Our trip-the second leg...

I got up Thursday morning at 8am (after arriving at Mary's at 2am)

I have no clue how I functioned the rest of the day.  I am sure it was pure excitement.

By 9:30am we were on our way...

to breakfast LOL

By 10am we were on the road. right on schedule.

GO ME!

Those of you close to me know how hard it is for me to do anything on time. I usually run an hour behind. BUT NOT TODAY!! Today I was on schedule!

The landscape changed quickly.

Has anyone out there driven from IL to Ohio? Nothing too pretty right? A few hills, but mostly flat farmland. Just like Cornfield, IL.

Once we got out of the city, beautiful rolling hills started to appear. The hills got bigger and soon they became mountains.

MOUNTAINS PEOPLE!!!!

Mary disputed us calling them mountains. She said they were really really big hills.

Well, would really big hills make your ears pop? I think not!

Those were mountains!  Besides we went through tunnels in 4 of those mountains and on each of the tunnels it says MOUNTAIN! (the Mountains were mainly in WV, and PA)

Have no fear, I wasn't taking pics AND driving. Kasey manned the camera while I drove. Despite me yelling out "TAKE THE PICTURE NOW" a million times, they didn't turn out quite how I pictured them :(

Once I got past Columbus I was on unchartered territory. This was the farthest East I had ever driven!Those of you who know me well, also know I am directionally challenged. I frequently get lost, even in my own town. Turns out Mary is also directionally challenged LOL My kids should have been scared out of their minds, but God love them, they are some trusting people! Tom wanted to send me his Garmin, but I told him that wasn't necessary. I had directions from RandMcNally.com that he sent to me and I was going to be fine!

We made it just fine with only a few minor hiccups.

Did you know that in PA, they don't put the exit # on the exit sign at the turn off? Yeah, that got me 2 times. But I just turned my MPV around and we were back on track!

We made it through Ohio, the tip of West Virginia and then finally we were in PA. 

We are kind of dorks when it comes to road trips. Whatever State we drive through/visit, we always get a state shaped magnet. I was so excited to add West Virginia, and Pennsylvania!

We drove on the PA turnpike what seemed like f o r e v e r and then  just like that (snap fingers) we were in Hershey, PA!

YAHOO!

Mary and I were quite proud of ourselves that we made it that far with just a few little bumps!!!!!

We found our Condo right away and settled in, We rented a 1200 sq ft Condo that slept 8, Perfect for us!

Tom arrived around 6:30 and we went to dinner at Applebees. During dinner I fought to keep my eyes open. The fatigue caught up with me and I was fading fast!

After dinner we went back to the condo Tom headed back to his hotel (2hrs away in Aberdeen, MD) because he had school the next day (Friday). Shortly after we said "see ya later" I was passed out in bed.

The plan for Friday?

Chocolate World
Hershey Outlet Mall
Dinner with Tom when he arrived
Early to bed because we were going to DC on Saturday