Another Rain Day!

Yesterday it rained all day. In the evening it was pouring rain. I was sad cause this time my girls missed it as they were sleeping the night away. My sister-in-law Amy & her friend Lindsey came to visit from Vancouver and they decided to get their swimsuits on and play in front of my street. They measured the water and it was flooded 15-16 inches high. The last time I blogged about this the water was only 6 inches high. My neighbor Joe opened his door to watch as well and laughed at the girls. They had so much fun playing in the rain. I took several pictures with their cameras. Mine was in the car and didn't want to go outside to get it, but we had a hard time getting good pictures. I love hearing it pour like that.

{Pretend Birthday Party at the Hoffs}

Our new friends the Hoffs are so wonderful. While Nate is a Fighter Pilot in the Military and Stephanie is a crazy go, go, go girl we seem to get alone too well!

I hang out with Stephanie all the time. She is one of my NEW FRIENDs out here. She is wonderful and I'm not sure NY would be the same without her. She is constantly throwing together get-to-gethers. This particular day she make a darling cupcake cake and had all the kids take turns blowing out the candles. My kids thought it was totally COOL.

I think I need more "Pretend Birthday Parties" for Emberlynn because she really couldn't get the whole blowing thing and she has a Birthday coming up in a few months.

PRACTICE-- PRACTICE-- PRACTICE

THANKS STEPHANIE FOR HAVING US OVER AGAIN AGAIN & AGAIN & AGAIN.

Stephanie the other week told me she was having Andie Withdrawals cause she didn't see me at all during the week. It's nice to know someone likes me : )

As mentioned in earlier posts I think Stephanie is one of my Angels

I like you too Steph!

{Addison's Funnies}

You all have heard the infamous saying ...

" You get what you get and you don't get upset"

Addison's version is...

"You get what you WANT and you don't get upset"

{Summer Theme- Park Days}

What will we do when summer ends and park days come to a halt. I'm sure there will be many new adventures, but right now my children are loving seeing so many different parks minutes from our house. A popular saying that we here in our house is We've been there let's try something new. Seriously there are thousands of things to do on Long Island and in the City that just keeps are family going.

Now that Jon's schedule has been really full one fun thing we always do is take pictures with my iphone and send them to Jon. A picture says a million words and Jon usually sends one back with him waving or walking or whatever he is doing at the moment. It's a fun way the kids and I keep in touch with daddy. I only wish now I had the new iphone 4 that way we could video chat each other.

{Anyways here's to park days!}

{RAIN, RAIN COME ANY DAY}

Okay, Okay, Okay I know you hear me all the time complain about Vancouver Rain. It's not that I don't hate rain I just don't like it raining 300 days out of the year or more. When it rains I LOVE WHEN IT POURS. We have probably had around a dozen or more rainfalls here since we moved here and I love it.

One of the first rains we were playing outside with our neighbor families and we heard a loud crake from the sky and EVERYONE grabbed their stuff and rain inside. My family looked at each other and thought what's the BIG FUSS? Seconds later DOWN POUR.

No wonder they were all RUNNING! LOL

Here was a day that is rained and flooded the street. A {4 by 4} was floating in the street don't ask me where that came from. Finally one of my neighbors fished it out; as for me, I stayed inside taking pictures of the dumb thing. I didn't want to get wet.

DOES THAT MAKE ME A BAD SAMARITAN?

If you notice closely you can't see the 6" or so gutter across the street.

{Children's Museum}

When I hear the word "FREE" I jump all over it!

I found out that our local libraries have free passes you check out to the Children's Museum, Aviation Museum, and Wood-bury Gardens. So we decided to check out the Children's Museum here in Garden City. (20 minutes drive)

I just might think this is the CUTEST PICTURE I HAVE EVER TAKEN!

Really I'm sure it doesn't get much cuter then this!

We had so much fun with these mirrors. Of course I had to step in and get a shot.

Alix went for the "GO TEAM" pose.

Addison too got creative with "RING AROUND THE ROSIES"

I love going to Children's Museums. They mainly have a lot of the same things, but yet they are so different and unique. This one was so much fun. I know we will be going here a lot. We spent an half of a day here and still left wanting more. JOn and I love bringing the kids here it gives us another opportunity to teach our children all about science. A subject Jon loves if you didn't know all ready!

The girls get so excited about everything here. I think we could spend an entire day in one room of the museum.

Addison looking cute like always!

There was a HUGE MOUND OF BLOCKS feet away from Emberlynn which she totally loves to play with at home, but she would rather be on the computer cause FINALLY SHE GETS PERMISSION TO PLAY ON ONE. Unlike my MAC at home. Don't even think about Emberlynn : )

Alix is enjoying the blocks though!

