May 21, 2019
Mom's 50th Birthday + Henry + William's Birthday Party = Busy Busy
On April 27th, my mom's 50th birthday. Since my cousin Renae couldn't come over for cake that evening, I decided to take the both of them out for lunch. We went to a famous Italian restaurant in Brooklyn called Lenny and Johns. Which by the way has been around for fifty years as well. I had chicken parmigiana with bake ziti. Renae had rice balls and my mom had monicotti. The two of them shared zucchini sticks. I also shared garlic knots with them. It was a yummy lunch.
After lunch we went back home and my dad made us delicious Irish Tea. I gave my mom her gifts from dad and I. From me, mom got a IPhone 7 charging dock, a charging cord and something else but I forgot what it was. 😜 My dad got her an Alzheimer's hoodie that said "Memories Matter! Fight against Alzheimer's!" An HQ Trivia mug, and a shirt that said 1969 on it.
Later that evening, Uncle Lou made steak and Brendan made delicious broiled potatoes. I'm not a fan of steak but I did a well done piece. Grandma came over that evening and we had tea and cake. I got her a cake from her favorite bakery in Brooklyn called Michaels. My parents loved the cake but my grandma didn't but thats okay. It's important that my mom enjoyed it more than anything else.
On Sunday my brother Ryan and my sister in law Victoria came over for the day. They brought their dog LuLu with them. She's a Cavapoo. Around noon, Henry and William came over. They loved LuLu as much as everybody else. While the lovebirds were here, we did some organizing. The men helped bring the treadmill upstairs from the basement into the living room. Us ladies made space for the treadill. The men helped us move one of the recliner chairs to the other side of the living room so the treadmil could fit.
Turns out we didn't have enough Italian food because we ended up ordering pizza from this new pizza place in our neighborhood. The pizza was edible and defiantly had flavor but it wasn't as good as Knapp Street Pizza. But I would defiantly order from them again to give them a second chance. Henry really loved it because he had three whole slices. Keep in mind, he's not a big eater.
Grandma came over to see the lovebirds and to meet her new granddog. LuLu is a small dog but she will grow but not to be a big dog like a St Bernard (😂 you'd need a big house for a St Bernard) Anyway, she loved her grand dog. She and Victoria talked for a couple of hours.
Later that evening we had a simple dinner. Heated up some Tyson Chicken Tenders and french fries. Was a nice simple dinner.
The following weekend, Friday and Saturday. My mom and I stayed in a hotel in lower Manhattan. Aunt Bug (my mom's oldest sister) was flying in from Houston for my mom's part three birthday celebration.
Since we were the first ones at the hotel, my mom told me to text Renae to ask her to bring some chips and soda over. So I did. When she arrived she said, "Geez you guys are so demanding!"
We stayed up till midnight to chat with Aunt Bug and Renae. Then we fell asleep so we could wake up and start her Saturday adventure.
On Saturday we got up around eleven and went to Pret-A-Manger for breakfast. Usually when I ever walk pass one of these expensive places, I always keep walking. Last time before this time, like three years ago, I walked inside to buy myself a soda (before I stopped drinking soda everyday) I cringed as I handed over three dollars and fifty cents. Surprisingly the croissant was really good. Not as good as the ones in Paris but edible.
After breakfast we walked in the rain to the 9/11 Memorial. My mom's first time. Honoring the lives that were taken by terrorists way back in 2001. Finally the rain stopped, we walked to the Oculus. The Oculus is this white building shaped like a mohawk. They turned the building into a mall. Also two built in train stations. One for Brooklyn and Manhattan. The other is to get from Mahattan to New Jersey.
Renae met up with us. We took the 1 Train to Times Square 42nd Street. All four of us attended a Pro-Life event. more than ten thousand people showed up. Of course the Abortion protestors marched around our event. But that didn't stop us! It was a Christian centered event by Focus on the Family. They had music and speakers.
