The holiday season is in full swing. This year we deviated a bit from the norm and celebrated Thanksgiving in New York. With Grandma Gail, Grandpa Tom and Aunt Kelly all out in Colorado visiting new cousin Garrett (and Tracy, Stan and Casey), we lacked a Turkey Day quorum and decided to leave Grandpa Maurice and Grandma Phyllis to their own devices and we hit the road. Or more accurately the tracks - we took the train to New York to enjoy a Thanksgiving with Cousins Emilie and Stephanie in the big city.
On Wednesday afternoon we broke LIly and Jack out of school and took the afternoon Amtrak. The kids had a good time - they watched movies on the iPad the whole way up to New York. We got in late in the afternoon, checked into our hotel and met Emilie and Stephanie for dinner. After a nice dinner, we headed back to the hotel to get the kids to bed and Emilie went home to put the finishing touches on the next night's dinner.
On Thursday morning we had a nice breakfast at the hotel and then met Emilie and Stephanie to head over to see the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade. Thanks to Emilie, we had tickets to get into the restricted zone. We were planning to watch from inside an office building on the parade route but the kids found a great spot on the sidewalk and the weather was unbelievably mild. So we sat/stood outside (right across from Macy's) for the next three hours and watched the entire parade go by. Needless to say, the kids had a great time and the weather and viewing spot were beyond perfect.
After the parade we headed over to Emilie's apartment to hang out, watch some football and relax. We ended up heading over to Washington Square Park for the kids to play on the playground where we had a celebrity siting - retired football player Kurt Warner was at the playground with his kids - proving that everyone has to go to the playground. The kids burned off some energy and we headed back to Emilie's to eat.
The food that Em prepared was fantastic. What she was able to prepare in a small New York kitchen was beyond impressive - an eleven pound turkey, mashed potatoes, rolls, corn bread casserole, green beans, and more that I am simply blocking out so I don't remember how much I actually ate. Now this was all accomplished with one oven but a ton of prep, advance work and care - complete with spreadsheets to organize the process. Needless to say, flawless execution even when one ignores that there are airplane galleys bigger than Emilie's kitchen. Cousin Stephanie made some great deserts - a her trademark pumpkin chocolate chip cookies and Bubbie's apple cake. They were both excellent. Thanks to Emilie & Stephanie for a fantastic meal.
We returned to the hotel tired and full! Everyone slept well that night and the next morning the kids were rearing to go. We headed out the American Natural History Museum which the kids enjoyed (we get so spoiled with free museums around here) and they saw an amazing dinosaur exhibition. We spent part of the afternoon in Central Park - the kids love climbing the big rocks there. After than Emilie and Stephanie were on duty and took the kids to dinner and to the Muppet Movie and a sleepover while Marcy and I got to go to a nice dinner and movie sans-puppets (not that there is anything wrong with puppets). Everyone had a great night.
The next morning we all met up for breakfast and spent time at the Union Square park playground. After that we headed back to the hotel to pick up our stuff to head home on the train. We got home from a great weekend and Lily and Jack slept in nicely on Sunday morning.
Sunday started out with some more beautiful weather - we played some tennis and Lily and Jack and I were able to wear shorts and short sleeves. We finished up the day putting up holiday decorations. It was a packed but excellent weekend. On to the pictures ... special thanks to Em for all the photos.
The Empire State Building decked out for Thanksgiving.
Watching the parade from the front row.
At the parade.
With Steph.
We were very close to the balloons.
We were sitting here and Macy's is the white building on the left - we were perfectly situated.
Jack and his doppelgänger.
With a dino bone.
Reading at the museum with Cousin Steph.
With Emilie and Stephanie.
Playing in Central Park.
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A classic shot.
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At the playground.
Decorating the tree.
