Children's Museum of Manhattan

Our adventure today was to the Children's Museum of Manhattan.  

Luna frequently asks "what are we going to do tomorrow."  Usually my answer is something along the lines of us figuring it out tomorrow.  This kid is always one step ahead of me.  But yesterday I had an answer, "we are going to a museum for kids."  She was very excited.

In the morning we woke up and got packed up.  Our traveling included a walk to the subway, a subway ride uptown and then a walk to the museum.  I picked a sunny day to go so it would not be too crowded.  I have to say I love my new stroller, it made the traveling for this adventure so doable by myself.  The subway stop closest to our apartment has an elevator but many do not and the one by the museum does not.  So I just carried Rachel in the stroller up the stairs, it was great!  Luna followed behind me.

 The museum is on the upper westside and it took us about 45 minutes to get there door to door.  But it was not a lot of walking mostly sitting on the subway so I was not exhausted when we arrived.  The museum has 4 stories and in nice weather has an outdoor water area as well. They have a strict rule no strollers in the exhibits, there is a stroller check area but it has to be able to fold for them to take it.  Also there is no food or drinks allowed in the museum.  So we went in the morning and left just before lunchtime.

 Rachel's favorite was the Curious George exhibit but there was not a lot of things for the girls to do there.   Luna had a hard time finding things she enjoyed doing.  But Rachel just wanted to hug and put her arm around George.  When we went to a different exhibits she always asked "Where is George?"  or it was "I want to go see George."  We went back many times to see George and each time she asked me to take her photo.

Luna's favorite was the Dora and Diego exhibit.  She liked Dora's bedroom the best because there were three buttons you could push there and they played different songs.  She just wanted to sit there and push the same button over and over.

One of the things I am learning about New York or more I am experiencing in New York more than we did in Washington are other children being mean to my kids or other kids and their caretakers doing nothing about it.  In Washington this happened a few times but in New York it is frequent.  It is hard to know if it is just because there are more people so the odds are that it will happen more often.  But often times it is with kids who are there with their nannies and my impression is just that the nannies don't care.  I feel bad for the kid that is not learning better manners or how to be nice to others and it is hard to know what to say to my child.  Today there was a child in the water area who kept trying to dump water on Luna's head, she did not like it and I kept asking the child to stop but he refused.  He must have done it 5 times before we just had to leave.  I noticed the nanny was sitting on a bench talking on her phone, she did yell at him to knock it off once but the boy did not listen to her either...

After the children's museum we got a quick bite to eat and I was feeling so good about the outing we made a quick stop into a department store for me to look around and do some quick shopping.  I did not end up buying anything but it was fun just to walk through and browse.  The stroller did great maneuvering around the clothing racks!  Then we headed home.  Luna fell asleep in my arms on the subway ride home, she had a fun and busy day.  Rachel just sat in her stroller and talked to me on the ride home.  It was a lovely outing.  I am so grateful I get to stay at home with my girls and share in these experiences with them, it is such a blessing and in no time their days will be filled with school.

10 Year Anniversary

10 years ago today I signed on the dotted line and became Mrs. Brian Vance.  When I look back at my wedding photos I think about two things.

The first is about the wonderful time we had preparing for and enjoying our wedding day celebration.  We had a very intimate wedding in Maui.  Our guests all arrived to the island a few days before the wedding and together we enjoyed a luau, snorkeling, beach time and lots of good food.  It was fun to have the people we were closest to all in one spot together getting to know each other and having fun.

The second thing I think about is how on that day I had no idea what I was committing to when I signed on the dotted line.  I had no idea how important that decision was and the impact it would have on the rest of my life.  But in my own ignorance God blessed me with an amazing husband that I do not deserve in the least.  He is kind, loving and desperately wants me to be happy.  He is my best friend and my true companion on this adventure of life!  I love you Brian, I love being your wife and your partner in life.  Thank you for an amazing 10 years.  I pray that there are many more to come.