Three hours later, we took the train to 14th street and found a diner. Hard to find diners now a days. But we found one and it was delicious. BIG portions though. I had my chicken tenders with curly fries. The fries were amazing but the chicken was too thick for me.
Afterwards we walked to a book store called BookStrand. The book store isn't my cup of tea but I did find a magnet that I loved and bought. The magnet said, "SAVE YOUR DRAMA FOR YOUR LLAMA!" We took the six train to china town and got dessert. Renae and I got icecream and mom and Aunt Bug got rice pudding. Everyone seemed to enjoy themselves.
On Sunday since mom and I don't believe in women preachers, we went to Barnes n Noble to look around. We grabbed a snack at Starbucks then ended up buying two puzzles. We took the train back home and later that evening we spent three hours at grandma's talking.
The following weeekend, my mom and I went to Henry and William's birthday party. Henry was turning six and William was turning four. They had a smaller party this time. Only family members were allowed to come. Aunt Amy made a Lagansa which was actually pretty good. We socialized, had snacks and drinks, ate dinner and had cake. Was a warm day too. Perfect for an outdoor event.
Safe to say I had a great busy couple of weekends.
After lunch we went back home and my dad made us delicious Irish Tea. I gave my mom her gifts from dad and I. From me, mom got a IPhone 7 charging dock, a charging cord and something else but I forgot what it was. 😜 My dad got her an Alzheimer's hoodie that said "Memories Matter! Fight against Alzheimer's!" An HQ Trivia mug, and a shirt that said 1969 on it.
Later that evening, Uncle Lou made steak and Brendan made delicious broiled potatoes. I'm not a fan of steak but I did a well done piece. Grandma came over that evening and we had tea and cake. I got her a cake from her favorite bakery in Brooklyn called Michaels. My parents loved the cake but my grandma didn't but thats okay. It's important that my mom enjoyed it more than anything else.
On Sunday my brother Ryan and my sister in law Victoria came over for the day. They brought their dog LuLu with them. She's a Cavapoo. Around noon, Henry and William came over. They loved LuLu as much as everybody else. While the lovebirds were here, we did some organizing. The men helped bring the treadmill upstairs from the basement into the living room. Us ladies made space for the treadill. The men helped us move one of the recliner chairs to the other side of the living room so the treadmil could fit.
Turns out we didn't have enough Italian food because we ended up ordering pizza from this new pizza place in our neighborhood. The pizza was edible and defiantly had flavor but it wasn't as good as Knapp Street Pizza. But I would defiantly order from them again to give them a second chance. Henry really loved it because he had three whole slices. Keep in mind, he's not a big eater.
Grandma came over to see the lovebirds and to meet her new granddog. LuLu is a small dog but she will grow but not to be a big dog like a St Bernard (😂 you'd need a big house for a St Bernard) Anyway, she loved her grand dog. She and Victoria talked for a couple of hours.
Later that evening we had a simple dinner. Heated up some Tyson Chicken Tenders and french fries. Was a nice simple dinner.
The following weekend, Friday and Saturday. My mom and I stayed in a hotel in lower Manhattan. Aunt Bug (my mom's oldest sister) was flying in from Houston for my mom's part three birthday celebration.
Since we were the first ones at the hotel, my mom told me to text Renae to ask her to bring some chips and soda over. So I did. When she arrived she said, "Geez you guys are so demanding!"
We stayed up till midnight to chat with Aunt Bug and Renae. Then we fell asleep so we could wake up and start her Saturday adventure.
On Saturday we got up around eleven and went to Pret-A-Manger for breakfast. Usually when I ever walk pass one of these expensive places, I always keep walking. Last time before this time, like three years ago, I walked inside to buy myself a soda (before I stopped drinking soda everyday) I cringed as I handed over three dollars and fifty cents. Surprisingly the croissant was really good. Not as good as the ones in Paris but edible.
