Family Vacation

Me attempting to get a campfire started.


A couple of years ago when I was visiting my parents and doing some genealogy research on my dad's side of the family in Michigan, we started talking about making a trip to Pennsylvania to research my mom's side. Life got busy and not much more was said about it until early this summer. Mom and Dad started planning a trip and it was perfect timing for me since I'm not working right now.

A few weeks ago, I drove down to Chicago area where I left my car and joined my parents and one of my sisters (who is laid off for the summer) and traveled to the area west of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. It was a very LONG trip that included my traveling in 7 states for more than 40 hours and over 2000 miles...most of which was in the backseat of a pick-up truck!

We spent most of our time walking through cemeteries looking for the graves of several generations of my family. We were thankful for the help of my grandpa's younger sister who still lives in the area. My parents took their Fifth-wheel and we camped at a state park while we were there. I haven't camped in more than 20 years! That area of the state is very hilly and mountainous, at least to a mid-western girl. We all came home with sore muscles in our legs from walking up and down the hills everywhere we went - including the bathrooms!

I enjoyed the trip with my family very much. It is hard to be so far away from family so I treasure the times that I get to spend with them. Thanks for the memories Mom, Dad, and Julie!