To celebrate we are going to dinner at Nobu and then to Radio City Music Hall for a show, Zarkana.  I am so excited for the night I can not wait for it to begin, half the fun is just the anticipation!

4th of July Hair

Today was another hair day.  I was feeling quite adventurous.  Last week I ordered some hair beads online, special ones for the 4th of July.  They are red, white and blue stars.  When they came I could not wait to put them in her hair.  So today was the day and it took much longer than I thought it would, about 4 hours.

I have never done a bunch of small hair beads.  One time I did about 4 in Rachel's hair and another time I did big ones in Luna's but never a whole bunch of the small ones.  So I started out doing cornrows into piggy tails, because that is Luna's only requirement that it be piggy tails.  Then I braided all the hair in the pig tails so I could put the beads on.  I was not prepared for how long that was going to take. The braid has to be small to fit in the beads so I had to make a ton of braids.  I did three stars beads on each braid plus filled them out with just the rounds ones.  Of course I learned a lot, next time will be faster and better.

Over all I think it turned out cute and very festive for the 4th.  I just wish I had some scrunchies to add onto each pig tail.  Not sure where to get scrunchies here in the city...wish I could make a quick run to target, but that is not so quick these days :)

My favorite quote of the day
Luna says "New York is very different.  There are no houses, only buildings."

Stroller Update

Our new stroller arrived yesterday and I could not wait to try it out.  We ended up with a Maclaren Triumph and then attached a Lascal buggy board for Luna to ride on.  The buggy board comes off really easy so we don't always have to take it with us, which is a nice feature.

It steers so much better than our old Joovy, it is amazing.  Rachel is too scared to ride on the back but I think with time she will get over it and really, the thought was that Luna would be standing on the back the majority of the time.  The only other concern is that if Luna pulls on the handles she can tip the stroller over backwards, again Rachel is not a fan of that :)  For trips to preschool, the park and grocery store this stroller set up is perfect.  Luna calls the buggy board her skateboard :)

First Day of Summer Camp

Luna had her first day of summer camp!  She was so excited to go, and had no anxiety around leaving us.  She just walked right in and started playing with the other kids.  This summer camp is at the same preschool she will be going to in the fall, we wanted to get her use to the teachers and building before going full time in September.  Afterwards I asked her about her day but she offered up very little information, it was like pulling teeth to get her to tell me what they did. Although when I asked if she wanted to go back she said "YES!"

Then later that day Brian and I got another date night, our second so far in New York.  We went to a fun restaurant in Nolita called Public.  The food was wonderful, I had grilled kangaroo for the first time ever.  It was delicious but the Mommy in me could not help but think about Kanga and little Roo.  Although that did not stop me from truly enjoying my meal.  We walked to the restaurant and back, it is fun to pass all the little shops along the way.  On the way home we stopped at a rice pudding store called Rice to Riches, all they have is rice pudding.  We tried the caramel and loved it!

Friday is our 10 year anniversary and we are going to see Zarkana, Cirque du Soleil at Radio City Music Hall.  Can't wait!

Swedish Midsummer Festival

This evening we went to a Swedish Festival in a local park.   When we got there music was playing and the children were dancing around the midsummer pole.  So we walked right up to the excitement and watched the dancing.  Then we got to participate in the dancing and singing.  We found ourselves in the middle of about a 100 people singing in swedish and dancing, it was a Swedish folk dance.  Luna loved it and of course Rachel was not so sure, she just wanted to be held.  Luna made a little friend and spent her time dancing with the little girl.  

After the dancng we went looking for some yummy food but the lines were really long.  So instead we made Luna a flower wreath (not easy to make) and then headed home. 

Strollers

The desperate need for a new stroller has become apparent.  When we lived in Washington we used a stroller occasionally.  I had no concept how important a stroller was going to be for me in NYC.

