lancaster trip

Finally!  Our trip to lancaster was AWESOME!!  following our arrival on friday, we started saturday bright and early with a stroll around the duck pond.  we played on the jungle gym for a while and then hopped on rocks across the little stream.  We ate a delicious smorgasboard breakfast and headed out to the apple orchard!  we spent three hours at the orchard!!  big guy ate five apples during this time. But it was entirely fun.  Only one minor meltdown b/c big guy had to poop, but he eventually did it in the middle of the pumpkin patch.  But he immediately felt better and then continued on his way.  We picked 58 lbs of jonagold apples (which are my #2 favorite apple next to Honeycrisp).

Following bringing the apples back to pay for them, big guy ran around the hay bale maze.  Then we were feeling inspired so we hopped on the hayride to the pumpkin patch.  And picked a giant pumpkin!  We had already bought two smaller pumpkins, but this was a good one for carving.  then we took the hayride back.  Following this, we stopped by a local dairy farm to get fresh (pastuerized) yogurt and chocolate milk.  Oh, and hubs got licked by a two day old cow.  so cute!  Naps followed for all three of us.  Upon waking, we swam for an hour in the indoor pools- big guy loved it!  Might need to join a Y this winter.  We would had stayed longer but we needed to change and eat some dinner. 

Since it was Grandma J's 60th birthday, she got to pick.  But her first two choices were a two hour wait.  so, we ended up at her third choice, but it might very well be the greatest place on earth.  it's a hotel that is made to look like a cruise ship!  it was awesome.  since we didn't have a reservation, we had to eat in the bar area, but the whole place is so fabulously decorated, it was great.  and the food was delicious!!  An old juke box in the corner kept big guy entertained as we munched on mac and cheese (fancy, homemade stuff) and chicken quesadillas.  Following dinner we went to the gift shop and got a brochure, holy hell, I want to live there.  I think we might stay there the next time, as our favorite place is closing down :(

 on the train

 picking pumpkins

 hay ride

Sunday began early again with a walk around the duck pond.  we decided to try a different restaurant for breakfast at the adjoining hotel, but it was an epic fail.  for some reason breakfast with grandma J always end badly.  big guy refused to eat, ran away screaming.  I was so frustrated, I actually yelled at hubs in public. Not the first time, but it was bad.  Only a walk in the frosty air cooled me off.  We decided to go to the strasburg rail station and hoped we could get tickets.  We were in luck! we were able to score first class tickets, but had to wait in the cold rain for about 20 mins to get a good seat.  However, once on the train, the rain let up and we had a fantastic time.  big guy loved it, as usual.  it really is a magical experience for him.  Since the weather was good when the ride was over, we rode the cagney train (little steam engine) and the hand crank train twice.  I picked up a new thomas the train bathmat, but all big guy wanted from the gift shop was a mini john deer tractor.  Go figure!