Road Trip Family

A Wild Ride!

Last summer, while on vacation, I witnessed my two older girls going off to ride a roller coaster together. Alone.

Without me or My Chandler.

For me, it was kind of bittersweet to watch them enjoy something that I love.

For My Chandler, it was a relief that he didn’t have to ride the coaster! He and wild rides don’t always mix! 

Two days later, I watched my youngest, Pumpkin, take her first spin on a kiddie roller coaster with Peanut.

Followed by a very quick stop by the ride attendant to let her off.

Followed by tears from Pumpkin because the ride was too scary and bumpy.

For her, carousels and ferris wheels are more her speed.

I was a bit surprised that one of my children would not like a roller coaster.

And then I remembered my first time on a roller coaster.

It was a kiddie coaster, much like the one that Pumpkin had just attempted on her own.

I was so excited to go on this ride at the small amusement park in York, Maine. I was about the same age as Pumpkin is now and my aunt and her roommate were taking me and my sister on some of the rides in this park. The kiddie coaster looked amazing to my small eyes and I couldn’t wait to try it out.

When it was time to board, I sat down in the car with my aunt while her roommate sat with my sister behind us. The excitement started to build. And then, the coaster took off around the (mini) track.

We weren’t even fully around the track when I started to cry. I wanted off this ride!

I remember feeling a mixture of embarrassment and relief as the coaster came to a stop to let me and my aunt off before it resumed for the others in the cars.

Relief that I didn’t have to be on that scary, bumpy ride anymore.

Embarrassment that my younger sister was completely fine with the coaster and stayed on for the rest of the ride, waving to me with a huge grin every time they went around the track.

But, as I grew, I gained a better appreciation for coasters and will gladly escort one of my kids on the latest and greatest coasters.

So, I guess there’s hope, yet, for Pumpkin!

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Cool Treats on a Hot Day

Awww – summertime! The hot summer days, the colors of the trees and flowers, the family road trips. I’ve been thinking a lot these past few weeks about my childhood summertime memories. The long days spent playing with friends down the street, riding our bikes (pretending they were horses or motorcycles), swimming in pools and lakes, going to camp, spending time with family on vacations.

It’s funny how many of those memories also involve one of my favorite summertime activities– partaking in cool summertime treats! Don’t get me wrong – I love a great ice cream cone any time of year, but there’s something about having an ice cream cone on a hot summer day as you race the heat to finish it before the melted ice cream dribbles all over everything.

Some of my favorite summertime memories involve ice cream! The trips where we all piled into the back of my uncle’s pick up truck to go to the local ice cream stop (remember those days when seat belts weren’t necessary?).

Or seeing the Schwan’s truck coming down the street and wondering what goodies were going to be dropped off at our house. (Are those yellow trucks still around?)

Or then there were the trips to the store with 51 different flavors of ice cream and having to choose between all of those yummy treats! And if you couldn’t decide between two, the employee would let you have a sample spoonful of each.

And even as I got older, ice cream was still a part of my summer plans. There were the walks in high school from the local library to the best soft serve ice cream in town where the small sizes were at least 6 inches tall . There were the summer treks to the local ice cream store while working at a summer camp and feeling the thrill of being back in civilization for a little bit.

Maybe that’s why I even get a little excited inside when I hear the tinkling music from the ice cream truck as it gets near our street.

So, in honor of this cool treat, here are 5 of my favorite places (in no particular order) to get a yummy ice cream cone:

1. Cows – Prince Edward Island: This is a new addition to my favorites. We discovered this ice cream  while on a recent trip to Prince Edward Island. What a delectable treat this was! I loved the fact that the size of the ice cream cone was not based on the number of scoops, but rather by weight. It’s true! They actually weigh the ice cream cones! Speaking of the cones, every cone is a heavenly waffle style cone and so delicious. And then there’s the yummy flavors with fun names. My personal favorite – Cowrispy Crunch. Even the merchandise is great. We had a blast checking out all the t-shirts with the play on words. “Angry Herds,” “MooTube,” “Super Moorio Brothers” were just a few of the shirts. There were even some for the kids like  “Elmoo,” “Justin Beefer” and “Hannah Moontana.” 
2. Ben & Jerry’s Factory Store – Waterbury, Vermont: I can’t live in Vermont and not put this on my list. Ben & Jerry’s ice cream is always yummy, but there’s something about watching it being made and walking through the “cemetery” of retired flavors and getting a free sample and getting your picture taken inside a huge pint canister. And Phish food is heavenly!
3. Martha’s Dandee Cream – Queensbury, NY: Three words – Raspberry Crème Twist! I’ve been known to stop on occasion with a cooler and buy a pint of it on my way through Queensbury. But, we’ll talk more about Martha’s tomorrow.
4. Plaza Ice Cream Parlor – Walt Disney World, FL: You feel as if you have stepped back in time when you enter this little ice cream store on Main Street in Walt Disney World. Choose a scoop or two in a cone or choose a sundae from this old-fashioned ice cream parlor and then sit outside and enjoy the scenery. I do recommend checking this spot out mid-day as it can be pretty busy before, during and after the parades and fireworks.
5. Brown’s Ice Cream – York, ME: This is a must have any time we are in the area and make the trek to see Nubble Lighthouse. Located downhill from a big rock, this store has tons of flavors to choose from and the portion sizes are huge!

