Saturday, August 31, 2013

Part Two.

At the beginning of the month, I wrote about getting the heck out of NYC for a bit.  Our first trip this summer to Colorado did not disappoint.  After being in the mountains for a week, the city seemed to be moving even faster - the people, well, I don't even want to talk about our flight home :(.  Lucky for us, we didn't have to wait too long for trip #2: THE MIDWEST!

Beautiful as they may be, the mountains cannot compete (in my heart) with the prairie.  The tall grass and sweeping, calm sunsets...the thunderstorms with big, fat rain...the Platte River.  The Platte River.

I mean


It's hard not to love.  Also, now that we have an almost two year old in tow, it is SO SO SO nice to have a bunch of family around to keep an eye on her.  She is literally jumping down flights of stairs one minute and begging to be held the next, so I have never been more thankful to have lots of helping hands around to keep her occupied.












Right now, Andrew is busy choreographing ANYTHING GOES at my old stomping ground (he never stops) and I'm so excited to see the "final" product on Monday.  This weekend is supposed to be cooler (please! anything under 99 degrees!) and we hope to spend some more time with my middle brother Evan and his wife Emily (with whom Lua is OBSESSED).  On Wednesday, we leave Nebraska for a bit more of the Midwest - Wisconsin!  I'm glad that our adventures get to continue and that we will be surrounded by even more family :)  When we get back to the city, we have a month to pack up all our stuff, get it into storage and get ready for our biggest and final trip - CANADA!  More to come on that soon!  For now, I am trying to just slow down and enjoy the good life ;)























Hope you have a fun and safe Labor Day!

Friday, August 9, 2013

Colorado, Canada and getting the heck out of dodge....errr NYC: PART ONE


I've known that New York City was not my forever home since about 6 months in.   I also knew at about 6 months in that I was coming dangerously close to the edge of something great with the guy I was seeing.  Funny how life does that to you.

Cut to 7 years later and I have something way beyond great with "the guy" and we're still here somehow.  I've developed this bittersweet fondness, this fickle pride in where we live - as I'm sure most New Yorkers have.  I have always had it in my head that, "this is where the best of the best come to get the best of everything" and, in a lot of ways, that's totally true.  Where else can you order delicious thai food at 1am?  Or any other cuisine for that matter?  Where is there another Broadway theater? Grand Central Station? Nightly Poetry/Comedy/Concert series?  Opportunities of every shape/kind/subject?  PEOPLE of every shape/kind/subject.

Sometimes, when we happen to be driving out of the city (which happens very rarely, as we don't own a car) and I think to look back over my shoulder, I'll catch a great view of the skyline and think, "wow.  i live there.  I. LIVE. THERE."  But, most times I think, "THANK THE LORD BABY JESUS, we're getting out for a few days/hours/minutes."

Reasons I need to get out of here, by Sophie Cao.

1.  I need green.  Like, REAL green.  Not Central Park green.  Like, real this-soil-is-healthy-and-hasn't-been-peed-on-by-one-thousand-ummmm-...dogs-today GREEN.  I'm almost 100% sure that it's my parents' fault (isn't everything?) for letting me grow up barefoot in the grass with chickens and bugs and the Platte River.

2.  I need a community.  Not a pack of ruthless a-holes.  I know many New Yorkers take pride in this no-nonsense, cut-throat attitude so characteristic of the people here, but I loathe it.  LOATHE IT.  The pushing, the crowded streets, the need-to-be-there-five-minutes-ago pace in which you must travel. Now, there are some days when I do see random acts of kindness happen in this city, but I'll be honest and say IT'S NOT OFTEN.  I can't even remember the last time.  And when I do see something happen, I think, "Wow.  That's awesome.  That little kid just held the door open for that older lady on crutches.  Amazing."  When, DUH, that should be a common occurrence.  It SHOULDN'T BE AMAZING.  Or so so sweet.  Or even really thoughtful.  It should be the norm.

3.  Having a kid in this city is hard.  Unless you have lots of moolah.  Or you live with your mom.  And even then I'm sure it's hard.

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We got the opportunity to travel to Colorado a few weeks ago and, boy, am I glad we all decided to go.   Andrew has worked for the Rocky Mountain Repertory Theatre for many years off and on and they invited all of us to come out so Andrew could perform in the annual cabaret and fundraiser.  The town of Grand Lake is tucked into the mountains like it could be in the movies.  It's small enough that everyone knows everyone (in a good way) and by the end of our stay, shop owners were coming out to greet us and give Lu little trinkets and treats.  We hiked, we played in the water, we sat in the sun....it was a dream.  Here are some pictures of our travels.  Enjoy!

she slept through a diaper change AND getting her into the carseat!
a little HEADS UP - thanks, Ellen.
waiting for our plane...

after flying 4.5 hours, we drove 2.5 hours


view from our cabin bedroom







fancy dinner with fancy people!
my husband is the handsomest :)







heading home for now! hope to see you again soon, Grand Lake!