Omaha and NYC!

 Matt and I got to go New York City for a few days. It was my first time, and though I wouldn't want to live there, would def. go back and visit again. Thanks so much Pam and Ed for watching the kids!!! Pam, Lincoln moped around the first day after we were back and asked me several times when he got to back to your house!  Took him awhile to snap out of it!

We stayed in Omaha a couple days before we left, and went to see Great Grandpa and Grandma Schroeder. They have a beautiful garden!

Ed and Zeb got a new "toy" that the adults tried out...yes, even me.  This was my first time shooting any kind of gun!

Omaha Zoo.  I told Grandma Pam she should not do this...hoping she was not too sore that week!
I loved the penguins-did not enjoy the bats!

At Ben, Jake, and Wyatt's birthday party (Matt's cousin's kids).
Lyla was really giggling with Papa Ed here:

Lyla was afraid of all the cats when we came, but I think by the end of the week she had warmed up to them. She would say like she was trying to convince herself, "that kitty won't hurt me."

On to NYC!!!
We took a tour of downtown and saw alot of the major sites. Then at night time saw downtown again and Brooklyn.  It was really cool driving across the Manhattan Bridge and seeing the Brooklyn bridge and the whole city all lit up!  We also toured Uptown and Harlem, and one day stood in line to get Broadway tickets at discount prices.  Definitely if you ever go to New York you should do this as we only ended up standing in line a little over an hour and got tickets to Phantom of the Opera for 50% off.  LOVED the show!

tour bus

shuttle that took us from our hotel to the subway station

subway station closest to our hotel where we got on to go to the Times Square stop- took us about 20 minutes

Times Square

Tons of people and huge billboards everywhere.  There are not any street lights, but  at nighttime it is  super bright because of all the advertisements.

New Years Eve ball

We took the escalators to the top floor of Macy's.  Number NINE!

waiting for tickets

It rained a little that day but we missed most of it since we went back to  the hotel for naps after getting up early for the Today show.

Beautiful Central Park. It was amazing how calming it was walking through there!  

Today Show.  Talked to Ann and both Matt and I were on TV that morning! 

On the ferry going to the Statue of Liberty.  This is the view looking back while we were on the ferry.

Ellis Island

YUMMY restaurant where you got your food and ate outside in the park.  They had custard which is my favorite!

More Central Park

 We ended up switching our flight from Sat. morning to Friday evening because of the hurricane.  It ended up our flight was one of the last ones out Sat. so we would have made it, but I am kind of glad we got out of there early.  It was crazy taking the subway to the airport Friday afternoon since everyone was trying to get out of the city.  They were jam packed with people and I have never stood in such close quarters with that many people! Matt said he was glad he got to experience it, and though there was definitely something exciting about it all, I am not so sure!