Month: October 2024

Summer Vacation 2024 was filled with lots of warm and wonderful memories.  It was another bittersweet trip home – so wonderful to see everyone, but my mom was not there.

We started with the miserably long trip:  7-hour flight to Tokyo and then a 13 hour flight to the U.S.

We transited through Tokyo/Haneda again and we went straight for the Ramen place.  We shopped at the Japanese souvenir shop for some Japanese-style cookies, and then hit up the 7-11 for strawberry Pocky before settling in at our gate.  This is becoming our routine.

The trip was uneventful and this time, we stopped in Washington, D.C. for a week-long rest before continuing on to South Carolina.  We picked up our rental car and headed to our hotel.

Although I was completely shattered and wanted to sleep, Jackson was desperate to start Summer Vacation 2024 with a visit to the National Air and Space Museum at the nearby Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center.  This turned out to be a great choice!  It helped with the jet lag and the museum was very nice!  Jackson and I squeezed into the flight simulator, and he did a great job of not flipping me upside down!  We walked around and saw the space shuttle and so many other cool displays.  We hit the gift shop on the way out and took an Uber back to the hotel.

We drove from Washington, DC to Pennsylvania and stayed at the 7 Springs mountain resort for a week.  This was our hotel of choice when they offered deep discounts for summer stays, as it is near-ish to family and friends, with plenty to do.  The discounts aren’t as great these days, the hotel needs refurbishment, and we’re noticing that some of our desired amenities are disappearing (the laundromat is gone, daily room cleaning is gone.  Our room was only serviced once, after 5 days – and this is post-Covid).  This has become a tradition for us, so we still go.  We did get the breakfast buffet included this time, and it was plentiful.  However, one day we were given menus to select from; the blueberry pancakes were amazing, and were a nice treat from the morning buffet.  We found the summertime activities to be quite expensive, although a lot is included.  $66/day: mini golf, Alpine Slide, bowling, etc.  My older brother and his family came out to hang out with us.  (I can’t believe how fast my niece is growing up!!)  We splurged on mini-golf for everyone and then we enjoyed the pool and hot tub.  We ordered pizza – and it was really good.  Then stopped at the ice cream shop for sweet treats and coffee.  It was so nice to get to spend time with everyone.

In looking for an activity that Jackson could do while I visited with a friend, I discovered a flight training school with a simulator.  I booked him a lesson.  Then I looked at the map and realized that the school was too far out.  We ended up stopping in at Oakmont Bakery for breakfast and a good catchup with my friend, whom I’ve known since we were five years old!!  We ordered fancy coffees, and I got a delicious breakfast sandwich that I was dreaming about days later.  Then Jackson and I continued north to the flight school – High Flight.  He had an amazing lesson – the best day of his life, as he tells it. 

During this trip, we were so close to the Flight 93 Memorial, we made time to visit.  I’m glad we did.  We’ve been once before, but Jackson was a baby.  This time, Jackson got the Junior Ranger book, and we focused on the items in the book, keeping the visit age appropriate.  He picked up the I Survived book in the gift shop on the way out and read it on the road.

We saw signs for a covered bridge, so naturally, we followed them!  We stopped at Glessner Covered Bridge for a few quick photos.  I was more impressed than my travel companion – who was engrossed in his new book.

He did enjoy lunch at Eat n’ Park, and a visit to the movie theater after our heavy morning.

I had a nice catch-up dinner with my friend Missy.  (Another friend from my childhood days.)  The jetlag caught up with Jackson, and he slept all through dinner.

Meeting up with my younger brother and his family, we had an amazing day at Kennywood Park.  So much good family time.  Taking turns riding with each other, sharing a meal together.  All the things we miss out on while living overseas.

I love going to my favorite Italian shops when I go home.  DeLallo is ‘my’ Italian grocery store.  I love to pick up some olives from the ‘olive bar’, and I always grab a pepperoni roll and some pizzelles.  Moios Italian Patry Shop is another favorite.  I consider the chocolate torte cake my birthday cake – a moist chocolate sponge with chocolate pudding in the middle and topped with fudgy chocolate frosting.  So, I must have a slice along with cannoli.  Jackson was excited about the Italian ice when he saw the sign advertising it.  When he ordered, he was not so excited to hear that they only had the lemon flavor, but once he tasted it, he was all in!

As my time in Pennsylvania was about finished, we met up at Cracker Barrel for a farewell breakfast.  The blueberry pancakes were amazing, as always – but it was really so special to spend this time with my family.  I got to visit a bit with my son, daughter-in-law, and grandson…who has grown so much since I last saw him!!  It was hard to say goodbye, but it was time for me and Jackson to head south to see ‘our dads’.

We drove back to Dulles airport, returned the rental car and flew to South Carolina. 

In South Carolina, we grabbed our bags and another rental car, and off we went to see Grandpa. 

The next day, I drove Jackson to Greenville, SC, for his two-week visit with his dad.  This is tougher on me than it is on Jackson.

I spent the next week hanging out with my dad.  Running errands, cooking, cleaning, squeezing in a Hallmark movie here and there.  I did my best to fill up on Starbucks and Chick Fil A, and I enjoyed the flora and fauna on the Lane.

Life has a strange serendipity and I ended up in Chincoteague National Wildlife Refuge and Assateague Island National Seashore during the pony penning festivities. 

From there, I continued back south and visited Aunt Darlene for lots of hugs, planning for our trip next summer, and remembering my mom and Uncle Wilson.  These visits are never long enough.

As I traveled further south, I popped into Buc-ee’s for some gas, fudge for my dad, and a quick shop around.  This felt like Disneyworld for grownups.  I immediately felt the excitement when I walked through the doors!

Back in South Carolina, I went for a morning visit of Congaree National Park.  After battling all the golden webbed spiders, I was treated to a sighting of a Barred owl.  I’ll be honest, the spiders had me freaked out.  They were EVERYWHERE.  I ended up turning back on the path and I found another visitor with a tri-pod set up – viewing/filming something in the trees.  He pointed to the owl!  I would have never found it on my own…I was too focused on the spider webs.

When Jackson returned, we went to Edventure children’s museum.  One of his favorite places to visit.  He loves the airplane built into the wall, and Eddie!

For our very last adventure, Jackson and I flew to Washington state to visit Josh and see Olympic National Park.  We had a wonderful visit!  Lots of catching up and exploring the beauty of the national park.  This visit was much too short! 

That’s a wrap on Summer Vacation 2024. We had to head back to SC for our flight home early the following morning.