"Home" for the Holidays

Tomorrow marks the 5 month mark for us living in Pennsylvania - it is really is hard to believe it is passing so quickly, but also feels like we have been here longer too!  It is feeling like home to us more and more each day -  Sidecar is doing well and Hubby is very pleased by the progress they are making on the sales front.   The girls have really settled into their surroundings and are starting to use "northern" phrases when they talk.   Like "cart" instead of "buggy" and "soda" instead of "coke" - check out this map if you have time!   And I am enjoying some new friends and getting a little girl time in too! 

There are a few things that will take some getting use to...such as lack of sunshine!!  Even on the days the forecast call for sun, it is just party sun!  And the fact that the sun sets at 4:30pm - M always says that A gets off the bus around bedtime.  Oh and still haven't found Sister Schubert rolls.   I was never expecting to find Duke's mayo, but no Sister Schubert???

But there is plenty to enjoy here -  we have found the people to be super, super welcoming and nice! Granted, my family doesn't lack in small talk or in being outgoing, so strangers have no choice but to talk to us!  And the scenery and small town feel of the area is fun to enjoy during this time of year.   For instance,  Malvern Victorian Christmas - our little borough of Malvern hosts an adorable kickoff to the season with a weekend of activities to help celebrate.    Lots of residents dress in victorian - style clothing, the town tree is lit in the park, churches put on various plays and nativities, and the shops are all lit and decorated beautifully.   For the girls, the highlights were riding in the horse-drawn carriage around town, seeing A's music teacher and students from her school carol in the streets, and watching the nativity and choir at St. Patrick's Church.   And of course, no celebration can be complete without a visit from old St. Nick.    It was a charming weekend and really helped get us into the holiday spirit.

And of course, the proximity to NYC is great and allows for some pretty cool day trips, such as the past weekend.    Going into the city for the day is pretty easy from here and we were amazed when we parked right by Bryant Park and didn't hit a bit of traffic!  We took in the Christmas sights such as the window displays around 5th ave, Rockefeller Center and the highlight was seeing the Radio City Music Hall's Christmas Spectacular.   The Christmas Spectacular was just that - spectacular!  It was quite magical and a very good production that the girls really enjoyed.   A has been practicing her high kicks ever since :)  

Did I mention that we chose the weekend of Santa Con to visit NYC???  At first, it looked like the Santa Pub Crawl that hits Midtown ATL each December.    There were so many Santas, naughty elves, scantily clad Mrs. Clauses - lots for the eye!  However, when I saw that Justin Timberlake was tweeting about how the lower east side of Manhattan was covered with Santas,  I realized this much much more than a neighborhood pub crawl!   As Hubby always says "Good for them" :)  I think he was somewhat jealous he wasn't in on the action.

I started this journey by counting down the months until we return back home....now, in just 5 quick months, I am thinking about what we will do next Christmas here.

 Enjoying Rockefeller Center

M's reaction when I said no to waiting 3 hours to skate!

Waiting for the show!

Tis the Season

There is so much to see and do around this time of year in Philadelphia - especially if you are new to the city and seeing it all for the first time.   I imagine my posts over the new few weeks will include lots of holiday activities and today marks the first one!   I really can't get enough of the sights and sounds that accompany this time of year, so we are going to take in as much as we can before we are exhausted and someone starts bah humbugging.

Hubby had to go into the office on a Sunday today so we tagged along and saw a few of the sights that Philadelphia has to offer.   We took the advice of a few local friends and started with lunch at Reading Terminal Market, where you can at one time be both excited and overwhelmed by the vast array of vendors selling and tourists eating.   It is a landmark that has been around since 1893, so you just gotta see it.  And or course, sample some of the food!

After we fueled our tanks, we popped into the Macy's, which is located in the historic Wanamaker building and features a huge organ that is used for concerts twice a day.   It is pretty cool hearing an organ play while doing a little shoe shopping.  But today, we came to see the light show and then to visit the Dicken's village.   The village comprises of 26 scenes from the Dicken's classic A Christmas Carol and spans over 6,000 square feet.  And at the very end is good ol' Santa.   Here is a video recorded by some random gent, but does a good job of showing you the last few minutes of the lights and just how large this Macy's really is!

Hubby then headed off to work, so the girls and I made our way to the Comcast Building for their Holiday Spectacular - which is movie that displays on the  3’ x 25’ Comcast Experience video wall in the Comcast Center lobby, which is the world’s largest four-millimeter LED screen with incredible resolution that’s five times that of an HDTV.    My pictures do not really capture how cool this wall really is so check out the video I linked out to so you can see for yourself.    The best part, according to A & M, was when they made it snow indoors with some fancy bubble machines.  

It was a great day and we are just getting started exploring how PA celebrates the holidays!   We have stuffed lined up every weekend and through the New Year.  I hope I can make it :) 

Photo op at the entrance to the Dicken's Village

one of of the scenes - Ghost of Christmas Past

HDTV wall at the Comcast Building