Celebrating Freedom and Fun

We kicked off the Independence Day weekend with carnies, funnel cakes, and carousels. Victoria loved most of the rides. Her favorite was the big slide. Shawn loved it too...they went down it like 5 times! I tried to ride on more rides with Victoria but they put a stop to it when they saw my pregnant belly...I tried to tell them it was just because I had eaten too many funnel cakes!

There is nothing quite like a carnival. It brings out some interesting people!  

It looked a kind of funny to see a grown man riding on all the kid rides...it's all Shawn's stomach could handle anyway!

 

Here's the little girl playing one of the carnival games and holding up the prize she won.
 

The next night we took Victoria to see Toy Story 3 in the theater. It was just too cute watching her sit in her own seat (with a couple boosters stacked up) watching the movie, eating popcorn, and yelling for more "COKE!". She lasted through the whole movie, there was only a few minutes where she got a little antsy but a piece of licorice and mommy/daddy's lap made it all better!   

Here is Victoria in her 4th of July Sunday outfit. We went to watch the fireworks later Sunday night and finished up our sparklers and poppers the next couple of nights.
 

She loves stomping the poppers!
 

Sparklers were another story...she held them once or twice, tried to touch the spark, got it a little too close to her face and then touched the hot end after it burnt out, and now she runs from them!

On July 2nd Victoria completed the summer reading program at our local library. We had to read and log 25 books :) 

That was easy for her. She got a completion certificate and picked out a new book, her reward from the library!

The Very Hungry Caterpillar...she picked a classic! 

While us girls were out shopping, Victoria saw this princess accessory kit and had to have it. It came with some clip on earrings but she hasn't let me put them on her yet. So when we got home we had to play a little dress up!

I love having a little girl!

{Random} This picture was supposed to go with our post about when my family came to visit but my mom just recently emailed it to me. We went out for some Maryland crabs while my parents and brother were here and they were delicious!! I've been craving them ever since! They are a lot of work, but so yummy! Even Victoria was getting in on the fun and hitting the crabs with the mallet. Shawn and I feel like true Marylanders now that we've eaten the crabs!

New York City

June 14-21 My parents and little brother came for a visit. We loved having them here! Our week was pretty full of little adventures. We spent Friday and Saturday in New York City. That city is crazy, and although it was a lot of fun and I loved what I saw, we will probably never do it again with a toddler!

Here is a picture of the city taken from the car window while sitting in traffic.

Friday, after Shawn had been called an "ignorant cracker" by a NY local while trying to find Tylenol for his headache, we climbed on a tour bus and took a 6 hour tour of the city. I was pretty impressed with what we saw and heard...

My little brother Newt and Mom being tourists across the street from where John Lennon was shot and killed. Our tour guide held up this yellow sword so we could find him.

 

 John Lennon Memorial in Central Park. And this guy decorates it everyday with different things. He's used apples, flowers, roses, pine cones, pumpkins, even marijuana. 

 

The buildings were really amazing

 

 

Tons of Yellow taxis of course. We probably saw at least a dozen people come inches of getting hit by one of these guys while crossing the street.

Shawn and Victoria enjoying NYC.

Part of our tour included a boat ride on the Zephyr out past the Statue of Liberty. Victoria loved it, while I was sick to my stomach every time she got close to the railing (It would have been pretty hard for her to fall over, but still you get a little nervous).

 

Liberty. It's a beautiful thing.

 

I LOVE this man!

Grandpa and Grandma "Dub", Uncle Newt, Mama, and Victoria on the Zephyr. It was really windy. Victoria loved Uncle Newt, even though she was a little shy around him. She still talks about watching Nemo with "Uncle Newt". Every time she see's a skateboard she mentions "Uncle Newt!" and she still thanks Heavenly Father for Uncle Newt in her prayers at night.

Giant New York Pretzel! ( I like the mall pretzels better..ya know, the ones soaked and baked in butter.)

Ground Zero...where the twin towers once stood. This is what I had been waiting all day to see, a favorite part of our tour.

This is the construction of the Freedom Tower next to Ground Zero.

Standing across from where the twin towers once stood, and remembering, made me wonder of things to come. I worried about how safe the world will be for my sweet Victoria and my other babies. My heart ached for what had happened and why it happened. In all my worrying and heartache I looked over to Shawn  who was chasing Victoria around the grass and they both were laughing, playing, and happy. And I noticed the tears in my Father's eyes as he thanked our guide for the words that he spoke. My thoughts then turned to hope, faith, strength, memories, family, and love. A few of the good things that came from the terrorist attack. I felt a reverence, a happiness, and that everything would be okay. I felt more gratitude for the people in my life and blessed that I am able to take part in raising a strong and faithful generation.

Playing in Central Park.

Soaking wet...and loving it.

Newt had to skate Central Park, and because my parents didn't want him alone, they bought him a new long board so that Shawn could borrow it and skate along with him.

Along with the tour of the city we devoured some local New York pizza, stood in Times Square, took Victoria to the 4 story Toy's R Us, went to M&M'S World (Victoria loves m&m's), stayed at the Belvedere Hotel, spent a lot of money (thanks mom and dad) and walked a lot (my ankles turned into cankles by the end of the day). 

We left these two boys in NYC to catch a late bus back home so they could see Band of Horses play at Grand Central Station. They were playing a free, secret location show (they announced the location the day before). Shawn was so excited and I was a little bummed I couldn't go...but happy that he and Newt were there! It was a Happy Father's Day weekend for Shawn!

We spent the rest of our time celebrating Father's Day, relaxing...it's a lot of work being tourists...eating Maryland Crabs and watching Newt sleep.

Saying goodbyes to the Grands and Uncle Newt. 

Thanks for the good time and making memories with us!