Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island

Today we headed to the Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island....We had a great day...beautiful weather, plenty of sunshine...until we headed back to the apartment...when we got soaked by a short little downpour....Visiting the Statue of Liberty was one of the things on my "list" of things I want to do in my life....so one more thing, I can check off...Here are the kids in line for the ferry....

Here is the ferry that we rode to Liberty Island....Here she is...The Statue of Liberty...I took A LOT of pics today...I just posted a few of them....James and the kids in front of the statue....a view from the ferry..... edited version.....Me and the kids...Loved this angle...It was SO windy on the island...all of our hair had the windblown look....lol....A close up of the torch......and the perfectly blue sky.....After spending a couple of hours on Liberty Island, sitting in the grass, and simply enjoying the view..the weather, and the moment....which was surreal to me....we headed over to Ellis Island, and explored the Museum...very interesting....the kids had studied about this in school...so they really liked it...We headed back to the ferry right before a downpour of rain....perfect timing....

We came back to the apartment, and cooked dinner, and played UNO until the kids fell asleep one by one....they were so tired...I am heading there too...God Bless...Have a good night...Love and miss you guys.....much...

Another Job for Miss Macey....

Macey had another job this past Friday...She got to do a back-to-school shoot for Parent Child Magazine(will be in the September magazine)....She LOVED this shoot...Here are a few pics that I took of her getting her hair/make-up and outfit together....She loves all of the attention that she gets during this part of the shoot...Here she is in the outfit they put on her, and after her hair and make-up was done....took a few pics with my cell phone...We were here most of the morning, and this studio was beautiful...so much sunlight shining in the windows...I loved it....

Smiling at me, waiting for her part of the shoot...James watching in the background....This is the first shoot he got to go to since he got back to the city....Lisa watched the boys for us during this time, so we could both go...because you arent' supposed to bring siblings with you....Thanks so much Lisa!!! You are the best.....Here is a pic of Macey during her shoot...The little boy she was getting photographed with was 6-the same age as Cade...and he was a couple of inches taller than she was....Hard to believe...They were so cute during these pics...I loved watching them....

I know everyone may not care about my "detailed description" of the shoot...but the grandparent's do...so this is mainly for them....=) hope you enjoyed the pics, Mamaw and Papaw...The kids said to tell you they love and miss you guys!!!

Cade's 6th Birthday and More adventures in NYC

It has been a few days since I have actually had time to sit down and blog...so I am trying to do a few catch up posts....Thursday the 25th was Cade's birthday...James and the boys arrived in the city on Wednesday evening, after Macey and I had been in Yonkers, NY all day for a Children's Place shoot...The shoot went really well, and she had a great time doing it...But after our VERY long day, train ride back into Manhattan, we couldn't wait to see the rest of our family...Macey even asked me if we could run back to the apartment....When we went to the shoot in Yonkers, it was straight uphill for a mile...so needless to say, there was no running back home...hee hee...but we walked really fast...and when we got to the apartment...the boys were waiting in the lobby...We were SO happy to see them...Words just can't explain....Our friends, Lisa and Brian, have been staying with us this week...and Lisa had dinner ready for all of us when we got home...Chicken, mashed potatoes, macaroni and cheese and biscuits...the first southern meal we have had in a while...Macey and I anyway =) Yummy...It was a great day...Macey's first job, and our family reunitied...at last....

