged offenders; and coal company attorneys prosecuted them. The state provided only the courtroom and the hangman.”
In the basement of The Wooden Keg Tavern, there is a 'tunnel room' which gave the "Mollies" access in and out of the hotel for their secret meetings. All around the room, you'll find clips about the trials, details of the history of the group, and you can walk into the tunnel itself.
They had both typical tavern food as well as some more upscale menu items. We started with an order of onion rings and a crab dip with tortilla chips. Rich also ordered their wings while I had a bacon cheeseburger with homemade fries. Everything was fantastic and I would eat there again without hesitation.
As for the Warrior Dash, despite my Warrior Wounds from this year's event, I plan to do it again next year. My only advice if you are interested in joining us: Register early. If you can register by the first deadline, you'll save almost half over a last-minute entry (I speak from experience here as I've now done it both ways). Hope to see you on the battlefield in 2012!
As for all those anxieties in leaving the kids - well, you will just have to keep an eye out for my next post to see how that went.
Day 1 - Way Fruit Farm
A few weeks ago, I registered for the Way Fruit Farm mailing list. Last Monday, I got an email letting me know that strawberry picking season was underway. With a warning that read "The longer you wait, the harder the picking gets", I figured Day 1 of summer vacation was the perfect time to head out to the fields.
Way Fruit Farm asks that you bring your own containers to fill (though they do sell boxes for those that come without) and that you stop inside the store to have them weighed before heading out to the fields. After getting our buckets weighed (1/4 pound each), we made a quick stop at the wooden John Deere tractor outside the store before crossing route 550 en route to the strawberry fields - roughly six acres worth.
The kids didn't wander too far into the fields before they started picking. I found it interesting that they'd pull just one or two strawberries off a plant before moving on to another one nearby, despite the fact that there were plenty of ripe strawberries on each plant.
My only complaint: the berries were much smaller than I was hoping for since I initially envisioned us melting Hershey's chocolate to make chocolate covered strawberries. We'll just have to do that with store-bought berries instead.
When it was all said and done, the kids had just over four pounds of strawberries in their buckets (combined, not individually). At $1.50 per pound, it seemed like a pretty good deal. We also picked up some fresh zucchini and yellow squash and a package of fruit pectin so that we can make jam with some of the harvest.
I found a recipe on the web that looks simple enough for even me to pull off and that will likely be on the agenda for tomorrow morning. The recipe calls for four cups of strawberries, four cups of sugar, one tablespoon of lemon juice and one tablespoon of fruit pectin.
Four cups of sugar seems pretty excessive to me... but I have never made jam before, so what do I know? I figure I can start off with a little less sugar and then add it in if necessary. Besides, if the kids don't know it is supposed to be ridiculously sweet, maybe I can get away with it.
Way Fruit Farm also has tart cherries for picking; the website says that the season starts in mid-July and runs through early August. Cherry picking could be fun... I'll be waiting for the email that lets me know when it's time to grab our buckets and head out to the fields!
Way Fruit Farm asks that you bring your own containers to fill (though they do sell boxes for those that come without) and that you stop inside the store to have them weighed before heading out to the fields. After getting our buckets weighed (1/4 pound each), we made a quick stop at the wooden John Deere tractor outside the store before crossing route 550 en route to the strawberry fields - roughly six acres worth. |
| My little berry pickers |
My only complaint: the berries were much smaller than I was hoping for since I initially envisioned us melting Hershey's chocolate to make chocolate covered strawberries. We'll just have to do that with store-bought berries instead.
 |
| Heading in with their harvest |
I found a recipe on the web that looks simple enough for even me to pull off and that will likely be on the agenda for tomorrow morning. The recipe calls for four cups of strawberries, four cups of sugar, one tablespoon of lemon juice and one tablespoon of fruit pectin.
Four cups of sugar seems pretty excessive to me... but I have never made jam before, so what do I know? I figure I can start off with a little less sugar and then add it in if necessary. Besides, if the kids don't know it is supposed to be ridiculously sweet, maybe I can get away with it.
Way Fruit Farm also has tart cherries for picking; the website says that the season starts in mid-July and runs through early August. Cherry picking could be fun... I'll be waiting for the email that lets me know when it's time to grab our buckets and head out to the fields!
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