Hershey, PA - Make Your Own Chocolate Bar

Ok, this was so much fun...

Cousin Shelby came for a visit a couple weekends ago (here's what other shenanigans we were up to that weekend) and we visited Hershey, PA...or the "Motherland" as her mom called it...Stacy, you are hilarious. :)

They have this new activity where you can create your own candy bar and design its wrapper...

Then, you watch it go down the conveyer belt...

....while sporting these awesome hair nets and, if necessary, beard nets (husband had a little too much fun with the beard net).

It adds the ingredients you chose...I picked pretzels, rice krispies, and cookie bits...go big or go home, right?

Next, it covers your creation in chocolate.

And adds sprinkles if you so desire...I do. :)

While your chocolate bar is in the cooling chamber, you get to design your wrapper.

And you have your very own personalized candy bar made in Hershey, PA! Cool, huh? 

Then, you eat it...DUH! :)

Do you like riddles?

If so, here's one very near and dear to my heart... :)

Happy St. Pats from Philly!

Last weekend was a blast with cousin Shelby coming all the way from Iowa for a visit...

On Saturday, we visited Hershey, PA (pictures coming...) and did all but bathe in chocolate....

and on Sunday, we watched the Philadelphia St. Patrick's Day Parade.  One thing you may not know about me....I LOVE PARADES.  I don't know what it is....the excitement, the floats, the people waving at you as they go by...it's all just awesome.

So, on my very official parade rating scale, I give this parade a 7...but only in its lack of floats because it for sure did not lack personality.  It was really fun to watch and gave the big city of Philadelphia a small-town feel for a few hours.  I mean, seriously...how many people in a big, busy city smile at you and wave as they walk by on a typical day?

{All about the love.}

{Husband, Brother-in-law, Cousin-in-law}

{Lots 'o Irish-lovin' people}

{Here it comes!}

{Men in skirts...I mean, kilts :) They were seriously good, though.}

{Re-enactors that - almost - had it all together...my favorite}

{Again...my favorite}

{Adorable twins}

{Somehow, this message has gotten lost over the years...good reminder!}

{I think that means that these ladies are 150 years old??}

{Sell those balloons before they blow away and take you with them!}

{Proud to be Irish}

{Philly Phanatic - mascot for Philadelphia Phillies}

{I would hate to see this guy blow his nose.}

{Cute little Irish dancers}

{...and again}

{...and again}

{Official Philadelphia Eagles Bus}

Happy St. Patrick's Day!!!

Me + This Desk = Awesomeness

I have been drooling over this desk for sometime now...

{Pottery Barn Porter Collector's Desk}

So beautiful.  So lovely.  And so perfect when I imagine it in our office.

The only mountain in the middle of the road is the $599 I would have to fork out to own this gorgeous desk.  OUCH.

So here I am, left with a few choices in this journey of taking this desk from dream to reality:

1. Find a look-a-like desk...I've found a few country-style kitchen tables that match up somewhat closely.

2. Search endlessly on Craigslist and Ebay until I find it second-hand.

3. Save up the $599 and just buy the dang thing.

What to do..What to do..What to do?