Last day of June already?

I can't believe how fast this year has gone! It's already half done! I feel like I have been so busy, yet I don't feel like I have accomplished very much. (nobody else ever feels that way, do they?)

But I got to go to New York city with my daughter Kelsey and her school orchestra class. It was fantabulous! I had blisters on the bottom of my feet, because I swear, we hit the ground and just went and went and went! What a great place!

New York from Jersy side

We went to Ground Zero and met a man (Tony) who worked on the original Twin Towers and is currently working on what is going on there now. He was very sweet and definately had roots in Italy (my favorite country outside of the U.S.)

This is Tony, he was gracious to take his hat off for the picture. Sweet, sweet man.

Then we went to the Statue of Liberty, (my camera didn't have any batteries at the time, so you will have to wait until Kelsey adds some pics to her blog) what a fun experience that was! From there, the Empire State building, from there we got to the hotel, changed, found a place to grab a bite to eat on the street (pretty good chicken kabobs) and then we went to see Mary Poppins the musical.

This is the New Amsterdam Theatre where we saw

Mary Poppins. In fact, from this play, I learned that there is a whole lot more to the story than what Walt Disney gave us, so I am currently reading the real story and loving it!

It was so much fun, but a lot of us were starting to fall asleep during the first act. During intermission, we got a second wind and did so much better.

Next day, we got up running again and went as far and as fast as we could to see everything. We walked down Broadway to Central Park, went to the Temple, back to Central Park, found a great place for gyro's on the street, went to the NBC studios, Rockefeller center, then Kelsey had to go to a master class, luckily for me, Christine Mickelsen, the teacher and my second cousin brought her daughter Angela and we hit the fashion district and she was able to buy a cute dress that she got to wear that night to The Phantom of the Opera. After the Phantom - Christine, Angela, Kelsey and I went accross the street to Johns Pizzeria and had a very tastey dinner, then walking back, we bought a print of Central Park for Kelsey and fell into bed.

Next morning pack up, get the kids to Juliard for their last master class and again, Angela and I went off for some fun.

Central park, shopping and New York CHEESE CAKE! Nummy! I didn't realize that there was such a difference. Now I am ruined for cheese cake anywhere else. (which is good for my tummy line)

It was fun to get some things to bring home for the family. Then after the master class, it was find something to eat and get on the bus for the air port, so Kelsey and I found a very cute restaraunt down from the Temple and Lincoln center. Then is was back on the bus, down through Lincoln tunnel, into New Jersey and to the airport.

What a fun time I had with Kelsey. She was supposed to be with a different chaperone, but it worked out better for us to skip off and bond alone.

This is Brenna's bear that she tucked in Kelsey's luggage to be her represenative and Kelsey is wearing the hat I bought her off of a street vendor. (Not to mention the New York t-shirt from the air port)


And since that trip, Ed turned 48 and Brenna and Kelsey turned 16! They still don't have their learners permits to drive, but, when they are ready, they'll let me know.

My icing wasn't the best in the west, but it tasted great!

And here are a few pictures of my Ryker! What a little buddy he is! There just isn't anything more joyfull than a baby! I can't believe he is walking now! Goodness he was determined!

Watching the rain

Laughing at the camera

I think we are watching Dragon Tails here.

Have I mentioned that I adore this kidlet?