Reflections on One Year Spent in South Central PA

I’ve lived in South Central PA for one year now, and the past 365 days really did go by so quickly. I’ve been reflecting on the past year:

• There are just so many kid friendly opportunities in the area! From playgrounds, library story times, to free events (touch-a-truck, festivals, Santa visits, and consignment clothing sales), to activities (the Hershey Chocolate World free ride and even Hershey Park, for that matter, Hands-on-House in Lancaster, and the kidmazium at Paramount Sports Complex). The possibilities are endless!
• Joining a local moms club has made all the difference for us! Within the first week of moving to the area, I found and joined a moms club that has planned so many activities that we’ve never been bored! I have met so many amazing women, who have now become friends. My son has also met so many great kids and some have even become classmates. I’ve joined our leadership and become more involved. So I highly recommend joining a moms group for any new folks in the area.

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• We’ve started to complete house projects. Initially, we had great (and maybe too wild and many!) ambitions. As we’ve settled into our home, we’ve realized that not all of those updates were/are necessary, so our list has been amended numerous times and we’ve prioritized differently now. With the selected projects, we’ve now become focused and streamlined, and we’ve been able to complete these projects rather than stay stagnant and overwhelmed by a lengthy list. We’ve become regulars at Loews and Wilhelm’s Hardware!
• I’m still not satisfied with the grocery stores in the area. I am a bargain shopper and I initially did all of my shopping at Aldi, which was 20-minutes away! I can’t tolerate the parking lots and the interior shopping at both Giant and Redners. I think Karns is expensive, yet outdated. And my new go-to grocery store is Grocery Outlet, but that’s very hit or miss with what’s available and in stock. So I’m still switching up my shopping between Aldi and Grocery Outlet, but not happy about that. I recognize that there are too many options, but none are perfect. C’est la vie.
• The manure smell still gets to me. I recall there was about a month straight in the spring that the manure smell was almost unmanageable when I stepped outside the house. I’m not sure I’ll ever get used to the farm smell.
• My parents moved closer to us after a few months of us moving to the area, which has been amazing. We visit my family every week for a few hours at a time. I still enjoy a home cooked meal by my mom, and my son has had a few sleepovers with his grandparents. It’s been really great having them so close!
• We found a new favorite ‘secret’ summer spot in the area – maybe I shouldn’t share? But I won’t be selfish. I love the beach and my husband loves the mountains. So a really awesome compromise is Mt. Gretna Beach/Lake. It’s somewhat pricey for the day, but so worth it for a quick feeling of a getaway. Our son really enjoyed the sand and water and the playground! If you haven’t checked this spot out yet, please do!

For the upcoming year, we hope to do more exploring and find more activities to enjoy. We’re looking forward to the holidays and tagging a Christmas tree, and for our newly planted tree in the front yard to grow and blossom in the spring. We also may join some organized groups for our son to play sports or music. He’s been enjoying the first month of preschool and we hope that continues for the remainder of the year.  I have a feeling if we keep planning more fun activities in South Central PA, this year will also be done before we know it, so we’re going to make the most of our time!