Weekend in Hershey and Halloween

We spent last weekend in Hershey.  It is a lot of fun at any time of year, but we especially enjoyed visiting with all of the fall decorations. 

They had a lot of trick or treat stations for the kids in an area called Treatville. 

The highlight had to be their zoo, Zoo America, being open at night.  Everyone brings flashlights and you get to see the animals active at night!  They had all kinds of live animals to see, learn about and touch, as well.  Lucky we brought our winter coats and hats to brave the cold, but had so much fun!

Who would have thought that on October 29th, we'd be snowed in?  We were blessed that the hotel had an indoor pool.  So, the kids swam, soaked in the hot tub,

played in the arcade, played cards, rested, played dominos and swam some more! 

lol.  We did make it out for dinner at a lovely local restaurant.

On Sunday, after Church, we decided to try to make up for the day stuck inside and drove to the Railroad Museum of PA in Strasburg.  The kids loved climbing in and out of centuries old locomotives and other cars. 

Some of it was truly like walking back in time.  We are finishing up the Little House books and I loved hearing the kids squeal "wow, this train was built when Laura was alive!"  :-)  We ended our weekend excursion with a visit to an all-you-can-eat smorgasbord in Amish Country.  Nothing like the food or the scenery.  :-)

And, that brings us to Halloween.  In our house, we try to focus on the fact that All Hallow's Eve means the night before All Saints' Day, a day we remember the saints and martyrs who have gone before us to Heaven.  And, as long as we dress modestly and in something that is not in anyway ghoulish or scary, we can give glory to God and still enjoy trick or treating.  We made a craft today and started our morning with the "Pumpkin Prayer." 

The oldest kiddo chose not to dress up this year, but accompanied my husband and I in walking the kids through the neighborhood.  Kiddo #2 was a king, Kiddo #3 was a bat and Kiddo #4 was a little piglet.

Happy Halloween!
Happy All Saints' Day!

All Saints' Day Celebration

Kiddos #3 and #4 attended an All Saints' Day Celebration on Thursday 10/30. It was held at an infirmary for aged and ill priests.

The priests were so appreciative and happy to see the children who marched around as their saint, told a story or facts about their saint (or their moms told it for them) and sang some songs. The program ended with some refreshments.



St. Matthew and St. Katharine Drexel were portrayed very well by the kiddos. Kiddo #4 stayed in her costume literally all day and took it off only to go to sleep. She kept looking at herself in the mirror and saying, "I really look like St. Katharine, mommy!"