To Dave and back

Dave is in our summer plans every year....sometimes twice, this year maybe three times..... Anyway, we chose to camp in Saratoga Springs, NY with Dyleva, and then check out Dave.











I have always heard how beautiful it is there; about five hours from Buffalo.  We thought it would be a nice family getaway.  We camp every year, so it made sense to combine the two.

The site itself was just ok; it was a little tight.  I like space when I camp.  Not just a plot with electric hook up.



But they had a pool, lake, golf.  Not bad.

It helped that almost everyone on the site was going to at least one of  DMB's shows.


The next day we explored the park.  It was beautiful!  There were hiking paths, and natural springs all through the park.  (BTW wouldn't recommend drinking from them...)

There were also tailgaters all through the park.  From 10:00 in the morning.

But these firedancers were cooking, playing baseball, frisbee, using the playground.

Families just like ours, excited to see Dave!

Tailgating in the creek! Brilliant!

Later, after a nap, a swim and a dinner picnic in the park, we were off to see Dave!  So exciting!

We took a beautiful hike in to the venue, which is inside the state park.

The beautiful trek in!

And then my balloon deflated quicker than ever thought possible.

The venue was awful.  At least for lawn seats.  It was daylight, and I couldn't even see the stage.  There was no green area (well, very little) to sit down.

Can YOU see a stage?

Firedancer!

Oh Dave. 
Did you need to sell 90 f-ing thousand tickets?

It had way to many, thousands too many people, for us to enjoy this concert as a family.  

I don't need a lot of space.  There is four of us, maybe 5x5 so we have room to sit, stand, and maybe put my kids on my lap.

This was impossible to do in a safe manner.

We toughened it out.  The first hour.  We stood and picked the kids up (to see the screen!)

The next half hour I sat with Dylan on my lap.  And that is where we got in to problems.  It was so crowded people were cutting through the middle of the blanket and almost stepping on our kids.  We would have moved back further, but there was no further!  Behind us was concessions and concrete.

We eventually moved, walked around, and then left.  We enjoyed the concert for the first two hours.  We missed the last 5 songs.

I don't want to brag.  But I've been to a lot of concerts.  It's kind of my thing.  This venue was truly disappointing.

Tailgating and park: A+
Venue: D
Concert: A-
Too bad it was so hard to enjoy it!

Something hit home.  One week later, I took my car in for an oil change.  I was in the waiting room with the kids.  Couldn't even hear the elevator music in the background.
Eva looks up.
"Mommy?"  
"Is this Samurai Cop?"
That's my girl!!! I've never been prouder!

The Great Bike Ride

Dyleva was desperately overdue for new bicycles.

They had never had a new one before; they have always been hand-me-downs.  (Thank you to those who have done that...)

This year we got them each a new bicycle.  And in our house, its not the kind of thing you give as a birthday gift.  

Well, because we have no where to ride it.  How disappointing to receive a gift you can't use until Mom or Dad can drive you somewhere to ride it.

I digress.

Today we were going to hit it hard.  We are going to ride the whole day!  Ever since Hilton Head Dyleva has become very good at riding.  

We began at the Outer Harbor.  We rode to the park.  The ninos played, and we had a picnic.  It was hot outside!

Then we rode for at least another half hour, and we took the bike ferry to the Inner Harbor.

We decided to explore the Naval ships.  

https://buffalonavalpark.org/

It was so interesting, and Dyleva was really into it.  Jeff and I kind of skipped a couple parts to move things along, and they totally called us out on it.  

We explored the USS Sullivan, the USS Little Rock, and the USS Croaker.

Eva noted, "I wouldn't want to be on a ship called the croaker."

It was warm and claustrophobic, but a very unique experience.

We rewarded the day with huge snow cones, and biked back the the Outer Harbor. 

We had some tired ninos by the end of the day, and certainly put some miles on those new bicycles.

Fire and Water

Hangin out with Miss Kelley one day on our way to Darien, she asked us if we had ever been to the Eternal flame.

No! And I have always wanted to take Dyleva to do it.  They didn't even know about it! 

