GOOD-BYE, NEW YORK

Our time here in the city is coming to an end. I have a lot of thoughts and memories to take with me from our summer spent in NYC. Some good--some not so good. Although, a large part of me wants to humorously document all of those not-so-good experiences, it's always better to end on a positive note. So here is to the good times and all of the things I will miss about this city and our experience here...

Friends: I'm so grateful for good friends! Had it not been for many other amazing mothers and their kind attitudes, funny senses of humor, great planning skills and adventuresome spirits, there is a good possibility the three of us may have stayed holed up in are teensy apartment everyday. The many park days, outings downtown, babysitting swaps not only made living in NYC with small children doable, but fun. There is something about getting caught in a downpour with your children, with 10 blocks to go, getting hit with a wall of water on a curb (ya know-like on the movies, when a car drives through a big puddle), and getting trapped in an elevator, OK because your with a great group of women who are all in the same boat, that you can laugh it off with. And yes, this all happened in the same half-hour. So grateful for them and they're cute kids who provide, oh yes, countless hours of entertainment and fun for Ryder and Penny.

 Amber, AKA HeWoman. This must be noted. since I was carrying Penny, Amber volunteered to go get our strollers in the most precarious situation imaginable (tangled amongst other strollers in a huge crowd of people) while I kept an eye on the boys. The next time I see her she is walking out of the Shake Shack carrying not one, but TWO strollers, one of which was a double. HELLO! Amazing? I think so. Thank you Amber for posing for this shot at my request, when I can imagine the only thing you really wanted me to do was to take my own stroller :)

Parks: In an effort to make NYC kid-friendly, they do have A LOT of amazing parks. from a one with a 20-ft granite slide to one on top of the Museum of Natural History, we were always going to a new, cool park and there were still a lot we didn't get to. However, I have no idea what you would do with your kids here in the winter:)

 not bruised--just really, really dirty

 Penny eating sand...

 ...and more sand

 ...and a little more sand.

Shake Shack: Dear Shake Shack, thank you for your deliciously greasy shack burger on your soft buns and root beer on tap. Tasty indeed. Check out the new poster boys for the new Shake Shack ads. Weren't they so cooperative with me to all be drinking their shakes at the same time :)

NYC Iconic Locations: When I first got here, I couldn't quit thinking of how many of these places I'd seen in one movie or another. So it's really fun to always be walking by things, even if by chance or accident and seeing things that are constantly being referenced. For example, yesterday, I got a little lost and ended up in Bryant Park, and for the millionth time thought, "Oh so that's where this is." We also live about two blocks ways from this restaurant below. Look familiar? We see people taking pictures in front of it all the time and finally got one of our own last weekend.

Walking: There is something about being able to walk everywhere to run your errands that makes you feel cool. "Honey, I'm just going to run out and get us a freshly tossed salad at our European-styled-market, with two isles devoted solely to cheese. See you in a minute!"

NYC Styled Pizza: Yummy. I didn't really find one pizza place better than the next, but you can probably guess what I liked about this one! Now that's my kind of serving!

My Babes: My biggest beef with NYC is that it's not more kid friendly (I'm mean seriously, did children not exist when they built the subways?) But I can't imagine having this experience without these two cute babies. They make make me excited to get up in the morning and have been such troopers adjusting to this new environment.

Phil: The reason we're here! And the most important thing! I couldn't be more grateful for this man and the time he's put into his internship here and the experience he's had with such a great company. I'm so proud of him and the opportunity this has been for him and us.

And so I say, NY, farewell, adieu to you, and you and youa.

I'll be spending the next couple of days strategically packing our luggage to accomodate our newly acquired stuff and then it's off to Seattle to welcome home Phil's little sister from her mission (yay!) and then back to Happy Valley for one more year of school.

Until then~

THE REST OF JULY II: THE HILL CUMORAH PAGEANT

The fam in front of The Sacred Grove

In mid-July Phil's family came out for a visit and to see the city and road trip it up to Palmyra for a little Hill Cumorah Pageant. After spending a couple days in the city we rented two cars and drove the six (which may or may not have taken us ten) hours up to Palmyra or more specifically Canandaigua, NY.

Side Note: Upstate New York=BEAUTIFUL. If I had been one of those immigrants who came across the ocean and landed in the NYC, I would have said, forget this crowded island! I'm going a few more miles north to make a living among the lush greens and charm. I'm just so surprised with all the beautiful room to roam in this state, everyone insisted on staying put...well, not everyone, but you get my point.

After finally arriving at our hotel, (P.S. Penny thinks she is a city girl now and does not take well to a car seat any more :( :(  ) well, we went to bed. Because it was late. In the morning, however, we got up and went out to breakfast and made our way to Palmyra to visit the house Joseph Smith grew up in and to see the Sacred Grove. I LOVED IT! It was beautiful. I loved the spirit there. I loved the sister missionaries there. I even loved how they decorated and restored the interiors of the log home and Lucy Mack Smith's home. I'm really glad I got the opportunity to see these sites and it was just a huge reconfirmation of my testimony of Joseph Smith and all that I know to be true.

