Home for the Holidays!

The Hulsebus Family Dream is continuing, however, we are back in California for the holidays! In a strange way it almost feels like we are on vacation (everyone can roll their eyes). We flew back on Tuesday, December 9th into Sacramento to stay with my folks in Granite Bay. Over the next month we will be staying at the Rancho Las Plamas Resort in Palm Springs (a place Cindi and I vacationed 15 years ago), my grampa McDonald's 1927 cabin in Big Bear (I love this place), Palmdale (to spend Christmas with Cindi's sister and parents), LA (to attend Cindi's family's Chanukah party), the OC (to stay with the always hospitable Baker family in Ladera Ranch) and then back to Granite Bay for a week with my family and lots of our hometown friends. We are looking forward to spending some much needed time with missed family and friends. Well try to catch up on the blog as well. Merry "Christ"mas and Happy Holidays!

*<|(;-O}> Ho Ho Ho!

BACK POSTS

Just wanted you to know that we added a back post...Fort McHenry...We just added it, but you will have to go back a few posts to find it.

Washington DC, Virginia and North Carolina (catch up blogging)

After Baltimore we headed south to Washington DC area. Since we had taken a week long trip last year to DC we just spent acouple days here. We stayed north at the Cherry Hill RV Park. We only went into DC one day and after driving past some of our favorite sites we parked and we into the "kid's portion" of the Holocaust Museum. With Cindi's Jewish family blood we wanted to give the kids a lighter dose of this incredible world tradegy. We ate that night north of the OMNI Hotel in North DC where we had stayed a year and a half before. We remembered this burito place beacuase the California is in its name and I tried the hottest hot sauce on their wall of options last time and almost died. I think its called Dave's Gourmet Insanity Hot Sauce.

The next day we pulled out and went to Mount Vernon, George Washington's house. We missed this on our previous trip to DC. We saw the entry movie and then toured the house and the grounds. The newer museum at the end of the tour was very impressive and informative.

After a night in a WalMart and some shopping at some outlet malls. Then headed to Richmond, VA

Myrtle Beach, South Carolina

It was the 3 kids and me once again experiencing the Hulsebus Family Dream. We dropped Cindi off early at the Florence, SC airport and made our way to probably once of the largest RV parks we've visited yet. It's called PirateLand Family Camping Resort and is located along the coastline in Myrtle Beach. We got the best spot in the entire park right in front of the Atlantic Ocean. Considering it is late Novemember / early December though this place is a ghost town. Anyway we love our "pull through" spot. We wish the weather was a little better though. We decided to plant it for a while, 7 nights to be exact. The better part of the first 2 days we stayed inside as it pretty much rained nonstop. This gave us lots of inside-the-motorhome time... just what we needed.. haha! Actually the kids have been doing some good reading. Last week Tanner finished the 870 page "Harry Potter Order of the Phoenix" (5th book) and this last week he started AND FINISHED the 6th book, "Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince" (652 pages!). Sterling and I read "Football Genius" by Tim Green a few weeks ago. Then he read another football book. Now he's reading Football Double Threat by Matt Christopher. There is a theme here with Sterling that is quite obvious. He LOVES Football! Peyton is our reader in training. He is starting to read and is doing a great job. He is beginning to read all sorts of starter books primarily the ones that are part of his Sing, Spell, Read and Write homeschooling kit.

