Chicago Connection

We boarded our plane at JFK at 7pm and Connor quickly put on his headphones. “Why are the TVs not on?” “Oh, someone has been flying a little too much Jet Blue,” Danny replied. “Finally,” I said, maybe Connor would fall asleep because there would be no Disney channel to keep him up all night long, like the prior Jet Blue flights. No such luck. As soon as we took off they started serving meals and soon after the movies came on. Connor seems to think that in-flight entertainment is the coolest thing ever, so that meant no sleep for Danny and I as all night long we were awoken with, “will you change the channel, mom, you have to see this funny part,” etc.

As soon as we got to London for our 7 HOUR lay over, he promptly fell asleep! I was tired, so good hubby made me a bed with our 5 suitcases in the middle of the airport. (I knew they would come in handy for something), and Connor and I snoozed while Dad stood guard over us and our belongings. I love my husband! Next we boarded the plane to Prague, and when we landed I thought for sure we had taken a detour to the North Pole!

We landed in a frozen tundra, and instantly I knew what to expect outside because I recognized the landscape from Alaska. We got off the plane, got our luggage and started to look for our taxi. My amazing husband was somehow able to figure out who our taxi was among all the other signs being held up even though he was holding up the wrong name and spoke no English. Don’t ask me how we got to our place, but somehow we did. We checked in and thankfully the people that work at the front desk did speak English. Using them we were able to figure out how much to pay the driver and thank him.

Getting to our room was quite funny. The elevator here looks like a small broom closet, it might fit about 3 Europeans or 2 fat Americans if you squeeze in tight. With five big suitcases Danny only wanted to make one trip -can you blame him we are on the 5th floor?!- So he started tossing up suitcases packing in all of the suitcases tall on top of each other. Next the front desk manager came over and kindly told us about the weight limit for the elevator. Plan B, unload and do 2 suitcases at a time. We laughed and Connor and I raced Danny by taking the stairs.

We were so tired we dug out the toothbrushes and I learned the first lesson about needing an adapter AND a power reducer with the nice shock I got while trying to plug in my sonic toothbrush. We pulled out our sheets, made our beds, crawled in bed and fell asleep.

Well Danny and I tried, but two hours later a wide awake Connor, who had gotten to sleep the whole 7 hours during the lay over, plus the two hour plane ride to Prague was wide awake. It was at that moment I cursed all TV’s on red eyes! They should have parent control off switches that lock! Because of those TVs I have missed so many nights sleep I can’t even begin to tell you. Being the good wife and mom that I am I woke up after my two hour nap and unpacked the whole apartment with Connor that night while Danny slept. After all he did make me a bed and let me sleep for about 3 hours in London. Connor and I finally fell asleep about 5AM.

The last few days of New York were great. I met up with an old friend Meghan that I had not seen in about seven years. I moved in with her and her family the summer of my Junior year and the beginning of my senior year when my family first moved up to Alaska, so we were really close. We went out to dinner, then she came over and met Connor and Danny. We had so much fun catching up and talking about old times, she is an incredible person and a good friend.

Thanks to National Brides we were comped a few tour bus passes and took some great tours around New York. Connor’s favorite was the “Night Lights” tour, where we rode across the Brooklyn bridge and saw the incredible sky line, then all the lights of time square, china town, etc. It was really fun. Connor told us latter that night, “I wish-ted (so cute) that I had a pair of parents like this and I do!” Little bug, it made my heart melt. He has been so good through all this traveling he has truly been a T-Bird kid! Connor has walked up and down the streets of New York (ok, also pushed in a stroller) gone out to a lot of dinners and had to learn how to walk far, sit with adults, and have good behavior. I’m proud of him, can you tell!

Our last night in New York Owen and Cami took us to this restaurant called “Top of New York” for dessert. You could see the whole Manhattan skyline and it was breathtaking. We then walked around the grounds of the UN freezing our little rears off. We got a taxi and headed home. We had so much fun with Cami and Owen and miss them already!

I told Danny that New York was one of my favorite vacations ever! He looked at me and said, “really?”
It’s true. I’m hooked, and Danny loved it too! He is not ready to move there, but would be excited for a summer internship in Manhattan.

I was flying high all night!! Wicked is the best show ever!

Glinda: “You’re still riding that old thing?”
Elphaba: “well we can’t all come and go by bubble”

Glinda:”Just follow that one road the whole time!… I hope THEY don’t get lost, I’m so bad at giving directions…”

Glinda:”Let the little girl go! And that poor little dog… Dodo!”

Wicked Fun! Outstanding! Check out the video link below to watch some of the songs.

http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-2474362268041428174&q=wicked+the+musical+press+reel

http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=6557536796860093163&q=wicked+the+musical

http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-7422825606191730209&q=idina+menzel

http://youtube.com/w/wicked-again?v=jnI0pj53yDA&search=wicked

Because we don’t have a home, home is where our family is, and today Danny finally came home to us! I’m no longer single or a single mom and that is something to celebrate. Connor and I were so excited to see him. Connor woke up to see Danny snuggling in bed with him and kept yelling, “Daddy’s home!”

