Rocky Point Creamery

After Antietam we had one more ice cream trail stop on our way and decided to end our ice cream trail there. 4 ice cream spots in 2 days is pretty good!

A pic as we left. D and Adi were walking ahead of us. 

We got dinner at Raising Canes, a new to us favorite and I have loved my new national parks puzzle so much that I did it twice. 

So 5 Most Beautiful places, 4 ice cream trail spots, and 4 summer bingo squares is a pretty good haul for 2 days. 

Antietam

 We finally, after 17 years, made it to Antietam. Matt and I both felt my dad there and wished we’d brought him, he’d have loved it. I’m sure he did love it.

We checked out the Visitor Center and grounds, watched a movie, bought some souvies, and decided to do the driving tour. We listened to park rangers telling us about every spot and saw where all the battles and important places were. Like Dunker Church here. 

A few of the interesting facts we learned: Antietam is a civil war site, what happened there was the bloodiest single day in American history, and 23,000 people died. The National Parks have done an amazing job - it’s a truly beautiful historic park. Truly hallowed ground. 

This is the lookout that looks down on the Sunken Road that came to be known as Bloody Lane. 

Truly beautiful country. 

This was my favorite spot - Lower Bridge, which came to be known as Burnside Bridge for an amazingly brave man with some amazingly cool sideburns. Matt remembered that cool fact from Oversimplified. 

We drove all 11 stops on the tour and got out at several. It was really just a lovely day together. 

And if you’re wondering where Delaney was, her beef sting precluded her from walking much. 🙄🤷‍♀️

Washington Monument State Park

This is the first completed monument to Washington, in Washington County. It’s just a cute little monument on top of South Mountain.

We climbed to the top and the views were beautiful. 

I’d say this deserves a spot in the 50. 

After the climbing and hiking we went to our 3rd ice cream trail spot at South Mountain Creamery. They’ve got a huge operation where they deliver milk all around the area and they’ve got tours and stuff. And delicious ice cream, obvi. 

Appalachian Trail

 Our first order of business Sunday was Greenbrier State Park. Only, when we got there we found that they require reservations and there were no more reservations to be had. So I still don’t know why it’s so cool and beautiful but I wish I did.

About 2 minutes from that parks entrance was a portion of the Appalachian Trail, so we decided to take it.

There were signs to Greenbrier and also our next stop Washington Monument State Park, so Adi and I got to walk the 3 miles to the WMSP and after half a mile, Matt took Frankie and Delaney to get the car and they drop there and then Matt met us on the trail again. So he did the front and back end because he’s such a good guy. 

Adi had Appalachian trail as one of her bingo submissions, so it was perfect. 

She’d like to hike the whole thing someday and I hope she does!

Our brave adventurous girl. 

Ice cream trail

 I love the Maryland Ice Cream Trail! I did it in 2017 also, but never got to the eastern shore ones. So about 5 minutes from the Strathmore is a non creamery ice cream trail location called Mimi’s.

This was my least favorite, but Adi’s top favorite, so there you go. Matt and I got a 4 scoop flight, so we got to taste test. 

Next up was an item from Matt’s bucket list - an adventure park session. We still had 2 gift sessions from a Santa gift a few years ago, so we only paid for 2. 🎉

I supervised and read my book that I’ve been reading forever.  

We love the adventure park. 

The only problem was that it was *so* hot. 

I sat in the shade with snacks and everyone’s water bottles that I kept filled and Matt came to me after he’d done the black course and looked like he’d been hit by a truck. 🤣 He said after he got water and chatted with me for a bit, he went to climb the double black diamond and the worker was like “uhhh, when was the last time you had water?” 🤣

Break time!

I’ve don’t the ropes course pictures and they’re never very good, so I mostly relaxed. 

I grabbed a few pictures from my seat though. 

Matt bailed on the double black course about halfway through, which I was grateful for because it gave us just enough time to get to the last ice cream trail spot still open. 

I drove like a bat out of hell to Deliteful Dairy. We got there at 7:30 and they were very much prepping for their 8:00 closing. 

This was my favorite ice cream of the weekend though, so I’m glad we made it. I got a lemon cookie flavor with marshmallow topping on a waffle cone and it was so good!

And we were able to enjoy the most beautiful sunset on their cute little farm. 

So we left at 9, spent an hour at the C&O Canal Park, an hour at the Strathmore, 30 minutes getting ice cream x2, and 4 hours at the adventure park. Such a good day!

