M: We've enjoyed all the time that Daddy's had off since he got back from his deployment. Unfortunately he had to start back to work today :( However, I think he was secretly happy because he says it's hard work to watch the two of us all day. Dad and Mom took advantage of the time off and went on a trip to New York City.
W: Yeah they ditched us and went to have fun. It was OK though as we had fun hanging out with our friends. They even took us to McDonald's for dinner!
Mom: Maren was sure happy to see us when we got back but Whitney enjoyed her long sleepover. We had a great trip to NYC. We drove up and spent 2.5 days doing as many of the tourist things we could fit into that time. The highlight was being able to see Phantom of the Opera and Wicked on Broadway. We were excited to meet up with Jim's sisters Michelle and Sue for part of our time there. Some of the sights included Federal Hall (where George Washington was inaugurated and located across the street from the NY Stock Exchange),
a walk across the Brooklyn Bridge, 
Ground Zero, Grand Central Station, Empire State Building (an amazing view), 
Central Park, NYC Library, Metropolitan Museum of Art (an outstanding collection), United Nations, Times Square,
Statue of Liberty, 
and Ellis Island. We had a great time away and were glad to not have little kids (shh, don't tell them!) in tow especially on the day that it was pouring rain. If you've never had the chance to visit we highly recommend the trip.
