8 Things

Saw this on another blog and liked it, so I'm borrowing it ;-)  

8 Things I’m looking forward to:

1. Finding out if the new baby is a boy or girl!!
2. Meeting our new little one and watching my 2 kids play together
3. Hearing K start talking in sentences
4. Someday paying off our school loans
5. Christmas.  It’s little early, but this year we’ll have snow and a fireplace.  Shhh…I’ve already snuck in a few Christmas songs. 
6. Finally settling down and having a house of our own
7. Playing hide and seek with K this afternoon
8. Visiting family and friends next week-ish.  Wish Kai could come too. 

8 things I did yesterday:

1. Went on a date with Kai sans K to our favorite new restaurant and felt like we were dating again :-) 
2. Bought Kai some new clothes from J.Crew and Banana Republic outlets.  (He’s not a big shopper and desperately needed some new things.  BTW, he looked super hot on our date last night!)
3. Tried on a few clothes for myself and thought for sure that the baby growing in my tummy was much larger than the supposed avocado the pregnancy email told me about!
4. Shopped at Gymboree and Carters outlets for K but didn’t find anything I loved this time   
5. Booked our photographer for family pictures
6. Took my in-laws antiquing and passed on the tens of thousands of dollars antiques
7. Took my in-laws to tour a beautiful old mansion in the area
8. Scheduled a hair appt.  Can we say "mom" hair?--Eeeek!

  

8 things I wish I could do:

1. Learn French
2. Get a massage
3. Take a trip to another country with a nanny.  (Top on my list currently is Greece, Ireland, New Zealand, Kenya, and Argentina.) 
4. Snap my fingers and have my house completely cleaned
5. Have my regular workout partners close by again! 
6. Sew
7. Go for a run!  It's been raining all day today!
8. Have my entire house decorated by Pottery Barn (for free of course ;-)      

8 things I enjoy:

1. Being a mom
2. Time with my guy
3. Having a clean house
4. Cooking
5. Writing
6. Time with good friends
7. Traveling
8. Pumpkin Spiced Latte’s from Starbucks

Apple Picking

Crisp, crunchy, juicy, full-of-flavor, deep red apples made their way into our u-pick bags today at the apple farm today.  The fall day was perfect for apple picking--a little cool and slightly overcast.  We took home Northern Spy, Cortland, and McIntosh apples.  They are probably the best apples I’ve ever had!  We also bought some delicious apple cider and apple cider donuts.  The people working at the orchard were probably some of the friendliest people I've met, but that goes for all the people we've met here.  I don't know that we've ever been in a more friendly state.  

K had also had a blast picking apples.  Although he found the best part to be picking up apples from the ground and throwing them everywhere.  It was a field filled with endless “balls”.  Of course there were sticks so he picked those up as well and had a small collection by the time we left.  He was also captivated by the indoor ceiling train.  He followed it from room to room making train sounds.  

Papa and Grandma are visiting and we've had such a great time so far.  Kai's brother left on Sunday and we had such a good time with him too.  Pictures will be coming from that time and also the recent trip to Boston which was sssssooooooo much fun.  That's another city that I completely am in love with and have been ever since high school.  

 Always content with a stick

 Papa picking all the apples

 Our apple picking view

 It's a little early to pick our pumpkins, but we'll be heading back in a couple of weeks for sure!  

Smelling the flowers

"This train is the coolest!!!"

Papa holding him up for a better look

Something Told Me...

I knew I should have avoided the all-you-can-eat dessert bar.  After 15 pieces of pie, I really wanted to stop…

Okay, so maybe that’s not entirely true.  Here’s the real one: 

(K wanted to be part of it this week.  Isn't he such a cutie?)

How far along:  15 weeks

Best Moment of the Week: Found out this week that our ultrasound would be moved up to 20 weeks!  Wahoo!  Not too much longer now!!

Movement: Lots of little flutters.  This baby is already very active and wants me to know it! 

Food Craving: I gave in and got a skinny, decaf, soy, pumpkin spice latte.  Oooohhhhh it was heavenly!!!  I’m planning to get another today! 

What I'm looking forward to: We are heading to Boston for the weekend.  The fall colors are just starting to pop and it’s gorgeous!!  So this year we’ll be “to Boston in the fall.”  I’ve been before in the fall, but it’s a first for Kai.  Oh and no sales tax on clothes is an added bonus!

