NYC:Day 3

We got up this morning and enjoyed another breakfast at Cest Bon Café. When we were done with breakfast we started our walk to the boat house in Central Park to rent a row boat and go out on the lake. On our way there we stopped at FAO Schwartz. It was so much more enjoyable than last time! There were only about a third of the number of people there and we could actually walk through and look at everything.

About $1,000 worth of Barbie's! 

 

 Michael and I laughed about this "toy". For $35 you can get a knock off mason jar with a battery operated butterfly in it. When you tap the jar the butterfly flies around!

We finally made it to the boat house and decided that after all that we didn't want to rent a boat. Instead we sat on the dock and enjoyed the view!

After we left Central Park we debated going to try to get tickets for a matinee but decided against it. We decided we were too stinky and sweaty and by the time we got tickets we wouldn't have time to go back to the hotel and shower and change.

 

We made our way down to Chelsea Market to do some exploring. On our way there we walked past a restaurant where no fewer than 100 excited teenage girls were waiting. We asked someone who they were waiting on they said it was Harry Styles from One Direction. We waited a few minutes to see if he would come out before we moved on. Since I wouldn't know who Harry Styles was if it wasn't for the screaming girls we decided to move on pretty quickly.

 

Once we made it to Chelsea Market we spent hours exploring. I think this was probably Michael's favorite thing we did and I enjoyed it quite a bit to. The bottom floor of Chelsea Market is restaurants, bakery's, kitchen supply stores, specialty food stores, etc. The other floors are the Food Network studios and offices. Michael was in heaven at this booth called Spices and Tease.

 

 The Google offices are right across the street from Chelsea Market!

 Michael saw a restaurant on Food Network called A Salt & Battery. It was near Chelsea Market so we walked down there and got a late lunch. We both had their special, fish and chips, and it was yummy!

After we showered and changed we headed out in search of dinner. Michael a wanted noodle bowl so we decided to head out to Yum Yum 3. He ate there with his parents when we were in NYC in November so he knew it was good. I'm not a huge fan of oriental food, but I had the pad Thai and it was really good.

 

When we were done with dinner we debated what to do on our last night in the city. We talked about going to The View for desserts and drinks or Top of the Rock. We decided on Serendipity 3 for a frozen hot chocolate. When we got there about 10:00 they told us the wait would be about 2 hours! Luckily it only took about 20 minutes.

 

 I had a frozen hot chocolate and Michael had a peanut butter frozen hot chocolate. I think he was totally prepared to think it was a girly drink and not like it, but he drank every drop of his!

 

We finally made it back to our hotel and got everything packed up and ready to go in the morning. Michael wants to go to The Today Show so we're going to go down there in the morning before we catch our ride to the airport.

 

Mom sent me these pictures of Julia at Betsy's birthday party today. It looks like they had a good time. It also looks like Betsy and Julia had plenty of boys to choose from! HA! 

 

 

 Betsy's birthday is Tuesday, but today is Sarah's birthday. Happy birthday, Sarah!

 

I can't wait to get home tomorrow and squeeze my girls!

NYC:Day 2

We woke up to a good morning text from these two cuties. It sounds like they slept good at Nonny's house last night. We got up and rolling about 8:30 this morning.

While I was getting ready Michael went out to get us some breakfast. He came back with a breakfast sandwich for himself and a delicious bacon, egg and cheese croissant for me from the café next doo, Cest Bon Café.

 

Once we finished breakfast we headed out towards the financial district. This was one place we didn't make it to in December that Michael wanted to go so we headed there first this time.

 NYSE

 Michael wanted his picture made with the bull. There was some grumpy old tour guide barking orders at everyone at the head of the bull so he settled for the back end, too bad his eyes were closed!

Next we headed over towards Battery Park to see the Statue of Liberty again. We both agreed that it was much more comfortable weather today, even if it was hot. The last time we were at the Statue of Liberty I was the coldest I have ever been in my entire life!

Lady Liberty!

 After Lady Liberty we headed over to the South Street Sea Port so Michael could see the Brooklyn Bridge.

Our next stop was a place called Shoolbreds. One of my former students, Evan, lives  NYC so we caught up with her at her work for a few hours. We actually ended up staying about two hours and catching up. She is an actress and was telling me all about what she has going on. She'll be on a show on Discovery ID in August, just got done shooting an Adobe Photoshop commercial and will be shooting a Nesquick commercial next week. I'm so proud of her for chasing her dreams!

When we got done visiting with Evan we headed down to Times Square to get our tickets for tonight at the TKTS book and to get some Junior's cheesecake. We tried to get tickets to Lion King or Newsies without any luck so we decided on Cinderella.

 Red Velvet Cheesecake from Junior's

 

After our cheesecake break we headed back to the hotel to get ready for Cinderella! It was Michael's first Broadway play. Unfortunately, I didn't think it was that great. Don't get me wrong, it was good, but not great. They could have only sung the chorus 5 times instead of 10 and it would have still had the same effect. It's also important to realize that this was Roger & Hammerstein's Cinderella, not Disney's Cinderella. It focused a lot more on the "political" aspects of the prince/soon to be new king than the princess aspect.

