I'm BEAT!! We had a great time, the kids loved the show.

Johnny had a basketball game in the morning. We took off right after the game and caught a train (after a sushi and Dunkin Donuts stop, LOL)

We figured we'd take the train in and stay between 5th and 7th Aves and 32nd and 34th St., basically the Herald Square/Macy's area. It was neat showing the kids where the Thanksgiving Parade had just been.

We went to eat at Houlihan's in the Empire State Building, HOWEVER, no one told many sources of information that I checked that it closed sometime in the last year, so it was off to find a place to eat. We walked by one Irish pub and John said to keep walking, and then we hit another Irish pub and decided to stop in. We just had the basic pub food.....burgers, soup, fried calamari appetizer, beer, etc..... After our meal, our server told us about their VIP pass to the Empire State Building and that if we would like to go up and bypass the queue and the fare, to talk to the barman after our show. I love going to places were the workers are authentic. Johnny wondered why he said "three" as "tree" and I told him that was all part of the Irish Brogue.

So, after our eats, we walked back to Madison Square Garden and went into A Christmas Carol. The children loved the show, but unfortunately, there were more adults than kids inside, so Tommy ended up sitting on my lap so he could see. Johnny and Steffi had clear views to the stage, until the people who were supposed to sit in front of them came in late, about 1/2 way through the show. They could still see, but had to adjust. And, I was very pleased, as the seats we had were still good enough to be snowed on in the finale!! We were concerned that we would just miss it, but alas it was fine.

So, we walked back to the pub and I exchanged my driver's license for a VIP pass with the barman. We were up at the top of the building in a flash and didn't have to wait 2 hrs and 45 min outside before we even were allowed in to wait to buy tickets.

I thought Tommy was gonna lift off the top of the building in excitement, LOL. My husband, however, was none too enthused, especially when we walked onto the west side of the building and the wind was THISCLOSE to blowing people off, LOL. I took some pictures, but my hair was always blowing in the way. John gets very overprotective in the city. He's always been that way with me, but with the kids it was that much worse.

I do admit that as we looked up to the top of the building, I pictured what it would be like to see a full size plane crashing into the side :-(, and when we walked down 6 flights of stairs from the 86th floor that I pictured what it would have been like on 9-11 in the twin towers..... Tommy even mentioned various twin towers things throughout our visit. I guess somethings will never go away.

Just as we ended our ESB visit, we walked back to Penn Station in time to catch a train back home. We got home around 10:30 and had to get up REAL early as Tommy's Vacation Bible School class had jobs at Mass today. Tommy got to light the Christ Candle, and then proceeded to trip and fall coming off the altar, LOL.

John just left for hunting in PA, we just ate lunch, and I think I'll be checking out the inside of my bed to make sure it's okay to sleep in tonight, LOL Sweet dreams!

BTW, if you are ever in NY, you might want to eat at Jack Demsey's Pub -- 33rd between 6th and 7th, LOL

Oh my goodness........we are gonna FREEZE OUR ASSES OFF today!!

It is SO cold and gusty outside. I think I am gonna give the kids their ear wraps that I bought them for Christmas too. I'm upset that I haven't made it back to Kohl's to get them for John and me yet.

Anyway.....have a great day and we'll see ya soon!

Last night we told the kids we were taking them into the city this weekend. John and Steph were wide-eyed and speechless and then were jumping around. They are so happy to be going in to see "A Christmas Carol". They were asking about it about a week ago and I told them that you had to buy tickets already.

John also said last night that he didn't care if he didn't get anything else for Christmas.

Tommy is not as enthused, but I'm sure he'll have a good time. I keep showing the kids Herald Square during the parade and telling them that we'll be there in two days.

This morning when the boys got up, I could hear John talking to Thomas, all excited again about our news last night.

I just wish it wasn't gonna be a cold, blustery day, LOL.

I don't think we'll go up to Rockerfeller Center, so we'll probably just hang around MSG, Macy's, the Empire State Building, and maybe the Disney Store. So, after John's basketball game Saturday morning, we'll be hitting THE CITY!!!

Happy Thanksgiving to all my readers. I hope you have a wonderful day and safe travels.

Today started out with a pancake breakfast which was finished just in time for me to turn on the Macy's Parade. I could remember parades while I was growing up and how my dad would turn them on and call us in if we weren't watching whenever the Rockettes would be on. I did the same thing with my daughter today.

Ever since I moved away from home (11 years ago), I get teary-eyed whenever the parade starts and I remember how my dad was. Now that he is gone, I think I cry a little bit more.

I had a "moment" during the parade thinking about my mom. I know how sad she gets and like Luther says

"Sometimes I'd listen outside her door
And I'd hear how my mother cried for him
I pray for her even more than me
I pray for her even more than me
I know I'm praying for much too much
But could you send back the only man she loved
I know you don't do it usually
But dear Lord she's dying
To dance with my father again"

Wow......I was just reading my archives from 2 years ago when my father was fighting/dying with cancer. I used to blog a lot.....even if I just mentioned what I did that day. Like visiting the kids classes for American Education Week. I knew what I sat in on. I haven't blogged like that lately.

I would like to print out my blog for the past two years.....think that's crazy to undertake?

It seems like I come on this computer a lot and just listen and comment, rather than start conversations. I feel bad for doing that, but sometimes I don't know if people like to listen to me, LOL.

So.....with this realization, I will try blogging my daily activites.

Today, the kids have an early dismissal. We will be going for Johnny's final eye tests at the doctor's main office, about 45 minutes away. Johnny needed an in-depth eye test after the school nurse thought that he might have a muscle balance problem in his eyes. We went to the opthamologist, and she said his vision was fine, the muscle balance is fine, but she does notice that his optic nerves are tilted, but within normal, so she wanted baseline testing done. Last week we went to an 1 1/2 hr appointment with a retin specialist so he could look at the nerves and take special photos of Johnny's eyes. Again, his variations are within normal. Today, we take the last of all these baselines, with some Field Vision test. I can't wait to sit in rush hour traffic on the way home.

