New York New York!!

So way back in July, James and I went out to dinner to celebrate our 14th wedding anniversary.  We don't really give each other gifts on anniversaries but I noticed he was breaking our rule and bearing a  gift.  When I opened the box, all I saw was a black t-shirt, what?  I don't really wear t-shirts  (unless it's a Baylor one) so I was confused.  I unfolded it and the t-shirt was an I heart NY shirt!  He surprised me with a trip to NY...I was SO pumped because I've never been and I've always wanted to go in the fall!!  James had been before so he was the perfect tour guide and trip planner.

His parents kept our kids and we took off last Wednesday and returned Saturday night and it was all I hoped for and more!  I love this city and everything about it, I already can't wait to go back one day!!

Foot loose and fancy free and heading to NYC!

 We arrived around 6:00 pm NY time and that wasn't ideal, hello rush hour.  We took an Uber to our hotel (The Roosevelt in midtown) which ended up being way better than a taxi because he went through the back streets and avoided the locked down highways.  

Dinner that night was at Gramercy Tavern...fantastic food and atmosphere, I highly recommend.  It was a hip, New York place to eat.

Up bright and early the next morning ready to see the city!  

First stop was Rockefeller Center!

 

Watching the Today Show being filmed.  Matt Lauer was reading the prompter here.

This little gem of a bakery was right across the street.  We grabbed coffee and croissants and watched the show!  So fun!

We had tickets to go up to the Top of the Rock and see the city from way up high, 64 floors up high.  I liked this because we had a time to be there and we didn't have to wait in line (unlike the Empire State Building where evidently the lines are long)!

 

After Top of the Rock, we started walking Madison and 5th Ave. to see what we could see.  We stopped inside St. Patricks Cathedral which was just stunning.

Later that morning we rented bikes and rode through Central Park, this was one of my favorite things we did!  The weather could not have been more perfect.  

Bethesda Fountain

Eating lunch at the Loeb Boathouse inside the park.

I LOVED this lunch, oh my goodness.  The food was awesome and you couldn't beat the view!

Views from our bike ride.

Just taking a pit stop.  At this point we had walked about 8 miles and biked through the whole park.

After the bike ride we walked to Time Square. This place was hoppin'.  Actually, it was CA-RAZY!

Where Good Morning America is filmed.

After our big day it was time to get dressed for dinner and Broadway!!

On the way to dinner we ran into the NY Public Library, wow.

We had dinner at Bryant Park Grill.  This ended up being my favorite restaurant of them all!!  Beautiful setting and the food...don't get me started!!

Fancy dinners at the end of a long day touring are the best! ;)

 This right here was a dream of mine...seeing a Broadway show!

It.was.awesome.

Up early the next morning to see Grand Central Station.

Down below there were cute little coffee shops all over to eat breakfast.  It was fun to sit and watch the hustle and bustle.

Next up...Wall Street.  

Me and George at Federal Hall...this is where George Washington took the oath of presidency.

The new World Trade tower.  It is 1,776 feet tall.

We visited the place where the World Trade Centers stood and went through the memorial and museum.  Every American needs to see this, they just do.

Just unreal.

After a wonderful lunch in Tribeca at Sarabeth's...we walked across the Brooklyn Bridge!  Such a cool thing to do!

Toward the end of this day we just kept seeing and doing.  This is a fabulous dessert spot!  We also hit up Dylan's Candy Bar and got lots of candy to bring back for the kids.

I just had to see Macy's so I can watch the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade and have a new appreciation for it! 

Our last morning we got up, walked down to the Plaza Hotel for crepes and sadly the crepe shop was closed, so back to Rockefeller Center we went for more croissants at Bouchan Hill.

Ya'll, according to the Garmin watch James wore the whole time, we walked a total of 37 miles in just over 2 days.  The weather was perfect, there was so much to see and we like walking.  Let's just say my hips and calves were sore but you know what?  My feet never felt tired because of my Sketchers Go Walks!  These shoes rock!!!  If you are doing NYC or Disney World or anything of the sort, order you some!!

We were greeted at the airport by these cuties and then off we went for some Tex Mex!  Nothing makes me crave Tex-Mex more than traveling and not having access to it!

No matter how long away...a whole summer in Africa or a long weekend in NYC, I always want Mexican food when I return!  

It's good to be back with these babes and back in southern hospitality!  

Full on fall!

We are having the most gorgeous weather this fall!  It is so enjoyable and we find ourselves doing most things outdoors these days because in the back of our minds, we know the cold is coming.  Boo!!  In the mean time, we will soak up this wonderful season!

