The Family History Center was closed this last week so we took a little vacation and spent a week with Melanie and Daniel in Virginia. This was our first combination of subway and train and we left at 10:30 am from New York and arrived in Lynchburg, Virginia about nine hours later. But we saw a lot of beautiful country. We traveled through Trenton, NJ; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania; Washington, DC; Thurgood Marshall Airport in Maryland; Aberdeen; MD, Culpepper, VA; Manassas, VA; Charlottesville, VA, and in to Lynchburg, VA where Melanie picked us up.
On Tuesday we just took it easy around the house and played with Enoch and Jocie and tried to keep Enoch from hitting his sister. They are at the handful stage. To expel some energy, we blew up the air mattress and let them jump and roll to their hearts content and they had a wonderful time.
Melanie, Enoch and Jocie
Jocie on "trampoline" mattress
Melanie bouncing Jocie and Enoch
On Wednesday, we loaded up the kids in the car and went to the Bedford City Library. They have a wonderful facility where the kids can play with toys, do art, participate in hands-on activities with tools, play games, and read books. Both Enoch and Jocie really enjoyed the library.
That afternoon, Melanie and Enoch went to the store to buy Enoch a Hot Wheel to learn to ride. He is really scary and the first day about all we could do was to get him to sit on it and push it with his legs. He was afraid to put his feet on the pedals.
Enoch trying to get his feet to reach the pedals on his new "Tricycle"
On Thursday morning we went to the Falling Creek Park with Melanie and the kids. Daniel bought Enoch a remote control car that the two of them could do together. Grandpa and Enoch played with the car while Melanie would swing Jocie in the swings and just let you walk around. We all had a wonderful time at the park before heading home for lunch and bedtime.
Jocie with ball and bat, "Papa", and Enoch with remote car in background
Melanie and Enoch controlling the Police Car
Papa finds that it is hard to control the car!
Melanie pushing Jocie on swing; both LOVE it!
Friday was another casual day where we just enjoyed each other and tried to help Enoch get used to his Hot Wheel. He made some big improvement as he learned that he could lift his legs and glide down the hill and land in the grass. This is where he learned how to stop the Big Wheel and he gained more confidence.
Friday evening Daniel and Melanie asked if we would watch Enoch and Jocie while they went out on a date. It has been over a year or longer since they have had a date, so we said ok. The kids were great and we really enjoyed them. Bedtime always becomes a challenge with little ones, especially when they have never gone to bed without their mother. After fighting Jocie for over a half a hour, Grandpa volunteered to try his turn and she settled right down for him and both children were asleep in about half an hour.
Saturday we left around 8:30 in the morning to go to the mountains to a place called Onion Mountain Outlook. It was really a beautiful place and it felt so good to be in nature instead of what they refer to as the "blacktop jungle" of New York City. There is just something about nature that is relaxing.
Daniel, Melanie, and Papa at Onion Mountain Outlook - Otter Peaks, Virginia
Left: Enoch, Daniel, Melanie and Jocie; Center: Daniel and Melanie; Right: Papa and Nana
After the mountains, we worked our way to Roanoke, Virginia where we had dinner at a Cuban restaurant before going to the Train Museum. This is one of Enoch's favorite places to go even though he is afraid of the large engines. They had everything from old cars, carriages, miniature trains, and full-sized trains. We all really enjoyed ourselves before heading home.
Vintage "Engine 611" was on exhibit for the Labor Day Holiday.
Daniel and Jocie
Enoch and Melanie
Melanie and I stopped off at McDonalds for some ice cream before heading home. It was a wonderful day and we all had a great time.
Sunday was fast Sunday so we had testimonies and the Spirit was very strong and we all really enjoyed the meetings. Daniel and Melanie invited their neighbor, Thelma, who is just starting to look into the church and she seemed to have a wonderful time. The missionaries came over and gave her a Book of Mormon at her request and made an appointment to come and visit her. She is a wonderful lady and a good friend for Melanie. She is like having a Brother and Sister Allen for a neighbor and friend. You can't beat them.
On Monday morning, Daniel and Enoch drove us from Bedford, Virginia to Lynchburg, about 25 miles away to board the Amtrak back to New York Penn Station and then the subway home to Inwood, NYC.
On Monday morning, Daniel and Enoch drove us from Bedford, Virginia to Lynchburg, about 25 miles away to board the Amtrak back to New York Penn Station and then the subway home to Inwood, NYC.
Lynchburg Virginia Railway Station
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