We all ate a yummy spaghetti dinner and enjoyed a lot of visiting time while the kids played with toys that I played with as a kid (and that my dad played with when he was a kid). When we got back to the hotel, we all changed into swimsuits and headed down to, what is probably in the Guinness Book of World Records as the smallest, indoor, hotel swimming pool. The sign on the wall said that the pool's capacity was about 15 people. And hot tub's was 3. Thankfully there were just the 7 of us down there (though we did all get into the hot tub at the same time because the pool was COLD!)
Thankfully the full day, combined with the swim time, made for sleepy boys and they were both out almost as soon as their heads hit the pillow. (And can I just add that hotels are super smart if they have at least 1 all-cartoon channel? This hotel had the kids' channel Sprout which was great because there was always something good on. Even the Disney channel can sometimes have questionable shows on for little ones.) The next morning, we all ate breakfast at the hotel, which was insanity because apparently everyone in the southeast portion of Pennsylvania was staying at this hotel and they were all eating breakfast at the same time. Things got a bit dicey around the waffle maker is all I'm saying.
After getting ready, we headed out to Walmart to get some last minute things for the family reunion, then we went to the church to help get everything set up. We had a great time eating some yummy grilled hamburgers and visiting with everyone. My aunt Beth brought a bunch of stuff to entertain the kids with, so part of the afternoon was spent sitting outside watching all of them play in a wading pool and sprinkler. There were 7 boys under the age of 7 there. Not to mention 3 girls under the age of 10. So the kids all had plenty of playmates and lots of people to keep them company.
After cleaning up from the fun, my parents, me and the boys, my sister and her family, my 2 brothers, another sister and my sister-in-law (enough people for you?) all went to Hershey's Chocolate World in Hershey, Pennsylvania about 45 minutes away. Along with, again, everyone in the southeast portion of Pennsylvania which probably included all the people staying at our hotel. We've been to Hershey plenty of times over the years and have never seen it as crowded as it was on that Saturday evening. It was crazy. But thankfully they're very well equipped for the crowds and we waited maybe 10 minutes before boarding their Chocolate World tour where you get to see the process behind the making of the chocolate. Fun stuff! If you're ever in that area, you must check it out. The tour is free. And you get a free sample when it's over. Of course they get you in their shop, where the tour essentially drops you off. Candy galore along with anything and everything with the name "Hershey" or "Reese's" or something else along those lines printed on it.
During the night, that night, I woke up to a crazy storm pounding outside. I grabbed the computer and checked to see if we were under any sort of warnings because we were on the 5th floor of the hotel and I really didn't want to die while wearing my pajamas. The electricity went out at one point, but it either came back on a few seconds later or the hotel had a generator that kicked in. Thankfully between the a/c running and the sound machine that I use for the boys, they never moved a muscle during the storm. Neither did my sister.
The next morning, we again ate breakfast with the state of Pennsylvania and then got ready for church. My dad was asked to preach at my grandparents' church so it was nice to get to hear him speak. We all went to eat lunch at an Italian restaurant. They had a special that was 2 pieces of pizza and a drink and since their pieces were really big, I thought that would be plenty to split between me and the boys. That was so wrong. They both packed away the pizza. Thankfully my parents and my brother had gotten a pizza to share amongst them, so they found pity on my "starving" children and gave us a few pieces.
After a few pit stops, we finally were headed back to Indiana after lunch. The drive home was uneventful and we got to see some fireworks once it got dark since it was July 3. The next morning, my parents, me and the boys went out for breakfast and then my mom and I ran a few errands. We just lounged around the house for the rest of the day and then the rest of the family came over for burgers for supper. All the kids played with poppers and sparklers afterwards and then we had to say goodbye to my sister and her kids. I packed up my SUV and got everything all prepared for us to leave the next day.
At 5am, we pulled out of my parents' driveway and started the trip back to Texas. It's always sad to say goodbye after a fun visit like that. Thankfully the trip home was also uneventful and went by relatively quick (as quick as an all day drive can be). We actually made really good time and managed to shave off half an hour from the typical drive time that this trip takes, so that was nice. I'm sure the boys hated it because at both of our stops we were in and out with no dawdling. But when you're traveling alone, it really is easier that way.
I'm glad we made the trip for many reasons. Of course I got to see all of my family, which is always great because we only see each other once or twice a year. But I also proved to myself that I can make this trip on my own if I need to. So watch out interstates, I'm sure we'll be back out there again next year! (And here's hoping Cooper is potty trained by then and proves to have great bladder control like his brother has!)
1 comment:
Sounds like such a fun trip! You get a medal in my book for making it by yourself. Sometimes a tirp to Wal-mart alone with the kids terrifies me!
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