New Jersey to NYC

DAY # 4: Monday, May 25th 2009

THE LAST DAY... tear tear!!

7:00 AM - Kids wake us up again...

10:00 AM - Drive to NYC and spend a few hours there walking through Central Park

2:00 PM - Back to NJ, grabbed some lunch, let the kids nap a bit - they were starting to get sick and that was so sad!!

5:30 PM - Go to Lex and Rob's friends for a Memorial Day BBQ and birthday party for a little kiddo. Us girls played rockband and chilled while the rest played outside with the slip and slide

8:00 PM - Back to Lexie's to just "chill" and hope the kids feel better soon. I can't remember what else we did - I think we just watched "So you think you can Dance" and stuff...

6:00 AM - Lexie took me to the airport...tear tear.

DETAILS:

• By this last day we all had worn ourselves out. The kids were so worn out that they were getting sick. Poor boys! They were still so good for being not so well. It was fun to drive through the tunnel from NJ to NYC and then be in the mess of traffic around the noon hour - the mornings are the LEAST busy, so it was a good time to go.

• Central Park was GREAT! I was tired so I didn't need to see much to be happy. It's just so cool that I could see areas where movies were filmed and stuff. Like 27 Dresses - the place where her sister chose to get married. Or Enchanted and the song and dance she did. Or... I don't know. Lexie was better at knowing this really... but it was so cool to be there and be close to where things really were filmed!!

• Memorial BBQ - was actually not a BBQ, but a taco night... at the friend's house. It's fun to see how married people "hang out". Lexie has some good friends, good to know people are taking care of her! Rockband was a BLAST. Next up we'll have to do kareoke and dancing when we see each other next time.

• I knew it was time I to go home after Monday night, but I didn't really want to go back to normal life. It was a bit wierd that Lexie and Rob were still doing normal life, so I was the only one on vacation, so I did feel like I should be doing productive things, so at least maybe that motivated me to get on a plane and go back to work... Although I HATE planes, more and more these days really!! The 5 hour flight was long. And then I went into work and worked the full day. I was exhausted from my "vacation". I think I need another one :)


• LOVE YOU LEXIE!! Thanks for a great trip!!

Isn't he just the cutest ever?? I love this pick!!

New Jersey Lazy Sundays

DAY # 3 - May 24, 2009
10:00 am - Church
1:30 pm - Check out the NYC skyline from a hill at the top of a hike/picnic area...
2:00 pm - Kids take a nap, and we take a nap
4:00 pm - Dinner
That evening - just be lazy... jump around with the boys - literally - JUMP on beds, on mattresses on the couches, everywhere... And watch a movie and get massages after the boys went to sleep...

Details:

• Church was good. Lexie's in YW's and I've always wanted to be a YW's leader again. It was interesting and a bit eye opening to be around all these 12-16 year old girls. They aren't as cute as we were in YW's - that's the honest truth. More just a bit annoying because they want to talk about their problems, be dramatic, me me me... and just I don't know. But, I'm sure they are good girls, I just didn't realize how funny the teenage girl stage is. They're so loud and obnoxious. Was that ever me? No way. Well...hmm.

• The little walk to see the NYC skyline was hard on the boys. They needed their naps. And even harder for their mom because Lexie was in her high heels and luckily I would hold on to her so she didn't fall on her face! The sky was overcast so we didn't get to see as much as we could have, sad.
• We desperately needed the RELAX day. I mean, this was my vacation and I was getting no sleep and playing way too much! Well, who can play too much?? It was nice to just play with the boys though and be entertained by the crazy things that Lexie and Rob do with them. Yes you guys are crazy, but good crazy! Like - they toss their kids around on their bed. And then they take my blow up mattress and set it against the couch/wall and see if the boys can run up it and roll down. I'm surprised no one gets hurt - - - oh wait, they do all the time! They are all a bit klutzy. It was fun to see how fun kids are though.

New Jersey Rollercoaster Fun

Day 2 - May 23, 2009



Six Flags baby!! Here was the schedule:
9:00 am - Take the boys to Nikki & Wes's (Rob and Lexie's friends)

11:00 am - Arrive at Six Flags!! PLAY - RIDE - SCREAM - GET DIZZY - TIRED!!!
3:30 pm - Leave so we can go get the boys

5:00 pm - Grab the boys and head back home for naps maybe

Rest of night - eat, watch our old videos, watch a movie, still stay up too darn late when those kids get up so early!



