I hope you're having a nice weekend. This is our first weekend alone in more than two weeks, so we've certainly enjoyed it. Sadly, I said goodbye to my mom and brother on Thursday night. We had a really nice time together. This was my mom's first time visiting the east coast, and I think she really liked it.
I took them to Old City one day where we had a chance to see some of Philadelphia's historical sites. We saw the Liberty Bell, Independence Hall and took an hour long historic carriage ride through Old City and Society Hill. I've never been big on guided tours, but my mom enjoyed the break from doing so much walking. Coming from a small town where she's used to driving everywhere, she's not much of a walker. This is something we had to take into account as the week moved along.
One of her favorite spots was the Reading Terminal. She loved browsing the shops, munching on local-made cookies and buying gifts for family members back home. I loved seeing how much she enjoyed being there. This was definitely her "cup of tea."
Later that day we drove out to the Wissahickon Valley to have brunch at the Valley Green Inn. It's a beautiful place with an old tavern that has been converted into a restaurant, surrounded by lush grounds that you can hike in for hours. I knew mom would love it here, since the restaurant specializes in country cooking, and it took her out of the bustling city for a few hours. I hit the jackpot again!
On Thursday Derek and I woke up early to catch a Chinatown bus to Manhattan, where we spent a full day trekking across the city. We spent some time in the Williamsburg and Park Slope neighborhoods in Brooklyn, then hit up the Village, Soho, Greenwich and Chelsea before hopping the bus back to Philly later that evening. Derek is moving to NYC in the fall, so it was good for him to get a sense of what's in store. Hauling our behinds around the city, however, left us both exhausted, so we were happy to get back home.
It's always so sad to see them go, but I'm so thankful to have had the opportunity to spend time with them in Philadelphia. It's not often that I'm with my mom when she's outside of her comfort zone. This really helped to remind me about what an amazing, charismatic, funny person she is. I couldn't ask for better. She's my sunshine.
I hope you all have a great night. Click HERE for a gallery of photos I took during their visit. I'll chat with you soon.
Love, Josh
4 comments:
I'm glad y'all had a good time together. I think it's about time I popped up for a visit!
Awww I'm so glad they got to come visit you! Glad you had a good time. Is Derek still living in Seattle?
All that sun! This was a gorgeous week. Good idea to take them to VGI, and you guys got a chance to eat out on the porch. Tons of memories of that for me. Nice problem-solving with the carriage ride, too! Your mom was styling the entire trip, evidently. That black summer dress, and the long patterned one, were so July-in-the-city. She looks great. You all look so happy.
How great that they took the time to come and see your world.
What a beautiful family. Especially the guy in the pin ;)
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