a field trip to hershey gardens

I had the very recent pleasure of accompanying David and his class on their field trip. I guess kindergartners go to Hershey Gardens, it’s just what they do. I was in charge of three little boys all by my onesie. I hadn’t expected to be yelling at my own child as much as I had to but, man. That kid does not stay with a group!! Story of our lives though. One just thinks that its during the school day so normal school behavior applies? Not the case for David.... No, not ever.

yet another deck update!

Once again, I wish that I could share these images with sunshine and flowers but alas, still not in the cards for us. We got a tease last weekend, to be sure, but that was short lived. We had taken down the sun sail (you can see what that looks like here) during a particularly windy night and well, no sense in putting it back up until the sun decides to return right?

But in the meantime our chairs have arrived and the table has been moved out to the back thanks to the helpful biceps of my brother-in-law. Matt made the table as I may have mentioned before... There are two "compartments" if you will where the table top can be removed (you can sort of see the cut out for fingers to lift it out) and buckets are below that one can fill with ice for all of your assorted summer beverage needs. The chairs can be found on Amazon here. I wanted ten chairs but when it came time to order it the way it all worked out it made more sense to just get another set of four rather than the set of two. Details. So we have twelve chairs which we will use and it's all good. They are stackable so come winter time storing them will be a breeze. I obviously went with the grey here because I just wasn't sure if the aqua would be something I would love year to year. And yes, spray painting would be an option but twelve chairs is a lot to paint. 

inner harbor

Our final day with Kerri was so cold and windy and dreary and rainy. Which just about stunk in every way imaginable. That didn't stop us from continuing on with our plans to head down to Inner Harbor on our way to drop her off at the airport though. It worked for us last year and I was a big fan of not having to drive solo on the way home...

We parked the van and then headed off to Westminster Hall where Edgar Allen Poe was laid to rest. Him and a whole bunch of other important Revolutionary individuals of note for various deeds. I know it's morbid and definitely a bit weird for me to say, but old cemeteries are pretty interesting to me. This obviously wasn't the first time I've hit up an old cemetery before...

playing tourist at troegs

Sometimes I have to stop and ask myself why I've never been to this place before? Because when you finally go somewhere and it's just awesome well then you feel a bit silly that you've never enjoyed it before. This was one of those times. Tröeg's Independent Brewing is right down the road from Hersheypark and was our stop for a later lunch after leaving the crowds. There is a tasting room, a snack bar menu, a self-guided tour and a guided one, crayons and coloring pages for the kids, and lots of good beer too! This place is right up my alley! Family friendly and drinks!

first hersheypark visit of the year!

Between illness and weather we just haven't gotten ourselves up to Hersheypark yet this spring and that really stinks, you know? We like to get our money's worth! Thankfully a friend of my sister's had a free ticket that would go unused and she was kind enough to give it up for Kerri! So Hersheypark it is! When we got there the line was just bananas so we thought we would go on Chocolate World first, as it's been years since Kerri last was there.