New York Girls Weekend

Friends since we were 8 years old, had our babies together(literally...we were in the hospital at the same time with our firsts), talk almost everyday, but haven't seen each other for 3+ years. This trip has been in the making for a long time! Dear Marce, I have shin splints from all the walking, soar stomach muscles from all the laughing, am still craving that second chocolate mousse cheesecake we forgot to go back for, and came home totally recharged! What a fabulous weekend! Thanks for everything! Can't wait our next trip! Oh, and awesome that all the picture I have are just of us taking pictures of ourselves. Next time maybe we try and take some pictures of the sites and scenery, huh? It's been way too long since our last trip. So glad we made this work. I love ya!

A little Time Out

I adore my husband.

I'm in love with my kids.

And I also really enjoy my occasional weekends away from them.

Matt has quickly caught on to what a little time away with the girls does for me as a wife and mom and readily encourages these now annual trips to relax, recharge and refocus.

This year it was a trip to Philly to go to this:

It was a perfect weekend. Of course we squeezed in a little New York time, but the highlight was going to the conference with my dear Jersey friends who always have a way of inspiring and uplifting me. I even ran into my cute friend Jessica (who lived in Redlands once upon a time and now lives in PA) unexpectedly at the conference. It was so fun to see you, Jess! The only thing that could have made the weekend more perfect would have been to have Matt and the kids there with me. I loved being back in New Jersey. I loved the cool weather and the fall colors. Most of all I loved going to back to church in East Brunswick. After a year and a half, it still felt like I never left. There's something pretty special about that ward (that really feels life family) that I can't quite let go of. If it hadn't been for Matt and the kids back in Texas, I might not have ever left.

Then again, had Matt and the kids come with me, it would have defeated the whole purpose of the girls weekend. And it really was all just what I needed. I left here one Thursday night a few weeks ago, feeling like I was running somewhat on empty. While the last year has been incredibly enriching, exciting and adventurous for our family, it's also been extremely draining on me.

I came home at peace and empowered in my own little ways to face my own challenges.

I started reading on the flight home:

Good thing I was in a window seat and could somewhat curl up in my little corner as the tears poured down my face onto my dry roasted peanuts. It seemed to just sum up the message I felt from my Heavenly Father throughout the weekend.

And have you read this little book?

I read it on a monthly basis.

hark how the bells..

Remember this post?

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Since we couldn't see it in person this year, this video we took last year helped us ring in the Christmas season. It really is one of my

favorite New York moments

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(Have I mentioned we were complete New York wannabees while we lived in Jersey? We were. I love New York City, especially at Christmas. )

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When we first saw this, we were standing in Rockefeller Center gazing up at the gigantic Christmas tree. All of a sudden across 5th Avenue along the side of Saks, this started:

To quote myself from last year,

"It was so loud, so full of energy, and oh so Christmasy!"

one last time

Just to make sure we really got our fill of New York before we move, we went one last time yesterday. It was a beautiful weather and a perfect day to spend in Central Park.

spring break adventures #2: NYC

The Greatest Show on Earth

We went into New York on Tuesday to see the Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus. It was as fun and excited as I imagined the circus would be. It was also really loud. Garrett and Ethan both spent most of the night with their hands over their ears!

We also did a little sightseeing, and ate pizza at Lombardi's, the restaurant that claims to be the first Pizzeria in America. It was pretty darn good pizza.

sisters' weekend

Erin and Kerri, came to visit and we spent the weekend in New York. It was a fun weekend with just the girls!

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See more great pictures and hilarious commentary on the trip here.

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By the way, thanks for the Mint Milanos, girls. They were delicious.

new bags

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These are my new bags.

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I can't tell you how happy I am to have new bags.

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I can't remember the last time I bought a new purse. It quite possibly could be while I was still a teenager, or at least before I started having babies.

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It was certainly time to go shopping.

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I went to this shop in Little Italy that Dori sent me too. I'd been coveting her new bag and wanted one of my own. The man at the shop was totally working it to sell me the whole store.

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He complimented my shoes (my $6 clearance deal at Target), kept calling me "sweetie" and tried to convince me that I was really buying the new Prada, rather than a cheap knock-off. When I didn't like one that he showed me, he responded, "Oh, yes, I know. You're much to classy for that one. This one over here...this one looks like you".

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Right, because he'd known me for about 5 minutes. At any rate, he gave me a deal because I bought two, and I'm more excited about them than I ever thought I could be about bags.

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I hate diaper bags. I love having a cute new purse big enough for my stuff plus a sippy cup, spare diaper, a couple toys and a bag of graham crackers.

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Church bags have always been an issue for me. I feel like we take our whole apartment to church each week. Since the addition of Lydia to our family, we've been either 1) taking two diaper bags, or 2) cramming the larger of the two so full that things fall out all around the building. The new church bag was fantastic on Sunday. I had everything we needed with room to spare. Oh, and it looked fabulous with my Sunday outfit.

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Thanks be to my great husband for understanding my need to feel like a woman and not just like a mom and being totally okay with me spending too much money on a new haircut, new shoes, AND two new bags all in one week.

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I'm a new woman.

Friday Night

The Plan:

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Take turns going into the temple while the kids enjoy a dinner and movie night in the comfort of our Toyota Sienna.

