^^hiiiii Noah
Oh New York…I am not a city girl but NY was one of those places I was certain, just CERTAIN, I’d love. I’ve daydreamed many a time of selling everything and moving there when our house of endless projects and fixes and problems gets too overwhelming. Greg thinks I can’t handle the winters …or the summers …or the people …or anything really, BUT I THINK HE’S WRONG. Naturally we visited at the most GLORIOUS time of year, the people were the kindest – always offering up their seats for our family and asking to help carry our giant bags or stroller up the stairs! and all the dreaminess that is that beautiful city was just amplified in my mind! I knew I’d love New York and I did and this girl who always longs to get back home at the end of a trip actually didn’t want to leave… but it’s nice to be home too :) Some pics from our adventures!

She must be my daughter… after a long long l o n g day of traveling, stepping into a cozy room with champagne and live jazz drifting in from the lobby, she twirled around and sighed about how perfect it all was. We get used to luxury so very quickly, we two ;) this hotel was so fun! Came with a record player and COOKIES, not to mention you could order the most delicious cocktails up to your room so these two weary parents were oh so happy!

Pretty little view of the one world trade center and the cutest of the little mens. He’s lucky he’s cute cause he brought new meaning to the city that never sleeps… there was some sort of strange phenomenon going on at night… one, the kids that were melting all. day. long. suddenly were filled with so much energy! two, they each contributed a special noise throughout the night. This one cried. endlessly. Luke had a cough that wouldn’t quit. every two minutes. and then… AND THEN he’d grind his teeth. and Abbie started to moan. all night. ALL NIGHT! Greg and I thought we were going to lose our minds. Nights were a doozy.


We got to meet up with my old roommate who is all chic and grownup and lives in the city all fancy and such.


She gave us a lil city tour on the rainiest day. Definitely packed for a *sprinkling* of rain and spent much of that day waffling between immense guilt for my deeply drenched children and searching for a place to completely replace their current packed wardrobe.

These two were so cute… they saw us taking pictures in the lobby and naturally assumed this position and pose and waited for their turn <3 <3

We tried to do a museum but heyyy weekend + rainy day! …the line was down the street so naturally FAO Schwarz was our next best option. MY GOSH. WHAT IS WITH THE GIANT CANDY!?!

Is normal sized candy out now?? Is this why there is an obesity problem in America?? Apparently it’s a thing. Also, crickets.


Oh hey there’s my kid. Meltdown #128. I gotta say, we pushed these kids hard the entire trip. They didn’t get any naps except what they could snag on the subway or stroller, they didn’t get great sleep on account of the aforementioned noises, they were wayyy off their schedule that they had just gotten back on from previously getting back from South Carolina the week before, not to mention all the new stimulus around them and the nonstop walking, but they truly did amazing. Not gunna lie, there were many many meltdowns but gosh I was proud of them for hangin in there! Lil city kids in the making ;)

Hey thanks, Vanessa for doing the picture neither of my kids would help me out on ;) THOSE CHILDREN!

We told the kids they could each pick out one small toy… naturally Luke heard ask for all the giant things. So happy he settled for the transformer that doesn’t even transform. Abbie got a princess Jasmine lego kit! She wasn’t aware she had to build it. So many tears over I WILL NEVER GET LEGOS AGAIN!!! and WHY DOES HER HAIR KEEP FALLING OFF!!! Is it possible we may just bypass the entire lego phase?? Will my midnight feet be so fortunate!?! We’ll see.


When you finally make it to pizza and can’t keep your eyes open to enjoy one bite. Dear, dear girl.

Vanessa said New Yorkers brag about how long they’ve avoided Times Square. Obviously we picked this special night to go and cancel out her track record. It’s smaller than I was expecting! And it’s not really a square… these were my observations.

She had some sweet magical powers that could make this building change colors.

She won all the points in my kids’ book. And Greg’s.




And then I turned 32. And this scene happened where all my family was happily reading their New York book IN New York and LOOK AT NOAH’S FACE and I couldn’t be happier. It was a good day.

We walked to a yummy breakfast and Greg saw the Ghostbusters firehouse.. sorta love when he turns into an excited teenager right in front of my eyes ;) it’s awfully endearing :):)



Walked down to the water cause let’s remember I will forever be drawn to all the oceans/lakes/streams.



Found a playground!

Saw the Statue of Liberty from wayyyy far away… do you see that lil blur?? Abbie asked if that was the Statue of Liberty. I asked her, “you know the Statue of Liberty!?” She said “yes”, and did this pose :):)

Luke took these pictures. We were cracking up cause he just held that shutter down and fired away. Sorta adore them though :):)

Every day Abbie asked if we were going to ride the subway. They loved it! But MY GOSH. The amount of times we said GET UP OFF THE FLOOR! And, STOP PUTTING YOUR HANDS IN YOUR MOUTH! And, KEEP YOUR TONGUE INNNNNNN YOUR MOUTH!!!!! was appalling. They’ve never done this before but it seemed like they were licking everything. How we didn’t come back with every single communicable disease, I have no idea. I definitely washed their hands more on this trip than probably their entire life combined.

