NYC

Who said you can't travel with small children? I have debunked that myth. Last month our little family joined up with my Dad, Mom, and sister Jenny for a trip to New York City. It was a blast from start to finish (even if that meant we were merely riding the metro because we got lost)!

One of the first things that we did upon arrival was buy a week long metro pass for the NYC mass transit system. Let me tell you, we got our monies worth out of those passes. Whether it was riding to Time Square for a play (almost a daily occurrence. . . thanks Jenny), hitting Central Park for a run (Brad and Dad), or somehow landing in China Town for the many wares (the whole family is responsible for that one), we could always count on the metro to get us where we were going. That did NOT mean that we got there right away, or even in a organized fashion, . . . but eventually, with metro maps, Brad's Blackberry Maps, and our innate sense of direction, we did get where we wanted to go. In fact, sometimes, we got there by accident!

I have come to realize that the reason family vacations are so great is not so much the location, the amenities, or the activities (although they don't hurt), it really is spending time with the ones you love and making lasting memories. This trip included many moments that our family will treasure. Some funny (losing Mom on the metro the very first day [don't worry Mom, it's only funny in hindsight]), and some not so funny (like trying every single Cheesecake shop to find good cheesecake, . . . a failed mission). But the most important part is that we were together, making memories with one another.

All the while we had beautiful lil Olivia in our arms, the stroller, or Baby Bjorn to the Statue of Liberty, Central Park (for family pictures), Park Ave., Manhattan Temple, Brooklyn Bridge on a doubledecker bus, and even her first Broadway play (it was Mary Poppins, . . . too bad she spent the latter half of the play in the foyer crying,. . . not so cheery I guess).

While we were there we all got to share as a family some great news that Brad received, and even celebrated by going out to a fancy dinner.

Thank goodness for digital cameras, without them I would feel like I missed so many good opportunities for pictures, or Brad would have to buy some stock in Kodak, . . . lots of stock!