Statue of Liberty

It's been two and a half years since we moved to PA, and a major item on our list was going to see the Statue of Liberty.  It was one of those 'we really want to and we will get around to it items.' What finally pushed us into going was finding out that the inside was going to be shut down for a year for maintenance.  Since our track record shows that we move every 2-3 years we didn't want to take a chance on moving before it opens again.  So I bought tickets and the soonest we could get them was 3 months later.  This put us going to see the inside of the Statue 2 weeks before it shut down.

We had fantastic weather that day and both kids were very cooperative for the 2.5 hour drive up and back.  We started off in a great old train station that 2/3's of the immigrants went to as soon as they were off the boats.  They were ushered into the back rooms so they wouldn't disturb the fancy Americans and they traveled in cattle cars.  We jumped on the ferry and it took us to Ellis island.  All I knew about Ellis Island was that the immigrants went through there and there is that one scene in Hitch when Eva Mendes looks at the signature from her ancestor and she bursts into tears.  

I now have so much respect for all those people.  The museum there had fantastic displays of individual families and their stories.  They also showed the whole process of what happened when someone got to Ellis Island.  With thousands showing up at the same time as you, the lines would put Disney Land to shame.  The employees had the process down to a science. Dr's could give an exam in 6 seconds and put chalk marks on the sleeves of those that needed a more thorough exam.

what really struck me was the feeling.  There is this over powering spirit there of reverence and humility.  I didn't feel bad for what they had to go through, I felt admiration.  

  

Chris and the kids standing in front of the main room that they crammed all the immigrants into when they first got there.  

 If you were detained for some reason then you got to spend your nights on these high quality cots.  Three high and side by side.  Look how narrow those beds are. 

After Ellis Island we were off to the Statue of Liberty.  We went straight to the base so we could go inside and just as we walked up they shut the gate and informed us that they stopped letting people inside at 3:30.  It was 3:30 when we walked up.  No amount of pleading or begging persuaded the guards into letting us in.  Even when I showed them that the tickets didn't say anything about being there before 3:30 they just shrugged their shoulders.  I was pretty ticked off, ok I wish that were true, I was furious.  I had been looking forward to this for 3 months and this may be my one and only chance and we missed it by 30 seconds because the website and tickets didn't have anything about it closing at 3:30. GRRRRRRR

So we walked around the island a bit then headed back home.  Chris spent the whole time telling me what was inside (he went as a teenager) and trying to down play it and tell me all sorts of reasons why it was good we didn't get to go in.  what a great guy. 

                                    The kids were being very uncooperative when trying to take photos

                                                              I love Eliza peeking through

 Cordon was so excited to be on the boat, but he refused to go on the deck.  I think he liked the comfort of the glass. 

Sighhhhhh

A couple weeks ago I was having one of those "I woke up on the wrong side of the bed" days.  I tried my best, but eventually I needed a quick break from reality.  Eliza was napping so I put Cordon in front of the TV and headed off to the garage to work on my latest project.  10 min later I walked back into the house and saw the bedroom door shut (uh oh).  I opened it and saw this......

I laughed pretty hard because I could not believe my sweet little mellow boy would make such a huge mess.  He's never done anything even close to this.  Just in case your wondering, Destin is nearly impossible to get out of carpets.  I'm still trying to get it out. Look at the look on Cordons face.  It had gotten in his mouth and he was freaking out over the bad taste.

The next day, while I was once again attempting to scrub the carpet, Cordon walked into the room and we had this following conversation,

Cordon: mom whats in my nose
me: I dont' know, you tell me
Cordon: a raisin
me: *attempting to stay calm* how did it get there
Cordon: I put it there, and it hurts

Fortunately it was easy to get out with tweezers, but I made a big dramatic deal out of the situation to try and discourage any future attempts to cram objects up there. 

Eliza is 1

Eliza turned 1 on Monday.  We had a small celebration with just the family and she loved the attention.  Our little social bug loves any attention she can get.

