Back to it...! New York City, yes we did.

Man-oh-man, it's been a while. Good excuse #1 - I was busy packing for my big move to AR-I-ZONA. Not to mention I was working lots and blogging was too daunting. Good excuse #2 - I was living in a basement with limited computer access. Good excuse #3 - I had moved to Gilbert and had to worry about getting this house in order. Big stinking project. Hoping to NEVER do it again. Let's hope we like it here! Now, finally...back to blogging! Do any of you even read this anymore? So...what first? NYC, of course. It was kind of a dream trip with only ladies. Isabelle had her Dance Nationals in Manhattan, so we made it a girls trip! My step-mom, Ann, and my sister-in-law, Kaycie decided to make the trip with us, which made it such an unforgettable time!!!! I will forever love these ladies with all of my heart (and not just because they are family!). We spent so much time laughing and just being silly. I got to know them in a way I didn't before. What an amazing trip! This shall be long...consider yourself warned. I wouldn't want to forget anything! Iz in the airport (far left) All the dancers giddy with excitement!!! NYC, here they come!! Real NYC Police Officers! I know this looks a little "Bachelorette Party", but I swear it's legit. They really are Police Officers! Times Square - The most crowded place I've ever been! I could NOT believe people downtown would really park their cars this way! Stopping for breakfast after just arriving in NYC A quick stop off the tour bus at Central park Wicked...SO, so, so amazing. I had never seen a Broadway show before and I absolutely loved this one! About to see the show!!!! Can't wait! Iz and Mom We also saw "Newsies", which I also loved. The all-guy show really had such a different dynamic. The lead guy in this show is incredible. I think Chris might actually have enjoyed this one! I got a text right as we were entering the show that Isabelle had to be back RIGHT IN THE MIDDLE OF THE SHOW for competition. They had made some last second changes. I had a heart attack. What the heck were we supposed to do? The tickets were non-refundable, aaack! So we stayed until intermission, took a taxi to the hotel, hurried and ran Isabelle in, then I took a taxi back to the show without her. So I don't think I missed much, but Isabelle missed the entire second half. I am so glad I went back to finish it! We saw this "female" from behind dancing into the jumbo tron on Times Square and imagine my surprise when "she" turned around and it was a MAN...with breasts! My first taste of the strangeness that is NYC. Real New York style pizza. Ohmygosh, so freaking delicious! This place was our favorite. In fact, we ate there twice. Iz + pizza = happy. One night Kaycie, Iz, and myself hopped off the Subway and apparently Ann was too slow. The doors shut right in her face and off she went to the next stop. I was super surprised to see her be whisked away in the train, and in my surprise I totally tossed my phone into the Subway tracks. In that moment it was all so stinking funny that the three of us left on the platform laughed and laughed and just kind of looked at the phone laying there. Then a man came over and said he thought he could get it. As in, he was willing to jump down to the tracks and grab it. He kept saying, "I think I can get back up. I mean, I'm pretty sure. Should I get it?" THEN HE DID. He risked his existence for my stupid phone. And let me just say, I'm sure glad he did. We were still feeling all laugh-y, so we headed back to our hotel to see where the heck Ann ended up. So funny. Subway chicks totally figurin' it out! Isabelle. The day we went to the temple, I was going to take the Subway back to the hotel to pick her up once her dance convention classes were over. You could tell she was nervous about something, so I asked her what was wrong. She said, "Mom, I really think you should just take a taxi. I don't want to you be on the Subway by yourself. I don't think you are, uh, Subway-safe yet". Hahaha! I found out in several different situations that she worries about me just the same way I worry about her. I think she thinks of herself as the "responsible" one. This was eye-opening to me. St. Patrick's Cathedral. Very interesting and beautiful. 9/11 Memorial. They have done a spectacular job making this a reverent, quiet place to remember those who lost their lives. The "new" tower. Almost done! 9/11 This tree is the only one from the original site that survived. It is a symbol of hope. The city of Hoboken, New Jersey. We all decidedly loved this town. Cute and homey and kind of quaint. We visited the "Cake Boss" bakery. This was Isabelle's treat. I don't watch the show, so I can't remember who this guy is. Iz and Kaycie - both fans of this show - excited to be here. Disney Store And even better...the Reese's store. Ohmygosh, best cookies in the entire universe. We went back our last day in NYC, and they were OUT. True sadness right there. This picture has a background story that is embarrassing and kind of hilarious. So, we were out and about in New York one evening and I totally had a major, major "Female Emergency" issue. At that point, there were really only two options. One, go back to the hotel, or two, find the nearest Walgreen's and buy panties and tampons. Well, we opted for two. So, we hit the Walgreen's and I ended up with some awesome zebra print cotton panties tampons, and pantyliners. I couldn't find the bathroom after that purchase, and I was far too embarrassed to ask the saieslady where one was after my obvious purchase. So I made Kaycie ask. Low and behold, Walgreens didn't have a public potty so she sent us next door to McDonalds. Awesome. So I got into McDonald's and they inform me the main bathroom is out of order, so I had to use the scary, dark, drug-dealing one in the basement. Double Awesome. On my way down the stairs, a worker stopped me and said there was no more toilet paper in the bathroom, so I needed to go to the front counter to get napkins. ARE YOU FREAKING KIDDING ME??! What about this experience could get any worse? Well, it was memorable to say the least. And Isabelle sure got a lesson in "feminine hygiene". Lucky her. The "Immortal" girls. This was one of Isabelle's dances that made it to the Gala. Two of her dances ultimately made it, which is awesome! Frozen hot chocolate at Serendipity's. What a dang cute little restaurant! Hello, Menu's. Walking to the restaurant after some SHOPPING. Ann hooked Isabelle up with some darling, new school clothes. She shall be a fashionable diva. Walking the Brooklyn Bridge. Pardon the limp arm and ugly bangs. Whose idea...? Sporting the exercise clothes! So NOT a babe. We did a session at the Manhattan Temple, which was also one of my favorite things. It's a very beautiful temple. The said it really is a building built within a building. The temple only touches the outside walls in one place. I wondered if that was to keep it holy, but they said, no, it was to keep it sound proof. Do you see the Angel Moroni hiding there? So cool in the middle of this busy city. On the Subway on our way to see "Traces". At "Traces", our off Broadway show we saw. LOVED it!!! I loved the music almost as much as the show. Too bad the soundtrack isn't available yet. I highly recommend this show. Ohmygosh, I can't think of what this place was called, but we were there. On top of the Empire State Building. Why does Kaycie look way more fab than the rest of us in every picture??! What a view! Mom and Iz Empire State Building Biking in Central Park. One of my favorite things we did. Beautiful Iz after competing. Very cool Egyptian ruins at the MET. This amused me just because it did. At the Metropolitan Museum Visiting the Statue of Liberty "The Naked Cowboy". I watched this guy getting a little "handsy" with the ladies taking pictures with him, so when it was our turn I told him, "Noooo touchy. Seriously, though, keep your little hands to yourself". So, the whole time he was flexing his butt and totally egging me on..."Oh, come on! Touch it. Touch the firmness. Feel how firm. Just rub it. Come on. You know you want to feel the firmness." Oh, hello! I somehow refrained :)