Theme Week: Penn State

Last week we got to take a surprise, last-minute trip to Penn State so that J could do some recruiting at our alma mater.  Here's a little glimpse of our trip.

Day 1:  Okay, kids are way more into hotels than I am.  The small refrigerator in the room is the biggest hit--it's totally kid-sized. 

Glad the kids survived the Target trip--wait, make that I'm glad I survived the Target trip.  ;)  Yum, peanut butter and jelly and tuna fish sandwiches--separately, not together and some or*o cakesters.  Those things are good!

These 50-cent goggles are down-right hilarious!  There's no way they'll work, but they sure do make a great picture.

And I have to admit, I was a bit skeptical about being in a big pool with both kids, but they had so much fun.  Of course it involved pretending to be chased by--you guessed it--stingrays. :)

Day 2:  Score for getting to the Nittany Lion shrine so early in the morning.  Zero people around to hear me accidently set off the car alarm.

In an attempt to pass the time before the stores opened, we roamed the campus lawns.

 We had bagels in a lovely garden where M and T promptly set about making chipmunk houses.

I've been waiting to get here for months to go to Animal Kingdom to pick out that bear for sister.  Note to self, next time we go bear shopping I need to scope out the store first.  We knocked over a lot of bears with all of our "shopping."

I finally got some comfortable waterproof shoes.  They seem like a good idea for international travels.  That store had the genius idea to turn a dressing room into a toy room for kids--LOVED that.

And shocked, but T actually took a nap after more swimming and M had to wake him up!  Cute stuff. 

Quite amazed, in general, how well M and T have been sleeping with all of us in the same room.  Good work, gang!

 Day 3:  Abandoned all tv time-restrictions and let them watch hours of Mickey Mouse and Cat-in-the-Hat.

Grand adventures today.  First stop, stocked up on Penn State t-shirts until they're both 6--have to represent the home team!  Next, the cupcake shop.  If we could ever find it.  Walked back and forth on the same blocks like 4-5 times before we finally found it--I was ready for someone to start carrying me!

And the Farmer's Market.  T picked up two flower stems, raised them over his head and shouted in his very loud voice, "Gooo, Penn State!"  He got a lot of appreciative nods.  M ate her weight in red raspberries.

Creamery time.  So much to cram into today--not ideal to mix cupcakes and ice cream before lunch, but sometimes you just have to roll with it.   

And, finally, to end the week, a little trip to the art museum.  Noted along the way that M and T have a fascination with students.  T said, "Is that a student following us?"  M said, "We're going along with the students.  Isn't that crazy?"  "There goes another student."  Funny because we were the outsiders--there were no other strollers and there are like 40,000 students there. :)

The week had it's moments, but I can't wait to go back.  Completely love PSU--so many amazing, life-defining moments took place there.  It feels like home. :)


[Housekeeping note: The previous 2 weeks were Prayer and Prepare weeks as we got ready for school.]