Weekly Wisdom:  The most important thing she'd learned over the years was that there was no way to be a perfect mother and a million ways to be a good one.

-- Jill Churchill

That one really hit home with me this week.  

Big Brother:  K has been doing amazingly well with all the changes going on around him these last few months.  I don’t think he quite realizes that he’s going to be a big brother yet, but he’s getting so much more independent and is able to follow instructions (not that he always listens, but at least he can!).  It makes me so happy to watch him change from a baby into a “big kid”.  I realize the terrible 2’s are just around the corner, but I’m crossing my fingers that he keeps heading in this direction…

A Small Victory and a Minor Setback

You may remember that at my last OB appt. my doctor told me that I wouldn't be getting my ultrasound until 30 weeks.  Well, my health insurance called me this week to discuss the pregnancy wellness program they offer.  They wanted to go over the plan benefits with me and make sure I was planning to take full advantage of the birthing classes, lactation consultations, CPR training, home health care following delivery, etc.  Though I've already taken the classes and consider myself a semi-pro at breastfeeding (seriously, 19 months and counting should earn me that title), I think I still might take the refresher classes because I always seem to learn something new.

Anyway, she asked when my next ultrasound was scheduled and gasped when I told her how late it would be.  She told me that I needed to call the doctor back and tell him that I was very concerned with how late it was being scheduled and I wanted it sooner to make sure things were okay with the baby.  So I followed her directions precisely and it worked!  My ultrasound is now supposed to be scheduled around 20 weeks.  Fingers are crossed that our little one will not be shy on that day since I probably will not have another ultrasound after.  So for those of you that are in the "wait to find out" group still might get your wish ;-)

On that phone call I also received some potentially bad news as well.  The representative informed me that if we have a boy, the insurance won't cover circumcision.  She also told me that only about 50% of people are opting for that now.  I guess I just assumed it was still widely practiced.  In any case, we'll still have it done but will just have to pay the $500-$1,000 out of our pocket to have this "cosmetic" procedure done.  I thought it was a little weird that they'll cover someone to come in and help me cook, clean, etc. after the baby comes, but won't pay for male circumcision.  So originally I said that having a boy would be cheaper because we already have boy things.  Now, it may end up being more of a wash.  I'll be thrilled with either a boy or girl.  Just praying the little one is healthy.

Giveaway Winner Announced!

The winner of the giveaway is:  T @ The Happy Clipper

Congratulations!!!

The random number chosen by Random.org was:  109

I had to reduce the total number of entries from 111 to 110 due to 1 invalid entry.  

Please contact me within 48 hours to claim your prize or another winner will be chosen.  

Summer Days

Summer is releasing it's hold and cool, crisp fall days are quickly taking its place.  It made me realize that I haven't posted some great pictures from summer.  On our move across the U.S., we stopped over to visit our parents and spend some quality time where we started.  It's such a beautiful quaint little beach town on the shores of Lake Michigan.  We absolutely love it there, partly because it reminds us of our early days (dating, engagement, and early marriage), and partly because of the cuteness of the town.  We're flooded with great memories every time we go back.  K also had a great time.   "Grandma" and "Papa" took him to the new water fountain play area just next to the beach and the recently opened carousel which was an icon from times past.  

K was a little hesitant at first to head into the fountain area, but after a little coaxing on my part he loved it and didn't need me at all anymore.  He and Papa had a great time getting drenched.  You can tell from the huge smile that spread ear to ear on his face.  I think it's great that kids can't suppress their feelings.  I absolutely love that when he's thrilled, he lets the world see it.  

I think Papa is pointing to the "Go Blue" under the saddle, but it's a pretty funny picture ;-) 

 

Applauding the fountains.  

"Come try this one Papa!"

I can almost hear K saying, "Daddy this is sooooo cool!"  

 

Shivering after the water fun.  He just couldn't pass the carousel without another ride.  What would we do without Grandparents?

Giveaway Ends Tomorrow!!

Just wanted to give you a friendly reminder that the giveaway ends tomorrow!  Be sure to click here to enter for your chance at a $20 Amazon.com gift card.   Please be sure to follow the rules for the comments.  Example:  1 comment only equals 1 entry even if you told me about 3 separate things.  So please, make sure to divide your comments up :-)  Happy entering!!