Before we moved I was talking to a girlfriend who was telling me about a friend that she had who had moved to New York and bought a super expensive stroller.  Her rationale was that it was like her car because in NYC you do not need or really use a car.  You either walk or take some other form of transportation like the subway, buses, taxis or you hire a car service for your outings.  But you rarely take your own car.  We don't even have a car in NYC if we need one we rent or use zipcar.  I laughed at the idea of a stroller being like a car and thought to myself that the stroller I have should be good enough, how important could it be?  Well the short time I have been here my biggest issue with getting around is my stroller and I can easily see how people can drop a lot of money on a good quality, highly functional stroller.

We have the Joovy Caboose Ultralight.  My issue with it is when both kids are in the stroller it is almost impossible to steer.  I have read a bunch of reviews about the stroller and all are really positive.  So it makes me wonder if something is wrong with mine or if most people don't use it for the ages/sizes of my kids.  I don't know what the deal is but my wrists are killing me from trying to turn that thing.

So I have started scanning the playgrounds and looking to see what people use.  It is so hard to decide what to buy.  If I had a newborn and we were going to need a super nice stroller for a while it would be easier.  But with a 2 and 3 year old we really don't need a stroller for too much longer with Luna.  We are working to try to get her more willing to walk, although between her and Rachel, Rachel is much more willing to walk than Luna.  Luna can be a real pill about walking when she wants to be.  So Brian and I have had a number of conversations back and forth about it.  But the longer I wait the less time I will use it here in New York which is what I need it for so a decision has to be made.  I will let you know once we figure it out :)

Another Doorman Perk

Tonight after dinner I really wanted some Oreo cookies.  We have a convenience store in the building but you have to go outside about  20 yards.  Of course both kiddo wanted to go with me to get COOKIES!  So we got our shoes on and went downstairs.  When we got off the elevator I noticed that it was POURING outside, POURING.  I knew I could not go back up without the promised cookies, so it was go back up and get an umbrella or get totally soaked.  The doorman looked at us and asked if we were going to the store.  Once I said yes, he went behind the counter and handed us an umbrella!  LOVE IT!

Central Park Zoo

After two low key days in the apartment both the girls and myself were up for another adventure.  I decided we would go to the Central Park Zoo today.

I started the day off with a morning jog along the Hudson River.  The park along the river that is about 1.5 miles long and is perfect for a jog.  There are a lot of people out jogging in the mornings, it is amazing.  While I was running, I passed Heidi Klum.  She was out with a couple body guards.   I finished the run off by taking the 22 flights of stairs back up to the apartment.  When I got home I told Brian who I had seen and he said "who?"  I can't believe he does not know who Heidi Klum is, actually maybe I should be really happy.

Then it was time to pack us up and head out on our adventure.  Luna was so exited and could not wait to take the subway again.  From our door to the zoo, it took us a little under an hour with all the walking, a subway ride and 5 elevator rides.  During this travel time the girls are typically in the stroller, we have a Joovy Caboose Ultralight (we need a new stroller but that is a post for another day) and I am walking or pushing.  The only time I get to relax/sit is when we are on the subway (20 minutes).  So by the time we got to the zoo I was tried, it had been a busy morning!

The girls enjoyed the zoo and because it was during the week it was not crazy busy.  Here is a picture of them enjoying the polar bear up close.

The zoo is small compared to the Woodland Park Zoo in Seattle but I have to say the animals were all so active, it was great for Rachel who sometimes has a hard time seeing the animals if they are not moving.  They have a great children's zoo and the girls loved feeding and petting some of the animals.

Once we were done at the zoo we started our trip home.  Again it was about an hour door to door.  By the time I got home I was exhausted, this is the kind of exhausted that I love.  It means I have lived hard and well today. Love it!  But the whole idea of dinner was overwhelming I just wanted to sit and relax.  Oh Dinner, why do we need to eat so often?

Hair Day

After our busy weekend, we have had a couple low key days mostly at the apartment with a couple trips to the park thrown in.  Today I decided to tackle the girl's hair.  This is a multi-hour process and one that both the kids and I have to be up to.

