Make Sure You Have Plenty of Money, Can Hold in Your Laughter, and Don't Have to "Go"

...And other things I discovered on our "Christmas in NYC" vacation:

1. As I looked around, practically anywhere we went, but especially on the Subway, I was the only blonde.

Ya, I didn't look out of place, now, did I?  ;)

2.  Ice Skating is HARD!!

It kills your feet, calves, and bum.  When we first got on the rink, we were only able to make it HALFWAY around before we had to rest - seriously!  Then we worked up to one whole time around without stopping, then 1 1/2, and then two times around - if we went on the "inside track."  I figured it out; it had literally been 29 years since I had been ice skating!!!

(But, how can you NOT when you're in NYC at Christmas time?!?)

Matt tried a couple laps on his own to see if he could do it better/it was easier without me holding onto his hand........well, he wiped out!  I, on the other hand, never fell once.  I guess he knows now it'll NEVER be a good idea to ditch me!  haha.  ;)

Watching the zambonie is very relaxing, in comparison.  :)

3.  Their definition of money, is not the same as my definition of money.
As we got closer to Central Park, many bike carriages tried to solicit us.  The guy says, "Do you wanna ride?  It's almost FREE!"  Well....on the carriage was a sign advertising it was $3.00/minute.  So, if it takes a couple minutes to load up, and about 30 minutes to ride around the entire park, and another couple minutes to disembark....all of a sudden, "almost FREE" = $100!!
Also, as I was standing in line for the restroom (see #13 below) at Radio City Music Hall (BTW, it was the MEN'S restroom they'd opened up for all us women), I was chatting with the woman behind me in line.  She disclosed that she had paid $420 a ticket to bring her family to the show.  That was the EACH price, not the total price - and she had a family of 4 - she'd spent $1,800 (w/ taxes/fess) to come!!!   She said it was her anniversary, so she told her husband they WERE going to the city!
OK....#1 - the show IS spectacular (see #14 below), but I'm not sure it's worth that much money, and #2 - WHY are you bringing your little children on your anniversary??? 
(We were given our tickets, very generously, by one of Matt's business partners who's from the area.) 

4.  NYC really knows how to decorate it up for Christmas!

5. Thus, expect crowds this time of year! 

6.  ...And Security/Cops

(cops were all over in those yellow, reflective vests - other cops were guarding the street with big, military weapons)

See that cop (in the peaked cap) just right behind Matt?  

Well, 1.4 seconds AFTER I took this picture, he was right on me telling me to step down off that bench I had stood on to take the photo.  ;)    (otherwise I'm too short in those crowds!) 

 So, I guess you could say that I got in trouble with the law in NYC!?

7.  Apparently, I have a boutique in the city! 

8.  It takes 3 hours to get to church 

We looked on lds.org to find the nearest church (in Brooklyn) with the most convenient meeting times (i.e. NOT 9:00a.m.) and went there via bus, subway, and on foot.  When we got there, the gates were all closed up and not a person was in sight.  Matt called the Branch President who was listed on lds.org and found out that it had been their Stake Conference at a different building that day, and it was already over!
Really?!?
This has happened to us on a few separate occasions, when traveling, also.
What are the chances?!?
Well, I'll tell you, because I actually did the Math!  There's only a 3.8% chance that on any random Sunday, it would be Stake Conference.  (It's held twice a year).

So, then we got back on the Subway for 30+ minutes, then walked the rest of the way to this church building in upper Manhattan.

Aaahhh, being there, though, did help settle some of our frustrations from earlier in the day.

9.  Everyone claims they have "The Best Food in the City"

And they might be right!  :)

 {New York style pizza}

 {Mabo Dofu @ a Japanese restaurant}

 {NYC street food carts}

There's TONS of these around on many street corners, and they all serve similar food, yet each one claims there's "is the best."  
They don't want to lose you to one of their competitors, either.

While we were standing by this cart, he was filling another groups' order and it was taking some time, so we started looking at other carts to see if they had a wait.

This guy saw us "shopping around" and he kept trying to keep us there; since he made such a valiant effort, we ended up staying in line for his cart! :)

10.  There is some unique entertainment in the Subway

I texted my fluted-playing friend, who plays for free at church/community functions, that she should try it in NYC with her bag for people to drop money in instead!  

But, I'm not sure how lucrative that'd be; as you can see, he didn't exactly have a "captive audience."