Phil and Ryder in front of the log house

Phil's parents in the boys' bedroom

Me standing near the fire place where the golden plates were hid

Phil and Ryder running to toward The Sacred Grove

 

Penny and I taking a break on a bench in The Sacred Grove. (I meant to be a little serious--but not that serious.)

Ryder using the map and navigating our way through the grove.

Two thumbs up!

The Palmyra Temple

We went back to the hotel for a little nap and pool time and then headed to the pageant! There is something about gathering with a large number of members of our church that puts joy in my heart. The pageant was really fun and the set was amazing. Although it was a quick trip with lots of driving, I'm really glad we did it.

Ryder with Samuel the Lamanite. Now--is he more excited about his celebrity encounter? Or that he gets a 7up all to himself? We shall never know.

THE REST OF JULY

So shortly after the Fourth of July weekend we had family in town and apparently that's all it takes for me to get rather behind. So here is to the rest of July!

We continued our Independence Day celebrations on Sunday where a bunch of us got together and set up little spot at Riverside Park overlooking the Hudson to view the Macy's Fireworks (apparently Macy runs all holiday festivities in this city). We were a little concerned about everything working out with the crowds and late night, but it worked out perfectly and we had tons of fun.

 The family in front of the Hudson at sunset

The boys: Mack, Jackson, Tyler, Ryder & Ty

Since Phil got Monday off of work, I finally decided it was time to do something that actually had to do with our Nation's Independence :) and so we took the Staten Island ferry across to view Lady Liberty, herself. We also enjoyed our second trip to Costco in a week AND Phil and Ryder took another visit to Ryder's favorite place in NYC, The Children's Museum of Manhattan.

 Our view from the ferry

 Muwahaha...

 Ryder at the museum

Later that week, we did make the Today Show outing. No worries, I'm sure we weren't on TV. I decided waking up at the crack of dawn to go wait for a couple of hours isn't really conducive to entertaining two children. BUT, I did see Meredith and my friends Amber and Claire who got there about a half hour earlier than me did get scanned by one of the cameras...so I can't say the same for them about their big national TV debut. We also went to Magnolia Bakery where I enjoyed a delectable red velvet cupcake and then took another visit to FAO Schwartz. Oh and a little tippy tip. If your at FAO Schwartz when they open, one of the employees dressed as a soldier comes out and dramatically announces they're open and then as you enter the employees are all lined up along the sides of the entry and clap...kinda like your in a parade. We loved it (well, I loved it). I felt so special. ~Sigh~

 Myself, Ryder and Claire and Nora hangin' with the Today Show crowd

 Mack, Ryder and Ty waiting for the store to open

Penny Rae at the Today Show with a fan promoting the movie "Despicable Me". Steve Carell was the guest for that day

NOW WHERE WERE WE?

I've gotten a little behind on tracking our outings of late. But before I do so...

HAPPY 4TH OF JULY WEEKEND!

AND

HAPPY BIRTHDAY AMERICA!

I feel so grateful to live in you, and even though I feel more like a live in foreign country right now, I'm so grateful for all the liberties that are ours.

Side note: Something tells me there is young man inside that Mickey Mouse costume attempting to show eager tourists that he's got dignity...perhaps just and ounce or a shred, but dude, he's still got it. 

Now, where were we. Ah yes, our outings of late...
Last weekend, we hung out with our friends Aaron and Amy (Aaron is also interning with AmEx this summer.) Phil and Aaron graciously took the kids to the Bronx Zoo so the ladies could go wander around SoHo.

 Here is Ryder and Piper in-front (relatively speaking) of some giraffes. 

 And here is Ryder before the feature Dora and Diego 4D experience! I know. Exciting. Besides how could anything not be totally great while wearing glasses like that?

Phil insisted on taking the camera (kind of like my outing wasn't even close to being as exciting as the kids and the zoo. Probably right.) But if I did have the camera, I would have taken pictures of the following events:

• Amy and I's expression after she got off the subway and the doors closed, leaving Penny and I still on it. No semblance of wits, no yelling of plans, just expressions of shock and awe. Luckily, the doors opened again. Phew.
• The trying on and purchasing of Ray Ban knock-offs. I will come home with modge-podge of sunglasses. It's a matter of fact. I am a street vendor's dream.
• Eating coconut helado (it's Spanish for ice cream) while trekking through Central Park. Most delicious dollar you will ever spend in NYC. And I don't even really like coconut.

This morning we decided to kick off our Independence Day Weekend by visiting...

Can you guess???

I know what you're thinking--The Statue of Liberty?

No.

Here's a clue:

Yup, we decided to visit NYC's real and true symbol of liberty:

The Empire State Building!

I know. So there's no connection, sorry. Come to think of it the Lady Liberty would've been a good idea...owell. 

But we were able to see this:

And take these:

And have this:

Move over Meg and Tom! 

There. Now it's like you've been there except you didn't have to spend $40 and wait in line for an hour and a half :)