You'll notice a theme here...pink dresses on Sydney.  She loves dresses and pink so she wears the same things over and over.

Bubble fun!!

Enjoying a new park in Amarillo!

Zip line!

We've been walking the neighborhood a ton lately...she's my little buddy!

We've even been watching football outside.

Nessie and Grandad came up for a visit and we soaked up the weather! and lots of football!

They were still just for a moment.

Climbing on the new playground.

This one particular day we brought a loaf of bread to feed the ducks.  Sydney found "mother goose" and wanted so badly for the goose to eat out of her hand.

Almost!!

 

Nope.

"Why she swimming away Mommy?"  

Melt me.  I love these days.

Posing for a pic at our grocery store.

Saturday mornings have been full of watching this guy do his thing on the football field!  Parker loves him some flag football.

We made a trip to visit our local pumpkin patch so we could decorate our front porch.

My pretty girl before church.

And sassy pants after ballet one day.  She ripped her white tights (on purpose) because she didn't want to go to ballet.  She went anyway with bare legs and came out smiling.  Bonus...she got to ditch the ballet slippers for cowboy boots.  I may not have a ballerina in my future but I love her anyway! ;)

And so it begins...

Another school year has begun and all of the activities and schedules that go with it.  Summer was a lovely break but I do love me a good routine.  Parker started second grade (cry) and little Sis started 3 year old preschool (hooray)!  I love my time at home with Sydney but Tuesdays and Thursday with her at school are pure gold.
She also started ballet and it's pretty much the cutest thing on the planet.  When I was pregnant with her, we were surprised with her gender and when I found out she was a girl I embraced all things pink and knew one day I'd have her in a pink ballet outfit...love!!!

First day of second grade for this big boy!

After school snack together.

Sillies.

We didn't even make it until Friday of the first week that Parker came down with strep throat.  Stupid school germs!  We played lost of Battleship that day!

Well, ballet didn't exactly start out how I had planned.  She cried and cried.  Sydney is the child who cries with a new experience.  Every drop off is hard, she is an emotional girl! ;)

But it ended with a smile!  Whew!

First day of 3 year old preschool!  She was so excited to go and for the first time EVER...didn't cry when I left.  Can I get an Amen?  Yay for Sydney!

I'm back baby!!

I have taken the longest blogging break ever, not sure why, I just did.  I'm mad at myself for doing it because this is the most perfect way to "scrapbook" these wonderful years of having little kids and watching them grow into big kids. I like to document the big stuff and little stuff as well.  The days are long but the years are short and one day I will want to remember it!!

I am not going to play catch up since last March, I am going to start with highlights from the summer and move on!  My kids love looking through the blog books I print from this blog, so kids...this is for you!!

Summer was busy and fun!!

Summer started with the end of baseball season.  This little slugger is quite the ball player and so fun to watch.  His love of the game is addicting!

Memorial Day weekend, Parker turned 7 and we celebrated at the ranch of course.

Soon after we headed to the Ozarks for our annual trip to Big Cedar Lodge...this place has my heart.  I want to live here for forever.

Just hanging out by our cabin!

On the lake with cousins is the best!

Blake, Sydney and Adelynn.

We played hard at the ranch with some of our favorite people!

The oldest and youngest cousins, Faith and Sydney.

Some good walks and talks happen at the ranch.

Aunt Lindsey and Sydney discussing life.

Sis caught her very first fish with Grandad this summer.

Some of the Austin girls with some little dudes on the 4th.

She loves all things sparkly!

We spent most of our days at the pool with friends.

We made a trip down to Dallas to visit my family and hang out with a frog at a water park. ;)

Go Rangers!!

We definitely did a lemonade stand this summer.  This kid made $50 in one afternoon.  I need to open one.

We ended the summer with a trip to Rosemary Beach, FL and it was SO much fun!  Just the four of us, at the beach, soaking in the last days of summer.

A little girl on the beach with her bucket.  Melt me.

Hunting for crabs at night was a big hit! Wearing a head lamp made it super cool.

Parker ended his summer with the loss of his very first tooth!

And a post about summer can't be complete without mentioning how much time was spent on the golf course.  Parker is a natural at golf...it's fun to enjoy this sport together as a family.  

And just because I needed a good cry, I went and found this precious picture. 

Parker started playing golf at age 2 with a plastic club.  This is on the golf course at the Broadmoor so evidently, the plastic club even traveled with us!

I mean, could he be any cuter??  Ugh, why do they grow up so fast??