Going To The County Fair

Ian and I had to take Alex to a doctors appointment this afternoon. Afterward, I decided we needed to check out the last day of the county fair. Unfortunately, most of the animals were already gone, but we did get to see a few horses. (One of the girls even opened her stall and let us pet her beautiful horse. Ian was cautious but not scared this year.) After checking out the animal barns, we headed to the midway. Ian and Alex rode the small train. Ian said it didn't move fast enough! Then, Ian and I rode the spinning strawberries. Alex is too chicken to ride them because he got sick on them when he was 4! Ian loved the spinning. He kept saying "Faster! Faster!" Ian also rode a pony for the first time. He was so excited but not impressed when it snorted and shook him a little. He didn't want to get off, he just hung on really tight!

And, what would a trip to the fair be without some greasy fair food! We had a huge soft pretzel, sweet tea, fresh lemonade and an elephant ear. The elephant ear was just like I remember as a kid!

For those of you that haven't been to a fair in the Midwest area of the US: An elephant ear is a piece of sweet dough (like a doughnut) they stretch out very thin then deep fry til crispy. Then they dip it in cinnamon sugar! Yummy!! They are seriously bad for you, but so good!!



Ian enjoying his elephant ear and a glass of sweet tea.
Sorry the picture is so small, I took it with my cell phone.

First pony ride!

Vacation Bible School

Ian just finished is first ever Vacation Bible School! He had so much fun. He came home each night singing the songs and doing the dances they were learning. He would tell me about doing crafts, eating snacks and, of course, flirting with the girls. The last night of the school, the kids performed a few of the songs and dances they learned during the week. It was entirely too cute!

Funny Ian Story: He kisses me then tells Mark "I'm kissing your girlfriend!" Get the visual: Imagine that phrase delivered in that little kid voice with an underlying giggle. It's too funny! So, during VBS Ian decided that he really liked our friends, Doyle and Laura. (I went to high school with Doyle and Mark went to high school with Laura. Doyle is also friends with Tony, my sister-in-law Chrissy's cousin. Doyle and Laura are very active members of our church too. Small world.) Anyway, on Wednesday evening when I picked Ian up from class, he kissed Laura on the cheek and told Doyle "I'm kissing your girlfriend!" He then giggled and ran for cover with Doyle chased him.

Born To It?

Do you ever wonder if you have been born to do something in particular on this earth? I think some people are born with a natural ability to do certain things. Some things just come naturally to a person. Easiest examples: People who play professional sports. Yes, I know they learn their skills and work at them every day. But, to be that good, you have to have been born with natural abilities that were recognized early in your life. I guess you could say ALL people are born with natural abilities. Unfortunately, sometimes those natural abilities are never discovered. But, for all the people that do figure it out, they can seem like they are really gifted. Thereby, making the rest of us jealous!

Having said all that, I wonder if his Daddy will be happy that he 'seems' to have a natural understanding?

Ian in the cockpit coming back from BWI, July 2009.

(3 years old)

Ian in the 747-200 Simulator in Miami, January 2007.
(7 months old)

First Ear Infection and Antibiotics

Well, we are living through our first ear infection. It's good stuff! Yesterday mid-morning, I notice that Ian's right eye looked a little red. Within 2 hours, it was clear he had full-blown pink eye! That stuff moved so fast, it was incredible. Not only that, I have never seen so much discharge from a pink eye infection! So, I took him to Urgent Care to get some meds. The very wonderful doctor (He has a 3 year old too.) checked him out and said he had an ear infection. The kid has never once complained about his ear hurting! I just thought he had a bad head cold because of the amount of snot flowing from his nose.

So, for the first time ever we are living through an ear infection and taking our first ever antibiotic. The dr. was amazed that the kid had never been on an antibiotic before. He has just been a remarkable healthy child. We have had our share of the sniffles and stuff, but never needed anything more than rest and Tyle*nol.

On top of all that, I helped with a friend's wedding this past weekend and wore myself out. I am having severe muscle spasms in my lower back. I can barely stand up straight. Add a lack of sleep because Ian is sick and an allergy attack and you get the disaster that is me! Thank goodness for my folks. They took Ian from the wedding Saturday when his temp flew up. They helped me get him in and out of Urgent Care on Sunday. And, they stuck around to watch him last night so I could get a nap. I also need to send out a big "Thank You" to my friend, Mel, for bringing us dinner last night. Not only did she bring us dinner which was also lunch today, she brought Ian some juice and hung around in the germ zone exposing herself to some serious nastiness.

Today, we are better. Ian's eye looks much better. The discharge has stopped, the snot flow has slowed down, but man is he cranky!!! And, putting eye drops in a 3 year old is no fun! I feel a little better since I have been able to rest in between his waking up during the night. We will make it, it's just not pretty yet.

The Beginning And The End

Before you scroll down to see the next two pictures, I have to tell you a little story.

We got in late to the hotel and even though I called ahead for late check in, they had no room for us! The put us in the suite on the top floor. We got the living room/kitchen area while two other people got the bedrooms located through connecting doors. Needless to say I was so not thrilled with sleeping on a pull-out sofa when I had reserved a King room! The following morning, I complained and got us moved to a King Suite with a balcony. I also got 4 free breakfast buffet tickets and 12,000 points towards a free night stay. After that things started looking up.

Having said all that, Ian was really not affected or concerned in the slightest. He happily slept on the pull-out bed and said:

"Let's get this party started!!!!"



