Sesame Place

 

 This friday we are leaving Philly. So last week, we started our process of cleaning the apartment of unwanted things. As we were doing it, we found a stack of brochures I grabbed when we first got here. (almsot 3 months ago) In there were plenty of things we had accomplished seeing and some we didn't. One thing I saw was a brochure for Sesame Place! When I first picked up this brochuce in August, I didn't think twice about it. It was out of the question since Elyse didn't watch TV and still a fairly new walker so a water park didn't sound like a good idea. 

But now, Elyse will notice the TV and mostly so when the Cat in the Hat is on or Sesame Street. Although she is still unable to sit through a whole episode of anything, she is starting to become familar with the characters. One time when we were in Barnes and Noble, she saw the Cat in the Hat book and screamed with excitment, which I can only assume is because she reconized him from the show.

When we rediscovered the Sesame Place brochure, it was worth a second look.

Turns out, its mostly a water park but they change it in the fall for halloween and turn off all the water rides. It has regular rides too and the whole park is aimed for toddlers and young childern. So its small for their little legs and tons of places for them to play. We knew that Elyse would mostly enjoy just staring at the other kids. It's also the only theme park in the nation that is Sesame Street themed. Although I would say it would be more enjoyable if she was about a year older, it was still a good way to get out of the house and do something different. Sometime Cole and I hadn't been to either which made it kind of worth it. 

It wasn't cheap though, so I would recommend if you have a young toddler or baby to go in the fall/winter. During this time, they are only open on the weekends and you can buy the tickets online for $20 less per ticket. The regular price was $59 per person(ages 2-up) but if you pay the full price I believe its good for 2 days. (although its such a small place I don't see why you would need 2 days unless its for the water rides.)

So we had $20 off per person and paid $79 after taxes for both of us. Yes, thats still pricey, but it was worth it for us. It's unlikely we will ever go back since we don't live out there and it not worth traveling from Seattle to go there. It's not as big as disneyland. Plus since we've lived here for 3 months, we've seen as much as we want to over here.

Although, if we happen to be in the area when our family is a little older, then we would go again for their enjoyment. 

All in all, We were there for about 5 hours and I think Elyse was pooped but really enjoyed herself. I think she liked seeing all the kids and the characters. I think she REALLY enjoyed the parade towards the end of our visit and got to see all the characters on Sesame Street. The only things I wish I had done differently is I wish I would have dressed her up in her costume!!!

They had booths for trick or treating

This was the only ride we went on due to the lines and lack of interest. But she seemed happy with it!

Rubber ducky game - winner everytime!!

More trick or treating

In Count's unhaunted house! She loved the buttons

In Abby's magical maze - E is clearly flirting with the boy next to her 

umm... forgot what these are called. But I think they are Abby's fairy friends?

The Elmo Ride!

Can you tell me how to get, how to get to SESAME STREET! - go to Sesame Street is now marked off the bucket list haha

Although Cookie has always been my favorite character, Elyse went for teh big bird doll, so we got her that instead. I like cookie cause he enjoyes eating like I do :)

Parade pictures - Big Bird

Abby

Burt and Ernie

Oscar

Elmo and... I don't know who that is..

COOKIE!!

The Count

Someone won't look at me cause she's afraid to miss the action.

To end our wonderful day, we went to a restaurant we had been wanting to try since we got here called Parc. A nice french restaurant that had this cute high chair! Cole got the duck and Elyse loved it. Expensive taste!

Sunday we finally did the Big Bus tour of Philly and learned a few things we wish we had known when we got here! But I'll save that for tomorrow :)

 

Thank you Everyone!

  Thank you to everyone who got in touch with me yesterday (via facebook, text, email, phone etc.)and wishing me a Happy Birthday! I had a nice day with my daughter and dinner with my husband and daughter. As I get older I feel like birthdays aren't a big deal and I shouldn't expect it to be. But then the day comes and everyone taking the time to wish me a happy birthday means me feel speical. So I wanted to tell everyone how much I appreciate it. 

Since Cole and I have birthdays near each other we like to celebrate together. But right now, Im his old lady since I'm not 28 and he is 27 haha.

But with my mom and Mil coming in town the day after we get back to Seattle, we figured we'll go out that saturday and celebrate then. That way we don't feel rushed through dinner and feel like we can enjoy a glass of wine :)

Im pretty excited about this weekend. We're going to a Sesame Place! Its a Sesame Street theme park. usually a water park but there are apprently lots of things you can do that are not water related and everything is geared towards toddlers! So I think Elyse will love it! I have Sesame Street on in the house. She can't watch all of it, but she watches it sometimes so I think she will reconize some of the characters there!

