Our final stop was McAlevy's Fort, not too far from State College, PA. My sister-in-law's parents have a beautiful home in a very quiet and remote spot, surrounded by woodlands. We had a great time hanging out with my brother, Sean, and his wife, Emily, and their three kiddos as well as my dad, most often referred to as Poppy these days. Their was quite a bit of silliness with three small boys running around, throwing and whacking balls, tackling their daddies, and yelling made-up words with Poppy. And sweet little Nora just took everything in, smiling at everyone and sucking on her hands.
We enjoyed a hike in the woods right in the Volgstadts' backyard, swimming at Whipple Dam, and making homemade ice cream on Sunday. It was neat to see the boys interact a lot more than they have in the past. Micah and Liam are at a similar spot developmentally now that they are both more independent and talking a lot; it's amazing what a difference 6 months makes between kids until they get to this point.
Before heading home on Monday, we made a trip to Penn State for a stroll around the campus. Tim and I had not been there in 4 years and were amazed at how much the campus has changed in such a short time. It was fun to reminisce about people and events as we walked past different streets and buildings. We of course took some photos at the nittany lion which turned out so well I am including several. The boys loved visiting the fish tank in the HUB, a common meeting spot for lunch or studying with friends. Good memories. On our way out, we made a stop at the Clothing Line to get Micah his first PSU shirt and then at Yogurt Express, a favorite of mine during the college years (it's frozen yogurt loaded with candy toppings--in case you were thinking it was a healthy joint!).
I don't imagine we will be doing another big road trip any time soon as it is a lot of work and a bit exhausting but it was totally worth it this year, and we are thankful we were able to spend such quality time with so many loved ones!
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