As for the end...(hahaha) when we checked in at the airport for our return flight, we discovered that a friend working for the airline had upgraded us to First Class. Sweet!!! We got to the gate and Ian announced to everyone, "I so excited!!!!" Needless to say, he had the entire area laughing and watching his every move. We then got on the plane and strapped him in while everyone talked to him on their way to their seats. The First Officer came out of the cockpit to go to the restroom before the flight and spotted him. She asked him how old he was because she had a 2.5 year old little boy with blond hair and blue eyes too. Next thing I know, he is in the cockpit talking to Capt. Tom, wearing her hat, and talking to the passengers on the PA system.

About 15 minutes before we were ready to land, he was very ready to land and be home. He announced to the entire First Class cabin: " I being patient!!!!!" He was really not being patient at all and got a good laugh from everyone again.

Reading Terminal Market

After the Italian Market, we took a cab back up to the Independence Hall Visitor's Center. From there we decided to take a double decker bus tour of the city. (Ian was good enough to take a 45 minute nap on the bus!) At the end of the tour, David 'needed' ice cream. So, we headed to the Reading Terminal Market. The Market used to be the Reading Railroad station. (Yes, the Reading railroad seen on the Monopoly board. The guy who invented Monopoly was from Philly.)



Bassett's Ice Cream is the oldest ice cream shop in the US.

Ian and I enjoying our frozen treats.
Ian had a chocolate cone (the best chocolate ice cream I have ever had!!!) and I had a frozen lemonade. I will be making the frozen lemonade at home. It was so easy and refreshing. We actually had to order second because we (Ian, Beth and myself) drank the first one so fast!

You could buy just about any kind of food in the market you can think of. In addition to food vendors, there were grocery items, flowers, wine, plants, butcher shops, candy shops, etc. You name it and they had it!

Beautiful flower and kite stall in the market.

After the market, it was time to head to the airport. Ian was so excited about getting on the airplane again, he could hardly contain himself. I really think he was vibrating with so much anticipation. Unfortunately, the airport was a 2 hour ride to the south in Baltimore. Amazingly, he took another little nap on the way!

Fun Stuff

Rocky!!!
No trip to Philly would be complete without seeing the Rocky statute.

And, of course the steps he ran up at the Philadelphia Museum of Art.

If you enlarge this picture, you will see that the sign proclaims this to be the "Please Touch Me Museum".
It is a children's museum housed in the only building still standing from the World's Fair. FYI: You can't enter the building unless you have children!

The image for the Love postage stamp was created by a Philadelphian.
In a total moment of stupidity, he didn't license or patent it so he receives no royalties from the use of the image.
There are statues and artwork throughout the entire city. Just about every park has some sort of statue or monument to something. There is even a Potato Famine statue!

Amazing Architecture

City Hall

Public Fountain where the gallows used to stand.
You can legally swim in this fountain!

The only building built in Philadelphia during the Civil War.
It was built by a group of men who supported and funded a great portion of the war.

Pennsylvania Hospital founded by Ben Franklin.
The first hospital in the US. The dome area on top is where they did surgeries using the natural light from the skylights.

More Philly

Betsy Ross House

Grave of Ben Franklin at Christ Church Cemetary.

Gate into Chinatown.
The gate has no fasteners. It is put together with wood joints only, no glue, no nails or screws.

Masonic Temple in Downtown Philly

The Italian Market

The start of the Italian Market in Philly.
Gotta say, that the "Italian" market seems to be getting taken over by the hispanic popluation! We saw more hispanic speaking people than we did Italians.


Provolone!!!!!
You just have to love a cheese that is bigger than you!

An entire shop dedicated to CHOCOLATE!
How can you go wrong with that?

Another great mural in the Italian Market.

Cheese Steaks!!!

We did an unofficial taste test of the cheese steaks.
Ian decided he didn't care as long as he could chase the birds and drink from my cup.
I am not a fan of Che*ez W*hiz, but I did try both Pat's and Geno's version. My humble opinion: Pat's was the best. My sandwich was a "one provolone wit" which means I had one sandwich with provolone cheese and fried onions.

Pat's is on the opposite corner from Geno's

Ian drinking his first Pepsi.
I had no choice, they didn't have anything else at Geno's.
Mark and I have purposely not given him any pop/soda because we really just don't want him to get a taste for it.
Thankfully, although he liked it, he really has not asked for any more!

Throughout the city there are great murals. Several years ago the city of Philadelphia set up a task force to stop the graffiti. Basically, if you get caught, you are ordered to help an artist paint a mural. So, there are several really interesting murals everywhere in the city.
This one was on the building across the street from Pat's and Geno's.

Philadelphia, PA

Independence Hall

The National Constitution Center

Us in front of Independence Hall with the Statue of George Washington.

First Quaker Meeting House.

Eastern State Penitentiary

One of the towers at the Eastern State Pen.

Over 300 other prisons around the world are based off of the design of Eastern State. Eastern State was closed in 1971 and is now a top tourist destination because it is said to be one of the most haunted places on earth. Ian and I did not go on this tour for a few reasons. One, I didn't think he would be happy looking at ruins. Two, he was too young. And three, he was still sleeping when we got there and woke up shortly after everyone else headed inside. Beth took some amazing pictures though if you ever want to see more than these few. She said it really did give you the creeps to be in there. And, she even had purple streaks on her camera when taking some pictures. But the purple is not there in the photos now!

Looking down one of the cell blocks.

Typical room in the Pen.

Al Capone's room!
I guess being a famous gangster allows you to have some of the nicer things in your cell.

Interesting fact: Eastern State had running water before the White House. The cells had their own toilet, but you were only allowed to flush one time per day! Guess you really need to plan your stinky habits around that schedule.