In the blink of an eye this little guy went from Chubby Cheeks to a big 5 year old.  We celebrated his birthday this week with the theme of his choice, TRAINS!  For a while there it looked like we were going to be pirates again, then it was construction, and even a mention of police cars… But trains it was, and we went all out and took a little mid-week trip to Pennsylvania to see the trains!

We stayed in downtown Lancaster at the new Marriott that was just opened this year.  This was no ordinary hotel; it was built with preserving history in mind.  The hotel stands  within the facade of a 110 year old department store… the ornate Watt & Shand.  Guests are in for a surprise when they walk in to the lobby, for right inside one will see the back of a historic brick home.  The front of the home is outside on the street. Inside the hotel one can also see a water-collection cistern that was unearthed and believed to be a part of the Underground Railroad.

We spent part of the day at the Railroad Museum of PA.  I never tire of seeing old steam engines and reading about railroad history in America.

The rest of the afternoon was spent at Cherry Crest Adventure Farm where we got lost in a 5 acre corn maze.  I’ve never been in a corn maze before, but let me tell you, it’s not easy to find your way out amidst the 10-foot stalks!  My husband told the kids not to worry, if we were stuck in there for a few days, we could always eat the corn!

…the adventure’s not over for my little guy.   Tomorrow *sniff* he starts his first day of Kindergarten.  Five years can go by way too fast.