Philly: Chillin' at the Casa de Ruff

We had some quality time hanging out with our family at Clovery Road in Philly. It's now my Aunt and Uncle's house (and their 3 grown children), but it used to be my grandparents' house, the house my dad grew up in. Mark and I love games...so it was great fun to play croquet and a couple different card games with the Ruff family.

Sadie mesmorized by the ceiling fan. Check out the brick in the background, my Uncle laid it when he was 18 years old, how cool is that?

Sadie plays croquet on my team (we lost, then sadie went down for a nap, and I lost again). My mom played with my cousin, uncle and brother the day before this, and debated objected to their use of the extra hit; when they knock and opponents ball to earn an extra hit, they play that you can repeat this indefinitely. My hotly contested this version of the game (I like to see my mom get a little riled up about things). Another variation upon the game:  They play with a killer. Once you finish the course, you go around the course killing other players, but if you're killed by a killer or go through a wicket--- you lose. I liked playing with killers; it makes the game more unpredictable.

Learning Nertz after playing Dutch Blitz...we all had our game toothpicks in, making us legit!

Team Aunt Ruthanne and Uncle Martin

Shelly visits!

It was great to be in Philadelphia. Everytime we go back, I try to convince Mark we should move there. The cost of living is so much cheaper than the Bay Area, and we could get teaching jobs anywhere. Also, I love the city and church there that I grew up in. I romanticize what that life would be like: I could stay at home, we'd be a drive away from his brother and a longer drive to his parents and sister, and my family would visit because Philly is home away from home to them too. Honestly, I think I remember how much I loved living in Philadelphia when I was young, so I think my growing family will love it too. But when it comes down to it, I do love California, and I could never leave my immediate family. It's going to be so much fun for Sadie to grow up with cousins around-- that's something I didn't have because my family trekked out to CA, away from everyone else.