You Belong Among the Wildflowers

Oh Sebastian,

If only I had been better at keeping track of the way you have grown. I wish I could have gotten on video the first time you rolled over onto your belly and screamed for help because you didn't want to be there and didn't know how to get back. I wish I could have recorded all your smiles, but that would take a lot of film because you spend a lot of time smiling, usually at yourself. I wish you still shook your head when people asked you questions. But, you seem to have learned too many new things to remember that trick. I wish you still wanted to sleep in my arms or even next to me in my bed. Everyday you need me less and I am trying to be okay with that.

Today though, I do want to tell you that I love your free spirit. Even if don't always like it. I'm impressed by your ability to resist sleep until the last minute. When you finally give up and close those little eyes its like you are saying, "this is what I wanted all along, but I needed to wait until you didn't want it so bad." I'm baffled by the way you can get your hands on everything NOT intended for babies to chew on. Today you scaled the shoe basket and triumphantly found a flip flop just waiting to be devoured. I stopped you, of course, because I can only let you do so many self-destructive activities at this point in your life. You find every cord, pair of glasses and remote in sight and each and every item gets your seal of slobbery approval. Just now you crawled up to my criss-crossed leg and chomped your two (and only) bottom teeth right into my knee. If you could talk I imagine you would say something like, "oh, that's what those do" or "Mom, are you paying attention to me?". So I picked you up and you showed me those two tiny teeth inside a big stinker bug grin and you didn't need to be able to say any words for me to know that you were proud of yourself. I'm excited for a time when every meal doesn't also need to be accompanied by a bath. Because when you eat you eat with your whole body. You squish avocado and peach in your hands and slam your hands down on your little high chair tray. You rub it through your hair and in your eyes, you even lift up your bib and rub your belly (which makes the purpose of the bib completely useless, thankyouverymuch). I think you get a little in your mouth, so there is that. I think you are learning how to eat on your own, which is a good skill to have. I think you are the best thing in the world, even if you have managed to take mine today and completely turn it upside-down. I really don't get why you beg at my feet to be fed and then when I finally oblige you take a few sips and then pull away, only to come back 5 minutes later insisting that you are indeed hungry and why am I not feeding you.

Then, finally you do eat for longer than a minute. You settle into my arms and kick your legs in my face and slowly you calm down. The kicks get slower and lower. Your breaths are calm and your eyes are focused. You eyelids droop and get heavier with each blink as your belly fills with milk until suddenly, they are too heavy to open again.

But do you want to know the craziest part? I miss you when you go to sleep. Because no matter how crazy you make my life, no matter how many days I spend in my pajamas until 3pm, no matter how many times I've pulled crusted Cheerios off my pants, you give me purpose. Sometimes in the chaos and sleepless nights I forget that. But then you go to sleep in my arms and you sigh a big sigh of relief (and so do I) and then I remember, you are the most meaningful part of my day.

So just keep on keeping on, my free spirited Sebby Seb.

xoxo,
Mom

I Happen to Like New York {Part 2}

I would start day 2 pretty much like day 1...with a good breakfast. There really isn't a shortage of food options in NYC. Some neighborhoods have a lot fewer, or more expensive, or less delicious options, but you can always find food. We love using Yelp for good suggestions on what to eat in certain neighborhoods. With lots of customer reviews you can generally find something close and quite delicious in any neighborhood.

-Once you feel well-fed you are ready to finish off the touristy stuff on your to-do list! Today start out by heading down to Canal Street where you can buy yourself (and everyone else on your list) an I (heart) NY t-shirt. Here you will find plenty of cheap souvenirs and you are able to barter with most of the vendors in the area. The more you buy, the more you can save. But, BEWARE of really bad knock-offs, especially with the perfume and handbags. There are some good fakes out there but they are pretty tough to find and even the savviest of shoppers end up getting pressured into buying some pretty awful (and super fake) stuff. In my opinion, its way more worth it to save up your pennies and buy the real deal...right across from the World Trade Memorial (see below) there is a store called Century 21 where you can get high-end designer brands for a fraction of the price. Still pricey, but definitely more affordable AND you get the genuine article. None of this Choach or Channel stuff. 