As the weather got better we were able to get out more and exercise, play on the beach, and feed the seagulls. On the third night we drove into the city of Myrtle Beach. We found a nice shopping/restaraunt/entertainment area called Broadway on the Beach. We decided to catch a bite to eat at Senior Frogs. I know, it sounds like a place your supposed to visit when you go ashore on a Mexican Cruise. Actually, I think I've been to one of these places in Mexico... uuhh...anyway, if I have, I don't remember ;-) Well it was very calm inside as we were pretty much the one ones eating dinner in the place. We were going to walk around after dinner but it started to rain so we dipped into an "It's Candy" candy store. Funny thing is we didn't even need to buy any because the samples they were offering were these huge (biggest samples we've ever gotten) chocolate, marshmellow blocks that they easily served as our dessert. The next day we got some sun so we tried to spend a decent amount of time outside after our homeschool. Peyton and I built a rocket back in Minnesota and had yet to launch it off so we decided the time had come. Now, there were signs saying no fireworks, but a rocket is not really a firework (...right?...) so we set up the lauching device next to our motorhome and started the countdown.... 5, 4, 3, 2, 1, BLASTOFF! Peyton got the honors to push the launch button. Now we knew there was an easterly breeze but we didn't really know how high this rocket would travel. We were absolutley amazed how high this rocket shot into the air. Sterling, who was on the beach hoping to catch it, had no chance. The rocket went so high that it made it into the gulfstream. The parachute deployed properly and begin to float down but the breeze carried it out over the ocean and gave our rocket a realistic Apollo splashdown in the Atlantic. "...There were no survivors." Eventhough we only got the chance to shoot it off once the kids thought it was awesome. We need to buy another rocket. We decided we liked the powerful engines tough.That night since we hadn't swam in the indoor pool we made it a priority. Nothing fancy just a rectangular heated pool and a hot tub. We played, swam a few laps and I got to assume my normal pool role of kid-launcher. The kids had fun stacking themselves 3 high, Peyton on Tanner's shoulders and Tanner on Sterling's shoulders. Lots of laughs!

On Wednesday we homeschooled, beached then drove inland 1 hour to Florence, SC to pickup mommy. We were glad to get mommy back to PirateLand because we all really liked being right on the beach. It somewhat reminded us of the place we stayed in Cape Cod (also right on the beach).Thursday was the best day yet. Sunny and 67 degrees but a little breezey. Not bad considering it now is December. Cindi and I got runs to the piers to the north in and the kids really enjoyed the sand and the beach. We also went to Johnny Rockets for Dinner and back to It's Candy for a little treat.  We spent the next day playing on the beach and Peyton had a great time burying Sterling.   Their favorite activity was making forts and then bombing them and then building another and then bombing it again.  We love the beach!

Sorry Nothing Too Exciting To Write About

As the title says, some days are just put in the "nothing too exciting happened today" category. On Wednesday we homeschooled and recessed at the 'resort" playground between subjects. After school we experienced our RV park's Battle of Gettysburg Diorama, an 800 square foot model recreation, with about 20,000 hand painted soliers, horses and buildings brought to life with a light and sound show. We were treated to a free private showing. It actually was pretty cool and there were tons of Gettysburg collectibles and artifacts owned by the RV parks Civil War buff owner. After the diorama I then treated the kids to something "they" really wanted to do... see the just released movie, Madagascar 2. The theater was probably the nicest one I've ever been in and the movie... it was OK. Kids liked it.

On Thursday we homeschooled then after 4 nights at the Artillery Ridge Camping Resort we took off an drove southeast over the Mason Dixon Line. More history. This line was surveyed between 1763 and 1767 by Charles Mason and Jeremiah Dixon in the resolution of a border dispute between British colonies in Colonial America. It forms a demarcation line between four U.S. states, forming part of the borders of Pennsylvania, Maryland, Delaware, and West Virginia (then part of Virginia). Mason-Dixon Line symbolizes a cultural boundary between the Northern United States and the Southern United States (Dixie). Doesn't quit feel like were in the South yet. Anyway we were in route to Baltimore, Maryland to pick up Mommy. Yeah!! THAT actually IS exciting! Well for us it is. After the hugs and kisses we drove to a WM in Columbia outside Baltimore and checked in for the night.

Gettysburg, Pennsylvania

Growing up we all learn about the dramatic Civil War battle of Gettysburg and the importance it played in the history of our county. For this reason it was a mandatory stop on our US Tour.
On Sunday afternoon we pulled into the The Gettysburg National Military Park. To say we are getting our "money's worth" out of our $80 US National Parks Pass is a gross understatement. We seriously use it all the time! The kids, and Cindi and I, are getting amazing history lessons each week. Needless to say we do not have history books for homeschool this year--they are getting a huge dose of the real thing! What an incredible experience! There are times we just stop and thank God that we, or He, has created this unique opportunity for our family.

