Fashion Week--Some Me Time ;)

James came home from work yesterday with an offer I just couldn't pass up: he would watch the kids and do the Saturday chores while I was being pampered in the allure lounge at fashion week. It's true, he learned about this awesome event and he made it happen for me. I really like that guy I tell ya!

 

So here's how it worked. I stood in line in front of this fancy UWS hotel, and when it was my turn to enter I was able to sign up for a free facial, manicure and hair styling. Plus, I was given a bag full of make-up, swag and of course, an allure magazine. Sometimes I find myself feeling so grateful I think I'm going to burst, and this was one of those times. I was hugging all the stylists and being maybe just a little over the top (but totally sincerely so!) and they were loving my excitement. Seriously though, how nice that they gave me a free mani, facial and hairdo. So nice!

 

I walked through Lincoln Center on my way home, admiring all the fancy people going to fancy fashion shows (and some super crazy, albeit fancy, outfits) and felt like my love for this city maybe couldn't be any deeper. And for my husband too, major brownie points he's scored for this one! And I really liked my fishtail.

 

oh, and btw, tonight as we once again went a-admiring over in Lincoln Center who did we see? Paris Hilton. And Nikki too. But I had left my camera at home. Shame, shame.

And btw one more time, she really did look as perfectly put together as she does in internet pictures...but she wasn't accessorizing with a dog. Which made my boys sad.  

 

 The allure lounge in the Empire Hotel.

 The line, which I entered at just the right time because it was not as crazy as this here line looks.

Me feeling a little excited at the bag of treats I received. I had no idea that they were handing out so many goodies. It was kind of like my Birthmas (birthday and Christmas--that cool!) 

 And a few hours later, I left feeling pretty darn good about life. And my nails. They look really good.

When I walked through the door Ever Knight came running. The first words out of his mouth, "MOOOOMMMMM! You look dood!" You know, like good but he pronounces it in the cutest way. Then he wanted to take a picture with me, as he does. And look at it 100 times, as we do.

Some Mommy-Preschool Action

Life has been significantly greater since Elle has entered our lives. One day, T is still acting out and feeling generally disgusted at the city in which we now reside and BAM! enter Elle H. and all is well in the world. She's a year older than him and they met on a big excursion to Brooklyn I took with some new friends from church. For a second I couldn't see T, and then there he was...walking on a busy street holding hands with a cute little girl with long blonde hair. What? Yep, that's how it happened. They played at the splash pad, they played at the park, they jumped on picnic tables and shared snacks. The next day Elle's mom and I got them together again, and more hand-holding and playing and friendshiping occurred. Talmage called my mom that night to tell her the good news, "Mema, I made my first real friend in New York. Her name is Elle and she's a girl!" 

 

I've noticed a real change in T since that day, which was just about a week ago now, and I think I recognize what I'm seeing in his eyes. It sparkles, it's full of life and it's beautiful. 

 

Hope. His happy hope has returned. 

 

Hope that the memory of our amazing Stanford life will never leave us. Hope in today and every day that we are learning to navigate our new life. And hope in a future overflowing with many more wonderful friends like Elle.

 

My hope? That T doesn't fall apart when Elle starts kindergarten next week! 

 

Speaking of school, we're doing a little thing around here called Mommy-Preschool. We might set up a co-op with some friends from church, but in the meantime I have been keeping these boys busy with activities, lessons, songs and fieldtrips. Our first week was all things A and the boys really caught on. We were in the Subway and Everett looked over and said, "Look, is an A twain!" Super proud Mommy-Preschool-Teacher moment ;)    

 

 

Apple Jack Necklaces, strung and then quickly eaten by them.

A nanny of one of our new friends set up a trip to the fire station, and we were all in! And by we, I mean Mr. T and me. Evie, well, the thing is...

Evie was lots of tears and lots of covering his ears during said trip to fire station. How sad was it that he kept looking at me and sobbing, "No let dem take me to hospito!"

What? Group picture? Cue Everett's screaming and running from the firemen!

 

Free tot soccer and basketball in Riverside Park. The coaches were so fabulous with the kids. Two things: 1) Talmage scored 3 goals, he was really digging the whole soccer things. and 2) Everett's shooting form in basketball makes me so, so proud!