Of course, there are many other ice cream stores that I have stopped at and had a delicious cone. And I'm always open to trying new places (a friend just mentioned a place a short drive away that I'm anxious to try out).  But, these spots are my current favorites, partly for the good ice cream and partly for the good memories that they provide. Do you have any spots like that where you just can’t pass up a good ice cream cone?

Head to the Beach!

My boss is on vacation in Hawaii this week, so I’ve been thinking a lot about palm trees and sandy beaches and bright blue oceans.

I love going to the ocean. It’s one of my favorite places in the world. The salty air that tickles your nose, the warmth of the sun on your face. The soothing sounds of the waves breaking, the feel of the sand between your toes as your feet sink down into it. The taste of the little grains of sand in your mouth….okay, maybe not that last bit, but the rest of it sounds good!

One of my wishes is to visit the west coast and see the Pacific Ocean. I haven’t had that opportunity, yet, but I’m sure I’ll get there one of these days.

But, I do have some special places along the East Coast where I love to visit and splash in the waves of the Atlantic Ocean.

I do love finding new beaches, exploring tiny little nooks or walking along big expanses of beachside. Finding that special quiet place or immersing myself in the biggest tourist traps. I’ve done a lot of exploring, but there are still so many beaches I haven’t checked out, yet!

But, there are some beaches that are ones I love visiting over and over again. They are ones that hold a special place in my heart. Places that I could keep visiting over and over.

So, I’ve compiled my top 5 beaches that I love to visit. See if any of your favorites are on here!

5. Ogunquit Beach, ME – While this can be kind of touristy in the middle of the summer, what I love about this beach is that there’s a bay area which is perfect for swimming with little kids, but walk a few yards and you have the waves of the ocean. And when the tide is out, there are so many great tidal pools with warm water for toddlers or for dipping toes in. I also love the trolleys so you can park at a distance and take a trolley ride to the beach.

4. Long Sands Beach, York, ME – Short Sands Beach is the more touristy area in York. It’s closer to the shops, there’s a parking lot within easy walking distance of the beach, there’s a playground for kiddies. But, I love Long Sands because it’s just that – longer. So, there’s more space to spread out. You don’t feel like you are setting up your beach blanket on top of another family. And there are some neat rocks where you can go hunting for crabs and other wildlife. Parking is a little trickier for Long Sands, but to me the overall experience is always more relaxing.

3. Assateague Island, MD – Where else can you swim with horses? Just the idea of sitting out on the beach, listening to the waves crash on the shore and watching wild horses walk by you in the sand is just so fantastically heavenly sounding. You have to walk over a dune to get to the beach from the parking lot, so when you are on the beach all you can see for miles is sandy beach and horses. What a way to get back to nature!

2. Bethany Beach, DE – Don’t get me wrong. I love Rehobeth Beach in Delaware. The boardwalk, Grotto’s pizza, the amusement park and mini-golf on the roof But, there’s something about Bethany Beach. It’s not as populated for one thing. Sure, over the years the area has grown up some and it’s becoming a bit more popular. But, it doesn’t have as much of that hustle and bustle that you feel at Rehobeth Beach. There’s more of a family feel to the beach goers. The beach seems a bit bigger – even at high tide. I never feel overly crowded on this beach. There’s a little bandstand on the boardwalk and a neat totem pole at main entrance to the beach.

1. Outer Banks, NC – anywhere! There are some nice public beaches, but we were fortunate enough when we were there a couple of years ago to have a private area of beach. The sand is so soft, the water is warm, the air is just the right amount of salt. You feel like this little bit of paradise was created just for you. It’s really neat to be able to head down the beach early in the morning for a walk or later in the evening to fly a kite or have a beach campfire. To me, it’s perfection!

What are your favorite beaches?

Where Everybody Knows Your Name

On our 5^th wedding anniversary, My Chandler and I decided to take a short 2-night, 3-day trip to Maine. It was a chance to celebrate this milestone. It was also our first trip without our Sweet Pea.

