NYC at Christmas

For our Christmas presents to each other we decided to go to NYC for the Christmas season. It was so much fun. We spent a couple of days just touring around and seeing the sights. I love NYC and so does Jim. This was a perfect gift for us to share.











Jim and I took the subway to Canal st. He usually takes a taxi but I talked him into trying the subway. It was really an adventure. Of course everything we do is an adventure.

The first thing that we did when we got to NYC was go to Canal street to do some shopping. Jim was there a long time ago and I was there just a couple of years ago with my sisters. So it was fun to go back. We ended up in a van. Jim wouldn't get in. The lady kept saying you get in and Jim would say no. I couldn't believe how many police were there this time. It kinda took the fun out of it, especially since everyone thought Jim was an undercover cop. The sales people wouldn't help or show us anything. So we bought a couple of items below the asking price and left.










We had lunch at Bubba Gumps in Times Square. The city is so festive at this time of the year. After lunch we headed out for some serious shopping.










This is one of the windows on the tour of department store windows. It was so fun to look at all of the windows and how they were decorated. The stores went all out. The Sleigh rocked back and forth. The picture really doesn't do it justice.








This is Santa checking the naughty and nice list. Notice who is standing in front of this window. Of course we all know which list he is on. That is why I am not standing there.
















Of course we had to go to the famous F. A. O. Schwarz toy store. It was great to go into and see everything that they had.











This is the door man. He was so nice. He let people take pictures of him with their children, wives, and families.

















Dolls Dolls everywhere. I love dolls. I couldn't decided which one I wanted to buy, so I didn't get any. There where so many to choose from. Jim said it looked like a pediatric ward.











This Darth Vader is made up of lego's Ryan is really into lego's so I had to this picture for him.

















We went to Saint Patrick's Cathedral. They had a large nativity in there. It was so neat but the baby was missing. They said that it was because he wasn't born yet. I thought to my self well then the shepherds and the wise men shouldn't be there either, but it was still neat. Jim bought me a beautiful nativity from there. This I believe is number 77.






The tree at Rockefeller Center. It was so pretty. It was so much fun to be in NYC for the holiday season.

















This is us in front of Rockefeller Center. It was such a great day. The wind was blowing but not to cold and not snowing or raining.












We decided to go ice skating at the Center. It was something that I had seen in so
many movies that I thought it would be so much fun. We had to stand in line for some time and the rink had a lot of people there some had never skated and some were really good. But most were like Jim and I skated once a long time ago and was trying it again. I would say we did pretty good no trips to the hospital. :)




Yes, I fell down but nothing hurt except my ego. I was trying to turn to take a picture of Jim coming up behind me and down I went. Jim said wait right there until I take a picture, so by the time he was done I really had a wet bottom.















Jim, enjoyed himself even if it took a little while to remember how to skate. He might not look like a professional (pathetic) but at least he didn't fall.
















Here I am showing how great I really can skate. But I tell you right now it is a lot of work and I realized that for 2009 I will need to get into better shape if I want to do this again.










We got pretty good towards the end of our skating. We had such a great time. I just kept saying that I can't believe that we were there ice skating at Rockefeller Center.










We thought about which show we wanted to go and see while we were in NY and finally decided that we wanted to go and see the Rockettes Christmas Spectacular at Radio City Music Hall. I had heard all about them since I was a little girl and was really excited to go and see the show.














This is inside of the theater it was great to be there. I have always wanted to see them and I have enjoyed dancing since I was 3.
















This is at the end of the Rockettes' Christmas show. It was so neat that they portrayed the birth of Christ. I was really surprised and thrilled. It was the perfect ending of our trip.

Decorating and getting the tree for this year.

This is the tree we liked right? I think it will be just right but it might be a little tall for our 7 ft ceiling. The branches look sturdy enough to hold all of the big balls that we have.











Jim cutting down our tree from a tree farm just up the street from where we live. Of course, he knows all about cutting down trees.







Me pulling the tree out to the car while Jim takes the pictures:) not really I just held it so that it looked like I was helping while Jim actually did all of the work.
















