looking back, part two...

after traveling up to d.c. we ventured farther north to nyc... our first trip back "home' since the move. it was definitely bittersweet, as you would expect. sidney wanted to visit our old house, but then had to ask which one it was! the only house she had ever lived in before! so strange. i wonder often what memories they will carry with them? we did some of our favorite ny things, even though we really only had a few days to do them in. we decided to stay in manhattan rather than brooklyn, so it would feel more like a vacation and maybe less sad. we got an amazing last minute deal on a beautiful hotel right near central park! we ate bagels in the park one morning, listening to a live jazz band. it was heavenly (oh, how we missed you ny bagels). we walked through the zoo, climbed rocks, and went on the stone slide, one of our most favorite outings when we lived there.

we also had a way over priced but amazing breakfast at the hotel, that the kids totally didn't appreciate... ahh, new york. i ventured to take the kids to the MOMA by myself... on a free day. hello?! what was i thinking? it was insane, the guards were snarky about the stroller, everyone was there on a date, there was a live performance piece where someone was just sitting silently staring at a chair that people took turns sitting in and staring back, my kids were INSANE. it was totally like going back to normal for me! we saw some some beautiful art, that looks terrible with no flash...

and the guards gave us more attitude about sidney "sketching" with pen, which i didn't realize was off limits but they were kind enough only to give us the eye and not make her stop...

it was a lot of fun! we ventured in to brooklyn to visit our old neighborhood, but mostly to see friends. that was the most amazing part. we invited whoever could come to the park to hang out, and when everyone showed up it was like no time had passed. these photos of the kids make me cry because they have known these friends since they were all babies. it was amazing!

thanks patti, for taking some of these, i treasure them. thanks to sonia and andy for letting us come up to visit you at your new house later, for taking us to ice cream and giving me some beautiful wool! out of all the wonderful things about ny, this was really the only thing we miss. so many of these dear friends have since moved on too, so nothing ever really stays the same i suppose. we do love you all!

next up, a little country living. to see my favorite nearly sister-in-law... and jay too;) oh, we miss you guys, and living so close. we spent the week just being, and that was so lovely. playing in the woods and tree fort, hiking and creek dipping (except for black flies... poor sid!), visiting a farm for fresh raw milk, chickies!! what more could we ask for? they are living the life i (not so) secretly want...

we really hated to go, and even the chicken didn't want to say goodbye. just as we were getting in the car to leave we found her here. she apparently had other ideas... maybe a trip of her own? i was ready to take her, but i think she would miss her life in the woods. i wouldn't blame her!

thanks for being so patient and sitting through all my vacation slides! i have some more from the beach. i will spare you though... until later at least.