We went to Times Square, hung out and then went out to dinner. I had to inform Danny that we go out to eat every night because in NY you don’t cook; ….Oh darn. (I love my sister and NY for this rule!!) We went to a great hamburger place called Jackson Hole where I had my first hamburger in about two years and it was really the best thing ever. It was so huge that Owen and I split one, but so good that I want to go back again.

You walk so much here that everyone is skinny and I think I must be losing weight. We walk everywhere, and everyone seems to walk fast, so it has to be good exercise. Then as if I had not walked all day, Cami and I got on the treadmill tonight so we can feel good about ordering a desert tomorrow from Serendipity’s; a famous place downtown we are all going to for dinner tomorrow.

Tomorrow night we see Wicked and I am so excited. I have been listening to the music and I have all the songs memorized. We are having a fantastic time, but most important we are so excited to be back together again as a family.

Today we went to Camille and Owen’s ward located in Lincoln Center. Their ward is in the same building as the Manhattan Temple. What a cool experience. Connor loved primary, especially with his Aunt Camille as the Primary Chorister. I never would have thought New York to be a place for kids, but really there are kids everywhere. The ward house looks like Disneyland’s stroller parking inside with strollers lining all the halls.

We had a great speaker today. His name was Richard Bushman and he is the stake patriarch here. He just finished a book called Joseph Smith - Rough Stone Rolling. The book is about the life of Joseph Smith and is supposed to be really good. His talk was so inspiring. He talked about how we are all here to be messengers for the Lord weather we are in the boardroom, the office, the classroom, or on stage, (I thought the stage part was great-am I star struck or what?) we all have the same calling and responsibility to be messengers of the gospel and testify of Christ.

To top things off there was a man that sat in back of me that had the voice of an angel. He must have worked in some Broadway musical. I have never heard hymns sound so beautiful in my entire life. During one of the songs his little girl started to through a fit and interrupted him a few times and I did not want him to stop singing! I almost asked his wife to take the little girl out so that I could listen to her husband sing. Ok not really, but I wanted to. His voice was absolutely perfect, it was moving. I’m so happy that people are given talents and that they choose to develop them so that we can all enjoy.

After church we walked home through Central Park changed and rode the subway to go check out Wall Street, ground zero, and the Statue of Liberty. We just did a real quick walk by to give me a general direction of where things are so that we can see them all when Danny gets here.

One really cool thing that we did see is a new statue that they just put up of Joseph Smith right in the middle of the financial district on Wall Street. It’s there to celebrate the 200th birthday, and it’s pretty incredible. Cami and Owen have been the best tour guides and hosts ever! It’s been so much fun to spend time with them. I really enjoy hanging out here, they have made Connor and I feel so welcome; thanks guys! I highly recommend to everyone reading this to come out and visit them. They have the cutest apartment ever right in the best location! Awesome Day!

Danny comes in tomorrow. It’s been almost a month without him. He left on New Years Eve, I can’t believe it! I promise we will never do a trip this long again! We can’t wait to get our Dad back. Connor is so excited.

We are finally in New York and are having an incredible time! Connor and I left Salt Lake Thursday night and arrived early Friday morning. We took a taxi from JFK to Manhattan at 6:00AM. It was still dark outside so we were able to see all the city lights as we crossed over the bridge. It was breathtaking.

Friday we went to the Naturally History Museum and saw all the Dinosaur bones. Connor loved it! Then Friday night Camille and Owen took us to the New York City ballet and out to dinner. We ate at this fabulous Chinese restaurant that is one of their favorite places to go. Connor actually loved the ballet and all the adults around him kept commenting on how wonderful he behaved, and how great it was that he was there. We kept telling Owen the same thing. 

Saturday Owen Connor and I hit China town to do a little black market shopping while Camille went to a bridal shower. I got quite the bargains as I found a LV messenger bag for $35 and a black Prada purse for $30. (Let’s hope Danny does not read this!) I also bought the Glory Road DVD (the new movie that is now out in the movie theater) for $5.
Later on we went to Central Park Zoo and met up with Owen’s sister’s family and her two kids that are Connors age. We went through the zoo then walked through the park as the sun set and it was quite magical. Tonight we ate at “the best pizza place in New York” and I agree it is the best Pizza I have ever had.

I have to say I am falling in love with this city. It has everything you could ever want and more! The people are wonderful, friendly, and the city is full of entertainment. Hmmm, maybe Danny could get a summer internship here. Tomorrow I might try a little networking at church. Respectfully…of course.

I will send Devin some photos to post.