Devil's Den Bridge in Hanover Township Park

During our fun  road trip   downstate , we had to drive though  part of PA to get to our destination.  This part of Burgettstown PA is really pretty despite its narrow roads.  Burgettstown is a borough in Washington County, Pennsylvania. It is a suburb of Pittsburgh, PA.   It's a small  place but I like it when we drive through there especially the outskirt part of it.  Anyway, here are some drive by shots I took during our trip.

 I always admire  old churches.  There are so many of these along the way.

 I always favored the farm areas because it is relaxing to see.

 We all adored this red cabin log house, it looks so pretty.  The picture doesn't give it justice but it was gorgeous.  It's hard taking pictures when  the vehicle is moving.

 I noticed that in PA and WV, I have seen so many of these  three crosses and they  are all like these.  I always wonder if   the same people put all of these crosses in different places.  

 There are  scenic spots  in Burgettstown but we haven't  explore  it yet.  The only place  we have gone so far and enjoyed is the Hanover Township Park where the covered bridge is.

Above is the McClurg Bridge, a place that is also referred to as the "Devil's Den" Bridge.  It spans a small ravine in Hanover Township Park of Old Stubenville Pike.  We  see it whenever we go to the Hanover Park.  Here are some facts about this bridge:

The Kingpost bridge is 12'3" wide and 24' long. The bridge has red vertical plank siding and has three rectangular windows on each side. The roof is made of cedar shakes and the deck is crosswise planking with U-shaped vertical timber support under the middle of the deck. The bridge is open to foot traffic only. This is one the sites of the annual Covered Bridge Festival held the third weekend in September.

7 REASONS WHY BANGALORE IS THE MOST AWESOME PLACE TO LIVE IN:

Usually, we all have a special place in our hearts for the place we are born in. However, as we grow up we come across some locations in the globe that are so charismatic that, it makes us rethink. Bangalore is surely one of them.

Still not convinced with the statements? Then, check out the following reasons. This would surely give you the answer to why your next commute should be to this tech-hub of India.

1. An ideal food lover’s den:
Well if you have a fetish over the delicious south Indian delicacies, this place will undoubtedly prove to be your ‘Mecca’.

The incomparable taste of the South Indian dishes at MTR, or CTR or Vidyarthi Bhavan is something one cannot miss at any cost. If this reason does not prove to be sufficient for you, what will definitely drive to this city is the rich aroma of coffee and its seductive taste.
With a CCD residing at almost every corner of the street, you will never find yourself in a scarcity of a place to hang out. But what steals the deal here, is the drifting aroma of the piping hot filter ‘Kapi’.

It comes at an unbeatable ‘by2’ price where you almost get two cups at the price of one. Hatti Kapi offers a cup of south Indian coffee at only 8bucks. Indeed, it is the birthplace of coffee days.

Besides, if you are a diet enthusiast, the city still has something in store for you. Bangalore has a huge tendency towards organic living.
With organic hangouts joints like that of The Yoga House and the Carrot’s Healthy Kitchen, Bangalore has its own statement of healthy living.

2. An extensively rich cultural life:
Dance and music have always been one of the essences of life in Karnataka. However, if one wants to really believe the intensity of that, he needs to pay a visit Nrityangam Dance Village.

The residential school offers professional training in different Indian classical dance forms that include Odissi, Mohiniattam, Kathak, Bharatnatyam, Kuchipudi, Kathakali, and Manipuri.

However, this doesn’t put up an end. This city is one of those few places that still hold the tradition of theater strong. Ranga Shankara, the theater has promoted 2700 performances till date.

But what is more exciting about the stage is that it promotes theater in all languages. Leaving aside this, there is also Jagruti Theatre, Chowdiah Memorial Hall, Ravindra Kala Kshetra, etc.

3. Technology, the nerve system of the hour:
The city witnessed some of the biggest IT giants of India like that of Infosys, Wipro etc. However, that is not the only news.