(Plus: we have to get as much Big bird in before Romney takes office.. if he takes office) Joking!! joking!! (kinda)

Sorry, I don't usually like to talk politics because I don't like someone shoving their opinion as the "right" opnion in my face, and I don't like to push my opinions on politics on others. But I just HAD to do the big bird thing, only cause we're going there!!

I can get very heated about it as everyone else does, so I would just usually prefer to not get in a fight about it. When it comes to politics and religion, all I ask is to be considerate when you're in mixed company. I have been in WAY to many situations where people don't know I'm a dem and they start going off about how dems are stupid and I want to say something, but I don't.  I just usually prefer to not get in an arguement. If it's talked about, I prefer it to be jokes.. :)

ok enough heavy stuff!

End on a lighter note, 7 more days till we go back to Seattle!! one week!! I'm so excited! I think Cole is a little sad to leave his project here, so I feel bad. But I need to go home and be with my house and doggies and friends... Just a litle break from here even though its been fun here!

Homesick - Dogsick

Although I am so grateful to be able to travel with Cole and Elyse right now, I have to mention... I miss my doggies so much!!!

ok first of all, look at these adorable faces!

I did not grow up with dogs. My one pet was a tortise and it was like owning a eating, pooping, rock. I loved my tortise Arnie, formally known as Claire as I thought he was a girl for like 2 years. But they don't really snuggle or protect you or leave their hair everywhere as a reminder of their presence. And I did try to make that tortise cuddle with me. When it was a baby, I would let it sleep in my bed next to my pillow kind of like in the crook of my neck and I loved it until I woke up rolling in poop.

Gross.

I'll be honest, I was a little excited to be dog free for a little bit. No shedding, no begging, no worrying about my belongings when I leave the house. But omg.. I miss them more than I thought I would. It made me realize I can never go back to a life without a dog. I love seeing them and feeling their protection. I missed them after a few days and now that its been a few months, I am so sad :(

Thankfully, my mom and mother in law and been generous enough to travel to Seattle the weekend we get back and bring them!! so only 2 more weeks until I get to see their furry faces!! I'll be sad if they don't care when they see us, but at the same time, whatever. I get happiness out of seeing those two. Wiggling tails, big brown ears and short pug sneezes. 

Im also really curious to see how they react to Elyse and vice versa! Elyse lights up when she sees other dogs, but I dont know if she knows she has 2 of her own! (and they are NOT her brother and sisters, they are my fur babies yes, but Elyse and my pets are not equals)

She was gentle with them before we left, but who knows now!

Heres a few of my favorite pictures of my fur babies:

This is the first weekend I got Brody! I believe he is about 11weeks old in this picture

Big Brown!!

From when Brody was a puppy... awww! so long ago!

Taylor has always been all legs. This is from when she was a puppy enjoying our first winter together.

MY boys!!!

Guilty!!!

Battleship New Jersey

So, I was wrong, I did have a few photos from the Battleship New Jersey!! I am going to share them :)

The Adventure Aquarium and the Battleship New Jersey are right next to each other in Camden, New Jersey which is right across the Delaware River from Philadelphia. It's really close for us. We just go across the Benjamin Franklin Bridge and it's right there!

Above is a picture of us in front of the aquarium with the Philadelphia skyline in the background. The fun thing is that we live right across the street to the comcast center(the tallest building, kind of right above my head in the picture) in Philly. So we can always judge how far away from our "home away from home" is. This picture was a really hard picture to get becuase Elyse was not in the picture taking mood so thats why Cole and I look a little silly. He's saying "take it" between his teeth and I'm in the middle of saying "I am". HAHA

Here is the other picture we got from that moment. Which better shows Elyse's true feelings...

So the Battleship. It was really impressive to see. I can't get over how naval architects designs ships like this. There are so many passageways, levels and rooms and stuff to fit then to make it all sail. Its amazing! Then to think of all the men on the ship needed to run it and how crowded it must have been.

Well, I didn't take too many photos on the ship. As I mentioned in a previous post, it was a little difficult to tour the ship wtih a baby who wants to walk around. 

Heres a panaramic photos of the view from the aquarium! You can see Ben Franklin Bridge, Penns landing and Philadephia.

Here's Cole and Elyse lookin at the BSNJ. This dock was made for the ship museum with all the black pillars on the side are all the battles the ship was in and surrvived. 

Heres a panaramic picture of the ship

Look at those guns! I wouldn't want to be on the receiving end of those! (and a family doing a cute mini photo shoot on the ship)

Elyse fits right in with her military style jacket :) 

Momma, don't leave me here! My crib is bigger than this!

See anything that would stand out to Cole on this photo?

