NYC October 2011

Here are some photos of our trip to NYC in October. 

Chris and Jack

My brother Matt with....Wonder Woman???   only in NYC....SOOOOO freakin' funny!

My cousin Jeannie is awesome and we had such a good times with her, her husband and kids.

Annie and James joined us for the day. And so did Krissy! First we had lunch at Otto's. One of Mario Battalia's restaurants!

Kate, Annie & Stacey (with Hilliard and Sam in the background)

One of the booths

My sister Annie & Kate

I WANT CHEESE!

views from around the Park

Jack's favorite thing in NYC, besides Midtown Comics

Washington Square Park

It was street performers!

The whole gang outside

Tie those shoes for a walk down Broadway

Stacey carrying Sam

The 99% are down there!!

It's safe to enter now ?

Oh....that Washington

What's going on there??

Annie and James

We visited Washington Square Park and saw some street performers

Police monitoring the 99%

The girls: Annie, Kate & Stacey

Hilliard with a Sam on top!

A street fair on Broadway

Let's get matching bags!

getting a feather in her hair

 and then shopped in Chinatown

 Jeannie, the turtles will be fine!

These turtles....no disease in these turtles!

One excited 7 year old!

CHINATOWN!!!!

House of Vegetarian...love it!

why....how....but I got talked into buying.....

turtles

What a great day!

A Visit to Dylan's Candy Bar

Whenever we visit NYC we try to visit new places. Our visit in October included a trip to 

The sign was made of candy

What else do you do when you are the daughter of the famous designer, 

Ralph Lauren but open a candy store in Manhattan.

It was pretty cool. The upstairs had a bakery and place to have a birthday party and downstairs was CANDY!

Kate! with a b-day party going on in the background

Which one?!?!?!?!?!

Cupcake shaped booths. There were adorable in red, green, yellow and blue.

Still deciding.....

and deciding...

and thinking (enough pictures Mom)

we decided...

The winner was a chocolate cupcake with a reseese's cup in there and cake crumbs all over the icing. The table is gumballs covered with plexiglass. 

These are the lights on the ceiling

The cool staircase

 

CHRISTMAS 2011

My house may not be the cleanest, my cooking is definitely not the fanciest. I like to wear jeans and a comfortable shirt (instead of dressing up for Christmas) especially while I assist in the the cooking, wrapping and getting everything ready. A quiet afternoon in front of the tree, watching "It's a Wonderful Life" (that is muted so I can also listen to one of many Christmas CD's) is how I like to wrap Christmas gifts. The paper is from dollar general and I try to make a nice ribbon or 'I love you' message on the tag. A gift I like to give.....my favorite Christmas music, burned to a CD for my friends to listen to. I know if people listened because they will mention they liked it.

I have more energy to straighten my mom's house, than my own. After I cook here, I dread the dishes. At my parents' house, I have all the energy in the world. I don't get it. It just happens.

Kate and James made some beautiful Christmas cookies. 

Check out the Manger scene!

 

Kate's flowers

I went out for a 2nd trip on CHristmas Eve (I went out at 7am and bought the kids Christmas PJs) to get a star for the tree and more wrapping paper. I had wrapped some in PA and finished up Christmas Eve. Hiding a present in a present and using a gift bag that was large enough for a bicycle to wrap up Jack's leather jacket, that was fun!

Kate wanted her presents spread out, not in one spot. How many did she think she was getting????

I am truly blessed to have such great kids, family, 

Jack helped set the table.

Kate helped to cook.

 

Some special people joined us.

James' dad

and Jill's mom.

Fantastic Day, as always..

Merry Christmas and Happy 2012!!!

Summer's End

It's hard to believe summer is almost over. The kids started their fall camps: Kate doing Volleyball again and Jack playing golf. It's nice to see them doing something they enjoy and can ease going back to school, a little bit.

It's also hard to believe that it's been a month since I blogged! Texas was fun and we were only in town 4 days and on the road again to NY. This time we took one of Jack's friends for a few days.

Here are some pictures.

At the TODAY show

At the top of the Empire State Building

Consulting with Obama on the economy?

St. Patrick's Cathedral

Hotdog for Breakfast??? Well it is summertime in NYC!

Go for it Kate!!!

 Statue of Liberty

 Great Hall at Ellis Island...immigrants checked in here...both of my grandparents came here. Very moving.

I know this looks like the end of the day, but it was actually the beginning. We got up at 4:30 to get to the Today Show by 8am! Long but fun day.

It's a good thing my kids don't read this blog, because they would not like the posting of these pictures. It was a memorable few days in NYC.

Tie Dying & Tacos in Texas

So, I am getting the idea of what it is like to be a stay at home mom....not bad....

After morning 'school' (My sister's kids have summer reading to do for their school)

we made some tie-dye T-shirts. The kids used their creativity and put a spin on it...making designs with the paint and the boys especially turned their shirts into superhero tributes!

We also had a 'taco bar' for lunch. we've been swimming, saw the Alamo, and took a boat ride on the Riverwalk.

I wish I were here another week.

Captain America...NOT a pentagram

Making a bracelet

Creative Minds at work

Kate made these earlier this week

Texas

Who would guess that Texas could be fun in the summer? But I suppose when you are with your family anything is fun, even in 101 degree heat. There is a breeze, the swimming is fun and Schlitterbahn:Super Water park was great.

Yesterday was the best though:

Jack and I tutored his cousins on using Context clues and Text Documentation: UGH. But because it was Jack and I 'teaching' it, they cooperated and Jack is a tough teacher! 

Jack: 'lots' isn't a word

Thomas: yes it is

Jack: no it isn't and that isn't even a complete sentence.

Guess what? Thomas fixed everything! Instead of a two word answer, Jack got 4 sentences out of him. Intro, 2 supporting details, and a conclusion.

Then we made some homemade pizza for lunch.

Thomas with his pizza!

and had some SSR time after lunch.

This is not a pose, they were really reading :)

Kate 'tutored' Rachel upstairs at a small school desk and that went well too.

On tap for today. More of the same but we are also going to visit the Alamo and take a boat ride on the RiverWalk.

I wish we lived closer and I could be a real aunt to these great kids....I feel so sad.