NYC

It's hard to believe that it's already been 2 weeks since Matt and I left for our Christmas Weekend Getaway to New York City. Well, it was more like "Matt has a conference and I'm along for the free ride", but 'getaway' sounds so much better, doesn't it? We left on Thursday following Thanksgiving weekend, so I had no time to even think about our trip or plan anything. But that turned out to be a blessing rather than a curse.

We arrived in New York City on Thursday night and after checking in to our hotel, Matt already had a plan. We headed to Cafe Lalo on the upper west side. It may look familiar to you--and it should. It was the sight of the first meeting between Kathleen Kelly and Joe Fox (Meg Ryan and Tom Hanks) in the movie "You've Got Mail".

When we were trying to determine if I'd be able to join Matt in NYC, he said, "Babe, you do realize that I will have meetings all day on Friday. Is that okay?" and my answer? "That's great!" Anyone who knows me knows that I love my husband and my children more than anything, but an entire day to myself in the city would be so amazing! And that is exactly what I had on friday--a day to myself to wander the city with just my camera and iPOD. It was so wonderful! I would have loved to have gone shopping, but that will come someday. For this day, I walked from 10am-4pm without even stopping for food or to sit and rest, just walking through the city taking pictures (which I LOVE) and going wherever I wanted. Here is just a sampling of what I saw during the day.......

(note: the ice rink is much smaller in person!)
Famous fountain in Central Park

It was as if this man decided to row his little boat across the lake so that I could get an amazing picture!
View of upper east side and The Great Lawn from Belvidere's Castle in Central Park
Central Park--it never gets old! Strawberry Fields in Central Park--tribute to John Lennon who was shot outside his upper west side apartment in 1980, just across the street from Central Park. Being such a big Beatles fan, I immediately turned my iPOD to my Beatles Favorite Mix as I walked through this area.
Literary Walk in Central Park

Ice Rink in Central Park (seen in movie "Serendipity") with The Plaza in the background
Probably my favorite spot in Central Park--The pond reflecting The Plaza Hotel

Tree at Rockefeller Center and Top of the Rock

By the 5pm on Friday, I was anxious to see Matt and get to see the city with him. Everywhere I went, I thought, "I wish Matt could see this!" So on Saturday, he was able to leave some of his meetings early and we headed to the upper west side again. We stopped at this bakery (Levain Bakery) per the recommendation of a good friend of mine who was recently in the city visiting a friend. As you can see from the picture, it's kind of a 'hole in the wall' kind of place located below an apartment building with not much atmosphere to speak of, but the food was amazing! I can't even describe how incredible the cookies were---definitely worth the hike up to that side of town!
Rockefeller Center Tree--together this time!
As we were walking around on Saturday night, it started to snow--big, beautiful, white flakes--it was picture perfect! You have to love the city this time of year!

My token pic of Times Square

On Sunday morning, we headed down to the village to meet one of Matt's best friends from college and his wife and daughter. We met them for breakfast at a great little cafe called "Schiller's" and then joined them in picking out their Christmas Tree and decorating it. It was quite the experience and much different from our life in the Midwest. We walked a couple of blocks to a corner deli that had christmas trees lining the sidewalk outside their store. They picked their tree right out of the cinder block and carried it home, to their 400sq ft apt. We loved the experience of getting to see what life lived in the city is like and getting to spend some time with Dave, Monique, and Mirabelle.
Matt and I had an incredible (and much needed) time together in the city without the kids. Much thanks to my mom for flying down here to watch the kids for us. The kids had a great time as did we. And when we took my mom to the airport on Monday to head home, Sadie started crying and continued the entire ride home (about 20 minutes). She kept saying, "Nani! Nani! No airplane!" She did recover :) but it was so precious!

Happy Birthday Matt!!

31 reasons I love my husband (in no particular order):

1. He has an amazing ability to think outside the box (something I severely lack)

2. He works unbelievabling hard and still puts his family first

3. He makes me feel like the most beautiful woman in the world--on a daily basis!

4. He is a true gentleman and is now teaching Wyatt to open doors and allow the ladies to go first

5. He has developed the same passion I have for music

6. We have so much fun together

7. He makes noises when he eats his food to convey how much he enjoys it--it still cracks me up!

8. He is the most loyal person I know

9. He loves tradition

10. He insists on using the 'bubble lights' on our christmas tree

11. He wakes up early every morning to spend time reading the Bible and praying--even on days when he has to be to work at 5:30am.

12. He is definitely the 'decorator' in our family--he has a true eye for it that I definitely lack.

13. He unpacks his entire suitcase and puts his clothes in the dresser at a hotel or friend's house even if he's only staying for one night.

14. He is very clean and orderly.

15. He is a wonderful example to Wyatt of what a godly man and husband looks like.

16. He gave me a great proposal story that I still love to tell!

17. He enjoys chick flicks just as much as I do.

18. He loves to travel.

19. He loves being outdoors and experiencing God's creation.

20. He is a total homebody and would love to spend all his spare time at home with the kids and I.

21. He shows his emotions.

22. He puts up with my need for 'surprises' in life.

23. He tells me constantly how much he appreciates all I do for our family.

24. He can talk philosophy/politics/theology with anyone and is great at getting people to think about things.

25. He challenges me.

26. He wants to go 'heli-skiing' someday and hopefully will be able to!

27. He is a great singer

28. He is a realist and keeps me grounded

29. He is the king of the 20-minute power nap

30. He is the only one in our family with green eyes

31. He is more amazing to me today than the day I met him and I can't wait to see how in love we'll be when he's 41! I love you babe--Happy 31st Birthday!