Details:

• Rollercoaster # 1 - Oh my gosh!! I was totally freaking out! This was an older white rollercoaster, but one of the best. I wish I knew the names, maybe I'll fill that in later. This one goes pretty high, and then once at the top it basically does a 90 degree drop and even cuts back a bit. Lexie wanted me to do this one first - I was starting to hesitate as we climbed the coaster... oh my gosh!! So, here's my disclaimer - I love rollercoasters, but haven't been on them for at least 4 years, before my mission! And really I've only been to CA to do their rollercoasters, even though I talk myself up like I'm a pro. But, I'm willing to basically try anything - although I will warn you (and so will Lexie) that I still PANIC a bit!! Lexie held my hand and enjoyed watching me scream for my life! It was scary to start on that one... and I almost didn't want to do it again, but after a few more coasters I was ready :)

• Bumpy rollercoaster - so there was this small coaster that didn't have a line (or so we thought) and we just wanted to ride it because it's a classic. Well, it's so bumpy that it almost hurts! I screamed, but more for entertainment since it wasn't that big...although Lexie will say otherwise about my screaming...haha. Anyway, we ended up waiting way too long for that dang ride! They had workers who were in training and kept breaking the machines and stuff...sad!


• The one like Goliath - The Goliath Rollercoaster at CA Six Flags is my all time FAVORITE!! And there was one sort of like that in NJ - this one had lots of land and rolling hills on the coaster, etc... It was a fun one for sure! I just love screaming because it makes it so much more fun!

• After about 6 or 9 rides, we got off the last one and realized - I'm getting old!! What?? Yeah, we were a bit light headed, dizzy, and needed to sit down. Who are we? Why couldn't we handle that? We're like our parents or something! But, alas, I was still blanking out, so sitting was necessary. And then we were basically done. It also could have something to do with the fact that we were still worn out from the continuous lack of sleep, the lack of food and water (cuz they made us throw that away before entering!) and the sun and humidity. It was pretty hot! So, we grabbed food that costed way too much and then started the drive home.

• I'm so glad Lexie and Rob took the day to take me there!!! We had a blast! Plus I did get a bit of a glance into married life a bit more and we had some good chats about their marriage and someday what I'm hoping - or a bit freaked out about....

• That evening Lexie and I grabbed the snack food and watched our famous high school videos. But, we didn't even get through half of them that whole weekend!!! Instead we made new memories, which is just as good :)

New Jersey here I came!

THE LONG AWAITED NJ TRIP DETAILS!! I know, finally! It's going to be long, and several posts... BUT, so worth it! So many funny moments not to be forgotten :)

May 22nd 2009

Schedule of events:

11:30 pm the night before - get in to Newark and Lexie pick me up!

6:45 am - Wake up to the sound of 3 little boys eating cereal, playing, crying, etc.

7:30 am - Finally wake up a bit more after Lexie crawled in to my air mattress with me

11:00 am - Lexie and I drop off the boys with one of her friends and we head to the mall to do a bit of shopping and grab lunch - NJ doesn't have taxes, so I went a bit crazy...

2:00 pm - Pick up the boys and play with them a bit

3:30 pm - Rob came home and Lexie and I ran to the grocery store for a bit

5:30 pm - Lexie and I grabbed the NJ train and headed into NYC to go see MAMMA MIA!

8:00 pm - After 1.5 hours of walking through the city, we got in and watched the awesome musical!

10:30 pm - Started the trek home...

1:30 am - After getting home and chatting for hours, we decided to head to bed.

Okay, so now here are the details for DAY # 1 with Lexie, much more exciting!

• The boys - Even though those little rascals woke me up at 7 flippin AM they are just the cutest boys ever!! So entertaining really! I'm realizing if you have kids, although they are a lot of work, cry, etc - they still are so funny and can always put a smile on your face! Reven is 4 now - wow! He's so big. And then Mason is the middle child and has the cutest dimples, and has the emotional middle child syndrome a bit, and then Jesse is the youngest but more the bully than any of the boys. They are just the CUTEST kids though. I hate to say that I was almost hoping this "trip" would cure my baby hunger pains (I just love babies right now!!). But, the boys didn't cure it. They were too cute. Even if they were messy and woke me up and stuff.


