trying to get pictures for Grandma and Grandpas Christmas cards

The kids all dressed up after going to get our pictures taken for our church directory

Bath time after Graham decided to use marina as a hair gel.  Addy had to join in on the fun in the tub with her brother

Graham and Daddy checking out his phone 

For those that didn't know, Addy has started a dance class once a week and loves it.  This was her first performance at a local alzheimers unit and the residents loved it.  I don't know how the teacher does it but she keeps all these 2 and 3 year olds pretty focused and they had a great time.

We made the long journey to Nebraska to spend Thanksgiving with Nana and Papa this year.  We had supper at McDonalds before heading on the rest of our trip.  While we were down there we went to a children's museum in Kearney about 45mins from Nana and Papas.  The kids had a blast so we will probably have to go back there again when we visit another time.

They had water fun,

and a grocery store,

and a train area,

and cars,

and tractor fun with daddy

a sports area,

teeter toter

and a medical area (this is addy's sad face that we sent to Grandma and Grandpa to freak them out),

a mail truck (I think he may need to grow a bit more to drive it  but he will try).  We also enjoyed the nice weather while we were down there and played in Nana and Papas yard!!

My beautiful niece Mackenna!!

This was Grahams first year of painting pumpkins and he took it very seriously but had lots of fun.  They do lots of projects at daycare so he loves playing with paint.  Then it was right to the bathtub for more fun!!

Addy also had serious plans for her two pumpkins.  The little one she had to use her sparkly paint for Stacey and then her other pants for the big pumpkin.

The finished products

It has also been an annual tradition for Addy to carve a pumpkin with Grandpa and this year she drew the face and Grandpa did his best to cut out her vision.

Addy decided she wanted to be a cat for Halloween, so naturally she thought Graham needed to be a ....

dog of course.  And this year he was happy to agree but next year may be different.

Addy also had a Halloween party at dance class and Graham had to join in the fun.  Not sure dad thinks it looks like fun.

All the kids in their costumes and Graham had to get in on the fun

Auntie Brenna and Uncle Eric had gotten this at one of their work partys a few years ago and now both kids are able to enjoy it.  The were riding all over and Addy did a pretty good job driving (though there were few obstacles in her way!)

We started or time with a tour of Central Park, or at least some of it.  That place is big!!

We also saw the Dakota Building.  It was called this because when it was originally built next to Central Park it was so far from anything else that people said that it was like going to the Dakotas to get there.  Outside of this building is where John Lennon was killed.  The land for this cost 5 million dollars compared to just a few years before the whole of Central Park was purchased for 5 million.  Even in the 1800s real estate was expensive in NYC.

Radio City Music Hall, Rockefeller Center and the Skating rink out side of Rockefeller Center

We also visited the Lego store and found this that they had made out of Legos.  Just a few weeks before my parents and sister and brother in law had seen this in person.

Time Square.  Probably my least favorite part of the trip but I guess you have to go just to experience it.

Grand Central Terminal.  Our hotel was just minutes from there so we were here lots to catch the subway

We also walked across the Brooklyn Bridge.  It was amazing to see something so amazing that was built so long ago before they had all the technology and advancements today.  Even today this would be a big undertaking.  It took them 13 years to complete this.  They were also painting all the cables while we were there.  Not a job I would want.

Our favorite part of the whole trip was our food tour by Foods of New York in Greenwich Village.  As Josh and I love to eat and are not into museums we figured this would be good for us and the food was beyond words.  We went stayed there after the tour and had supper and came back the next day for lunch.  It was also just a more quite and cute neighborhood in NYC.  It just felt more at home here.  This was along or tour route and it is a mural made out of keys in front of a locksmith.  The picture below is called the Narrow House and was built in an old alley basically and is only 8 1/2 feet wide on the inside and three stories.  We estimate it is under 1000 sq ft.  It used to rent for $14,000/ month and recently sold for almost $3million!! Yikes, as much as we loved it we definitely won't be moving there.

While in Greenwich Village we had to walk off our food to make room for more, so we walked on the High Line.  It used to be train tracks and is now an elevated park filled with plants , places to sit, and more food to eat.  It was about a mile long.

We also had to go to the 9/11 Memorial while we where there.  This is the new Tower that is built near the sight and then the memorials themselves.

We also took the Staten Island Ferry so we could see the Statue of Liberty and the skyline.  The Statue was way smaller than we expected.