Delicious Turkey Recipe

In honor of Kai's brother's long belated birthday, we had a turkey dinner yesterday.  It's what he asked for this year after the turkey dinner we had for the holidays.  I don't cook meat at home very often because I'm nervous it won't turn out.  We're not completely vegetarian, but were for many years and so I never really became skilled at cooking meat.  We mainly eat vegetarian at home, but I cook salmon once in a while and then about once a year a turkey.  I was terrified the first time I cooked a turkey at home.  I meticulously followed the recipe to make sure I wouldn't ruin it.  After all, a turkey dinner is a fairly large undertakting for someone who doesn't regularly cook meat.  So many people were counting on a nice turkey dinner, and it was up to me to deliver it.  Talk about a nail biting experience!  Thankfully my first experience was a success.  

Last year I looked around for a different recipe because I've heard people talk of all different ways to cook a bird and wanted to try something different.  I stumbled onto Martha Stewart's page and found a great recipe.  The secret to this one is really 2 parts:  first of all it soaks in a seasoned Riesling brine for 24 hours which cleans, moistens, and flavors the the turkey.  It's probably the most moist turkey I've ever had.  But that is also in part due to the second step which requires covering the turkey with a soaked cheesecloth and basting every half an hour.  The cheesecloth turns completely black and I thought for sure I was ruining the turkey the first time I made it, but when I took it off, the turkey was beautifully golden and so extremely moist.  So, here's the recipe.  It's pretty long and detailed.  The first step is the brining, then of course the baking.  It uses a Riesling brine mixture that completely cooks out while the turkey is baking but gives it a nice flavor.  

Happy Baking!! 

Step 1: Brining the Turkey:

What You'll Need:

Soaking a turkey overnight in a solution of salt and water ensures moist results. When you add aromatics to the brine, the resulting roast is also infused with a subtle character all its own. Follow our instructions to prepare a perfect brined turkey for your next feast.
Ingredients
Makes enough brine for one 18- to 20-pound turkey

7 quarts (28 cups) water
1 1/2 cups coarse salt
6 bay leaves
2 tablespoons whole coriander seeds
1 tablespoon dried juniper berries
2 tablespoons whole black peppercorns
1 tablespoon fennel seeds
1 teaspoon black or brown mustard seeds
1 fresh whole turkey (18 to 20 pounds), patted dry, neck and giblets reserved for stock, liver reserved for stuffing
1 bottle dry Riesling
2 medium onions, thinly sliced
6 garlic cloves, crushed
1 bunch fresh thyme
Tools and Materials 5-gallon brining container (tub, stockpot, or bucket)
Large brining or oven-roasting bag
Refrigerator (or a cooler with ice)


Step 2:  Cooking the Turkey: 

              1 Turkey Brine

• 2 carrots, cut into 2-inch pieces
• 2 parsnips, cut into 2-inch pieces
• 2 celery stalks, cut into 2-inch pieces
• 1 onion, cut into 6 wedges
• 2 white turnips, quartered
• 1 1/2 cups unsalted butter (3 sticks), melted, plus 4 tablespoons, at room temperature
• 1 bottle dry white wine
• 2 teaspoons coarse salt
• 2 teaspoons freshly ground pepper

Directions

1. Remove turkey from brine. Discard brine. Pat turkey dry inside and out with paper towels. Place carrots, parsnips, celery, onion, and white turnips in bottom of a roasting pan. Place turkey, breast side up, on a rack set in a roasting pan. Fold wing tips under turkey. Let stand at room temperature for up to 2 hours.
2. Place rack on lowest level in oven. Heat oven to 450 degrees. Combine melted butter and white wine in a bowl. Fold a large piece of cheesecloth into quarters and cut into a 17-inch, 4-layer square. Immerse cheesecloth in the butter and wine; let soak.
3. Sprinkle 1/2 teaspoon salt and pepper inside turkey. Fill large cavity loosely with as much stuffing as it will hold comfortably; do not pack tightly. (Cook remaining stuffing in a buttered baking dish at 375 degrees.) Tie legs together loosely with kitchen string (a bow will be easy to untie later). Fold neck flap under and secure with toothpicks. Rub turkey with the softened butter and sprinkle with remaining 1 1/2 teaspoons salt and pepper.
4. Lift cheesecloth out of liquid and squeeze it slightly, leaving it very damp. Spread it evenly over the breast and about halfway down the sides of the turkey; it can cover some of the leg area. Place turkey, legs first, in oven. Cook for 30 minutes. Using a pastry brush, baste cheesecloth and exposed parts of turkey with butter and wine. Reduce oven temperature to 350 degrees and continue to cook for 2 1/2 more hours, basting every 30 minutes and watching pan juices; if the pan gets too full, spoon out juices, reserving them for gravy.
5. After the third hour of cooking, carefully remove and discard cheesecloth. Turn roasting pan so that the breast is facing the back of the oven. Baste turkey with pan juices. If there are not enough juices, continue to use the butter and wine. The skin get fragile as it browns, so baste carefully. Cook 1 more hour, basting after 30 minutes.
6. After the fourth hour of cooking, insert an instant-read thermometer into the thickest part of the thigh. Do not poke into a bone. The temperature should reach 180 degrees (stuffing should be between 140 degrees and 160 degrees) and the turkey should be golden brown. The breast does not need to be checked for temperature. If legs are not yet fully cooked, baste turkey, return to oven, and cook another 20 to 30 minutes.
7. Transfer turkey to a platter, reserving pan juices. Let turkey stand 30 minutes before carving.