Trimmings

Ok, this is my final post from Thanksgiving weekend--not sure if I'll ever feel like I'm caught up, but I'm doing my best! We brought our tree home and I began my job of putting the lights on the tree. I have to say that I am a bit of a "light nazi" when it comes to how the lights are placed on the tree. I hate having the cord showing and want to make sure the lights are evenly spaced and make it look like a lit tree instead of a tree with strings of lights around it--does that make sense? So I started doing the lights while the kids took naps so that we'd be able to decorate when they woke up. But I hadn't anticipated how long it would take me! We always get a frasier fir tree and this year opted for a different kind--BIG mistake. This tree has incredibly painful needles and I had to wear Matt's long gloves just to put the lights on (see pic below). And I also didn't have enough working lights from last year, so halfway through my sister and I had to run to Target to get more! By the time I was finishing, the kids were quite anxious, as you can see, and Sadie wanted to be right there with me.

Sadie was so excited when she saw the bubble lights (you can see one of them in this picture). Matt bought these lights the first year we were married and loves them. I personally think they are ultra cheesy and tacky, but he loves them and he's now got the kids on his side---I think this is a losing battle for me!

Her reaction when she touched the needles on the tree--"Owee Mommy!"

We have adopted the tradition of Matt's family to have bottled Cokes while we decorate our tree. As you can see from this picture, I think this was the highlight for Wyatt! He was so excited to get to have his own 'pop' (since he's usually not allowed to have any).

We had such a great weekend with my parents and sister in town. My mom, Mary Jo, and I did the Black Friday shopping and breakfast and got to spend some awesome time together (we missed you Lindsay!) Got to see the new James Bond movie (another tradition in our family) and get ready for Christmas. What a great time we all had! And we can't wait to come home for Christmas.

In search of the perfect tree..

Sorry this post is a bit overdue, but the weekend after Thanksgiving, we headed out in search of the perfect Christmas tree. I love cutting down our own tree and the smell of it in our house--we've never had a fake tree and never will! I love real trees too much.
My parents and sister were still in town and joined us on our adventure. Wyatt was so excited to be able to fit everyone in the same car, thanks to Matt's grandparents who helped us out with our car situation by providing us with their minivan. Do you think Wyatt's a bit excited?

Nani and the kids checking out the bird's egg and nest they found!

......still searching for that perfect tree......

I had to include this picture because it cracks me up. Sadie will often pretend to be jumping when she walks from one surface to another. i.e, Sadie was standing on the grass and would say, "One, two, three" and then jump on to the gravel--well, not really jump but more like take a big step and she does this often. It's hilarious! And she had roped in Nani and Mary Jo.

Pops, Matt, and Wyatt found it--THE one! Don't you just love how Wyatt seems to be 'supervising' here?

The beautiful old farm building on the tree farm

Nani, Sadie, and Mary Jo

The trip was very successful and we were able to squeeze it in between Matt having to see patients at the hospital in the morning and having to take one of them in to surgery that afternoon. I was quite disappointed at first that we wouldn't be able to get a tree, but it all worked out great and more pics to come on the trimming of the tree.

My First Thanksgiving

Thanksgiving 2008 was our first Thanksgiving at our own house and subsequently, my first Thanksgiving to prepare for. Matt was on-call (and thankfully didn't have to go in on Thanksgiving) so my parents and sister Mary Jo drove down from Wisconsin for the long weekend. Oh, and Cali their dog. And as you can see from these first few pics, the kids LOVED having Cali here. They followed her everywhere and even wanted her to sleep in their room (but I wouldn't allow it!)

My other sister Lindsay is living in New Zealand and obviously couldn't be with us, so we got a webcam and talked with her several times throughout the weekend. We'd all huddle around the computer to make sure we could be seen be her! It was hilarious and, according to Lindsay, we were more entertained watching ourselves on the webcam than listening to her.

Thanksgiving Day.....the turkey was in by this point in the morning. I prepared the turkey by myself for the first time and was pretty weirded out by some of the preparations---i.e, pulling the neck out of the turkey and making sure all the feathers were gone. As I stood over the turkey looking in to pull out the neck with my mom coaching me, I was totally freaking out about it, but knew I had to do it on my own. I said, "Kris, just grow up" and ever since that moment, Wyatt tells people that "Mommy had to grow up to make our turkey!" I did eventually pull the neck out, but not without using tongs!

Thanksgiving 2008 Family Pic

Wyatt loves helping----anyone at anytime--and Thanksgiving was no exception. Here he was helping Nani finish the sweet potato casserole.

Waiting.......

....waiting.....

.....waiting.....

..waiting and in need of some entertainment. Nani and Pops singing songs and reading with the kids. I love this picture because it really shows how much my parents love being with the kids and meeting them on their level.

The turkey was finally done and Matt did the honors of carving the turkey for the first time--with some guidance!

A few more pics from the day

(I love Wyatt's little hand on Pops' neck!)

Pumpkin Pie!!

We had a great Thanksgiving and a memorable one for our first! I'm not sure I'm ready to do it all without my mother present, but feel a bit more confident in my abilities. The side dishes and pies were quite easy, but the turkey will still take a few years to perfect! Let's plan on being able to come home for Thanksgiving next year!