The Big Apple!!!

My friend, Dawn, made me an offer I couldn't refuse a few weeks ago. She had an accounting seminar in Manhattan and asked if I wanted to come stay with her! Umm, yes! So my awesome husband and in laws shifting responsibilities so I could take my first trip to NYC. I'm so thankful they did because I had the MOST amazing time. Dawn had her meetings most of the day so that left me with lots of time to explore. I think I walked a million miles in the 2 1/2 days I was there. I went just about everywhere and at least snapped a picture (which I hated to do because I tried really hard to "blend" and act like a native New Yorker) :)

I was able to meet my friend Jackie in person for the first time on Monday! She is part of the board I've met up with twice but has never been able to attend. Jackie got us tickets to see the Rockettes Christmas Spectacular and it was just that. She also treated me to lunch at an awesome hot spot for lunch. That is definitely one thing I did on my trip........... eat well. Very well. Too well maybe? I did walk a TON so hopefully all that good eating won't haunt me too much! Ha. Jackie also walked with me back to her office on the Upper East Side right near Central Park. And Tiffany's (conveniently). He he. I made her take the obligatory picture in front of the Rockefeller Center tree. It's beautiful in person!

Dawn and I met up with Jackie for dinner on Monday night and had an amazing time together. I seriously covet Jackie's red Dooney and Burke purse. A lot. I rode in my first NYC cab. It was clean and didn't smell unpleasant! It was nothing like the shuttle I took to and from the airport. I feared for my life several times! Those drivers were crazy. How no one gets killed on the streets or cars don't clip each other on the streets is beyond me! Wow.

Dawn helped me navigate the subway yesterday so that really added how far I was able to go! I went all the way down to Battery Park to see Lady Liberty from afar and then paid my respects to the WTC site. That was emotional to say the least. I also ducked in to Trinity Church which is very close to the WTC site. Hollowed ground, for sure. I saw Wall Street and then ducked up to Macy's and rode the old-fashioned escalator. I also rode the subway about 50 blocks up to the Natural Science Museum to check out the dinosaur exhibit. That was super, super cool. I can't wait to show these pictures (and about 20 others) to Jack. I'll save you all the excess :)

Thank you to everyone who made this trip possible! I really had the best time and LOVED every second of being in New York. I can't wait to go back with Dave one day. Maybe the kids as well. When they are much older ;)

"I said Cheeese"

That pretty much sums up what Theo shouted at me when I took this picture at the mall. Darling, isn't it? :) He enjoyed himself on the train at Santa's village and I have 8 more rides to use for when Jack can come.

Storyland at City Park

My Mom's club traveled over to City Park today to take the kids to Storyland. Theo was in heaven seeing all of the Fairy Tale characters and going down all of the slides. The weather was perfect and we pretty much had the place to ourselves. What fun!! Notice his new Christmas shirt (Jack has a similar one). I got burned on Halloween shirts to I ordered these from Etsy.

Mischief

Eli is back at our house and has really whipped the boys in to shape! Just the threat of Eli telling Santa of bad behavior has be deterrent enough (so far, so good). Eli has also been getting into mischief at night. He hid in Jack's candy bowl from Halloween and flew to a new spot with some loot from the bowl. The boys were tickled to death this morning to see him snacking on Sweet Tarts.

Here is my mantle with the new garland and mesh and the stockings all hung. I hope Santa brings me a new phone. Please, Santa!!!

Homework

Jack's teacher gave him a sheet of Christmas-related homework to complete this week. Here he is this morning checking off the list by writing "Christmas" five times. He also had already helped me decorate the house and sang a Christmas song.

Getting in the spirit...

We've been in Operation Christmas mode since arriving home yesterday. All the Thanksgiving decorations are safely in the attic and Dave dutifully climbed up in the attic to haul down the plethora of Christmas decorations for me today! I took Jack shopping this morning for a new tree (I had envisioned it for the entry way but we ended up putting it in the playroom). It's a fun bright pink color with bright ornaments to liven things up. The boys finished trimming it with school ornaments from years past. Our tree is in the living room this year. I'll miss seeing it from the front window when I come home at night but perhaps I'll see the pink one?

It was fun pulling out all of the ornaments for the living room tree. They are all sentimental and some date back to 1976 (Dave's first Christmas). We have so many "Baby's first Christmas" ornaments for each child that it's almost comical. I think they each have 5-6. That's each!! I especially love the ornaments that Dave and I collected on vacations. I also have an ornament from my first Christmas in New Orleans. I thought then that I would never stay in the region and would need the ornament to "remember" my time here. Wrong! Ha ha.

Do you like the note our Elf on the Shelf, Eli, left for the boys this morning? Jack had his ornaments fully colored by 7:30 am when I woke up. The child is such an early riser. I'm hoping Eli's watchful eye will curtail the wild behavior we've been enjoying for a week. One can hope, right? :)

Mimi turns 60 (and sassy)

We celebrated my mom's 60th birthday last night at the clubhouse in her subdivision with lots of family and friends. The boys made a brief appearance before their babysitter took them home and put them to bed :) Mom's friends, Cyndi and Sherry, hosted the party and did a fabulous job tying everything together. She raked in tons of gifts and was surrounded by those she loves for her special day. Happy birthday Mimi!