Yes, we've only been here about a month and we already had our first visitors....Grandma Dottie and Uncle Luke! They just left yesterday:( They got here last wednesday and we had 4 VERY full days of lots of FUN! I was totally on cloud 9 that people actually came already and were visiting us and experiencing our new life here in New York.
Uncle Luke really wanted to tour Juilliard School in the city so thursday we headed to the city after Crew's first nap. It was my first time driving into the city! AAhhhh no wonder the smart people in New York take every other mode of transportation EXCEPT automobile;) the traffic here is just crazy, and drivers are rude! We literally live about 20 minutes from Manhattan but I'm sure we will never get there in that short amount of time, ever. It took us over an hour to get there and I felt so bad because I had set up the tour for Luke about 2 months ago and we ended up being too late for him to take the tour:( total bummer. We should have taken the train! We're still learning.....haven't been here that long! Anyways.....it also happened to be about 95 degrees that day with about 95% humidity! Disgusting! I dropped mom and Luke off at Juilliard and headed to park the car....I walked about 2 blocks and was thinking to myself ..."this is dangerous...we should not be out walking around in the city with this heat...what are we going to do now?" Everybody was hungry so we found a nice COLD restaurant and had lunch. Mom and I cheered to some tasty white wine! We're in New York! So fun! After lunch we jumped in a cab and asked him to take us to the best bakery in the city...Magnolia! Thank God there was no line! Somebody had recommended it to me and said that typically there is a line that wraps around the building, but not to worry it moves fast.....I knew there was NO way we could stand to be outside in this heat and wait in a long line. We lucked out with no line at all:) And they were simply amazing....I could have eaten 2 or 3 they were that good! We were right next to Rockefeller center so we headed inside to stay cool. Luke was really interested in "Top of the Rock".....it looked awesome. So up we went....80 floors or something crazy like that. What a VIEW! Everybody must do this at some point in their lives. It was crazy to be up that high and see those buildings...especially to see this huge green park right smack in the middle of the city....Central Park!
I just can't believe that big green area is Central Park! So amazing!
Luke at the Lego store right next to Rockefeller Center
We decided to call Erik and have him hop on the train and come meet us for dinner in the city rather than start our way back home and sit in traffic for God knows how long, in rush hour.
We ended up eating in Rockefeller Center at the Sea Grill, right next to where the ice rink usually is in the winter time. So pretty. Costa tried oysters! And LIKED them;) Silly kid....likes everything. After dinner we walked across the street to the American Girl Store.....Halle's been asking to go there since we got to New York. Right before we moved I found my American Girl, Kirsten. I gave her to Halle and told her about the store they have in New York. She's been pretty excited. And, pretty cool....Kirsten was one of the original dolls and has been archived now. So, Halle's already decided for her birthday this year we'll be hanging out at the American Girl Store getting Kirsten all dolled up. Ha! We'll look forward to it!
Friday night mom spoiled Luke, Erik and I with tickets to the Broadway Show, Wicked. I was so excited for this! This was the one thing my mom really stressed she wanted to do while she was here so I was so happy I was able to find tickets that weren't TOO outrageous! We had a great time and the show was awesome. Afterwards, we walked a few blocks to Times Square. My mom and Luke were in awe, it is quite a site with all the lights and SO many people! Luke really wanted to see the Empire State Builiding, so we hopped in a cab and headed that direction. My mom had already spent so much money on us I told her that her and Luke just needed to go. Erik and I headed across the street to have a drink...and have a little alone time! We haven't had a date night in SO long:( Before we knew it.....it was 1:30 in the morning! Time to head home....and what do you know? TRAFFIC! Yep, at 2 AM! Crazy place.
Erik teaching Luke how to "hail" a cab in the BIG city
The next day was moms birthday! SO special to have her in New York with us for her special day! We spent the day relaxing......and keeping cool inside. I had made reservations for us and a few of our friends for that night for dinner, adults only. How nice that we know people that can babysit for us in this big city? Thanks Melinda and Sandy! Dinner was at a small italian place called Piccolo Angolo. It was ok....mine wasn't that great but everybody else seemed to really like theirs! After dinner they started playing the Happy Birthday song, dimmed the lights and everybody in the restaurant chimed in to sing Happy Birthday! That was a surprise! What a memorable birthday:) Happy Birthday Mom and Grandma! We love you!
Making Grandma's birthday cake
Since he's usually asleep in his carseat for all the pictures!
