Hersheys Chocolate World

Our first day in Lancaster, we drove into Hershey to spend the day at Chocolate World. As we entered into Hershey, we could smell the chocolate. The street lights are hershey kisses, which is just adorable. My dream town for sure!




The factory is where you are able to learn how chocolate is made. We started with a tour that takes you through the process. We loved the singing cows! But of course the best part is the chocolate samples they handed out after you get off the ride.






Next it was on to see a 3d movie which was lots of fun, with of course our favorite part being the chocolate samples afterwards!

We moved on from that to the Chocolate Tasting Adventure where we sampled 5 different types of chocolate, along with learning the history of chocolate.

After that we went on a singing trolley ride around the town of Hershey where we heard the history of Milton Hershey, who started it all. It was actually really interesting and he was a really good guy. Oh and of course CHOCOLATE samples!



Last, our favorite we were able to design our own candy bar. You were able to choose your fillings, flavors, toppings, name it and design the box. We all loved that, fun and YUMMY!

A Boy & A bolt!

Soon, very soon I hope to finish our vacation blogs, first day of school, update on the house (not that I have anything to update besides to whine about selling a house while homeschooling and living with 5 children, and it has been less than a week on market, ahh!) But I had to share this story!

On Saturday we attended the Lifewalk for Life Network. This is to raise $ and awareness for unborn babies. This is the first time we have been, because we are lazy and it is early in the morning. But my aunt knew one way to get us there, sign Makenna up to face paint! So we went and cheered on Amy & TJ in the 5K. They both did GREAT and I am so proud of Amy! (Proud of TJ also!) I hope someday I can have the courage to run in a race. But at this point, I KNOW I would die before I left the finish line I am so out of shape. Moving on. While at the walk, a sweet lady was making balloon animals and gave Sawyer this.


Not that exactly but similar. As we left she said, be careful because it has a bolt in it.(to make some noise) I think she felt I needed this warning since I had 8 children with me. I should have listened better. From the lifewalk we went apple picking and then came home. I was in the living room w/ the kids, passed out on the couch. Not because I ran, of course I did not. To be honest, we never even made it around to walking at the Life Walk but that was because I had 8 children in my care who all wanted balloon animals so it took some time! But because we had a showing that the house had to be ready for, while getting us all out of the door that morning before 8am. Again, moving on. So we are sitting and suddenly Sawyer, who was laying on the chair, jumps up yelling, "I JUST SWALLOWED A BOLT!"

He is grabbing his throat, and beginning to freak out. I, in my passed out, soothing mother voice asked what he meant? He, not liking that I am not jumping off the couch starts getting louder, A BOLT FROM THAT BALLOON! I asked if he was choking. "NO, but this is SERIOUS". About this time, Malaine, being the sweet sister she is, jumps up and begins yelling, SAWYER SWALLOWED A BOLT MOM, YOU HAVE TO HELP HIM!! I am assuming me laying on the couch not moving and just looking at them trying to figure out WHAT they want me to do was not the answer!




So I did what any mother would do, I went to Mark, told him his son swallowed a bolt and he needed to take care of it! ;-) Ok, so I did go one step further. I called the doctor to see if this was an emergency, who told me it COULD be, and directed us to take him to the ER. THEN I told Mark he had to take care of it because I was not sitting in the ER. Which seemed like a good idea till he left and I was stuck in the house w/ 4 girls who were tired and crabby from a long day, so I wished to be in the ER!



Thankfully, the bolt, which turned out to be a nut, was already in the stomach, not stuck in the throat, which was the worry. After Sawyer getting teased by the whole staff at the ER, he was sent home with the message to let things just pass naturally. ;-) The dr told him it was the nuttiest thing she had heard all day! The xray tech said she saw no problems unless he started pooping screws. and the 2nd dr said she was expecting to walk in and find a baby, not a BOY! Thankfully Sawyer is good natured and learned his lesson. Don't lay on the couch and toss a bolt in the air w/ your mouth hanging open or next time mom WILL go NUTS!

Hershey Factory!

We stayed in Lancaster, which was just about 20 minutes from Hershey. As we drove near the town, we could smell the chocolate and we loved the lamposts that looked like Kisses!

We visited the factory where we learned everything there is to know about chocolate! We went on a ride that showed how chocolate is made. Of course the best part was the ending where they hand out samples!

We did a taste testing adventure with all different types of chocolate, yum! We also learned that the monkeys were the first to discover chocolate!

We saw a 3D movie where you got what else, a sample of chocolate on your way out!

We took a trolley ride that took us all around Hershey and gave the history of Mr Hershey which was very interesting.

We wandered around the factory, feeling as if we were in Chocolate Heaven!

And our favorite, we got to design and create our own candy bars. YUM!

Just Ducky Pittsburgh Tours

On our way out of Pittsburgh we rode on one of the Ducky Tours. Kids thought that was hilarious. If you have not been on one, it is a trolley type vehicle that starts on land but then enters the water. We had a great guide who was so funny! The girls even got to drive which they thought was amazing! We ate at the Hard Rock downtown then headed out to Lancaster. 4 out of 5 children travel REALLY well. One, did PRETTY well till about the last hour of each drive and then it was not so fun. Thank goodness it was just 4 hours!

Vacation-Pittsburgh

Saturday we spent the day exploring the city. We started off by driving to see the hospital where Makenna was born. It was in the city, so we did not stop just drove by. She thought it was very old and boring looking. ;-) We went to the Childrens Museum. Ate lunch at the Spaghetti Wharehouse, one of our old favorites. Rode to the top of the mountain on the Duquesne Incline, took a drive to our old apartments, and ended up back at the creamery!

Where Makenna was born!

At the childrens Museum

We got to play in Mr Rogers neighborhood! Did you know that the sweaters he wore were all knitted by his mother? Sweet! The kids are on "his swing"


This stuff was like quicksand, the kids had fun getting covered in it.
Our Tiny Artists
Going up the incline, Mark trying to sneak in a nap I think.


A view of the tram going up the incline.
The weather was dreary the day we were there, which is so what I remember Pittsburgh always being like!

It is a neat city though, a very cool downtown. It is known as the city of bridges.
The new football stadium


Can't tell well in this photo, but at the triangle is where the 3 rivers meet. We always found that neat.

Kids on top of the mountain. Not sure where Sage is, sliding down the mountain?? ;-) Mark and I used to have a place we loved to eat up on the mountain, but it was a bit to fancy for the children.
Very fun day!

Vacation-Back to the "Burgh"

It may seem we did nothing but travel this summer, and honestly, we felt that way also! But THIS vacation (which happened in August and I am just now posting) was our REAL vacation. The other trips were with Mark working.

Makenna was born in Pittsburgh, Pa. We moved out there for Marks job, back in 1996. At the time, it was SO hard to go. But it proved to be the best thing for his career and it was good for us too. We had not returned since we moved back, and Makenna was curious about the city. We decided to combine a weekend there with a week in Hershey & Lancaster. It was so strange being back! So much has changed, and so many flashbacks while there. We lived in a suburb called Cranberry Township.

Our first night we ate at Primanti Brothers, which is a Pittsburgh specialty. They serve sandwiches with french fries and cole slaw ON the sandwich. It really is delicious! We also took a trip to the Creamery, which we visited WAY to often when we lived there. (I was prego!) It was not nearly as good as we remembered, but I think that is because now we are spoiled by Cold Stone Creamery. Back then they did not have that! Cheap though, which is nice.

Sage enjoyed a barney ice cream, can you see the face? Very cute.

Kids loved going through the tunnels!