Yesterday I was searching for some styles online and ran across a blogged called Chocolate Hair Vanilla Care and I loved it.  The women who writes the posts does a great job, very detailed and good photos.   She does yarn extensions in her daughter's hair and they look amazing.  I read her post about putting them in and she started at 9am and finished at 6pm (with a couple breaks for meals and a nap)! It inspired me to try some new styles on Luna and attempt to do Rachel's hair in a more complicated style.  I won't be doing any extensions (at least for a while) but I am ready to try some new techniques.

Rachel's hair is getting long enough now that I have to do something with it and she does not like it combed out each day.  I can't blame her, it does not feel good. But I need to start getting her use to the whole process.  I have never done her hair in much detail.  So today I decided to give it a try and see how she did.  Overall it was great I am just concerned by how long it will last.  I am shooting for a week but I don't think it will make it.

There is nothing complicated about Rachel's hair just braids.  It looks a bit like french braids but it is not.  She loves the butterfly clippies in her hair. She keeps saying "I am a butterfly."

I used a new technique on Luna called a rope twist and made a veil design. Luna is pretty easy to please about her hair, her only request is typically piggy tails.  So she likes this one because it has two puffs (pig tails).

I think it would be super cute with big scrunchies for each puff.  Right now I don't own any scrunchies but I may have to go shopping online.

Both girls sat very nicely for me, we watched a couple shows and they were happy. How long did it take?  We started at 9am and were done by noon, that is fast for me!   Now they are napping so I just hope the styles hold up :)

Father's Day

Happy Father's Day to all the Dads out there, hope it was a wonderful day.

 We had a nice laid back day, just the kind our Daddy loves.  In the morning we had a nice breakfast as a family before church.   After church we made a few phone calls back to the West Coast, then we headed up to Central Park.  We walked around enjoying the nice weather.  The girls rode the Carousel with Daddy and then we stopped by a playground.

By the time we got home the kids were exhausted, we gave them a quick dinner and put them to bed.  Brian and I got to enjoy a quiet dinner together, it was lovely.

Another Piece of the Puzzle

When we started planning our move to New York we talked a lot about our life there but did not know what it would look like.  We knew the pieces we needed to put into place (ie. apartment, church, preschool, new friends, a babysitter, etc).  The list can go on and on.  It is just a matter of figuring them out.  Once we decided to actually move and since we have been here it has been a process of putting the pieces together.  There is something very satisfying and relieving about getting another piece of the puzzle completed.

Today we found a babysitter.  She is great and the girls had a wonderful time with her.  But better than that I feel really good about leaving the girls with her, they may actually have more fun with her than they do with me.  So tomorrow we have our first date night, I can't wait!

We don't know what we are going to do yet, the possibilities are endless.   I really want to go miniature golfing, don't judge, I love to play miniature golf and there just happens to be a course  less than the block from our apartment.  Of course a nice leisurely dinner will be on the schedule as well.

Random Tidbits

Here are some random events and thoughts.

1.  Luna is going to summer camp in 2 weeks.  To attend, she has to have a completed medical form signed by a doctor.  So I found a local pediatric office (few blocks away) and read some reviews online.  I called to make an appointment and they told me the first step is to come in for an informational meeting to see if the practice is a good fit for my family.  What?!?

2. My least favorite part of NYC is grocery shopping.  I have not figured out the best or even reasonably good way to do it yet.  Even though the Whole Foods delivers it still requires me to shop for the groceries and this just does not work with two kids.  Only one can sit in the cart and the other has to follow.  This would be fine but the store is crazy busy all the time and the walkways/aisles are small (space is at a premium in NY).   The whole time I am saying "watch out Luna," or "move over Luna,"  or "catch up Luna." So it is never fun to take both kids.  I typically enjoy grocery shopping but I like to focus on what I am doing, which is hard with one small child out of the cart and talking a mile a minute to anyone walking by.  The women down the hall recommended Fresh Direct, I think I am going to have to try it.