-After walking down (or up) Canal Street, you can head uptown on Broadway and see SOHO (the area SOuth of HOuston). This is a great neighborhood where you will find shops, boutiques and flagship stores for lots of famous designer brands. It also happens to be a great spot for celebrity sightings...in case you are into that kind of thing. If you want to know more, just visit: www.sohonyc.com, where you will find all the information you will need on this chic neighborhood. 

-Once you have gotten your retail fix, you can head back into Chinatown for an authentic dining experience. Our personal favorite happens to be Shanghai Cafe Deluxe (100 Mott St.) where the soupy dumplings and lo mein are fresh and you can feed 2 for under $15. Don't expect great service...just enjoy the food and the experience. Once you have found something to eat (or not) continue downtown to see the 9/11 Memorial Fountains as well as One World Trade Center. A museum also opened in the Spring of 2014. If that is something you would like to see, I would definitely suggest getting tickets in advance because the wait to get in can be quite long...or so I have heard.

-After visiting Ground Zero, you are ready to see the Statue of Liberty. You can see her pretty well from Battery Park city, but I recommend taking a ferry to get a closer look. You can buy tickets in advance to actually go to Liberty Island which includes passage to Ellis Island as well. It is a fun experience but also takes a good chunk out of your day...and if you want to go to the top of the crown, you usually have to buy tickets months in advance. Another option, which is my favorite, and totally free way to see her from afar is by taking the Staten Island Ferry. They leave every 30 minutes and you get to rest your feet! When I started doing this 10 years ago, it wasn't as well known and you could always get a good look at the statue. Now, more people seem to be savvy on the idea of saving time and money so sometimes you've got to elbow your way in for a picture or two. Once they start letting you on-- head to the right, in an orderly and civilized manner (of course), and you shouldn't have a problem getting a prime spot. The back of the ferry is also awesome for a great view of the lower Manhattan cityscape. Staten Island is mostly residential, and unless you have some friends you want to visit, you probably want to hop off the ferry and hop right back on.

-Once you arrive safe and sound back on Manhattan soil, I suggest taking a bike ride. There are lots of companies you can rent bikes from in this area, usually they charge anywhere from $10-$20 per hour. But, in 2013, NYC jumped on the bike-share band wagon (finally!) and put little stations with rentable Citi Bikes all over downtown and parts of Brooklyn (and some expansions into Queens and uptown coming this year) where you can rent the bikes for a flat fee of $10 for 24 hours. Now, unless you have a yearly pass the bikes are only yours for 30 minutes - but we are usually able to find another station and re-rent another bike pretty quickly. It sounds tedious, but after doing it once or twice it becomes easier and it is a fun way to see more of the city aaand its a lot quicker than walking. The closest bike stations to the ferries are located at either Bus Slip & State St. or South St. & Whitehall St. (map of stations found here: www.citibikenyc.com/stations).  I really love riding around the South Street area. South Street Seaport used to be NYC's big fish market, but has since turned into a dock for boats and a shopping center. Although there isn't much there besides water taxi tours and shopping it's a great place to find a bathroom - which doesn't come easy in Manhattan, trust me. You can also get great views of Brooklyn and the bridges of downtown Manhattan - great spot for pictures! If you want to get cheap tickets to a Broadway Musical or Play you may have heard of the TKTS booth. There is a booth located in Times Square, but the lines can be pretty brutal. We have had great luck at the South Street Seaport booth (on the corner of Front and John streets) where the same shows are available at a heavily discounted price. Just remember, tickets are for shows that night or matinees the next day and they aren't open all day. Visit their website for more information: www.tdf.org.

If you wanted to, from here you could ride your bike across the Brooklyn Bridge or take a more adventurous ride through the city to the Williamsburg Bridge. Both letting you out into cool parts of Brooklyn. Williamsburg is great for food and people watching, while downtown Brooklyn gets you Grimaldi's pizza - delicious whole pies, no slices and expect a wait - and Barclays Center, if you really venture in. Both places will provide you a place to return your bikes and public transportation close so you can get back to Manhattan fast.

If you didn't see Times Square last night, now is the time to make a quick stop and enjoy some of the city's finest people watching.

