A Day in Philadelphia

Kelley's friend Nancy, from an online photography class, picked her up at the hotel and drove her downtown.  We saw all kinds of wonderful, historic buildings and landmarks.  Including the Liberty Bell.

We realized a little later this wasn't the REAL Liberty Bell and was just a mock up.  The real Liberty Bell had a wait line that looked to be 30-45 minutes long.

I think this was the courthouse and it was under renovation.  There was fabric surrounding the scaffolding that showed a picture of what it should look like which was neat.

I tried to take a picture from the street of the arched doorways and window, but a security guard walked into my frame and then yelled at me to get out of the street.  I mumbled I wouldn't have been standing so long in the street if I wasn't waiting on a certain security guard to get out of the shot.  Oh well.

These tall and curvy trees were filling a courtyard behind this building.

Some had bark that looked like it was painted.

Another view of the building under construction with the covered scaffolding all the way to the ground.

We walked on cobblestone streets.

And on cross-hatched bricks.  I love these shoes.  They have been on my feet every day for the past year.  Well.  Maybe all but four or five days.

Everywhere we turned, there was beautiful architecture that had been in place for a hundred or more years.  So awesome!

A little self portrait.  Do you see Nancy and me?  Not sure how I didn't get any real shots of us, but this is as good as it gets.

This was a little museum with paintings and sculptures of famous Philadelphians, many of them our founding fathers.

The domed ceiling was so detailed.  I think my bedroom as a child was this same Pepto-Bismol pink.

Good old Noah!

I wonder what he would think of his current editions now that are filled with slang.

George?  Is that you?

Nancy was a fabulous tour guide and I was so happy to have met her in person!  She drove me back to my hotel and I crashed for a long nap.  After too many late nights with work over the last couple of weeks, my body had had it with me.  I was running a fever and so worn out.

After getting some rest, I took a shuttle over to Bead Fest and walked around seeing different vendors and some friends.  What normally takes me all day when walking with friends was footed in less than 30 minutes.  I could only think about getting back to my hotel to sleep some more.  Here are my friends Nancy (a ceramic bead artist and potter) and Andrew (a jewelry designer).

My friend Diana organized a bead swap and then a dinner at Legal Seafood for over 20 of us.  There was a TON of talent sitting at this table with very well know bead artists and jewelry designers.

Nancy and Lisa raising a toast.  Lisa flew up from Florida and this was the first time we got to meet her in person.

My girl Lori.  She's just the best and I wish she didn't live so far away.  I'm thankful I get to see her once or twice a year.  Just wish I had been feeling better this trip as I only saw her for a few hours over the whole weekend.  :(

This is Anne, another lampworker whose work I have admired for years.  She lives in upstate New York and made the 5+ hour drive down to Philly.  Was so glad I got to meet her in person, too. 

Bunnies and Planes

This morning, Jezzie caught a bunny.  It was so soft.  She was not at all happy about me taking it away from her, even though it was already dead.  :(

I buried it next to this little patch of heart-shaped clover.

I caught a 6pm flight to Philadelphia that turned into a 9pm departure due to storms in the Northeast. This is my third annual trip up for Bead Fest and a weekend with girlfriends.  It was a really late night as the flight didn't land until after 11pm and we didn't get back to the hotel until midnight.  God bless good friends who offered to drive out to get me and sat in hours of traffic due to a hazmat spill just to get to the airport.  Lori is the best!

Baseball Try Outs

We were a little late in arriving at the baseball fields for try outs, so we were the last in line.  The sun was still out, but the lights on the field were already warming up.

This boy was calm, cool and collected.  We asked if he was nervous and he said he wasn't.  Not one bit.  Even though he had never played baseball on a team before.  Owen has asked for years to be allowed to play baseball, but this is the first year we said yes.  We knew there would be late nights for practice on school nights, as well as some weeknight games.

He waited patiently and quietly watched the boys ahead of him go through the hitting, running and catching exercises.

Once he got into the dugout and we couldn't stand with him anymore, Chloe and I moved to the bleachers.  Todd hung out on the side of the dugout to stay close since Owen didn't know any of the other boys in line and there were obvious camaraderies between many of the players.

Chloe thought she was pretty funny by hiding from me and my camera.

I surprised her a time or two and made eye contact.

Once Owen was up, she sat next to me to cheer her brother on in his first ever try out for baseball.

When he was called, it was already dark out.  Owen had to put on a helmet before he could walk to home plate.

He was loaned a bat.

And then he got to swing.

Several times.  (see the ball coming at him?)

He cracked it good and took off running FAST.  For a little guy, he constantly amazes people (adults, too!) with his speed.  We have heard sixth graders say "Watch out for that kid, he's fast!"

After he got to second base, he got a glove and showed off his fielding abilities.

We were impressed with how hard and accurate his throw to first base was.  Our boy has an arm on him!

It will be a few days before we find out what team he will be on and if any of his friends (Miles, Nate or Preston) who have been playing baseball for several seasons will be on his team.

Sunday Afternoon with Friends

We drove up to Jasper to hang out with Miss Tabitha and her two boys.  We brought bikes and rollerblades.

Her youngling is so cute!

Flip flops were lost in this muck.  Miss Tabitha went searching in her barefeet to find them, but only one was found.

Owen's bike was being ridden by one of the other kids, but he didn't have any problem riding his sister's bike.  When he wants to ride a bike, it doesn't matter what it looks like...he just wants to ride!

He was being sweet and snuggling, but wouldn't smile for my camera.

However, he had no problem making faces for it.

I caught Tabitha's youngling being sweet.