New York City

For years now, we have had a trip East on our list of travel hopes.

I have tried planning this trip several times. It never worked out for one reason or another. So when we actually loaded the family up and started, I was still in a bit dubious that we would make it to all of our planned destinations.

Miracle of miracles, we did it!

We drove the many hours from Chicago to Manhattan! It is a doosy of a drive, but we are used to worse. It is far fewer hours than our Utah drives, and because Del really enjoys road trips, it wasn't as bad as it could have been. Plus we planned several stops along the way.

We arrived in New York on Saturday night. We checked into the Empire Hotel, and then got a hotel room (parking garage spot) for our car. It stayed there until we went and picked it up as we left the city.

I guess our hotel is a hot spot with the television show "Gossip Girl." I must say I have no idea why or any of the details because I do not watch that show. But I will tell you that it was not geared toward families. I booked the room on Priceline.
It was in a great location, a very nice hotel, and everything worked out well during our stay, even though we broke fire code and crammed into one teeny room. But every time we went in or out of the hotel we passed the roped line, supervised by a bouncer, to get up to the roof where they have a night club. So that lent to a certain atmosphere that did make make us desirous to hang out in the lobby with our kids. Other than that, it was just fine.
I have a feeling any boutique like hotel in the city would be the same. I figured that out while trying to book one!

As I said the hotel's location was its biggest selling point! One block away from Central Park, and only two blocks from the Temple for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints!

We got up Sunday morning and headed to Sacrament meeting, which is in the same building as the temple. It was packed! We were certainly not the only ones taking in the bright lights for Spring Break!
We chatted with a few people after church and they were kind enough to snap some pictures for us! One gal from the singles ward even offered to babysit so we could go out on a date. But considering our room was the size of a postage stamp, I didn't see the logistics working in her favor!

Manhattan Temple

Outside the temple/church entrance

Breakfast.

Georgia and I across the street from our hotel.

Central Park was a huge hit with our kids because they have massive rocks that people climb all over. They could have stayed all day. The first few hours of Sunday were deceiving with warmer temperatures, but then it got really cold, really quickly. Especially because we were outside almost the whole trip! Our light jackets were put away for the rest of the week after that, and it was back to the heavy coats. I expected it, so it wasn't devastating.

The boys on the rocks. They are still talking about the rocks.

There are a lot of street (or park) performers in Central Park. There are guys that blow huge bubbles with rope and crowds gather around them. I was not paying attention at one point, because I was looking intently for a bathroom for Walker, and I walked right through one of these performances.

The bubble popped on my head! So gross! And embarrassing! The crowd laughed, and I took a little bow. I don't want to know how many video cameras captured that one!

As I looked through the pictures from our trip it struck me how little color there is in the pictures. It seems strange because when I was in the city it didn't seem drab. It does translate that way a little in pictures. Probably because we are in the same dark coats the whole time.

The kids loved all the food carts in the city. We let them buy a lot from them. Hey, take risks in life, right?
 Georgia was intent on buying a pretzel. She saw the pretzel cart as we headed back to the hotel after church, and counted all her change out in the room so she could buy one. She led us all back two blocks to where she had seen him, and got her pretzel. They were actually really good! This girl loved New York City. Sometimes I wonder if I am going to lose her to the draw of a big city at some point. She has the gumption to make it!
One day as we were were going into swim lessons before the trip Georgia took a deep breathe, smelling the air. She said,"It smells like a city! I love cities!"

We ate yummy pizza by the slice at a really good, really cheap pizzeria near Columbus Circle called Mariella. We starting talking to the owner, an older man, and he told us that a couple years ago, the Duggers from 19 Kids and Counting, came to New York and ate at his pizzeria! All twenty something of them, plus crew in his tiny restaurant! I actually saw that episode, so it all came back to me when he said that! Go there if you get a chance, it was the easiest meal we ate all week.

After we had warmed up for a while in the room, and put the kids in their pajamas, we decided it would be really classy to take them back out and get some ice cream.
So here we are in our pajamas at the closest ice cream shop.
The funny thing about this city is that even though we obviously have a unique situation hauling four kids around it, no one really gave us any extra attention. I think that because nothing there is homogenous, nothing stands out as strange. You may notice us, but one second later you will find someone far more interesting to watch. So we didn't draw the usual, "You have your hands full comments," All in a city occupied mainly by adults!
I am sure that the minute they saw us with four kids, they knew... TOURISTS!
We did get stopped a few times by people asking for directions. But they were also tourists, so that does  not give us any New York cred.

The kids loved to look out the window. They had a lot of things to point out to us. They were especially excited the morning a fruit cart had popped up right across the street. They were in fruit heaven, and they wanted to buy it all!

We used the Subway system the whole trip. We all loved it! We had a great guide of all the trains we needed, and found that people were more than happy to voluntarily stop, pull out their ear buds, and offer assistance if we looked lost. Friendly New York.

I look annoyed in this picture. Maybe I was, but I am pretty sure I was happy most of the time!

We went to the Museum of Natural History. It was perfect for a day with sleet falling outside. That also meant it was very busy. That is the story with Chicago Museums too, so it was no surprise.

This is a great museum. We did a couple of the extra exhibits. We chose "Whales" and the Monarch Butterfly IMAX movie. The movie was awesome! So interesting, and a great reminder of the unbelievable attention to detail put into every one of our Heavenly Father's creations.

The museum also has an entire section dedicated to fossils, and minerals. Wally did not stop talking the entire time he was on that floor. He had found his heaven!

We ate at Shake Shack, but we did not enjoy it. The food is good, don't get me wrong, but it was the biggest madhouse in New York at the moment we were there, and after waiting in line, after line, Del and I ate standing up while the kids shared two chairs between them. I am a tourist who hates crowds. Not a lot you can do about that.

A cold, wet day on the Upper West Side.

We went to Times Square. We spent a total of five minutes there.

So incredibly crowded with confused tourists (us times a million.) It was raining pretty hard, the people hocking their wares on the street were in our faces, the naked cowgirl was unavoidable, and it was just not my cup of tea when with my kids.
After we told one girl we were not interested in her comedy club information, she followed us the whole block screaming in Del's ear again, and again, "Where are you from? What is your name?" So over the top!
We snapped a couple pictures, and headed out for more a more family manageable spot.

Rockefeller Plaza was busy too, of course, but much more pleasant.

Georgia really wanted to ice skate, both here and in Central Park. Maybe next trip, Girlie!

Do you want to see what we look like after a day full of wandering the city in the rain?

Ta DAAAA!!!
The guy from Argentina that took this for us did not believe in giving us one more courtesy shot, so Walker's head was lucky to make it in the picture.
I took three pictures of them just to be safe. His wife will thank me.

The kids were really excited about the Lego store located in Rockefeller Center, so went went in and let them pick their souvenir for the trip there.

After our Lego fix was taken care of, we needed a cupcake fix! We stopped at Magnolia bakery for some cupcakes to take back to the room and munch on, out of the rain!
Frozen girl with a half a dozen really yummy cupcakes!

More to come from Manhatten!