Last week, we were squeezing in Broadway shows, boat rides, and belated birthday celebrations. This week, we wrapped up our time in NYC with a few more favorite moments before pointing our home toward Pennsylvania.
There were carousel rides with skyline views, another cousin sleepover, a city date with Lizzie, and a Halloween afternoon that had us all dancing. Then came the nerves of getting the camper out of Brooklyn and the relief of finally seeing the city from the other side of the river.
Pennsylvania welcomed us with a campsite beside the playground, room for the girls to ride, and family we hadn’t seen in far too long. Also, ten loads of laundry and multiple dog messes. Apparently, leaving the city didn’t mean leaving all the chaos behind.
A very full goodbye to one place. A chance to catch up with our people in another. And a reminder that moving your home also means bringing every bit of regular life along with you.
Two carousel rides & dinner with a view
Thursday started slowly. After a long day in the city, we needed some time for homeschool and work catch-up before heading out for another little city adventure. Later, we took the ferry to DUMBO and visited Jane’s Carousel. The girls got two rides, and we got that beautiful backdrop. There are some places where watching them do something as simple as ride a carousel feels extra special because of everything around them. This was one of those.
Then we headed to Time Out Market for dinner (which Amy reminded us they have in Cape Town which made us miss it even more!), where almost everyone ordered from a different spot & had everything delivered right to our table. A very good setup for a family with different ideas about what sounds good for dinner.
Dinner, sunset views, and another ferry outing. We were getting close to the end of our stay, and I was glad we still had time for evenings like this.
An online friendship, finally in person
Friday brought a meetup with a friend I'd only met online so far: Jiemi, the founder of Nori. We met at Rainbow Playground in Long Island City, which felt very appropriate for a friendship that has grown through so many conversations about work, motherhood, and building our own things.
Our connection actually started years ago when I tried to recruit her. Later, we reconnected after both leaving our previous careers, mine in recruiting and hers in consulting to start our own businesses. Hers is Nori, a mom mentor network that has brought so many great connections into my life. Over the years, we’ve grown close without ever actually being in the same place.
It was so good to finally meet and get to chat a bit while the girls played. She also brought pumpkin muffins, which the girls crushed. A very well-received playground snack. Thankful for the connections that keep growing long after that first conversation years ago, and for finally getting to spend a little time together in person.
Another cousin sleepover & a date for Lizzie
Afterward, we headed to Amy and Nonjabulo’s, where Lowina had another cousin sleepover on the calendar. There was lots of makeup, staying up late, and apparently plenty to talk about all night. They were making the most of their last sleepover together before we left.
Meanwhile, Lizzie got her own city date with us, which is a rarity for little sis, especially when we are all together 24-7. After Lowina and I had our Wicked evening a few nights before, it was fun to have a special outing with just Ellie, and she had a blast. Our night included Planet Hollywood and Aladdin with Sherri Shepherd as the first woman genie!
Another dinner out. Another show. A little time with our littlest girl (who is so ready to be upgraded to a big sis) at a time in the middle of all this togetherness.
Bagels, decorated trunks & Halloween dancing
Saturday morning, we met back up with the girls at Amy and Nonjabulo’s for bagels. A classic NYC breakfast before heading to Staten Island for trunk-or-treat at Nonjabulo’s school. This was my first time decorating for a trunk-or-treat, and it was so fun to be part of it. There was also plenty of dancing to Halloween song remixes.
The girls have had a lot of different experiences during our time in the city, but getting to join in on something like this with family was especially fun. A little regular school community Halloween celebration tucked into our very irregular fall.
And apparently, the adults were also happy to participate in the dancing portion.
Showing everyone our little home
After trunk-or-treat, we headed back to Brooklyn, and everyone came over to see the camper and our views. We all loved getting to show them around the camper that we'd talked to them about for what feels like forever. They’d been part of so much of our time in the city, and it was nice to have them step into the little home we’d been returning to at the end of each day.
