Jelly Belly Factory

Vince loves jelly beans and sometime this winter Grandpa Pat and Papa said they would take him sometime to the Jelly Belly factory.  Vince doesn't foget anything so he has been reminding them often.  We made the trip up there this past Sunday.  We took the motor home and left straight from church and picked my grandparents up on the way.

Vince hitching a ride

Buddies!

I never checked to see how many miles it was from my grandparents because my grandma told me it was 60 miles.  It turns out it is closer to 75-80 miles.  We had left a little late and I knew they closed at either 4 or 5pm.  After a quick phone call we found out the last tour left at 4pm and it closed at 5pm.  The ride up there was a lot of fun for me.  Cecilia slept most of the way.  Papa kept Brad company while he was driving.  My grandma, Vince and I played games.  Joel and I read books, and we all had some snacks.  When we got there we quickly went inside so we didn't miss the tour!

Brad and Cecilia on the tour train

My grandma pushed Papa in his wheelchair and Vince hitched a ride on Papa's lap.  Joel and Cecilia were supposed to ride in the stroller but after being strapped in a carseat for several hours Joel wanted nothing to do with the stroller.  I felt stupid but I put a little backpack harness (yes the kind with a leash) and told him to hold onto the stroller.  Joel listened!  Almost to a fault, he wouldn't even let go when I was trying to squeeze thru a door with the stroller.  We weren't there 1 minute and they started loading the tour train.  It was perfect timing!

Grandma Pat, Cecilia and Papa

On the tour the train drives around the warehouse and you watch video clips about the history of the factory and how things are made.  Vince loved every second of it!  He just loves to see how things are made.  Joel on the other hand didn't really like sitting still.  I basically spent the 15 minute tour holding him tight on my lap so he couldn't escape.

Joel being a good listener

After the tour we went into the gift shop.  As long as I kept moving around the gift shop Joel just held onto the stroller and didn't get into any trouble.  Vince stayed perched on Papa's lap.  Grandma spent her time trying to find chocolate orange peels, jelly beans and finding the boys special treats.  Brad went to the sample counter and tried some of the unique and slightly gross sounding jelly bean flavors (grass, pencil shavings, etc.).  Before we headed for home we spent some time playing in a grassy area and trying to wear off some of the kids extra energy.

Playing "lemons"  Joel was the broken car being towed

On the way home we stopped for a fancy dinner at Culver's.  It was a perfect place for us to eat and we were able to get a nice comfy corner booth where the kids could be contained.  What did Vince do to entertain all of us?  Try to suck up ketchup thru a straw and then procede to attempt to blow bubbles in the ketchup using a straw.  He saw nothing wrong with this.  When we finished Vince asked for one of his gummy worms that my grandparents got him from the Jelly Belly factory.  My grandma asked Vince where the worm was going to go after he eats it.  She was expecting him to say his tummy.  Instead he explained that it goes in his mouth and then he poops it out!  He is big on telling the whole story.  I wasn't paying attention to their conversation but when I looked over and say my grandparents laughing uncontrollably I thought I better ask what happened.

Super cute!

After we left Culver's we were in the motor home getting the kids changed and into pajamas.  The "naked running brothers," as they like to call themselves, made their nightly appearance!

Goofy boys!

I will be honest I really didn't want to go to the Jelly Belly Factory, but since everyone else wanted to go I went along with the idea.  I am really glad I did!  It was an interesting tour and a great day spent with my grandparents.

Grams and Cecilia