Hello friends! I thought I might have a bit more time to blog this summer while I'm off from work, but it seems I have been busier than ever. Let's see...here's a recap of what June has been for me.....
*1 day training at school
*I turned 48!
*6 day trip to Washington DC & NYC with my nephew Riley
*took Sadie and Rooster to the vet for their yearly check-ups
*celebrated Dakota's 22nd birthday (my son)
*painting party with my teacher friends
*1/2 day training in Google Classroom
*got the great news that my mother-in-law's cancer is nearly gone!
*celebrated my mom's 68th birthday
*attended my 30 year class reunion
*celebrated Father's Day
*2 more days of professional development
*celebrated my birthday late with my friend Jeana
*celebrated Joey's 50th birthday
*drove to Tampa with my teacher friend Kaycee to go to IKEA!
*repainted and put new floors in my craft room which meant taking everything out (not fun)...but I am in love with the transformation and will blog about it soon
*began cleaning out the shed today until it started pouring rain (will finish soon)
* every Tuesday and Thursday workouts from 7 -8 AM and Every Friday from 9-10 AM
*working on things for my new 1st grade classroom
So...I'm sorry I haven't had much chance to blog but hopefully July will be a little slower paced!
I do have a few pictures of my trip to share today. I picked out the highlights.
This was my fourth trip to Washington DC and my second trip to New York City and I enjoyed them both again....especially NYC!
Day 1 in DC....
Korean War Memorial
Lincoln
Vietnam Wall
World War II
Martin Luther King
(this was my first time seeing this one)
Jefferson
Arlington National Cemetery
We also went to the Smithsonian Air & Space and Natural History museums and we saw the White House. We walked over 8 miles on this day! My year of working out helped significantly with all the step climbing and up and downhill walking. I never got tired!
Day 2 was just pictures in front of the capital before we headed to NYC.
We arrived at our hotel in New Jersey around 4 o'clock and got ready to head to the city for dinner and to see Aladdin on Broadway. It was absolutely awesome and I was happy to get to add another Broadway show to my growing list.
We saw it in the New Amsterdam theater and it was just beautiful inside. I believe this is the same theater I saw Lion King in years ago.
Day 2 in NYC...we saw some things while riding in the bus on the way to the harbor cruise. I had done this before as well but it was nice to go again. The boat we were on was the first one to respond to the plane going down in the Hudson River. Have you seen the movie about it...Sully? I loved it! So...that tall building you see in the photo below is the Freedom Tower built where one of the twin towers used to stand. It is a beautiful building.
Ellis Island
The Statue of Liberty
Another skyline shot
After the cruise, we went to lunch and then toured the grounds of where the twin towers stood. This was new for me...the last time I went there were just 2 massive holes where they stood. Now one is occupied by Freedom Tower and the other by this amazing wall and waterfall. There is no way to get a perfect shot of this. The names of everyone who dies are etched in the wall all the way around. It is breathtaking!
This is the Survivor Tree. It barely survived the fall of the towers but it did and was uprooted and planted in the Bronx. When they finished the grounds, they returned it here.
China Town (didn't care for it before and didn't this time either)
Same opinion of Little Italy
We rode by the Bull on Wall Street
Then we headed to the Rockefeller Center to do the Top of the Rock. This giant ballerina balloon was nearby. Isn't it pretty?
The view from the top was amazing! Before when I went , I went to the top of the Empire State Building which you can see in the photo below. It's the tallest building you see in the center. That tall building on the right in the distance is Freedom Tower and beyond that is the Statue of Liberty although she looks like a speck in this photo.
After we were all safely back on the ground, we walked over to Times Square for dinner and shopping. It is a busy place! That's my nephew in the green shirt and hat. He bought it in Chinatown. :)
This view of Radio City Music Hall was too pretty not to photograph.
