New York, New York

We're here!
What a day-I do plan big.  We started with the drive, then went to the Metropolitan Museum of Art as soon as we got here (I wanted to start the farthest from our hotel, and move towards it for tomorrow-I grouped what we wanted to do).  We found it fine, parked in the parking garage, got our parking ticket validated (cheaper parking), took a picture out front for Mom, then started exploring.

We began with Byzantine (remember all are without a flash):

Then went to see the Picasso exhibit, which is only here for a little bit longer:

We saw Mary in European Art, then some drawings:

I can see this will take too long...I'll start a slideshow down below of the pretty good pictures.  Anyway, we found tons of impressionists (beautiful!), saw a Rodin sculpture, had lunch (Clay had sushi):

Then we saw silver, the Egyptian exhibits, and the armor and weapons!  the Roman art, etc.  Then on to Central Park.  We went out to Belvedere Castle and took pictures up at the observatory:

(We got a nice lady to take our picture together for sweet memories!)  We got our car, drove by St. Patrick's Cathedral (we'll go to Mass there tomorrow), checked into our hotel, then went out on the town.  We ate dinner at the Olive Garden in Times Square, went to the M&M store, rode the subway to FAO Schwartz (but they were already closed!!),

and then back to our hotel.  We'll make it back to the toy store tomorrow, as its early closing caused a meltdown. : (

What a fun and exhausting trip!  My feet and legs are tired, but in a good way. My soul is full of nice things, and the kids' eyes haven't seen so much since DC last year.  I love it.  Now you know why people heart NY. : )

Ok, I just couldn't yadda-yadda Monet.  He's too worthy, and I just can't leave him out.  Here's a beautiful glimpse:

From Jersey to NY

I *heart* New York!

We left the sunny Jersey Shore this morning, to head north on Garden State Parkway to New York.  I was up at 6:30, but no one else was as excited as me?  I got everyone’s clothes ready for the next two days, and narrowed us down to two small carry-on size suitcases for our New York hotel.  I’ve schlepped in big suitcases, jumpy things, laundry baskets, etc. into big city fancy hotels, and I even have to admit I get a little embarrassed!  We are big kids, and we can make due with a little less.

Yesterday was totally unplanned, but still a great day.  We got ready for the day *in our swimsuits and coverups* and headed out.  We’d planned to spend another day at the beach, then showers at the beach house, then dinner was at Rita’s to celebrate David’s birthday.  Well.  That’s not how our day turned out!

First, we got to the beach house, and it was sprinkling.  We asked Rita if we could help, and we split up.  Ches walked to the grocery store for a few groceries, and she asked me to go get ice cream and cokes at CVS.  Mary Claire and I went-then it started raining!  We tried to swing by and pick up Ches, but he was already at the corner by the house-he’s so fast!

Then more people showed up, we made hot dogs, then finally walked to the beach.  When we got there, we played in the sand-then they closed the beach!  We’d heard thunder, but apparently it had started lightning.  They got everyone out of the water, but few people were leaving. We hung around, took some pictures, collected sand and shells (to decorate with!), and Ethan found someone else’s dumptruck to play with!  Clay got sand in his trunks, and was not happy.  He cried and wanted to go back.  He couldn’t go in the ocean to rinse out the sand, so it was sad business.

Our really impromptu (read: not matching, in swimsuits!) Beach Picture:

Then the lifguards came along and told us we had to leave the BEACH.  We packed up, found some extra shoes (Joseff’s!), and left.  We all stood around on the boardwalk and decided to go for some pizza to see if the storm passed.  It was a good Italian place, and Clay ordered mussels!

They were in marinara sauce, and he really liked them-he ate the whole bowl!  We ordered mozzarella sticks and some pizza too.  Then we went out since John got a text from a lifeguard he knows that the beach was open!  When we got out there, they were closing it again!  (Yes, I know-crazy!)  So. We did some more standing around, and decided to go down to the Castaway Cove (boardwalk with games, rides) to spend the rest of the tickets Ches had bought.  The girls and Clay rode the Double Shot (I’ll try to get my video to load!)-it shot them straight up in the air, then down, and repeated the whole rode again.

