The purpose of our trip to Pennsylvania was the Bliss Family Reunion in Hershey, PA. After all...Chocolate is Bliss! Hershey is in rural Pennsylvania. It is beautiful and green.
It was also freaking HOT!!!! Apparently Pennsylvania was in the middle of the hottest weekend, hottest July, hottest Summer and hottest year in the record books! We felt it. Luckily, the reunion was at a pool center.
Leah loved the kiddy pool. She enjoyed filling buckets with water, emptying them and then refilling them again.
She also ran everywhere! I had to work hard to keep up with her.
Eyes of blue!
I can't tell you enough how much this girlie loves water and how much I love her.
Our next door neighbor, Tyler Ashby, was called to serve in the Pittsburgh, PA, mission a few months ago and is currently serving in Hershey. We took him, his companion and the other two missionaries in Hershey to lunch at the Hershey Chocolate Grill. It was great to see him and deliver this box from his family and other members of the ward.
Leah was excited to see Tyler too and we enjoyed visiting with him.
I always expected that Tyler would be a good missionary, but I am sooooo impressed with what a focused, obedient and diligent missionary he is. He has quickly learned what it means to serve the Lord and dedicate his life entirely to His service. Because of this, he has experienced great success already and will no doubt be one of the best missionaries to serve in PA. We are so proud of him.
Bliss Family Rules!!! This is my Grandma and Great Uncle Art Bliss, my Grandfather's brother. He is the Patriarch of the family and looks so much like my Grandpa. I miss my Grandfather greatly, but am so lucky to have my Grandmother with us. She is awesome!
Mary Bernice and Mike Lewis traveled from North Carolina to be with the Bliss Family!
Aunt Susan Bliss Nietfield came all the way from Colorado
Aunt Lynette Bliss Weber flew in from Salt Lake City and her daughter Gillette drove in from Ohio.
Of course, these special ladies came from California and Utah to join in the festivities.
What a cutie!
Nathan and Heather Bryner are from Hershey, PA and helped to organize a fun and relaxing reunion. Thanks for your help, Heather and Nathan!
MMMMMMMMMMMM!!!! Bar-b-qued Chicken! Eyes of Blue and BBQ!
Three of four Bliss generations. Leah's middle name is Bliss.
Mary Bernice and her Dad, my Uncle Art.
Ted and Bobby Bliss from Petaluma, CA. These are two great guys that I am always excited to see at the reunion.
We took a brief break from the reunion to visit Hershey's Chocolate World
We took a trolley tour around Hershey, PA, to learn about the town's and company's history.
Sarah and Leah riding the Trolley. They both liked the ride because it provided several free samples of chocolate.
The tour guides were funny, informative and sang lots of songs.
MMMMMMMMMMMM....CHOCOLATE!!!
Leah loved the packaging plant experience at Chocolate World.
She even had the official hat!
Here is Leah packaging a box of Hershey's Kisses...with Mom's help.
Factory worker, Leah reporting for duty!
Where are my Hershey's Kisses?! SIGH
Mum, Sarah and Leah at the end of a busy day filled with Chocolate.
Of course, what better way for Sarah to spend her birthday than in the city of chocolate!
I bought Sarah a birthday cake not knowing that my Mother also had done so. Here is Sarah eating two pieces of chocolate so as to not offend either of us.
Leah and her cousin, Grace.
We have a Bliss family reunion every three years and each time I always look forward to visiting with my cousins from Arizona, the Sneps and the Perkins. This is Mike and Patty Sneps. Unfortunately, the Perkins were unable to join us.
Grandma, my aunts and my Mum got Sarah a big chocolate bar. This is good because we were afraid to buy any chocolate for fear it would melt in the smoldering humidity and heat.
She's a little tea pot!
Make a wish!
The Sneps Clan of the Blisses!
The last day we had breakfast at Hershey Lodge to say our goodbyes and take some final pictures.
The kids, Ted and Bobby included, made glasses out of these waxy sticks that all the restaurants in the area gave to kids.
Sarah loved that all the street lamps in Hershey, PA looked like Kisses. When the lights were on, they were called light chocolate. When the bulbs burn out, they become dark chocolate. Some crooks stole them which made them hot chocolate...they were caught...or "foiled" and put behind chocolate bars! HAHA!
The famous Chocolate Factory
Milton Hershey's home across from the factory. What a great American success story this is about not giving up and persevering. I would encourage all to read.
This is the home Milton Hershey was raised in as a child. It is currently on the grounds of the Milton Hershey School for Boys. Milton and his wife could bear no children so they adopted hundreds over time and educated them at this school for boys they created and they continue to do so today. A great example of giving back.
Every day was long and hot and tiring. Leah loved coming home and hitting the pillow!
