ROAD TRIP 2008-2009 - Harrisburg/Hershey, PA

We awoke bright and early today in Petersburg, VA (right outside of Richmond, VA) at a Rodeway Inn. For some reason, all the kids were bright eyed and bushy tailed at 6 am. So, we went with it. We got our stuff together and headed to the Breakfast Room. Sounds nice, right?! NOT! It was a chincy continental breakfast of cereal and cinnamon buns, that's all. Nothing else. Only those two food choices. So, we ate. We began our drive at 8:20 am today. We stopped a number of times right away. We found Jon a Starbucks, Joshua had to go to the bathroom really bad (he always has to go REALLY bad, according to him!), and one other time which I cannot remember why (oh, maybe it was for gas). On the ride, we had a few brainstorms. One was to call Yonghee Shaffer who I know from my Women's Weekend. She and her family live outside of Baltimore and we were driving right by there today. The other was to contact Bonnie and Mel for a visit. We had our lunch with us already, so we brought it to Yonghee's house in Ellicott City, MD. It was a fantastic visit with her, her husband Ken, and her daughter Kara (oh, yeah, and her pug dog). Thank God we had bought a Pecan Pie in Georgia a few days earlier that we could give to them! My mommy taught me that you always show up with something in your hands when you go to someone's house. We spent a good hour plus there, then were off again to the Harrisburg, PA area. It would have taken only one and half hour of drive time to get there, but we stopped again at the Pike's home for a visit. The kids just had a ball there today. Of course the house is child-equipped since they have Linda and her daughter Brooke living with them. The boys quickly found the train table in the basement and were happy as can be. Samantha followed them downstairs and bounced around with them. Zachary was the center of attention for Mel and Bonnie and the dogs. Ellie Mae loved him and licked his face all over. Princess Peewee Samantha Pike also liked him, though she was much more reserved. Thank God we had bought a gift box of chocolates earlier too! We stayed there for a long visit. We were even invited back for Shabbat dinner (since Linda and Brooke will be back from their trip to South Carolina then). After the lovely visit, we made our way to the next hotel, the MainStay Suites in Grantville, PA, just outside of Hershey. We checked in at about 4 pm, ate dinner at a quaint barn converted into an Italian restaurant called Fabio's, came back to the room to change into bathing gear, and went for a swim in the indoor pool with waterslide! The kids were soooooo excited about it. Afterwards, we rang in 2009 at our 7:30 pm family New Year's Eve party, filled with sparkling grape juice and festive blowers. The kids thought the juice was delicious and really were into the celebration! Then, it was off to bed for them and laundry for me. We had 2 loads to do. What fun! Until next year, all our love...