All I really wanted this trip was to hang out in Central Park. People kept asking us what our plans were and we had some ideas but honestly all I wanted to do was roam around the neighborhoods and mostly this here place. IT’S SO PRETTY! We found a playground and a carousel and the most beautiful trees you’ve ever seen! And there was a man playing the accordion by the fountain and the sun was shining and the world was saying HAPPY BIRTHDAY HILLARY. Because everything and I mean everything revolves around me ;) I’m not narcissistic at all.

^^this is Abbie’s world and we are all just living in it

And then there was the famous boathouse that my friend took us the first day when it was gloomy and drippy, but we ate in the pub side which was fine but I longed to go to the fancy side with the white table cloths and the pretty people. So on this here my birthday, we booked it over there right before they closed and begged them to give us paupers with the dirty shoes and the caravan of children just one cocktail even though they have a bar BUT STILL NO WHITE TABLE CLOTHS. I’m not high maintenance at all. You know, I never noticed how dirty my shoes were till I looked around and everyone elses were immaculate. I’m convinced that is the sign of wealth. Clean shoes. I do not have them.

And then we dashed back down Manhattan to go to my birthday dinner in this lovely tiny little Italian restaurant where my children forgot how to behave entirely and glasses were tipping, babies were crying, pasta was flinging, Abbie decided to eat hers like a dog… and it was delicious and lovely. You know why? because they always put families in the back and for good reason. I think we sat in the back empty room at almost every if not every place we went. And we had a marvelous time … my pants will never be the same again though, thanks Noah.

The next day was grey and there was talk of more rain so we decided it was time to take Luke to see the bone dinosaurs.

There was a 3D movie. Abbie kept trying to reach out and touch things, bless her.

And then there were a whole lot of dinosaurs and other large and equally terrifying creatures.

Except this fellow. He’s probably part of the welcoming committee.

Greg was most impressed by this here blue whale. It was quite large.

And then baths. I feel like this picture captures them well. Abbie: concerned about everything, Luke: concerned about nothing, Noah: happy, always happy :)

And then the hotel brought them up these little robes and slippers and Greg sat them down and gave them the talk. You know, the do you know how lucky you are talk. ..as they sat in their robes and slippers in their cozy freshly made bed with a glittering view of New York just outside the window and I watched this beautiful, well meaning talk soar right on over their little heads. We’ll try that one again another day ;)

Can we just talk about this crib view though!?!?

And then the next day we went way on up to get some delicious bagels and go to the most beautiful park surrounded by the cutest little neighborhoods.

This stroller s a v e d us.

I really can never pick just one of him! BABIES!!!!

And then, of all the beautiful places to rest on this lil walk, Abbie decided this little patch of grass would do just fine. On an on-ramp.

We were walking back to the subway, the kids were starting to melt but my heart said turn back around! YOU KNOW MEG RYAN HAS BEEN HERE! So a quick google search said why yes, that sweet sweet apartment in you’ve got mail, is just a couple streets over! You don’t even know. This apartment changed my life. When I was a kid, I wanted lacy curtains cause she had lacy curtains. I wanted those boy pajamas cause she had those boy pajamas. I even tried to like daisies cause they are so obviously the friendliest flower! I probably got my love of old houses from this exact apartment. OF COURSE we had to retrace our steps despite the meltdowns to say hello to this building that inspired everything! It was underwhelming but we found it :)


This kid could chase pigeons all the live long day.

And then back to Central Park because THE BEAUTY!!!!

See now here is a prime example of how my brain works. I was walking along this beautiful fence here thinking… I could make that. And then when I got home, I was so bummed we didn’t save the limbs from our apple trees that we had to take out so that I could make that pretty fence I saw in Central Park. And perhaps the cute matching bench too. I ACTUALLY THINK I CAN MAKE THESE THINGS. Have I showed you my fence that has no supports?? I cannot make these things. Someone get me a woodworking class.

There they all are! Lil family up there!

And then we began the most beautiful walk back to our hotel, looking for shops but only seeing the most glorious trees. My eyes may have never been more happy.

Then we found the shops and noticed the clean shoes again. We went back to the trees.

And then we met Hoover! The horse that brought Abbie abundant amounts of joy as she finally got her wish of getting that carriage ride she had been begging for since day one.

We were those people.

Apparently we are in the fancy fried chicken stage of life. First with the champagne and fried chicken in South Carolina and now with the caviar. Goodness gracious was that delicious though. Favorite meal of the trip. Momofuku. So dang good. By the way, fanciest mall food ever… Per Se? Bouchon?? But no Hot Dog On A Stick so…

And then our last morning we headed over to Staten Island, waved to lady liberty and got our last slice of pizza.

Oh New York, you were good to us! Until we meet again!