Happy Birth Day Jon.
We spent the day in the Central Park . The kids enjoyed some more Pigeon chasing and looking at the turtles in the pond. Ally got to get her picture taken at the top of a real Castel like a real princes. We found a street fair and at more food (this time it was healthy. We had a great lunch as “the boat house” in central park. We stopped by a kids fair they had installed ontop of the ice skating ring for the summer. Kim, Ally, Ryan and Grandma all enjoyed the rides while the bigger boys (Scott, Jon and Grandpa) all spent time on their cell phones up on the grassy hill.
We took naps late again (4-6PM) and spent the afternoon wandering Hoboken. We went to Jon’s favorite restaurant (Trinity) for some drinks and snacks before going to the park and watching a little league baseball game and let the kids run around. We continued to walk around Hoboken some more and made our way to a local Pizza-by-the-slice place where we sat outside looking for “Jersey Girls”. Around 9PM we went back to Jon’s apartment for some more games (Scatigories and Hoopla)…
Kids got in bed with the parents and asked “So, do you have any donuts?” (the kids only eat donuts w/ the grandparents).
We took the subway to the hole in the ground caused by the collapse of the world trade centers. Ryan wanted to know what everybody was looking at. The best explanation was “a lot good guys are working to clean up a mess caused by the bad guys”.
We then walked down to Wall Street and continued to stack at random hotdog and pretzel vendors along the street. We made it down to Battery Park to look at the Statue of Liberty. Grandpa found some musical tiles on the ground that Ally loved to jump up and down on to make noise.
Our New York tour guide then took us to the subway to go to China Town so Scott could buy a fake Rolex. However we got on the express train and found ourselves going to Times Square. The kids got to go in Toy’s r Us. It was huge. The kids rode the ferris wheel and their grandparents purchased each of them incredibly annoying noise making dogs that are very cute, but way too annoying to deserve a second set of batteries. We went to the top of the tower in Rockefeller Center and got to see the full city.
4PM – made our way back to Jon’s apartment to take naps. The kids slept until 6:30PM.
When we got up from the naps we found the rest of the family had already made their way to the bar around the corner and had found Annie. We walked up and down the main street of Hoboken (stopping in at yet another toy store). We got some sushi and wine and made our way to the park in Hoboken that has the view of NYC. We enjoyed a nice picnic. Their was a man playing a pan flute in the park and the kids loved to dance with his little daughter. On the way home Ryan ran through the sprinklers in the park. The family played a quick round of scategories before going to bed around 11PM.
8AM – Woke up and got ready to take the roller-coaster (AKA the subway) into Manhattan to go to central park. We stopped by Starbucks and got some “go juice” and made our way down to the train where Ryan looked for rats (didn’t find any). Got to meet up with Annie for the train ride.
We spent the morning wandering around Rockefeller Center (watched them tape the Today Show) and got to see the building Jon “works” in. We then made our way to Central Park where the kids got to chase the Pigeons’ (Ally loves to yell “Pigeon” as she runs at
them).
6PM – Mom and Dad arrive after a little tour of the city by “Moe” (Jon’s driver of choice). We walk around Hoboken for a while had dinner down by the water and all end up back and Jon’s place where Ryan gets to experience his first Xbox360.
9AM - We are off for the drive to NY. Swung by a Burger King a little outside of Richland VA to get some breakfast. Scott was driving and did a U-Turn at the stoplight. Got pulled over by the police for a good verbal lashing (which Scott found funny) but no ticket.
1PM- Stopped in DC for lunch with our friend Carolyn. We met at Hamburger Hammelet. Kim and I were glad to see that the construction on the DC beltway they were doing 5 years ago when we lived there was still underway.
6PM -Arrived at Uncle Johnny’s house. Found a place to park the car $30/day (ouch). John’s apartment is very nice and the city of Hoboken is awesome. We keep looking but can’t find a mobster. We had dinner at a nice bar (NY Pizza) with outside seating and a good place to people watch. Walked down by the water. The odd part is that it doesn’t look like anybody above 35 lives in Hoboken.
10PM Kids finally go to sleep.
Just got back from a day at the
water park. It was sunny and 80 degrees. Everybody is sunburned. We all had a great time. The kids really enjoyed "Hubba-Hubba Hiway" and the wave pool. Of course Scott ejoyed the beer.
We decided to spend the night in Williamsburg tonight and take off for NYC first thing tomorrow. The kids are excited to take care of "Uncle Jonny".
