We were invited to a Barmiztvah in Connecticut for Josh's cousins son's (did you get all that?) Hence the pictures above AKA Barmiztvah! We thought it would be a good time to connect with the family and have a little vacation as well as introduce them to our newest addition, Benjamin. It was more in-expensive for us to fly into Ohio where more of Josh's family lives, and visit with them first where we would then rent a car and drive to Connecticut. Now a little side note that maybe you did not know about me is that I love Books about the Amish by Wanda Brunstetter and Beverley Lewis as well as a few others. They are these sweet and innocent love stories with bits of actual information as to how the Amish really live. So with this in mind I noticed that "Hey! Pennsylvania is on the way to Connecticut! How convenient!" So I asked my hubby if we could plan a little "just the four of us" time in PA and check out the Lancaster area with all its Amish-ness. He agreed that it would be fun so he left that part of the travel planning up to me. I was so excited and set right to surfing the Internet for a family friendly B & B. Apparently there are not too many but there was a few. I wanted it to be something that Korban would enjoy and that would really embrace the whole country farm feel I was looking for. So I found this cool place http://www.rockyacre.com/. It is owned by the sweetest little Mennonite couple and they are going on 45 years of the B & B business. After 6 or so hours of driving with frequent stops to nurse, change, and well ya know...you drink a lot of water you just have to go...we finally arrived at our little B & B very late at night. Eileen, our greeter and Hostess was still up preparing for the farm size breakfast we would eat the next day. Since we were the only family staying in the main house, she upgraded us at no extra charge to a bigger room with a fireplace and bunk bed for Korban. After some yummy pizza and a good nights sleep we woke up to the smell of Breakfast cookiing and the mooing of the cows in the barn after their milking.
This is a picture from their website taken more in the spring..dummy me did not get a picture of the whole house.
This is is also from their site. Yes this is the dining table but it was not full when we were there, There was one other family of five and there would be 3 other families arriving the day we were leaving. This is why I like a bed and breakfast....the menu... Sausage (real Sausage fresh and local), fresh eggs, pancakes, homemade hash browns, Apple strudel, fresh fruit, coffee, hot chocolate, orange juice. There was PLENTY to go around! The second morning we were there, we ate in the kitchen since it was just the four of us. This is another reason I like a B & B, the people. It was so awesome to sit sown with Eileen and her daughters and learn more about them and share our common faith God. We really felt at home and welcome. It was like waking up at my grandma's house and having breakfast together with the family.
Since the pictures are a little out of order from how I wanted them, I will just explain them as they are. The top two are from our day out in Lancaster. We went to the Strastburg Railroad station and went for a train ride, and as you can tell Korban was VERY excited. The day was cold and windy and rainy so anything to get us out of it was good which is why we also found an Amish buggy ride! It was SO neat. Our driver though a little strange or as Josh liked to describe him "A very simple man but nice" took us on a country ride past several of the Amish farms. I could not imagine hanging out as much laundry as they do! But it was so cute to see all of the little dresses and pants hanging so organized and neatly on the lines. The steady clip clop of the horses hooves and peaceful ride made a stark contrast to the cars passing by in a hurry slowing down just enough not to spook our horse. Why do we live in such a fast paced world?
It was pretty cute that they had the farm all decked out for fall. Benjamin did not quite care for the pumpkin though, maybe it had to do with the fact that it was pretty darn cold outside and the pumpkin was a little wet from the morning mist. Next you see Korban feeding a baby calf. Now take in mind that we got up about 4:30 our time to do this, can we say tired? I couldn't believe the little trooper! He got up, got dressed and walked out to tend to our "farming duties." I really don't know how they do this every day, but then again feeding Benjamin at any hour of the night he feels hungry gives me somewhat of an idea.
There was so much fun stuff to do! He loved collecting the chicken eggs and would not let us help with the basket, "I do it myself, I big boy". He played in the play house, rode on the back of a tractor, rode in a "green choo choo" ( look for the little tiny head with the blue hoody). The green choo choo was his favorite and probably one of my favorite stories. I put him in the third seat back thinking "Oh Galin (Our host) is probably going to stay in the large driveway and close where we can see them...wrong. He takes the kids all the way around the dairy barn then across the road to the other side of their huge property where we couldn't even see them! It didn't cross my mind to be nervous until Josh said "Is there any seat belts in that thing? Did we just send our boy off on a ride all by himself?" So now we both were a ball of nerves until finally we see them come up and over the hill and hear his loud squeaky little voice. Relief. We could hear him hooping and hollering and squealing with delite all the way across the field. And of course a pony ride, what farm does not have a pony?
There was so much fun stuff to do! He loved collecting the chicken eggs and would not let us help with the basket, "I do it myself, I big boy". He played in the play house, rode on the back of a tractor, rode in a "green choo choo" ( look for the little tiny head with the blue hoody). The green choo choo was his favorite and probably one of my favorite stories. I put him in the third seat back thinking "Oh Galin (Our host) is probably going to stay in the large driveway and close where we can see them...wrong. He takes the kids all the way around the dairy barn then across the road to the other side of their huge property where we couldn't even see them! It didn't cross my mind to be nervous until Josh said "Is there any seat belts in that thing? Did we just send our boy off on a ride all by himself?" So now we both were a ball of nerves until finally we see them come up and over the hill and hear his loud squeaky little voice. Relief. We could hear him hooping and hollering and squealing with delite all the way across the field. And of course a pony ride, what farm does not have a pony?
Oh there was so much more but I think this blog is quite long enough. More to post later but don't get your hopes up that it will be any time too soon!
