NCR Marathon Baltimore, MD

The NCR Marathon is Baltimore’s oldest continuously running USATF certified marathon held annually on the Saturday following Thanksgiving. Placed 35 out of 287 overall.  I did not know of this marathon until this year.  It is a very well fun small marathon.  It was cold but a pretty course.  I got a hotel and stayed the night before after work and rented the next day for a gloriously warm shower. This was my 28th marathon.

Maryland Zoo, Baltimore

The Maryland Zoo is in Baltimore and the boys had a fun day.  Their favorite part was the "mining" to find treasures from sifting the dirt in the slew. As per Wikipedia; the Maryland Zoo in Baltimore is generally considered to be the third oldest zoological park in the United States, having opened in 1876. A super neat aspect of the park is that one of the re-designs of the park was done by Frederick Law Olmstead, a renound Landscape Architect.

B&O Railroad Museum, Maryland

Last time we were at the Baltimore Train Museum was in 2018.  Milton was chillin in his stroller.  I am pretty sure we were there with my parents, but I don't have any photo evidence.

Hershey Park, Pennsylvania

We drove up to Hershey for the day. Last time we were at Hershey was in 2018.  It was a very rainy day so not many people were there so there were hardly any people in the lines.  Owen and Damon found a small rollercoaster and probably went on it about 20 times. 

Six Flags

Six Flags permanently shut down just the month after we visited.  This location opened in 1974! I went there many times growing up, so it is kinda weird to have it now shut down.  The boys had fun.  Milton isn't a huge roller coaster fan, so we are trying to have him try more before we go to Disney in March. We went to a neat magic show, a holiday concert, and an outdoor play about the wild west.  I am fairly certain the park is going to be converted into a housing development.  Driving over was one after another new housing, so I am sure that 500 acres sold for a pretty penny. 

November 2025

Football training evening, ice skating lessons, Walters gallery, Palmer boys visit and Thanksgiving. The Football training was sponsored by the Navy Youth Programs and the boys were not exactly impressed.  It was super cold which didn't help.  It was fun to see the kids all running around with the football players. We found ice skating lessons on base and Owen has come to enjoy it, but Milton is still on the fence.  We have told the boys that knowing how to skate is a critical way to woo the ladies. Matilde is selling her house so we have inherited the piano that was originally at my grandparents house. The Palmer boys came for a weekend with my mom and the boys all had so much fun getting to play with the legos and more excitingly, play Minecraft all together. We went on a tour of the State Capital building which was really neat. Thanksgiving was at my mom's house with George and Cindy with Damon making a prime rib.  It was a tasty dinner. Milton was invited to his first birthday party here that was at one of those indoor trampoline places.  He had a lot of fun.  Probably a possibility for where we would have Milton's party. One Saturday we went with my mom to Walters Gallery in Baltimore.  It definitely merits additional visits.  Milton liked the armor room the most.