The Belly Progress

How far along:  14 Weeks

Best Moment of the Week: Our trip to NYC!  We had so much fun and I completely am in love with that city (I am in love with several other cities too). 

Food Craving: Over the weekend while in NYC, I had an intense craving for Japanese food.  Thankfully Kai succumbed and we ate at a little Japanese restaurant on Saturday night.  I had udon noodle soup, miso soup, and veggie sushi.  It was divine!!

What I'm looking forward to:  Kai’s brother flies in tonight and will be here for a week!  We’re all looking forward to seeing him again.  I’ll be preparing his very belated birthday present: a complete turkey dinner using a to-die-for recipe I found last year before Thanksgiving.  He really only wanted a Thanksgiving meal for his birthday (which was way back in April and found us is Madagascar, then graduation as soon as we got back, then his hospitalization, and our moving…)  Yeah, it’s been a crazy few months!! So I’m getting a little practice before Thanksgiving this year and I just might share the recipe on my blog in a few days…

Movement:  I think I may have felt the new little one.  I know it’s early, but I felt K early too and Kai felt K regularly a couple of weeks after I first felt him.  So, I will have to wait and see if the flutters continue and strengthen and then I’ll know for sure. 

Biggest Pain of the Week:  My tailbone!  Sometimes I end up walking like an old lady for a few brief moments because of the sharp pain.  I’m pretty sure it’s just the shifting, pulling, and stretching that comes with pregnancy. 

Weekly Wisdom: There are three reasons for breast-feeding: the milk is always at the right temperature; it comes in attractive containers; and the cat can't get it. 
-- Irena Chalmers

Yes, I’m still b/f and plan to keep it up until the next one arrives.  There are so many great reasons for it.  If you want to know more check out:  http://www.kellymom.com/bf/bfextended/ebf-benefits.html

A Brown Story

I've said before that life with a child/kids isn't glamorous or dazzling but it does provide one with all sorts of great memories and those unforgettable, "Yes, that happened to me." stories.  Here's one that happened today.

It's morning.  Kai has gone to work.  K has just woken up for the day.  I had hoped to get my shower in before he woke, but since that was not the case I will not be afforded the luxury of a nice long, quiet, free of distractions, peaceful shower.  I decide to hop in anyway, make it quick, and clean K up at the same time.  All went as planned.  I hopped out to dry off and K was thoroughly entertained with the shower pull thing (for lack of a better term) and the drain, so I thought I would take full advantage of the opportunity and get dressed.

Halfway through dressing and oh-so-thankful that even though I did not get my shower before he woke as planned, it didn't end up setting me behind too much.  At that very moment, my thoughts were interrupted by the sounds of soft little grunts.  My mind raced for a brief second trying to place the sound.  It clicked.  NO!!!!  I made a mad dash into the bathroom only to find that I was too late.  I arrived just as the second plop of poop landed on the white shower floor.  Yuk!  I realize that almost every mother has a story of their child pooping in the bathtub, and that I should be used to this by now. However, K has never pooped in the bathtub--ever!

Standing over him in the tub, I was trying to think of how best to handle the situation.  The first thought that came to mind was, "This might be a great potty training moment!"  Not that we were even thinking of starting down that road yet, but I at least thought he might put 2 and 2 together and get the concept.  So since he appeared to still be working on the task at hand, I quickly grabbed him (soaking wet and all) and set/held him on the toilet to try to let him finish in the "proper" place.  No sooner than he realized he was on the big white giant, he started screaming at the top of his lungs as though he thought it was going to swallow him up whole.  Realizing nothing was going according to my plan, I quickly grabbed toilet paper, cleaned him up, and got him into a diaper.

