I heart NYC

Annie and I in Central Park

This was an AMAZING meal at a place called Max Brenner Chocolate by a Bald Man....seriously, that was the name of it. If you ever go to NY, you have to go there. My brother recommended it, and it was the best place we ate! It's in the Village, if you want to know. But all I have to say is YUMMMM!

Statue of Liberty. We didn't have time to actually ride a ferry to the Island, but we were able to make a stop to the pier to look at it from a distance!

We went to Rockerfeller.....we even went to the Top of the Rock! It was really cool. Besides the little antenna building, we were looking down from the top of the building.

Regan charging his phone on the sidewalk. All of our phones were dead, and we needed to figure out where we were going. He was smart enough to bring his charger with him.

Umm...no comment!

The temple/Church building. We were able to go to church on Sunday! We even knew some people that were in the ward....small world....but the building was beautiful.

Central Park Fountain....where they film all those chick flick movies. Notice my pursue!?!?! That is the one I got in China Town on Canal Street. I totally got taken back to the basement of a store, with the secret stash of the "good" knock-off purses. It was kinda scary, but also kind of exciting. As we were leaving, we had to wait and stand by the door for a cop to pass. There was a lady on watch on the outside with a walkie-talkie. It was a crazy little operation.

Ben and I in Central Park

In Grand Central Station

On Wall Street!

Us on Top of the Rock! It was a beautiful view

We saw 2 Broadways while we were there. The first night we saw Wicked! It was Amazing. I didn't think I would love it as much as I did. But I almost cried it was so good! The second show we saw was called Memphis. On Saturday we didn't have tickets, but were just planning on getting discount tickets at the TKS booth. We had a few we wanted to see just in case we couldn't get the one we actually wanted. But we read about Memphis and thought it sounded good. It had won a few Tony Awards last year.

On the Subway

Time Square

Both Annie and I had never been to NY before, but our husbands had. Back in November they were talking about taking us. They decided it would be a fun Christmas present for us. They literally planed EVERYTHING without us knowing. It was so much fun. We literally left in the morning and didn't get back to our hotel until late that night. Our day was filled with sight-seeing, shows, eating, and shopping!....I didn't get a picture of everywhere we went, but the one place I really enjoyed was Ground Zero.

It was freezing cold, but I wore leggings under my jeans, and a hoodie under my coat...and we had hot chocolate at every place we ate! Plus we walked like 10 miles a day (no joke...I wore a pedometer just because I was curious on how much we would) and that warmed us up a bit.

But we wouldn't have been able to go if it weren't for Calvin & Courtney! A HUGE THANK YOU! They kept our girls entertained while we were gone. Every time I called the girls, Charley kept telling me that they were having "so much fun!" And I think they probably had more fun with them, then they would have with us.

But Thanks to Calvin, Courtney for watching the girls, Regan and Annie for being such good friends, and great travel mates, and THANKS Ben for a Wonderful Trip! I am one lucky girl!

Blog Worthy

First, Charley finished her 2 week Basketball camp. She loved it! And she was pretty good for her first time....and I'm pretty sure it wont be her last!
In other news....do you notice anything about both girls?!?!?!?!....besides the fact that they each have to sleep with a pillow pet, their blanket (Charley's has to be under her head, and Gabby's is in her hand-it's the poka dot one sticking out on the side) and a doll (Charley needs her baby Alli, and Gabby has a puppy). We have a lot to keep track of at bed time....
They are both in beds! Tonight was Gabby's first night in a toddler bed....no more crib. I've decided that I can't hold back her progress anymore. I still had a 'baby' status on Gabby. But now that she is talking more, and wanting to be more independent, I need to let her learn. But she did Great tonight! After about 5 minutes I went to check on the girls and I found them both in the toy room playing. But after that, Charley fell asleep, and then Gabby wandered out of bed and into the living room, but she finally fell asleep. It wasn't traumatic at all. I asked her if she liked her big girl bed, and she said yes. So I'm crossing my fingers naps go okay tomorrow!

I'll post pics of NYC soon!

Princess Tea Party

The Birthday Girl....Princess Belle

Chenoa, Princess Cinderella

Brooktyn, Princess Snow White

Rylie, A Balerina Princess

Gabby, our little Princess

These were just a few of the girls at the Birthday party. I took pictures of them all, but that would be a really long post. We had 11 girls total, ranging from Sleeping Beauty, Tiana, Rapunzel, Cinderella, Belle, and a few other cute Princesses!....It was a crazy party, but the girls had fun!

WHY?!?!?!?!

I was cleaning out my closet today, and found these Gems! .....This one my dad would be interested in....It is probably now one of the only original REX LEE RUN for Cancer Research shirts in existence. My dad and his friend from law school started the race back when he was there....this was the first shirt made....and I have it! Don't know what to do with it, but I have it!
This shirt my mom got me right before Ben and I got married. I think it was actually in reference to Ben Afleck at the time, but I thought it was cute because I had a Ben....however, Ben hates this shirt, and it is REALLY small....we'll have to get rid of this one.
Ahh....my old Rainbow League softball t-shirt! I've had this since 5th grade....that's right....I said 5th GRADE!!!!! We were city and tournament champions that year.
This is the back of the shirt, and yes, that is my hand you can see through the shirt! It was my favorite shirt for the longest time...and it still fits me! It has been retired, but I looks like it may have bit the dust. Rainbow League shirt may you rest in peace!
Oh yes, let us not forget these gem's of pants! For those of you who knew me in junior high (which isn't a lot of my readers), these are my running tights! I ran for a club track & Cross Country Team, the Cornhusker Flyers, when I was younger, and we all had blue running tights for our meets in the winter....These were actually a lot smaller. I was about 100 lbs, and maybe even smaller, when we bought these. They have now expanded so much they are see-through! I kept them around because at one point in my life I had a Superman fetish....and these tights went great with my costume. I actually thought I lost them, but cleaning out my closet today, they were found!...only to be thrown out for real this time.

