New York, New York

What's a girl to do with so many posts due for the month of December! I have to start somewhere, so I'll start with the most relaxed week. Derek and I went to New York City on a last minute whim a couple weeks ago. We just love NYC at Christmastime, with the cold weather and the festive decorations. Roxy was bummed she couldn't hide in our suitcase and go with us.


If you want to know what our days looked like, it was pretty much shopping and eating. Century 21 is a must for us - we always find some great finds at this four story designer outlet building.


I had rented a lens from Photo Rental Source specifically for this trip to see if I really wanted to pony up the money for a very heavy zoom lens. So tried to take a lot of photos this trip, unlike last year's total of 9 photos. I wanted to compare the quality of the photos to my current lens.


Derek found a great place to stay - the Soho Grand. Everytime we have gone to New York we have never had to pay very much for our room and board. This was definitely a treat, especially since we love this part of town. It was so close to everything we wanted to do. Here's a view from our corner room on the 15th floor.


We gad a 180 degree view of the streets below. We could even see the Hudson River from our window. We loved all of it, except the queen bed. Derek had booked a king, as we were stumped when they kept insisting the room had a European King. Long story short, the housekeeping had not updated the records, and halfway through our stay, we got a king bed.


Derek missed the view, but the pair of us tall people slept a lot better.


I was glad to have a wide angle lens for these photos to get everything I wanted in the photo.


If Derek had had it his way, we would have slept with the windows open and the shades wide open as we fell asleep to the sounds of the city. This high maintenance sleeper just couldn't handle it.


It was pretty cool watching TV at night with a view like this.


We traveled up and down the streets of Soho each day. The weather was chilly but we enjoyed the exercise.


We ate at the first ever coal-oven pizza parlor in the country. Lombardi's is literally America's first pizzeria, and it was darn good pizza.


The problem with having a complicated, heavy camera is that no one else can use it. I had one waiter offer to take our photo, and a second came around to retake the fuzzy photo of us. He insisted he knew what he was doing, since he had a Canon 7D, an updated version of my camera. So imagine my disappointment in another fuzzy photo of us. That's why automatic is for the birds!


We love us some Italian sausage on our pizza, especially when it looks like this.


I wasn't kidding that all we did was eat and shop, as you can tell by the monotonous theme of the photos. We went to the Tribeca Grill for dinner one night after a suggestion from Jen McWilliams a couple years ago. It was right around the corner from our hotel, and excellent food.


I got a martini with thyme in it for a Christmas splash.


The wreaths in front of our hotel were so cool. The photo on the left is on manual, with an automatic shot from the bellman on the right. See what a difference manual can make?


I loved all the decor in the hotel.


This wreath made out of corkscrews.


The mini bar. I took this photo because we eventually had to go buy snacks since this was right as we walked into our room each day. So tempting.


Until you look at the prices!


I had fun taking this nighttime photos from our hotel room.


What's fun at Christmastime is all the shops are decorated in basically one big competition to have the best store front.


It was just fun to play around with my rented lens to see how the photos turned out sans flash.


We were waiting around for lunch and stopped into a three story Dylan's Candy Bar. Justin is head over heels for Candy Land, and this special board game has specific Dylan's Candy Bar stops at each turn on the game. I told Derek I would go into a sugar panic everytime I played the game if my game board looked like this. My fingers would twitch for jelly beans like no other.


Lunch was at Serendipity, the only eatery I have frequented 3 times in New York. I try not to revisit places I have eaten before, since there are so many choices. But I had to get my frozzzen hot chocolate. They had a mint one for the winter, and boy was it tasty.


We sat upstairs this time, which I have never been in this shop before. Love this chandelier! It stays up year round.


Fun decor all over this big room. Upstairs was definitely a lot less congested than the overly cramped downstairs.


We went and saw Billy Elliott the musical since the movie is one of our top faves. We loved the dancing - it was phenomenal. The music, not so music. I was expecting much more since Elton John wrote the entire score of music, but Derek and I both were left wanting for more. We always leave these shows wishing we could both dance better.


A local tourist happened to take our photo by this Christmas tree on a day where the high was 32 and the winds were 15 mph.


At least it was in focus - I'll take it!


