adventure *day 13*

While we were planning our trip, I let the boys choose one thing that they wanted to do since we just would not have enough time in one day to see all there was to see.

Nick: Mets game.
Andrew: Ground zero.
Luke: The Empire State building.
Liam: didn't really know what New York was all about. Just along for the ride.
Corinne: H&M. And eating a hotdog in Central Park and reinacting scenes from Enchanted.
Justin: whatever we wanted. Except the Enchanted nonsense.

We started out our day by strolling along the Hudson River on the New Jersey side and gazed at the famous skyline.

We talked a lot about 9/11 and the events that happened that day. Justin pointed out where the twin towers used to stand.



We stopped at the Korean War Monument to see Lady Liberty. She is truly magnificent.


I am super upset about this picture. I was debating whether or not we had enough time to hop on the ferry to Ellis Island and explore the Statue of Liberty a little more. I decided we didn't but then after we left New York and were in a totally different state I realized it was on the 15 things to do list. Justin said it counted since we were so close but we may have to go back. I really did want to go there because Justin's grandparents and mom immigrated over to the United States when his mom was 2. It would be cool to see their names in the logbook. I also think I would like to climb to the top of Ms. Liberty's crown.



We then went over to Ground Zero.



There was a ton of construction going on with the memorial and new office building so it was hard to see anything. We then walked over to St. Paul's chapel. It has an impressive history. Most recently, on September 11, 2001, St. Paul’s Chapel escaped destruction when the World Trade Center buildings collapsed across the street. Although the churchyard and church were filled with debris and dust, there was no physical damage to the building. It is a functioning church and also serves as a memorial to those who were killed in the attacks. It was so humbling and finally put into some perspective of what truly happened that day. Being thousands of miles away in Utah, I cannot even begin to imagine the horror and devastation that was happening right there on the very same streets that I was standing on while I was hugging my two young boys sitting on my couch watching it unfold on the television ten years ago.



It is surrounded by a churchyard with unique gravestones and memorials, some from Revolutionary War days. Beautiful.


The subway was much better than the day before. Liam became very comfortable on the trains and would stand up holding the pole and run around it. He also memorized both the sign on the door that said: "Do not lean on doors" and the computerized voice that would come on when the doors would open and close and repeat: "stand clear from the closing doors" multiple times during the ride.



Then we visited Central Park. Walked right by the Plaza.


We ate cheeseburgers instead of hotdogs. They just sounded better at that moment. We didn't skip down the walkway singing "How Does She Know?" but I did see quite a few of the scenes where they filmed parts of the movie. We walked by the zoo and saw the entrance made famous by the Madagascar movies. The boys loved it.




It was so blasted hot and the boys were getting a little grumpy so we went to FAO Schwartz. It was just what the doctor ordered. We had so much fun in there and they loved looking at the huge lego figures, there were demonstrators performing magic tricks, and we found a perfect backpack for Liam. It totally made up for the fact that I wasn't able to go to H&M. And honestly, who wants to go shopping with a group of grumbly boys?



We finally made it to the Empire State Building. Luke was absolutely giddy. He had been talking about this moment for months.




He said it totally lived up to his expectations. And he even was able to pick out a snowglobe in the gift shop. We had a pretty estatic 9 year old.


We then walked forever to go eat at America's first pizzaria: Lombardi's. It was totally worth the walk. No wonder it is voted one of the best pizzarias in America.



I mean how could something with this much cheese not be super delicious?


We ordered the famous Margherita Pizza and a tasty little meatball number. Liam liked the sausage so much that he stole the meatballs right off Luke's piece when he wasn't looking and stuffed them in his mouth. Classic.




Goodbye New York. What a whirlwind these two days has been. Now, off to Washington D.C!