The last day, Sunday we were all exhausted. We contemplated just staying close to home, but there was one place Mom and Luke just had to see...Central Park. It was nice because Erik was too tired to come so he ended up staying home with Crew so he could nap. So off we went, another adventure to the big city. We lucked out and found a parking spot a block away from the park! Parking is free on weekends if you find a spot. Yeah! It was meant to be:) On our way in to the park we saw the bicycle tour guys.....my mom and I were thinking on the same page.....yep, we need that! We were tired, the kids were tired and the park is HUGE! There was just one more thing we needed to make this day complete and perfect...a bottle of wine;) It was so cool to have the tour and be able to see The John Lennon memorial, the apartment he lived in, where he was shot, the Friends fountain and where various shots from different movies were filmed. After the tour, we let the kids play in the water park area and we also rode the carousel. What a fun day!
The finish line in Central Park for the New York Marathon
Costa was being a stinker and didn't want any more photos:(
We had so much fun Mom and Luke! Thank you so much for coming to visit us! Lots of laughs and memories;) We will miss you until the next time we see you! We love you!
I just can't believe that big green area is Central Park! So amazing!
Luke at the Lego store right next to Rockefeller Center
We decided to call Erik and have him hop on the train and come meet us for dinner in the city rather than start our way back home and sit in traffic for God knows how long, in rush hour.
We ended up eating in Rockefeller Center at the Sea Grill, right next to where the ice rink usually is in the winter time. So pretty. Costa tried oysters! And LIKED them;) Silly kid....likes everything. After dinner we walked across the street to the American Girl Store.....Halle's been asking to go there since we got to New York. Right before we moved I found my American Girl, Kirsten. I gave her to Halle and told her about the store they have in New York. She's been pretty excited. And, pretty cool....Kirsten was one of the original dolls and has been archived now. So, Halle's already decided for her birthday this year we'll be hanging out at the American Girl Store getting Kirsten all dolled up. Ha! We'll look forward to it!
Friday night mom spoiled Luke, Erik and I with tickets to the Broadway Show, Wicked. I was so excited for this! This was the one thing my mom really stressed she wanted to do while she was here so I was so happy I was able to find tickets that weren't TOO outrageous! We had a great time and the show was awesome. Afterwards, we walked a few blocks to Times Square. My mom and Luke were in awe, it is quite a site with all the lights and SO many people! Luke really wanted to see the Empire State Builiding, so we hopped in a cab and headed that direction. My mom had already spent so much money on us I told her that her and Luke just needed to go. Erik and I headed across the street to have a drink...and have a little alone time! We haven't had a date night in SO long:( Before we knew it.....it was 1:30 in the morning! Time to head home....and what do you know? TRAFFIC! Yep, at 2 AM! Crazy place.
Erik teaching Luke how to "hail" a cab in the BIG city
The next day was moms birthday! SO special to have her in New York with us for her special day! We spent the day relaxing......and keeping cool inside. I had made reservations for us and a few of our friends for that night for dinner, adults only. How nice that we know people that can babysit for us in this big city? Thanks Melinda and Sandy! Dinner was at a small italian place called Piccolo Angolo. It was ok....mine wasn't that great but everybody else seemed to really like theirs! After dinner they started playing the Happy Birthday song, dimmed the lights and everybody in the restaurant chimed in to sing Happy Birthday! That was a surprise! What a memorable birthday:) Happy Birthday Mom and Grandma! We love you!
Making Grandma's birthday cake
Since he's usually asleep in his carseat for all the pictures!
The last day, Sunday we were all exhausted. We contemplated just staying close to home, but there was one place Mom and Luke just had to see...Central Park. It was nice because Erik was too tired to come so he ended up staying home with Crew so he could nap. So off we went, another adventure to the big city. We lucked out and found a parking spot a block away from the park! Parking is free on weekends if you find a spot. Yeah! It was meant to be:) On our way in to the park we saw the bicycle tour guys.....my mom and I were thinking on the same page.....yep, we need that! We were tired, the kids were tired and the park is HUGE! There was just one more thing we needed to make this day complete and perfect...a bottle of wine;) It was so cool to have the tour and be able to see The John Lennon memorial, the apartment he lived in, where he was shot, the Friends fountain and where various shots from different movies were filmed. After the tour, we let the kids play in the water park area and we also rode the carousel. What a fun day!
The finish line in Central Park for the New York Marathon
Costa was being a stinker and didn't want any more photos:(
We had so much fun Mom and Luke! Thank you so much for coming to visit us! Lots of laughs and memories;) We will miss you until the next time we see you! We love you!