3. We found out from our neighbors you don't have to tip the doorman/porters in the building for each service.  Which I love the porters.  When you pull up in your car after a long vacation or major shopping trip, they get a luggage cart, help you unload your car, bring it up to your apartment, put all the items into your apartment and then bring the cart downstairs.  I cannot tell you how much I love this service.  Instead of daily tips, for Christmas you give them a nice gift.  Can't wait for Christmas to show them how much I love what they do.

4. Today we had our first guest over for dinner, I enjoy entertaining.  Although since I have been here I have set the smoke detector off twice while cooking, today being one of those days.  It is always when I am cooking a big piece of meat (whole chicken or roast).  I have the stove vent on the whole time but I don't think it does much.

5.  Tomorrow I am interviewing a potential evening babysitter for the girls.  I have never actually done this.  We were very blessed in Washington to have family (mostly Grandma) around to babysit for us/me whenever we needed.  So the whole interviewing and checking references it something new.  But in NYC babysitters/nannies are so commonplace it is crazy.  Here is an example, our neighbor, she has a day nanny, a weekend nanny and an occasional evening babysitter!  She had many people to recommend me :)  If all goes well, Brian and I should have our first date night here soon!  Can't wait to do some grownup things in the city, especially with our 10 year anniversary just a couple weeks away.

Party

Tonight we went to a party down the hall!  Totally not either Brian or my comfort zones but we did it!

On Monday, we were eating dinner and the little boy (Max) down the hall knocked on our door.  He was there with another little friend and wanted to know what we were doing :)  So after dinner Luna and Rachel could not wait to get out and play with them.  Eventually, Luna and Rachel ended up in Max's apartment and I was not comfortable with them being there with out me so I went as well :)  Again not my thing, but oh the things we will do for our kids :)  I have to say, Max's Mom is very nice, I sat and chatted with her and another women.  While I was there she invited us to a party there on Wednesday,  the nanny that has raised her kids is moving and they are throwing a goodbye party.  I thanked her for the invite but I was not planning to go, not my thing and I barely know her nanny, I have met her only a handful of times in the elevator (oh the elevator).

So tonight during dinner we heard a TON of noise in the hallway.  After dinner the girls could not wait to open the door and see what was going on. So we let them out there with the deal that they could not go into anyone's apartment.  Well of course Luna stands in Max's doorway and just looks in...so of course, they invite her in and I told Brian he had to go with her :)  (I went on Monday).  So Brian,the wonderful daddy his is, took both girls.  Well as I was doing the dishes I felt guilty I sent him alone, so I quickly changed  and went as well.

We had a good time!  We got a chance to meet many of our neighbors and really got to talk with them.  It was great!  We were both pleasantly surprised by how nice of  a time we had.  Of course the girls had a blast as well.  They loved all the kids to play with!

I am just loving NYC!

The Elevator

I can't believe how much I have already posted about the elevator.  My girls love the elevator and pushing the buttons is their favorite thing to do.  As we are getting their shoes on to leave Luna is already assigning who is going to push the button on the outside and who is going to push the button on the inside.  By default Rachel usually pushes the outside and Luna the inside, only because Rachel can not reach the 22 on the inside.   They love to push the button and talk and talk about it.  Usually if someone is waiting with us for the elevator they will tell Luna what floor they need and ask her to push their button as well, they have no idea how it makes her day.

Here is Rachel pushing the button on the outside

Luna, like a pro, pushing the button on the inside.

We have yet to have one kid get stuck in the elevator without a parent or one kid to get off on a floor without a parent but the potential is there.  When we get to our floor and the door opens they take off, it is only a matter of time before one of them does it on the wrong floor, just hope I am quick enough to respond.  I guess I should start having conversations with Luna about what to do if this happens.

Enrolled!

Today we enrolled Luna and Rachel in a preschool for the fall!  Just a couple blocks away.  Luna will go for 5 half days and Rachel will go for 2 half days, both in the afternoon (only time slot they had open).  This Momma is thrilled to say the least!  I have already started to fantasize about what I will be doing with my free time!

