New York!

When Derek's friend Adam (who was a best man at our wedding) decided to get married in NY (well Jersey City actually) the week of our 9th anniversary we decided we had to go.  My parents agreed to come and watch the kids, so we went!  6 days with no children!  We did miss them, but we were glad that we didn't try to do the trip with them.  NY is a tough place to drag kids around.  We watched others doing it and were thankful that we weren't attempting it.  I have been to NY before, and my first impression was about right.  It is still HOT and SMELLY and BUGGY.  But, it was fun to see it with Derek who LOVES NY.  

My goals for the trip were to rest a lot, eat when I was hungry, sit down when I was tired, and see a bit of NY.  Well, I got pretty tired walking around the city, but other than that, I think I accomplished my goals! The wedding was in Liberty Park just across the water from NY.  The skyline was amazing.  We had a picture of us taken there, we will hopefully get it and I can post it.  I also don't have the pics from Derek's phone, so I might have to do another NY post.  

Here are our seat at the Yankee's game. Pretty sweet, huh?  AND...

They have padded seats!  I love this innovation!  Too bad no home runs came our way.  

NJ 911 Monument--It looks across to NY to where the Twin Towers once stood and has the names of all those from NJ who lost their lives that day.  Pretty powerful.   But Derek and I were amazed at how many people smile and pose by these monuments.  Seems a bit disrespectful.   

911 Memorial in NY.  It was incredible.  There are two of these waterfall monuments.  One in each of the foundation bases of the towers that fell.  The number of people who lost their lives is so crazy.  I shed a tear or several here, especially when I read the names of the police officers.  

The view from our hotel in Jersey City--the WESTIN.  We stayed there the first 2 nights.

From the Island where the Statue of Liberty stands looking back at NY.  (Notice how sunburned we are getting.  Ouch).

The Majestic Lady

Right by our second hotel, in Chelsea was a "Cafe Prague".  We got svichova and smazeny syr!  The svichova was good.  The fried cheese was okay.  I got to listen to the mom and son speaking Czech.  That was super fun.  

We spent several hours in the Met one day.  They have an awesome French display.  This was Louis XIV's desk!

We had to eat some soul food--Miss Maude's.  Yum. And the server was hilarious!

This was Derek's Reuben sandwich at Katz's deli (the one in When Harry Met Sally).  It was the yummiest food we ate the whole time I think.  

My mug shot at the Police Museum.  Their tribute to the officers who lost their lives in 911 had me almost sobbing.  It was really powerful.  

Derek giving the side view.

We saw "Nice Work if you can get it" with Matthew Broderick.  It was fantastic!  

Dance Recital

I LOVE dance recitals.  LOVE LOVE LOVE.  In fact, when my kids get older, I think I am going to join the adult class where they dance.  I love the energy, the nervousness, the excitement, it is just amazing.  (This is just like test day when you are a teacher, it was my favorite day.  The students are buzzing with stress and anticipation...anyway, I digress).  The girls were so happy and excited.  They did a great job.  Libby was walking out on stage and was so mesmerized by the audience and the lights that she ran into the girl in front of her.  Looked like she might cry for a minute, but she pulled it together.  I can't wait to get the DVD, I will post the dances!

Ben's Stats

Had Ben's 1-year check up today (I am so prompt, right?).
Weight 19 lbs. 1 oz.  10th %
Height  28 3/4 inches  20th%
Head 18 1/2 inches 60%

Tiny, big head Norton :)
I overheard Libby telling someone yesterday that she is really smart because she has a big brain.

HGTV Dreamin'

I watch way too much HGTV.  It makes me think my house needs to be perfect--inside--outside--from the flooring to the ceiling.  I am cutting myself off.  But before I did that, I wanted to be sure and do one last project....(or 2 or 3).  I updated the frames in my family room so that all the pics included Ben.  I got float frames.  LOVE them.

More family pics went up that are the Norton Clan and the Randall Clan.  I am wearing the same shirt in both pics.  The pictures are taken 2 years apart.  What does that say about my wardrobe?  Hmmm....

The big project, bedroom and headboard.  This was in part motivated my my friend MaryAnne's amazing headboard and by the fact that my parents are coming to stay in our room while we are in NY next week.  I wanted it to be super posh for them to say thanks.  

Derek's favorite feature that I know will be a hit with my dad too....a magazine rack right in the bathroom.  (I so love the color of the bathroom! So bright and fresh!  I hadn't realized that the old paint job was so bad!)
So, if I have looked tired the last week, just look at these projects, (I had to sew the bedding down from king to queen too) and the birthday party for Ben, and there you have the key reasons!  

Ben IS 1!

Our friend Luca and Libby and Sarah did a great job of helping Ben open his gifts.  

The Battle AXE.  Despite the fact that this toy said AGES 8+, Derek was convinced it would be Ben's favorite gift.  It was definitely Reid, Gideon, Libby and Sarah's favorite.

Ben actually loved all the gifts and instantly started playing with them.  Blocks and cars are on the top of his list!

Playing with cousin Emma

The party favors.  Not sure why this pic is upside down, I switched it in Picassa, but it is stubborn.  

My All Star!

We had a really fun birthday party for Ben last night.  We had some great friends and family pop in to see Ben open some gifts and eat some cupcakes.  I was reminded that I have such great friends and family.  I am thankful for the village that is helping me raise my kids!

My amazing friend Molly helped me with the cupcakes.

Ben didn't really love the cupcake, and he really didn't like the hat.  