Are you tired yet? I'm exhausted just talking about it! If you are looking for some more local experiences - look at my breakdown of day 3. 

I Happen to Like New York {Part 1}

It is no surprise that I have liked living in New York City more than Benson has. Although he enjoyed being here, I don't think he finds it quite as charming as I do. I'm super excited about our big move to the D.C. area, and I honestly welcome the change, but I can't help but feel a little nostalgic and sappy as I look back on our time in NYC.

Lately I have been in contact with lots of friends and friends of friends (serious amounts of friends) who want advice on traveling to the city. While I don't consider myself a Big Apple expert, I do know a few things and don't mind sharing what knowledge I do have. So, in the spirit of letting the NY memories live on, I want to write about some of my favorite city sights, eats, activities, etc. - maybe even give a few of my favorite itineraries for when visitors come sans plans.

This post will focus on getting all the touristy stuff out in a day or two, so you can use the rest of your time more wisely and see the stuff that really makes NY the real deal. When people come and see us I always tell them to make a list of what they want to do/see. This is what the list almost always looks like (more or less depending on their personal interests):

-Statue of Liberty
-9/11 Memorial
-Empire State Building
-China Town (knock off bags - don't do it!)
-Central Park
-Ride in a taxi
-Eat a hot dog
-Eat some pizza
-Eat some cheesecake
-Get an I love NY shirt
-Shopping
-See a Broadway (always with the side note - if we can get cheap tickets - ha!)
-See the Mormon Temple
-Brooklyn Bridge
-Metropolitan Museum of Art
-Anything you guys think is cool and isn't "touristy"

I always laugh at that last one. Sometimes, people come to visit and that last one is all that they have on their list...and I want to say, "I charge a hefty fee for planning your entire visit. So pay up or make some of your own choices, dang it!" Anyway, I have gotten pretty good at seeing the basic "touristy" stuff super fast. Depending on when you start and how much stamina your group has, you could do it all in one day. I will lay it out in three days so that I can throw in a few of those non-touristy activities that I think are cool.

*FYI - we live in Washington Heights (up above Harlem) so my schedule works from uptown to downtown and then into the other boroughs. Feel free to get creative and start somewhere else if you are staying in other parts of the city.

Day 1
-Start out the day at a diner - every neighborhood should have one. If not, the delis and guys in the carts make killer ham, egg and cheese sandwiches.

-First stop, Mormon Temple on 66th and Broadway

-Once you've awed at how much it doesn't look like a Mormon Temple and snapped a few pics, head across the street the see Lincoln Center - the grounds of Juilliard and the Metropolitan Opera House, just for some culture.

-Head east to Central Park. After walking into the park there are quite a few maps accessible to visitors. There are lots of great things to do while in the park - some of our favorites include: Bike rental and riding, Turtle Pond, boating on the "lake", picnics in Sheep's Meadow, Belvedere Castle, and so much more! But, at this point you could also go and check out the Metropolitan Museum of Art on 81st and 5th Avenue. Just make sure you plan to have a good two hours, it's hard to want to leave once you go inside...

We stumbled upon this skating party in Central Park and stayed to
watch for 20 minutes. You never know what you might see! 

-If you skip out on the museum and once you've had your Central Park fill head to the East side of the park and come out somewhere on 5th Avenue.

-Walk down 5th Avenue towards 42nd St. While you trot down this famous and fancy street you can get some of that "shopping" done (don't worry, if Louis Vuitton and Bergdorf Goodman aren't your thing there are plenty of budget friendly shops). Also, don't forget to stop and see Rockefellar Square (huge Christmas tree and ice skating from November to January) and across 5th Ave you can enjoy self-guided tour of the beautiful St. Patrick's Cathedral.

-Once you are on 42nd and 5th you might be getting hungry for some lunch. Head to any corner cart to try that hot dog you've always wanted...or, for those with finer taste, head to Grand Central Terminal - 42nd and Vanderbilt - where you can admire the gigantic ceilings, whisper to each other from the corners of the outer corridors and head to the basement for a variety of delicious NY eats. We personally like Shake Shack (a real must-have in my humble opinion), Two Boots Pizzeria (go inside and order a whole pie, you won't regret it), and Magnolia Bakery (skip the cupcakes and get the blueberry cheesecake, its worth the $8).

