Hershey, PA

It's taken us four years to make it up to Hershey, but we finally made it. I knew I was in heaven when even the streets were named Cocoa Ave. and the streetlights screamed, "Chocolate!" Why didn't we come here sooner? We started our adventure at the Hershey Gardens. Flowers, flowers everywhere. I'm surprised Cambrie's nose didn't get tired because she insisted on smelling every single one of them. Roses were definitely in bloom. I wanted a cute picture of the girls by the flowers, but it wasn't to be. As soon as I snapped this picture, Cambrie got up and walked away. McKenzie isn't a pro sitter yet and instantly fell down right in the rose bushes behind her. She received a few scratches on her face from the thorns. Oops. I didn't try this pose again. Cambrie wanted to help me take pictures of all of the flowers. She's a budding photographer (ha, ha...get it?). Her favorite area to play in was the children's garden. There were statues all over the garden. This statue was Cambrie's new favorite friend. They danced, sang, and smelled the flowers together. Cambrie climbed on some the statues there. I figured that was okay-they're just begging to be climbed upon.There were Hershey Kiss fountains that shot mist in the air. And even Hershey Kiss seats around another pool. What a poser!Cambrie had been really excited to see the butterfly house, but I was not paying attention and they closed before we made it. Luckily there were some strays that were fluttering around outside and that satisfied Cambrie. The butterfly benches helped too. This is my favorite picture of the afternoon: We met up with my dad later in the evening and visited Hershey's Chocolate World. I didn't know what to expect, but I figured the Great American Chocolate Tour was pretty amazing if teenagers were running to get in line. It felt like a ride at Disneyland. You sit in a car as you are paraded past singing cows, cocoa beans, and candy bars. At the end I realized why teenagers were running for this ride, there were free chocolate samples afterward! At the gift shop Cambrie went crazy. So much candy everywhere! She finally settled on a stuffed Hershey Kiss toy from my dad, and named him No-Name Beso. Yes, that is his name. She loves it!