But...they were about to.

I invited Cousin Dan from out of town, and a bunch of friends from work all met up for the great trek into the woods.  

Flame in background

It was not a bad hike at all, maybe half a mile.  But Dyleva usually goes full throttle until one of them gets hurt.

Bingo.  Dylan slid down the rocks on his butt.  Cried a little, and then got himself together.  Unfortunately, it happened right when we found the flame.  So...our photos are a little melancholy.

After, we had a lovely picnic lunch in the shade and then the ninos ran up and down the sledding hill.

Fire.

A few days later, we had our day with water.  And more water, and more water.

It has been a gorgeously hot summer so far.  So almost every day my ninos have played in the water.  But not like this.

We met the Archer family in Canada to go on the jet boat excursion!

Some of us were a little nervous.  The good thing is that they picked the hottest possible day to do this; because you get soaked!  This boat seriously drives into the rapids and rides them. 

It's absolutely psychotic.

https://www.whirlpooljet.com

And, yes there's more.

There are 2-3 other 'tour boats' doing the same thing at the same time with rocks on both sides.  

It was fun but a little scary.  

We had a really good time with our cousins.  We were able to go back and hang with them for a while.  The ninos picked right up where they left off last year.

Water.  A lot of water.

My Little Ninja Warriors

"Look at our list.  What should we do today?"

It was a very hot summer day.  It's been a great summer.  Just beginning our daily excursions, Dyleva got to choose from our list.

"Rolly Pollies!"


"Bounce Magic!"

"The Ninja Warrior gym!"

".....yeah.  I want to do that."

And so that is what we decided on.

Eva had a party there previously in the winter.  I drove there in a blizzard; I remember it vividly.  

We arrived to a warehouse-styled gym with the front garage doors open due to the heat.  There was a bunch of sweating kids swinging around.  Apparently, there is a day camp.  This would explain why it doesn't open until 3.



It was pretty hard core.  The owner, a former ANW, introduced himself to us.  Two of the boys, (one about 6 years old) demonstrated all the equipment.  

Dyleva did pretty good.  They could hold their own.  (Better than I could have done...)

I only freaked out at one part when I had visions of them falling to their death.  Other than that...I was good.

Up in the Air

So busy.

Between Titi and I, three of the four nino's birthdays fall within a month of each other.  But this year we were hit or miss.  

So I called her and said let's do something, altogether.  She suggested the airshow.

Awesome!

Then come the instructions.  Meet at a parking lot at 8:30 AM.

Seriously? 

I mean, I wanted to hang out and stuff but the lot was 45 minutes away.  I would have to get Dyleva up early on purpose.  

When did I become such a whiner?

So we did.  We got up at the crack of dawn, got the kids ready, and trekked out to the Summit Mall to meet the shuttle bus for the airshow.

Thank goodness Tiney and Eric knew what they were doing.  We hopped right on a bus to the Air Force Base, and made it to the air show early.  The bus dropped us about  a half mile away from the security checkpoint.  There was no line for security, we were in by 9:30.  

I am going to jump ahead to when we left around 2 PM.

The line for security was passed the shuttle drop off!! There were people waiting in line for almost a mile long.  No joke.  And the show ended at 5 PM.  

Thank you again Titi and Eric for having all your marbles together and getting our stubborn butts their early.

I loved it!  I don't know if Dyleva did; they were a little cranky, but I found it fascinating.

Titi moseying past hot paratroopers...coincidence?

Strong Eva

First we toured a couple of the aircraft.  Eva and Dylan got to sit in the cockpit.  I take for granted that not many people have seen the inside of one.  

Next, we found a good spot in the sun, sat back, and looked to the sky.

Watch out sea gull!

The show began with paratroopers jumping out with the American and Canadian flags during the national anthems.

Very impressive.

After that there were many featured aircraft doing different amazing scary stunts!

They also had a hovercraft, the Osprey.  I think it is so fascinating.

We ended with the small planes that make pictures (like a heart) in the sky.  Like eight of them fly at once, right next to each other.

I loved it.  Thanks again Titi and Eric.