         

-Once you are back outside, head west on 42nd Street and either go to Times Square (I think it is cooler at night though) or head to the famous NY Public Library to see yet another beautifully built, historical building in NYC. If that isn't your thing, no problem. Keep walking down 5th Ave (the street numbers should be counting down...).

-Once you get to 34th and 5th you will see the Empire State Building...if just seeing it is enough for you this area is another good one for shopping. Walking west on 34th you will see plenty of stores worth checking out, although lots are repeats from 5th ave...until you get to Macy's. It's huge, and totally overwhelming, but some people love it. My favorite thing to do in the store is find the old wooden escalator and take a ride or two.

*Side Note: This neighborhood is also a crafters dream. The garment district is technically between 34th and 42nd streets between 5th and 9th ave. A few of my visitors have been especially interested in Mood the fabric store made famous by Project Runway. Around Mood (37th St. btwn 7th and 8th Ave - on the 3rd floor) there are lots of other specialty shops that I happen to think are amazing. If you are shopping for notions, there are stores dedicated solely to each and every one. Stores that have only buttons and zippers, elastic and ribbons. Even a warehouse that sells only spandex. I got the fabric for my wedding dress (not spandex, although that would have been neat) in one of the shops around the area for $10/yard and couldn't find it anywhere in Utah for less than $25/yard. It really is amazing.

-Once you have made your way west around the 34th Street area, head on down to 30th and 10th Ave. so you can walk the High Line. Originally a freight rail line, this elevated park is truly amazing. You can choose to walk all the way down to 14th street  or use one of the other exits on your way, but don't miss the vendors as you go. Most are located at the lower end of the park (closer to the 14th Street entrance) and are seriously worth a visit or two...seriously. Our favorites are Newyorkina and Melt Bakery (best ice cream sandwiches around), but the others won't really disappoint, in all honesty.

  

-If you exit down by 14th street and you are looking for more treats, I would suggest checking out Chelsea Market. It's home to plenty of good eats, an Anthropology and a store front that usually holds a sample sale for some cool, designer clothing company.

-Once you are back outside head east on 14th street towards 8th ave. There you can take the subway and head on uptown, or you can continue walking down towards Union Square. If it isn't too late in the day you can enjoy the beautiful farmer's market (on Monday, Wednesday, Friday and Saturday) or check out the other vendors selling art and jewelry. From November to December there is also a cool holiday market where you can buy unique gifts from independent vendors. If you are in town during the winter months and looking for something cool to take home, this is a great place to stop.

-Are you exhausted yet? Because there is one last place I hope you can stop before you call it an evening. If it is cold outside, don't miss out on some seriously rich hot chocolate at Max Brenner (on Broadway btwn 14th and 13th) and then head over to Strand Books (Broadway and 12th) where any bibliophile might feel like they have died and gone to literary heaven. They don't have every book, but I can almost 100% guarantee that they have at least one book for every human being...and that is pretty impressive. You can also pick up a cool Strand Books tote as a souvenir and voila! You have a non-traditional souvenir from NYC that the locals use too.

-IF you are really feeling adventurous, head on up to 42nd street and Broadway so you can experience Times Square at night. Most retail in the area is open 24 hours a day so you won't miss out on anything once you get there. If it isn't too late and you are looking for a chance to snag some delicious Italian food, there is an Olive Garden right in Times Square! Super kidding. Please try not to eat at any restaurant you can find back home...for a real NYC experience, try John's Pizzeria (on 44th btwn 7th and 8th ave) where they do whole pies, no slices. These brick oven pizzas, made to order with fresh dough and homemade tomato sauce are no joke. Plus, the restaurant is located in a super cool old building that used to be a church and a theater. Seriously, it's a great dining experience.

-Now, after the sensory overload you've just experienced, you should be tuckered out and headed home for the night. Go enjoy the best night's sleep you have every had so you can get up and be back at it tomorrow morning!