We walked to the school this morning to drop off our forms.  Luna walked in and excitedly said "oh do I get to go to school today?"  She was so excited, hard to tell her no, not yet.  Rachel on the other hand immediately wanted to be picked up and cuddled into me, she did not want me to leave her there :) She has three months to get use to the idea :) On the other hand, I think Luna is really going to love school and I am so excited for her.

Now what I am going to do with my time?  I am pondering two different ideas.  The first is training for the Boston Marathon.  When we lived in Massachusetts I always wanted to do it but never did.  Now that we are back on the East Coast I have a second chance and I want to do it.  But it will take more time then just the two afternoons a week that both kids are in school. I am  not sure I am up to the time commitment plus the physical exhaustion on top of it, I do have two children to chase after.   But I would love to get into that kind of shape and run it. The second idea is to take some seminary classes.  I have this desire to know, actually know the bible in greater detail and I think taking some classes would be a good way to learn.  I have been looking at some classes online and am ready to jump on in.  I think I am up to being a student again.

Cape Cod Again & Preschool Update

This weekend I got to go Cape Cod again.  On Friday, I left Brian at home with the kids and headed North to spend the weekend with some dear girlfriends.  It was so much fun just to be away with the girls and do all the things you can't do with kids in tow.  We went for a run along the beach, sat by the pool, enjoyed the hot tub, spent 2 hours in ONE store and enjoyed a few leisurely meals out.  The weather was quite a bit cooler on the Cape and I loved it, I needed a break from the heat.  The whole trip was wonderful!  Brian did great with the kids solo.  One day he took them on the ferry to Staten Island and they had a picnic.  Then the next day he took them on the PATH train over to a mall in New Jersey.  These are two major outings with the kids and he rocked!

Preschool - Luna got a spot in a public school preschool!  Not the one in our building :(  but at least she got a spot.  Today the whole family went to see where the school was and how far of a walk it would be for me and the girls.  It was about 30 minutes round trip and tonight we found out that the school is moving to a new building in the fall which is a few blocks even farther away.  Not ideal, but not out of the question.  I think we are leaning toward the private school preschool, it is only a couple blocks from our house.  Maybe we will make a decision tomorrow :)  who knows!

A 100 degree day

Today was hot hot hot!  First thing in the morning, I had a tour of another preschool.  There were about 6 other Moms/parents there for the tour and two of the Moms were pregnant, due in the summer.  They are on top of it!   This school was a bit further away then the others.  In the summer, with the nice weather, it is no big deal but I keep thinking about the winter, the cold snowy winter and what will it be like then.  Will I mind a 15 minute walk or not.

That makes a total of 3 private preschools that I have looked at so far.  Tomorrow we find out if she got into a public one.  Then a decision will be made.  I can't wait!  Finally, I will have a good feel for what our year will look like here.

This is a picture of the temperature in my apartment when we got back from the park this afternoon.

Hot Hot Day

Today was 95 degrees and the best thing I can say is that we survived, it was not pretty but we survived.

Both my kids took 2 hour naps which is great but at different times which is not as great.  I decided to try a low key day in the apartment.  I braided Luna's hair which takes me about 2 hours, she loves it because she gets to watch shows the whole time.  We attempted a trip to the library, I wanted to get a library card and check out some books. When I went to get the library card the lady asked me if I was the Mom or the Nanny and if I wanted cards for the kids.  I got a card for me and we checked out a few books but The girls were crazy in the library.  It was not much fun so we came back quickly.

This morning we received a message from the apartment manager asking us to call her back.  I was nervous to return her call.  I was worried some one had complained about the noise coming from our apartment.  It is so hard to know how loud we are for the apartments around us.  Also since we came back from vacation Rachel has been waking up and crying in the middle of the night.  We aren't letting her cry for too long since she does share a room with Luna but we do let her cry some.  It is so hard to know if the neighbors hear it or not.  Last night I ended up laying next to her bed for a hour in the middle of the night to keep her from crying.  Not fun.  Also we forgot to mail in our rent before we left for vacation so just sent it in on Monday and I thought she might be calling to see if we were going to pay :)  So I was nervous to call her back and even considered asking Brian to do it :)  But I bit the bullet and called her.  I was pleasantly surprised she was just checking in wanting to know how we were doing in the apartment and if we were happy.

