Kiss Me at Midnight!

happy, happy new year's eve! i cannot believe it is hours away from 2010. tonight, we are hanging low & avoiding time square. maybe one year we will do it but honestly it just seems NUTS to us. in celebration of this festive evening we are back with day 3 of the Boyle visit. i know i'm behind but it has been hectic with us working & trying to visit with my family!

day 3 was a fun filled day with a trip down to wall street & the statue of liberty. it was chilly but well worth freezing it out for the views & the lovely green lady!
we didn't make it to ellis island because we spent to much time at liberty island...next time.

the boys riding the subway.

the stock exchange. talk about a stressful job in this economy!

trinity church sits at the end of the road almost looking down on wall street.

taking the bull by its horns.
a good luck item on wall street...hoping for the market will go UP!

i was taking a picture of danny & captured danny taking a picture of me!

the views of manhattan are incredible from liberty island.

this bird flew in the picture right i hit the "take" button. perfect timing buddy!

the green lady.
wait for it. wait for it...

and...JUMP!

this is the original torch that she held.
they had to replace it because it was starting to rust.

the photo below is a life size replica of her face. she is really copper but it you don't polish her...she will turn GREEN!

kristen & i watched three families with small kids walk up to her face (we were waiting for the boys) and all the kids, that didn't see the kid before them, either picked her nose or put their head in her nose. danny walked up & instantly did the same! we of course ALL joined the fun!

how often do you get to see waves crashing & snow in the same place!

it was REALLY windy up on the terrace of the statue & kristen needed to face the wall for protection. danny gave her a little company.

good-bye for now!

we headed to gramercy park (where a portion of knotting hill was filmed) and we saw this little guy enjoying a winter snack. look at his little feet! so cute.

then we made a pit stop at grand central station.
it was rush hour and we watched for awhile, people running, pushing. going crazy.
do you see ALL the black?! new yorkers LOVE their black!

we headed home to make smores! yum.

um. can i have one please? seriously, please!

the tradition is still alive. for the past few years, kristen, lindsey, erica & i have done a $5.00 gift exchange. the rule, we can only spend $5.00 on each gift.
it is HARD but so fun to see what we have all come up with.
let's be honest...i usually go slightly over. but, this year i was on the MONEY!

we decided to do it on speaker phone since kristen was with me.
And linds & erica got together that night too!

lindsey got us all fun ornaments with our last name initial!

DB = Diamond Bar!
Too bad Lindsey doesn't have an "S" last name! then the four of us would be DBHS!

erica got us adorable picture frames!

kristen got us amazingly cute necklaces.

we are cracking up because we were on speaker phone we had been talking loudly to make sure the girls could hear us. after i opened kristen's present i yelled "THANK YOU KRISTEN!" and then realized...Oops! she is right here! i guess i didn't need to yell it!

i got the girls all scarfs. showing off all our goodies. didn't we do well?

enjoying the ornaments on the tree!

i hope everyone has a joyous & safe celebration.
as we start this year i am so excited to cherish the memories & time jason & i have ahead together. i am excited to see what 2010 has in store. i know 2009 was packed with our amazing wedding & big move...i can only imagine what 2010 will bring.
we love you ALL & treasure the blessings we have been given in all of you!
HAPPY NEW YEAR!

Rain, Rain, Go Away!

it has been pouring since last night & i am OVER it. walking around in the rain is whack! i feel & smell like a wet dog...YUCK! on a VERY positive note, as i type this post, my family is flying somewhere over us! super excited to see them!

i hope everyone had a fantastic Christmas. j & i were solo yesterday with the pups of course. we had a fun, relaxing day! i promise, more on Christmas later. tonight, i am back with DAY 2 of our visit with DK.

now, i have to ask you...are you ready? seriously. are you sitting in a comfy seat, do you have a snack & a drink? because this is a LONG one! okay...as long as you are ready. here it comes!

our morning started with a stop by starbucks & then we headed to central park. we were all dying to see how the snow had transformed this amazing place!

honestly...no words can describe how amazingly beautiful it was!
the four of us were in heaven & saying how fortunate we were to catch such a dream like day.

i was like a kid in a candy store & similar to most kids in candy stores...
one of them is going to get in trouble.
i got in trouble.

SEE PHOTO ABOVE FOR REFERENCE!
do you see what is around my neck? correct. our camera (technically jason's birthday present camera). do you see what is all over my body? you got it! SNOW!

i was just told by my sweet hubs, "if you are going to run around in the snow, give me the camera because i know you are going to fall."

i said, "don't worry honey, even if i fall i won't get snow on the camera!"
Oops! i got some snow on the camera!
yep. people are actually cross country skiing in central park.
and they were not the only ones!
let's have some fun. get ready punk!

here it comes...

splat!

danny...you shouldn't have used two hands.
you're in trouble NOW!

the straight arm hammer drop technique. we like that style!

look at the delight in kristen's face!!

you ready? he looks pretty relaxed huh?

the alley-oop is about to be dropped on your head jason!!

nothing but NET!

do you see how close he is to my head?

yep. you got it. that was the two hand thunder slam!

heaven. order now & we will send you (2) copies for only $14.95!
(S&H fees will apply)

do we have enough cameras? one for each of us!

up next we walked down 5th Ave to check out the store windows.
St. Patrick's Cathedral

the tree

i think this is clear!
time for the empire state building!

so here is the thing. i realize that the views are spectacular. i realize that people go up here, every day, all day long. but, that does not change the fact that i HATE heights. i freak. i try so hard to just relax. but, i struggle, every. single. time.

stunning. i get it. love seeing the photos. and enjoy the view from a distance.

against the wall of the empire state building.

this is a fake smile. i am terrified.

you should have seen how slowly i walked over to jason to get this picture.

this is how i was really feeling.

this photo below. yup. just looking at it makes me feel sick. but, it is such an amazing perspective! you can see so much. oh i was so relieved to have both feet back on the 1st floor.

off to time square we go!

enough said. "the punk is home!" AE flagship store!

did you make it? i told you it was a LONG post & that we had a busy few days!
a couple more days to come!
well, i am off to finish putting some things away before our next guests arrive!
xoxo

p.s. if you haven't stopped by in a few days because of the hustle & the bustle of Christmas. scroll down. you may have missed some goodies!