Philly for a Day.

A few weeks back Jeff's oldest sister Brooke and her husband Mark came to visit. For Marks birthday Brooke surprised him with a trip to NY and Philadelphia for an Eagles game. Mark served his mission in Philly and is a big Eagles fan. You can imagine how excited he was to hear about the surprise! 

 After a fun filled weekend exploring New York, we rented a car and drove to Philadelphia for a day. Mark took a turn playing tour guide and showed us all around town. We were lucky and had beautiful weather. I still can't believe how much we packed into one day. 

First stop was Philly cheese steaks at Geno's. They were delicious. Definitely lived up to all the hype. We're prepared to visit Philly again, just for these cheese steaks. 

As we were driving around town we stumbled upon this beautiful art gallery. All made from glass, tiles, and brick. I was in awe of this little treasure. 

Independence Hall was up next.
There is so much history in this building. It was an honor to be in the room that our constitution was drafted and signed. This building is so beautiful. 

The room where the constitution was signed.

(notice the original chair George Washington used)

 Liberty Bell.

We found some beautiful cemeteries, as well as Benjamin Franklins grave. 

We wandered around the cutest streets. Each was unique and full of character. Some of these homes have been around since the early 1700's.

Betsy Ross Home.

The famous Rocky steps were a must see. 

Of course, we ran up the steps and with no shame did a victory dance.

Take one.

Take two.

Eagles Game.

Cam Newton was my favorite to watch! ;) 

My absolute favorite treat. 

Soft pretzel filled with a sweet cream cheese. 

Sadly, the Eagles lost. 

This sign quickly came up in the last few minutes of the game.
I thought it was pretty funny, and wondered what Jeff did to take the blame?

And then I realized, Jeff Lurie is the Eagles owner.

These fans don't mess around.

What a fun day together in Philly. So happy these two were able to visit us. We sure love them.

Sleepover in Connecticut.

After an afternoon of apple picking we made our way back to Lauren's beautiful home.

 (pictured below)

So excited to be in a house and have a break from our tiny apartments, Lauren gave us the grand tour. We ventured into the guest wing where we found a loft without ladder access . The boys immediately had to prove they could climb up with out one. Jeffrey got up okay but Eric had a few set backs... haha Shayly tried to be supportive and help her husband... poor girl. We couldn't stop laughing as Shayly did her best to help Eric up...

Victory! 

We enjoyed great sandwiches at Tony's for lunch.

Went on a beautiful drive.

passed this house and made Lincoln stop the car. 

Amazing, right?!

One of the first school houses in Connecticut. 

We then stopped by Lincoln's Uncles house and had some fun in the backyard.

Shayly showing off her cheer skills. I was impressed. 

Boys playing basketball and tennis. 

That evening for dinner we grilled lemon chicken, asparagus and pineapple and had rice and a delicious salad. It was a feast... so much fun cooking and eating with friends. 

We even set the table for this special occasion. 

for dessert we made burnt marshmallows for s'mores. 

The finished product. So good. 

The rest of the evening was spent watching movies, hot tubing, and enjoying each others company. We woke up early the next morning and took the train back to Manhattan, just in time for church. We had the most amazing weekend. Thank you Lauren & Lincoln for everything!!