A Few More Pointers:
-We have found that the Google Maps app on our phones gets us anywhere we need to go in the city. You can even specify whether you want walking directions OR public transit directions and they are pretty spot on. You also don't need to know a specific address. Just put in the name of your destination, ex: Times Square, and it will get you there!
-Also, if something on my list above doesn't make you swoon its no prob. You can easily leave out something you don't want to do and plug in something that fits your agenda better. Just do your research beforehand so that you don't spend your day traveling from one place to another place and then back to the same place again.

Sometimes, I just imagine that they are singing to me and not Judy Garland...

Moving On Up

I recently posted this on Instagram:

Just when I thought I had covered it all...this guy goes and gets
accepted to EVERY graduate school he applied to. Not to mention
he got into the top ranked school for his program. I mean, he really
is the whole enchilada. I'm soooo proud of you Bensonater!

Amazing, right? Since he graduated from BYU almost 2 years ago, Benson has thought a lot about how he wanted to further his education. I've always known that he would excel no matter what he decided to do because he is a  seriously dedicated person...plus, he is pretty dang smart. After lots of thinking and talking and preparation he applied to 4 schools and 3 different fields of study. I am proud to announce that Benson will be taking his talents to....drumroll please...

Look at that smile. He's totally not annoyed
that I'm forcing him to take this photo...

You are looking at the next Georgetown Bulldog. GO HOYAS! Don't worry, I looked up the definition of Hoya for all of us...dying to know? Click here. You're welcome?? I guess I still don't really get what a Hoya is.  Anyway, back to the real news...Benson will be getting a Masters of Science in Foreign Service and we will spend the next two years (at least) in the Nations Capitol. While we are sad to leave our friends and life behind in the Big Apple, we are really excited for the new adventures that DC will bring...aaand we aren't severing ties with the city completely, we have plenty of things that will warrant a cheap bus ride back. 

This song frequently comes to my mind as we talk about moving. I mean, we aren't moving to the Upper East Side, and I'm pretty sure our next apartment won't be described as deluxe...but, I can't help but feel that as we take this next step we are moving on up in life. Whether it's continued education, starting a new job, becoming a parent for the first time (or even again), we move up and forward and that is what life is about. Not staying in the same place, but moving on up.

This music video is for those of you that thought Nelly came up with the hook to this song all on his own. Nope, you can thank the Jeffersons for this hit! 

There's a Million Things to Be, You Know That There Are.

At our first Craft Club meeting the girls came loaded with good ideas. One group of girls thought it would be a lot of fun to make the flower headbands that are so popular these days. It started out as a bridal trend but now, it is a fashion statement for everyday people. With all the baggy and boyish, "I don't really care that my hair isn't brushed today" styles that are becoming more popular it's important to add some feminine details. Whether it's lace around cut off shorts, floral patterns or crop tops...these little additions make a big difference. So, floral  headpieces seemed like a great idea and all the sudden I found myself in a place I've never visited at Michaels...silk florals. While buying supplies I was totally surprised at how expensive the silk flowers were, even with the 50% discount they had this week. BUT, to my relief they do have bunches that cost $1.99 and they were perfect for our headbands...Phew, craft crisis averted!

Normally at the beginning of the class I show them a quick "how to" and then once they get started I can finish my project and answer questions as needed. This week, I didn't even want to do my own craft because it was so much more fun watching what the ladies came up with.

I feel so lucky to get to hang out with these smart and creative girls every Monday. I was a little bummed as I was cleaning up because they girls who had wanted to do this craft seemed totally indifferent to the project and even left their headbands behind. Then, as one of the girls left she turned to me and said, "I am really pleased with how my headband turned out and I'm really glad I decided to come." So, I guess you could call it a success.

I've always loved this Cat Stevens song, and I can't help but find it really spot on to how I feel about people in general and more specifically the girls I get to do crafts with. I look back and wish I had understood the lyrics better when I was in my moody teenage years. I think I would have spent less time being moody and more time being me. 

Story of My Life

I've always been full of good ideas. Not to pat myself on the back, but I have always been able to think of one simple thing and elaborate on that idea until I have a full-blown story board and 10 year plan...in my head. My only downfall is my ability to follow through with any of them. I might share the ideas with a few close friends (and of course Benson) and then, no matter how positive their response is, I end up convincing myself that the idea was silly, the effort too grand, or the plan to risky. I can admit it, I am my own worst enemy. That is something I have only really realized in the last few months and I am working really hard to change it. I decided I would pick a project and follow it through from beginning to end and whether it becomes a huge success is not the important part. I am trying to focus on being able to plan and carry out the beginning stages, which is really the most important part.

