Moon over Kill Devil Hills

Because July ain't over, we are still on vacation. We packed up the circus and headed to my mother-in-law's house for a week of commercial-filled programming and infinite requests to buy everything as seen on TV. You gotta admire their tenacity, though. No matter how many times they get shot down, there's still a glimmer of hope in their eyes when the next high-fructose corn syrup spot comes on. The only thing I relent to is the purchase of Kidz Bop 20, which I've been dying to get for a while.

Cancer-kicking cupcakes

Ahoy there, sugar lovers, another bake sale is on the books to raise money for the Ultimate Hike.

Messy Chef cupcakes for a cure!

$15/half-dozen, $26/dozen

Strawberry-lemonade cupcakes with lemon buttercream

Piña colada cupcakes with pineapple rum buttercream

French vanilla cupcakes with blueberry buttercream

Chocolate cupcakes with raspberry buttercream

Have circus, will travel

After we were refueled with pizza and Slurpees, we took the kids to Gilbert Run Park on Friday. I used to go to this park as a kid and it was just as I had remembered, sans the elementary school pillow sack races.

Children of the Corn Syrup

After all the excitement of Chocolate World (singing cows!), the Griffiths headed to Maryland to visit my parents. It's July. We ain't got nothing to do but be on vacation.

Well, except Matt. He had to go back to work.

(To pay for our vacation.)

Good Eats

Because we can't get enough of amusement parks, we went to Hershey Park on Thursday. Or maybe because we have a touch of nutty in us. I'm pretty sure I was manufactured in a facility that also manufactures nut products.

Have a Dutch Wonderful Day

On Wednesday, we packed up and headed into the lobby of the Steamboat Inn. Daniel was more than disappointed that there weren't any chocolate chip cookies in the lobby at 9:00 a.m., but after asking nicely, the clerk brought out a few fresh ones for him to share with his siblings. Because we're on vacation and if there are no Pop Tarts available, we'll settle for cookies for breakfast.

All Aboard

After we slept off all the Sesame, we got up the next morning and waltzed down toward Franklin Square. On the way, we walked past Ben Franklin's grave.

I don't know why people treat it like a wishing well. I just gave my kids coins because I enjoy throwing away money.

On our way to where the air is sweet.

Monday was Sesame Place day. I have always wanted to meet Count Von Count, even before everyone was on this vampire crazy train. I like a monster with sharp teeth and mad math skillz.

We stayed at the Philadelphia Historic District Holiday Inn. While it was a very nice hotel, I noticed immediate differences between a Holiday Inn and a Holiday Inn Express; at a Holiday Inn Express, you get free breakfast, larger rooms, and a fridge to keep your beer cold. At a Holiday Inn, you don't get any of that but you get to pay more.

It's always sunny in Philadelphia

We're here- we're in Philadelphia on the 4th of July weekend. Because we so crazy.

First things first- visit the Franklin Fountain per instructions from Philly friends. It's called prioritization.

The line was long, draped around the corner onto the sidewalk. Lines for food don't stop the Griffiths, though. We train for this kind of stuff at the State Fair.

Roman Numerals and Duct Tape

At first I thought, there is no way I'm going to dress up like that and walk down the street for everyone to see.

Then I thought, there is no way I'm going to greet the babysitter dressed up liked that.

But when Nat said, You look like a really good Roman numeral!, I suddenly felt like it was okay to walk down the street wrapped up in a bed sheet to go to a Toga party. Because I am pretty hard to embarrass.