• NJ Traffic - it's horrendous! There are all sorts of crazy drivers, but what's even worse are the actual roads! The "freeways" are so funny - no on or off ramps, buses stop on the side of the freeway, the roads are all tangled up and all over the place! The side roads have barriers and you can't make a left and get to stores on that side till you get a mile or two past it and turn around...ah, annoying.


• Eiffel Tower - So, Lexie and I were driving back from the needed trip to the mall. Isn't it funny that I've been needing to go shopping and I've been in UT and spent hours finding nothing, and then I had 2 hours with Lexie and was like Ms. Shopaholic...! Anyway, back to the car afterwards and as we're driving I got a quick glimpse of the NYC skyline!! I excitedly looked at Lex and said - oh look! The city! And, that's the Eiffel Tower!!?? It's the tallest right?! Sweet!! Lexie says - yes Andrea, the "Eiffel Tower" - sarcastically - and I was like - what?? Lexie - Yes, Andrea we are in Paris aren't we?!?! Oh man! You're right, what's that called again Lex? Lex - You are serious? The Empire State Building!! Me - Oh yeah! Whoops...hahahahahhahah. At least I said a tall building that started with an "E" right? Luckily I don't get embarrassed too much, and especially with Lexie, she's heard and seen it all... This weekend trip had at least 100 CrAzY Andrea Experiences like this one. I started making a list so I wouldn't forget...

• Walking through the city - Lexie and I dressed up for Mamma Mia and took the train and then walked about 25 blocks to the Theatre. It was nice weather, cheaper than the subway, and I needed to see the city anyway... So, we walked. In our dresses. And high heels baby! At a nice lady from the Bronx came up to us and said "You look like you are NYC girls, can I follow you guys there?" She looked at me and I kinda laughed because, oh wait, I'm totally NOT from here and even Lexie hasn't been on the trains too much so we thought it was pretty flattering - guess we looked the part at least! Also, my dress has sooo much fabric that the wind could really pick it up and send it up higher than I wanted! It was pretty funny for Lexie to watch me panicking every time it would blow. The best was when we were standing on the side over a subway vent - the subway came by and up went my skirt - all the way to my elbows!! Yeah, I'm sure people saw everything - well, only my whites, but who in NY knows what those are??

• More walking experiences - So, more stories... After only a few minutes of walking the 25 blocks we needed to go, I grabbed on to Lexie so I didn't have to try and dodge the hundreds of people all over the place. We even had a bit more fun and would hold hands sometimes to watch and see if we got a reaction. Even in NYC we did get a few stares. There were LOTS of people for us to stare at too - those weirdos, so we were just joining the crowd. Rob, Lexie's husband, knows that I am Lexie's one true love still even though he got to marry her...hahah.


• Butt checks - YES! So, here we are after the musical, trying to dodge the crowds again on the way back to the train stop. Since we were all dolled up, I made a comment to Lexie saying that I was surprised we hadn't had anyone try to do anything to us (more joking a bit)... She said that this was NYC and people are still civilized here, gosh! Not more than 3 minutes later we were stopped at a light before a crosswalk (The yellow ones don't stop! Taxi's!) and my words came to pass! A shorter man was walking past us from the other direction when we all were in congestion and rather than him passing by us, he stopped and basically stood behind us longer than he needed to. I noticed his hesitation and just thought he was kinda weird. Well, then I realized that someone had just rubbed their hand down my butt - YES, my butt!! What?? I basically jumped forward because I'm not too used to having that part of me caressed.... And then Lexie looked at me and she too had a weird expression, he had just grabbed her butt too!! We looked around and the little guy and ran off. Lexie turned to me and said, did he just touch your butt? YES!! Me too!!! No way!! What is this world coming too??!! Yucky!! But it was one of those moments to add to the list of crazy things we've experienced!! Yes, we were looking fine and a guy just totally grabbed our butts. No, not just one, but went for both of us - and then disappeared! Hahah. Only in New York right??

• Mamma Mia - Yes it was great!! The movie is great too by the way, but something about sitting and watching the actors and seeing a bit different portrayal, or a bit more in depth portrayal, is just SO AWESOME to me. I love Broadway Musicals! (And I just realized that they are called Broadway's because they are on the Broadway Street - yes, blond moment - but why would I know this if I really haven't been to NYC too much?) I love Abba songs! Lexie and I snuck in our soft pretzels from the stand outside and continued to eat and take illegal pictures till it started. More just to be rebels and for that little "thrill" like we'd get when we'd spy on people back in high school, etc... The musical was great though. And it was hilarious to watch one 70 year old man usher who during the last number busted his groove and got jiggy with it in the back row! If only he wasn't the picture Nazi, we would have videoed him!

