New York City

Leland and I took an anniversary trip to NYC. It was quite a site! Unfortuantely the weather was a little crummy. It was drizzly and overcast most to of the time we were there but we made the best of it. I am not the best photographer and just took the most random pictures. But here are just a few.

Times Square. This place is crazy! It is crowded with people all day long. But very fascinating!
Bryant Park. The New York Public library behind it.

part of Central Park. This park is so big we just saw a fraction of it. We met this really nice Swedish couple on our tour bus and walked around the park with them. They were very curiuos about American culture. We exchanged our info just in case we are ever in each other's neighborhoods. Probably the nicest people we met in the city. Everyone else was pretty rude for the most part!

South end of Central Park

Times Square again

Leland and I went to the Broadway show "Wicked". It was amazing! Even better, we got to meet the lead star, Katie Rose Clarke! My friend Ashley (in Missouri) is cousins with the actress who plays Glenda the witch. She told her that we'd be at the show this particular night and so we went to the backstage door to meet her. She truly was phenomenal. She has a beautiful voice and is so talented.....and gorgeous too! Anyway, when she came out to sign autographs, etc. , I told her who I was and she invited us to come back inside the stage door to chat with her. After she signed a few autographs, she came back in to talk with us. I'd have to say seeing the show and meeting her was the hightlight of our trip! If you haven't seen the show, do it!

Grand Centarl Station

This place was packed with people. I think a lot of people were here on their lunch break while we were there.

Statue of Liberty...that you can barely see because it was so overcast. Bummer.

There were so many people crowded around this bull trying to take pictures that I finally told Leland to just move on in and I had to snap a quick picture. We learned pretty quick you have to just be assertive in this city.

New York Stock Exchange

Not the background view we were going for, but the bus pulled up just as the picture was taken. Haha! This is the bus we took a tour on. I recommend doing this if you ever visit the city. They take you all over Manhatten and Brooklyn if you want and show you the city as well as give you the history.

Leland and his friend Robert. Robert lives in NY and is from there. We met up with him one morning. Robert works for Lennox too.

Roof top bar overlooking Empire State Building. I have no idea what this place was called, but would have never found it if Robert hadn't told us about it. It was cool.

Capturing the craziness of NYC. There are mobs of people everywhere you go! I think I smoked a cigarette or 2 while we were there by just inhaling all the second hand smoke around us. And the exhaust from all the traffic was a little overbearing at times. We saw a lot of people pushing babies around in strollers and I couldn't help but think this is no place to raise a child.

New York Public Library
Ghost Busters was filmed here. We weren't allowed to go on the 7 floors underground where all their books were.

The first day we got there, we walked up 5th Ave. all the way to FAO Swartz toy store. It's the one that has the famous huge piano from the movie "Big". We had to buy Kate a toy from this store.

We enjoyed seeing the city and all the landmarks and famous sites. We went to East Village one day because we heard that's where all the locals eat and hang out so we went there for lunch one day which got us out of the crowds a little. We took the subway a few times just to say we did it. It was easy actually and very convienient. We went to a movie one night after dinner. It was nice being able to walk eveywhere we went. I wish we could have seen a live show or a celebrity or soemthing fun like that, but we didn't. I think we're glad we went and saw the city but we probably won't be going again. Haha!

Pool Time!

The girls and I have been enjoying the summer with some fun pool time. We met up with my brother and his family at a waterpark one day. Kate always gets excited to see her cousin Pierce and they play pretty well together. Aren't they cute? Morgan stayed home with Daddy on this particular day so that Kate and I could really enjoy ourselves. I hope these two will always have fun hanging out together!

My Aunt Cindy has a great pool at their house and we went out there one day to hang out and swim with my cousins. Kate loves Audrey and Britton. She's constantly asking to see them.
We are so glad we live close to family so we can do more things like this

Morgan, Britton, Audrey and Kate

My Kate

Oh my goodness! I have just listened to Kate scream for the last hour because she's suppose to be in her room for quiet time/naptime and she is so resistant to it. It is a battle for us every single day. Well, except for yesterday. We went on a shopping frenzy in 100 degree temps and I didn't have her in a stroller...she just walked with me....so she crashed so hard in the car when we headed home. When we got home I got her out and she never woke up..laid her down and she was out. Whew! That never happens. But today is the typical story. I try to be consistent and make her go in her room every day (except on weekends sometimes) and have naptime. I tell her she doesn't have to sleep but she needs to rest and play quietly. We read a couple of books and sometimes we'll say a little prayer together (I'm mostly asking God to help her sleep!). I tell her she has to stay in her room until it's time to come out. Maybe I need to get some sort of fun alarm clock for her so she'll know she can come out when it dings. Hmmm. But anyway, she sneaks out of her room and goes into the playroom. I can see on her monitor and hear that she's no longer in there and I go find her and make her go in her room. This is when the protesting begins. I really don't know how Morgan sleeps through it all. In fact, she did wake he up today. Ugh! But after fighting her over and over it today and her getting to the point she's crying so hard she's having trouble breathing :(, she is FINALLY sound asleep! Thank you Lord! Now I can get something done around here....but all I want to do now is rest after all of that!

Morgan is 9 Months

Morgan turned 9 months old a couple of weeks ago. She is getting so big and is such a sweetheart. I love that when I pick her up in the morning out of her crib she puts her little arms around my neck and buries her face in my shoulder and loves on me.....melts my heart!

Morgan's stats at 9 months: (I lost the paper that I had it recored on but I think I remember)
Weight: 17.3 lbs. (25%)
Height: 28.5" (50-75%)
head :? (50%)

It's getting harder and harder to get this girl to sit still for me.

Morgan started table foods this last month. She has been doing great and is a great eater. She likes bananas, watermelon, grapes, scrambled eggs, black beans, bread, green beans, peas and carrots, cheese, cheerios, not a fan of YoBaby yogurt.

Trying to keep Morgan entertained while I'm cooking. She is so close to crawling, but not there yet. She gets up on all fours and rocks but hasn't figured out how to take off yet. Watch out! I'm in trouble when she becomes mobile! Guess we better start baby proofing soon.

First time dipping in the baby pool. She loved it. Kate hated it the first time. I think she's going to be our water baby!

I had to post a quick pic of Kate. She loves to help me with chores. One great thing about having 2 girls...I can teach them to clean and cook and they can help me when they are old enough. Kate is already learning how to wash dishes. She like to help dust, fold towels, put laundry in the wash and dryer, and sweep. Perfect! Let's just hope it stays this way! Doubtful.