chinese caboose: We Love New York!

About a month ago, we took a family trip to NYC. It was the first time any of us have ever been there, except for Jim, who has been working there since mid-August. What a neat experience to go and stay right in Midtown Manhattan! It delayed the start of our "formal" homeschooling for this year, but what an education it was for our girls to see such an enormous city and all of the culture that is there! I think the educational highlight was the Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island. Fun highlight...hmmm...American Girl, FAO Schwarz, Blue Man Group, or Mary Poppins...I don't know, but they are still telling everyone about all the great stuff they got to play with at FAO Schwarz!!

Mary Poppins on Broadway was Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious!!!

The view outside of our hotel room at 57th and Lexington. We could see Bloomberg, where Jim has been working, right outside of our hotel window!

In fact, not only could we see the building, we could see the exact window! He even wiggled the shade in the window while we were talking on the phone so we could see where he was!

We were staying in the heart of the fashion district in the middle of fashion week! Too bad we were completely OUT of fashion! This was a designer storefront labeled, "SPRING PREVIEW 2011". Oh my. We're in trouble if we're gonna need spacesuits by spring!

My pretty girls in front of one of many many fun toy displays at FAO Schwarz toy store

The Big Piano at FAO Schwarz. Our first full day there Jim was working, so we literally played at this store for most of the day.....

....with an ice cream break in Cental Park at lunch time....

....and Grace has had this problem with popsicles since she was 3!

Jim took us to Bloomberg and showed us around. Pretty big business there and more security at an employer than I have ever seen. I got in trouble for taking pictures!

American Girl on 5th Avenue! What fun! The girls worked toward a day here as a reward for their Super Summer Challenge that we have done on summer break for two years now. They earned their day at American Girl by things like reading, excercise, finishing craft projects, memorizing Bible verses, swim lessons, and summer learning.

Grace got ahold of my camera in the American Girl cafe

Yes. We went to Times Square with matching I love NY t-shirts. Um....not the best way to blend in. It is however the best way to be targeted by every tour sales gimick within 5 blocks!

Braved the subway like pros....well almost pros....

We met up with Coleen, a friend of the family who lives in NYC. Super fun to have dinner with her twice during our trip. She's awesome with kids and the girls absolutely love her!

WTC site. No way around it, it's a moving place to visit even under construction.

View of the Brooklyn Bridge out at the Pier

We went to see the Blue Man group. Bizarre. Baffling. Batty. Blue.
But definately not boring!

Silly faces in the taxi

More beautiful in person than I imagined she could be. A truly impressive symbol of our country. Quite possibly my favorite thing we saw on the whole trip.