I had loosely planned because I didn’t know how long we’d want to stay anywhere, but, other than the extra hour at the adventure park and the creameries closing so early, we were right on schedule with my plans. 

Matt and I spent a few minutes finding a hotel, which proved more difficult than I’d initially thought it would be because, even though I put 5 people into my original searches when I was planning, not all of those hotels had suites for 5. We ended up at not the nicest Sleep Inn and it really earned that low 3 star rating. Even the brekkie was sub par. 🤢 And the pool and hot tub were emptied for repairing. Whomp whomp. 

We channeled our inner papa and grabbed dinner at Waffle House then showers for everyone and a decently early bedtime. At least an early summer bedtime. 🤗

Bucket List 2026

 Firstly, Adi and I got our tickets to rexburg. It was a bit of a nail biting fiasco. Adi had a $350 Southwest credit from our trip to Dallas that she decided not to take (I used mine to go with Frankie to Portland). But when I went to buy the tickets it was like 2 weeks past the expiration date to use the credit. I *hate* the changes Southwest has made. 😞 

So then Adi and I did some research and found a YouTube video work around, but it sounded sketchy. We figured we had nothing to lose, so we tried it. First, we bought a Southwest gift card for $25. Then, with the whole amount of her flight credit we bought their highest tier ticket, it’s like Choice Privilege or something. Then, we immediately cancelled that ticket, and voila, we have a no expiration date flight credit. It’s something about the gift card and the highest tier, I don’t know. But I’m very grateful it worked and we didn’t lose $350.

Anyways, Saturday was our adventure day. We got going a few minutes after 9 and set out for the C&O Canal Park in Georgetown.

They are renovating it and had hoped to be done in 2026 but are now aiming for 2027. Kinda wild to see a big ol canal boat in a dry bed. 

We’ll have to go back when it’s open because it’s actually a really cool piece of history. 

We walked their cute little streets and Matt and I checked out the old stone house - the oldest home in Washington. I wanted to get the sign, which I didn’t really succeed at, so did an old Jason’s Thelma and Louise instead of a selfie. 

We ended up getting free parking and staying right on my very loose schedule and headed to the Strathmore Theater. We parked in the metro lot and then walked in the back way and joked about how beautiful this 50 Most Beautiful Places place was. 

And then as we were walking up the stairs Delaney did a little squeak and come to find out she had been stung by a wasp. 

It hurt and immediately swelled. 

I guess the beauty of the Strathmore is inside, but the grounds are also quite lovely. 

Poor baby bug. Her whole leg was sore. 

The mansion at the Strathmore is closed for the month so we were kind of 0 for 2, but undaunted because it was really about the adventure. 

We deposited girls under a shady gazebo and walked to get the car so ournooor baby could rest her leg and elevate it. 

It was approximately 1000° degrees out. 

Bucket list prep

Delaney finished up her dance intensive, and with that, her summer dance. And she is getting moved up to ballet 5! 🎉🎉🎉 So proud of her and all her hard work! She’ll be dancing 5 days a week now and will have such a better schedule - from 3:30-6:00. I just talked to one of the girls moms who works at the high school and we’ll have a three way carpool and the girls can hang out in her classroom until it’s time for dance and it’s all coming together beautifully. Also, I couldn’t pass up KPop Demon Hunter lucky charms. 🤣

We had lofty plans this summer and we did so very little of them. We were planning our week two Saturdays ago and saw that we had the 8th and 9th free, so I planned a bunch of bucket list items. I left all of our plans open ended just to see how we were feeling and how far we got. 

Adi and Frankie babysat and Delaney decompressed and we all packed so we were ready for summer adventuring Saturday morning!

And also, our Summer 2026 Beach Vacation Crew!

Peter Pan

 Thursday night was Disney dinner! Matt had the world’s longest work days on Wednesday and Thursday so didn’t make it home till after 7. I had everything ready so that when he called I was able to throw everything into the oven and it was ready when he walked in.

The drink was super good! I muddled mint in simple syrup and it was so pretty and fresh. And delicious.

The Lost Boys cupcakes. I made my Oreo cupcakes and my frosting was runny again. 🫤 

I loved watching the movie. It’s an oldie and some of it didn’t hold up, but the animation is so pretty and it was my dads fav and it was just lovely. 

Pirate Ship cheese bread. I cut and pasted some of the stripes and I colored some of them for my sails. 

Neverland Map pizza. Adi made the dough for me. ❤️

Faith, Trust, and Pixie Dust. 😋 

And finally Tick Tock the Crock charcuterie.