new york, new york (sing it with me)

Change is inevitable. You can embrace it or fight it.  This year for thanksgiving, we needed to shake it up, do something different, and make some new memories. 

Sing it Frank, Start spreading the news...

And sing Mr. Sinatra did, all the way to phoenix airport, until Sierra, Gentry, and I arrived, and then hopped on a big old jet plane that was New York City bound. 

After a happy and exciting flight (the girls had never been to NYC), we finally arrived at JFK. Sadie and Andy were thirty minutes behind us, flying in from Salt Lake. We all met up at our hotel that night and began, what I think I can safely say, was the most amazing vacation I've had in forever.

It was a hard decision, but I decided to leave my camera behind this trip and instead asked Sierra to be my blog photographer.  This post is most of her work, mixed with some of my iphone pics. 

Sierra's getting really good, and if you happen to be local, message me if you'd like her to do a complimentary family photo shoot for her portfolio. 

First stop, Macy's day parade.

Then a stroll downtown. 

Next up, Empire State Building.

It's was crazy cold at the top for these AZ girls.

Time Square.  Neon electricity at it's finest. 

 

Plus some really cool street art. 

The subway experience.  

If you ask my girls what was their favorite thing about NY, they will tell you about this sign.  One night, while taking the subway, I watched as a young man methodically moved toward us. At the last minute he stepped to his right toward this window, pulled out a razor blade, and scratched these letters in the window.  Five seconds later, the train arrived at the next stop and he got off.  All timed, all calculated, and all around kind of disturbing ( I thought).  My girls, on the other hand, thought it was to coolest thing ever to witness a real, live New York gang member defacing a subway window.  Hmmm.

We had the chance to see two Broadway shows, Wicked and Lion King.  

Hakuna Matata. I can relate.

We also ventured out to try some of New York's best eats. 

This is a sample of one of the crazy shake options at 

Black Tap.

photo credit black tap

Gentry tried the cotton candy shake and Sierra and I had the peanut butter.  Both delish.  Also, we all loved their burgers.  If you go in the winter, bundle up, we waited about 45 minutes in-line. Survey says...worth the wait!

This next restaurant was my hands down favorite.  Raclette.  Basically it's this amazingly seasoned meat, potatoes, and vegetables smothered in a fresh, hot melted scrape of to die for cheese right from the cheese wheel. They also have a variety of gourmet grilled cheese sandwiches. Yeah.

 On our way to a restaurant one night, we ended up walking through this christmas tree lot.  The smell of the fresh cut pine was so nice, and I loved getting to see New York dress up for christmas. 

On the day we visited the 9/11 it was cold and raining. It fit the very sobering experiencing of standing in the very place where so many innocent people lost their lives over fifteen years ago.  I tried to explain to my younger girls what it was like to watch everything happen on that day.

I just couldn't find the words. 

Two thousand nine hundred and seventy seven innocent people. 

Sometimes there just are no words. 

Our last stop, the iconic Brooklyn Bridge. 

We took the subway over and walked back across toward Manhattan. 

And that my friends, was our New York city adventure.

I think we just might have a new thanksgiving tradition.

Happy Monday!