Last Rides

The kids got on another ride as we were checking out of the hotel this morning. :)

It was pouring down rain when we woke up, but it cleared up a bit and we took one final ride- a specialty of Lancaster- an Amish buggy ride! Brett and I had a great time learning more about the Amish from our driver Earl during our 2-mile ride. The kids found the horse interesting for a portion of the ride, but the novelty of the ride was lost on them. oh well, we had fun anyway!

They thoroughly enjoyed the playground and petting zoo portion of the excursion though. ;p

Full Day in Wonderland

After a fun preview last night, we returned to Dutch Wonderland for the full day today. Our first ride was the train around the park. Then we repeated some fun rides from yesterday and went on some others (which also became repeat rides).

Sylvie passed out in the stroller for a short bit, but Brady kept going. Brett asked him if he wanted to pan for treasure and I thought this was going to be fabulous waste of $5. Turns out it was...both fabulous fun and a waste of money. But we did get a small pile of rocks for $5, some entertainment for Brady, but here's what made the stop worth it...Sylvie woke up in the middle of the boys' panning (likely b/c the train went by and blew its whistle). She spent a good portion of time just splashing in the "river" part of this panning station. Go figure, we're at an amusement park and one of the most fun things for her is sticking her hands in running water- which is not even part of this "game." ha!

We're in Amish County after all...
(Sylvie was already asleep at this point which is why she's not in the picts.)


Merry-go-round...still one of the Littlest Luhring's Favorites!

In the afternoon, we walked back to the hotel to change in to our swimsuits so we could go to Duke's Lagoon, the water park...where we already knew (from the panning station) that Sylvie would have a blast! :)

After the lagoon, we went back into the park for more rides. We took a boat ride, and had the boat all to ourselves.

Speaking of "all to ourselves," Brady rode the mini Ferris wheel, but could only ride by himself. Daddy and I were too big, and Sylvie was too small. He did great!

The park was not crowded at all (either last night nor today). It was awesome! Many times, the kids would just stay on a ride if they liked it b/c there was no line. Sylvie was asleep again in the early evening and I am not kidding when I say the boys rode this frog-jumping ride SIX times in a row. It was hilarious. Brady like the tummy tickling and the ride attendant kept asking, "Anyone want to get off the ride or do you want to go again?" To which, everyone kept responding, "Again!"

Sylvie's still asleep and it's almost closing time (8:30 PM) so we start heading out but stop in the gift shop first. We tell Brady to find something he'd like to take home to remember his fun time in Dutch Wonderland. Of all the things in that store, he picks a stuffed Duke the Dragon. Great! Just what we need- another stuffed animal! I picked a light flashing maraca type thing for Sylvie. But she goes to roll over in the stroller while asleep and almost flops out. So she's awake and wants Brady's Duke, who he's falling more and more in love with by the minute. We don't want her to have the same exact thing, so we picked a DW princess dollie for her. Great, just what we need Another stuffed animal! ha!

DW Preview

After our morning out with Thomas, we went back to the hotel to take naps...well, Mommy and Daddy tried to nap. The little Luhrings were having none of that- they just bounced around laughing while Brady insisted they "weren't tired." We tried to tell them we had all kinds of fun things to do this evening and that they would need their energy. But at this point they had energy to burn, so we took them to the pool again...which wiped them out. Just in time for us to walk across the street to Dutch Wonderland, buy our tickets, and preview the park for 3 hours. Super! :) So the kids slept in the strollers for the first hour while Brett and I walked around to get the lay of the land and find something to eat. We woke them up at 6:30 to have some dinner and watch the Thomas and Friends show. We were giggling and saying, "No matter how neat this show is, it's going to be a let-down after all the fun with Thomas we had this morning!" It was entertaining enough and both kids enjoyed the music.

After the show, we drove the old time cars on rails. I rode with driver Sylvie in my lap. We tried to get a picture, but Sylvie and I took off and Brett and Brady were right behind us driving along the "speedway."

This was their first ride together (by themselves). SO cute! They both like bulldozers and this ride was nice and slow. Sylvie was thrilled to have her brother right next to her.

Then the boys went on a ride that Sylvie was too small for. I had to distract her b/c she was So upset to be without Brady. She kept crying, "Baydeeeee! Baydeee!" I was going to have her just look at another ride, but the attendant asked me if she wanted to get on. I wasn't sure about letting her ride by herself. She wasn't sure about riding by herself either. She patted the spot next to her on the seat and said, "Baydeeee! Baydeee! Seat seat!" I told her we would get Brady next time. So she rode solo and seemed to like it. Once the ride got going, she was so cute with her happy "weeeee!" face on.

But again, as soon as the ride stopped she said, "Baydeeee! Baydeee! Seat seat!" and patted the spot next to her. So we went and got the boys and her big bro rode with her the next time.

The boys then did bumper cars, or "crasher cars" as Brady calls them. :)

Brady and I rode a bumpy roller coaster that was a little rough on each of our backs.

Brady thought the monorail was pretty cool. It offered a nice view of the entire park. We took a timer shot while we were waiting for it to return to the station.

We stayed until closing time...watched the walking band's last show at the entrance and said goodnight to the Duke Dragon character and the DW princess. I meant to take a few more of these cut-out picts, but the kids weren't really feelin' it. This one is cute though. :)

We stopped at the ice cream store once we were outside the castle walls. Somebody enjoyed it a little too much (as in temper tantrum "I want more" too much). Ah, a preview of a day in (Dutch) wonderland! :)

Day 2: The Day Out with Thomas

This morning we went to the Day Out with Thomas at the Strasburg Railroad. It was Awesome! When we got there, we went straight to the boarding zone for our 10:45 ride with Thomas. Sylvie and I held our place in line while the boys went in to a nearby shop. After a while, Sylvie and I heard Thomas chuffing (a Thomas term, btw) down the track. I was nervous that the boys would miss him. (I didn't realize we'd have the opportunity to see him Every time he arrived and left the station- which was like 10 more times during our visit. ha! This is so nerdy, but I have to admit when I saw Thomas for the first time I nearly cried with excitement. I was squealing, "There's Thomas, Sylvie! It's Thomas!" Sylvie totally knew who he was from Brady's DVDs. She pointed and shouted, "choochoo! choochoo!" He was a real engine pulling the coaches; his eyes moved back and forth as he chuffed; the Thomas music was playing...it was Really cool! (even thinking about it now makes me happy...wonder who had a better time- me or the kids?) The ride was beautiful too. The track went right through farm fields.

I was anticipating some Thomas-related questions based on his knowledge gleaned from his DVDs. Brady did not disappoint me. :) When we were on the train, he said, "Mommy, is this Annie or Clarabelle?" (These are Thomas's coaches, the passenger cars he usually pulls.) When I said, "Perhaps it Is one of them. I'm not sure." He replied, "No, I don't think so. It doesn't have a face!" ha! Later on in the day he asked, "Mommy, is this the island of Sodor?" (which is where Thomas and his friends live and work). So cute, I love it!

We also had a mini-train ride.

Thomas videos and tattoos

Sylvie was napping in the stroller so only the boys went in to meet the superintendent of the railway, Sir Topham Hatt. Aren't they all so cute?