To Carlisle and Beyond!

Alternate Title: Remember that Other Holiday??

So, almost a two months ago (as in last year) we took an amazing trip "home" to Carlisle, Pennsylvania for Thanksgiving...but between school and work and winter sickness and programs and Christmas, my billion-picture post got delayed till now. Lucky you!

Ever wonder what it looks like to pack up a family of five and fly them across the country?

No?

Well you get to see anyway:

Clearly, the only way for an uber-disorganized brain (like mine) to possibly prepare successfully for the monumental task of remembering all the things that all the people will need for a week of travel...is to start the process seven days in advance, and put notes on everything. (Mind you, I have friends with many more children than I who do this with far more grace and far less chaos than I ever could, God bless them). But I did it--and we only forgot two minor things on the way back!

It was the first time the kids had been on a plane since we'd moved here, so the day was filled with Great Big Exciting Things like security and the airport train and escalators and their very own seats with grown-up seatbelts and tray tables that go up and down (and up and down and up and down) and ears that pop and big noisy engines that suddenly launch us waaay up in the air where we can see tiny little cars and trees and roads!!! To their credit, the kids did SO well the entire trip, and we got so many compliments on their behavior (guess my prayers worked!) which makes future prospects of family travel slightly less intimidating. Slightly. We packed a backpack for each of them with new toys and activity books and snacks to help keep them happy, which also helped a ton.

Now for the rest of the trip in pictures:

We made a quick trip to nearby Hershy Park to see Christmas Candylane [aka "The Chocolate Factory"] to tour the factory and see the Christmas Candylane lights!

The same day we got to see Aunt Joyce, who made a long drive up from Virgina just to say hi (she's my dad's step-sister who is the best--she used to be a teacher, and would take us cousins on week-long educational trips called "Camp Joyce" to D.C. and historic Williamsburg, despite the almost certain insanity that would result).

Everybody loves Aunt Joyce!

We also had fun playing, bowling...

Bowling shoes: most entertainment we've had all year.

We're petitioning the Olympic committee to make synchronized bowling a new sport.

Strike dances...

...and jump contest!

 And baking (to include a whole second gluten/dairy-free Thanksgiving feast to bring with us to Thanksgiving dinner with extended family in Philly)...

Making cranberry sauce from scratch and memories filled with giggles.

...taking family pictures, visiting Yabba at the high shool where he works, 

For some kids, pictures are a downright stressful event. So we allowed her to dictate some poses.
(Mommy couldn't quite hold her handstand long enough for the timer to go off...).

Fun at Yabba's office!

...and enjoying some good old-fashioned quality time together that we miss so very dearly when we're not together!

SO much fun with Uncle Q!

My sister and I got to steal away together for a
day of massages, lunch, a little shopping, and my very
favorite part--a  special visit to adoration together.
Miss my sis!

We also had fun traveling some more to meet the Philly clan at my aunt's house, celebrating as per the usual with dinner for a crowd, playing games, going to the zoo...

And of course, enjoying all of the innate silliness that comes with the territory of a true-blue family gathering:

Where there are animal hats...and masks...

It was a whirlwind--one that was worth every last second, and it reminded me how dire the need is for someone to invent a mode of travel that is a billion times faster and cheaper than airplanes, or figure out how to remove all that extraneous land in between our house and Grandma's. Or both. I'll even copyright it for free!

Despite our travel-weary crew, all they've talked about for weeks (now months) is how much they love Grandma and Yabba's toys, all the fun things they did with Aunt Chica, and all the funny things Uncle Q says and does. And above all, the kids' constant chorus is how they can't wait to see everyone again!
Me neither, kiddos!