Tomorrow is suppose to be 99 degrees!!!  I don't know what I am going to do with the kids, can we just watch movies all day?

Little Gardeners

We live only a few blocks from 4 different parks.  It is great, Luna can point from the window to two of them.  Today one of the parks had a program called Young Sprout Gardening.  It is an introduction to simple gardening for children ages 3-5, it is every Tuesday afternoon in the summer.  So today we went for the first time.  I was not sure what it would be like, how busy, how organized or how fun.
 

First the staff hid strawberries in the garden and the kids had to find them.  Then they got to eat them.  The planted strawberries were not quite ripe yet but the kids got to see them on the plant.

  Then the kids planted some lettuce seeds and watered the seeds/plants.

 After that there was a craft project, everyone made strawberry necklaces.  

It was well planned and the girls had fun.  Loved it!

Trip to the grocery store

Last night we got back from being gone for 10 days and we desperately needed to go to the grocery store.  Typically the ideal time for this is in the evening once the kids are in bed and I can go by myself but today I needed food for dinner so I had to take the kids.

We went in the afternoon, I had my grocery list already with what I needed today and what I could get later. So if the kids were doing well I could get the full list and if I needed to be fast I could just get the basics.  We walked over, Luna walking and Rachel in the umbrella stroller, the store is only a block from our apartment.  When we got to the store the umbrella stroller went on the bottom rack of the cart and I attempted to put Rachel in the front seat of the cart.  She decided she did not like that and threw a 2 year old tantrum, the one where you don't look around but only look down at the the child because you don't want to know how many people are staring at you.  She eventually got over it but by then I had decided to go with my short list.

The way the grocery store works is you pick out what you want and purchase it.  Then right after the check out area there is a desk that you can take it to for delivery.  It is only $5 and they deliver it within 2 hours.  So far I have not done this, I have only boughten a bags worth of groceries on my previous trips so I just carry them back.  Today I was considering it but I needed what I had bought to make dinner so I did not have the luxury of waiting 2 hours for delivery.  I ended up carrying my 3 bags, pushing the stroller and holding Luna's hand all while walking the block back home in 80 degree weather.  I was definitely missing my van :)

Old Stomping Ground

We spent the last 4 days up in Massachusetts where we had lived for 6 years.  We visited many dear friends. It was so nice to be around so many friends who really know us, I just love them.  It is wonderful to be known.  I am lucky because next weekend I get to go back up and have a girls weekend with 7 lovely ladies.  We are spending the weekend on the Cape!  I can't wait.

Massachusetts is where I started running.  Our house was down the road from some town forests and I spent a lot of time running in those woods.  So while on this trip I went for a run there again, it was bitter sweet, I loved remembering the woods but without Maggie it was not the same.  She loved those woods!  I really miss her.

I also drove by our old house, it has been 3+ years since we sold it and it looks exactly the same.  The yard and house all the same.  I am not sure what I was expecting but I was surprised that nothing had changed.

We drove back today, it was a long drive and the kiddos had hard time.  We had a rental car for the entire vacation and it was full, jam packed full.  It made me appreciate my minivan back in Washington.   When we got back to NYC we parked in front of our building, the door man brought a luggage cart out for us to use (we ended up needing two) and Brian unloaded the car.  I grabbed the girls, a few things and headed up to the apartment.  We got in the elevator with a few other people.  Luna watched which button they pushed.  Then she pointed at each person and told me what floor they were getting off on.... and we are back in NY!  That kiddo!  In the elevator, she has a captive audience, those poor people there is no escaping.

On a side note, I received an email this week saying that on Friday I will find out if Luna got into a public Pre-K program.  Only 5 more days to wait!  I am really excited to find out but we also have a back up plan for a private preschool if needs be.

Last thing - it is suppose to be 97 degrees on Thursday!  I don't like the heat and I tend to be really cranky...yuck!