Week with Nena and Grandpap

We fled the coop again last week so that Daddy could have some peace and quiet at home to study for his upcoming exam this week (please say many prayers for him!!).  We went to Nena's house and had a ton of fun...discovered what may be the best pool we've ever been to at Codorus State Park and went there for 3 continuous days! 
But the highlight of the trip was the decision to pay a visit to Hershey's Campground in York Springs, the place where my family spent many a summer together before my parents divorced.  I have so many fond memories of this place...it was where I first learned how to swim, where I learned how to dive, where my brother and I played endlessly in the creek just below our campsite (and may I add the place where he used to get covered in leaches but yet I got NONE, thankfully), the place where I adored making all kinds of leather crafts due to the Hershey's fur business, the outside chapel that we used to go to, and the place that had such an impact on my childhood friend Heidi that she actually got a seasonal site there for a few years as an adult herself.

We arrived un-announced and strolled through the property hoping to find the proprietor, Laura Hershey (her husband Baird has since passed away), and we were lucky enough to do so.  The old bird was tucked away in the middle of a forest on a John Deere tractor mowing away...God bless her!

Here is the play-by-play...this one's for you, Brotha, since you couldn't be there with us...

The house where Laura and Baird live and the office of the campground where you checked in upon arrival...

the walk down to "the lake" which was actually a pond, but of course seemed so much larger when we were kids!

the dock where all those swimming and diving lessons took place!

THE creek we played in...catching many a crawfish, minnow (and leach!)

and here is our campsite.  Much more modern than in our times...we had no deck with no latticework, no stone "patio" with timber borders...it was much simpler and looks very different now!

the walk up the hill (behind our site) where the Gingrich's used to have their site...

and here she is...Mrs. Laura Hershey!  She remembered exactly who we were and we were very flattered when she told us not to stay away so long this time at the end of our chat with her!

and here we are on our walk down to "the big creek", where Beej and I were only allowed to go certain times.  This is the creek that our little one fed into...

The place was pristine and so well kept...it's as if it's stood still in time.  What a magical thing to share with my mom and Mitchell-he loved it yet had no clue how much of a special place he was experiencing!

More pics later of our visit with Nena and Grandpap...if I don't go to bed soon after being away for a week, I think Reese will feel like I've abandoned him!

Hoped you liked it Brotha!