Bangalore is also the focal point of revolutionary and exciting start-ups like that of Myntra, Flipkart, etc. Perhaps, that is one of the reasons why you would see so many café shops in every part of the city.

4. The beautiful weather:
The weather of Bangalore is something to get readily jealous off. When the whole of the country is thinking of ways to beat the exhausting heat, people in Bangalore is relaxing and enjoying walks in the cool weather of the night.

And the bigger story is that it remains almost the same throughout the year. So are you already jealous?

5. Rejuvenate yourself with sensual massages and spa:
Bangalore is a place where you can treat and revive yourself with different kinds of massages.

From herbal to the aroma, from Thai to Swedish, you can reinvent yourself with the sensations from the massage in Bangalore. Some of the great massage and spa centers are available here from your perusal. Choose according to your choice and refresh yourself with something special in Bangalore.

6. Bangalore Aero show:
If you are one of those enthusiasts who love flying and even watching air planes, then this city has to be your ‘city of dreams’.

Every 2 years, Bangaloreans are treated with a spectacular show where a host of combat and civilian aircraft from across the globe show their mastery in the skies. It is held in the Yelankha Air Force Base. So don’t miss it this year 2017!

7. The heritage of historical monuments:
Not many would know that Bangalore is also a place of archaeological monuments of great historical importance. The oldest temple of Bangalore is just located in the heart of the city. This makes it easier to even reach out to it.

Chokkanathaswamy temple, situated at Dolmur is considered to be the oldest of the temples. In further addition to this, the palace of Tipu Sultan, the old fort at Devanahalli, a couple of pre-historic sites located at Chikkajala, the Spectacular Bangalore Places, and the Savanadurga are some of the other distinctive places that one can resort to visit.


So, these beautiful and amazing things make Bangalore an awesome place to live in or even a great tourist spot.

Things to Do in Pattaya: The Usual and the Unusual

Let’s admit it, Pattaya is both famous and infamous for the risqué shows, ladyboys and Nuru Massage parlors that flock the city and they are indeed a big part of what the tourism in the city is about. However, there’s more to Pattaya than just what you usually hear about it. On that note, let’s now look at four things we suggest that everyone should try out in Pattaya which includes a few uncommon treats and mostly family-centric activities.

Royalty Free Photo

Party at the Walking Street

Let’s start the list off with a party on Pattaya’s most happening street, which is arguably, the trendiest street for party lovers in the whole of Thailand. The 500 meter long stretch and its side streets are home to nightclubs, go go bars, regular bars, restaurants and everything in-between! Walking Street looks devoid of life if you visit it during the day but as soon as the sun goes down, the neon lights take over, accompanied by booming music, tourists and a whole range of colorful characters.

Visit the Sea Turtle Sanctuary in Sattahip

Marine life conservation is usually not what people associate with Pattaya but if you have had enough of the go go bars and the loud music, this can be a refreshing change. Besides they have a pure white albino sea turtle which is one of the very few of its kind in the entire world! The turtle sanctuary which is run by the Thai Navy, has turtle feeding programs, turtle release programs and an awareness program to make people realize how our activities are affecting the ocean and all the creatures that live in it.

Shop at the Four Regions Floating Market

Floating markets are one of the unique attractions of Thailand in general and the one in Pattaya is definitely worth a visit. After all, how many markets are there in the world that require you to cruise around in a boat while shopping! The market is divided into four parts, namely North, Northeast, Central and South. This division is quite meaningful though as each of these four sections of the market represent the four corners of Thailand and sell items that the particular area is famous for.

Take the Children to the Art in Paradise Gallery

Although children generally love it, the truth is that adults like it no less! Everything you will see in here is some sort of an optical illusion or the other and the best part is that you can become a part of these clever little pieces of art. It’s a perfect opportunity to get some funny pictures to remember your trip by. Over one hundred pieces of optical illusions spread across ten different sections will keep everyone entertained for the whole evening.

