This past weekend Jason and I headed up to New York to take in the sights at Christmas time! (Kate stayed behind and spent the weekend being spoiled by grandparents) The minute we landed on Friday it started snowing and snowing and snowing. It was coming down hard but that didn't stop us from taking in the sights.
We went to Rockefeller Center and saw the huge Christmas tree and wandered around 5th Ave. Katie C, you will be so disappointed in me, I went in a million stores and didn't buy one thing - there is so much stuff and I just couldn't make a decision!
at Rockefeller Center
We went to dinner at this great little Italian restaurant called
Lupa. At first all I saw on the menu was words like pig jowl and tripe which means insides and stuff...YUCK! However I took the waitresses suggestions for an appetizer, main dish and wine and I must tell you that it was one of the best meals I have ever had (I didn't eat anything weird either). The chef for Lupa is Mario Batali - I didn't know him but obviously he is very famous. But if ever in New York, I highly recommend this restaurant. It also has a great quaint atmosphere.
Next we went to see Wicked. This is a must see. We spent a ton of money trying to get these tickets and they were worth every penny. The main girls had AMAZING voices and I was just captured by the acting and storyline. I even found myself getting choked up at the end. Broadway is completely unreal!
Saturday we woke up and had a full day sightseeing. First we went down to the Bodies Exhibit. It sounds disturbing and it kind of is disturbing but at the same time it is very intriguing. They take real bodies and display them showing you bones and muscles and nervous systems and organs. One part of the exhibit was of babies and the gestation of a baby. I thought I would find it upsetting but instead I was completely in awe of our God. I was in complete amazement of the creation of life. I saw what the amniotic sac looks like when you fist conceive. At five weeks the baby still looks like a little blob but at seven weeks, even though so so tiny, it is a baby. A tiny head and body with arms and legs. I don't know how anyone can say that life doesn't begin at conception. To think that these babies were once that, "babies" was sad but I was also just filled with awe at the miracle of life. It actually made me want to get pregnant again...too bad Jason isn't on board yet!
We then headed over to see where the World Trade Center used to stand and we headed south of that to see the Statue of Liberty. We also walked around the financial district.
We at lunch at Lambardo's Pizza and walked around Little Italy. We went to the top of Rockefeller Center and saw all of New York City which was really cool...and COLD! The best part of the whole day was later that night we walked out of our hotel which was right on Time Square and went right up to the ticket window for last minute Broadway shows and got tickets to the Rockets! It was for 10pm at night but hey, we were in the city that never sleeps so 10pm is all relative. Our tickets were on the very first row! If the Rocketts had a run in their stockings we would have seen it!
at the top of Rockefeller Center
did I mention that our tickets were on the very first row???
On Sunday our plans got a little messed up. We got an email saying our flight had been cancelled for that night and we were supposed to fly out the next day on this incredibly horrible itinerary. They had us flying all over the place and changing airports in D.C. and all kinds of crazy stuff. And the real problem was our hotel we were staying in was over $600 a night but we were staying for free off of hotel points that Jason had so we couldn't even afford to stay another night. So we booked tickets through Southwest with some credit Jason had and flew home earlier in the day Sunday. So all we got to do Sunday was a quick walk through Central Park and a fast trip to FAO Schwartz to get Kate a little gift.
Central Park was beautiful covered in all the snow!
All in all, we really had a great trip. And for those of you who know Jason and what a penny pincher he is...he was so much fun, spending money at every turn and not worrying about it at all!! He was so sweet and would got and get us breakfast every morning and he walked in every clothing store with me and would let me look around for as long as I wanted without any complaining! Oh, and he also took millions of pictures with me and he even did it with a smile on his face! So my first trip to New York City was wonderful and we will have to definitely go again! 
Michael and Amy gave this to Kate and she hasn't stopped taking the animals and putting them in the barn and then taking them out of the barn and putting them back in the barn....
Merry Christmas from the Brantleys! Hope your time with family and friends was just as wonderful as ours!
The bell at the bottom of the tree is Kate's favorite ornament!
