Fall Family Vacation

What a fun weekend we had in Lancaster, Pennsylvania. This was our family vacation for the year and I have so many memories stored away in my heart. We had the perfect place to stay and chose activities that Aliza and Josiah really seemed to enjoy. As Jeremy and I said, "If the children are having fun then we are having fun too!"

Friday: We were not able to go to the pumpkin patch last weekend since it was pouring rain so we stopped by Oakley's Market on our way out of town. Aliza wasn't sure about going down the pipe slide by herself.

It was a long and bumpy slide!

The corn pit was a hit.

Josiah could hardly tear his eyes away from the tractor. It was inevitable. We had to go on the hayride.
We then drove to Landis Farms where we stayed in the guesthouse. It is the small house on the left of the picture below. We had stayed with some friends here when Aliza was a baby and knew we wanted to come back some day. The house has two bedrooms, living area and kitchen. Mrs. Landis puts fresh eggs, bacon and orange juice in the refrigerator. I also figured out that I was in YES training with the Landis' son. Very random connection...
Saturday: It was a very rainy day, but Mr. Landis got out his train. He pulls three "cars" behind his lawn mower.
Then we went to the Hands On House, a children's museum. Aliza, especially, had a ball. She spent most of her time at the grocery story. First she chose a list and gathered the items.

Then she had to make a sandwich.

Finally she paid for her groceries (well, she became the cashier and I paid her) and she put the groceries in the bag and then put them back on the shelf. We probably did that routine 10 times.

Josiah found the tractors.

Sunday: It was a beautiful day and we played outside all morning. The farm used to be a dairy farm. They no longer milk cows and instead have converted the milking barn to a place to ride bikes and tricycles. It is perfect--rain or shine.

Aliza loved this swing.

Josiah was in his element getting to sit on a John Deere tractor.

As I was putting lunch on the table Josiah came to me crying. I looked down and his hand was covered in blood. I have no idea how he cut himself, but he had a decent slice on the tip of his pinky finger and it was bleeding profusely. After going through 3 paper towels trying to stop the bleeding I started getting pretty nervous. Thankfully the Landis' arrived home from church and were able to assist us with some band-aids and a calm assessment of the situation. (They have 4 children and 18 grandchildren.) We've had a hard time keeping a band-aid on it, but it is ok now. It was very borderline of whether it should/could have gotten stitches.

Saturday and Sunday evening we spent with my Great Aunt and Uncle. Sunday we were able to walk to a park and play. After playing at the park we ate supper at a little restaurant where you actually have to order and wait for your food. I cannot remember when the last was that we took the children to a sit down restaurant. We all survived quite nicely!



And I have to mention that the farm did not have wireless internet access. This was a most lovely feature. Did I mention that we had a great time?