Bringing the tree home. We got a new car and I am so glad that it is a SUV. It wasn't large enough for our tree, so we drove with the tree hanging out the back.










All of the grandkids were so excited to help do the decorating of the tree. It was really a great night and made the whole Christmas time come alive for us.
















Abby on the stool to reach the high branches. I thought this picture was so cute of her.












Laura holding Carter and talking to Dillon. If you look close to the table it is full of Jolly Jolly Treats. Everyone could not believe how they could have anything that their hearts desired.










Everyone having fun those not decorating the tree were playing scrabble or just talking, but eating no matter what the other activity was.











Lucas, and Beau really liked the branch right in front all of their bulbs needed to be placed right there.













This is a picture of everyone that helped decorate our tree.













After decorating the tree and eating treats we gave each one of the grandchildren their Christmas gifts. But before they could open them we wanted a happy picture of them all. So this is what we got. I am not sure if there are smiles or grimaces.
The children for those of you that don't know them are Abby, Matt, Dillon, Tyler, Lucas holding Carter, Beau, Mason and Ryan.

We had a great time and hope more of the family can be here next year.

Family Reunion at Our Home

In October the Jim's side of the family decided they wanted to come and camp out at our home. So most of them showed up and we had a great time. Here they are on a walk in the forest behind our home. The hole in the ground was put they decades ago. We are not really sure if it was a root celler for a home.

The grandkids had a lot of fun. Trying to carve pumpkins, and working on the tree house. Along with swinging on the tree swing and moving the wood to make them a fort.

After dark we played games. I actually got someone to play games with me. They usually don't play games they just sit around and talk. So I was really excited to teach them Hand and Foot. We only played it once and then wanted to go out and enjoy the fire that Jim had built.

Turtles

If you remember last May we found the turtle that Jim had come to his home for the past 4 years. We waited all summer for the babies to hatch. We had just about given up hope when our neighbor found one and told us about them. For the rest of the day we looked for babies. We ended up finding 5 alive and helped them across the road to the stream. We found three smashed in the road. It will be fun to see if she come back this next year and we have more babies.

Yearly Trip

This last summer Jim went with most of his family on their yearly canoe trip. They have been doing this river for the past 17 years. They had a lot of fun and there were about 20-30 people this year. This is their camp site. The gang

They had lots of fun, face painting, dancing, playing baseball and of course eating.

Jim and Lisa's Dad at the camp site.

Headed home.

Cliff Island with Missy and Family

We were invited to go to Cliff Island off the coast of Maine for a visit when Melissa and her family rented a house there for a week. This is a picture of the kids waiting for the ferry boat to arrive. They were so excited to see us that they starting yelling Papa Nana. Everyone on the boat said boy are you guys loved. We of course said yes we are. It was Melissa, Bob, Abby, Ryan, Matt and then Bob's sister Carolyn's family. It was really fun and I look forward to next summer.
Bob, Melissa's husband jumping off the pier he was the first one to do it. It is the thing to do after the ferry boat leaves. The piers are really high and I thought way to scary to do it. But everyone tried it at least once. Even Matt (Melissa's 7 year old)
Melissa jumping off the pier.
Papa jumping off the pier after the ferry boat left. It looked like fun but I didn't bring another change of pants so I just took all of picture. Everyone waiting in line.
This was the first time that I collected sea glass. I had a hard time seeing it among the rocks but Missy helped me to pick them out, and soon I got the hang of it. We have this picture in our bathroom along with the sea glass in a shell.
The sunset was so pretty what a fitting end to a wonderful day. I am so glad to be here on this beautiful earth. It is nice to be at the ocean again and hear the waves and smell the salt air.
The grandkids and papa took on Bob and Jon with some of the other grandkids in badminton I am not sure who won this game or if everyone just got tired of playing. Some of the grandkids are really good at this sport.
They also played croquet. It was just about time to head to the boat so we only played a short game. But I think Papa was winning at the time we had to leave.
When we left they all came to the dock and told us good-bye. We had such a great time with all of them. It was fun to get to know the grandkids better. I love the island and look forward to next year.