New York, New York...

So, we had quite the eventful weekend plus two extra days (oh, yee-freaking-haw), because I believe I've mentioned before, my kids never actually have to go to school here in New York.

I so love that.

No, really, because it means that we can take all kinds of excursions together and spend a whole lot of money. And maybe, just maybe, we can also get Coop to take the day off and go with us and spend even MORE money. And then, at some point when Coop and I have completely lost the will to live, the children will demand to go out to eat.

No, I'm kidding. Mostly.

Well.

Okay.

Sort of kidding.

On Saturday, we went to the beach.

The thing about Long Island is this: I never really think about the fact that we live on an island. But DUDES, we DO! Every once in a while I am reminded of it. Like when I see sea gulls in the parking lot at the grocery store. Other than that, I never really think about it because it's normal life with school and work and laundry and not really like life at the beach with margaritas and sand and more margaritas. Know what I mean?

But there are BEACHES here. Less than 20 minutes from us! Look!



It was a bit cold, even for Jane, who has been known to brave some seriously cold water. But, oh my gosh, the promise of the summer...



And then Monday, we took the girls to New York City, where the secret to success seems to be to feed the inmates every two hours no matter what.

So, first we ate pizza. At 10:30.

(Note how I am holding my pizza like true New Yorkers do--folded in the middle. We're all so proud of this new-found talent--except Ana who simply refuses to do it. Girl's got her own style and she's not changing for anyone. So there.)

Then we went to the Empire State Building, where it was freaking FREEZING OUTSIDE but we braved it anyway. For $64 we better, right?


(Just so you know, that was the WIND doing that to our hair. Just want to be really clear.)

We came down from that and went to FAO Schwarz, the Pinnacle of All Things Toy-Related.

In this picture, Jane and I are playing on the giant keyboard thing. I've always wanted to do that--ever since I saw the movie "Big." (Remember! The camera adds...um... forty pounds.)

(Oh, hush. It's MY blog and I'll defy the laws of physics if I want to.)



Here is Ana by the life-sized Darth Vader made of Legos.

She's clearly tapping into her inner Jedi because somehow, she convinced us to let her design her own Barbie, complete with shoes and purse. Barbie then got to strut on the fashion runway and then Ana got to take her home in a little pink case.

I think I better just admit that Barbie always, always wins and just get over it. I might rail against the merchandising machine but I am powerless to stop it.

Jane opted for a doll accessory kit because, hello, she like, NEEDED one.

We could tell the wheels were about to come off the train at this point so the girls posed with Lego Sponge Bob
and then we went out to eat Chinese food.

By that time, the strain of imagining that everyone we saw was out to mug us had so exhausted us that we headed back to the Island. (I'm just kidding about the muggers --it was really the strain of trying to keep Jane from being run over by Taxi drivers. I keep telling her, "Your super powers aren't fully developed yet. PLEASE BE CAREFUL!")

The next day, Coop actually went to work and the girls and I played around the house. The weather was beautiful and we all wished for some ice cream. Jane heard the ice cream truck in the distance and she and Ana went out and hunted him down. (Well, okay, so they waited at the end of our street (under my watchful eye) until he passed by.) It was pretty impressive, though, because our neighbor says the ice cream truck never comes up our street. I might have to rethink that thing about Jane's super powers.