Camping with Granny and Granddaddy

Post Entry from Granddaddy...

1. ROUGH ROADS.
Sam thought the rough surface on I 59 was perfect for vocalizing. Using the bumps (which were increased by the trailer behind us)he ah-ah-ah-ah-ah, ah-ah-ah-ah-ahed the entire 35 miles both ways with the vibration making the pauses in his voice.

2. lost camper
When we arrived at Desoto, we un hooked the trailer and drove up to Desoto falls. On the way there, Davis looked back and noticed the trailer was not behind. "Grandady, we lost the camper" he said. When Granny assured him we had left it at the campground, he asked"Do you think Grandaddy can find it?"

3. best toy
The best most enjoyed toy on the trip-the BROOM. Sam made streets, ponds, deserts. landing strips and mountains for 2 days in the gravel next to the trailer, and Davis had to do the same. Thankfully, we had 2 brooms.

4. most confused hero.
Sam had his outfit down, but it was a mix of Woody from Toy story and Indiana Jones, so he spent the trip as Woodyana.

5. fire pit
Sam and davis really liked starting fires, so much so that Sam volunteered his wuffin papers out of his Indiana Jones bag to help start them. They both picked up every tiny twig near the trailer to "post marshmallows". They liked them extremely lightly toasted, no brown. The brown was yucky, but Grandaddy liked it.

6.camping
Sam and Davis both had fun, and wanted to go again, but Mom and Dad can't go with us, only Anabelle.

7.Our Robin Williams moment
As we unhooked the trailer and got ready to go home, the boys had to help every step of the way. As I unhooked the sewer hose, with them watching intently, the connection popped loose and a small flood ensued. Thankfully, it was "grey" water, or bathtub, sink water, not black water, but when I got the pipe back together, my audience was gone.

Mobile 2010 – Day 4 (5 Rivers, Priesters Pecans)

On our way out, we decided to visit 5 Rivers (About 3 miles past the battleship on the battleship parkway) on a recommendation from the visitors center folks. And this place was a good quick place to stop for the boys. They had all sorts of taxidermied animals of all shapes and sizes (Think Bass Pro Shop in about a 2000 sq.ft. room). They also had what might have been the highlight of the day…a pet opossum. It had it’s own little house in the shop with blankets and everything. They even let it out while we were there and Davis and I got to pet it. Mom and Sam…and Belle…were too scared.

We then traveled on home…long drive…short delay while magan lost her camera card, and ate at a fun place…Priesters Pecans. I have since heard this is a favorite to many families, but to ours, it was a first. We had fun and sampled all of the great treats.

Mobile 2010 – Day 3 (Downtown Mobile – Fort Conde, Exploreum, Trek to Wintzells)

For our final day in Mobile, we were going downtown to visit the Exploreum (Science Center similar to the McWane center). We first stopped and Fort Conde, a replication of an old fort, which is also the official Welcome Center of Mobile. It was fairly neat and they had several displays of very old stuff. We did get our picture in the jail area. We then went in the gift shop and get directions to Wintzells, which we were told was a local favorite for lunch.

But prior to Wintzells, we walked the one block over to the Exploreum. You may also notice that the shirt Davis is wearing in the picture above is different than his souvenir shirt through the remainder of these pictures...this is due to a severe nose bleed in the van that morning that had us panicked for awhile, and him with a very nasty shirt. Oh well, we made it and he got a new "cool shark shirt."

We began in the smaller children area and had a blast because we basically had the area all to ourselves. Then we let the kids play in a large ball area that was pretty cool, and it gave magan and I a chance to sit back and rest.

The bigger kid section of the science center was also very neat. The first floor was devoted to the human body, and it had several fun exhibits and activities to help learn about the body. The giant beating heart and skeleton riding a bicycle were a little much for Dave, but Sam had a blast. Both boys could not get enough of the “Sounds your body makes” display…and yes they pressed the “fart” button several times to hear the loud amplified cheese being cut. This display also had a “burp” and “pee” button.

