Hyde Park

For Matt's birthday I asked him what he wanted to do. With all of the sights and sounds of NY he wanted to go to Hyde Park, the birth place of FDR. It was a beautiful day to enjoy amazing grounds. The first place we visited was was FDR's home that he was raised in and later raised his family.

The inside of the home was beautiful. I thought that my family home had the walls covered with pictures, this home wins hands down! The family library was my favorite. The room is the size of our entire apartment...OK bigger. Tons of setting areas complete with little kid chairs.

This is the view from the back stairs as it looks over the Hudson River. Ah, the simple life.

Amazing!

We took a walk through the rose garden of Sara D. Roosevelt. This is a 100 year old garden. The roses are fabulous. Every color and type of rose surrounded us. We went from one type to the next reading fun names and taking in their sent.



This is the burial sight of FDR right in his Mother's rose garden. It is such a beautiful serene place, a place of honor.

We all had a great time exploring the grounds. The kids loved running all over the outside of the house.

Each one of us had a grand time, seeing history with our own eyes. It was amazing to walk where greatness walked. This was a great way to celebrate Matt's birthday and see our fabulous new state.

Here is a link of some more pictures of FDR's home
http://wzus1.ask.com/r?t=p&d=us&s=a&c=a&l=dir&o=0&ld=5190&sv=0a5c423c&ip=4579a2ed&id=7EF082F20B49C566BF1A6DAF1D0FEB66&q=Sara+Roosevelt+rose+garden&p=1&qs=2417&ac=107&g=2f57DZngZ9oPbI&en=te&io=0&ep=&eo=&b=a002&bc=&br=&tp=d&ec=1&pt=Historic%20Home%3A%20President%20F.D.%20Roosevelt%2C%20Hyde%20Park%20%7C%20AtticMag&ex=tsrc%3Dtxtx&url=&u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.atticmag.com%2F2009%2F09%2Fpres-fd-roosevelt%25E2%2580%2599s-historic-home%2F

Washington Square

The heat in NY is insane! It is not just the heat that gets to you it is the humidity that hits you like a ton of wet soggy bricks. After being here a couple of weeks and touring the city we learned the key...bring your bathing suit EVERYWHERE!

Most of the parks have water fountains that are there to give people a break from the heat. Even the beautiful and famous Washington Square is no exception. On one side of the park people are engaged in a game of chess. While on another side a local band is playing anything from classical, to jazz. Then there is the enormous fountain in which people of all ages run through the fire hose pressure fountains.

Lance found the fountains that shoot out of the side very entertaining. We found it very entertaining that he seems to get not only his brother wet but the people sitting on the side of the fountain enjoying the view.

Jack had to get in on the little squirt action as well.

Postcard worthy!

Claire was much more graceful in her romp through in the water.

Then there was the friendly competition that is always present between Lance and Claire.

With a few hours in the fountain the kids were set to

endure more of our NY heat.

What a life we get to live!

Kindergarten!

Here it was, the day that we had been looking forward to, dreading, and counting down...Claire's first day of School. With the shots out of the way I thought that she would be a bit more excited to start school. We had filled out the papers, seen her classroom and talked about all the fun she was going to have. We went school shopping and she got dressed in a brand new outfit (thanks manda) life was grand...well maybe not.

After a little more talking and a few more pictures she was all ready to go with her Tinker Bell lunch box.

As we walked over the bridge and up the street I started to get the butterflies in my stomach and I wondered if I could really let my baby go to school from 8:20 am until 2:15 pm every day.

She gave me a quick smile in front of Kindergarten play yard

Then I think that reality set in for Claire too.

Then when I picked her up she had a big happy face on, and not just the one on her shirt. She told me about the kids in her class, all the stuff to do and who got in trouble. (go figure) She asked when she could go back to school. She could not tell me any of the kids names but she could tell me what they were wearing. Little girls are funny

She here she is...the big Kindergartner in K117 PS 24...The Bronx! Who would have thunk?!

1st Day

This is what we came all the way to NY for...so that Daddy can go to a big kid school. He got his books weeks before and drooled over them and talked about how excited he was to study such great works. On his first day of school he was just like a Kindergartner, wondering if he was going to fit in and if the other kids would like him. Once he gathered his books, it was a quick kiss and off to the shuttle.

Classic "Bye Mom" wave!

