New York

Ava and I got to spend an amazing 6 days in New York on a trip planned by my mother-in-law, Ruby. All of the girls on Chad's side of the family attended, making 7 in all ranging in age from 4 to 66 and covering 3 generations. Ava loved getting to hang out with the big girls all week and was a trooper as we toured all over the city and kept her up late every night. Here are some of the highlights:

The girls (minus Melissa who was sick) in Times Square

The Museum of Modern Art

This is a room at the MOMA where you write your name in marker at your height. The effect in a large room with so many millions of names is pretty cool. 

The Statue of Liberty

Riding the Ferry to the Statue of Liberty

The group in Rockefeller Plaza (with Tommy the Turtle who didn't get to come home with us. Apparently turtles are not allowed on airplanes. After much sadness and crying in the airport, we had to leave Tommy in New York. )

Ava daydreaming in Central Park. I love this picture!

The Museum of Natural History dinosaur exhibit

Ava taking a nap after a long day. I wish I could have slept in that stroller a few times. We wore ourselves out walking all over Manhattan.

The view from the Top of the Rock

My niece Melissa and me at the Empire State Building. The lady taking this picture thought we were sisters. It is interesting to have a niece that is so close to my age. I loved hanging out with Melissa on this trip!

Ava and Ruby at the Empire State Building Observation Deck

The view

Meeting the actress who played Mary Poppins

We got to tour backstage with Zach, the boy who played Michael in Mary Poppins. We had extra tickets and Ruby handed them to two women at the door. It turned out to be Zach's mom and she made sure we got a backstage tour after the show! Ava was in heaven.

Ava and Zach-- He was awesome in the show and such a cute kid!

Riding the carousel in Central Park

Getting the morning started from the front porch of our home away from home in Harlem. That stroller saved the day. There is no way we could have survived that much walking without a stroller. I got pretty good at folding it up quickly to get through the subway turnstiles. 

My photos are all out of order. This was actually taken our first night in NY before Gay and Karaline arrived. We bought that dress up outfit for Ava earlier in the day at Toys 'R Us and she couldn't wait to wear it. She walked all over the city in that little outfit!

Being silly with Grandma Ruby

So excited by the ferris wheel inside of Toys 'R Us! Ava was squealing with delight at the sensory overload of a 3 story toy store AND a ferris wheel. It was hilarious!

Thank you again Ruby for this trip. We loved it!

One more view of the city. . .

On our last night in Manhattan, we went to the Museum of wax. Ava dancing with Beyonce! 

All the single ladies, all the single ladies. . .

7 Girls, 5 Decades, 3 Generations, 1 NY Trip of a Lifetime! 

(This was what was written on our sign at the Today show.)