Our Little Pumpkins

Our trip to the pumpkin patch this year started off on the wrong foot. The one we loved so much last year was already out of pumpkins and had closed up shop! After driving around looking and making frantic calls to friends, we finally located an alternate patch. It took a great deal of effort to get the kids to sit still long enough to take this shot! We plan to carve them tonight. Always a messy, but fun, event!

Farmer Ben

Ben was much more excited about the presence of hoses and wheelbarrows, but we did manage to get him to select a pumpkin to take home with us. Tyler opted out of this trip, otherwise, I'm sure we would have come home with the biggest one we could find!

Pumpkin Patch '08

Katie hemmed and hawed and stalled, but finally chose the perfect pumpkin to take home.

Our Last Night

The view from our balcony at night was amazing.

The view from the south side of our balcony

Chris and the kids piled in a rickshaw for the trip back to the hotel from the restaurant. I stayed behind to get our dinner and brought it back to the hotel to eat.

Times Square

After seeing "The Little Mermaid" on Broadway, we wandered around Times Square, then attempted to dine at Bond 45. The kids melted down and we ended up having to get our food to go, but it was still fantastic. After we got back to the room, Tyler went back into Times Square on his own and wandered around. I think he's decided that he's destined to live in a big city. He really enjoyed all the lights and sounds and activity.

Girl's Day Out

I don't have pictures from earlier in the day, but had to share with you what a wonderful time we had on Sunday. While Chris, Tyler and Ben went to China Town, Katie and I walked 23 blocks to the Museum of Modern Art (A.K.A. "MOMA"). It was the one thing that I really wanted to do last time I was in NYC and didn't get a chance to see, so it was extra special for me to be able to see it with Katie. She willingly trudged around the museum looking at art and telling me what she thought about it. There was a special Van Gogh exhibit and I was delighted that she recognized "Starry Night", which I have a copy of in our master bedroom. After the museum, we stopped off at the famed "Magnolia Bakery" and sat by the fountain enjoying the spoils of our day.

We "Heart" NY

While the guys went to Rockefeller Center, Katie and I toured the American Girl store. She had already picked out a toy (a stuffed narwhal @ FAO) so we were merely browsing, but it was amazing how many people were leaving there with dolls at $100 a head! Then we met back up with the guys at Rockefeller Center, and it was off for an early dinner at Maxie's.

After dinner, Tyler enjoyed some authentic NY cheesecake. Rumor has it, Maxie's has the best cheesecake in the city.

F.A.O Schwarz

We couldn't resist letting the kids play on the giant piano, made famous from scenes in the movie "Big".

Carousel in Central Park

No trip would be complete without the requisite pictures of the kids on the carousel. Ben looks a step away from crying. I'm not really sure why, but this was the BEST shot we have of him "enjoying" his carousel ride.

Saturday in Central Park

We were blessed with truly beautiful weather and decided to spend a good chunk of time in the park. They have a new playground (one of several, I'm told) that the kids enjoyed, and we all had fun scaling the large rocks. If this pic of the three kids together doesn't scream "Christmas Card", I don't know what does!

Having Fun

Katie complained of being cold quite a bit on our first day, so the first thing in the morning on Day #2, we headed to H&M to buy hats and mittens. We were awfully glad to have them! It was bright and beautiful and sunny, but sooo windy and chilly!

Posing at the M&M store. You'll be happy to know that there seems to be no sign of a weakening economy in NYC. People were standing in line to buy M&M's @ a whopping $12/pound!

Room with a View!

We stayed at the Affinia Manhattan and were one of a few lucky guests to be given a room with a balcony!! We had amazing sunset views and could see all the way up 7th Ave into Times Square.

Looking for a Bull Market

Rumor has it that if you rub the bull, you'll have financial luck. There were flocks of people rubbing this bull silly in the financial district! We tried to get in to see the NYSE, but they had the whole building fenced off and ARMED GUARDS blocking all the entrances. Yikes!

Our 1st day in NYC

The five of us went to NYC for a family vacation last weekend and had such a wonderful time. The first day, we got tickets for a bus tour that we could get on and off all around the city. Our aim was to be on the upper deck, but the first leg of the trip had us sitting downstairs. Ben was delighted to have rings to hang from and was completely oblivious to the city scenery we were touring.

We rode the bus down towards Soho, then got off to have lunch. Wandered from there to the 9/11 site. By then, the kids were tiring out. Katie hitched a ride with Ty for a good chunk of time.

Katie and Ben thought this was a fun park, but couldn't understand why we wouldn't let them jump on and off the rocks. I guess it's hard to explain the concept of a cemetary to toddlers.

Any given day...

Tyler hit the beach and then the bathtub (in his swimsuit, not sure why...) and Ben joined him.

Katie has been deliberating about what to be for Halloween this year. The current leading choice is Tinkerbell. We limited her to costumes we already have in stock, so it will be interesting to see what she leaves the house as for Trick-or-Treating.

Sadly, Ben also seems to have his heart set on being a princess of some variety for Halloween. He happily put on this pirate costume, but insisted on the tiara, sungalsses and wand. We hope it's a sign that he's secure in his manhood. =)