I think one of the neatest things in life is to watch your children overcome fear. Alix is normally up for anything but this wild (really wild) maze that two stories high that winds all over the place and makes you depend on the ropes a lot of times get through it. Once you are in there's no turning back. The maze was long and at times Alix was VERY SCARED. I couldn't go in and help her either I just had to stand on the sidelines cheering her on and telling her words of encouragement. At the end she SUCCEED! I know this is how life is for many children, teenagers, young adults, older adults and senior citizens. Our H.F. is cheering us on he cannot come down and walk us through it but He is standing on the sidelines watching and cheering and giving us words of encouragement when we ask for it and sometimes when we don't. He sees the end and even though it's hard at times for us not to see the end we Trust Him knowing that we will be happy in the end if we follow Him.

AND AS YOU CAN SEE ALIX IS HAPPY SHE MADE IT THROUGH and I couldn't have been more proud or happy.

To all my children know that your mommy, daddy the Savior and our Loving Heavenly Father will always be there cheering you on and giving you words of encouragement. We know you gals and guys (if there is any in my future) will make it even when you don't believe in yourselves. You all are special and will make to the end and I promise you will be HAPPY.

Love,

Mommy

{Our 1st 4th of July on LI}

Again after talking to the locals . . . here on Long Island everyone convinced us that going to the local fireworks is the best rather then going to the Main Firework Show bye the Statue of Liberty. After a really busy 4th of July day we decided to go to the Local show and we were not at all disappointed. In fact we were closest I have ever been to fireworks. The had fire works on the ground as well as above. Seriously I say this with no understatement. It was the BEST SHOW I HAVE EVER SEEN. The Rhythm of the fireworks and transitioning to low to high to really high to medium was totally awesome. Our favorite fireworks were the low ones. The crowd around us including ourselves were streaming and cheering the whole time. I have never to a show like that. Also I think it has something to do with the moisture, but for the FINALLY I SERIOUSLY HAD TO COVER MY EARS IT WAS SOO LOUD. Afterwards I had to call my dad and tell him all about it. I was so excited about it. If we are hear next year and learn the roads better we might just tackle the BIG FIREWORK SHOW, but I loved our show.

(Here is a cake my friend Stephanie made. It was Yummy & looked Awesome)

Before the Fireworks . . .

I was busy in the morning making potato salad, blueberry cheesecake & a yummy fruit basket with fruit balls in it. We took it over to our NEW FRIENDS, "The Hoffs" They also invited a 3 other families and the missionaries. (Being in a Branch I have found that the missionaries are a part of everyones family. They live very close to us so they are constantly invited themselves over.

One day Jon had to work a Sunday and they used Jon as being less-active to come over for dinner. But we never mind and fact my children and Jon and I love the company. Anyway Elder Woodland was leaving and wanted pictures with our family so I took some as well. I also forgot to mention the first day we were in NY. The missionaries also showed up to greet us!

{Tribute to our Fire Fighters!}

After a big day in the city. We had been invited to go to a parade. I really didn't think were going to make it, but when we got off the LIRR and started walking to the car we heard the bands playing and decided to walk one block to watch a parade. Here is where I realized how nasty sweaty I was from the humidity and was hoping my kids really didn't want to stay for all of it. We did stay for all of it and they all had fun. No candy though. There was a big party at the park but we decided it was time to head home. Our neighbor across the street is a volunteer Fire Fighter. Jon would want to volunteer too if we wasn't so darn busy.

Anyway I know 2 otherFire Fighters that is Cody & Riley. So I sat through this parade to show my honor for you guys, my neighbor who I never saw and all the other fire fighters who risk their life daily saving such wonderful people.

THANK YOU!

{Our First Trip to the City}

2 MONTHS AGO we decided to finally tackle the City. I was really intimidated by it from hearing my neighbors and friends tell me about it. But of course I did my research and finally decided to tackle the BIG CITY!

We had to go City Style by taking the train in then the Subway. This was wild and if you ask me a bit over-rated. It was dirty and grundgy. The other thing is if you can avoid the elevators PLEASE DO. If you have to prepare to hold your breathe! You will think me later. The other advice I have is DON'T FORGET THE HAND SANITIZER!

LONG ISLAND RAILROAD

Here we are bright and earlier catching the LIRR. The girls were really excited but as you wait for the Train make sure the kids are contained somehow cause it can be very dangerous up there because the train tracks are very low and they children can fall very easy. I was so paranoid about this. Here is Emberlynn trying to escape the stroller.

Waiting for the train was really fun over then being paranoid about the children. It really was only Emberlynn who wanted to adventure out. We were really high so we had very nice views of Long Island. Something that is very rare occasion considering LI is so flat and it is covered in trees.

Here is Jon with the girls. I was a bit paranoid them touching anything too. I think I went through a bottle of hand santizer in one day.

DESPICABLE ME

We left so early so we can get there to see a early Pre-Screening of 3D Despicable Me at Lowes Theatre in Lincoln Square. I had WON FREE tickets on a www.mommypoppins.com. When we checked in the gave each of the girls and Jon and I a fun bag full of goodies and a card for a free large drink and free large popcorn. The girls were in heaven cause we never buy pop and on top of that a LARGE. I thought I was going to take the girls to the potty a million times, but they held it. The MOVIE WAS A HIT. They all loved it. Jon and I laughed pretty hard ourselves too. After the movie we couldn't wait to get outside and adventure the BIG CITY.

