Headed North.....

So, we got up this morning, packed the car & headed north. I'll give you 1 guess where we went today based on the picture above!!!! The Crayola-factory (it's not the real factory -- it was close by -- but kind of like a little crayola-kids-museum) And, OH, was Anne Marie excited!

There were crayons EVERYWHERE! (And markers, and paint!)

We got to see a demonstration on "how the crayons are made". It was fun to watch, and Anne Marie was just thrilled...she kept saying "watch this mommy, you need to learn this."

After the show, he gave out crayons to the kids -- one red one, which is the crayon he made in front of us & a new crayon -- a crayon that a little girl (from somewhere I can't remember) was able to name -- she named it "macaroni & cheese". Anne Marie loved that name!

They had MANY (many many) stations for the kids to color, paint & do crafts. This was on of the craft stations. She made a sun w/ different papers for her suns rays. She was able to paint w/ melted wax, color a ocean animal (she chose a whale) and paint around him with bubble-wrap to make it look like bubbles from the ocean around him. She even got to play with Crayola's new modeling clay - it's white & you can roll it, mold it, cut it in shapes & color on it, then it will dry hard. She LOVED this part the best she said! (We now have a very colorful flower, an elephant, a star, & a dice to bring home with us.)

When you go in to get your tickets they give you tokens...the kids can use these to purchase markers, crayons & the modeling clay out of cute little crayon & marker shaped dispensers.(please -- if you're going to go to the factory -- call me I'll give you a few very important tips!!)

Among the many fun art rooms, there was a dark room that you could use glow-in-the-dark markers to color with, there was a side-walk room that you could use chalk on EVERYWHERE! Then, there was a colored-light room -- when you walked in, your shape showed up on the screen in different colors - and every time you moved a new layer showed up. This is Anne Marie's shadow on the movie-screen.

After the factory tour (we were there over 3 hours!!) We were starved...so we decided we couldn't leave PA (we were still in PA even though we had traveled north) with out going to a pizza joint. YUMMO!!! Then, we got in the car & kept heading to our next destination.

Finally!! We've crossed the state line!

Well, about 1/2 way to our next stop I needed a coffee!!! And when we saw a sign for this on the highway we couldn't help but stop...you know they have coffee too!! (haaaa) double YUM!

Finally @ our next hotel -- this is Anne Marie helping daddy get the bags in the room. I have to say thank goodness for price_ _ _ _ because we've been able to get our hotel rooms for more than 1/2 off the cost of what they are listed for on-line!! Some of our hotel rooms have been less than what the little cabins rent for @ the KOA's -- but I think we're finally going to have to hit the camp-ground. NY is not as cheap as PA was!!