A Week With My Mom and Sister

Well we were lucky enough to have visitors come out and stay with us, and even more than that, I was lucky enough to have those visitors be my Mother and Sister Brenna! We had a week of fun planned out for them, and I think it's safe to say we WALKED the fun right out of them;) I guess we've become more like New Yorkers than we actually thought... or maybe my mom and sister just need to kick it up a gear ha ha;) Either way, we all enjoyed the sites and time together, and the 

boys have been BUMMED to have their grandma and Aunt B leave. Now Maddix

and I are sick and bunkered down on the couch...

... So I guess all the activities got to us as well! 

Thanks for the fun week you guys! 

Saturday: They flew in and in the evening Travis took everyone over to Atlas Park Where they walked around the old fair grounds and played in the water! 

Sunday: We started with a walk to church where we showed my family around our neighborhoods and through Juniper Park. They met our ward, and then we just relaxed around the house. 

Monday: Ha, this day we walked everyone around on a 6mile loop. We started down at Battery Park, walked to Ground zero, ate blue marble ice-cream along the Hudson river. We hit the highline, ate lunch from the street venders on the steps of Madison Square Garden, explored Time Square, Visited the Cathedral, window shopped on 5th avenue, made our way Rockefeller Plaza, Radio City, a quick trip to Magnolia Bakery and then a long, very crowded subway ride home. 

Tuesday: I sucked it up, put on my big girl pants and drove my mom, sister, and I through the heart of New York and over into Pennsylvania, by myself. Ha, sounds so trivial I'm sure, but this took major guts for me because I don't like to drive... not even in Utah. But I did, and it wasn't bad. We spent Tuesday we had lunch at this little 50's diner in a remote PA town an then toured through this SUPER old pottery and tile place (well my mom and sister toured while I studied out in the beautiful fields.. and then my trunk when I couldn't take the bugs anymore). We night at some family's house (whom I met that night) and if anyone thought I was going to have a break from the boys (I did), well I spent those next hours becoming best friends with my new 4yr friend/cousin Elsa, who was very cute, and a proficient in being a shadow. Wednesday, the next day we visited my Grandpa in Philadelphia then headed home and beat the traffic! And we were out of food... so we treated everyone to chinese take-out; everyone has to do that while in New York. 

 Meanwhile the boys had a ninja night where they ate asian food and watched Ninja turtles

Little Elsa, four years ahead of the movie

Thursday: Beach Day. We went to Jones Beach and it was Brenna's first time to the beach anywhere and they all had a great time. 

Friday: This was our last day going out and about. We were also lucky enough to have our friend and her kids come along. We started out going through Central park where we snagged some lunch and watched some street performers. Then we toured through the Museum of Natural History before heading over to China town and little Italy. Despite watching a bright blue crab escape from the barrel and scurry down the sidewalk, or walking through a beautiful Italian Christmas store, the boys still tuckered out and poor Aaron had no where to rest his head for the first little bit. Once again, we missed the subway traffic boy going home late. We ate our treats from Little Italy treats for dinner... since we were still full from our Gelato we ate walking around... twice.

 Then that night I had a moment. It just all piled up until I couldn't take it. School had started while we were in Washington D.C. and although I had completed my reading, I didn't understand what what  was going on. I was starting to feel the pressure of homework and touring around, and dealing with the boys and I couldn't take it; thankfully, my mom and B were down stairs so Travis took me for a walk around the block and we stumbled upon a street fair. We later found out it was called Italian Fest. While we were there Travis bought.... I kid you not... a deep fried Twinky because he had to try one. I purchased an empanada and because it was almost closing the guy gave me another one for free; that 20mins out really helped cheer me up. 

Saturday: Well this was farewells. We said our goodbyes, thanked the high heavens that for once it was none of us having to get on the plane and fly, then took our car to the carwash because it was NEEDED after two weeks of touring around!