New York I Love You

It helps that New York also housed all my sisters for a week.  We were touristy, we shopped, we ate pizza and chocolate covered cinnamon bears.  We sat at parks for hours, we got soaked in the rain which led to more shopping.  We slept good sleep on air mattresses.  We saw rats in the subway stations and walked and walked and walked.  Here you go...

 Prospect Park

We totally got the audio tour on Liberty and Ellis Island.  We should have felt touristy/dorky but we didn't care at all.  The information and stories were so cool.  I loved Ellis Island, the building was beautiful and you could feel the stories of so many people.

Pizza stop #1 Lombardi's.  According to them it's the first pizzeria of America

 Fountain at Bryant Park

NYC Library, it was spectacular inside.  Makes my little Lake Hazel branch look silly.

Outside The Met.  We saw a cool exhibit with Prada and Schiaparelli, incredible clothes.  And then we visited the standards, Monet, Manet, Picasso, VanGogh.  And then we searched for an hour looking for food.  And then we were all exhausted and left.  That place is huge, right?

 Kakie's rooftop

 Our morning stop, this particular morning we got huge bagels with a ton of cream cheese.  We were ALL boring and got plain bagels with strawberry cream cheese.

 Waldy's, so so good.  Most of us ended up getting roasted asparagus with prosciutto and fresh mozzarella.  They have a side table with fresh herbs you just pick and throw on.  Seriously.

 Doughnut Plant in Chelsea. We each got TWO!  My choice was toasted coconut with filling and Tres Leche.

 Central Park.  It is just what you imagine only way way bigger.  It was so lush and green during our visit.  And we dawdled around this fountain forever waiting for some little girls to do a dance recital but we got hungry so...

 Everywhere you look.

Last day spent at Prospect Park talking, eating chocolate covered almonds (mainly me), chocolate covered cinnamon bears (everyone else) and licorice.  We brought games and didn't even pretend to play one.  We took turns sticking our legs in the sun.

I don't remember if this is the beginning or end of the Brooklyn Bridge, but we walked it.  Then got more pizza at Grimaldi's.  It may be my favorite it may be when I was the hungriest.  We won't know till next time.

 Kakie's stoop on our last night.

Oregon summer trip

Technically we head to Oregon to get our teeth fixed by Dr. Anderson but really we are there to get some good berries and let the kids go crazy.

 Sweet Avery watching out for Anders.  Plus really good burgers in Beaverton.

Vedder couldn't figure out why Maddy kept putting her arm on him

 Going for walks.  We never made it too far, their driveway is a big hill so when you factor that in to your return trip it makes for short walks.

 But the big driveway was perfect!

 Picking strawberries.  Ved immediately turned it in to a competition between us and Adam.  Who could get the biggest, sweetest berries and fill their bucket the fastest.  Not sure who one.

 We ALL ate a fair share, they were like candy.

 Berries and babies covered in evidence

 Swimming down at the pump house.

On our drive we stopped at a park for lunch instead of driving thru McD's.  When I was the kid traveling and my parents packed lunches and we stopped at rest areas or a park I was always bummed.  What I wouldn't have given for a Wendy's frosty.  But now I get it.  Let the kids get some energy out without the stress of a restaurant.  But man I felt like a 'parent' when we pulled over to that park.

Jocko

 Two thoughts.  I sometimes have guilt about the space between Maddy and Anders.  They won't ever get to be home full time at an age where they can really play together.  And second, I used to laugh at people who act like dogs are a part of their family.  I don't anymore.  Our Jocko sure has filled the gap for all of us.