New York Day 2

First off question from Lesley: "How did you even decide what you wanted to see in such a short space of time?" I did a lot of research online and in books about New York and made a list of things I thought would be cool. Then asked Susie and Ryan what they would do. And they made a list of what we should do and when. They were our travel guides. They had already been there for two months and done a lot of the touristy things already. So they knew what to avoid and what to do in the same days. It was very handy!!

On to Day 2.
Started out taking family pictures for Susie and Ryan in central park. Seriously a dream to shoot here. I could have spent days finding new spots to take pictures.
Two of my favorites...

(okay technically this is three in itself, but whatever....)

There are more over here if you wanna see more from our shoot. (Thanks to Ryan and Regan for indulging Susie and me on this :) )

Sus took a couple for us too...




a bit more central park


(i LOVED central park!!) it was sooo cool.

Then on too FAO Schwartz. A rocking cool insanely huge toy store where we got something for our three kiddos.

Alden loved this picture of lego Batman!

Then we walked around a bit and saw LOTS of cool churches.







St. Regis :)


Hello 30 Rock!

(we love 30 Rock!)

We went up to the Top of the Rock.

It is way faster than the 2 hour wait at the empire state building AND you can SEE the Empire State building AND you can get a special pass so you can go up twice in 24 hours. So we did it during the day and at night.

See there it is!


In all it's glory.


THEN we did a boat tour of the harbor.
(I say that like it was no big deal, where we actually walked ALL day. From one place to another. The boat ride was a GREAT relief of the heat and my aching feet!)(and it was cool!)


I collect Sailboat pictures I've taken. This can go with my Nova Scotia ones...


The boat ride took us right out by lady liberty


Which was coool


And we got good views of all the cool famous bridges




And great views of the skyline


And we ended the day going back to the top of the rock at night.

Which was COOL.



Seriously we walked a LOT.
And tried tons of different enthic foods. Which was cool.

New York, New York

I really don't even know where to start. Seriously.
New York is crazy. Loud. Busy. Ethnic. Fun. Beautiful. Smelly. Packed.

This picture sums it up to me. There are a million lights and things to see and people and street vendors. Just so much going on. This is just one street corner. Each has different things going on.
Strange sights greeted us shortly after arriving.

eeewwwwwww.

Check out the PEOPLE.

Hoards of people. Every where. And this was a Sunday night when we got there (right off the plane) so this was not that busy.

Tons of cool buildings.
Tons of taxis.


We were there over part of the weekend of Memorial day weekend too, so there were lots of people around for that. And cool army boats. I always forget how much Americans love their army.


After a great supper of Thai food, Ryan (brother in law we were staying with) walked us down a couple blocks from their apartment to the New York Times building where he works. He had to pick something up and it has great views of the city.


And totally cool art in the lobby. These are little monitors with all different bits of news running over them all day and night long. I thought it was totally cool.


We then went walking around Times Square, just seeing all the people. And how many there were.




Did I mention how many cool buildings there were?? Theaters, churches, libraries. New York has great architecture!




More on day two tomorrow!

And we're off....

to New York for most of the week. Looking forward to eating out, Broadway, buying a purse in chinatown. And lots of other fun things!

May Long Weekend

May Long Weekend was fun. This is a photo dump of the weekend.
And then we are packing everything up today to move tomorrow.

Lots of Wii (a little TOO much probably)


Sweet little Alli


Playing in the backyard





James turned 2


And a little flirting from the "flirty couple" in the family...


(have I mentioned lately i loooove sun flare??)


Last Day at University Elementary in Calgary for Alden


Lots of driving around for errands


And my new favorite photo of Eli


and an engagement shoot so go check out my photo blog too!

It's offical

Motherhood

"You have nothing in this world more precious than your children. When you grow old, when your hair turns white and your body grows weary, when you are prone to sit in a rocker and meditate on the things of your life, nothing will be so important as the question of how your children have turned out ... Do not trade your birthright as a mother for some bauble of passing value ... The baby you hold in your arms will grow quickly as the sunrise and the sunset of the rushing days." President Gordon B. Hinckley

Shtuchff

so... things are moving along.
I've started packing - but I need more boxes.
Regan is officially done done school.
wonderful
marvelous
fantastic!

Every time we talk about packing Reg says, you know where all the work is... downstairs in that scrapbooking room! So um I think i'd better get started on THAT huge deal. Today.

Happy Mom's day.
Love my momma.
Love my mother in law.
I've got it good in that area.

Not feeling so writy(see I'm even making up words) lately.
Just making a list of places to visit when we go to New York.
And packing.

Although I did get to go to Heather's house on Friday night and spend time scraping and talking and a bit of eating and being inspired to scrapbook and mostly talking with Heather and Mary. And it was marvelous. Just lovely lovely girls. Who I enjoy so much. Who I'll miss so much when I move. And I wish that I had done better seeing them while I was here. This big ol' city of Calgary and us three living on opposite ends kinda throws a wrench in the plan!! I got home at 3am.... and then got up at 5 with Eli.... which did make me TAD tired that day.... but Reg let me have a nap later when he got home (after Alden spent the morning puking all over....) but was it all worth it?? TOTALLY. :)

And since it's no fun without something to look at....





pages from the May Scraptivity kit. (all about Eli!)

FHE: Prayer

Don't forget to check out this and enter. :)
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Sing: "I Pray in Faith"
Opening Prayer:

Teach 4 Fingered Approach to Prayer. (Hold up a finger for each number or Print out the words big on paper)
1. Dear Heavenly Father
2. We thank thee...
3. We ask thee...
4. In the Name of Jesus Christ Amen.

Share the Story of Enos using the Gospel Art Kit


Object Lesson: Have the kids sit on the floor beside their dad.
Ask: how do you know your dad is here? (You can see him, touch him, hear and talk to him)
Blind fold the kids.
Ask: how do you know your dad is here? Can you see him? Can you touch him? Can you hear and talk to him?
This is like our Heavenly Father. Just because we can't see Him, doesn't mean He isn't close and listening to us. We have to listen more and talk more. And feel the Holy Ghost near to feel His Spirit.

Bear testimony.
Sing song again.
Closing Prayer.

Random

Don't forget to check out this and enter. :)
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There are some new photos over on my photo blog.


I've been editing and finishing my last two shoots so I can focus on packing and all that.


I've been feeling packing yet.... so I've only packed 3 boxes.
Haven't been feeling blogging either.
Wasn't sure what to post about.
Maybe some more scrappy shares....
or maybe a 10 month post about Eli....
or I could just mention how horrible his sleep is lately.... as I am trying to wean him so Regan and I can go to New York at the end of the month. (lots of crying going on around here... not too much from me yet.)

I think I've just got so much going on this month that I'm a little all over the place.
Regan just wrote his licensing exam yesterday. Which makes him officially done Medical School.
He writes a ATLC course this week. We have grad next week. (Plus a photo shoot for me) Then the week after we move (so we load up, drive south, walk thru, unload and move in) then the next week we (me and Reg) go to New York (super duper excited!) then I get back and shoot a wedding. Add in a few going away get togethers, regular mommy duties, editing photos, visiting teaching, and packing and that's May for us. Busy eh? But should be lots of fun and some good highlights!!