I am also a little sad as there are many people close to me who are dealing with grief at the holidays and others who are starting their battles against cancer and it just saddens me that these things happen. It was bad enough when my family and I were affected, but all these people are in the same boat as me. I just wish the hurt and pain would go away for the ones who are left behind.....

Tomorrow we will be heading to my mom's to eat, and then to my inlaws for dessert.

Have a safe and a wonderful holiday.

Okay.....so we changed into our night time wear and before you knew it, it was time to hop around the block to our dinner at Bellini's. I started with baked asparagus encrusted with parmesan cheese.. Oh...........my............word...........I could have eaten this all weekend. For dinner, it was Gamberoni Bellini -- Jumbo shrimp sauteeed with white wine, tomato, and melting mozzarella. Again, very good. I had some kind of hazelnut gelato covered in chocolate to look like 1/2 of a porcini mushroom for dessert.

I then called John's cousin to let him know that we were coming over to his club a little before opening (we got there at 9:45pm)

The place is called Vue. We were escorted up to the VIP level and sat down to a round of complimentary drinks. Then we find out that we will be hanging out with a "private party" and open bar for us until midnight. Hot damn!! We were so excited as they were playing 80's music, but as the night got later, it turned into techno and wasn't as fun dancing, LOL. I left with a girlfriend around 12:30, as we were beat, but the other 4 girls stayed for another hour. Once 12:30 came, they let "the public" up as the party was over, and that's when it got really crowded and a fight broke out, and the other girls came back to the hotel as well.

Next morning, my friend and I attended mass at St. Patrick's Cathedral. What a beautiful experience!! We spent the rest of the morning walking around Rockerfeller Center, grabbing lunch at Oscar's and heading home, and back to reality.

I have to say, my friend's husband ROCKS and it will be something that none of us will ever forget.

So...my weekend......we started with a 10:15 limo pick up at my friend H's house. He was a little lost, and got there a tad late, so we started drinking Mimosa's with the champagne glasses that were in our goodie bags with a copy of the Rent CD, Godiva chocolates, a picture frame, disposable camera and assorted truffles. The goodie bags were the cutest paper bags with metal handles that were striped pink, yellow and orange, triangular shaped. It was then that I realized, had I not changed my original clothing plan, that the birthday girl and I would have had on the same sweater and boots!! LOL

Once we got in the limo, we brought extra Mimosa ingredients and continued to drink into the city. We passed Giants Stadium, where they were testing the Barney, Super Elmo and one other balloon for the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade. We pull into the Waldorf=Astoria parking lot and unload our bags.

It was time to grab lunch before the show. We went to the famous Lindy's, home of the NY Cheesecake, Deli and grabbed burgers and sandwiches and such.

We then proceeded down Broadway, through Times Square to see RENT The cast I saw back in 1997, or so, was much better, but this show had Frenchie Davis from American Idol in it......SHE was INCREDIBLE.....I'm glad she was recognized after she was kicked off AI.

We all enjoyed the show and then backtracked to Lindy's to look for a lost cell phone (which we later find out was dropped in the limo). We came back to the Waldorf, checked in and changed into nighttime clothes.

(more to follow another time, hehe. I pulled my neck muscle and can't sit here and type any more......)

I can NOT wait for tomorrow morning when the limo picks me and my 5 friends up for our friend's birthday weekend.

I'll fill in all the little details, including facts about the goodie bags that some of the girls already know about, when I get home on Sunday. This is going to be INCREDIBLE!!!

Update.......the girls did get Needs Improvement as well. The teacher told me that if it didn't cause total insanity that she would have moved John from his group in week 2 when she saw that they were just not going to work together properly. She said she even apologized to John and let him know that if he just stuck it out it would be over soon. So, that was very cool......she was very nice and let me know that she knew ALL about the shenanigans going on. Score one for teacher I didn't particularly care for!! LOL

I just told him, for when he goes back in March, that he should REALLY be aware of what the teacher already saw him deal with and to take extra special care to get along with whomever he is paired with for that cycle. She assured me that it wouldn't be with those girls again.

The teacher randomly chose them this time as she counted 1-6 around the room, and none of those girls even went to the same elem. school, so it's just how fate choose it.

Random thought while waiting for page to load....listening to Matchbox 20 on Jay Leno......I just LOVED their newest hit (Bright Lights), but after watching Rob Thomas sing, I love it even more, LOL. Something about a live version gets me all excited ;-)

Real reason for posting. John got his "report card" from LU today. There were 15 categories to get graded on. He got 8 outstandings, 6 marks on the edge of the box between outstanding and satisfactory and one needs improvement..... can anyone guess the category for that one?? Works cooperatively with others!!! Of course, I know it is tied to the happenings in his group with those girls, so I gave the teacher a call today to discuss. I just want to get her take on the classroom happenings, I'm not fighting the grade. Hopefully she'll call me back tomorrow and I won't ask, but I hope the other 3 girls got a needs improvement too. One of the moms (different mom from below) is the speech teacher at John's school, and I almost wanted to have her catch me looking at his folder while I was at the school today, LOL.

Steffi did fine too.....6 outstandings, 6 between outstanding and satisfactory and 3 satisfactory. Her satisfactories were in understanding the material (hello, she's 8 yrs. old and you had them really researching the immigrants, and two others with logical reasoning) I can see that she is different from John in reasoning. She likes things in black and white and whines when she has to think. She knows the answers, she just doesn't like working for them, LOL. But again, maybe it's just that she is young.....