The upstairs section let the kids design their own roller coaster, and then they got to ride it. This was really fun, and the kids rode several times. The seats did not move, but watching the ride made you fall sideways a couple of times. It was then time for lunch, so we headed out…and I wish I would have gotten a picture of the small contraption I had to ride down to street level with the stroller. It was probably not designed for the doublestroller, and after my bottom pushed the alarm several times because I just barely fit, I am guessing they were happy to see us go.

Wintzells was an 8 block walk through downtown Mobile, which was really great and pleasant. It reminded magan and I a little of Savannah. On the way, Davis and Belle fell asleep, and Sam got to ride on my back for the whole way. Good Food, Good atmosphere, good bread pudding.

The way back caused Sam to be a little restless because he was the only one without a nap. But Magan corrected this by bribing him that he could have a little bag of gold he wanted back at the welcome center if he made it back without complaint. Not another word or problem from him the whole walk back. And he was so proud of his little bag of gold and gems, and he is still carrying now back from the trip in his Indiana Jones bag.

Mobile 2010 – Day 2 (USS Alabama Battleship Park)

This was the day I have been looking forward to. I have many good memories of walking around the battleship…even got to spend the night on the ship when I was 8. So I was very excited to take the boys and had showed them the pictures of me and Mag on our honeymoon at the battleship. Here are some pics from 2001...

The trip from our hotel to the battleship led us through the I10 tunnel under the Mobile bay area. I had told Sam and Davis that we would be going under the biggest tunnel under water. They were very excited and then confused that they never saw any water, I guess they thought we would be going through some large shark tank tunnel.

As we turned into the Battleship Park and we saw the ship in the distance, Sam began to say “I think I am going to cry”. He was so excited, that his “eyes were watering”. It was so sweet and reminded me of how neat things like that were to little boys. I remember having a similar feeling in 2000 when walking up to the Grand Canyon…it is just simply amazing. Now I realize I have just compared the USS Alabama to the Grand Canyon, but to a little boy of 5…that is a fine comparison.

We began our tour on the outside of the boat touring the upper regions. As we continued to go up, Sam got a little scared and was done with the upper tour. He stayed on the third level with Mom and Anabelle, as Davis and I traveled on up to the 6th level. This was a rather slow process all day of Davis going up and down these steep ladders. Back down on the main floor, Magan decided that was enough for her, and sat and napped in the Wardroom (?? – air conditioned large room with couches) while I took the boys on the other two tours of the bottom decks of the ship.

We had fun playing on the bunks, working in the engine room, pretending to eat at the kitchen. And both of them were excited to get to “poop on the boat”. This also seemed exciting to me, but I did not have the need at the time.

We then left the battleship to eat lunch at the small welcome center café. It was a fairly good lunch (pizza and sandwiches). We also noticed a gentleman in uniform that had many medals. We pointed him out to the boys that he may have fought on the Alabama. Later as we were shopping around in the Welcome Center, I notice that he was signing books at a table in front. I saw a display that said he was a former POW during World War II. It also showed a picture I remembered from History books of the Bataan death march. I went up to him and introduced myself then asked if he was in the death march from Bataan. He pointed at the picture and said “Yes, this is me”, pointing towards a very thin young man at the front of the line in the picture. I asked him a little about his time over there and he said that during his 3 ½ years as a POW that “my hatred of the Japs got me through the POW years, and my hatred of the Japs got me through 30 years of nightmares, but forgiveness helped him finally get his life back”. I purchased his book “Hell’s Guest” (http://www.hellsguest.com/) and have since completed it. It is very well written and gives some shocking insights into the POW life. Colonel Glenn D. Frazier is now 86 years old, and was shipped to Bataan in 1941 at the age of 16. Great Story, truly the greatest generation.

We then toured the airplane hangar, then Mom got to roam around the claustrophobic submarine with the boys while I kept Belle. Back to the hotel, ready for rest, but still had to take the boys swimming. This was also the first time swimming for little Belle. She loved it and started laughing at her little splashes.