The next day was Cade's birthday...and Macey wanted to take him to Dylan's Candy Bar, and get him a cupcake for his birthday...He picked smore's and he loved it...that was his "cake"...since he didn't have one...Here he is showing me how old he is...has to use 2 hands now...=-(Chowing down on the cupcake....too cute...Check out those eyes....We walked around the city pretty much all day...took the boys to see a few stores, FAO Schwartz, Toys R Us, walked around Times Square, and then we met the Salyers, for Cade's birthday dinner at a themed restauraunt called Mars 2112...Cade loved it...you had a "spaceship ride" to get to Mars-where you actually had your dinner...There was funky music playing and aliens walking around...He thought it was really cool....a cool way to spend his 6th bday....Ian, Landon, Cade and Macey....Our family....The restauraunt from the balcony...really cool placeMy big birthday boy....where has the time gone?????Our good friends, Brian and Lisa....After dinner we headed over to Rockefeller Center to go to the "top of the Rock"....It was absolutely beautiful....breathtaking....we watched the sunset...then we took some pics of the city lights.....Here we all are...amazed by the view...Me and James in front of the Empire State Building.....Cade looking at the city....Me and Ian....love that guy....some pretty amazing pics....if I do say so myself...Sunset...Our family.....Some night pics.....love these...After we got back to the room...Cade opened his gifts...Landon got him a drawing book, and a pen from the Disney store....Cade loves to draw...so this was the perfect gift for him....Macey got him a Monchichi....he had been wanting one ever since she got hers....He loves it....James and Ian got him some Transformers....Cade went to see the movie last week....and he was wanting some..He loves them...and had a great bday...He told me this was the best bday he has EVER had....and I was worried about it...=) He is such a good boy....Love him so much.... Macey had a second job on Friday with Parent Child Magazine...She had a great time doing that one too....She will be in the September 2009 Back to School issue.....

She goes for a casting tomorrow for Crayola....at 10 am...so continue to remember us in your prayers..God Bless....Love and Miss you all back home....

Update....

Just thought I would make a quick post this morning to update those of you who aren't on Facebook...(btw, which if you aren't-you should be!!! =) but Macey got a call yesterday, and she got booked by Children's Place...So she is super excited!!! She is "on hold" for several other opportunites....so we will see....Just remember her in your prayers today...and my boys...they will be traveling to NY-and we CAN'T wait to see them!! Macey's shoot is this afternoon...so pray for her-as she is getting to make one of her dreams begin to come true...=) God is so good....Miss you all back home...and love you-Having a great time in the city...God Bless....

Love this...

In church this morning....the sermon was awesome!!! I am continuously amazed at how my bible studies, the devotions I am reading, the radio, the tv...and the church sermons are what I need to hear!!! I shouldn't be, I guess...because I know that God has us here in NYC...This is ALL in his plan...The sermon was right on....I mean to sit in a strange church, surrounded by people we don't know, and feel so close to the Lord...words just can't explain what I have been experiencing on this trip....It is such a good feeling to know that I am in HIS will...still not sure what that is...but willing to do whatever he wants for us...God is Good...All the time.....

Happy Father's Day!!!

Happy Father's Day to all the wonderful Father's in our lives today...Macey and I hate that we can't spend the day with the dad's that mean so much to us in our lives...but we will think about them often, and we already talked to Papaw Horne, and James on the phone this morning...and Macey will call Papaw Allen this afternoon....We hope you all have a wonderful Father's Day...and that you know how much we LOVE you and miss you!!!! Happy Father's Day!!!!!

It's the Weekend....

We had an a good day yesterday...Macey and I got up early and went to the Jonas Brothers concert at the Today show...It was CRAZY...so crowded...we got there a little after 5, and still could only see the back of their heads...from a distance...but, we still had fun...and she was happy to get to hear them...along with the rest of NYC...hee hee...After that she had a go see with Children's Place....She had a blast at this go see...It seemed very promising...but we won't know anything unless they call us...so once again, we are not going to get our hopes up...Most go sees consist of going in and getting your photo taken, filling out some paper work, and that is it...This time they asked me if we could hang out for a little bit, and they called Macey back and put her in 2 different children's place outfits...and took some more pics of her...Macey loved it..she loved the outfits...and loved the attention....She really would LOVE to book this one...so I have been praying...not that we haven't been doing that anyway...

There is nothing like gettting taken out of your comfort zone to learn how we "should be depending on God"...Macey and I both are learning this...He is everything to us right now...talk about life changing....this trip has been!!! I would have never thought that I would quite my job, move to NYC for the summer, for my daughter to pursue her dreams, and do it by myself...CRAZY! God is in control...and we know it...and it feels so right to be in His will...It was SO hard for me to give up my job-knowing how "easy" of a job it was (to be in the nursing profession....) especially with so many people "losing their jobs" and I was supposed to give mine up????? That is how God works...we are not supposed to understand it.....Now, I know that I have to find another job when I get back home...but through prayer and much Bible study while we have been in NY...I realize that God was ready for me to move on...Being "comfortable" sometimes causes us to be "lazy"...spiritually that is.....So, when your life takes a 180 and you are no longer "comfortable"...talk about learning to depend on Him...He sure does know how to bring us closer to Him...I am glad that I chose to follow his will...It sure was hard for me, but I now know why...and the peace that you have from being in his will...is unbelivable....God is so Good....All the time....

