Antietam Battlefield

So the day after exploring and camping in Harpers Ferry we stopped at Antietam Battlefield.....love my iPhone map app by the way....without it I don't think we would have found Antietam let alone home!

The day was a little overcast at first but it was perfect for exploring...and there weren't many visitors as it was a weekday so great for scenery pictures....and it was a free fee day at the park so even better!  WooHoo...gotta LOVE FREE!!

We first explored the visitors center where they had a museum and a movie theater....

and a gift shop where Jake found this President Lincoln style hat an beard

I didn't have my handy dandy battlefield guide this day...(my brother) so I won't try to do any history stories but will just share with you some of the pictures I took..I applied textures to these pictures and some are a little heavy but I liked them...

Observation Tower at Bloody Lane Trail

Second snake sighting in 2 days!!

Thanks for looking!!!
I think I wore myself out because now I'm exhausted!!!
Happy Thursday and C'mon Weekend!!!

Love,
Bronwyn

Camping at the Harpers Ferry KOA

When I was younger I went camping with my parents, with the youth group and was even privaledged enough to go on an Outward Bound trip.  But as I gotten older I haven't been camping and have never taken my kids camping.....so as part of our adventure to Harpers Ferry I booked a small cabin for us at the KOA.  I know this is cheating a little but I don't own a tent and really....wouldn't you rather sleep on a mattress than on the ground!?  And wouldn't you rather have air conditioning and a dead bolt on the door???
I would, at least for our first time out!  Oh AND it was only $30 more than the tent site....and I dont own a tent....oh, already said that!

So after we were finished exploring the Lower Town we checked in at the KOA...

Our cabin was small but all we needed....

There was even a nice swing on the porch to relax on.....we only sat on that momentarily because as soon as we unloaded the car we changed and went to the pool....

Then Drew got hungry so we dried off and changed and asked for directions to the nearest Cracker Barrel....I mean, if your gonna go camping you gotta go to Cracker Barrel right!?

When we came back from a delicious dinner, we played some Miniature Golf.  I of course won....Drew came in second....

I got a hole in one :)

Jake came in third and...

Gabe fourth.  We had a great time and it was fun to see the boys play putt putt.

We then went back to the campsite and I made a fire....

At first it smoked and smoldered but after I put in some twigs and used my fire making skills I had a first rate camp fire.  And we made some smores and told Ghost stories....not too scary though!

We had an awesome time and I am definitely gonna go back...soon!!

Check out their site for more information!!!

Bronwyn

Harpers Ferry, WV

We just got back from a wonderful trip to Harpers Ferry, WV.  I took the 3 boys (my girl is at the beach and hubby working.....) and we had an adventure.  We entered to Harpers Ferry National Park and hiked the little over a mile and a half trail to the lower town area.  Now....if you don't want to hike you can take yourself over to the visitor center and catch a shuttle!!  (I tell you this because if I had known about it earlier, we would have taken the shuttle both ways!.....)


We walked down these steps.....



My co-adventurers

But the hike was great in spite of the "my feet hurt" and "I'm thirsty" comments. 

We saw a lot of really neat things....like this little snake (I kept my distance....)

And this crane and these turtles....

If we hadn't walked we would have missed all of this......

Now Harpers Ferry is a rich place historically....You can get lots of great information from the National Park Website....I won't go into lots of detail here because.....I'd probably get most of the facts mixed up!  The teachers curriculum has a lot of great information too!

But it is a beautiful place as well....here are a few more pics of our time there....

Steps lead up to the beautiful church on the hill

Just had to add this pic.... :)



Those geese above had no qualms about us humans....this little guy actually got too close for my comfort....

And then we waited for the shuttle to take us back up to the visitors center and our car....so we can go to the campground...... (Will do a separate post for that......)

Hope you enjoyed the pics from our trip to Harpers Ferry....If you have a chance to go there it is well worth the trip!!!

Happy first day of Summer!!!
Love,
Bronwyn

Autism Speaks Triathlon

So last Sunday, exactly a week ago today, I participated in the Autism Speaks Triathlon in Poolesville, MD.
I had no idea where Poolesville was until I signed up to do this event but once I was there, I loved it!!  Beautifully rural and filled with wonderful people!

