Downtown PA and Volant

Even though we spent a lot of time hanging out at Ed & Karen's place, we did manage to do a little sightseeing.  Of course getting the boys to leave the fish & guns was nearly impossible, so one of our trips was just us girls!  So we spent the day in downtown Pittsburgh, which was fun and really really HOT!  We walked around the city, rode the Subway, took the Incline up to Mt. Washington (to check out the view), had lunch w/some of my mom's friends and ended the day with a visit to my Grandma Fran's house for a BBQ.

PITTSBURGH 

 Madison's 1st Subway ride

followed by her 1st ride on the incline  

(Look at the smile!!! Melts my heart!)

so excited

 me and mom

mom and Karen

me and the munchkin :D

Madison and her Great Grandma

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The other outing we took actually included the boys, (only because it was so humid and started to drizzle, so they couldn't go fishing).  This time we stayed a little closer to Ed & Karen's and went to a town called Volant, which was known as the "Omish Town".  We looked around at the shops (the Omish make some really beautiful furniture), went wine tasting and stopped off for some ice cream before heading back.

VOLANT

 

 

 Volant Winery

Ice Cream time :)

After our day in Volant, it was time to head back to Ed & Karen's so we could pack up, since we were leaving the next day.  I can't believe that 9 days can fly by sooo fast!  We are soooo sad to leave!

During our trip, we did a lot of things, "for the 1st time", which is why Karen kept calling this the Vacation of Firsts :)

* Karen figuring out how to install a carseat in her car

* Karen going into the city on her vacation

* A baby getting bathed in Ed & Karen's sink

* Angela eating frogs legs

* Angela eating rabbit 

(yes, we also ate rabbit - bought from the store, not roadkill!)

* Angela attempting to water ski

* Deven eating deep fried turkey

* Deven & Angela shooting guns

* Deven seeing an Omish person

* Deven riding quads

* Madison seeing lighting bugs

* Madison watching the fireworks

* Madison getting adored by everyone 

(oh wait, that happens all the time - haha)

This trip was so much fun and I was so happy that Deven was able to really relax, not think about work and have fun.  I told him for months that once we got there, he's not going to want to leave... and I was totally right - haha. On the very first night we arrived, we were getting out of the car and Deven turned to me and said, "I think we should come back next year" and we hadn't even been at their house for 10 min!  Then on the 2nd night he said to me, "I don't understand how we've been together 8 years and this is the 1st time we've visited!" haha.  So needless to say, Deven REALLY REALLY enjoyed himself and it looks like this will now be an annual vacation, which is totally fine with me! :)

I can't begin to thank Ed & Karen for being such wonderful hosts!  I just hope they are ready for the Lightner's to invade their house again next year!