"Do you wanna know what its like to have a fourth [child]? Just imagine you're drowning, and then someone hands you a baby... I haven't slept in 7 years." - Jim Gaffigan

Monday, January 28, 2013

Mini Vacation - Day 1

A couple weeks ago I saw a deal on www.certifikid.com - one night stay in a resort hotel in Lancaster, PA for $99/night including a $25 food credit and kids eat for free. And did I mention an indoor pool?  I knew Peter had a school holiday (teacher work days) coming up, so I got the brilliant idea to take all four kids on vacation... by myself.

So this morning we were up bright and early (like always), and we headed up to PA.

Our first stop was Julius Sturgis Pretzels, where we got a tour of the original factory, learning to twist pretzels and bought lots of goodies to bring home to Brett (who is a pretzel lover and was VERY jealous that he was missing out).


Next we went to That Fish Place - the biggest pet store I have ever been in.  Beyond the rooms full or fish, small cages animals, reptiles and birds; they also have "Pirates Cove" a safe to touch area where the kids got to pet real sting rays.  It was really like an indoor zoo/aquarium and entertained my kids (for FREE) for almost two hours!










After That Fish Place, Peter and Aaron had one this on their mind - SWIMMING!  We went to our hotel and after a little bed jumping, some Sponge Bob (a show they are only allowed to watch on vacation when PBS isn't on the TV) and a snack; we went down to the indoor pool.




While we were at the pool, our friends who were also coming up for the same hotel deal, checked into the hotel and joined us in the pool.  I hadn't told the kids that some of their friends would be on the trip, so they were super excited and shocked to see familiar faces.




After swimming we cleaned up and then headed to one of the hotel restaurants for dinner with friends.  At dinner Campbell made a lovely mixture of chili and applesauce and essentially painted herself, her high chair and her clothes with it.  Then she made some night handprints on my clothes and moved to eating a bowl of sour cream with her hands.  Needless to say our waitress earned a very large tip!




After dinner (and a second bath for Campbell), the kids snuggled up to watch Ice Age 4 before drifting off to sleep.

Tomorrow we have plans to go swimming after breakfast, then hit the Hands On House (a children's museum) and the Turkey Hill Ice Cream Experience before heading back to Virginia.

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