While we were there, we wanted to find a nice seafood restaurant to try out. We asked the owner of the hotel for any suggested restaurants. His question to us was, “I can give you some nice suggestions. I can also give you where the locals hang out.”

We immediately jumped on that suggestion. If there’s a place where locals are willing to eat, then it has to be good food, good prices and good atmosphere.

He steered us in the direction of Mike’s Clam Shack. http://mikesclamshack.com/menu_home.cfm.

Located on the main road (US1) in Wells, Maine, this restaurant features a wide selection of seafood, from baked to fried, from shrimp to lobsters. There are steak and chicken and pasta options for those wanting something different than seafood. There are lunch items, dinner items, children’s items. It’s so much to choose from, you just might need to visit this place more than once.

The food is mouth-watering and plentiful. And the restaurant has a relaxed atmosphere that makes you feel like you are sitting in a small town’s only pub. Where everyone knows your name.

Every time we are in the area, we try hard to have at least one meal at Mike’s Clam Shack. Maybe one of these days, the people there will know my name!

Memories of a Dog

Fall days have arrived and with it the cold nights. Nights where you put on your favorite pair of fuzzy socks, your warm pajamas and snuggle up under many blankets.

It’s nights like this that remind me of a particular camping trip that I went on with my family. It was the summer after I graduated high school and we were taking one last vacation before I headed off to college. We had decided to visit Acadia National park and spend the week camping with family friends.

This camping trip was a little different for us, because we had a new member of the family joining us for the vacation. His name was Cory and he was an adorable and very young beagle puppy. He had just become a part of our family and it didn’t seem right to leave him behind so soon after getting him. So, we packed up his dog bowl and his leash and brought him along.

Cory became one of the main attractions for us. Whenever we were in town, tourists would stop us to see the adorable pup. Whenever we went for walks, Cory would lead the pack for a few minutes and then need to be carried the rest of the way. Whenever we played near the water, Cory was right there to check it out and play with us. And whenever we ate…well, Cory was a growing puppy who loved to eat, too!

There was one particular morning that Cory gave us all a scare and we thought we’d lost him to the wild before we’d really had him.

Camping in Maine, even in August, can get kind of chilly at night. We all had our sleeping bags to snuggle into to stay warm and we had made a little bed of blankets for Cory between my mom and brother. When morning came, we all woke up to discover that the bed of blankets was empty. And even though Cory was a curious puppy, the tent was zipped up tight, so it didn’t seem likely that he had escaped the tent.

But, he was nowhere to be found inside the tent and when he was called there was no answer or movement.

A few frantic moments later, though, and one more “Cory!”, and Mom’s sleeping bag began to move down near her feet. Slowly that little lump started moving its way up the bag until a sleepy little puppy dog nose poked its way out of the top of the bag.

Cory had managed to wiggle his way down to the bottom of the bag in the middle of the night and found a toasty warm spot to curl up in. Smart dog! He gave us quite a scare that morning, but now years later, we chuckle as we remember that moment.

As I burrow down under my blankets, I think about our Cory and how he burrowed his way into the warmest spot of the sleeping bag. And how he burrowed his way into our hearts for the next 12 years.

Chocolatey Goodness

As I was growing up, my family would spend many summer vacations on the coast of Maine. My aunt and uncle would open their home in Wells, Maine to us and we’d spend our vacation swimming in the ocean, watching taffy be made, frolicking at the local amusement park, eating seafood and enjoying the touristy things that tourists do.

 
One of the favorite treks we would make would be down to York to visit Nubble Lighthouse. This working white lighthouse with red and black trim is situated on a small island just off the coast of Maine, close enough that it’s almost possible to walk to the island in low tide. When I was younger, there were lighthouse keepers living over on the island. In fact, I remember watching two children about my age running around in the yard and feeling envious that they got to play over there!

There was always another stop to make when we’d go view the Lighthouse. Just around the corner from the Lighthouse is another longtime fixture – Brown’s Old Fashioned Ice Cream. Situated at the bottom of a big rock, the building is a little shack where you order at a window. We’d get our “small” ice cream cones, Maple Walnut for Dad, Black Raspberry for Mom and usually some type of chocolatey frozen concoction for us kids and sit on the big rock enjoying the cold, delicious ice cream cones. If it was evening, we’d get our cones, climb into the back of my uncle’s truck and enjoy our frozen concoction as we cruised back home.

I recently found myself back in that neck of the woods with My Chandler and our girls and found myself envisioning that scrumptious dessert. I pleaded with begged asked My Chandler to drive by and see if it was open.

 
The building is still there. The rock is still there. The large “small” cones are still there. The many different flavors are still available. And I got my chocolatey frozen concoction!

 
It was just as yummy as I remember!