 Grandma and Grandpa T skyped to wish her a happy birthday.  She was annoyed that dad was holding her hostage when she just wanted to be on the floor playing.

 When we took the candle out and let her have free range with her cupcake there was ZERO hesitation.  She grabbed a fist full of icing and shoved it in her mouth.  That little girl is an eater.  She will eat anything we give her. 

 Cordon is so funny with cake and cupcakes.  He licks about half the frosting off then doesn't want anymore.

Hugging her new stuffed bear from Grandpa and Grandma T.

Eliza is such a  fun baby.  She is very social and loves to interact with people.  She imitates people all the time and it's so funny to watch.  She is also my cuddle bug.  She is so squishy and loves to snuggle. She is just such a sweet mellow baby.  Even after a year I sometimes forget that she is around because she is so quiet and can entertain herself for hours. 

Groupon Fail

Disclaimer: below are some very unattractive pictures of me, but I just had to share this oh so fun experience I had.

Recently there was a Groupon deal for an at home bleaching kit that promised to whiten your teeth 1-5 shades.  It was 70% off the regular price, how could I refuse?!?!?!? So I bought one for me and one for Chris.  I eagerly waited for the package and was stoked to have a really white new smile.  Oh, how I was punished for my vanity.  Finally the package came, and as soon as the kids were in bed I tore that sucker open.  Looking at the contents and reading the directions made me quickly realize that this was going to fall under the category of "Beauty is Pain." Inside was a mouth guard full of bleach goo that would fit Shaq's mouth, along with a light that you had to hold against your teeth for 30 min.  But I was not going to be discouraged.  So I did the prep work of rubbing Vitamin E all over my gums then put in the mouth guard.  That thing was huge and I couldn't close my mouth over it.  I then pulled out the light and...... it didn't work.  So here I am with the mouth guard in and my light isn't working. Fortunately I had gotten two packages so I quickly opened Chris' and yanked the light out all panicked that those precious minutes with the guard on and no light was going to mess up my teeth some how.  So I grabbed the light and hip hip hooray it worked.  However, it also had a huge guard on it and now some how I was suppose to stretch open my mouth and fit this huge light in my mouth.  With some force, I got it then had to wrap my lips around it and stay like that for 30 min.  You've got to be kidding me! 

After looking at myself in the mirror all I could picture was this.....

While looking for the light that worked I noticed my gums tingling.  With in about 2 minutes they were on fire. The pain was so bad that my mind started racing through profanities which made me laugh again because then I was picturing why poor Ralphy had the soap in his mouth.

I kept thinking that I should probably take it out because i was in serious pain but my vanity and tight side took over and I kept chanting to myself "I paid $30 for this and it will be over soon and I will have beautiful teeth." So I decided to take my mind of it by cleaning the house.  Oh how foolish I was.  As I started to move around and pick up toys, the bleach in my moth decided to move and now my tongue was burning.  I quickly stopped and sat on the couch begging the timer to go faster "baby steps 30 minutes." By the end, my jaw and lips were aching from clenching down on the mouth guard and light. Finally the timer dinged.  I raced to the bathroom rinsed my mouth and looked at the damage......

 

I know the picture is gross, but seriously check out that damage.  All the white parts are blisters.  After whimpering and cursing myself for keeping those stupid trays in, I looked at the directions to see if there were any final directions I missed.   The final direction said "rinse and brush thoroughly."  Um, excuse me?  You want me to brush my teeth with blistering and bleeding gums?  What type of sick and twisted sadistic person invented this blasted kit?!?!?!?! 

The next several days my gums ached but it was bearable and my teeth went up 3 shades.  Yahoo!  I could deal with that.  It hurt but it was over and I had white teeth.....

A week later I looked in the mirror to once again be awwed by my white teeth and wouldn't you know it, they were back to their old shade.  "OH FUUUUUUDGE!"