Ugh-scary.  I rode nothing there.  They were all spinning, going high, just not for me.

Then as the kids were spending the last of the tickets, it was raining lightly, and all the workers left their stations, and sat at the entrance to the arcade.  We went on through and headed towards home.  When we got halfway, it started pouring!!  We RAN (I had borrowed a stroller), and I got a towel caught in the stroller wheels, and had to stop to pull it out-it was awful!  So, since John and Camille’s house was closer, we ran there.  All drenched, we ran in, and soaked their carpet, I’m sure.  We borrowed towels, and dried off, but…not before Ethan stripped down, walked in their bathroom (you know how he likes to takes baths everywhere we go?), and wanted a bath!  Well, John’s dad, Jack, was in there!  He was in a towel, and didn’t seem to mind, but I was so embarrassed!  Ethan played in the dry bathtub with their rubber duckies for the longest time, then Jack came out and asked me if I was going to run him some water!  I did, and Ches went home for the van.  We stayed a while (Ches was showering at Rita’s), then he came to get us. We went to the hotel and all had showers, then went back for dinner.

I can’t say in words how nice his family is, and how welcome they made us feel.  They are all so sweet-and we had fun.  I’m so glad we got to go this year.  We’d waffled, not knowing if we should go or not, but we never regret it. : )

Now, we are seeing the NY skyline..we are here!

On the Boardwalk

Just beach, sand, dinner, and the Boardwalk!  What a great day. : )

This is Ethan singing along to Veggie Tales, which always gives me a great laugh!

And here are some pictures from today (I only had my phone, so they aren't great!):

Ethan made a friend named Randall, who had Thomas toys!

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And then he made friends with Julia, and we dug her a puddle too (he's actually telling her she can't come in his puddle, so we dug her one):

Yesterday was sand castles, today was big quicksand-mushy puddles:

Mary Claire was in the sand more, not so much in the waves today:

And here he is making friends with more kids-they had a bulldozer and Nutter Butters!

This is Mary Claire and her cousin, Caroline, who looks so much like her!

Then we went up to the Boardwalk to play games and ride rides.  They rode a ferris wheel, a roller coaster, a big slide, the Hurricane, Cyclone, and bumper cars.  It was a lot!  Mary Claire went low, so we got some Dippin' Dots.  They are sooo cold!  She hadn't had them, so she really enjoyed it.  She took them up on the ferris wheel and shared them.  They got to ride with their (second) cousins, so they really had fun!  I wish we could see them more than once a year.  Here is Clay, Mary Claire, and Caroline on the ferris wheel:

And this one just made me laugh!  (My phone camera hadn't been working for almost an hour, but this one made me shut my phone down and restart-I had to get a picture, or no one would believe me!):

Ocean City, New Jersey

After all the excitement yesterday, today should be relatively calm. We are in Philadelphia headed east towards Ocean City right now. We just crossed the Ben Franklin Bridge (blue and pretty!), and Clay just swears he saw a battleship. It’s just nice looking at the buildings-we saw a new one, plus a new *tallest* one being built. Someone wants to be the new tallest building in town!

Today is just check into the hotel and beach time-no other agenda. I’m sure we’ll catch up with Ches’ family, have dinner together, and hang out. Maybe we’ll build super-awesome sand castle? Ok, I shouldn’t set our goals so high!

Playing in the sand together : )

 Working on a sand castle..

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 I love to see the lifeguards and rescue boat-ready to go (Just in case!)

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This is what he's wanted to do since we left town..

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She plopped down on the way back to Aunt Rita's beach house, and said she was too tired to get up.  Umm..hungry?  (she got up!)

Later..we’ve had a great day! We got to catch up with some family, eat some yummy Philly cheesesteaks, swim and play in the sand, and now we are safely in our hotel room (nice and big-perfect!). We have three double beds, but Ethan still wanted a pack-n-play! Clay and Mary Claire got their own beds, so they are mighty happy, and two of the three are asleep (and it’s only 9:30!)-it’s been a long vacation already! We should go easier the next couple of days. The beach is pretty laid back, thank goodness. We’ll rest up before New York!