Apparently potty training is still a looooooooong way off.  Lesson learned.

Amazon.com Giveaway

Lately I've read some great books and decided to offer a giveaway to my readers since it's been a while since my last one.  Here are some of the books I've read in the last 2 months.  The giveaway details are listed below.

The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo:

A darker mystery with a lot of twists and unexpected turns.  Not my normal style of reading, but it did hold my attention all the way to the end.  

Hunger Games:  

Great book.  I was sucked in immediately.  

Catching Fire:  

The second book in the Hunger Games Series.  I could hardly put it down.

Mockingjay:  

The final book of the Hunger Games Trilogy.  My least favorite of them all, but it brought closure to the story.  I loved the first two.

Black Like Me:  

This one is an oldie, but a goodie :-)

The Heretics Daughter

I'm currently in the middle of this one, so I'll let you know more when I finish.  So far so good...

Giveaway Details:

Main Entry:  

Since I love reading, and am always looking for a great new book, leave a comment telling me the name of a good book you're reading now or the name of your favorite book.  You can list up to 3 separate books (in 3 separate comments please) for a total of 3 entries.

Additional Entries:

1. Become and follower and leave a comment.  If you already are a follower, comment and tell me. (Up to 1 entry for 1 comment)
2. Blog about this giveaway on your blog and include the link in 4 separate comments to receive a total of 4 entries.  (4 separate comments please)

The Bounty:

What you will receive if you are the lucky winner is any 2 of the books from the above list or a $20 gift certificate for Amazon.com so you can choose your own.  

The Conditions:

• Please make sure to follow the guidelines for the comments.  1 valid comment = 1 entry.  You can earn up to a total of 8 valid entries by leaving 8 total comments following the above guidelines.
• Please make sure all entries include a valid email address.  
• All entries will be verified.  Any unverified entries will be deleted.
• Giveaway ends September 21, 2010 at 11:59 p.m.  Winner will be chosen randomly via random.org and announced on September 22, 2010.  
• The winner will have 48 hours to contact me or another winner will be chosen.  

Good luck!  

A Bite of the Big Apple

Kai had a continuing ed course on Friday, so we packed up and headed into the big city. Secretly I've been looking forward to this trip ever since I found out about it. I've never been to NYC before. Kai's been a few times, but it was a first for me. I LOVED it!! From the very first day, I fell in love. Kai was sitting through his course, so I took K to Central Park to play. The cool-ish start to the fall weather was refreshing. Joggers and walkers were everywhere running the expansive exclusive area of Central Park. I knew if I lived there, I would join them every morning. There is something to be said for having workout partners or even just an exercise mentality in an area like Central Park. It made me miss my 3 longtime workout partners from LL! We may have to make a trip back just so we can see all the good friends we miss and rejoin my workout classes for a week--haha :-)

Okay, back to NYC. Horns were honking, birds were singing, and I could smell fresh coffee brewing every few blocks. The city was alive! After 20 minutes of hunting for free parking, I found a spot, noticed I only had 3 hours until I had to move from that spot, and so I quickly unloaded the stroller. I left the diapers in the car thinking I could make it 3 hours without them. Wrong! Playgrounds dot the perimeter of the Park every few blocks. After getting a little exercise while K devoured his breakfast of Mini-Wheats, we found a great spot on the other side of the park.  No sooner than I took K out of the stroller to play with the other kids, he promptly pooped his pants. Not the slight odor that can be ignored type, but rather the "I'M HERE AND PLAN TO MAKE MYSELF KNOWN" type. I debated long and hard and decided to give him some time to play before heading back across the park to change him. Besides, since I wasn't local, I figured no one could really hold it against me. I could be labeled the-mom-with-the-stinky-kid, but I wouldn't be around to deal with it. So K played and I talked. If anyone noticed the stink coming from my son, they didn't mention it thankfully. There were moms/nannies and kids galore! We had such a fun time playing and chatting. It was so nice to have mom conversations again. Soon enough I loaded him up, headed back and changed him, and took him to another park closer to our car. It was 3 hours well spent to start the weekend.

A typical self portrait taken on the subway.

