valley forge & center city

This weekend we stuck close to home and explored Valley Forge on Friday afternoon and Center City on Saturday.

Why, why, why do we always get ourselves into adventures slightly over our heads? Someday we'll learn. :) When we visited Valley Forge, our plan was to watch the short video in the visitors' center and then take the 40 minute ranger guided tour. After the movie, we went to the spot where you're supposed to meet the ranger. No one showed up. So, we decided to walk around the bookstore/mini museum until the next scheduled time and while we were inside they announced the next scheduled time over the intercom. Well, we went outside again and waited. And no one showed up. This time we went back inside and asked. They told us that the following tour had been cancelled due to heat and that the current one had probably been cancelled as well. Due to heat. Also, the whole Philadelphia area had in effect an extreme heat warning all weekend.

So ... we rented bikes!

As soon as we turned the corner away from the bike rental place, we started going uphill. And we kept going uphill. More uphill and more uphill!! I honestly try really hard not to complain about most things, most days (my parents might disagree :), but on Friday, I made it known that I was too hot and too sweaty and too tired to keep pedalling! Ben was the best husband and kept encouraging me to just keep up my momentum and keep going and then we would be back to the start. So, that's what I did!! Can you see me far in the distance pedaling as fast as I can? Haha.

Ben had the camera. :)

This is one of the (few) monuments we passed. It's kind of like a miniature Arc du Triomphe in memory of the soldiers that stayed at Valley Forge. Cool.

Bikes. :)

Our assessment of Valley Forge. It's kind of just like a giant park. Lots and lots of open space and a path that goes all the way around it for walking, running, and of course, biking. We feel bad saying this, but there's not too much to see! There are a couple of reconstructed huts like the one's the soldiers stayed in that winter and I can tell you that they look miserable ... but there's not much else! It's very interesting to learn about and we're glad we went, but we probably wouldn't go again. At least we were together - that's what really matters! Cheesy? I don't mind. :)

After I crashed on the bed as soon as we walked in the door, after dinner, and after cold showers, we went to a nearby park for an outdoor movie - Bedtime Stories. There happened to be another young and newly married couple from our ward there so I got to meet them and we all sat together! It was so fun!

We spent Saturday exploring some of the historic parts of downtown Philadelphia. First, we went to the Constitution Museum. We saw a short multimedia (I don't know what else to call it) presentation and then spent over an hour in the huge and extremely well-done museum. Honestly, it was awesome and I would recommend it to anyone! We had a blast, particularly Ben, who I am learning has an avid interest in U.S. History.

A proposal?

The great thinkers of the world.

Group huddle.

After that, we went to the Ben Franklin museum, and then to his original post office to send some postcards!

By that time we were starved and made our way to Jim's Steaks for our first authentic Philly Cheese Steak!

(Manning Street)

Our assessment: DELICIOUS!!

After ice cream at Franklin's Fountain, we called it a night!

And on Sunday, we said "One month ago we were getting married and today we're teaching primary children that choosing the right makes me happy. Life is good!"