Double edged sword

**Side note about last post** I thought it was kind of funny - my last post I said that I evaded an embarrassing moment. Then I posted the whole story on my blog - so really I didn't avoid it did I?? Funny. I'm Funny.

There are LOTS of double edge swords in this life. For example:

1. At work - employees are kind of like that. They are never happy! Not sure if you'd consider them a double edge sword or just never satisfied or always complaining - or maybe it's that MY job is UN-Thank-able. If that's a word. We just don't get recognized, I knew that and am okay with that, but we also only hear the complaints. A few months ago we started the "Weight Watchers At Work Program" and have several employees that go to that and are starting to be successful!! Sweet! And then on Tuesday we had a "Awards Program" and afterwards we had Leatherbys come and have an ice cream bar open for a couple hours. Employees should be pretty happy about these sweet "free" advantages - when we have free candy, or awards, or ice cream! I know they've missed our "troph" of food and free popcorn, etc. So, heck, it's ICE CREAM, right?? Yes!! Well, we even got a complaint about this...they said - "It seems a bit contradicting that you would offer/tempt us all with Ice Cream, when you know that you're also promoting the Weight Watchers program. How can you guys do that?" Are you serious?? HAHAH. It totally made me laugh! People people, either you want free stuff, but you want certain free stuff, and you still complain when we give you the free stuff. The napkins aren't soft enough, the coffee cups break, the ice cream - is a bad temptation! Dude, isn't life full of choices? And I think on Weight Watchers you could do ice cream and just use all your points right?? So, come on guys, just don't go down and stare at it then! Hilarious.
2. Dating. Another double edge sword. So, either you WANT to have a boyfriend and there are just NO guys. At all. And you just keep wishing and searching and even maybe cry! OR... Then you actually GET called out, but the phone just keeps ringing and ringing. And there's 5 different boys asking you out. And maybe they all aren't ones you want! So, you feel torn and stressed and you keep hoping one is right... you cry again! No matter what - you aren't really getting what you want and either way you're crying. Or I'm crying. Haha. Stupid dating!! Oh, okay. It's good. It's really good. I mean, it's "the way". It's how I'm going to save myself from living alone and being the "cat lady" in the neighborhood. And I hate cats, so hopefully I don't have to have that fate! Actually on the dating front, I've been stressed but just keep protecting my little heart. So, it hasn't been too bad. But now I think I've got to let go a bit and take more chances. We'll see what happens...
3. Desserts - yes, another double edge. It just tastes so good! And makes me so happy. That ice cream at work, was just heaven with that hot fudge... But, 20 minutes after the fact - I didn't feel so hot. Plus, I probably gained 4 lbs from that crap dripping in sauce. Oh well, maybe since I couldn't eat anything the rest of the day, I lost a bit of it...

Okay - there are tons that are popping in my head, but I'll save you from the rest for now. Just wanted to share a few stories/thoughts from the week that just keep cracking me up. The crazy employees here are just so funny!! Honestly. Sometimes it'd be nice to just get a bit of appreciation or love or...oh well. Peace out.

Almost Embarrassing

Ahhh... So, I appologize for the overshare again, but this was too funny...

You know what I mean when I say, I hate being a girl sometimes? Yeah, so it's that time when Aunt Flow comes. Yippie! Right? No way jose.

Today I visited the bathroom and while in there I realized that I got a little somethin somethin on the very top of the back of my pants. I'll save you from the details. Anyway - I have a white undershirt on and didn't want to mess that up, so I tried to just dab at the pants while still in the stall... Not working too well. Ladies were coming in and out and here I am taking up one of the 3 stalls for - way - too - long. Maybe somehow I can beam myself home for a minute to change? Or Maybe I can tell my boss and she'll say it's okay to go home?? Or I can just cover it up with my shirt - but probably ruin both pants and shirt by not getting them clean?