I'd never before witnessed such a thing!  This guy literally pulls a speaker out of his back pack, plugs in his iPod, makes an announcement to our train that no one would get hurt, then the music starts and he proceeds to perform this circus act/break dance routine using all the poles and grab bars on the Subway.  *Notice how everyone is trying to ignore him!*  I just kept squeezing Matt's arm and given him a silent "look" while keeping a straight face.  Then he goes through with his hat out for people to put money into.  At the next stop, he leaves our car, and jumps into the next car....but along the way, gets into an "altercation" with some other young men who are demanding that THAT was their line to work!

11.  I have an instant adoration for missionaries 

And being with them, helped me feel close to my own missionary.

Our SIL's parents are serving a mission in New York, and they have the young missionaries over to dinner every Sunday - and they invited us there, as well.

It was so fun to be among them!

 Our spirits were definitely lifted and you couldn't help but feel GOOD after being in their presence!

12. Rockefeller Center is NOT the only tree in town 

 {Bryant Park}

 {Seaport Village}

see our reflection in the ornament?

 {a Toys-4-Tots tree with presents under it - including real bikes! - 

I've never seen those kind of toys, or that many!}

 {Although, we did go to Rockefeller, too!}

13.  Stay dehydrated, so you never have to go to the bathroom! 

Because there is no such thing as a "public restroom." 

One evening, we stopped at a diner to eat - not because we were starving, but because I HAD to pee, and the restrooms were only for customers!  Then we ordered the smallest thing on the menu that we could find!

Another day, we went into Sax Fifth Avenue to "shop" so that we could use their bathroom.  On my way in search for it, a "perfume lady" caught me to spray me with samples; she was very friendly and then asked for the sale - when I asked her, instead, where the restrooms were, her demeanor immediately changed and she pointed in their direction and "dismissed" me.  ;)

14.  They don't call it the "Radio City Music Hall Christmas SPECTACULAR" for nothing.

There's no better word to describe it: SPECTACULAR! 

Starring the Rockettes!

I was so surprised (because it is a "secular" event), BUT SO GLAD, that they included The Nativity, complete with REAL CAMELS, SHEEP, & a DONKEY on stage, recitation of scripture, and sacred music for the finale of the show.   Matt thought the applause for that number was louder than any other - it was such a SWEET ending that left a wonderful feeling!

15. The TRUE meaning of Christmas can still be found in the middle of NYC's hubbub

 {on taxis}

 {On the Jumbotrons and billboards in Times Square}

THIS is the sight that I acted most like an excited tourist about and snapped pictures galore of!  :)


Now, onto getting Christmas ready at home...... 
(I might be crying a little)  ;)

Compelled to Spill the Beans

TONIGHT (just ONE DAY AFTER last night's "closed lip" incident, mind you) while I was in my office working, I heard my son come in for the evening and say to his dad, "So, about tonight..."  

My first thought was, No way!  Was he involved in another accident tonight?  (I hadn't even had a chance to tell my husband about the first accident!)  Sometimes, it's like that, ya know?  For y'all, too, right?!?  Hello?
So, I took a break from work at my next opportunity and came out and asked my husband, "Did Kyle have another incident tonight?"
To which he replied, "Another???  When was the other?"  hahaha.  So, I filled him in on the one from yesterday, then he called Kyle up to fill me in on tonight's.

It turns out, it was NOT another car accident.  As in a crash, but.....

Kyle and his friends went to McDonald's.  As they were leaving McDonald's, the car Kyle was in drove by "Female friend 1" [same one from yesterday], who was walking out in the parking lot, so Kyle threw his drink cup, that had water/ice in it, out the window at her.  (I don't know WHY???  To be funny?  'Cause it's not funny.)

WELL......there just happened to be a cop behind them who saw this and he immediately turned on his flashing lights and pulled over their car.  The cop asked WHAT HE WAS DOING.  He told him he was just messing around with his friend back there, SIR.  Then the cop gave him a lecture about littering and respecting women/girls.  He then asked for Kyle's name and phone number, then asked for his dad's name and phone number!


The news spread like wild fire through texts/social media and Kyle started getting all these texts with people commenting and asking questions!  ;)

And here's the kicker: it was the SAME COP from the night before at the accident!  Kyle is not sure if the cop recognized him since he didn't say anything, though.

Kyle did come home and immediately told his dad about this one, and then later me - better for us to hear it from him since he knew we'd find out anyway since the cop had his dad's contact info!  (BTW, Matt never got a phone call!)  So, we've figured out how to make Kyle start yakkety-yak-ing: a cop's scare tactics!  ;)

Close Lipped Kyle

Last night, Kyle went out with some friends.  I knew he got picked up from our house by his two friends, "Friend 1" and "Friend 2."  But, then later, at the end of the night, when he texted asking if I could come pick him up, he was at "Friend 3's" house.
While I was driving him home, I was asking questions about his evening, curious as to why he was no longer with "Friend 1" and "Friend 2" who he started off with, and how he ended up at someone else's house.

Me: "So, you guys just decided to go over to 'Friend 3's' house?"
Him: "Ya."
Me:  "All three of you?  'Friend 1,' 'Friend 2,' and you?"
Him: "Well, I think 'Friend 1' went home."
Me: "And 'Friend 2?'"
Him: "He must've walked home." (he lives closer to this kid)
Me: "Just now or earlier in the evening?"
Him: "Just a little earlier."
Me: "So, did 'Friend 3' call you and invite you over, or did you guys just show up?"
Him: "We just decided to go over there."
Me: "Did you go there right after they picked you up, or did you do something else first?"
Him: "Almost right after."
Me: "So, what did you do when your friends very first picked you up from our home?"
Him: "Well, first we went driving around."
Me: "Driving around where?"
Him: "Well, we were going over to see 'Female Friend 1' at her house."
Me: "And, did you?"
 
We talked for about 5 whole minutes about what happened (which wasn't totally making sense to me, thus, LOTS of questions) BEFORE he finally [and casually] mentioned that "Friend 1," the driver of the car he was in, got into an accident while they were on their way to "Female Friend 1's" house - towards the beginning of the night!!! 

(Everyone was OKAY).
Did he just experience a "slip of the mind" about the accident during my previous 20 QUESTIONS, or what?!?  ;) 
The cops came to the scene to fill out an accident report and everything.  (And they did test "Female Friend 1" to come outside...to see them, BTW.) Then, "Friend 1" had to go home to face "the wrath of his mother" whose nice car he happened to be driving.  And, that's why Kyle was no longer with him, and was at "Friend 3's" house instead - "Friend 1's" evening out with friends was over, and he had to drop them off somewhere else.

Had I not had an "inquiring mind," he maybe wouldn't have even "disclosed" that slight, little detail of the evening!  It's just one of my many roles in my "job description" as a Mom: INVESTIGATOR.

What a contrast, though, he is to his older brother who, at times, was too much of a chatterbox - in fact, we actually have had to say, "Stop talking" to him sometimes in the past.  Whereas, Kyle tries to get away with as few words as possible - as if he believes he only has a limited number of words in his lifetime, and he doesn't want to use them all up too early!  ;) 

Work Woes

It hasn't exactly been a breeze at work for Matt & I lately.

MATT:
It all started on Christmas Eve.....

When THIS GUY walked into Matt's work (a Credit Union).

And THEN he proceeded to ROB one of their tellers!  He just verbally told him, "This is a robbery.  Give me all your money."  The teller looked at him like he was kidding, to which the robber clarified, "This is FOR REAL."  So, the teller complied.

(And got away before law enforcement arrived - within minutes!)

The president was out that day, so Matt spent a lot of time searching the security camera footage and prepare it for the cops and going through all the other procedural steps for robberies.  Never pleasant.

In the News:  This same guy went on to rob two other financial institutions over the course of the same week!!  Story HERE.

THEN, on Monday, just 13 days after the 1st robbery, they got robbed AGAIN.  (Different robber, same teller!!!)  We couldn't believe it!

He imitated he had a weapon, but one was never seen.

AGAIN, the president of the credit union was still out, so Matt went through the whole "recovery process" that day, as well - LIKE HE DOESN'T HAVE ANYTHING ELSE HE NEEDS TO DO!  HA!
This time the FBI was there with their masks on, collecting fibers, and the whole nine yards!
Understandably, some of his employees were VERY distraught and shook up.  They kept the outside door locked the rest of the afternoon.

Why do these thugs think they can just commit such crimes...which involve REAL PEOPLE????  (It's an epidemic - like 24 bank robberies in the last two months in our state!)  And cause all kinds of [mental & financial] damage along the way.  

ME:
My hopes to start the New Year off "low-key" at work were completely dashed THANKS TO THIS:

The first winter storm of the year has arrived bringing with it significant snowfall, strong winds and extremely frigid temperatures to the Northeast. Going into it we knew this was going to be a challenge, but boy, were we unpleasantly surprised for how big it actually got.

It caused us to deal with THIS:

Which resulted in a TON of THIS:

Which meant a "Code Red" was issued on NEW YEAR'S DAY.  A "code red" is when it is mandatory for everyone to work a certain number of overtime hours that day.  (In addition to your regularly scheduled work shifts.)
The CODE RED was still in effect for January 2.
And then another CODE RED was issued for January 3.
And another on January 4.
And on January 5.
And January 6.
And even on January 7.

But, to look on the bright side....{cue ABBA's song, "Money, Money, Money"}  I'll probably make more money in this one week time period, than I did in the last 2 months!

Finally, for the 8th, overtime will no longer be mandatory, but it is still being asked of us, on a volunteer basis, because there are still so many [sometimes irate] customers calling trying to either get a better/earlier/different flight, or get their money refunded/adjusted.  Or to just complain, cancel, compliment, cross-examine, cuss at, or confuse us!

But, we tried to MAKE THE MOST OF IT:

Good thing my friends gave me a case of this:

And this:

;)

To cope, Matt also took me away, out on a date Friday night to a steakhouse we have been wanting to try for years, and then another day I got together with The Girls for a sort of "bridge club."

Friday will be my first day off work in 11 days!  I am looking forward to it!

Why Can't Family Pictures Ever Go off Without a Hitch?

Inform my whole family about Family Pictures (so there would be no protesting/complaining they "didn't know!") -- check.

Laid out 3 different wardrobe options for each child (so there would be no meltdowns because they "hate that!") -- check.

Asked Matt to come home from work early (so we could have enough daylight left for pictures) -- check.

Allow one hour before "showtime" to double check &/or fix everyone's hair/face/clothes -- check.

Back out of our driveway ON TIME -- check.

Have the gas tank full enough to get us to the picture location -- *@$#%^+%!!!

Yep, we ran out of gas on I-15 on the way to our picture appointment!

I don't even make it a habit to check the gas gauge, so I wasn't even aware.

Matt, on the other hand, had noticed we were on empty, but because he knew how hard I was trying to make it on time, he didn't say anything, let alone stop to fill up.

So, there we found ourselves stopped on the side of the road. The relative who lives closest to this "incident" was the lucky one to be called to come help us! :) Matt's brother (Thanks Mike) went and filled up a gas can (and his own car, too, since he was at risk to also run out!) to bring to us/come to our rescue.

But, this all takes time - and the minutes (& daylight) were ticking away...and I could not get a hold of our photographer (turns out, her cell phone had fallen out of her pocket and was laying in the grass in her yard.)

Meanwhile, as we were waiting on the side of the freeway, a Highway Patrolman pulled up behind us. He got out of his car and approached my [passenger] side. Since the car was dead and we couldn't unroll the automatic window, I had to open my door.

He asked what was going on. We told him we'd run out of gas and had already called someone...and, with great timing, right then our "help" pulled up behind the cop car!

BUT, instead of commenting on how well we were taking care of our "situation," he says to me,

"You know I could ticket you for this!"

I said, "No, I did not know that."

He said, "Yep, it's called a 'voluntary emergency stop.'" (or something to that effect)

Then he goes on to lecture me about how dangerous it is to be on the side of the road, and especially with all my children in the car. AND then he asks,

"I mean, really, how many gas stations did you pass on your way here?
Probably 3 or 4." (it was actually only one.)

He was really trying to lay it into me how much this was my fault & how careless I was! (I know, I know!)

(He let us go without a ticket, but reminded me again that he totally could give us one!)

So, here we are totally late for our appointment and I'm trying hard to hold back the tears -- unsuccessfully.

So, what d'ya do when that's happened and you're suppose to get Family Pictures taken?

You just get a creative photographer to cut Mom's face out of the photo...

Or you just take one of these handsome boys only...

(that Matt -- I tell ya, he IS a sight for sore eyes! :) Wooo!)
And, of course, you stay out of the picture again by just throwin' the kids in to pose...

There's always the option of looking away and just catching the family photo from behind...

OR you put "the center of attention" in the mix -- the one who makes everything all better -- who has the ability to draw a smile out of EVERYONE (even a frazzled, upset, emotionally disheveled Mom)...
Again, I ask, "What would we do without Brookelle?"