Took a lot of will but Ally finally took a nap. Woke the kids up around 4:30 to go to the pool for another "bath". Ryan figured out that he can't float w/o a lifejacket on (Jesus Complex). We then took the kids for a nice adult meal. Scott ordered a Wasabi Tuna (raw) and didn't like it, so he ate Ryan's corndog. We then all went to the movie "Cars". The family loved it; one of the best movies in a long time. Ryan and Ally both danced at the end. Stopped by for some ice cream around 9PM. Now it is time to torture them to the point they are sleepy.... Sugar and bedtime... only on vacation.
It is raining today. Took the kids to IHOP for breakfast. We then went to
Colonial Williamsburg. Kim loved it (nice way of saying what the rest of us thouht of it). Got to see an old house that John D. Rockefeller lived in for a while while he was fixing up Williamsburg. Funny that even the richest person in the US 50 years ago had less electronics than Ryan. Ryan wasn't impressed with the lack of TV or video games. Kids were impressed that they got to see horse poop in the street. Ryan and Scott spent a little time in the town garrison.
Stopped by McD's for two happy meals for lunch and have returned to the hotel to try to force a nap on the kids....
We started the day off with a quest for some espresso and the trip to Kmart. As we drove to Bush Gardens Ryan got to drink his first double espresso. Gave him a little too much energy. At Bush Gardent the entire family enjoyed multiple shows including:
- Emerald Beat (Irish Dancers - Ryan enjoyed mimicking the dancing for the rest of the day)
- Pet Show (Dogs & Cats doing tricks. A pig at "the end")
Ryan and Scott went on:
- The Big Bad Wolf (Fast Roller coaster)
- Escape from Pompeii (Water Roller coaster)
At the very end of the day we let Ryan stand out informs of the big splash created by the boat coming down into the water. He (and Scott) got drenched.
All-in-all Bush Gardens is like a version of Disneyland w/o the magic, but with the beer.
We left Bush Gardens around 7PM, had a deap dish Chicago Pizza at Uno's on the way back to te hotel and all crashed around 9PM.
Ryan and Scott got up around 7:30AM. Had some breakfast.
Girls slep in. Up around 8:30AM.
Left to go find something to do for they day around 9:30AM. Weather.com says it is goign to rain today. Need to go to WalMart to get a new suitcase for the kids, some rain gear for Ryan and Kim is in desperate need of a razor (Started calling her Fräulein).
Arrive at hotel in colonial williamsburg. Checked in. Nice two bedroom suite. Went out for dinner and had another nice large meal, this time it was mildly healthy. Came back to the hotel around 8:30PM and put the kids in the pool (to get the dirt from the Harley dealership off them). Everybody was in bed by 9:30PM.
Stop at Montechello to see where Thomas Jefferson lived. Walked around. Ryan found out that Thomas Jefferson didn't have a middle name. Took a wild ride in the tour van back.
Stopped at the Harley Davidson dealership in Shenandoah for “Rumble In the Valley 2” (A bikers rally). Ryan freaked out that his $7 hotdog had vegetables on it (fried onions and peppers). Scott tried to get a beer gut. Everybody had too much ice cream and a HUGE plate of freshly made potato chips (Gut Bomb #3).
Potty Break. Stopped for some wine tasting at Rockbridge winery. Kim found a desert wine she liked.
Back on the road. Kim’s turn to drive. Ryan is happily playing finding Nemo. Ally is being cute. Scott is online (in the car) chatting w/ Jon over IM.
Stopped for breakfast at another cultural restaurant. Kim had biscuits and gravy (Gut Bomb #2). Got some gas, espresso and a map of Virginia (we have been using the 1996 atlas and have noticed some of the roads have changed names).
Leave hotel. Eat some Cookie Crisp (Vacation Cereal) in the car for some breakfast.
Awake. Kids in a good mood.
Stopped at the cheapest hotel we could find in Bristol TN. Got two adjoining rooms. Kids were so happy that they got their own TV.
We were looking for some East Tennessee culture. We stopped for dinner at a hole in the wall road side BBQ place. Very scary. Kim had a bacon cheeseburger (gut bomb #1)Ally made friends with a 60 year old chain smoking lady that wanted to take her home with her. The lady kept talking and smoke kept coming out of her mount (even though she hadn’t taken a puff).
Davy Crocket’s Tavern
We were getting hungry and after only an hour or so of driving in desperate need of a drink. Signs for Davy Crocket’s Tavern got us all motivated to take a 10 mile detour to hang out with the man in the coonskin cap.
It was closed. But we got to read the story of Davy Crocket to the kids and looked through the windows and could see the cap.
Scott got home from work and we decided to take off today. As we were leaving Ryan pitched a fit about wanting to play his Finding Nemo game (the Playstation is hooked up to the car). Before we got to the top of the driveway Scott said, “Do you want me to turn this car around?”
