All At Once

Our whole tribe gets together each summer for a weekend or at least a day trip to a place nearby. This weekend we did a bigger trip (for most of us) than usual. Leroy and I met Gerald near Hershey after he got off work at 3:30 on Friday and headed west. I had reserved five rooms at a Days Inn at New Stanton for all of us. It was not the best motel experience due to a storm that knocked out the power before we arrived. It came on partially around midnight and we were thankful we could at least get lukewarm showers Saturday morning.
We left the motel a little before 9 and drove to Pittsburgh where we met Cheryl and her family at the Carneige Science Center at 10. They had the short trip this time (for a change) because Pittsburgh is about an hour and a half from their home in Ohio.
We had reserved group tickets to go into Sports Works, the Science Center, and the Imax Deep Sea film. We went into Sports Works first and all but a few of us ladies and children were there until lunch time. As you can see, the place is more of a guy thing.



We had taken our own lunch along which we ate at tables inside the Science Center. Right after lunch we saw the film and then were in the Science Center until 5 pm. They have a lot of hands-on things to do which demonstrate how the principles of science and laws of nature work. This is Marcus operating a solar powered car.

I came out of there amazed at the vastness of the universe and how intricately everything is made. It takes more faith to believe the world evolved on its own that it does to believe it was created by God.
Cheryl and Richard picked up 8 pizzas on the way back to their house. It was kinda cold till we all got there, but we ate it anyway. Then everybody started the bath routine and finding a place to settle for the night. We and Daryls went over to Richard's parents to sleep. There just was not enough floor space for everyone to sleep at Cheryl's house. Cheryl and Richard slept in the sleeper bunk of his truck and the boys had a tent in the back yard.
We and Daryls went back to Cheryl's house for breakfast with the rest of the bunch and then went to their church. Richard was an usher Sunday morning so he reserved the back two benches on each side for our tribe. We filled about 3 1/2 benches. We had lunch at their house, including two freezers of homemade ice cream which we totally licked up. Then it was time to load up and head home. Before leaving, we gathered on the front porch of Cheryl's house to take a picture. You know the old worn-out saying, "Come to visit us but don't all come at once." Well, we did all go at once--all 26 of us. And here's proof.

We pretty much packed out the Miller house, but that just added to the fun. I think this will go down in the books as one of the best Family Trips we have ever taken.