This is the trip where T met Elle and the universe was rocked, in a good way. The splash pad on Pier 6 was out of control awesome.

T and Elle in Brooklyn.

 

T and Elle being safe in the Subway.

 

And my personal favorite, T and Elle at the farmer's market in Rockefeller Center the next day!

 

We had a Lizzmonade in Brooklyn. It's a fruit-infused lemonade. We had the raspberry. Look at Everett's face and let me know if you think it was a puckerful drink! It was good, but it was also overpriced. Just sayin'.

The Farmer's Market. I love, love, love how beautiful all this summer produce looks.

All the chillins with the apples that they demolished in 2.4 seconds. I love when a piece of fruit is the prize of an outing!

A relaxing labor

Google maps will tell you that we live 3 miles from the Meatpacking District. Which technically, I guess, is true. But let's just say that on Labor Day your family wanted to enjoy a walk to said district from the Upper West Side--well, you would clock 4.7 miles right there. Pushing a stroller, carrying a toddler and enjoying the walk to boot. You'd also take some stops along the way. 

 

First stop: free kayaking on the Hudson. Yes, there are free things to do in NYC, and this family on law clerk salary is aiming to do them all!

Seriously though, FREE kayaking. How cool is that? Talmage's answer: way cool! Everett's answer: It's child abuse Mom! Luckily the kind kayak people let the boys wet their feet to the idea with a dock-side paddle with Kermit. Everett also got to hold her Kermie straw when we got on the kayak (she really likes frogs, and she gave the straw to Ever--so nice!)

T the big boy got his own seat and his own paddle.

Everett sat on my lap, and after the initial kick-off from the dock decided it wasn't as bad as he thought it would be. "I cwy because I fought it scawy. It not scawy! {giggle}" He is so ridiculously endearing it almost hurts!

We headed east, and then south, and then west again when I realized I needed to use the restroom and thought the Intrepid Air Craft Carrier was our safest bet. We got a free dock pass, but plan on touring the museum in the future (maybe Santa will bring tickets?) The boys were dying to get on that ship and I know they would love it, so hopefully we'll be back. In the meantime, just looking at all the airplanes from afar was cool.

 

The actual reason for our endless walk downtown (after kayaking, of course) was to walk the high line. The high line is a one mile park built above the street on old Subway tracks. We enjoyed the trees, the flowers, the cityscape and some awesome, and I mean, awesome art.

 

Welcome High Line photo dump:

we saw them paint this. yes we did. incredible.

Ever and 16th (I think it was 16th. I'm going with 16th.)

 

True that Manhattan Storage. And I got two oaks in my thimble ;)

To reward our long, long walk, and to celebrate labor unions, and because they're about to close shop for the fall (enter fall ugh here), we shared a snow cone at the Imperial Woodpecker Sno-Balls cart. The flavors are amazing (not just weirdly awesome, but also totally delicious) and it was the most refreshing way to end a great day.

our place



24' X 20'. That's the size of the pretty little place that we call home these days. That's 480 square feet, just in case you were wondering. It's kind of tiny, but it's also a half a block from Central Park so I can't complain. Until winter, and then I might be complaining a lot, a lot. No me gusta the cold, especially in tight quarters with my two rugrats. But I digress, our place. It's great!

 

This is how our living room/dining room looked for a few days after our things arrived. I was super grateful when we could see the floor again.

 

the boys room

We decided to give the boys the big room, which was maybe the best decision we made in this awesome apartment. I think it looks so great, and there is actually space for them to play on the ground and a place for them to put their toys.

the main room

Our family room/dining room/everything-else room. We started with a smaller table with two benches, but eventually I decided that I was willing to sacrifice some space so our family could comfortably sit together at meals. We got all our furniture on Craigslist (and then hiked it all across Manhattan) and we are certainly pleased with how it turned out.   

the kitchen

It's tiny, and for some reason the boys think it's awesome to hang out with me in there when we're cooking, but it works...especially after James built me some extra shelves in this awkward little corner of our kitchen!

 I don't have pictures of our room or the bathroom, to be honest they are too small to take photos of, but if you come visit me you can definitely get a look! 

 

But we do have a lobby that Ever Knight adores. There are mirrors on every wall and he uses the center carpet as a runway, admiring himself all the way to the door. It's ridiculously endearing.