We're Back!

Thomas was so funny. He stepped in the puddles like a true gentleman: hands folded behind his back.

If Crocs had a commercial, this could be it.

Yes, that IS an ice cream sandwich with whipped cream and sprinkles. That was Joseph's third round of sprinkles.
When I was a child, we had to share ice cream sandwiches. All of us had to split one. Take a bite, pass it down. When I told this to my children, they didn't even look up from their masterpieces. No pity. I guess I have to dig deeper. (Side note: When I told Sarah the "walking uphill to school both ways" story, she just laughed and said,"Mom, you were homeschooled." You've got to wake up pretty early in the morning to trick that one.)


The child who never eats anything, getting a whole mouthful of something. Maybe they sell broccoli in a can?

I will spare you the details of our sicknesses. We are back into "spring mode" now! Puddle jumping and ice cream parties. To quote Grandad and Nonna:"We have to have dessert!"

Harvesting the Fruits

When people ask what my husband does for a living, I try to give them a very short answer...because even I don't understand completely. "He designs parts for the electric car and fuel cell car from GM."

Matt first started at GM about 4 1/2 years ago. When he was hired for his position, we cried tears of joy. I had been on bedrest during my pregnancy with Sarah and hadn't gone back to work. Matt was schooling full-time and working two part-time jobs. The offer from GM came as a complete surprise. When Matt applied, he felt like the position was way out of his league. This was his dream job: To work for an American car company and make a difference. He sent in his application to get his post-partum wife to stop nagging him. And after he accepted the offer, I DID stop nagging him...about that.

Dream Job. Hard Work. Everything is always so secretive, so Matt is able to share very little with us. Until now.

Here is the Chevrolet Volt, complete with Matt's designs.

Matt brought one home last night, to introduce us to "what Daddy does at work."

The drivers of the future in the car of the future.

So proud.

I had trouble believing that this car could actually exist...until I drove it last night.

Zero-Emission. Battery powered. Amazing.

A dream that became a reality.

Plugging it in for the night.

Thank you, Matt, for all you do! We are so proud of you!

Great Grandma Tona

This Mother's Day weekend was so special. Matt's parents drove down to PA and brought Great Grandma Tona back to Rochester for a few days. It was Nathan's first time meeting her, and he LOVED her! Sarah, Joseph and Thomas were all so excited to have her here. I will never forget this moment...when my children all sat still for a picture with their great grandmother. We love you, Grandma Princess!

Sunshine!

The Rest

Here is the Santa Fe caboose that we stayed in for the remainder of our vacation. The children were thrilled to sleep in bunk beds and had the most wonderful time exploring our home base.
A trip to Intercourse would not be complete without a stop at Kitchen Kettle Village. Matt and I went here after we were first married, and we were able to go in every store in the village. Not so with the 4 children in tow. Candle shops and such are distant memories...

We had beautiful weather, though, and enjoyed our time "window shopping". Next time I will bring Windex and paper towels to wipe my childrens' impressions off all the windows.

The Strasburg Railroad

I know I already posted pictures of Joseph on the train ride, but the rest of the family went too!

We rode in Gobbler's Knob, a passenger car, during the 45 minute trip. I laughed the entire time. The diversity within the family was so comical. Sarah was pleasant but bored and started planning the rest of the day's activities. Joseph was in heaven and barely spoke. Tom was beyond stressed that the train wouldn't stop when he wanted it to and so he screamed the whole time. Nathan fell asleep.

Number 89 (or as Tommy-Boo says: "The Eighty-Ninety!") was our personal steam engine.

After the ride, we sat around at the station and watched the next train depart. The children loved every minute of it. While we were there, a tractor trailer was in the parking lot picking up the real Thomas the Tank Engine. We were able to see Thomas begin his long journey to Medina, New York! So exciting!

Joseph's First Train Ride

No Words. Just study that face.

*Sigh*
I have NEVER seen my son look this peaceful. EVER.

Thank you, God, for trains.

Railroad Museum of Pennsylvania

Our second day of vacation began with a trip to the Railroad Museum of Pennsylvania at Strasburg.

It made me chuckle all day thinking of the 5 children I had to chase from each exhibit. It was really hard to tell who appreciated the old locomotives the most. (No it wasn't.)

Who is the happiest about being in the Conrail?

Joseph and the GG1. The train he has been waiting to see his WHOLE LIFE! Tommy just jumped up and down in one place and shouted "GG1!GG1!GG1!" He knew what it was the moment he saw it. No one had to tell him. Matt was so proud. I was slightly disturbed. It is a disease, I am told.

One of the many train tables in the kids' room at the museum. The children would have stayed in here all day.

They even had a corner with toys, puzzles and books for Nate!

Out in the train yard!



Nathan was perfect the entire trip.
Truly perfect.



Switch tracks

Paradise

This vacation was long overdue. On Easter morning, right after Church, we jumped in the car and drove to Amish country. We needed to get away from the work computer and cell phone. We needed to have some family time. We needed to focus on what was most important.

Car trips with our babies are hysterical. They LOVE the car. They love everything. They love singing. A lot. They love fighting. A lot. They love fighting about singing in the car. A lot. I thought I would teach them some of the games I used to play as a child in the car. Mom, I had no idea these games were so obnoxious. I am just going to go out on a limb and apologize for EVERYTHING I ever did as a child in the car.

We arrived in Paradise, PA right around dinner time on Easter Sunday. We walked into the lobby of our hotel and could smell the coffee brewing and could see the pool waiting. The children ran over to the glass enclosure for the pool and smashed their faces to it, smearing the view. Jumping up and down, they immediately began asking when they could get into their bathing suits. I actually had to prevent Thomas from dropping his drawers right in the lobby! ;)

The woman at the front desk started checking us in as Matt chased the 4 children around the lobby and restaurant. She asked me if this was our first time there and I replied with an exhausted "Yes!" She looked at me with a funny smirk, glanced at the children, and handed me the room keys as she said: "Welcome to Paradise, Honey." *Sigh*

We went up to our suite with four crazy babies. I thought it would also be a VERY good idea if I taught them about the ice machine. I remember having TONS OF FUN with it when I was a child. I think my parents used to send us to the ice machine to get us out of the room for 30 seconds. Bad idea. Really bad idea. Terrible, horrible, no-good, very bad idea. Now, every time we walked in or out of the room for the remainder of our stay, each child went into a full-blown sprint to see who could get to the ice machine first...to push the button. Same with the elevator.

Our suite was exquisite. I loved everything about it. The children and I unpacked as Matt brought everything up from the car. The baggage cart quickly turned into a train that made break-neck speed runs into the door of our room. That train had to go far away...but not before I got pictures of my children hitching rides on the train of death.

Nathan was so happy to have a place to crawl around. I just let him go. He was like the energizer bunny.

Sarah was glad to have her space. No boys within two feet of her, and the promise of a dip in the pool before bed. That was one happy princess.




My Ice Machine Man. I told him he couldn't go back to get more because the bucket was full. So he started eating it.



We went swimming. No pictures because we both had one baby in each arm. Trust me when I say it was insane and hysterical. Sarah was so brave. Joseph was perfect. Thomas was dangerous. Nathan was giddy.

Evening came and morning followed. The first day.