Home Sweet Home

As some of you know, we are taking a trip to Amish country (otherwise known as Lancaster, Pennsylvania) this summer.  For Andy, Riley and me, this is where we call "home."  Poor Kendall, home is wherever we are to her.  We are really looking forward to this trip.  There are so many things on our list that I'm not sure we'll be able to fit them all in!

Some of the many activities we're looking forward to doing while in the Keystone State:

Watching the kids visiting with their grandparents - the joy on all of their faces is to be treasured

Visiting with my family members (aunts, uncles, cousins, etc.)


Seeing, hugging, & lovin' on my prego BFF!

Drinking some Turkey Hill ice tea

Eating ice cream at Pine View Dairy while walking around the barn saying hi to the cows and checking out the calves

Taking the kids to get real Reese's Pieces sundaes at Friendly's

Going to Central Market - to shop, walk, take in the sights and smells, maybe eat a whoopie pie (or two)

Eating at any number of favorite restaurants in Lancaster (breakfast @ Wish You Were Here anyone?)

Seeing an Amish horse & buggy as well as a windmill and explaining to the kids why they use them instead of a car and electricity.  Maybe we'll get the chance to explain what "road apples" are while we're there!

Visiting with friends from high school at the Hoffman's


Catching up with my former CV colleagues @ the Millers'

Getting pictures taken of the kids by one of my favorite photographers - who is also a former student of mine and someone I truly admire

Watching the kids play with Riley's friends (Myles, Jameson, Ellie, Hank, Hannah, Drew, Jill and Natalie) from when we lived in Lancaster


Hugging my former "loop" neighbors and catching up after WAY too much time has passed - Hoping Tom can still "party like a rock star!"  (So glad the Danisch family can come from Chicago at the same time)

Spending a day in Philly with my family - taking the kids to see the Liberty bell, Please Touch Museum, going to Pat's & Gino's for world famous cheesesteaks, Jeweler's Row - to look and shop (okay, to get my ring fixed), showing them Betsy Ross' house and explaining who she was, running up the stairs of the Art Museum like Rocky, riding the train into 30th Street Station, taking the kids on their first subway ride...

Smelling manure - I know, bizarre, right?  But there is something about the smell of methane in the air that feels like home!


Eating some ring bologna and some Bomberger's sweet bologna


Stocking up on Tasty Kakes - gotta remember to save room in the suitcase for a few extra boxes to bring back with me!


Eating Grandma Utz's Kettle cooked potato chips

I know some of you from outside of the great state of Pennsylvania are thinking, she's gone off the reservation!  Well, yes, that's quite possible, but there are certain things about where you grew up, things that you may have hated or took for granted before, that now after being away for so long, are what you want to see, smell and taste.  This trip will be fun for so many different reasons!