Finally - BRIGHT IDEA! Okay, I'll pull my shirt down far in the back, quickly wash hands and exit the bathroom. THEN - I'll run into the private bathroom/shower area. And I can take off my pants and wash them easier that way. So, I proceeded successfully. (Usually when I get any crap on my clothes I take it off, take it to the sink, wet that area slightly and scrub, and that usually does the trick). So, I took off my pants, got the area that I needed and basically tossed the whole pants in front of the sink. BUT - I forgot that this is an automatic sink. CRAP! Now all of my butt, front, crotch, and upper thigh areas are totally wet! And how am I supposed to get them dry?? Okay... so I scrub out the problem area - good to go. Next problem - I'm standing in the bathroom, my pants are wet and when worn it looks like I totally had an accident...and some! Oh dang. I can't sit in here for 30 min waiting for this to dry. People will want this room after lunch so that they can shower after their lunch run/exercise...(yeah, if only we were all guys and could just shower at work and be good to go in 10 min)... Can I cover it with my shirt?? NO!! Wait! - What is that?? NOW I am noticing another spot that needs cleaning on my pants near the knee. How the heck did that get there?? Yeah, stupid periods! So, I again take off the pants - but am smarter and grab paper towels, wet them, and dab the area clean. Okay - that spot is pretty bad too, but maybe I've taken enough time that the upper area is drying?? Not really yet. I put them back on again and check what I look like in the small mirror above the sink. Still pretty bad! Wait!!! - What is that now?? Oh yes - there's another crappin spot on the other pant leg - same area. Can I really do any worse at this moment? So, again like for the 4th time - I'm without pants in the bathroom and dabbing the area till it's clean. And by this time I notice that the upper pants are looking a lot dryer! Sweet! Actually it's a good idea that I did notice the other 2 spots before exiting the bathroom - that would have been embarrassing too! And the pants had dried a bit more from the time I was taking. Sweet!

Anyone ever seen HITCH? Yeah, I'm Albert Brennaman in the bathroom before he goes into the legal advisement meeting to meet his true love Allegra Cole. I think he had gotten something on his pants and was in the stall cleaning them. And blow-drying them. (At this point I'm wishing we had blow-dryers here in the bathrooms! Funny thing though - just last week our admin came and asked what we thought of that idea as a cost saving idea. But both of us here didn't like that idea - heck, we all like to dry with clean paper towels rather than have the germs in the bathroom just get blown around on our hands. Well...my mistake!) Well, at least I'm not totally Albert because I'm smart enough to put on my pants and then once I didn't hear anyone in the hall - I made a dash down the hallways and to my desk. I made it!!

So, actually... embarrassing moment evaded!

Mysterious Package

I think I've mentioned how sometimes HR gets random gifts right? Everyone wants to buy our love so we will do stuff for them I guess. So, last week we received a box from Nebraska to my boss or HR. No other real labels except for a bright yellow sticker that says "Contains CAKE." What?? My co-workers took no time to notice the package sitting at my cube waiting for my boss to get off the phone. Low and behold, we opened it up and TA DA... it really was cake!!

We still don't know who it's from - there was a name but none of us recognize it! There was a note inside congratulating my boss on her advancement in her position, but she doesn't know who it is!!

So - who sends a cake from Nebraska to Utah? And then they send it to people who don't even know them? But then... who EATS the cake?? We sure do!! YUM!! The legal team waited to see if we had any side effects before they partook with us, but we devoured it afterwards. Red Velvet - wow, work was great today!!

Behind

No, this is not about my behind or someone else's behind.... haha. I just have to say:

I'M BEHIND!!!

Yeah, I've got to post about NYC, but my life has been on overdrive this and last week and I just can't do it yet! But, it will be good, promise. Lexie's blog has it all already basically - the link that says Hogge on the right will take you to it. I don't even need to blog it... I have a few other things to write about too, and since they don't require pictures, they might get posted before the NYC trip does. But that doesn't mean it's more important at all.

My Uncle Richard has been in the hospital this week and we've had a few scares, but he's stable right now. I've spent the last week on and off in the Murray Hospital. If we weren't in there for a bad reason, I'd actually like the place because I get to spend all this time with my cousins and we go "out to eat" at the hospital cafeteria which is like our second home now. It's actually quite fun to hang out when we are on little sleep and very silly. If you're a praying people, please keep him in your prayers for us!

I've also been stressed about life and boys and everything and so I think I'm creating an ulcer for myself. Ahhh! That hopefully too shall pass soon. Or at least I've got to find a way to not feel so sick to my stomach and deal with stress and emotional things a bit better.