last blogger on the block: Hersheypark Christmas Candylane

This year, instead of spending a few days in NYC checking out the store windows and grand tree, we decided to go to Hersheypark's Christmas Candylane a few days before Christmas. I'm so glad we did because Hersheypark at Christmas is absolutely amazing!

The whole theme park is decked out in Christmas lights, all of the Hershey's Chocolate Characters are dressed in their Christmas best, and Santa and his reindeer somehow manage to take time out of their busy schedule to stop by for a visit. Plus, all of the rides are perfect for Ella and Brooklyn's age. And the best part of the whole trip was the whole place was EMPTY! I mean there was absolutely no waiting in long theme-park lines and sometimes Ella and Brooklyn were the only ones on the rides at all. It was FANTASTIC! We got to walk right up to Santa and his reindeer without a fight, too. Loved it!!

The girls were troopers because, I will admit, it was quite cold. The park opens at 5pm and we stayed till close at 9pm, so it was a chilly night - nothing hot chocolate can't cure (along with four cozy blankets). The girls had a ball riding on all of the fun rides (Ella loved the hot air balloons and Brooklyn loved the mini merry-go-round). They also thought meeting Santa and his reindeer was pretty cool (me, too).

When the park closed at 9pm, we decided to drive through Hershey Sweet Lights - a two mile drive covered in Christmas lights. It was pretty cool, but took forever! Those two miles took about 40 minutes. Yikes!

The next morning the girls swam in the heated indoor pool at Hershey Lodge where we stayed and then we all headed over to the Hershey Chocolate Factory for lunch and more chocolate fun.

On our way home we took a detour to Kennet Square (an adorable little town) and then Longwood Gardens, where they, too, have an amazing Christmas light display. This year, instead of ice skaters, they had a whole train display complete with waterfalls, bridges, tunnels, etc. It was awesome.

We made it home by 9pm, dropped the sleeping kids in their beds and then Ryan and I got to work on wrapping and assembling Christmas gifts. Such a great trip. Can't wait to do it again next year!

You have to measure yourself so you know what rides you can go on in the park. Ella's a Reese's this time.

Brooklyn just made it to the Hershey's Kiss line.

We looked absolutely ridiculous walking around the park with a double stroller and a single stroller with three kids wrapped up like burritos in blankets, but at least everyone was warm and happy. I had a few people ask me if they could buy the blankets off of me because their kids were freezing.

Ella took this for us. It's nice to finally have a picture of just me and Ryan. I think our wedding day was the last time we had one of just the two of us.

Santa was AWESOME. I mean... he made me a believer! (I probably would still believe in him if my mean old sister hadn't ruined it for me all those years ago. =-)

Poor Kendall was so great the whole time even though she didn't get to go on a single ride or do anything fun. She slept in her car seat nearly the whole time. She is such a sweetheart!

Santa brought all of his reindeer and we got to learn all about them.

Kendall was infatuated with this funny little bouncy ball game... Can you see her staring at it?

I can see these two driving around like this in 90 years, can't you? Ella looks like she's driving Miss Daisy.

Since Ryan and I were too big to go on any of the rides, Ella took Brooklyn on them all and showed her how everything worked to make the cars go up and down.

Yep, it was cold. I wish that could have been me wrapped up. Luckily (and quite surprisingly, I might add) I wasn't miserably cold for once. Stubborn little Miss Brooklyn refused to wear anything other than a skirt and tights (no surprise there), so she was probably the coldest of us all.