The new Gettysburg Museum and Visitor Center opened this year and is VERY impressive. We started, as we normally do, with getting the Junior Ranger Program materials (this is where the kid's groan, primarily because it is Sunday). As part of earning another Junior Ranger badge/patch they got (had) to listen to a ranger talk entitled, "Civil War Soldier." It was very interesting but butt-chilling as it was cold outside. We then headed inside to watch a great film on the Gettysburg Battle called, "A New Birth of Freedom." We then went upstairs and enjoyed the Gettysburg Cyclorama which is a 360 degee painting that lights up with narration as the 3 day battle is retold. We then toured the museum. All very interesting and enough information to complete their Junior Ranger requirements.  Here is the quick summary: The Battle of Gettysburg was a turning point in the Civil War, the Union victory in the summer of 1863 that ended General Robert E. Lee's second and most ambitious invasion of the North. Often referred to as the "High Water Mark of the Confederacy," it was the war's bloodiest battle with 51,000 casualties (that is just unimaginable). It also provided President Abraham Lincoln with the setting for his most famous address, The Gettysburg Address... "Four score and seven years ago our fathers brought forth on this continent a new nation, conceived in Liberty, and dedicated to the proposition that all men are created equal. Now we are engaged in a great civil war..." OK, that did not even come close to doing Gettysburg justice so for more information visit http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Gettysburg.

Our accommodations were within a cannon's shot away from the battlefield, at the Artillery Ridge Camping Resort. Cindi decided to work another Get Motivated show, so early Monday morning we all jumped in the car (actually I carried each sleeping kid into the car) and headed south through Maryland into Virginia to deliver Cindi to Dulles Airport. Then headed back to Gettysburg with the kids sleeping almost all the way back. After homeschool, the boys and I ventured out on a self guided tour of the battlefield. We took a couple hours driving around, stopping along the way at numbered stops that highlighted key battle locations and monuments. It is amazing that this battle took place only 150 years ago. Can you believe that? It seems like it should be so much further back in history. Fortunately the Union prevailed and we were on our way back toward reuniting the nation and more importantly moving in the right direction toward, all men being created (and treated) equally. (music starts...) "God Bless America. Land That I Love..." Sorry couldn't help myself breaking out in a little patriot singing :-)

Hershey (Chocolate), Pennsylvania

We have talked about visiting Hershey many times since we started this adventure, primarily since Cindi has fond memories of this exact place when she visited here years ago with her grandparents. Bummer that Cindi couldn't go with us but the kids were excited to visit "The Sweetest Place on Earth." So after school we drove an hour north to Hershey, PA to visit "Hershey's Chocolate World." The first thing we did was go on the ride called, "Great American Chocolate Tour" where we briefly learned about chocolate from "bean to bar." It was an entertaining "Disney-type people mover" ride through a pretend factory. A real factory tour would have been much more interesting--I'm not sure if they even offer such a tour anymore. The ride was mildly entertaining and a free sample at the end made it worth it. So much so that we went twice. We passed on the 3D movie as we heard it wasn't worth it. We did shop though. I gave the kids 5 bucks each to buy whatever candy they wanted in the large store on site. The last thing they needed was more candy after Halloween but after all we were at Hershey World. The kids were surprised how many different types of candies Hershey's actually makes. In addition to the Hershey's bars and kisses, they also make Reece's (Sterling's favorite), Kit Kat, Whatchamacallit, Almond Joy (surprisingly Peyton's favorite), Mounds, PayDay, 5th Avenue, Heath, Rolo, Skor, Milk Duds (loved those as a kid... and now), Take 5 (Cindi's favorite), Whoppers, Zagnut, Zero, York Peppermint Pattie, Jolly Ranchers, Good & Plenty, Twizzlers, Bubble Yum, Ice Beakers, Breath Savers, Moana Loa, and fine chocolates called Cacao Reserve.

On the way back to Gettysburg we drove around Pennsylvania's capitol building in Harrisburg. Not too exciting. It's days like these that we are glad we have a pull car. We leave the 8 miles per gallon 40' monster behind and take our 20+ mpg Saturn on day excursions.

Delaware (the First State)

The great thing about this trip is that we really don't have a time schedule. We truly don't have to be anywhere at any particular time. With that said, the last minute decision to fly to Arizona for a week set us back a bit. Not a big issue but it is cold still being this far north. Before we leave this part of the county we definitely wanted to see Gettysburg and Hershey, PA home of Hershey's Chocolate. But wait, I'm getting ahead of myself. While in the Philadelphia area we were going to take a "road trip" to Atlantic City but based on time, we decided to blow that one off. Plus I've been there and quit frankly, "it sucks!" I paid it a visit maybe 10 years ago as part of a business trip during my Hewlett Packard days. I just remembered the casinos being average at best, and very smokey. The only redemming quality to Atlantic City is the fact that it is on the beach. I'm more of a Vegas man I guess.

