NYC at Christmastime!

This December we were so lucky to be able to visit NYC!  Aunt Kara and Uncle Brian live in Queens, and needed a house sitter for their cat and turtle.  So we volunteered!  We had the best time checking out the Children's Museum of Manhattan, walking down 5th Avenue, seeing the Christmas windows in stores, visiting Santa at Macy's, seeing the Rockettes at Radio City Music Hall, riding the ferris wheel inside Toys R Us in times square, playing on the giant keyboard in FAO Schwartz, looking at Christmas lights in ritzy neighborhoods of Brooklyn, playing with Hopkins and Kitty at Aunt Kara and Uncle Brian's house, and riding the Subway!  What a fun-packed 4 days we had!

Grinch exhibit at the Children's Museum of Manhattan




Driving a fire truck


Drummer Girl!


The kids loved riding on the choo choo (subway)






Hangin' out at Aunt Kara and Uncle Brian's house!


A snack before we went to the Rockettes!


Inside Radio City Music Hall


"Cheese"


Reading nook at FAO Schwartz


Dancing on the keyboard at FAO Schwartz






Pretzel snacks on 5th Avenue


Ferris Wheel in Toys R Us




Times Square


Rockafeller Center


Waiting in line to see Santa at Macy's


Coolest Santa ever!  Ethan didn't cry!


Viewing Christmas lights in Brooklyn in their jammies!

Visiting Kara in Richmond

Aunt Kara is currently in a traveling production of the Grinch Who Stole Christmas. It came down to Richmond, Virginia, so we went down to see her perform!

First we checked out a farm




Ethan didn't want to get near the animals


The leaf was bigger than his head!


Then Emily and I went to see the show! (Chris went the night before - children under 3 weren't allowed in the theater, so Ethan couldn't go...we were perfectly fine with that since Ethan wouldn't really be able to focus for the whole show!)

Emily and Bugsy Who (Aunt Kara)


We got a back stage tour of the set!


Checking out the roast beast!


Aunt Kara taught Emily how to "walk like a Who"


Then we went to see a Victorian Christmas


The kids LOVED the river otters.  They could have spent hours playing with these guys!

Sesame Place at Christmastime

We love to visit Sesame Place!  From late November through December, it's decorated for the holidays, so we had to go check it out!  There were lots of lights and Christmas trees.  Emily loved seeing all the characters, but Ethan was still a little shy :).  We rode on fun rides, ate yummy food, saw entertaining shows, and overall, had a fantastic time!







Waiting for the character parade to start!


Em's first rollercoaster - she loved it!  In  her words "I was a little bit scared".

Emily's Birthday

Our sweet Emily's birthday was back in November!  We had such a great day.  Grandpa Mike was in town, and we took him (and tons of friends) to an indoor play center called Rolly Pollies. 

Opening her "big" present from us!


New bike!


Playing at Rolly Pollies!






Ethan and Grandpa Mike!


Emily had requested a pinata for her birthday party!


Happy Birthday sweet girl!  We love you!