We decide to try out the Boat House in Central Park for lunch. This was another Jen recommendation that we had been wanting to try, and this one did not disappoint. They were handing out free apple cider as we waited for an hour for our lunch reservation. It was fine for us since it took us that long to thaw out from the cold. My cider looks rather funny up next to Derek's drink of choice to help warm himself up.


We sat looking onto the water as we ate. Like the fuzzy photo of us on the right? Are you seeing a trend? Why can no one take a photo of us?


Later that evening, when we were on the hunt for the tall brown boots I had been casually looking for the entire trip (and found on the last day of the trip), we stopped by the Rockefeller tree.


Both of these photos were taken on, you guessed it, automatic. I played with the one on the right, which is very noisy and grainy. But at least you can tell who we are.


When we were at the Boat House for lunch, our waiter, who had worked all over town, told us of the best pastry chef in town. So we on a whim went on his suggestion and went to Fishtail to dinner. Definitely the best meal we had all trip, which was saying a lot. The bad news was someone's sensitive stomach had returned after a week of indulging foods (aka no Type A food diet). So I didn't eat like I would have, but look at this crab cake. It is stacked like a log house with pretzel sticks and you dip it in honey. And yes, dessert was fabulous, though I only ate one bite.


For all you of class '96 who read Lord of the Flies, please tell me this makes you think of Piggy and Mrs. Moak.


All in all, my most favorite thing about the trip was being able to catch my breath during a time of year when everyone is panicking with errands and to-do lists. More on that on another post and how I decided I would not do all that this year. I did no take my computer on this trip, which was the longest I have been away from my Mac since I got it. That's saying a lot, and I really haven't had the urge to get on it very much ever since coming back. Derek told me as we landed back in Houston that this trip reminded him of old times, great times with just me and him. That's why this trip was so invaluable to the both of us!

And thanks to my mom for keeping Justin while were out playing!

Merry Christmas from the Michaelis Crew

Merry Christmas - the whole earth is full of His Glory!



(And thanks Uncle Shane for taking our photo so early on a Friday morning!)

Santa visit

We went to Santa a few weeks ago. Justin really doesn't know much about him, since I am still on the fence with how to promote the big red guy. He has no idea that he brings gifts, that's for sure. And before I get booed by some of you, I have to preface by saying that my parents were the same way, it's just that we loved Santa because everyone else did. So Justin will learn from school, etc, I just don't want him to be the focus. And I have been doing this Advent Season a lot different this year - no rushing around, buying gifts, wrapping them (thorn in my perfectionist personality's side), etc. I want to focus on Jesus, and not have December be a month of stress.

So Justin at this point has no clue why we go and take a photo with Santa. My mom took photos with Santa every year until my brothers and I was 22. So we continue the tradition, even if we don't go all out with Santa, which I have no problem with.

So it;s my jolly son's turn, and he runs into Santa's lap and give him a big ole hug. No tears from this boy - he wants to just stay and hang out. Santa asks him what he wants and Justin just gives him a blank stare. Clueless what he is talking about. I had to tell him to stop hugging Santa so we could get a regular photo - it was priceless.


The big cheese. Please click on this photo to zoom in on Santa's belt buckle - hilarious!


All the workers there were frightened when I busted out my monster camera and flash. They wanted to know what kind, wanted to tell me what kind they had, and we all laughed at the low end rinkey-dinkey one that was taking the "professional" Santa photo for me to take home.


We took a real hug photo, but I opted not to buy this one. I love it because he doesn't even get the significance of who this man is.


Let the season of Christmas begin!

Thanksgiving

We had a fun relaxing time in Waco for Thanksgiving. Justin and I drove in on Wednesday and went straight to hang out with the Browns, Seiders, & Steens. Here are some of the older crew playing in the backyard and eating a sucker.


Uncle Shane taught Justin some, well, what we deemed "Uncle Shane only" wrestling moves.


Notice the animosity just drooling from Shane's face. Doing what uncles do best.


Then Papa Snuf came out in a comical attire with a ski mask on top of a visor with "crazy hair", as Justin calls it. Everytime my dad wears the visor Justin tells him it's not right, meaning my dad is not supposed to have hair on top.