As we see this great country of ours over roughly a years time span we've decided to touch all 48 states. Well, on our way to Gettysburg we took a minor southerly detour with the sole purpose of touching the rather smaller state of Delaware. We literally drove into Delaware, caught a glimpse of Willmington, Delaware's largest city, then headed back northwest. Before we leave Delaware though, and never mention it again in our blog, let me give it a little credit and say that in 1787 Delaware became the first of the original 13 states to ratify the United States Constitution. As we were departing Delaware I commented to Cindi that the state's northern border is the peculiar shape of an arc. Upon further investigation I discovered that the definition of the northern boundary of the state is in fact, "highly unusual." Most of the boundary between Delaware and Pennsylvania is defined by an arc extending 12 miles from the cupola of the courthouse in New Castle. It is referred to as the Twelve-Mile Circle. This is the only true-arc political boundary in the United States. How about that? You all are getting such interesting facts by reading the Hulsebus Family Dream blog.

After entering and exiting Delaware to keep our "48 goal" a possibility we journeyed westward through the southern part of Pennsylvania past the town of... well... "Intercourse" ...OOOKaayyy?! Just another interesting fact.

Fort McHenry

First, before I talk about Fort McHenry I have to say...."All I want for Christmas is my two front teeth"!

While in Baltimore we visited Fort McHenry which is the Birthplace of the National Anthem.“O say can you see, by the dawn’s early light,” a large red, white and blue banner? “Whose broad stripes and bright stars . . . were so gallantly streaming!” over the star-shaped Fort McHenry during the Battle of Baltimore, September 13-14, 1814. The valiant defense of the fort by 1,000 dedicated Americans inspired Francis Scott Key to write “The Star-Spangled Banner.”

It was really cool to see this fort.  It stands pretty much how it would have looked when Francis Scott Key wrote those famous words. 

 You could look out over the water and imagine the British surrounding the fort with their multitude of ships.  You could feel what the American soldiers must have felt as they looked up at the flag and stood their ground behind the grass mounds and cannons of Fort McHenry.  

You could also picture what Francis Scott Key must have been feeling as he sat out at sea, helpless as he watched the battle taking place all around him.  You can feel his joy in his words when he saw the gigantic American Flag still waving free after a full night of constant battle.  According to the odds that flag should not have been standing, but it was, and because of Francis Scott Key's ability to express his overwhelming emotion.  We are amazingly, blessed with an incredible National Anthem. 

After a great afternoon at Fort McHenry, we went to downtown Baltimore and had Dinner at the Cheesecake Factory.  Here is my thoughts on the Cheesecake Factory.  The menu drives me nuts!!! There is way too many choices!  I can not decide what to eat when I have a million things to choice from.  I like In-n-Out.  Pretty much one choice with a few variations.  When I go there I know I'm going to have a burger..simple!  Anyway, after a hour of deciding what to eat I gave up and ordered a appetizer from the first page.  I was then disappointed about what I ordered.  Not because it wasn't good, but because I kept wondering if it was the best choice or if I should have ordered what the waiter just carried to the next table.  As you can see, Cheesecake Factory stressed me out.  Then to top it off, we decided not to get Cheesecake (I actually am not a huge Cheesecake fan) but why go to Cheesecake Factory if you don't get Cheesecake!  It's the freakin Factory, at least one person in the party should be forced to get Cheesecake!  

After that undecisive meal Dave was very sweet to volunteer to take the boys to the Science Museum next door to see the K'nex exhibit since there was a Filene's Basement across the street that was calling my name...CINDI SHOP HERE!  I found a really cute dress and a few shirts and the boys had a blast building everything they could think of with K'nex. 

Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Back to the colder East Coast.

