New York City

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I don't even know where to begin to describe this trip...it was absolutely incredible. This trip was a gift to my sisters and me from our mom and dad last Christmas~ we have been planning and waiting for it all this time, and it was so worth the wait!! My mom, Reagan, Beth, and I have never taken a trip like this, with just the four of us, and after this week have decided that we have been missing out on some much-needed bonding, fun, and just a really great time together.

Some highlights of our week~
1. The city itself is just incredible...such a different way of life with everyone walking everywhere, lots of babies with their mommies or nannies, all of these GREAT little shops everywhere, wonderful bakeries, pizza places, a Starbucks on nearly every corner (good thing we walked as much as we did!)...it was a totally different way of life, one that I really liked.

2. The people~ they were so accommodating, so helpful, and genuinely nice. Despite our efforts to blend in and not be tourists, so many times people could tell we weren't "locals" and would offer to help us find where we were going, take our pictures, ask where we were from, how we liked the city, etc. etc. I really don't know where the idea that New Yorkers are rude came from, because not one time did we experience anything like that. In fact, I found that the people there were more friendly and genuinely interested in striking up a conversation than people typically are here. Interesting, huh?

3. The Rockettes~ my personal highlight of the week. Maybe it's the old Dixie Belle in me or something, I don't know, but I have wanted to see the Rockettes perform for as long as I can remember. Watching the Radio City Music Hall's Christmas Spectacular was absolutely amazing. The Rockette's performance was flawless, breathtaking...the whole show was magical. I was seriously moved to tears by the end of it.

4. Bloomingdale's~ speaking of being moved to tears, our first night there we walked around and ended up in Bloomingdales. It was a great department store of course, but that's not what made me get emotional. That happened as we were leaving the store. We walked out and started looking at the Christmas decorations in each window of the store~ each one was a different, retro-y vintage looking Christmas scene. Christmas music was playing, and there were Christmas lights all over anything that would stand still, and I got choked up. I guess I couldn't believe that I was actually in New York, and it was a very surreal, incredible feeling that I will never forget.

5. Live with Regis and Kelly~ on our second day there we got up early and headed down to where Live was taped, in hopes of getting stand-by tickets. We waited patiently, and were finally told that all seats were full, but that we were welcome to stand on the side of the studio and watch, or we could come back for VIP passes the next day. The lady that offered that to us was so incredibly nice (her job would be such a cool one to have!), and we offered to take the tickets for the next day. When we came back, she remembered us, and took us right to these roped off seats in the front row, thanking us for being so nice the day before. Hard to believe she was thanking us for being nice...makes me wonder what kind of people she has to deal with on a daily basis. But anyways...seeing Regis and Kelly up close was greatness~ she is the TINIEST thing I have ever seen, and was just as I expected her to be~ funny, genuine, really sweet, and so beautiful. Regis was precious, funny, cute as could be too. They taped the first 15-minute segments for the Dec. 29 and 30 shows (they will be on vacation) while we were there too, so you'll have to check those out and see if you can find us!

6. Serendipity~ a restaurant I have heard about several times...ever heard of their famous Frozen Hot Chocolates? They were SO YUM...the owner was walking around talking to everybody (have I mentioned that this is a friendly city?!?), and it was a really fun place to eat.

There were so many other things...riding the subway, the cabs, trying (unsuccessfully) to get on The View (oh, well), the shopping, the sightseeing...I could go on and on. The best part was getting to spend that time with my mom and sisters. We made so many memories, and I am SO INCREDIBLY THANKFUL to my parents for sending us. I know it wasn't easy on my dad, Brian, and the boys to let us go, so thank you too boys for unselfishly letting us do this. I am forever thankful for this trip, and will never forget it. :)