Category: Travel

We planned to spend Thanksgiving in Colorado with our friends and just like our prior trips we planned to detour through Albuquerque on our way so we could see my Grandma and other family. We made great time to NM and after checking into our hotel we had dinner at a famous New Mexican restaurant called Sadies. The portions were huge and delicious. The Green Chili Queso was so different and tasty. The next morning we checked out of the hotel and headed over to my uncle Jim’s house to visit with everyone.

My uncle is a baseball master so he gave my girls their first lesson in how to play. He was really impressed with how fast and strong Nadia was. Dani just made us laugh!

Our girls with my cousin Leslie’s children Cooper and Clair. ADORABLE!

My cousin Leslie and I.

The girls and I made this for their Great Grandma. She is an amazing painter and I wanted to do something to honor that and she loved this. We had a great visit with everyone including my aunt Leanne and Aunt Angie and her husband Dave. It was a quick visit and I am so glad that everyone was free to see us. After that we hit the road to finish the rest of the drive to CO.

We woke up and I started packing because we were going to have brunch in Manhattan with cousin JD who happened to be in NYC for a conference. Yippie! I had to give Dani a little breakfast to tide her over and then because it was raining we decided to take Tahni’s car. JD suggested that we meet at a place called Effy’s Cafe and it was wonderful, especially the almond croissant. We had a great time visiting and catching up and then we headed back to Tahni’s place so I could finish packing and she could play with Dani.

After this photo we headed for the airport. Tahni got us there in plenty of time and I settled in with Dani to wait for our flight to board. On the return home we had to make a plane change in Charlotte which was going to make for a long evening getting home, but I had NO IDEA how eventful our night would be.

Here Dani is watching them prep our first flight. She was happy as can be waving and smiling at people waiting for their plane. One man ended up saying, “I just have to tell you that she is so cute. I have been having the worst day. The worst. And then she just keeps smiling at me and it made it better. Thanks.” We boarded our flight and I got Dani settled with goodies to play with and then we were in the air. Once we had leveled off I set up the DVD for her and got out the kindle for myself. With about 40 minutes of our flight left the plane tipped forward and stuff went flying off peoples laps. The oxygen masks dropped and people started to panic. I looked up and saw that our masks had not dropped, but I did notice that the row in front of us had 4 so I grabbed the extra to put on Dani. I had no idea what was happening, but Mama Bear kicked in and I wanted to save Dani if I could. As I was preparing to pull down on the tube (like you have heard a 100 times on flights) the woman next to me grabbed it out of my hand and put it on herself. WHAT? Oh yeah. That happened.

I start banging on the panel above us trying to get it open. I can see the flight attendant in my peripheral vision trying to get to us, but the plane is in such a steep descent, it’s hard. Finally the little pop happens and it opens up. I put a mask on myself and then force one onto Dani who is upset at this point. My ears were killing me so I know hers had to be also. Guess what is happening with the lady next to me while I am trying to get our panel open? She is taking selfies of herself in her oxygen mask. I was angry and shocked all at once, but I had to focus on Dani and keeping her mask on since it was way too big for a toddler. It smelled like smoke throughout the cabin and people were freaking out. I suspected it was from the tiny explosion that opens the panels for the oxygen masks. The flight attendants confirmed this, but people were too freaked to believe her. At some point during all of this the captain said that the main and back up system to keep the cabin pressurized had failed and that is why they had to take us into a rapid descent so we could get to a safe level for our bodies. He told us that we would go the rest of the way at 10,000 feet and that everything was okay.

This was a staged photo taken after everything was safe. Water spilled all over Dani’s pants in the midst of this so I had to change her into the extra clothes I bought. Then she spent the rest of the flight playing with the oxygen masks.

We landed and they offered medical help to anyone who wanted it and had a rep standing there to answer any questions. I asked about my ear pain and he said it would go away in about a half an hour. On a side note, while we were in the middle of all that and walking up the ramp Dani had a blow out!! This had never happened with either of her sisters and of course we went straight for the bathroom so I could change her back into the wet clothes. After that I called Mike to tell him everything before our next flight. What an adventure!

Before our flight to DFW took off my ears had completely stopped hurting and Dani seemed to be okay so that was a relief. On our flight to DFW the flight attendant was so enamored of Dani she kept coming over to check on us and her. I told her about our last flight and she was amazed. She said that she had been flying for 27 years and that had never happened. Which goes to show how very safe flying is.

It was a wonderful trip and I am so glad we went.

I want to start this post by saying that my sister Tahni planned out the perfect birthday day for me! Perfect! The photo above was Dani’s reaction every time the loud trains came through the subway station. We started out with breakfast in the apartment and then we headed for the Museum of Natural History. I am a big fan of museums and was excited to go there. We knew we couldn’t see it all so we got a map and made our choices. Dani was a little freaked out about the animal exhibits and I think it’s because they were so much closer than the animals at the zoo. But we just reminded her that they weren’t real and showed her that there was glass.

My big, huge, major mistake of the morning was not packing a snack for Dani. She saw another kids goldfish and when I didn’t have any, she started to have a tantrum. It last all through us finding our way downstairs and buying her some pretzels until she finished the first one. Then from all that screaming and thrashing and being short on sleep the night before she passed out. Then Tahni and I enjoyed the rest of our museum time in quiet. HA!

I wished we had time to go and explore the Hayden Planetarium and see a show or two, but this photo will have to do 🙂

After we left the museum we headed towards the Upper West Side to go to Cafe Lalo for a light lunch and dessert!!!!!! It was the cafe featured in another of my favorite movies, “You’ve Got Mail” and I was so excited. I am such a movie nut and so this just made the trip better! The place was so adorable and even the bathroom was cute. I should have taken a photo in there – they had monkeys on the wallpaper. We shared a Tuscan fritttata which was delicious and Amaretto Cheesecake which was amazing. Some of the best cheesecake I have ever tried.

Hello Kitty had to fill in for Taggie on this trip because for the first time in 7 years I forgot her!!

After Cafe Lalo we strolled back to the subway station because it was really late and Dani needed a nap. We wanted her to be ready to go for our tasty birthday dinner later that night.

The restaurant Tahni chose was amazing!! I requested Italian and this place was authentic. Everything made from scratch and oh so wonderful. It had about 12 tables inside and 6 outside and we were happy we made a reservation as we watched them turn down so many walk in tables. We had an appetizer with prosciutto and caramelized onions served like bruschetta. Then Tahni had a squash ravioli I had homemade gnocchi with basil. For a side item we got brussel sprouts that seemed to be soaked in bacon grease. Oh mama! We split a chocolate lava type dessert. Dani loved everything and ate some of everything while looking cute and behaving so sweet in the place filled with adults.

Once home from our fabulous meal I put Dani in her jammies so her and Tahni could have some play time. She was quite obsessed with Tahni’s cat. On one hand she wanted to pet her and play with her and on the other hand she would act scared if the cat didn’t do exactly what she wanted. So, basically she was being a typical toddler. After Dani went to sleep Tahni and I had a cup of tea and enjoyed the rest of the evening. A great birthday!

Click the photo above to see the entire album and views from all sides of the building.

“Sleepless in Seattle” is one of my favorite movies of all time. So visiting there was at the TOP of my list for my first NYC trip (pun intended). Tahni suggested that we go at night and then she surprised me with the question, “Do you want tickets for both decks or just the 86th floor?” WHAT? So I had to go with seeing the view from the 86th floor observation deck and the indoor 102nd floor. First we had dinner with one of Tahni’s friends at a place called S’MAC. All they serve is mac n cheese. Perfect. I ordered the veggie one and Dani scarfed it with me.