Thanksgiving meal was fantastic, and I think the family as a whole played duck, duck, goose and Candyland with the only grandchild too many times to count. Everyone was a good sport. Justin likes his games.

The day after Thanksgiving we went to Cameron Park for a picnic. Justin sat down the minute the food came out.


We saw a duck that we decided to try and feed.


This duck had no fear - he knew what he wanted and he wanted it now.


After one of the many games of hide-and-go-seek, the men taught Justin how to kick a football.


We had attempt after attempt after attempt.


Justin was patient as mommy got her camera all ready. Then the boys all took some swings with their golfclubs, Justin included.


Friday night we took advantage of 99 cent bowling. Nothing like bowling on a Friday night in Waco - interesting characters out and about at a venue such as this. I didn't have my flash with me, so this photo was a bit blurry.


Justin had the time of his life.


He would move his body in certain ways to encourage the ball to follow his lead.


He;s moving his foot here to push the ball to the left.


Saturday morning the guys went to go play golf, and my mom and I took Justin to the Homestead Heritage festival. I was fighting a battle with getting sick, which I lost, so I was not my usual chipper self at the event. Justin couldn't wait to ride the hayride.


We stopped in the middle of the ride to look at this point - beautiful quiet landscape.


The people that live on this land are almost Amish-like, and make everything themselves. Something to be said with the organic trend that is going on these days. Justin of course told me he wanted a puppy after holding one.


Here he is making his own soap.


We both couldn't wait to wash our hands.


Two weeks before Thanksgiving the family decided to sell all our Baylor/Tech tickets since we knew it wouldn't be a pretty game. It all worked out in our benefit since my sister-in-law Kaki had to rush to Amarillo for her grandfather's death, with my brother Shane not that far behind her. I came down with bronchitis, and ear infection, and a sinus infection. Which if you are ever in Waco and need a doctor on a Saturday afternoon, I walked into this After Hours Clinic on Lake Air Drive. I paid my $20 copay, and 5 minutes later was walking out with my diagnosis and prescription. I kept thinking - where can I find this place in Houston? But I digress.

Back to the BU/Tech game. It all worked out well that we could watch the game from home, even though I think for some time the Tech fans were wary of the outcome of the game. Justin woke up from a late nap and wanted his own show (blasphemy not wanting to watch the Bears on the big flat screen TV), so we set him up with his DVD player and some pretzels.


Justin had a grand time helping Papa rake the leaves. I think at one point there was a pile that both the dogs and a certain three year old had decided to relieve themselves on. We decided that Justin probably shouldn't jump in that pile of leaves anymore.


This boy loves being a helper.


We had to play the organ before we left.


He didn't like Birdie playing with her feet since he couldn't reach them himself. I have recently been teaching him how to hold his hands on the keys - we don't play the keys with the palms of our hands, little man. He will get on our piano and tell me he wants to tell me a story as he plays me a song. Still secretly hoping this boy turns out to be a music lover like his momma.


Aaron, Elise, & Kaki - sorry no photos of you guys! All and all a great time in Waco - it was so nice to spend a longer period of time without having to rush home. Now onto Christmas...

Bubbles with buddies

The Monday before Thanksgiving I had some of Justin's buddies over who shared in our predicament of no Mother's Day Out that week. All of these kiddos go to the same school, and they have all been friends for a long time. I am now a firm believer that four is the magic number. I have kept three kids total several times, but four seems to be the ticket. Everyone at some time has a buddy. Isabel, Luke, Justin, & Jake had a grand time.


We blew and chased bubbles for awhile.


Everyone had to have their turn at making some bubbles.


Some were better than others.


Justin and I for the past week had been picking up pinecones on our morning walks and taking home a stash in the back of his bicycle. We then decided to paint the pinecones with our buddies. Justin is the only one of the four that really gets into art, so he worked the longest on his project,


Isabel is a trouper hanging out with all the boys.


After I served them lunch, we put car shaped candles in some leftover homemade cookies and sang happy birthday to Jesus. Yes, we had not even had Thanksgiving yet, but who's counting.


Needless to say Justin had a great nap once everyone left. We are so blessed to have such fun friends that all live so close by!