8--PRECIOUS MEMORIES...JOURNEY BY RAIL...ADVENTURES WITH GRANDKIDS

PRECIOUS MEMORIES...JOURNEY BY RAIL...ADVENTURES WITH GRANDKIDS

OCTOBER 3rd, 2009

Our journey West began one month ago today when we drove from Cincinnati to Chicago, spent a few memorable days there with our daughter, Bonnie, her husband, Dug, and their children, Dugan and Sage. Then we boarded the Amtrak Empire Builder train on September 6th, heading across the northernmost train route to Glacier National Park. What a marvelous trip it was to be able to spend time in that spectacular park and then to travel on to Oregon on the train to spend a fantastic week with our daughter, Maia, in Hillsboro. On the way back we detrained in East Glacier Park to be surrounded by rocky snow-capped mountains, pristine aqua lakes, tall evergreen forests, tumbling rivers and creeks for three more magnificent days. After taking the train back from there to Chicago, we enjoyed a couple more days with Bonnie and her family before bringing Dugan and Sage for a one week stay with us in Cincinnati. They are in a year-round school and have a fall break at this time. Today's entry in our blog will highlight some of the special events and places where we took our two grandchildren during their stay.

Great Outdoors Weekend was taking place in all of the area parks on the first two days the kids spent with us, so we ventured out to have them experience some unique adventures. Searching for River Critters with a park ranger in the Little Miami River began the day. They had fun finding lots of critters which the ranger identified for them.

After completing several other activities at this place, we took them to another location selected for the special parks weekend. Here in a lovely flower garden planted by elementary school children, they were allowed to cut 24 flowers each. What fun they had selecting which flowers to cut for their own bouquets.

Dugan and Sage like to bake in Grammy's kitchen--everything from chocolate chip cookies to peanut butter cookies to banana bread. One of our projects this time was to bake cookies for our close friend, Cliff Reeder, whose woodcarvers' group would be meeting at his home.

On the following day we picked up our friend, Cliff, who at 88 years has so much energy and stamina that we are constantly amazed.

All five of us enjoyed dinner at Lunken Airport before going to the Cincinnati Observatory, the first observatory in the United States! Being able to look at the moon through a 1904 telescope was quite an experience for the kids and for Cliff. After that, the 1845 telescope in a second observatory was focused on Jupiter for everyone to view.

Another day found us exploring the Pinta and the Nina, exact replicas of two of Christopher Columbus' three ships which he and his 120 men had sailed to the New World in 1492. These very small ships now sail to different cities so that families can board them and learn first-hand about what life was like while they were crossing the Atlantic.

The Museum of Natural History and Science in the Cincinnati Museum Center provided another series of educational experiences for Dugan and Sage. Numerous hands-on exhibits gave the children opportunities to discover new ideas. The Museum Center, originally built as the Union Terminal train station in 1933 is now a national historic landmark.

At home the children helped in our yard by raking leaves and picking up hundreds of pinecones. Dick gives them a penny for each pinecone they find from our two tall evergreen trees, and they found more than 600 during the days they were with us!

 We all enjoyed playing games together, especially Monopoly Junior and Scrabble for Juniors. Much of the time inside our house was spent in creative play--something these two children excel at doing! We never know what to expect, and that is such fun!

Although both Dugan and Sage missed their mommy and daddy, usually at bedtime, Sage said she would miss Grammy and Gramps when she had to go back to Chicago. Bonnie drove down to pick them up, and now we have to adjust to a more quiet life! When Bonnie asked the kids about their spending a week with us, she took a photo of their reaction. It certainly looks positive!