We fit in a quick happy-hour drink for the parents and another beautiful sunset before heading to dinner in Greenpoint. Dinner was cranky as our final dinners can often be. We’d had a full day, and by that point, everyone was feeling it plus anticipating the sadness of leaving the next day. Sometimes the sunset is beautiful, the family time is special, and dinner just comes with a lot of feelings.
Before saying goodbye, the girls each got one last scooter ride with John. Then came the goodbyes. We’d squeezed a lot of time together into this visit, and I was very thankful for all of it.
Breakfast, a playground & some departure nerves
Sunday brought lots of departure anxiety for John and I, but especially John. Getting into the city had been an experience, and even with plenty of preparation for our route out, there was still the matter of getting the camper packed up and safely out of the parking lot.
I took the girls for breakfast and playground time while John handled packing up. We made it out mostly unscathed. The camper and ladder caught the gate as we were exiting, leaving a few inches of scrape, but thankfully the damage was very minimal. Not exactly the goodbye we were hoping for, but we were out.
The drive away was much easier than the drive in. We’d done lots of preparation for navigation, crossed the George Washington Bridge into New Jersey, and got to enjoy the views of the city from the other side.
Then we finally exhaled. We’d done it. A week and a half of camper life in Brooklyn, with all the work, logistics, family time, and adventures that came with it. Next stop: Pennsylvania.
Open the door, there’s the playground
We headed toward Hamburg to visit family and got checked into our campground. Along the way, John found out his mom had gone to school just down the road from where we were staying. Small world!
Our campsite was literally right next to the playground. We pulled into our spot, opened the door, and there it was. After our Brooklyn setup, this felt like a very big change.
The girls spent the afternoon riding bikes together and playing while we worked through the less exciting parts of moving day. Six loads of laundry. Long showers for everyone in our own camper after using the tiny Brooklyn bathroom. A deep clean to get the NYC grime out of our home.
The girls had room to move, and we had plenty to keep us busy. There was something really nice about watching them settle straight into campground life again. Bikes out. Playground right there. No ferry schedule or hour+ subway route required.
A dinner plan that didn’t quite happen
That evening, we wanted to try some classic Pennsylvania Dutch food. We didn’t have a reservation, but they took our name and phone number and told us it would be about fifteen minutes. We went to sit in the car and wait.
After twenty minutes, John went back inside to check. They said they’d called us (they hadn’t) and had given away our table when we didn’t answer. At that point, I was hangry and more than ready to move on.
So we went to Cracker Barrel, where the girls were very happy with the shopping opportunities. The dinner pivot worked out especially well for them.
Then we got home. The dogs had left us a huge mess to clean up, after we’d already mopped the floors and washed the rugs earlier that day.
More cleaning. More laundry. Our freshly cleaned camper had enjoyed a very short run.
Ten loads of laundry & one very fair question
Monday morning brought another dog mess. Another round of mopping. Another load of laundry. John had his “why the hell are we doing this?” moment for the week.
We eventually reached ten loads of laundry during this stop, between the washer in the camper and the campground laundromat. A memorable number for a place we were only visiting for a three nights.
In between all that, there was work and homeschool. The dogs enjoyed the dog park just a short walk away, and the girls were happy to get back on their bikes once their schoolwork was finished.
Pennsylvania campground life was giving us amazing fall weather and much more room to spread out. It was also giving us very convenient access to laundry, which turned out to be equally useful.
Spaghetti, familiar faces & a new crush
Monday evening, we headed to John’s Aunt Judy and Uncle Rick’s house for a home cooked dinner. We hadn’t seen them since last summer, at the beginning of our two-month camper trip that started all of this crazy adventure. It was good to be back together, eat a home cooked meal after lots of dinners out in NYC and catch up on everything that had happened since.
Spaghetti and meatballs were on the menu, and Lowina requested to help cook. I love that she wanted to get right in there and be part of making dinner.
