Hershey's

The next morning, we left Shartlesville (tee hee) and headed to Hershey's.  Yes the irony of the two slang names occurred to me. (snort)

The street lamps look like wrapped and unwrapped kisses.

We got there just before they opened at 9 and it was a good thing cause the place was mobbed when we finished the tour.

Reminds  me of the 'WONKA' smokestack in 'Willie Wonka'

Lots of people had the 'get there when they open' idea too.  We hung back and let all the kids go in first since they were clamoring at the door when it opened.

We took the free tour which is a car that goes through the factory with a screen that dispensed information for each section.  There was very, very loud with music too.  I'd also done this tour on that trip in 11th grade and it was not near as fancy as it is now (again, nearly 40 years ago).  It was a bit of 'sensory overload' for me but I'm so glad we did it. 

Talking animals and so forth would also pop up as you passed.

I was snapping so fast my camera couldn't keep up.  I should've set it to 'sports' but by the time I thought of it, we were almost through.

I am fairly certain this is all simulated even though it's behind glass.  When I went 40 years ago, it was a tour past the real factory windows.

Pretty sure that's not really pressed chocolate.

There were a couple of psychedelic tunnels so of course I had to start singing, 'There's no earthly way of knowing, which direction we are going..." 

A view of the gift shop, which was packed by the time we left.  I wanted to buy tons of candy but we would into the melting issue in the hot truck whenever it was left for any length of time.  I got the boys souvenir shirts and a plastic champagne bottle of kisses for Casi & Jeff.

But boy was I tempted to load up on candy.  They gave us free mini chocolate bars as we exited the tour.

I was surprisingly good in the Twizzler's area as I love them. Plus it was only 9:30 and the thought of loading up on chocolate and sweets at that hour made me a bit queasy.

We were fortunate to get parking really close to the entrance, but these trolleys are necessary to ferry people from the far lots.

One last look at the factory.

Back on the road.  Loved shooting this bridge over the Susquehanna River, just south of the state capitol of Harrisburg.  

Did not, however, like the look of those clouds.

I'm back

Hi all!  Sorry for not visiting anyone's blogs the past two weeks but we were out of town visiting our grandbabies!  I will be catching up with stuff because I had a 'Pennsylvania Bucket List' and we managed to hit all of it which was awesome!  We had a blast.  

Just some highlights for now:

Raymondskill Falls, Pocono Mtns, PA

Bushkill Falls "The Niagara of Pennsylvania"

Hershey, PA.  This place is seriously like going through Willie Wonka's factory.

Thought it was important to visit Gettysburg at least once in our lives.

American kitsch at it's finest.  I cannot recommend Mister Ed's Elephant Museum & Candy Emporium enough.  Located in Orrtanna, PA, this is well worth a visit.  It's about 30 minutes due west of Gettysburg.  Full disclosure:  It's across the street from an old Mail Pouch Tobacco barn.  When I did google streetview of the barn, prior to our trip, I swung the camera around and saw this directly across the street and made a written note to be sure and stop here as well.  Easily one of the highlights of the entire trip.

Arriving to both boys wearing the 'My Nonna Loves Me' shirts I got them a month or so ago.

Val arrived in OH a few days before we did and she went home earlier too.

 Trip to Jungle Jim's

Brothers bonding in Olive Garden

Casi's 27th birthday

Lots and lots of cuddling with this precious nugget.

Huge and awesome indoor flea market next to the casino.

Me loving on Mark

GAH!  Cutest. Baby. EVER!!!!!!!

Girls day out, to Jungle Jim's and the casino.

I love it when the three of us go out!  Jeff & Russell babysat the boys at the apartment while we were out galavanting around.  When we got back, we all went out to dinner.

Babby Mark turned 5 months old.

Dale's cheeks are flushed cause he was sick.  We babysat both boys that afternoon so Casi & Jeff could finally have some alone time out of the house.

Mark had his very first cereal.

Grumpa loving on Mark.

The new Tappan Zee Bridge at sunset the day we drove back.

We were gone for 8 days and it was really great to get home even though we miss the kids like crazy!