Lancaster Trip Report

Because we had so much fun in Lancaster, PA, in May, we made another winter trip last weekend. So much fun, but so much work. Traveling with two nearly 2.5-year olds is hard work (especially when they have colds making them slightly crankier than usual). Here's a look at my list that went into planning this short getaway.

Like last time, I can't recommend Lancaster highly enough for toddlers and little kids. There is so much to do. Here is the day-by-day report.

Saturday:
We drove up early Saturday morning, and arrived at our first destination--the Railroad Museum of Pennsylvania--around 10am when it opened. Perfect timing. This museum is awesome. It's a bunch of retired trains in a huge building for kids to run around and explore. In addition, they have several rooms full of train tables. The kids were in heaven, especially Fletch.

Eric took a ton of pictures here because it was such a cool place.

 

 

After the train museum, we headed to lunch at Katie's Amish Kitchen. Don't eat here. It wasn't good. We followed that by checking into the Eden Resort, our favorite hotel, and taking some good naps. This time, we got a Two Bedroom Studio King Villa, and it was perfect. It had a large hotel room connected to a small separate bedroom for bunk beds. The kids slept in the small bedroom (in Pack n Plays), and had a space of their own, and Eric and I didn't need to sneak out to  the bathroom every night like last time for fear of waking the kids. 

After naps, we did some outlet shopping, and then got dinner (Red Robin). A fun, but busy day.

Sunday:

The kids woke at their normal 6am time, which was great, because I honestly was a little nervous with how they'd do alone in their separate bedroom all night long. We headed to breakfast, and then to the Choo Choo Barn. This little museum features a huge model train layout. It was really cool.

The Choo Choo Barn is connected to Thomas' Trackside Station, which is a store devoted entirely to Thomas. Again, the kids were in heaven.

All those trains wore me down...

After our morning of fun, we ate at Isaac's (also next to the Choo Choo Barn), which had some delicious sandwiches. Great restaurant for kids: a fish tank, they bring Goldfish snack to the kids while you're waiting, and foods that even picky toddlers will like.

Then we got a few more outside photos.

Lunch was followed by an attempt to nap at the hotel. Unfortunately, the kids weren't quite as cooperative as they were on Saturday, and slept for maybe 45 minutes. When they got up though, they were horribly cranky, and it was late Sunday, so not much was still open. We found a local bounce house type place, and headed there. This place was like the seventh level of hell--crowded, germy (and I'm not one to usually worry about germs), and with lots of big kids to trounce the little kids.

After the bounce house, it was Red Robin for dinner again and then baths and bed. We all needed a bath after that experience.

Monday:
On Monday, we just ate breakfast, checked out of the hotel, and then headed to the Hands-On House, which is Lancaster's children's museum. With our family membership to the National Children's Museum, we were able to get into the Hands-On House for free. I was so excited! It's a cute, little museum really aimed at toddlers. In some ways, it kept the attention of the kids better than the National Children's Museum. If you head to Lancaster with toddlers, I recommend it.

Once we left the Hands-On House, we made a quick pit stop for lunch (at another Isaac's location), and then headed home. The way home was a bit less fun than the trip there, thanks to overtired kids with colds and because I tripped in the parking lot at lunch and was achy and sore. I know the fact that I tripped doesn't come as a surprise to some of you that know me.

That's the full report. It was so fun, and I'm a bit sad that we probably won't be taking any more trips for a while, but we have exciting times ahead, so I'm sure we won't miss it.

Christmas Part 2

Christmas Part 2 came just a few days after the first part, when my mom and Danny came to visit. It was a great weekend, and the kids had so much fun, especially on Saturday.

We started the day with a trip to the new National Children's Museum. The kids had a great time, although it is very small and not really a museum--more of a glorified play area for kids. We're grateful to have a membership and live so close, but don't be expecting any Port Discovery or Please Touch Museum. Anyway, here are a few pics from there.

 

The highlight of the museum trip was the story and singalong time, which is in the last picture. P&F loved it. They hammed it up for the crowd, even if doesn't show in this picture. They answered all the readers questions, sat on their mats during the books, shouted out their name when they were called, sang along to the songs, and just in general proved that maybe we are doing something right and we haven't totally screwed up this parenting thing. I was so proud of them and was beaming the entire time.

After the museum and naps, we did the actual present opening. The kids got way into it again.

Again, present opening is tough work. it tuckered poor Fletch right out.

The big winner among the gifts were the princess and superhero costumes. Fletch LOVES to pretend he's Superboy and tells me he's "coming to the rescue!" He also has been carrying around his Superman Little People with him a lot.

Piper loves the magic wand that came with the princess costume. She likes to think she can command anyone to do anything by putting them under "a magic spell" as she calls it.Over the two Christmas's, Piper also inherited a few of my old toys, including my old Strawberry Shortcake sleeping bag. Thanks, mom, for getting that back into shape.

Overall, we couldn't have asked for better holidays or better family. The kids were so happy and loved every minute of it and spending time with everyone. However, they were a bit crazed by New Year's, and we were all ready to get back to our routines.

Christmas Part 1

Last Christmas was so chaotic, that we divided this Christmas up into two parts, and it was just perfect. Part 1 was on Christmas Day, and we had a great time.

We had been building up Christmas for weeks with the kids. They fully understood who Santa was and that he was bringing them presents when they woke up. On Christmas morning, they got up at their usual 6am, and we started by looking at the cookies that Santa had eaten and opening their stockings.

After that, we opened up the few gifts that Santa had left under the tree as an initial round of present opening.  

Piper insisted that she put on every single thing she opened that was wearable. 

After opening these gifts, we had cinnamon rolls for breakfast, and then Eric's parents came over. That's when the real event started. 

It took us a long time to get through all those gifts. By the end, we were all exhausted.

After all that unwrapping, we played with our new toys until naptime. P&F took nice, long naps, and then they woke up to a wonderful Christmas dinner and dessert, followed by more playtime with their new toys. By 6pm, we were all exhausted, but so grateful for the wonderful Christmas this year. It was so neat seeing how into it that P&F got, how much they already believe in the magic of Santa, and how we're starting traditions now that will last for years to come.