After her Children's Place go see, we decided since we had been up since 4, it was lunch time, but we were in the mood for some breakfast food....so we ate lunch at Stage Deli...Breakfast for lunch...yummy...Macey had chocolate chip pancakes, and I had banana...We had a good lunch...Trying to save money, we eat in the room most of the time-so it was really nice to go to a sit down restauraunt and just enjoy...

We then decided to head downtown, and check out the World Trade Center site...We walked around, took some pics, and just was amazed by how much things had changed since we were here in October....This area is just so emotional for me...Thinking about the people that lost their lives, it is so sad...Macey wanted to go in to the Memorial Museum, but we think we will wait and do that when James and the boys get here...Ian loves history, I think he would like the museum...

We headed to Century 21 (good cheap shopping)-a retail store with lots of brand names for cheap...but talk about crowded...good grief...not sure if it worth it or not...but Macey wanted some croc flip flops and they had them for 12 dollars...so we headed in for her to get those...She got them, and we headed back to the room....

We were so tired...decided to spend the afternoon, reading, watching tv, and talking...We had a great day...This city life is gettting easier...We are getting the hang of it...I asked Macey yesterday, if she does well this summer, and they ask her to do this again...would she be interested? and she said "definitely"....(she just doesn't want to miss children's camp at church again) Hee hee...I don't blame her...

Well, our friends, Brian and Lisa are coming today...We are excited about seeing them...and hope they enjoy getting to spend some time in the city...I am sure they will be so busy trying to get it all in-during the week they are here....Gonna go and get things picked up around this tiny apartment of ours...shouldn't take very long...good thing about small spaces....

God Bless...

Build a Bear, Fifth Avenue, and Rockefeller Center

Today the sun was shining and the sky was blue...and Macey and I took advantage of it...We decided to skip the subway today...and just take off walking....We walked over to Fifth Avenue, and took a lot of pictures with Macey's camera....which we forgot to bring the cord to upload them with...ugh....James is going to bring it back when he comes...but I still only have cell phone pics....I promise I am going to take my good camera out when James gets here....so he can carry the camera bag-so much to carry, walk around, and try to find where I am going...I just can't do it alone....=) I know-pretty pathetic...I am doing good to find my way around in the city...which is getting easier every day...I am going to be a pro at it by the time the boys get here :) On our way to Build a Bear Workshop...Macey's desicion today....we passed Saint Patrick's Cathedral...It is an abslolutely beautiful building....it was just as breathtaking on the inside....We walked right past Radio City Music hall....and stopped for a few pics here....We just want to remember everything about this trip....so we may bore you guys with all of the pics...especially once I get the Nikon D200 out in the city...Oooohhh....Can't wait....Rockefeller Center....The flags are beautiful...Macey got some really good shots with her camera....I think she may be taking after her mother-with her "photography eye"....Then we arrived at Macey's destination of choice today...Build-a-Bear Workshop....She has done this before, but it has been quite some time...and she wanted to get something special-since this was the NYC Build a Bear....What other than the I love NY Bear....Too Cute!!! I love it...We took lots of pics of her dressing it, stuffing it, and putting it's heart inside...She named her "Alice" after her favorite Twilight character :)...hee hee....

We walked around and checked out a few gift shops, and window shopped at Versace, Sak's, and a few other places...Lots of fun....

Well, the old weather forecast is NOT looking very good for the next few days....Like I have said before, Rain in the city...YUK!!! And if it is pouring the rain on Friday morning...We will not be attending the Jonas Brothers concert....I just will watch them on tv...Macey agrees...We have plans tomorrow to do laundry, and clean the apartment really good...for our friends that will be here on Saturday...;) Like I have said before...it's not very big, so don't see it taking very long...Well, hope everyone has a good night....Love and miss you all....