Upstate New York

Ok, I officially want to visit this way once a year.  This part of the journey has been me starting to look at the life I’ll have at the end of this.  This is a pause of growth, but I’ll have to start a new life once I get back.  A life as a single mother, and I’ll have to do something as a career, or job or something. Not sure how I can grab the kind of life to make that happen – but I’ll try!

Rochester

Stayed with my cousin Tom in his very skinny driveway! He took us for some great sub-sandwiches and then the next day we went to George Eastman Museum and Mansion – photography exhibits as well as the history of photography.  Apparently it’s the “world’s oldest museum dedicated to photography.”  I had forgotten how much I used to love photography…I had studied it in college and my dad had made a darkroom for him and me to share.  I still have all the equipment (except chemicals and the such), so maybe that’s something I could do with my life – or at least teach to my kids….

Later we went to a Minor League Baseball Game.  Watching a ball game was on Harmony’s trip bucket list, so it was good to be able to cross it off.  Plus, since it was a minor league game, all the seats were good.  Tom made sure we got the best seats for Harmony to shag balls (but to no avail), but it was fun.  Relaxing, good to see family, and no mishaps.

Watkins Glen State Park

Beautiful State Park – Beautiful rock carved from water, beautiful hike.  You can even walk behind a waterfall and if you are lucky, your pants can be totally drenched for the rest of the hike. I’ll let a few of the hundreds of pictures tell the story.

Emotionally, we are still struggling a lot with bickering, which is the only damper on days likes this. HOWEVER, we had a campfire that night, which we never do. We even played a game around the campfire (the kids idea). No one in the campground was out and for a brief couple of hours, we were the happy family “camping”. I’ve been jealous all summer of these families while we stay in and microwave our hot dogs. But tonight it was us. Could things really be turning around for us?

Herkimer Diamond Mining

Yes, we officially went diamond mining. Well, these aren’t necessarily the same kind of diamonds you wear on your engagement ring, but they are “double-terminated quartz crystals” that are very clear.  You dig, you hit rocks and hope they pop out, it was hot, a lot of work, and the kids continued leaving to go back to the RV park because they were hot, hungry, or tired (thankfully across the street). I was so mad at them for (obeying their bodies and) abandoning me! I mean how lazy.  Later, when I had the worst sun-exposure headache of my life, I was glad for them but I wondered why I can never obey my body. I always eat too much, drink too much, and go go go go go…… Unfortunately the sun rises and sets with me (driving, tutoring, planning, etc..) so it’s not good when Momma is sick. In the end we go a tiny bag of tiny diamonds. and maybe 5 diamonds that are as big as a piece of corn.

Labor Day Weekend

We headed to Queensbury, NY (near Albany) for Labor Day weekend.  Thankfully we avoided the RV park drama of a holiday weekend by staying with my cousins, Jim and Chris.  It was so great. They took care of me, helped fix more broken stuff, and the kids had more kids there to play with. I’ve always wanted my kids to meet their cousins, but they never have. I also immediately loved my cousin’s wife when I met her 20 years ago and then never saw her again, so reconnecting with someone who you have that connection with is SUCH a blessing.  My aunt and uncle also came and spent some time with us.

We went to Lake George and just walked around, we went to Six Flags Great Escape, Caleb went to SkyZone with his older cousin, Ben, and we ate a lot, and drank a lot. Yet again, I found a place I didn’t want to leave. I love that I’m reconnecting with people, but I’m hating the fact that it’s so many years between seeing people. My new life cannot allow for this atrocity.

Blessings:

Reconnecting and connecting

Family Blessing me and helping me and doing what they can to make this a great trip for my kids, too.

It SEEMS like things might be getting a little better (the family dynamics aren’t great, but less WWF and more bickering, and the disasters are less gigantic)

Plus it was such a beautiful drive and because we were avoiding toll roads we kept driving through quaint little towns.

Harmony’s Corner

Guess what this place is… I’ll give you a hint, It is the hottest place I’ve been to in my life. Herkimer Diamond Mines (Psssssst it seems like it’s not actually a diamond mine.)

Cousins House

(Top Highlight Of New York Not In Order Sorry ): ) It was going to my see my cousins that I haven’t seen in my whole life. I had fun every night we play either Man Hunt And Sardines that night or we would play just Sardines that night or just play Man Hunt that night. We also lit some fireworks (because it’s not like it’s illegal in New York) I wanted to lite some which you had to be ten (which I’ll be in like four months stupid just four months!) We also played Sardines in their house.

Baseball game

(Second Top Highlight Of New York (Even though I play Softball instead Of Baseball) It Was Really Fun. I tried to get a ball and I was very close to catching it.

Great Escape

We went to an Amusement Park (which I love amusement parks) it was pretty fun I was jealous of Zoe because she got a baby Groot stuffed animal (and I am in love with baby Groot) it was just….. We went on this ride where it zooms up really fast and goes down slow the very top had a really good view you should go on it. We also went on this ride where Zoe accidentally jabbed me once every round of the rollercoaster (and there’s three rounds)