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The Anticipated Result:

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Enjoy a fun evening as a family, perform service in the temple, save $50 by not getting a babysitter, pick up some dinner and dessert to go and consider it a "date night" after the kids fall asleep on the way home.

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Execution of the plan:

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made great time

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found a fantastic parking spot

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walked the few short blocks to the temple

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remembered the temple is closed until Tuesday for winter maintenance

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sigh

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walked the few short blocks back to the van

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finished feeding the kids dinner

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changed the kids into pajammies (that's what we call them)

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turned on the Cars DVD

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headed toward Little Italy

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jumped out at Regali Handbags (this gem of a shop Dori told me about)

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made a quick stop at the Cafe next door

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jumped back in the van sporting my new diaper bag replacement, a new church bag, a sun-dried tomato and mozzarella panini, and a slice of Vesuvius Pie

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shared our dinner and devoured our dessert while the kids slept the whole way home

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Success?

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Absolutely. Well, aside from not being able to go to the temple which was the main objective for the trip. Nonetheless, the kids had fun, we had fun, the food was great, we still had a "date night", and I got two new bags. Temple opens on Tuesday; wanna do it again next weekend? Absolutely.

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Highlights of the evening:

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-upon returning to the van to inform the rest of the family about the temple being closed, hearing Garrett's response, "So what are we going to do now on this lovely night?"

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-observing Matt's exceptional NYC driving skills

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-cruising through Manhattan while listening to the Bed of Roses soundtrack with an imaginary wall between us and the backseats. We would have held hands if it weren't Manhattan and Matt didn't need both hands on the wheel.

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-Vesuvius Pie

day out with mom

Today was Ethan's turn for a trip to the city. This time it was me and E,

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just the two of us.

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We went to the Children's Museum of Manhattan, had a fun lunch, and spent some time at Barnes & Noble using his gift card from Grandma Lehnhof. I love that that's what Mom does for the kids' birthdays.

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We got the book, Little Pea.

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So cute.

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We read it the whole way home while we snuggled and ate our yogurt parfait.

day out with dad

Matt & Garrett spend the morning in New York yesterday, just the two of them.

Garrett sure felt special. He had Dad all to himself and got to admired the Lego creations at Toys R Us and ride the indoor Ferris Wheel and go out for pizza. (Actually, Garrett requested they go to a Thai restaurant for lunch, but Matt couldn't find one right off so they settled for pizza).

Garrett was also quite proud of himself for conquering his fear of the subway.

grandma

We picked Mom up from the airport on Christmas Eve. We were more excited for her arrival that we were for Christmas.

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We have had such a

FABULOUS week with her.

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We:

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took her to the

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S

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H

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O

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E,

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went with the kids to the Children's Museum of Manhattan to see the Bob the Builder Exhibit,

Saw a couple

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S

H

O

W

S,

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Fought the crowds to see THE tree,

read a million books,

played Legos and Lincoln Logs a dozen times,

and have given

lots

&

lots

of hugs and kisses.

Grandma, can you stay forever?

star sightings

Mom must be good luck when it comes to seeing famous people. Last year when she was here and she and I went into New York, we crossed paths with Dennis Farina (from Law and Order). And last night as we were heading down 44th Street (to this fabulous Pizzeria) we were stopped by a camera crew were was doing a spot with Tony Danza and Ryan Seacrest. I tried getting a picture, but this was all I got because I was getting pushed out of the way.

it's Christmas time in the city

We took the kids into the city last night to get a glimpse of the 88 foot Christmas tree in Rockefeller Center.

The tree was magnificent with its 30,000 lights. Adding to the excitement, we looked on with hundreds of people as a man proposed to his girlfriend on the ice skating rink beneath the tree. The whole crowd cheered their congratulations.

This is my absolute favorite New York experience. Directly across the street from the tree is Saks 5th Avenue. The entire side of the building is covered in these giant snowflake lights. Every 20 minutes or so, they give a spectacular lights show, choreographed to "Carol of the Bells". It is so loud, so full of energy, and oh so Christmasy!

manhattan, monet, and the temple

 Matt gave me the day off yesterday. It was so wonderful.

I took the train into the city and had a peaceful day all to myself.

I did a session at the temple,

strolled around the Metropolitan Museum of Art,

ate lunch at a cute European Cafe (and finished it off with a chocolate eclair, of course).

It was such a perfect day.

Lydia took a bottle just fine, and the kids all had a grand time with Dad.

I came home recharged. .

Matt, thanks for being SO good to me!

new york in the fall

Highlights from our date to New York yesterday:

The arch, fountain, green trees, and cool breeze at Washington Square Park

Sharing a strawberry & Nutella crepe

Not having to maneuver through thestreets of Manhattan and the many stairs of the subway system with a double stroller

Seeing the memorials and photograph 

exhibit at Ground Zero

Eating lunch at a fancy Thai Restaurant to 

celebrate our anniversary and having the restaurant restroom attendant squirt soap on my hands and hand me a paper towel after using the restroom

Stopping to get a Diet Coke and discovering that the McDonald's on Broadway has a man playing a baby grand in the lobby 

Thanks for the fun day, Babe.