HERE'S WHAT WE DID

CENTRAL PARK

We walked through many streets and got to Central Park. The grounds were not perfectly kept up like a imagined they would be like in the Movie "Enchanted." But it was still VERY BEAUTIFUL WALKING THROUGH. I had no idea how big Central Park was. They always have free concerts and activities, storytelling going on in the park. It really is wonderful. My friend Christy here and I are planning a day to run in Central Park. She says it is so awesome! I just need to get in better shape if I want to survive her kind of runs.

Everyone in NY is really really nice. Everyone there kept offering to take our family picture. I was skeptically at times thinking maybe they wanted to steal my camera. But that wasn't true. I don't get where people come off that NY people keep to themselves we had an entirely different experience with them.

Jon was so sweet to carry a backpack the whole time so we could carry everything we needed. We wore good tennis shoes knowing how much walking we were going to have to do too. Very grateful I did.

Here we are sitting on the rocks eating our packed lunch in Central Park it was beautiful. It really was.

My next door neighbor gave us free tickets to get into Central Park Zoo & The Children's Zoo. They are both right next to one another. Jon was very disappointed in the Central Park Zoo because in the movie Madagascar they had animals like a Lion & a Giraffe. We didn't see them and Jon thought he got ripped off with free tickets. Sorry to disappoint you Jon. You should write a letter to the producer of Madagascar.

Delacorte Clock

From 8:00 am — 5:00 pm on the hour and half-hour, one of 26 nursery rhyme tunes plays while a bear with tambourine, a hippopotamus with violin, a goat with pan pipes, a kangaroo and offspring with horns, and a penguin with drum glide around the base of the clock. In addition, on the hour two monkeys on the top of the clock appear to strike a bell. The clock is one of the most whimsical features of the park.

We were lucky to have it go off right as we approached the clock. The girls loved it and so did I.

We had so much fun playing in the Children's Zoo. The kids were so excited to play in everything. I couldn't resist myself either.

TIME SQUARE!

WHERE'S WALDO?

I mean "WHERE'S THE DELLS?"

Okay I have to say out of the entire day my most surprise look where I know my eyes enlarged as wide as possible was when we were going through the crowds of people. I was pushing the stroller while Jon was ahead of me to block widen the path for the stroller. I kept my eyes on the street AND THEN JON TOLD ME TO LOOK UP! I looked up and for the first time I saw TIME SQUARE! Seriously I had no idea. The experience was phenomenal. I thought it was amazing. I had seen it on T.V. but until you are there in person you have no idea how HUGE and IMPRESSIVE it really is. TV doesn't do justice neither do my pictures, but just know it was AWESOME!

There was a huge screen that had us on the screen. I should of never zoomed in close so that way you could gain perspective how big this screen was. We thought it was cool to find us. DID YOU?

Time Square was the last thing we did before we got on the Train to head back to Lynbrook. As you can see Emberlynn & Addison did not make it to see Time Square. They were completely out by this time. Alix was quite the trooper. I was surpirsed she never fell asleep.

Everytime growing up whenver I would go experience something fun and exciting without my loved ones I would always be so sad. I always wanted my family to see what I was seeing and experiencing. As I have grown up and if I had to experience the world with only one person I would choose my wonderful loving husband Jon. He makes me so happy and this wild journey that we are on has drawn us so much closer together.

Thank you Jon for experience NYC with me.

There is no way I could tell you all the feelings and excitement we had on are first trip to NYC. The crazy thing is we didn't even put a dent in all that you can see there. It's quite overwhelming.

The Weather was almost perfect. It was castover pretty much the entire day. The humidity was discomforting, but it really didn't bother us till the end of the day when I realized I had layers and layers of sweat on my face. Something I'm not sure I will ever get used to.

In Conclusion We had a very exciting day. We didn't spend any money except for getting out here on the Train and Subway. The girls loved it and so did I. As we were walking the streets of Manhattan I couldn't help but think how cool it would be to live there. The lifestyle is completely foreign to me, but an experience of a lifetime. I love how there are so many farmer markets on the streets for the locals to buy their meats and produce. I have never been quite so obsessed by watching the locals and you know who they are. They are very easy to spot out. I loved how many of them were running in the morning around town with or without there dogs. the mom's with their totally expensive strollers.

It was a great day and we can't wait to go back.

Here are a few buildings. I didn't take as many pictures as I wanted to. I was too busy trying to find my way around town in the crowds. But here are a few.

Can you guess the 3 I posted?

The Apple Store (won awards for the architecture), St. Patrick's Cathedral (Something I studied in College) & The Plaza Hotel (I first remember seeing this in one of my favorite movies as a child "Home Alone")

I'll quiz you more on the buildings on my next visit!