This is taken at an amazing vegan restaurant that 4 separate friends (who don't even know each other) recommended, so we had to try it. Everything is organic and made from scratch. We started with an appetizer of ravioli and single servings of potato salad (pictured here) followed up by 2 entrees that were to die for. It was probably the best vegan food we've ever had! I have to come clean though. After an entire vegan dinner we topped it off with a big serving of "Birthday Cake Remix" ice cream from Cold Stone's.

These guys were playing in Grand Central Station and were awesome! We rocked it with them for several minutes en route to our next stop. They had a huge crowd which always makes it more fun.

Hans Christian Anderson (a long time family favorite) in Central Park

"Whoa! It's crowded in here!" Taking the subway around town. K flirted with all the girls and they all thought he was the most adorable thing. Of course it helps when they say, "Well, aren't you a handsome little guy!" to which he responds by signing "Thank you" which looks like he's blowing them a kiss. He makes lots of friends very quickly that way!

At ground zero on Sept. 11th. It was a very sobering experience. We watched part of the memorial on the hotel tv before we left since it was closed to anyone except family/etc. of the victims. I held it together pretty well until a roughly 10 year old boy stood up to read his portion of the names and at the end of his list paid tribute to his father killed in the attacks. Maybe it's my pregnancy hormones or maybe it's just being a parent, but I completely fell apart and turned into a blubbering mess. I can't imagine losing Kai and raising K to not know his amazing father. But I'm sure there were several families that found themselves in that tragic circumstance. My heart goes out to them.

I pulled it together and we went to see Ground Zero and the memorial under construction. It looks like it will be absolutely beautiful when it's completed. We saw protesters protesting that 9/11 was an inside job and other protesters protesting the mosque that's scheduled to be built 2 blocks from Ground Zero. I am in favor of religious freedom, but I also think there's something to be said for respect for the event that happened there. I personally think 2 blocks is a little too close to the tragic event that happened as a result of the extremists in the religion proposing the mosque. Religious freedom is everyone's constitutional right, but I think the issue at hand deals more with tact and respect than religious freedom.

A news van close to Ground Zero. All that comes to mind when I see this is that I'm sure a man designed this. I laugh every time. Enough said.

Brooklyn Bridge (I took this picture so I'm bragging just a little because I love how it turned out)

Walking the Brooklyn Bridge with Manhattan in the background. Quick embarrassing story: Apparently the baby hasn't moved up yet because I still have to pee all the time. I had to go before we started walking the bridge, but I couldn't find a bathroom anywhere. I figured I could make it to the other side and take care of it then. By the end of the bridge I was doing the potty walk and searching desperately for a bathroom. (Apparently all the Starbucks are on the Manhattan side, not the Brooklyn side.) The only place we found was a restaurant which had big signs declaring boldly that only customers could use the bathroom. We begged, I even played the pregnant card. No luck. We asked if we could just buy one of the packs of gum they had for sale at the register. "$2 minimum purchase." the hostess replied. 7 packs of gum later, the situation was resolved.

At the Top of the Rock (Rockefeller Center). You can see the Empire State Building and the World Trade Center memorial lights shining into the night sky.

Same

Reaching through the glass to the nothingness 70 stories below.

At the Rockefeller Center Ice Arena (at least in the winter months). In the summer months it's a restaurant hot spot.

THE BIG PIANO!! At F.A.O. Schwarz Toystore. These players were amazing!

They asked us to come up and perform--Just Kidding! But we were first in line after the presentation :-)

"Almost, almost, almost..."

Near Times Square. Our hotel was right on Times Square which was perfect because it seemed to be the heart of the action, but it was a little tough to maneuver a stroller through the big crowds. We saw live concerts, comedy clubs, and more taking place outside for all to enjoy every time we strolled through.

It's hard to notice, but it was actually pouring rain. We gave up our umbrella for this picture and luckily you can't really tell that we're getting soaked, but we are. It's funny what we're willing to sacrifice for a picture. I never thought that would be good weather to see Lady Liberty in, but we had so much fun!

Here we are soaked and grabbing a burger on Liberty Island. I have 3 pictures like this and in all 3 at least 1 person is looking in a different direction, so I used this fantastic one of me looking like a ghost thanks to the flash ;-)

We realized that we are only 3 1/2 hours from NYC, so we'll definitely be heading back.

This was a much longer than usual post. I left out a fun little experience that I will make into another blog later this week. This was seriously as short as I could make this one. Thanks for making it through :-)