Last summer, Lizzie was “crushing” on Uncle Ricky. This time, I think cousin Jake had caught her attention. The girls spent all night asking him to play with them and requiring him to sit between them at dinner. John and I hadn’t seen Jacob since our first trip to Disney together, probably back in 2011 or 2012. Quite a bit of life to catch up on since then.
The girls played Legos and tic-tac-toe, crushed their pasta and ranch salad, and enjoyed some family time. Meanwhile, John and Ricky had trucks to discuss. Ricky has a Ram and has talked about it with John over the years, so this visit had to include tours of each other’s trucks. Very important catching up for the boys.
Dessert was shoofly pie and chocolate pecan pie. We’d finally gotten our Pennsylvania treats, and dinner with family was a pretty great way to enjoy them.
No dog mess & a very busy morning
Tuesday started with no dog mess. A win worth mentioning. My workday, however, got going quickly with client travel issues abroad, including a missed train. It turned into a long morning of work alongside homeschool, followed by another Walmart run for drinks, a new helmet and a few school supplies.
There are plenty of days on the road that still involve the same things they would at home. Work needs attention. School needs to happen. We’re out of something again. Then we all step outside and have all the flexibility in the world plus a playground and room to ride for the girls, and that part feels a little different.
They’ve been loving their bikes here, especially bombing it down a hill in the campground with Dad. Flying around and getting plenty of use out of them. We’d duct-taped Ellie's helmet a few weeks earlier, and with how much she’s been riding, it was time for a new one. She’s planning to ask Santa for a new bike for Christmas too, so we’re expecting the biking to continue.
A little piece of Nana’s childhood & a table full of family
On our way to dinner Tuesday evening, we stopped to see the schools Nana attended when she was little and the house where she grew up. We’d arrived at this campground without realizing how close we were to that part of her childhood. It was special to get to see those places while we were here.
So much of this trip has been about showing the girls new places. This was a chance to show them somewhere connected to their own family. A little stop on the way to dinner, but one I was glad we made.
Our dinner was a bigger family get-together, with some familiar faces and some new ones. We were celebrating Aunt Judy’s birthday, so part of the girls’ art that day had been making her hand-painted and decorated cards.
Along with Judy and Ricky, we got to see Vic and Renee, Nana’s cousins, whom we hadn’t seen since our wedding. Nana's Aunt Jean and husband Brad joined us too. I’d never met them, and John hadn’t seen Aunt Jean since he was maybe twelve. He still remembers her cooking spaghetti for him and the family the last time they saw each other.
It was so good to have everyone together, let them meet the girls, and talk about this crazy adventure we’ve been on. Some of these were people we hadn’t seen in years. Some I was meeting for the first time. Getting to spend an evening together was one of the reasons I was glad we’d made Pennsylvania part of our route.
From skyline views to campground bike rides
This morning brought lots of yawns for John and I after a sleepless night thanks to our pups plus more laundry & camper cleaning on our to do list before we pack up for our next destination. This week took us from ferry rides and Broadway to a campsite where the girls could walk out our door and straight onto the playground.
I loved our last few days in the city. Getting to finally meet Jiemi. Tons of time with Amy and Nonjabulo. A special date with Lizzie. Showing family the camper and sharing one more sunset before we left.
I also loved watching the girls get back on their bikes in Pennsylvania and sitting down with family we hadn’t seen in so long.
The getting-between-places part came with nerves and a scrape. The settling in part came with more mopping and laundry than either of us wanted. We had beautiful moments, cranky moments, and at least one very reasonable question about our life choices.
Then we had spaghetti with family, handmade birthday cards, and girls who couldn’t wait to get outside and ride again.I’m thankful we got to spend this week in both places. And I’d be very happy if our next stop involved a little less laundry.
Thanks for riding along with us this week, and for letting our travels inspire your own. Your next adventure is closer than you think.🤍
Until the next stop,
The Wagner Family