Anyway, that being said, I decided to start a craft club with the students at my sister's school in Queens. I'm really excited about it, and we had our first meeting just last Monday. I was thinking that 3-4 students would show and was super surprised when 11 sweet girls filed in. I had gone to their home room classes the week before and used that time to make a simple craft with them, just to spark some interest. In those classes we made felt hair bows and some simple bracelets that turned out something like this:

Monday came around and after posting flyers around the halls and Annie making a few announcements over the PA system we were ready to go! Like I said, I was surprised when 11 girls showed up, I was even more surprised when they came with great ideas and excitement to make some really cool crafts. We had a bunch of blank, black greeting cards and I showed them how to use embroidery thread to decorate on paper. It was kind of a tough one to start with but I am learning and so are they! It was a lot of fun and I can't wait for what we have planned the next few weeks! 

See those smiles? They love crafting and they think I'm hilarious...

 

It was a total mess...but a fun mess. 

I'm really pleased with how this idea has started and I'm not letting my doubts get in the way. We are already headed to the next stage, planning a craft sale at lunch, to raise a little money for some more elaborate projects. 

I'm a little bit embarrassed that I like this song, but I totally do. 

It played while we crafted and we all sang a long. It was like 

my very own scene from High School Musical, so I would call that a win. 

Come On Skinny Love.

Natalie has been my bestie since high school. We lived on the same street growing up, went to high school and church together and we always got along - no fights. Well...there was this one time where she told all the girls at church that I made out with a kid who also went to church with us as a joke. I was super embarrassed which turned into anger because I didn't know how to handle my fragile emotions which we will blame on teenage angst. Anyway, it lasted a few short and awkward hours and after that we were fine for years. I really love and admire Natalie. That being said...it was a real treat to have Natalie here for the first week of January. She came to interview with the NY Teaching Fellows, got accepted and is now moving here this summer. I'm excited to live in the city together...even if it is just a short while.

I had the privilege of cutting and coloring her
hair while she was here. I think it was the
perfect change for her...one of the best I've done

The MET!

Light pasta lunch in BK before her big interview

A series of pics taken while we had soupy dumplings in Chinatown for Chinese New Year

Matching shirts, as per usual!

Shop Dancing - a great way to avoid buyers remorse. 

Some funny Natalie memories include but are not limited to:

1. Making a cake with a rock baked in for the Skabelund family. We laughed so hard while carrying it to their house (I think because her boobs made an indent in the frosting) that we both peed our pants...we were in high school and my mother was not pleased. 

2. Facebook status war. We took turns changing each other's profile pictures and status updates. So embarrassing but well well well worth it. The rules were: nothing that involved other people, nothing about pregnancy and nothing sexual...which left us with awkward medical conditions, strong political opinions and terrible posts about secret crushes and what we might do to them...

3. I fell down my stairs exposing my undies to Natalie's cousin Addison. She laughed so hard she peed a little on my mom's rug. My mom was not pleased. 

4. Convincing Ross that Natalie was good at tennis so he would pick her to be his doubles partner against me and F. Nozowa (our awesome Chemistry teacher - mentioned above). They lost, Ross was totally frustrated but kept his calm. Total trooper! 

5. When Julie Anne came to live with my family my parents hired Natalie to be her in home care when it was needed. She basically got paid to hang out at my house with me. It was awesome. 

6. Sliding on 2875 N. in the snow late at night. 

7. Watching each other run home so we wouldn't get kidnapped

8. That one time she flipped some guys off while we drove to Salt Lake to see the temple lights with all the young women. Double bird! She did it because I told her too...of course I was joking but she did it anyway!

Am I forgetting anything?? I know there is more...inside jokes just aren't as funny via blog. 

Although Natalie and I weren't in a relationship that broke up sadly and quickly, this song reminds me of her trip to NYC. She discovered this song on my iPod, it struck a chord and we listened to it over 100 times...possibly in a row.