Michael's $14 drink in a sippy cup!

 After the play we went back to the hotel and enjoy the view from the rooftop. What we didn't realize was that we got back to the hotel about 10:45 and the rooftop bar closed at 11:00 so we went to the hotel restaurant and shared a piece of cheesecake. It was good, but it didn't have anything on the Junior's cheesecake we had earlier today!

We don't have much planned for tomorrow, just Central Park in the morning and maybe a matinee play tomorrow afternoon. I image we'll do lots of wandering!



Fun with Friends & Football!

This morning we headed to Dothan to meet Maribeth, Grayson, Katie & Joshua at Big Fun. The kids had a good time but we laughed because they played with the golf clubs, car and trains the most and we have all of those at home! 

Charlotte had the ball pit all to herself! 

Julia & "Aubie"

These were the best two pictures we could get of them. 

When we left Big Fun we went to the mall to eat at Chik-Fil-A and ride the carousel. 

Tonight we me Brody and his friend Brendan at the high school to take some pictures for the football program. The girls weren't the most cooperative truce ever been but we got a decent one! 

I just emailed our ad in and am about to go to bed. Everyone else is already asleep! Charlotte has a follow up with Dr. McQueen in the morning and Michael and I leave tomorrow afternoon!

A Tuesday

Aunt Donna kept the girls this morning since I had a few sessions. I got back around lunch time so Garrett brought me some Zaxby's when he got theirs. Charlotte kept trying to get an apple off the table so Aunt Donna finally let her have it. It kept her occupied for almost an hour! She ate the entire thing. I'll have to remember this when I have things I need to get done around the house!

This was all that was left of the apple when she let me have it!

 

I let the girls take a bath in my bath tub tonight. Julia loves to bathe in there but Charlotte was not having it. As soon as her feet hit that water she started screaming. I bathed her quickly and took her in my room to get her dressed while Julia played in the bath. When I came back in Julia had gotten her Ducks Unlimited magazine off the counter and tried to read it in the bath tub. The end result is pictured below. When I asked her what she was doing she said "I was just trying to read my Duck Dynasty book so I can learn how to shoot ducks with Daddy!" That girl won't do!

 

My sweet girl all snuggled up in bed!



Big Girl 'nastics!

We had a quiet morning at the house that started at 6:30! We made up for it this afternoon though. We ran errands until it was time for Julia to go to gymnastics.

Today was Julia's first day in "big girl 'nastics" and she wasn't too sure what to think. She as excited, but she was a little unsure too because she had to go by herself. I stayed and watched most of her class and thought she did good. It was definitely a change from baby gym! 

Julia after her first big girl class

After gymnastics we went to the grand opening at Nantucket's and then Aunt Donna kept the girls while Michael and I met with Eddie. We ended up eating dinner at Nana & Pop's and by he time we left the girls were exhausted! They were both sound asleep before we got to City Hall! 

Julia is now snoring in her bed and Charlotte is asleep in hers. I'm hoping for a good nights sleep and a late morning! 

Another Open House!

Mom came by this morning and took the girls to church so that Michael and I could finish getting
everything ready for our open house. When we were done we went over to Nana and Pop's for lunch.
We took Caddy with us and as soon as we opened the car door he hopped up in Julia's seat. I took a picture for Julia and she thought it was hilarious.

When we left Nana & Pop's this afternoon I told Julia that I bet she would go to sleep if she closed her eyes. As soon as I said it Charlotte let out be biggest belly laugh like "Ha! We know Sissy's not gonna take a nap!"

This evening Julia's been playing hide and seek. She's not the best at it. When you're done counting all you have to do is yell "Julia! Where are you!" and she jumps out and says "Here I am!"

This little love sacked out easy tonight. I'm just crossing my fingers that she sleeps a little later than normal in the morning!

Saturday Fun

Happy Saturday!

We're having an open house tomorrow so we spent today trying to get everything cleaned out and ready. Michael was sweeping out the garage this morning and Julia wanted to go outside with him. I told her she had to put her shoes on before she could go outside. She came back with her hat and gloves on. She said "Mommy, it's cold outside!" I'm not sure where she thought she was going, but it's definitely not cold outside here!

This cutie was rocking the wild hair in her exersaucer this morning!

 

The girls and I were about to go stir crazy this afternoon so I texted Allison to see if she wanted to bring Cooper and Ellington to meet us at the splash pad. Cooper and Julia played for about two hours before Allison and I decided we'd had enough. It was hot!

We went over to their house tonight to grill out. After dinner we had a dance party on their back porch. Julia and Cooper danced their little hearts out! They were showing off the dance moves their daddy's taught them - the running man and the robot! HA! I don't think we've had that much fun in a while. We'll definitely have to do it again!