It's moving day and, apparently, Gemma is not ready to leave. The truck showed up a little before 8am and five guys packed all of our stuff in for transport within three hours. As Mickey put it, "Alex and Gemma stood and watched their whole world get loaded into a truck." Alex carried his bike out to the front by himself because he wanted to be sure it was done to his standard.
All the neighbors were out to chat and wish us well...including a few newsbags who decided today was the day to be our friends. The kids went over to say goodbye to Katherine and she was a crying mess...sobbing and mild convulsions...sad for her.
704 S Hutchinson will always be our favorite place...and we already miss our neighbors at 706. Many memories that cannot be replaced...
- bringing both of our kids home from the hospital to their perfect rooms
- watching them become awesome city kids
- watching them SLOWLY become best friends
- watching them SLOWLY become best friends
- watching them learn every minute of every day experiencing our favorite city
- when alex knows what street he is on and gives us directions
- when gemma hails a cab because she is too hot to walk
- taking mommy to good dinners when she needs a break...WINE
- alex and gemma feeling like it is perfectly normal to play out front in their underwear
- alex's first day of preschool
- running home from dinner and scaring mommy
- returning from long trips knowing just 15 mins until home...and mommy's first poop in days
- alex's first day of preschool
- running home from dinner and scaring mommy
- returning from long trips knowing just 15 mins until home...and mommy's first poop in days
- watching mommy find a place to stuff things in the house...that daddy can never find
- knowing mommy is always at the top of the steps for a hug
- looking for trains, planes, boats, horses, cranes, bulldozers, and backhoes 24/7
- getting a parking spot the first time around the block
- trying to get every bag into the house in one trip...daddy is the champ...mommy won't admit it
- walks and watching alex become a true master of his balance bike
- walks and watching alex become a true master of his balance bike
- holding hands to cross the street and understanding why
- hearing alex yell "car" to alert everyone on hutchinson street to pay attention
- hearing alex yell "car" to alert everyone on hutchinson street to pay attention
- seeing the skyline after a long day away
- the philadelphia song
- carrying home a case of beer with alex on top
- skinned knees on every sidewalk located in 19147
- laughing during renovation projects
- having no back wall during a hurricane
- our picture staircase and watching the kids come down it christmas morning- having no back wall during a hurricane
- mommy always trying to find the tallest christmas tree and never being satisfied
- mommy complaining at least twice each day about how she does not like shiny hardwood floors
- the unknown reason that alex always chose the zebra at Franklin Square's carousel
- watching gemma walk the street in three backpacks, two purses, and her baby doll...and owning it
- those times when visitors complain about how far we are walking before our 4 & 2 year old kids
- trash night helpers and the ensuing giggles
- every holiday and every birthday that mommy never let pass without making special
- the walks home from todd and tracey's- the unknown reason that alex always chose the zebra at Franklin Square's carousel
- watching gemma walk the street in three backpacks, two purses, and her baby doll...and owning it
- those times when visitors complain about how far we are walking before our 4 & 2 year old kids
- trash night helpers and the ensuing giggles
- every holiday and every birthday that mommy never let pass without making special
- adult nights out for the pops at the kimmel center
- jackie, emily, and fred
- dar-dar
- rufus, katherine standing guard, bob, lucy, remy, william, sydney, jules, benjamin, gustav, mikey
- that goddamn BMW out front
- walks to whole foods...and their cookies
- palumbo, seger, three bears, starr garden
- palumbo, seger, three bears, starr garden
- italian market festivals, winter barrel fires
- the fire hydrant
- watching the trees on our street bloom in the spring
- snow days and day drinking
- slice, santucci's, stella...we ❤️ pizza, hawthornes, anthony's, chapterhouse, insomnia cookies, isgro, sarcones, little italy, dibruno's, claudio's, esposito's, fiorella's, anastasi's, mandarin palace, circles
- those first days of spring when a whole year of city wage tax feels worth it
- those first times at a new restaurant...and the 15th time at a favorite restaurant
- those looks on the kids faces when you know they are happy and feel safe
The next adventure is beginning, but we will always keep 17 years of calling Philadelphia home close to our hearts. Princeton has a lot of work to do.
- slice, santucci's, stella...we ❤️ pizza, hawthornes, anthony's, chapterhouse, insomnia cookies, isgro, sarcones, little italy, dibruno's, claudio's, esposito's, fiorella's, anastasi's, mandarin palace, circles
- those first days of spring when a whole year of city wage tax feels worth it
- those first times at a new restaurant...and the 15th time at a favorite restaurant
- those looks on the kids faces when you know they are happy and feel safe
The next adventure is beginning, but we will always keep 17 years of calling Philadelphia home close to our hearts. Princeton has a lot of work to do.