With Daddy off the kids and I were off to the Bronx Zoo for Claire's last day of freedom before she started school the next day. The kids loved exploring the Gopher Holes. They loved popping their heads up and having the little furry things right next to them. It was a crack up to see their expressions as they came out of the dark cave and into the light.

Lance had a great time being a monkey and scaling this tree.

Claire loved balancing on the logs.

This the the famous, and very rare 2 headed turtle!

Jack, of course had love at first sight with this huge turtle. When I asked him if he wanted his picture taken with he he got so excited and then very kindly said, "Yes."

Of all of the things at the Zoo this is what Claire wanted me to take a picture of....Daddy's least favorite bug. Huge Hissing Cockroaches! Notice that she would not stand against the glass to get her picture taken with them. She was so excited to show Matt the picture.

Central Park

Central Park? I can remember hearing scary stories about the Central Park, so we went on a family picnic to see for ourselves. We took the train and popped out in the North, East side of the park. We found a great little playground with fun, quirky toys.

Claire had a great time on the "Dizzy Stick".

If it wasn't for the 2 year old staring her down,

she would have spent all day on it.

Lance, and the rest of us kids, fell in love with this toy. As you walk around the ring it goes faster and faster...eventually kicking you off! Plays mind games with big kids as well as little kids. Of course it turned into a family competition, which turned into us laughing as each person lost their balance and fell . Sick and twisted

As we walked through the park we found the greatest rock for the kids to explore

Climbing was half the fun, sliding back down was the other half!

Claire was excited to be the Queen of the hill!

It was a great day. The weather was perfect and the kids did great. We made great memories, and enjoyed being temporary New Yorkers.
We did see one junkies, but don't tell Grandma :)

4 Year Old

Before we moved to NY Lance was looking forward to his birthday. We told him that he was going to have his party at the Empire State Building. What 4 year old would not be thrilled. Almost everyday (and sometimes twice a day) he asked if it was his Birthday. When the day finally arrived he could hardly stand the excitement.

As we walked through the building (and the line), to go up the 86 stories Lance jumped around with excitement.

It was a hot and humid day in the city but Lance did not seem to mind. He loved walking around the observation deck and seeing how small all of the cars and buildings looked.

Lance and Claire took turns pointing out each of their favorite places, and correcting each other when they called a building by the wrong name.

During this fabulous view Jack was enjoying his favorite pass time in the city...sacked out in the Maclaren! Nana and sleeping Jack enjoyed the view from the air conditioned indoors.

When he did wake up I snapped a quick shot so that he would know years later that we did not forget about him.

Ah, the face of a 4 year old that only a mother could love.

Our next stop was Toys R Us. But we thought that no birthday in NY would be complete without a trip to the official Yankee store. Along with the trip Lance got his very 1st Yankee cap...GO RED SOX!

At Toys R Us we rode on the 3 story Farris Wheel. The boys rode in the Buzz and Woody car while the girls rode in the Potato Head car. The building was almost warmer than outside but the ride hit the spot.

Jack had a love hate relationship the the HUGE animated T-Rex.

On our route from Toys R Us to the Subway and then to the Shuttle we got caught in a down pour. The step to the Subway were a rushing waterfall. Since it was hot as all get out, the kids did not mind.

Lance lived it up with jumping in the puddles. We were all soaked to the bone!

After Jack's nap he was ready to get as wet as the rest of us!

PB& J anyone?

Our Kitchen is BEAUTIFUL. Hard wood floors, granite counter tops, stainless steel appliances and sink, and beautiful cabinetry. The only think that they forget it that Jack is living here and not place will be the same. Right below the cabinet that we use as a pantry are our dish drawers. Two drawers that are washing machines that let you wash a smaller amount of dishes with using less water, each with it's own handles...or in Jacks eyes, ladder rungs!

Every morning at the crack of dawn the sun streams into our floor to ceiling windows and fills the room with light and heat. This is Jack's cue to get up and get into trouble. His new trick eating the peanut butter straight out of the jar.

Like a monkey caught with his hand in the jar, Jacks whole hand is plunged into the community jar. (We have gone through many jars this week!)

I am not sure what he enjoys more, eating gobs of peanut butter or the bubble bath we give him afterward to get the peanut oil off of his body. Needless to say, I am off to Target to find a cabinet lock. That should keep him out, for at least a week!