"Story Land"

On Friday, July 12th, we went to "Story Land", a theme park in Glen, New Hampshire.

This was our third time to go, and we are in love with this park! Definitely a must for kids under 10!

It was a special trip for Annika because we also bought tickets for her to have tea with Cinderella.  We also told her she can get a pretty dress at the gift shop.  
Unfortunately, we told her about Cinderella a few days before going to the park, so, when we got to Story Land, she refused to have any fun until she had tea with Cinderella.  Ugh!

The park opened at 9:30AM, and our reservation for tea was at 11AM. (Thank goodness we reserved the earliest possible time available!)

So, the boys rode several rides for the first 1.5 hours. Here is G's absolute favorite ride.  I think he went on it at least 10 times.

Meanwhile, Annika pouted and refused to ride on anything!  So, 15 minutes before tea, we went to the tea room.  We were the first ones there. So, we waited...and waited...

Finally, they let us in.  G did amazing!  He was the ONLY boy there!

Where is Cinderella?

Cinderella finally arrived and Annika was enthralled!  We definitely made memories here.  She talks about her tea party with the princess every day!  She loved it!

MVI 2079 from Ksenia on Vimeo.

Cinderella showed everyone proper tea etiquette.

Annika was super shy when the princess came to talk to her:

After tea, Cinderella taught the girls how to curtsy and then she told G how to bow like a prince.  And, she read a book to the kids.

Then everyone received a gift from Cinderella, and we took some great pictures.

Oh, Annika was happy!  She was so happy!  She was so, so, so, so happy!

After our tea with Cinderella, we ran into our good friends, who also came to the park that day.  We rode on one ride together, then went our separate ways.  Annika decided she wanted some ice cream.

After ice cream, we went to the gift shop and Annika picked a dress and a toy, then Joseph and G went to ride some big rides and I took Annika to see Cinderella in her castle.

We rode a pumpkin to the castle and Annika wasn't so shy talking to Cinderella this time.  She showed her all of the purchases we had just made :)

Checking out Cinderella's shoe:

This is one of Annika and G's favorite rides, "Crazy Barn".

View from the Ferris Wheel ride:

Visiting the little old lady that lives in the shoe.  She gives every kid a sticker.

We visited the Three Bears' house.  The kids love the book so much, but Annika was terrified to go in! 

 "Grandma" Wolf and Little Red Riding hood.

Ice cream break:

Another ride on the ferris wheel:

When the pie was opened,

The birds began to sing;

Wasn't that a dainty dish,

To set before the king?

Peter, Peter pumpkin eater,

Had a wife but couldn't keep her;

He put her in a pumpkin shell

And there he kept her very well.

Mother Goose herself!

After we left the park, we met up with our friends and had dinner together.  Then we drove straight home.  Great day for everyone!

The spots!

UPDATE on August 9, 2013: It was Fifth Disease, not Chicken Pox!

The Chickenpox vaccine didn't work for G!  At first I thought he was having a weird reaction to something he ate, then I started to suspect chickenpox and the nurse just said it sounds like "breakthrough varicella"
He should have a pretty mild case with atypical presentation due to the fact that he was vaccinated, but ugh!
He has a slight fever and a pretty bad cough.
I am not sure what will happen with Annika.  She is only partially vaccinated.  She was scheduled to receive her 2nd shot in November.
The nurse told us to get Aveeno bath, lotions and Bendaryl to keep him from scratching.  If it doesn't work, then the doctor will prescribe us some antihistamines.

Meanwhile, I had to cancel all the play dates for the week and G is forming a One Man Band:

Maybe I'm a gypsy.

Standing at the Lincoln Memorial, overlooking the National Mall and Washington Memorial.

Washington DC.

I love traveling!  I love being on the road!
We are home now after being gone for 5 days. The kids woke up at 11am this morning, because they went to sleep very late last night.
I sit here and I am so bored!  Yes, I can get up and do something but it is not the same as the excitement of being on the road.  Driving and driving, seeing new places, discovering new restaurants and cafes, driving to Philadelphia's downtown at midnight to get authentic Philly Cheesesteak.  Or, visiting the 9/11 Pentagon Memorial in the middle of the night.  Best time to visit, too!  Not sure what word I should use to describe it....  Awe-inspiring, breathtaking, marvelous....

Oddly enough, my kids hardly complained!  They only complained when they needed to go to the bathroom.  Next time we are so bringing some "Travel Johns" with us.

I am so lucky that Joseph feels the same way about traveling.  He never complains about driving long distances and loves being on the road as much as I do.  I only hope that my kids will eventually marry someone who loves to travel, too.  And, I hope they will go places and see new things.

G and Annika had so many wonderful experience in the last couple of days!  The benefit of living in New England is being close to soooo many natural and man-made wonders.

We are so blessed to be able to afford to travel like this.  Not just money-wise, but time-wise as well.  I really truly understand just how lucky we are.

I am behind on my photo editing.  This is what happens when I take too many pictures.
I am also busy-ish.  I am in the middle of registering the kids for all kinds of activities for the Fall and getting ready for G to start K.  Orientation is in 2 weeks.