Monday, October 18, 2010

A Long Awaited Vacation

Thursday:

I had not been in Philadelphia in 2 years.  Two years!  It had been even longer for Andrew.  Ellie has never been to Philadelphia or really never any farther than Plano, TX.  A few weeks ago we went on our first, all too brief family trip to visit friends in Philadelphia.  We cashed in our American Advantage miles (you accumulate a lot when your relationship starts out as long distance) and flew first class!  Ellie did great on the plane :-)   Yes, there were evil looks from the other first class passengers at first, but then they relaxed when they saw Ellie's sparkling smile.  That, and there was another little kiddo in first class.



Friday:

It was a gorgeous day in Media, PA!  Leaves were starting to change color and there was just a slight chill in the air.  It smelled like pumpkins and apple cider donuts.  Yes, I said donuts.  Yum! Autumn is one of the things that I miss most about the Northeast (aside from my friends, of course).  



We wore long sleeves!  Jeans!  Socks with shoes!  A novelty for many of you Texans.


Megan took us to the Linvilla Orchard not far from her house.  There were pumpkins!  Tons of pumpkins and fall decorations!  I was in heaven.  I wanted to buy everything but then how would I get it all back to Texas?  Ellie was trying pretty hard to fall asleep. . . until I plopped her onto of a cold pumpkin in hopes of getting the perfect Ellie Bear cuteness photo.


Yes, as many of you pointed out, Andrew looks like Charlie Brown.  I think he looks very festive in his burnt orange BBQ shirt. I bought him that wonderful shirt so watch the comments people!  Andrew was a good sport in the afternoon.  He got the grand tour of the University of Pennsylvania School of Nursing and the Biomedical Library.




 Auntie Megan.  Megan and I were 6 months away from a common law marriage when Matt swooped in and stole her from me.



Saturday:

"No One Mourns the Wicked". . . Broadway!  New York City!  It had been about 3 or 4 years since I had last been to NYC.  Andrew and Matt were on Ellie duty while Megan treated me to the Broadway show Wicked and to a scrumptious dinner at Becco.  Has anyone ever seen Lydia's Italian Kitchen on PBS?  Becco is her restaurant.  Yum!












There is this song in Wicked called For Good.  Megan and I both cried because we were thinking of each other!  Lyrics:  http://www.stlyrics.com/lyrics/wicked/forgood.htm



Sunday:

The return of  "The Aunties" .  Many of you have heard me talk about "The Aunties".  Meeta, Preeti, & Jen.  Once upon a time I lived with a Meeta.  My only Meeta.  Then I grew up, well graduated, and moved to Oregon.  I got lonely.  I moved back to my Megan and Meeta.  Every Thursday (and then changed to Tuesday and the occasional Monday) I would grab dinner with Meeta in Philly before heading back to Jersey.  Meeta would get out of work late and poor Preeti would find me sitting outside of their apartment door.  Then Jen would arrive and then finally Meeta.  Dinners then evolved to Meeta, Preeti, & Jen.  Since they are like my sisters, they are therefore Ellie's "Aunties" and have hence forth been spoiling my daughter and keeping her in good fashion.  



Jen is the baby whisper.  Children flock to her.  Ellie was no different.


Meeta.  My only Meeta.


I think Ellie got this idea from Tama Boo.  Baby in the Bag!  Ellie likes the finer things in life--tissue paper and gift bags.


Megan, sister-of-the-heart, Megan is aka Martha Stewart-McVey-Abbott.  When she says she is going to just "whip something up" you get a feast!  A huge feast!  Roasted chicken, sauteed baked carrots, homemade chicken gravy, bread sauce, green beans.  Oh and then the desserts.  Yes, plural!  Tartlets.  I know!  Tarlets!!!!  with homemade whipped cream and then the caramel-chocolate hand-dipped apple slices with mini M&Ms.  Sigh.  


Now look at the Halloween table decorations.  Now look at everyone.  Remind you of Clue?  

Matt, Megan, Meeta, Andrew, Preeti, & Jen


UPenn Girls!  Megan, Me, Meeta, Preeti, & Jen


Here is a heads up--next post is about bath-time and does involve mostly-naked baby pics.




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