Saying Goodbye to Pennsylvania

The time has finally come... we are out of here! There are a lot of things we are going to miss. We absolutely love our neighborhood--so much character and charm. There is nothing like it anywhere we've been, definitely not in California. I went on a walk and took some pictures of a few of the unique homes in our neighborhood. I really wanted to get some better ones, but time dissappeared as it always does when you are moving.

Ivy's friend, Lindsay's house

This house around the corner from ours (our friends the Leitzel's) is one of the oldest in the area, built in the 1700s. George Washington actually stayed here.

Not very pretty, but so Philly--the twin.

Ivy is really going to miss it here. She came home from the last day of school on Friday so sad and crying because it was the last time she was going to see some of her friends. She spent one whole day outside picking leaves from each of the trees and plants in our yard and sketching the house in her art notebook. She is so sentimental and sweet. Goodbye house!



We had a little going away party for her that cheered her up.

Raya, Lindsay, Alexa, Ivy, Julia

RayRay

Just had to throw that one in there

Jen took us to the 4th Street Deli for one last night on the town with the Calls and Andelins. It's so hard to capture true Philly in a photo, but here's the best I've got from that night.

Totally blurry picture and Jeanie would probably hate it, but this is so Philly

A 4th street Reuben!We went out one last time with the Chiapelli's, too. I think the restaurant was called Park. We're going to miss these guys...a lot.

Goodbye Philly!!

The Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island

There are so many things that I have wanted to do while being here on the East Coast. One of them is to take the kids to New York and see the Statue of Liberty. Jude's sister, Megan, came for one last visit and since Scarlett was sick, the two of them took Ivy and Lane.

Auntie Megan

We are so excited to get on with our lives and move back West closer to family, but there are a lot of things that I'm really going to miss about being here. We live so close to so many cool things and I regret not doing more while we were here in Pennsylvania. Out of our 2 years here, I spent most of it either very sickly pregnant or with a very miserable little baby (and we all know how well I cope with those 2 things). Now that life is becoming more manageable, we're leaving. Hopefully we'll be able to get in a couple more fun things before we leave.

The Poconos--Lake Wynonah

We took a little weekend trip to the Poconos with some of our friends. The kids had a blast! They swam and fished and canoed and jet skied and played played played. I was so happy that they had such a good time.

Going to the Poconos!!! WOO yeah.

Give me top model...
Jen and Penny
Ivy

Jet skiing--Clarkie, Lane, and Jude

The aftermath

My favorite quote of the trip by Clark "Well, I'd like to do some of these things with my own kids, but since they won't I guess I'll do it with yours."

Fishing buddies-Lane and Clark

Ivy was not afraid to get down and dirty with fishing. She was baiting her own hooks and everything. She absolutely loved it.

Audrey, Ivy and Jaycie

Lane's version of roasting marshmallows--Remind you of anyone else???

Ivy's Dance Recital

This was so much fun! Ivy is a talented little dancer and loves being on stage. She was smiling from ear to ear the whole time--not an ounce of shyness up there. I couldn't believe it. When she was done she had a great time watching the older girls perform. I really think this is something Ivy will be great at and what an opportunity for her to open up and express herself and get over her bashfulness. I can't wait to see what she can do a couple of years from now. I'm a little bit jealous...I always wanted to take dance. Oh well, live out your dreams through your children. Good enough.

We weren't sure how Lane or Scarlett would do, but they were both totally enthralled. Scarlett was singing and bouncing along and Lane totally enjoyed himself. He said, "Mom, you know I don't like pretty girls," but somehow he was okay with it.

Memorial Day Parade

It's this kind of thing that we are really going to miss about Pennsylvania. Every year for Memorial Day there is a parade that goes right through Wyndmoor on the street behind ours. Everyone in the neighborhood (and from all over springfield township) comes to watch. There is such a sense of community and tradition here. Very cool.