My 1st Born Turns 12 Today

Today was Cole's birthday, he turned 12. We woke him up with a heart warming, traditional, Happy Birthday song, a cappella.  After church we came back to the barn house to celebrate with cake and punch.  This year Cole chose pineapple punch, an upside down pineapple cake and cookie dough ice cream.  Well, he really only wanted ice cream, but I explained that for the sake of others there should be cake. :P

Honey with the Birthday Boy

Paul making punch

Me with my baby

....happy birthday toooo yoooouuuuu!

...Make a wish~

A cute little face

Opening up a few gifts

OMG, a game for the Wii (I love his sister's excited face)

Thank you Honey, you totally had me fooled that I wasn't getting this

Snap Circuits from mom and dad

Trying out his new gift

This picture of Cole makes me smile. He loves apples, reading and his lizard lounging on his arm.  This now 12yr old is already taller than I am at 5'6, wears an 11.5 shoe and keeps me in stitches.  

Happy Birthday Colie, I love you!

Will I EVER be able to post again??

Don't give up on me ~ I'll see  you soon!

I will be posting new pictures 12/19

New York ~ Day 3

Saturday, was cold and wet, the entire day. I didn't mind tho, after all, I was in a beautifully, Christmas decorated New York, it's supposed to be cold, and at 4 o'clock the snow flurries came. You had to squint through the rain to see it, but they were falling. Ahhh, good times!

I took about a gazillon pics of us like this in various places

Today we had breakfast in a quaint eatery, while watching 3 skiddish, street vendors, peddling their knock off designer purses. They were constantly looking over their shoulders and at each other. They worked that area for about 8 minutes, then they tied up their sheet filled with handbags and dollied off in 3 different directions. 

Love those hair colors!

Had to wait several minutes in line to get this picture

A small memorial near the site of the World Trade Ctr

Construction site of the Memorial

This was the 3rd time I saw this panda around town

Had never seen a Bumper Badger before 

~ and they need it in this city!

We took The Holland Tunnel Subway across into Hoboken, New Jersey to meet The Cake Boss (TLChannel). That was exciting! I brought Paul and the kids some cookies home the following day.

Finally, we made it into the tiny, over packed bakery!

Yep, me and the Cake Boss. I love you so much, I even 

showed you my triple chin in this pic!

Back in Manhattan we walked the remainder of the day in a vast sea of umbrellas and ancy taxi's.

We stood in a double wrapped line for 15 min.(long time in the cold)

to get into this store ~ but it was worth it..right Paula?!

Play Mobile

The Big Piano ~ Fun, man i miss my kids!

At the American Girl Store

And for an outrageous price, a long line, you could get 

your dollie a new do. : )

S N O W!!!

New York ~ Day 2

Friday we did 3 big things. It doesn't seem like alot, but a great deal of time was spent just getting from place to place via the subway and a few taxi rides. Eh hum (clearing throat) this was also the day we forgot we were in NYC and slept until 10:45am ~ GOOD GRIEF, sleep at home!! We made a mad dash to see The Statue of Liberty (amazing).

We went back to the hotel to change for a fancy dinner at Tavern on the Green (beautiful and delicious).

This is a picture of the desert menu, it is titled, SATISFACTION!

Next, we hopped in a taxi to rush off to a broadway show.

My mom surprised me and dropped a bucket of money so the 2 of us could see a show. We saw The Lion King ~ spectacular! Thanks again Mom, I love you! 

Then we relaxed and people watched in Times Square. You completely lost track of time with all the bright lights from the jumbotrons on every building. It was pretty neat seeing the New Year's Eve Ball It was a fast, fun day.

The New Year's Eve Ball

Paula's signature couture modeling look at Amer. Eagle at 1am

Then there was Spidey just walking past me

New York = Lots of Birthday FUN!

New York was a lot of fun. Manhattan was packed with Christmas tourists from all around the country, a multitude of various accents could be heard everywhere. The streets were constantly packed with fast paced walkers and city goers. However, I never encountered any rude people, but I did hear a certain four letter word repeatedly in passing casual conversations ~ yikes!

On Thursday (my birthday) Paula worked, and I rode an open-topped, double decker tour bus for hours. I saw the entire city, Uptown, Downtown, Soho, Tribeca, Harlem, Little Italy, Chinatown, Central Park, Museum District, Carnegie Hall, The Empire State Building, The Chrysler Building, Wall Street, The Fashion District, Times Square, Chelsea, Greenwich Village, East Village, Gramercy Park, Broadway, Grant's Tomb, World Trade Center Memorial, Trump Tower, Trump Hotel, Strawberry Fields, John Lennon's apt., Pres. JFK's apt., Rockefeller Center (beautiful Christmas tree), Radio City Music Hall, Kennedy Center, The Met, FAO Schwarz, Macy's Dept. Store, Mac store, 5th Avenue stores, Penn Station, Grand Central Station, Madison Square Garden, NYU, Columbia University, Bellevue Hospital (known for their asylum in the 60's ?), Brooklyn, Manhattan, and Williamsburg Bridges', The Flatiron Bldg., and sooo many others that I just can't remember. WOW! Lots of places. I got alot covered in just 1 day!

Happy 40th Birthday to ME!!!

....Today I just happen to be in New York City!


Paula, the most awesomest, beautifulest, smartest, thoughtfulness filled, girl/WOman/chicka that I've known for something like 24 years, bestest BF ever, surprised me with a trip to the Big Apple. WOW!!  I know, I know.


Will post pictures when I get back!