Why do I share these random articles of clothing with you? Because I think it is hilarious that I still have them! I have a few other items that will be thrown out today as well, but non as bad as these.

Charley scoring a basket! ....this was her second basket. The first one, she just picks up the ball and walks it down. This was her second attempt. But at least she dribbles it for half the way (I started the video late, but she does dribble it some of the way....she's getting there...)

This is Charley at one of the stations...they were practicing dribbling. I know the video is small, but if you look close, she is actually dribbling it....it isn't until she turns around that she starts dribbling air!

The last week Charley's been playing Itty Bitty Basketball! It is set up like the Itty Bitty Soccer we signed her up for this past fall. There are about 60 kids singed up for her time slot. They are divided up into 6 teams and each time they come, they warm up, then each team goes to a station set up around the gym. After about 5 minutes, they rotate so they get to do all the different games/drills for the day. After ward they either have a relay race/other game (not necessarily basketball) or they partition the gym into thirds and let the kids play a basketball game to help them with the skills they learned that day. It is not competitive, no one takes score, or calls fouls. And since this is a learning experience, you get to do things over if you make a mistake....and every one gets a turn. I really like the program. It is a good way for Charley to get some energy out in the winter, plus it introduces her to a variety of sports. And, I know she is actually learning and I'm not just watching her and a bunch of 4 year-olds chase a ball around.

These videos were taken on her second day. She is catching on fast! I used to play in high school, and I was on a Championship Intramural Basketball team at BYU....so I am one proud mama!

Ummm....yeah!

So apparently I've gone mad! ....nope, I have!

I had this brilliant idea that it would be okay for Charley to have a birthday party with her friends. I made little invites and handed them out. As I was making the list, it totaled 9 little girls. On paper it didn't look like a lot, and I didn't think anything of it.

Today as I was setting up my little apartment for 11 girls (9 plus my 2 girls), all of a sudden it hit me how stupid it was, and I was nuts!

We had a little tea party, with pink juice, crackers, apples, cheese sticks and cupcakes. Then the girls were done and wanted to dance. So we played Freeze dance (where you have to stop dancing when the music stops), then we played pin the tiara on the princess (with my home-made drawing of Tiana....kinda funny in its own right!), then we made a little door hanging craft thing that had a crown on it. Then we opened presents, and after that I kinda lost them! They all wanted to play with they toys, and attentions were gone.

It was a little crazy, but I think they all had fun. I thought my teaching background would help me out with managing them, but then I quickly remembered that I am not an elementary teacher, I'm a secondary teacher, and there was a reason I was not an elementary teacher!

My house is a wreck and I was too tired to make dinner, but Charley was happy, her friends were sent home happy, I guess it was a success, but we probably wont be doing that again!

CTR

Cute story I am writing down for my records, but you may read them as well!...

Last night we had a little family birthday party for Charley. We got her a little necklace that had CTR on it. We told Charley to read what it said, and she starts sounding it out..."Ca - t - Rr" She was a little puzzled one what it read. Technically it did read Ca-T-Rr....but she was a little more excited when she found out it was CTR, like her new primary class.

It's a new year...

Charly's in the CTR 4 class now!

After Church on Charley's first day in CTR and Gabby in nursery!

I added this one for fun....I found this one of Charley on her first day of nursery. It is fun to see how similar they look...and how different.

The last few months have really been hard on Gabby. She just wants to run and play, and sitting still for 3 hours of church just does not seem fun for her. Gabby will be 18 months on Jan. 20th. ...in just a few weeks. And normally, it's sad when your kids start growing up, but nursery is one of those things you are counting down the days.

Today Gabby just had a hard time during sacrament meeting, especially since we were in the car ALL DAY yesterday driving back from Nebraska. All she wanted to do was run, and I couldn't blame her. But as we were getting Charley settled in to her new Primary class, she's now a CTR, Gabby was getting restless again. Walking to Sunday School I ran into a friend that was headed into nursery, she was one of the teachers. She told me to bring her in to see how she would do. (Gabby is actually on the nursery rolls, with her name blacked out until the 23rd, so she new she was getting close) We decided why not? I stayed with her during the 2nd hour, and then decided that she would be fine and then went to my class 3rd hour. I ran into Ben in the hall after he got out of Sunday School, and we walked down the hall together, with no kids. It was a little weird, but also really nice! Both our kids go to class during church!

Charley at her birthday party in Omaha at Nana & Grandpa's house!

As for miss Charley. My baby will be 4 tomorrow! I can hardly believe it. She an awesome little girl. Tomorrow she starts her Itty Bitty Basketball team, then we are going to go to see 'Tangled'. Her birthday party with her little friends will be later this week. I had so much to do before Christmas, and with us being out of town, it was hard to get it done on her birthday. She'll have a birthday week! But before we left Omaha, my parents gave her a little birthday party so they could be there! I'm pretty sure she feels special getting to have 3 birthday parties!