The Girls

Since I am about to write a big post about Ben's birthday, I should say a few things about my girls.
Have I mentioned that Libby abbreviates everything right now?  It isn't popcorn, it's pop...and so on.  It is funny the things she comes up with. (And, on the topic of popcorn, Libby always wants "pop" and Sarah always wants "kettle".  Libby doesn't like kettle corn.  How weird is that!)  Libby also ate 1 1/2 raw potatoes the other night for her post-bedtime snack.  Libby is also currently obessed with having straight hair.  I can get her to do anything:  clean up toys, eat proteins, etc. if I promise to straighten her hair.  She is quite vain about her hair.

Sarah was taking pics with my phone during stake conference.  She caught Grammy giving a concerned look.  

Sarah self portrait

Sarah after the dance recital dress rehearsal.  I forgot to take on of Libby after she came out.  Sarah's lipstick was pretty  much all smudged and gone.  Libby's was still pristine.  I don't think Libby closed her mouth the whole time she had her lipstick on.  She keeps her mouth totally still so as not to mess up the lipstick.

Right now I am having trouble keeping Sarah away from my phone.  I am finding her very often right now snuggled up with her blanket on a couch or chair watching "Jesus movies" (the new bible videos), or most often coloring on one of my coloring apps.  She also loves fruit ninja and very successfully plays with one finger (Libby on the other hand uses all 4 fingers when she plays fruit ninja).

Derek's Birthday Bash

Last night we had Derek's birthday party.  I think this will become a tradition.  It was so easy and yummy!  We had the party at Spiros, a great Shoreline pizza joint.  Derek got a tent and a bunch of Cabella's gift cards.  Hopefully you will be reading about some camping trips before too long (probably next summer actually...we have so much going on this summer!)

The whole group!

Mike feeding Ben fruit pizza.  Mike learned about Ben's favorite eating technique.  Take food into hand.  Crush.  Eat the crumbs.  Unfortunately for Mike's shirt, fruit pizza is really nasty when you crush it.  

Sarahisms

Sarah is so cute.  She has still been complaining of a headache ever since her strep bout.  She has also been sleeping lots--one night she went to bed at 5:00 pm.  But then she gets up at 6 or 6:30 almost every morning.  This is very frustrating to me, because that is when I get up so that I can have some time before kids get up to do my scripture reading and learn choreography.  Derek pointed out that she is just like me (while Libby is more like him, she would rather stay up late and sleep late).  So true.  Sarah is watching videos on my phone as I type.  Whenever I try to get her to go back to bed she says, "but I am not sweepy."  (Yes, sweepy, not sleepy).

The other night I tried to lay down by her in her bed to get her to go back to sleep.  I couldn't.  There was no space.  She has decided that her bed is a "yard sale" as she calls it.  She is constantly filling her bed with stuff.  Along one side she sticks the bedtime stories that we read (she has at least 10 books there at all times).  Then she has stuffed animals, cars, princesses, it is a full house!  Once a week or so I clean it all out and she starts over.  In this way she is NOT like me at all  :)

Libbyisms

When Libby got into the truck that we test drove the other night, she screamed "OH!  IT'S JUST LIKE I DREAMED IT WOULD BE!"  It was hilarious.  Then, part way through the ride she was screaming, "GET ME OUT OF HERE!  I WANT TO GO HOME!"  It was close to bedtime for sure.

The other day I was talking to the Wrestling Rhinos board president Brian Alfi.  I don't know if I have ever mentioned this, but I am the Rhinos board secretary.  I was working on the brochure for next year.  (Libby loves Alfi.  She told me last week when I was leaving for the meeting, "Tell Alfi I love him!")  Anyway, she asked to talk to Alfi and told him she was going to wrestle this year.  Oh my.  I knew this was coming.  Luckily she probably isn't big enough for another year.  But we told her this and she has decided to start eating "to get her strength up" for wrestling.  It has been amazing to watch her eat.  Last night before bed she ate 3 nutri-grain bars.  Who is this child?

Derek and I love HG-TV.  I always watch lots after I have a baby because it is so happy and free of conflict.  Everyone gets a nice house in the end.  It is a source of some of my stress though, because then I want to do updates on my house.  But anyway, one of the shows we like is called "LOVE IT OR LIST IT."  Libby loves it too.  So now, if I ask her if she loves something (like the dinner or a dress) she will say, "or are you going to list it?"  She is definitely in favor of listing our house and getting a bigger one.  Ha ha.  Someday.

Benisms

Ben has been up to a whole lot this last week.  He is really trying to stand up on his own.  I think that is when he will walk, when he can get up from sitting and walk.  He is occasionally letting go while he is cruising around on the furniture.  Sometime soon I guess.
His is also doing a bit of waving.  Especially when I say, "Say night night Ben."  He waves to whoever is in the room.  I also swear that he says "Hi!" and "Yeah!"  He can now clap--barely--when we sing "If You're Happy and you Know It."  (One of his favorite tunes).
I can't believe he will be one in a week!

Ben found some M n Ms that the girls left out on the grass.  They were peanut , so he would lick off the candy shell and then spit out the rest.  Oh so messy!  

Not sure how he got the tutu around his neck, but I have 2 guesses named Libby and Sarah.

Daddy started officially truck shopping.  Ben and Libby both LOVED this truck.  But it was an F-250 diesel, a bit more truck than we needed.  

I couldn't figure out why Ben was hollering until I came out of the girls' room to find that he had climbed up on top of his toy box.  He was delighted with himself and really wanted me to see his accomplishment.