DC/NYC Day 13 (Sunday)

Our last full day in Manhattan.

D & I woke up and left all 4 of our sleepy-heads still sleeping.

It was about 11AM and the city must have been in agreement with our kids!

The city that never sleeps apparently just doesn't sleep at night but sleeps in pretty late on Sunday mornings, because WOW, was it quiet out on those streets!

We walked through Bryant park and it couldn't have been a prettier day: clear and warm (but not hot), blue skies, a couple wispy clouds... ahhhhh!

We had brunch at the little restaurant in the park that had just opened for the morning.

Spectacular setting for a Sunday morning brunch!

When we were finished, we walked next door to the New york Public Library which is undergoing renovations and was closed because it was Sunday, but still, I got to see the outside.

We walked a few more blocks downtown and ran into the Empire State building.

I thought by this time the lines would be 3+ hours (because it was not early enough), but we were in luck on the Sunday morning after Independence Day because it was only about 45 minutes (you could SEE all the empty roped-off lanes for the lines - ugh!).

D was not as excited, because he and Deevs had done "Top of the Rock" (Rockefeller center) the day before while the rest of us were at West Side Story... he was a good sport though. We DID get the upgraded tickets to the 102nd floor and were glad we did. It was a clear and gorgeous day... couldn't have BEEN any prettier. We spent quite a long time on the 102nd floor (behind windows and with air conditioning) then went to the 86th and spent time there too (outside with the rails).

We came down and I had a throbbing headache and the boys had been calling and asking when we would be back with money and their metro cards so we caught a pedi-cab back to the hotel. This was unexpectedly fun... our "driver", Mohammed was from Senegal and was a PRO at navigating the tightest traffic spaces. D quite appreciated his skills!!!

pedi-cab date

We got back and instantly left with Lando, Deevs, and Miss M to go to a few thrift stores in Gramercy & the East Village.

(Jade met up with his new friend from Virginia in Brooklyn and spent the day with them - and most of last night as well. he is QUITE enthralled with the city and is ready to move here! He is a pro with the subways and is happy to get lost and reorient himself and try it again he will talk to anyone and doesn't mind asking questions or making mistakes... all excellent traits in a traveler.)

Dad & Lando hugging/wrestling

We took the subway to downtown to Gramercy and walked a while then grabbed lunch for the kids. Miss M liked this area a lot and said THIS was definitely a spot she could see herself living (she did NOT like Greenwich so much - too many young people and a touristy feel - she wants more of a neighborhood feel.)

We found the thrift stores and the kids each made at least one purchase and tried on some things.

Finding some good treasures

Trying on hats

Members-Only in East Village

bro & sis

Then we caught the subway back uptown to Byrant Park so Miss M could shop at H&M. She didn't love the current styles at the East Coast H&M, so we left fairly quickly and headed to grab some pizza.

J is still out with the girls from Virginia (Sara & Michelle)... I think they were going to maybe try to catch (tonight or tomorrow night) Anne Hathaway in Central park performing Shakespeare, which definitely sounded fun!

J & Sara rowing in Central Park

Resurrection Day 09

HE IS RISEN.

HE IS RISEN INDEED!

When the kids were little, we went to the "Easter House" (Gram & Pop's house in Canyon Lake) Thursday, Friday, Saturday. We did the "bunny" and candy and baskets on Saturday. Then Sunday we did Church, Resurrection, and Family.

Once Canyon Lake was sold, we still spent friday night at Grampie & Grammie's and did eggs, candy, bunny, basket on Saturday.

But as the kids got older, a whole WEEKEND was not as appreciated... so we have just been going over Saturday early in the morning. This year we didn't even head over until 9:30.

And now, this might have been our last Saturday.

We might now just be doing Sundays from here on out.

And how do you motivate a 21 year old (in college and with a job), an 18 year old (with a car who is learning appliance repair), a 15 year old (with a driver's permit and an engraved "forever" ring), and a 13 year old (with eye liner and lip gloss) to hunt for eggs???

(Miss M in her gift: a new sun dress from Urban Outfitters)

PUT MONEYIN THEM!!!!!!!!

There were 21 color coded eggs for each kid... they each had $1 in them except one had $5.

And guess what?

Surprisingly, this year they were such devoted searchers, they found almost all of them!

(Jade found all of his!)

Grammie made a delectable brunch (she even made a lower calorie version of her amazingly fatty Egg & Cheese Strata... still pretty good!).

(Grammie opening birthday gifts.)

We hung out until the complaining got unbearable "Can we go home?" / "We have been here 5 hours" / "Is it almost time to leave?" / "What time are we going?" / "It has been 7 hours" etc. that we eventually left.

We went to Sunday morning "sunrise service" at 7AM (when the sun was already *ahem* long since risen!). Although it was beautiful and wonderful to be outside and the sun did eventually warm everything up, it was freezing

(At church at 7AM... brrrrr.)

and we were under-prepared since the website specifically said the service was in the Sanctuary (bummer).

(FREEZING Deevs!)

(We felt bad, some little girls and teenagers were in tiny little sun dresses!) Pastor Tom taught and Tim Davis sang. We had some "Agnus Dei", "Our God is an Awesome God", and "Jesus Paid it All".

We came home and had a breakfast of oatmeal with fruit (back on our low-cal "A" game as D puts it).

(A little breakfast silliness: "Can you touch your nose with your tongue?")

Now relaxing and have some computer time.

Maybe dog beach or movie or hike later?

HAPPY Easter.

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EASTER IS COMING BIBLE VERSES:

Col 1:20-22

In Christ "God reconciled everything to himself. He made peace with everything in heaven and on earth by means of his blood on the cross. This includes you who were once so far away from God. You were his enemies, separated from him by your evil thoughts and actions, yet now he has brought you back as his friends. He has done this through his death on the cross in his own human body."

3 days 'til Easter Bible Verse: HEBREWS 12:2 "We do this by keeping our eyes on Jesus, on whom our faith depends from start to finish. He was willing to die a shameful death on the cross because of the joy he knew would be his afterward. Now he is seated in the place of highest honor beside God's throne in heaven."

Good Friday Bible Verse -

Isaiah 53:5,6 -

"But He [Jesus] was wounded and crushed for our sins. He was beaten that we might have peace. He was whipped, and we were healed! All of us have strayed away like sheep. We have left God's paths to follow our own. Yet the Lord laid on HIM [Jesus] the guilt and sins of us all."

Day before Easter verses -

Matthew 27:63-65

"They told him, "Sir, we remember what that deceiver once said while he was still alive: `After three days I will be raised from the dead.' So we request that you seal the tomb until the third day. This will prevent his disciples from coming and stealing his body and then telling everyone he came back to life! If that happens, we'll be worse off than we were at first."

EASTER!

Matthew 28:5,6 -
"Then the angel spoke to the women.
"Don't be afraid!" he said.
"I know you are looking for Jesus, who was crucified.
He isn't here!
He has been raised from the dead, just as he said would happen."