If you guessed the Crowley tug pulling the BSNJ then you were right! :D

Well thats all I took. I got a little sick in the small areas. I don't know what is it is about old ships, but I get uncomfortable in them. (oh yea, I'm terrified they are all haunted!)

Im in a much much better mood than yesterday which is nice! The weather here took a really quick turn from dresses to pants and a winter coat over a day! Friday it was warm out and sweaty. Then saturday we were both freezing our tushys off! I feel a little bad. My friend Tany called me last week and asked if she needed a winter coat to bring and I said "no I dont think so. I don't have one and I've been fine. Its really hard to say cause it really depends on the day." Now a winter coat would be helpful. whoops! 

 

 

Adventure Aquarium - Camden, New Jersey

This weekend was a fun one. We stayed local this weekend since our trip here is coming to an end in 3 weeks. Although I am extreme homesick, I've found plenty of distractions. Most of my homesickness is my friends, and my normal routine in my house. We are currently staying in a corporate housing apartment in downtown Philly which is nice because there is stuff to do. But I don't have a car and theres only so much you can walk to everyday. The first few weeks were easier because everything was new. But now we've been here 2.5 months and I am just ready to get back to my hobbies back home. Scrapbooking, sewing, failed attemps at exercise, cooking with my stuff, cleaning my house, doing laundry in pjs! (we have a washer dryer on the floor and not in the unit so I have to get dressed to do laundry.. Im just not used to it)

With fall approaching, I miss my routine of the fall that I missed out on last year being in Roseville this time last year. I love decorating the house for the holidays. But I guess it will have to wait another year. We're looking into buying a house so that we can expand our family and really settling in somewhere. This would be our first house together which is really exciting!! but with that we have to pack up our house and rent it out asap!

These last two weeks, I've been in a bad mood. Just sad about being gone still. Although I really love traveling and being over here, it's hard to be in this limbo of "we're not here long enough to make it a home" but "we are here for a long time". It's fine until recently. Apprently 2 months is my max in this limbo. Being away from home for so long has been hard. We've really been gone since the begining of June and I think thats really where this is coming from. 

But Cole has been extremely understanding and it makes the trip a lot eaiser. We were expecting visitors this month so I thought the month would fly by. But not everyone could make it and we completely understand. Its not a short trip and its not a cheap trip either!! 

We are thrilled that Kevin, Jodi and Tany are all coming for a visit though!! Tany for 2 nights and Kevin and Jodi for 4 nights! Once they leave, we only have 2 more weeks!

One thing I am trying to do is blog more. I know I mentioned that before and then didn't. But I had an app on my ipad that will make blogging easier so I am able to do it more! 

Also, less people check this than my facebook so I feel able to really say how I feel. I'm starting to not enjoy facebook as much anymore either. I don't know if its my bad mood talking, but there is so much judgement on facebook. I don't have thick skin so it's hard for me. If you post too many pictures, people judge, if you have too many friends... people judge... if you have a long status... people judge. If you have grammatical errors.. judgement..it just doesn't end! 

I liked it when I first used it because it wasn't over the top like myspace. Which is why I still like it. But now I use it more for my family and friends who are curious to see what we're up to and see Elyse grow without having to ask me to send them pictures or updates. They can find it themselves! I dont post pictures so that people can think I'm bragging about my life. If they think that, I wish they would just unfriend me. But you can't be an open book because people LOVE to point out what is incorrect or wrong with your comments or status updates. sigh...  I realize I'm just being negitive right now. 

Okay enough on that, heres pictures from our weekend at the Adventure Aquarium in New Jersey.

Elyse loved looking at the fishes...

Shark teeth! 

They had a really cool and big tank there with turtles and sharks!

Look how big that turtle is!!

This is a ray shark, very rare.

Elyse liked the kids section

and of course the boat in the kids section.

The shark tank! We could talk through this tube and sharks swam over it. But we made it quick for two reasons. 1, it reminded me of Jaws 3 i think where Jaws breaks a tank like that and 2, parents and kids alike were shouting at the top of their lungs when a shark went by.(and there were tons of sharks)

I don't have pictrues of it but we also went to the Battleship New Jersey. It is the most decorated battleship in US history. It was really neat! We enjoy going in ship museums, but it a little hard with Elyse trying to carry her and walk through small passageways and such. But it was so big and so much to see!

As far as our travels out here, it is probably at an end. Since we've pretty gone every weekend to see something we're finally burnt out and spending the last 2 weekends here in the Philadelphia area. If we do come back, I do want to go back to NY and DC and Boston. Great places! We didn't see everything we wanted in all the locations but someday we will:)

So some of my next posts will be of some of our past trips that I didn't find the time to blog about at the time! So I will fill in on the Boston trip and NY. Also, our wonderful trip to hawaii!!!!