There's Nothing Wrong With Ohio.....

Sing along, "except the snow and the rain." What? Not a Bowling For Soup fan? This song has become one of my kids favorites since my brother Greg and his family moved to Ohio in 2009. We have been so fortunate to be able to visit them and spend vacations with them since they moved and this trip was no exception.

After we left the Pierce family in Washington, DC, we headed toward Ohio, by way of Pittsburgh for the next leg of the trip. Matt had to spend some time working in Akron, so my brother and his wife Sarah agreed to meet us and take our three oldest back to Columbus with them while Matt worked. If this sounds familiar, you may have read about this particular experience a few posts back in "A Tale of Two Sissys". Anyway, once we hooked up with Greg and Sarah, the fun started, in earnest.

We went to the Montgomery Inn for ribs. All I can say is "Wow, and when do we go back?" So yummy and so fun, despite all of the dirty looks we got from patrons when we walked in with six kids.

We went swimming at the Westerville Aquatic Center. Waterslides, pools, splash pads, diving boards, lazy river.... so much fun.

We ate dinner with the missionaries and learned first-hand what you would have to do to get sent home from the Columbus, Ohio mission.

We went to church with Greg and Sarah. Although this wasn't in the original plan, I'm so glad we went. It was a good touchpoint for our kids to be able to understand that the Gospel is the same wherever you go, and that the Church is true. It was also a good thing to incur a little Divine guidance on a three-week family vacation. The lessons were wonderful and I left wanting to be better.

We had a trip to Panera Bread which will go down in history as the worst experience I have ever had dining out with MY kids. Soooo much fun. Not!

We went to the mall and saw Cars 2. That, my friends, was a blast. I love anything by Pixar. The girls had a fun time with the camera, as well.

I saw some of the Harry Potter and X-Men films for the first time. I know, I know... I do live under a rock and the kids had a blast with their cousins.

The end of this week found us, along with sweet Lizzie on our way from Ohio to a house in the hills of Western Pennsylvania, near Gettysburg.

See what happens when you give a kid a camera? EVERYTHING is documented!

I should mention that the Pittsburgh part of this journey also included lunch at the Hard Rock Cafe and a Pirates/Orioles game. At the game they were honoring the 1971 World Series team, and handed out commemorative beer steins. Given my lack of beer stein use, I left them at my brothers for him to sell on eBay. Any takers yet, Greg? Waiting for the $$$$.