Thursday, June 5, 2008

Vacation Last week in New Jersey....


I'm always looking for ways to cut corners financially these days, I guess we all are.

I'm not so willing to cut in the areas of making memories for my children.

It all started with Caleb's being diagnosed with microcephaly...and my need to bombard him with a multitude of sensory experiences to open up his ability to learn.

It occurred to me back then that I don't remember much about the WHAT I RECIEVED from christmas or birthdays-

but I remember smells, tastes, sounds..

So I started a voyage of finding ways to open up Caleb's sensory system while creating MEMORIES all the time for the children.

This year Santa bought season's passes to SIX FLAGGS....so I decided to trek down to New Jersey to the GREAT ADVENTURE; most importantly I wanted the children to experience their drive through animal safari.

We camped in a YURT at ALLAIRE STATE PARK for $30 a night! WOW. You can't get cheaper than that unless you lug your own tent and set it up. The passes to six flaggs covered the safari and the park. We didn't have to pay for parking ($15 each time) because we also bought a season parking pass for $45.


ALLAIRE STATE PARK is also a living historical musuem. What a joy to find reinactors dressed up in a steel making town. There was a steam train that only runs on weekends but when we got there, a field trip from school was going for a ride. We talked to the conductor and HOPPED ABOARD!


A friend told us to visit the jersey shores...well, we are so glad that we did! The beaches were clean, the waves HUGE and the shells were every where.....



"MORE FLAGGS,

MORE FUN!"



can still be heard echoing our hallway this week as the kids remember their adventures last week- six flags, giraffe's licking the car.....and waves plummeting the shores.


Life doesn't get ANY BETTER THAN THAT!

3 comments:

Sherry at the Zoo said...

wow! What fun! Looks like everyone had a great time...

Maggie, Dammit said...

This is lovely. I think you're absolutely right, kids remember adventures far more readily than any plastic toy. The gift you've given them is far more powerful.

Cap'n Slappy said...

Cool! We Went to Great Adventure every year visiting grandma and grandpa(Great Adventure is lots of fun, Great Adventure's for everyone!) before it became transformed to what pretty much looks about the same-awesome vacation! Looks like everyone is having a great time! Beautiful pictures. Hope you got to rest and relax.