Weekend Trip to New York City

Before we post any new pictures, I feel the need to update you all first! Here are the pictures from our trip to New York City. We had the chance to meet up with our good friends Cory and Kelly out there, and of course we took it!

We flew out there Friday, August 15, arriving at La Guardia at noon. From there we went to the Empire State Building, then Greenwich Village, Washington Square Park, Chinatown, and Little Italy. We then trekked back uptown to our hotel near Times Square just in time to watch Michael Phelps win his 7th gold medal (in the race that he was very, very, very close to losing).

Saturday morning we checked out of our hotel, walked to and around Times Square and then headed to Rockefeller Center, where we met Cory and Kelly. After walking around there for awhile, we walked up to Central Park and got lunch at one of the hotdog stands, then walked around and through to the other side of the park which was 5th Avenue. We took 5th Avenue back downtown, stopping into ridiculous stores like Tiffany's and FAO Schwartz ($10,000 stuffed animal, anyone?!). Then we hopped on the subway and went down to Lower Manhattan, where we walked to Ground Zero and then down Wall Street to Battery Park. There we saw the Statue of Liberty and had front row seats to some purse vendors get arrested. After all that excitement, we caught another subway back to Times Square, had dinner at the ESPN Zone, then said good-bye to Cory and Kelly. We strolled around Times Square for awhile longer, then walked back to Rockefeller Center to sit and relax, and at about 11 pm we caught another Subway to our bus stop in Harlem, then caught the bus there back to La Guardia to sleep in the airport for the night before our Sunday am flight.

It was a great vacation and we really loved the city. We were definitely tired at the end of it, as were our legs!!, but we had such a blast and made the best of our short window of time there with our friends.

Here's a slideshow of some of the pictures.

WE'RE BAAACK!

Well, people have been on us long enough to start updating our blog, and it is about time. I can't believe we haven't posted anything since April!

The past 5 months have been pretty great. We've both graduated, I've started a new job that I LOVE!, we've built many great memories with our friends and family, and we've welcomed another nephew into our lives! And that, of course, is only the short of it.

Thanks for not giving up on our blog; we're happy to be back and will try to update faithfully!

Springtime in Springfield

I can't get enough of spring; of the new leaves on trees, of the tulips and irises, of the sunny skies and warm weather, or of the beautiful blossoming trees. Every time I step outside I can't help but feel a childlike giddiness and a sense of wonder and awe at God's beautiful creations.

Here are some pics of what I am so blessed to be able to view every day through the windows at work:


and as I'm walking to and from campus: