Sunday, November 30, 2008

Thanksgiving Holiday

We were lucky enough this Thanksgiving to be able to go on another trip up the coast. We left after Eric's class on Tuesday and drove up to DC. That night we had a delicious dinner at a seafood place in Annapolis. Cream of crab soup--absolutely delectable! We grabbed some gelato for desert and then took a little drive around Annapolis. It was dark, so we couldn't see much, but it was okay because we had been in town checking out the Naval Academy (where Eric went to school for awhile) in the last couple years. We spent the night in DC at this really fancy hotel--Motel 6. I doubt anyone reading this has ever been able afford a stay at one, so I will just tell you: it was awesome. Anyway, on Wednesday morning we took our little family to a Smithsonian; the museum of American history. We had a great time. Unfortunately, Ethan didn't last very long. After the transportation exhibit, he pretty much signed off. He didn't even appreciate the Gettysburg Address--written by Lincoln's own hand, no less! After the museum, we walked around the mall a bit. Ethan got a chance to chase the birds by the Washington Monument and get a little energy out. I, on the other hand, could barely walk, let alone run. Oww! My big tummy seemed bigger than ever. After DC, we set off for New York City, our final destination. We figured it would take around 4 hours, pretty much the same as the last time we drove the stretch. Uhhh, no. We left DC about 2:15 pm and didn't arrive in Manhattan until about 10 pm. The traffic was abominable! I think every single person on the coast was driving to New York. I could go on and on about the traffic, but I shall suffice it to say: it was bad. Thank heaven Ethan was as good as gold in the car. Anyway, we got to Sarah and Jonathan's (our cuzzies) at last and chatted a bit, then crashed. We took Thursday pretty easy...got the dinner ready (or I should say, Jonathan got the dinner ready), took Ethan and Christian to the park, watched some football, etc. The meal Sarah and Jonathan fed us was absolutely delicious! Thanks guys! I personally ate enough for 5, I believe. Yum, yummy. That evening, Sarah and Jonathan were kind enough to tend Ethan while Eric and I jetted down to Times Square to see if we could get some Broadway tickets. We were lucky enough to win the lottery for White Christmas! Most Broadway shows have lotteries, which means that if you don't have tickets in advance you can show up outside the box office an hour or so before the play and put your name in a bucket for a drawing. For this one, eleven couple were chosen. The seats are front row and the tickets are only $25 bucks. Crazy, huh?! They must do the lottery for the hype, because they are certainly losing moolah on the deal. Anyway, like I say, Eric and I were some of the lucky winners, so we got front and center seats. The play was wonderful. I had such a good time.On Friday morning we got to go see the Statue of Liberty and Ellis island. What a blast! The weather was freezing and the walking and standing nearly killed me, but it was so worth it. Ethan was very excited to ride the subway train and the boats. Lady Liberty was really something else. Looking at her was almost spiritual--the way she represents America. The freedom and opportunity that people sought when they came to this county. The same freedom that allowed the church to be restored and flourish. I can just imagine seeing her there in New York harbor after an incredibly long, hard journey on a ship. Wow. We also got to visit Ellis Island which was very interesting. I think Eric and I could've spent a lot more time there, but we had a 2 year old that just didn't appreciate the history. Again, amazing stories; so many people came through those facilities. On our way back to Sarah and Jonathan's apt we grabbed some pastrami sandwiches and NY cheesecake. Yum! Sadly, after these adventure it was time to go home. We took off on Friday afternoon, letting Ethan have one more play with Christian (undoubtedly the best part of the trip for him). The traffic was no problem this time--no one was coming home of Friday night. It was a wonderful trip--our jeep worked great, we ate some delicious food, were in good company and made it home safely. Thank you Sarah and Jonathan for letting us come again!

8 comments:

Chris and Michelle said...

Natalie! Cutest blog ever! You need to leave your email on mine so I can add you! Yeah!

Janice Lois said...

Looks like you really enjoyed your family holiday trip

Stefani said...

fun! I wish I was there. You look so cute in your white hat. When do we get to see you again? Not soon enough I'm sure.

The Shark said...

Hey, thanks for letting me know you were about 5 miles from my house, buttface! I totally would have met you at the monuments in the District!

Loralee said...

I am more than jealous of that NY cheesecake. I could go for a good slice of the ol' pie right this very minute.

Rachel Oswald said...

You are an adventurous little family touring up and down the East Coast. It looks like you guys were able to do tons of fun things!

Jarod Stewart said...

You have the cutest preggo belly! Looks like good times :)

Kristen said...

Love the pictures of the preggo ladies. Yea for you guys! We are excited for you