Our last day was spent in Central Park. I love the park...you truly forget you're in one of the busiest cities in the world. The real estate around Central Park is the most expensive in the city. If I was a billionaire, of course I would choose this view as well. Our guide said Jerry Seinfeld lives or did live in the building you see on the left. It has a castle like appearance.
The Angel of the Waters Fountain
Hans Christian Andersen
There were so many beautiful things in Central Park but this post is already long!
Next we were off to Grand Central Terminal for lunch before we headed home.
This is a beautiful building!
We had a yummy lunch and then went to Magnolia Bakery where we got something sweet for the long ride home.
Oh my...so many delicious choices!
Unfortunately on the ride home, the bus had some issues and we were delayed by 6 or 7 hours. It was a long and miserable experience but we made it home and that's what matters.
So...have you been to either or both of these beautiful cities? Please tell me your favorite thing about them if you have. I'll be back to share my craft room redo soon as well as my Ikea haul and a couple other things. Thanks so much for visiting and until next time.....
Soooooooo much going on with you Vicky! Firstly, so glad to hear about your mil. That's such great news and I'm sure a huge relief for everyone.
ReplyDeleteOur daughter went to GW so we've been to D.C. many times, and of course we lived in NY for 60 years so yes, been to the places you wrote about although we haven't seen the freedom tower up close and personal. It does look like a gorgeous structure from afar though, I didn't know that about the tree. Great story!
Doing floors in any room is SUCH a huge job since everything has to be moved, but at least it gets clean too, right? Sound like you had a blast at IKEA! lol
What a hassle about the bus going back to your hotel. Any reason you didn't stay in manhattan?
Have a great weekend and hopefully July will be a bit more laid back for you.
xxx
What a great tour of NYC! I haven't been in a while and we are tentatively planning a trip for September. My husband is a native of NYC and he goes back and forth about returning....bittersweet, I guess. You highlighted a lot of the places I have been, but I do like Little Italy a lot....not so much Chinatown. I keep nudging my husband to take us places that are not touristy, so I guess there is a lot I haven't seen yet. He grew up in Harlem and that is quite interesting, if you ever have a chance to go there.
ReplyDeleteThanks for sharing your trip with us Vickie! I enjoyed seeing the NYC photos because it has been so long since I have been there. But a special affection for the D.C. photos, because for many years I lived in D.C.
ReplyDeleteHate travel issues, and they seem to happen as often as not. Get some needed rest. :)
Wow, you sure have been busy! That trip looks like it was a lot of fun!
ReplyDeleteTania
Such a busy summer so far! I've not accomplished nearly as much but I am getting things checked off my to do list! Can't wait to see your new craft space. Hugs!
ReplyDeleteYou have definitely been one busy girl. I love Washington because I love history.
ReplyDeleteCan't wait to see the room.
I'm so happy that you have the opportunity to do this . . . it's a big responsibility caring for other people's children in such big and busy cities, but I would say they are in good hands with you :)
ReplyDeleteHi Vicky, it looks like you had a great time in DC and NYC. I love central park too and I had a tour by my daughter last year and I saw parts that I never saw before. I love the pond with all of the people in the boats. Yes you would never know that you were in NYC!
ReplyDeleteI sounds like you have been really busy and accomplishing a lot.
Hope you have a wonderful 4th.
Julie
You have been so busy, Vicky. I'm so glad you enjoyed your trips. It has been fun following along on Instagram.
ReplyDeleteThe trip to NYC looked fabulous. I used to go there on business and I never had the time to really tour the city, which is such a shame. I'd love to go back there and do it right!
ReplyDeleteWe were in NYC a couple of years after 9/11. The Towers site was still walled off at that time. Nice to see it with the beautiful waterfall and tower. I saw Lion King, I think, at the theater you mentioned. It was stunning! Have never been to D.C. Would love to go someday. Thanks for sharing. Been loving the pictures of your craft room makeover on Instagram!
ReplyDeleteYou've been one busy lady!
Hugs,
Cecilia