VACATION

Marcus, Aria and I went on vacation last week to visit Heather. I haven't seen her in almost two years because they move out to Pennsylvania so she could go to PA school. I got Marcus' parents to watch the three older kids so we could visit and play for a few days.

We flew out early Tuesday morning and got to Philadelphia around 4:00. I was also able to see Teresa who has been living out there for a few years while Glenn does dental school. We stopped over and had a Philly Cheese steak - and it was good. Then we got on the road to Heather's house. She lives in a really small town about two hours away.

On Wednesday we got up and Heather, Jaron, Marcus, Aria and I went to New York City!! I was very excited. We drove and parked in New Jersey, and took the Path train to New York. I loved it. I was initially pretty nervous to go. We got there around noon at ground zero. We walked around took a ferry out to Staten Island, shopped in Chinatown. Where I got a great little red bag that the lady tried to tell me it was a Versaca. Which didn't matter to me, because I must live in a hole and I didn't know what a Versaca bag was anyways. But it is really cute. I also got the kids NYC tee shirts. We rode the subway, got on the wrong side of the street, and started heading the wrong direction, went to Times Square in the evening and loved the lights and the energy of it. We ate at a local Italian restaurant, and headed back home. It was great because Heather's brother live in NYC and we could call him anytime we needed. We got in at midnight.

Thursday Marcus and Jaron went golfing and Heather and I hung out. That evening we went out to a Japanese Hibachi grill. It was SO AMAZING! I loved it. We brought Aria with us and the Japanese women were going crazy over her. They kept coming over to touch and hold her and would give her a bottle and rub her back. They would pick her up and have her wave and say bye bye mommy. We hung out that evening just chatting.

On Friday Jaron went to work and we were planning on going to Hershey PA, and amish country, but Ashton got sick and so we stayed home. Heathers kids played with Aria a lot and she started taking more than one step. I think one time she took about 5 steps. So now we have a little walker. I am sure it will take her a good month of practice to get it down. She turned 9 months while we were gone. But Kylie took her first steps and learned to walk when she was 9 months old too. It was really interesting be back east because babies must not be that common. Everyone stopped and commented on how cute Aria was. Even if people didn't stop and talk, they always looked and her and smiled as they walked by.

On Saturday we flew home. We were hoping to check out the Liberty Bell, but missed it because we didn't get out soon enough, and had a ton of traffic in Philly. Marcus and I got stuck in Denver for four hours, but we finally made it in SLC around midnight and spent the night at Hollie's where our kids were. We woke up today and drove the kids home. It was really great.


NYC lights in Times Square


Marcus, Aria, and Wendi at Times square


Jaron and Heather waiting for the subway


Marcus and Aria in the subway


Aria, Wendi, and Heather on the ferry to Staten Island. You can see NYC skyline really small


Statue of Liberty, we got to drive by on the ferry


Aria was such a little trouper. We brought a carrier all around NY and she took her naps in it too.


More NYC skyline


Ground Zero, where they are building the memorial.