What I Did This Summer -- Part 4: Ghosts and Posers

Since our first child was born almost seven years ago, Hubband and I have driven from our home in northern California to his parents home in northern Washington many times.  The drive has never been anything but a miserable slog,  up to twenty hours over two days (if we were lucky enough to stop) with one, two, or three screaming children, depending on the year.  This year was a little better.  All of those years of experience paying off?  Perhaps.  Or, maybe it was because we packed cupcakes, borrowed Nintendo DSes from a friend to keep the boys busy, and stopped in Salem, Oregon at a place called The Enchanted Forest.

This place is great.  It's like a story book village, with rides.  It was the perfect way to break up a long drive.  And inexpensive.  For a family of five, we spent under $100, including lunch!  (You can't even get mouse pancakes for that at some other places.)

One of the main attractions for Jonah, was the haunted house.  He wanted to go in there so badly.  And, so did I.  So, we bought our tickets and went.  Just Mommy and Jonah.  Is this an excited boy, or what?

After we waited in no line what-so-ever, we gave the delightful girl our ticket.  When she saw Jonah, she told us that if it we got too scared, we could just come back out the way we came.  As soon as the door closed behind us, it was pitch black.  I felt Jonah tense up beside me.

"It's okay, Jonah," I said.  "We don't have to stay if it is too scary."

"Are  you scared, Mom?"

"No," I said.

"I think maybe you are.  You should hold my hand just in case."

We came around the first bend, and my eyes were still adjusting.  A witch, at a table with a crystal ball, lit up and cackled at us from the left.  Jonah jumped and pulled me away from her.  I backed into a wall and tried to convince Jonah to just look at the lady for a minute, so that he could see she was not real.

"Are you sacred, Mom?  I think you are."

"No, honey.  I'm fine.  But we can go if you want."

At this point, something in the wall behind me moaned and rattled. I am not a scared-y cat, but I am tightly wound.  I jumped and shrieked.

Jonah yanked on my hand, and said, "That's it!  You're scared.  We need to leave!"  And, so we did.

If anyone asks, I am afraid of the haunted house at Enchanted Forest in Salem, Oregon.  My brave son rescued me.


I brought my camera on this trip, but never once took it out.  This is all I managed to capture on my phone.  (There is a disciplinary hearing in September.  My mommy-blogger credentials may be yanked.) 

Jonah and Abraham Lincoln

There were ghost and guns everywhere.

Forget Daddy-on-the-porch-with-a-shotgun.  I got this covered.

 And, I'll trow this one in, just because they are cute.

If you missed any episode of What I Did This Summer you can catch up here...

Part 1:  Medium-rare Waffles with Amish Strangers

Part 2:  Toilet Tourism

Part 3:  No One Slept Here

School started for us this week, but there are a few more bits and pieces of summer to show you, before I start writing about that.  I hope to be back soon.