No particular reason

I think I've mentioned before that we have a KPMG family that live in our same building.  They have become really good friends and we often babysite for eachother and play together.  Sometimes we even have dinner together if the dad's are working late nites.  So it was nice to get together just because.

Jen and I got together this evening for dinner and drinks. Thanks to Groupon we saved a ton of money on a restaurant only 2 blocks away from our building.  We got so caught up in conversation we pretty much closed the place down! It's always a fun time with Jen!

Naps anyone?

I have been noticing that if we don't have a particularly active day that Mikey won't nap.  It's been a bit of a challenge to be active in the winter.  I don't think there is really anything that is so important that we have to get all bundled up and go out in the bitter cold with kids who are 3 and 1.

Sometimes, he'll take a late nap from 4 to almost 5 but I try not to let that happen.  I like him in bed and asleep by 7:30, and that doesn't happen if he naps late!  But this was the first full week that he has gone without naps.   Hoping he won't completely give them up for a while.

VDazzle Jewelry

I found this great jewelry maker courtsey of Ree Drummond from The Pioneer Woman.  She makes really pretty earrings and I was looking for something new, and special looking but casual enough for everyday wear and I specifically requested that she make these two pairs for me.  So they are custom made but really affordable!  VDazzled Jewelry.

 

 

 

Matt in NYC

 

So my brother Matt drove us back to NYC today and he stayed the whole weekend.  Scott was more than willing to spend some quality time with the kids since he hadn't seen them in 2 weeks so Matt and I snuck out for a few hours on the town.  We didn't do anything crazy, just some touristy stuff but it was a lot of fun!

 

We took the subway down to Grand Central and walked around there a bit.

Always love watching the hussle and bussle of Grand Central and people watch.

Not sure what I was doing here, but this was at Bryant Park.  They still had the Christmas tree up!

It was huge!

Matt by the tree.

This awesome restaurant called Celcius overlooking the skating rink.  The outside tables each had their own heating lamp.

Skating looked very fun!  Hope to get Mikey here soon to try it.

The skyline from Bryant Park.

The New Years Eve ball on display in Times Square.

Okay, can't miss me in this pic.

Matt in Times Square.

I always see some new "group" posing for pics. in Times Square.

Matt



View of Times Square from the TKTS Stairs.

Me in Times Square



I was on the Times Square Jumbotron!

 

Here's a close up for ya.  See my mug? I'm the last person on the left giving the peace sign next to the lady with the yellow bag.

Radio City

Rockerfeller Square

Rockerfeller Square display made of Legos.

Beautiful Nativity at St. Patrick's Cathedral

It's so peaceful and scerene inside.

We were having such a good time walking from Grand Central to Bryant Park to Times Square, followed by Rockerfeller Square and then 5 pm mass at St. Patrick's Cathedral that before we knew it it was 8pm and we hadn't gotten anything to eat.  So we hopped back on the subway and grabbed a quick bit at the Shake Shack before heading home for the nite!

 

Dinner at Shake Shack.

Girl Talk

Sometimes all you need is a pizza pie, salad, wine, homemade cookies a quiet house and some girl talk.  So great to spend another evening with my bestie from college, Devon!  You better come visit me soon!  Thanks for such a nice evening!

Devon and I.

Papa's Birthday!

Today we celebrated Papa's birthday since we were in town.  His actual birthday is the 17th.  We made a delicious yellow cake with a salted carmel frosting.  All was homemade by me and it was delicious if I do say so myself!

Happy 59th Dad!

Cake.

Tried to get a pic. with the kids but they weren't having it.

Fun in PA

As you know we always have fun when we are in PA.  There is lots of space to run in, and lots of family homes to destroy!  We ended up spending an extra week in PA to help out my Dad who fell on the ice while shoveling and broke his hip. It was nice to spend the extra time in PA.

We spent quite a few days and nites in Jamie and Danny's new home.  Mikey and Katie loved their stairs, and Mikey loved playing with and shooting all their nurf guns.

Katie loved playing with the lights as we took the tree down.

Reading the newspaper.

Her - 17 month old pose.

Sharing toys with Bailey and Nana by putting ALL of them on the couch.



GG with all her grandkids and great grandkids.

Hanging with Papa....

....on top of the jeep.

She wanted to badly to sit on this little itty bitty swing.

Trying so hard.  I have it on video.  To funny!

Going thru the chocolate tour at Chocolate World.  We actually rode it twice in a row.

Throwing money into the wishing well.

Playing outside.  We were the only ones there.

So happy he found a nurf gun.

He has amazing accuracy.  Hit me quite a few times right in the forehead.

See those little tootsies sticking out of my parent's not child-proof cabinets?

She loved to re-arrange.

Climbing the stairs at Jamie and Danny's home.