We flew in late Friday night and crashed back in our motorhome in New Jersey. The next day we headed over the Schuylkill ("SKOO-kull") River into Philadelphia, the City of Brotherly Love. Like with most city visits, we decided to do the touristy thing so we drove straight to the Independence National Historic Park. After a quick visit to the visitors center we headed to the Liberty Bell first. American history time again folks. In 1751, a bell was ordered for the Pennsylvania State House (today called Independence Hall). The bell, cast in London, England, actual cracked as it was being tested soon after it arrived in Philadelphia. Local craftsmen John Pass and John Stow cast a new bell in 1753, using metal from the English bell.  The Liberty

 Bell's inscription, "Proclaim LIBERTY throughout all the Land unto all the Inhabitants thereof" is taken from the biblical scripture from Leviticus 25:10. This old State House bell was first called the "Liberty Bell" by a group trying to outlaw slavery. These abolitionists remembered the words on the bell and, in the 1830s, adopted it as a symbol of their cause. By 1846 a thin crack began to affect the sound of the bell. The bell was repaired in 1846 and rang for a George Washington birthday celebration, but the bell cracked again and has not been rung since. After taking some pictures...

...we headed across the street. Independence Hall, the most well known building was completed in 1753. The United States Declaration of Independence and United States Constitution were both signed at Independence Hall. Unfortunately we missed the official tour of this building but we did take a very interesting tour of Congress Hall right next door. Our guide was very animated and informative and did a great job of keeping the kids' (and our) attention. Congress Hall served as the seat of the United States Congress from 1790 to 1800, until the US Capitol was permanently moved to Washington DC. During Congress Hall's duration as the capitol, the country admitted three new states, Vermont, Kentucky, and Tennessee; ratified the Bill of Rights of the United States Constitution; and oversaw the Presidential inaugurations of both

 George Washington and John Adams. The first floor of Congress Hall is where the House of Representative met and second floor was reserved as the chamber for the Senate.

We drove around the city checking out the sights then ended up at the steps of the Philadelphia Museum of Art made famous in the movie Rocky. We all ran to the top of the steps and raised our arms in victory. The kids haven't even seen the movie but were into it anyway, especially after seeing a bunch of other people doing the same thing.

Check out Mr. Handsome Boy who lost a tooth!

Phoenix, ARIZONA ! ! ? ?

First of all... NO we did not drive from New Jersey to Arizona. We flew! Why you ask? Well Cind was asked last minute to work a show in Phoenix. She said OK once we decided to take the whole family. Cindi's folks live there so we thought it a great opportunity for all of us to take a full week to visit Grandma and Grampa. Thursday was a "travel day " and Friday was Halloween (as you can see we are still a bit behind with the blog)! Since Grandma and Grandpa live in a very nice, youthful, retirement community we had to drive to a kid-filled neighborhood closeby to "trick-or-treat." Tanner was a black capped something, Sterling a football player (what else), and Peyton a white-sheeted ghost. They had a good time but definitely missed their own friends and their own neighborhood. They did OK on candy front. Thanks to Cindi's folks who volunteered to take the kids for 2 nights, we were then free! I love my kids but this was the FIRST TIME I have not been with at least one of them since the end of April!

Saturday was the show but that night we got invited to the Phoenix Coyote's professional hockey game. We sat in a very nice box suite with unlimited food and drink. Nice just to relax and have an adult night out. Wayne Gretsky, the Coyote's coach, couldn't lead them to victory though--the final score was 2 to 3. The next day Cindi and I snuck in a movie before we ended up back at Grandma and Grandpa's house.

The rest of the week was great. Lots of homeschool, visiting and enjoying the hot weather (in the 80s) by the pool. Actually one of the highlights of the week for our family was being able to take our 2 SeaDoos out on Lake Pleasant for the day. Grandpa has been kind enough to store them in his storage area for the duration of our adventure. There have been so many times on our trip that we wish we had been towing the skis. We have stayed on so many lakes and rivers over the last few months where we could have done some serious SeaDooing. Instead we are pulling a Saturn Vue, which we probably couldn't live without now.

While in Arizona a new preseident was elected. Although I did not vote for McCain in the primary, I definitely supported the Republican ticket of McCain-Palin. Now, as a proud US citizen, I support our new president-elect Obama. As a family we are praying for Obama and the future of this great country!

Now back to Philly -->>

First Cindi has a few things to say:  It was so nice to see my parents who I love very much!  Thank you so much for always making us feel so welcomed in your home.  It was also great to see my Bubby.  Although her alzheimers has really taken a toll on her memory she is still in great spirits and a joy to be around.  We are also so blessed that she remembers all of us and is always happy to see us.