You will, of course, have many more attractions to see and enjoy in Pattaya, but before anything else, we recommend that you choose one of the hotels in Pattaya Beach Road to make your stay as relaxing and enjoyable as possible. In spite of its mixed reputation, Pattaya can be an excellent place for a family holiday as well and this list is mostly catered to help you find some of the best family outings in the city.

Camping in the Backyard

As part of our daughter's birthday celebration , we   did a camping  in the backyard.  We haven't gone to a real camp site yet but  for now, camping in the backyard is a lot of fun.  Maybe when they are old enough, we can  go to a real camping ground.  

The moon  on that night was so bright, it was perfect for a camp out in the backyard.  This is one of the many reasons why I wanted a  fenced in backyard because we can do  whatever without the neighbor seeing what we are doing.  

We also roasted some marshmallows and  hotdog at a made-up fire pit.  Having a fire pit in the backyard is  another project we will be working on in the future.  for now, using the  stump of the  crab apple tree that we took down is good enough.

The smoke from the fire  drove away the mosquitoes which is advantageous to my kids because they are both allergic to  mosquito bites.  Even with anti-mosquito lotion and ointment, they still get bites once in a while so the smoke totally eliminates that.

Even our fur babies are ready to camp out!

I remember when we camped in the backyard, our dog Bolt was still a pup and he was little then.

It was chilly that night so  having four bodies in a small space was  great, it kept us all warm.

It was hard falling asleep and getting comfortable but the kids seemed to have fallen asleep with no problem.  They woke up so late  the next morning.  If it wasn't going to rain that day, we could have left the tent there for a couple of days but we decided to take it down the next day because when it rains, our  backyard get all the water from the hill.  .

It was fun, we all had a great time and we will definitely do it again, probably next year.  

We camped in our backyard last night. It was chilly, I had a hard time sleeping. My kiddos are still asleep. #BackyardCamping #CampOut #Camping

A post shared by Chubskulit Rose (@chubskulitrose) on Jul 10, 2017 at 3:39am PDT

Cool Destinations for a Family Vacation You May Not Have Thought Of

When I look at my kids I realize it won’t be long before they’re teenagers who will find taking annual vacations with mom and dad to be a bit – boring. Though I know it’s a phase all teens go through, it’s probably a good idea to get in as much time as I can with them now. We enjoy taking family trips every year. This year, I wanted to switch things up and do something different that the kids would enjoy. When checking around, I found some cool destinations I would never have dreamed of taking my family to.

Hit a Dude Ranch in Colorado

Want to get away from the hustle and bustle of the city? Your kids would enjoy staying on a dude ranch in Colorado. There are beautiful ranches in Grand County, Colorado. With the Rocky Mountain views and authentic old western vibe, there’s no telling the exciting adventures the family could have here. The ranches are all-inclusive meaning all the fun activities are right there. They also have really fun programs for kids who’d love the idea of being a junior cowboy or cowgirl.

An All-Inclusive Resort in Cabo San Lucas

Thought that island retreats in an all-inclusive resort was just for children? Contrary to popular belief, resorts can be a great way for families to vacation and save money at the same time. The food, accommodations and some of the activities are included in the price. Everything is right at the resort which means there’s no need for a rental car. There is even a Welk Cabo San Lucas family resort that has cool activities like paddle boarding, Mexican festivals and city tours.

Explore the City of Chicago

Are you from the country but you want to see what the city life is like? Take the kids to Chicago for a fun-filled family vacation they won’t soon forget. Chicago has a lot of fun activities for families to partake in. Take a cruise down the Chicago River on an architectural boat tour, dine on some Chicago style pizza, and if you happen to head down there during the summer why not catch an outdoor concert at Millennium Park? Many major cities like Chicago has city passes to make it more affordable for families to visit several tourist attractions.