I thought I would just share with you the events of that morning....

Woke up at 4 am......that's right....I said 4 AM!!!  UGH....but I had the jitters so I didn't hit the snooze and went to the car (which I had packed the night before) and got started on my journey to Poolesville.

I arrived in Poolesville safely, although at one point I saw a flash of lights as I passed through a small town.....am still waiting for the speeding ticket to arrive.

I parked at the High School, rode my bike to the community pool and set up my transition area.  I then went over to the volunteers to get my race day packet with my timing chip etc. 

Transition Area

By now it was probably 6:15 so I decided...better go to the bathroom!

Then it was time to wait....and meet some of the other participants.  There was such a great community feel about the whole event.  Wonderful!!

At 7 ish we headed to the pool and people started the swim.....I was in the back of the line so ....went to the bathroom again....can never go enough when you're nervous!!

Then it was time for me to swim....I loved the swim!!  I would love to swim all day!!!  I would love to swim and not have to bike!!!!   Swim over....time for the bike....

Got to the transition area, put on my shorts....over wet legs and backside....took some time off of my transition I can tell you that!!!  Then socks, shoes and helmet and ready to go!!

The bike.....13.4 miles.....doesn't sound that bad.  Oh My!!!  All I can say is that I was saying "I think I can" like the little caboose who could and just kept going.....even though my legs were burning, my nether regions were in PAIN and the clean up crew was behind me!!  (seriously, nothing does your ego better than to hear cars idling behind you....hahaha).

But....I made it!!!  FINALLY!!  Back to the transition area!!  WOOHOOOO.  Oh wait, now I have to run!!???   I think I will be lucky to walk!!  And Sarah, a wonderful woman that I met earlier, was waiting for me to walk with so we hit the trail....walking! 

And finished the Triathlon....Last.  I have heard that if you can't be first, being last is just as good because people cheer really hard for you .....and it's true.  They even said "Way to go!! Sarah and Rachel (I still don't know who Rachel is!  Probably just easier to say than Bronwyn) Way to go ladies, you can do it.....come on because we can't leave until you finish!!"  It was very funny and said in fun and we laughed. 

Me after the finish....everyone got a medal!

I had an awesome time and it felt so good to finish this event and to raise money for such a good cause.  Thanks again to everyone who donated to the cause or just supported me along the way!!

Love,
Bronwyn

Little League Day at Camden Yards

Yesterday was "Little League Day" at Camden Yards....the home of the Baltimore Orioles!!
There are so many kids playing little league that the had to do this day twice and have half of them on each day. 
The kids got to walk in a parade around the perimeter of the baseball field.  The parade leader was the Oriole Bird.....

Gabe was fairly visible because we could not find his baseball hat.....so he was the only kid in the parade without a hat.....

and with his very blond hair....he was easy for Casey to spot from the radio booth.

The kids were able to slap hands with some of the players....

And some of the fans!!

After the parade, we went to visit Casey in the radio booth....here is a shot of Camden Yards from the booth....

I love going to the baseball game....I love singing "Take me out to the ballgame....take me out to the crowd!  Buy me some peanuts......well, you get the picture!
I also Love cheering and yelling "CHARGE" and doing the wave!!!!  And I try to pass all of this baseball fun on to my kids....but they were busy playing with electronics.

Gabe listening to Morgans iPod

 I was able to get Gabe to yell CHARGE....1 1/2 times.....


Morgan playing peek-a-boo.....We see you Morgan!!

And Morgan ....well she was interested in the game....but only to take 300 pictures of the players......And Drew was on my iPhone and the iPad.....at different times.....

Drew.....no idea what he was doing.....wait!!  Could he actually be watching the Game!!?



Jake on the iPad.

As soon as the electronics batteries died, Jake was ready to leave....

And ME.....with Gabe. 

But we had a great time....and I was able to get them interested in the ballgame....for a few seconds at least!

Thanks for looking and hope you all have a fabulous day.....

Love,
Bronwyn