Head to La Jolla Shores in San Diego

You can’t say summer family vacations without talking about beaches. If you want to find a destination that has some of the best beaches as well as a ton of activities for families to enjoy you’ll need to check out vacations in San Diego. There are over 70 miles of beaches with tropical temperatures all year-round. La Jolla Shores is great for children as the waves are slow and small for them to enjoy. There’s also the San Diego Zoo and Legoland.

Get Patriotic and Visit Our Nation’s Capital

If you thought Washington DC was nothing more than a historical bore that your children will almost certainly whine about, think again. The 4^th of July is when the nation’s capital Washington DC is the most fun for families. Enjoy festivities like parades, concerts on the West Lawn of the U.S. Capital, and tons of fireworks. Want to know what makes this an even better family vacation destination? All of these activities are free!

I’ve learned a lot searching for the best places to take the kids for our family vacation. Though traditional family destinations like Disney World are always a ton of fun, getting out into the world and allowing your kids to explore other cities can be a lot of fun. So, whether you want to hit the beaches, head to a ranch, or get patriotic, these destinations are sure to be a hit for your next family vacation.

Our 4th of July Celebration 2017

Independence Day is always  fun for us because we love  watching the parade and the fireworks .  There's an added bonus this year, the Wheeling symphony group have performed at our City.  This year's 4th of July fell on a weekday so the city   had the  parade and firework on the 1st.  We watched the parade in the morning  and then watched some parts of the Wheeling Symphony performance at the event center before  the firework have started.  

They have  different activities  every year but we only watch firework.  This year however, we thought of watching the  music group since we  have never watched them before.  You can see  a small part of their performance on the video below.

We  normally watches the firework with our neighbor family but they went on a vacation this year so we watched it  with other family friends.  The kids were excited because they got to watch it with their friends from school.

It's always fun to watch the fireworks with friends.

It was a fun little get together with friends.  The kids  passed football while waiting for the firework to start.  We also had some snacks and drinks for them to enjoy.

Last year, we were on vacation  on the 4th of July so we didn't get to celebrate it at our  new home.  This is the first  time we celebrated it here.

We did some BBQ and the kids lit up some sparklers later that night after we played tennis.  Hubby is a real trooper because even though he had a migraine, he still played tennis with us and enjoyed the meal we  prepared.

We are just starting to make some tradition for our  family so we kind of figuring it out  as we go.  Ever since my FIL died,  we  no longer  have a family get together for  special occasion.  We used to go to his house and the whole family celebrate there.

Here's a short video of them lighting up the sparkler.

Father's Day 2017

June was a very busy month for  my family.  With all the  outdoor projects  that my husband  and I have been doing, I barely have time to  sit down in my desk and write about  stuff.  Everything I post is  so late but it's okay as our time is being spent on  home improvement and family bonding.  We made a special breakfast for  him before we went to church.

The kids made their own personalized cards for  their Dad.  Hubby and I always appreciates the time and effort that our kids put into making their cards for us on special occasions.

They even influenced me to make one  for my husband.  My husband is a such a fun Dad for our kids so I played a little  with the color, I chose pink for the material to make a card for him.  I actually bought a card  for him but he accidentally  saw it in my office so  being the surprised is ruined, I made him another one.  

I  felt bad because he had a migraine that day but  he is a real trooper and smiled through pain.

After attending mass, we visited his Dad and  brought him some  flowers.  The kids put it together with the flag that they brought him during Memorial Day.

We used to celebrate  Father's Day with my FIL  at his house when he was still alive  but now we  visited and celebrated it at his  new and permanent home.

I would like for my kids to continue  this tradition of visiting loved ones  even just on special occasions.

Father's Day always makes me miss my own father as well.  He passed on 14 years ago and I still wish he still here to see my kids.  I hope that he is happy wherever he is now with the  creator  up there.

Visited our loved ones on Father's Day. This is the first year that my FIL is no longer with us. We also put new #flowers for them. #FathersDay

A post shared by Chubskulit Rose (@chubskulitrose) on Jun 18, 2017 at 12:32pm PDT