After breakfast we walked in the rain to the 9/11 Memorial. My mom's first time. Honoring the lives that were taken by terrorists way back in 2001. Finally the rain stopped, we walked to the Oculus. The Oculus is this white building shaped like a mohawk. They turned the building into a mall. Also two built in train stations. One for Brooklyn and Manhattan. The other is to get from Mahattan to New Jersey.
Renae met up with us. We took the 1 Train to Times Square 42nd Street. All four of us attended a Pro-Life event. more than ten thousand people showed up. Of course the Abortion protestors marched around our event. But that didn't stop us! It was a Christian centered event by Focus on the Family. They had music and speakers.
Three hours later, we took the train to 14th street and found a diner. Hard to find diners now a days. But we found one and it was delicious. BIG portions though. I had my chicken tenders with curly fries. The fries were amazing but the chicken was too thick for me.
Afterwards we walked to a book store called BookStrand. The book store isn't my cup of tea but I did find a magnet that I loved and bought. The magnet said, "SAVE YOUR DRAMA FOR YOUR LLAMA!" We took the six train to china town and got dessert. Renae and I got icecream and mom and Aunt Bug got rice pudding. Everyone seemed to enjoy themselves.
On Sunday since mom and I don't believe in women preachers, we went to Barnes n Noble to look around. We grabbed a snack at Starbucks then ended up buying two puzzles. We took the train back home and later that evening we spent three hours at grandma's talking.
The following weeekend, my mom and I went to Henry and William's birthday party. Henry was turning six and William was turning four. They had a smaller party this time. Only family members were allowed to come. Aunt Amy made a Lagansa which was actually pretty good. We socialized, had snacks and drinks, ate dinner and had cake. Was a warm day too. Perfect for an outdoor event.
Safe to say I had a great busy couple of weekends.
April 2, 2019
A Dream Come True
This year for almost two weeks, in March, my parents and I decided it was time for a vacation. So we planned an amazing trip to London and Paris. This is my second time in London first time in Paris.
Friday March 15th
On Friday evening, my parents and I headed to JFK Airport in New York City. Late that evening around ten, on Virgin Airlines which is what we flew, took off for Heathrow Airport in London, England. The flight to London was uncomfortable because the seats were close together. We had a lot of turbulence but that doesn't bother me. I got twenty minutes of sleep. Didn't watch any movies but I did play some games on the TV and listened to music on my Ipad. Three times I got up to stretch on the plane. Didn't care for the food except for the saltine crackers. They we very good. Drank lots of water and had some soda. Defiantly made the flight go faster than it really did.
Saturday March 16th
After five and a half hours we landed at one of London's International Airports. Once we got past security and got our bags, my parents and I took the Coach Bus to Victoria Station. From there we took the District Line train to Fulham Broadway where our airbnb apartment was located. The apartment was very cosy. After we got settled in, we took a two hour nap to shake off the jet lag. The bed was low but very comfortable. When we woke up from our nap, we took the train to Piccadily Circus (like Times Square in New York) and looked for a place have dinner. Finally found a place after looking for what seemed like forever. Ate at this fun place called Planet Hollywood. They played music on big TV screens and the place was very colorful. I loved their chips (french fries). After dinner, in the rain, we took the train to Westminster and stood on the bridge as we took a picture of the amazing view of the London Eye, Big Ben and House of Parliament. The three of us decided to head back to the apartment and just have a relaxing evening drinking Tea and watching TV. That night actually Mom and I stayed up to half passed midnight. We were really enjoying the British verison of Who Wants to be a Millionare.
Sunday March 17th
Happy St Patrick's Day!
The three of us took the train to St Pauls Cathedral. What a beautiful BIG church. I enjoyed listening to the church bells play music. We walked around to see other tourist attractions. Mom and I actually found this lovely park where they had this fun thing that you stand on and it wabbles side to side. While we were on it, it got windy and we started wabbling fast. Like we were doing the floss dance. Mom and I jumped off because we got scared. But that was really fun. In the rain, my parents and I took the train to Westminster and walked through St James Park to see Buckingham Palace. St James Park is one of my favorite parks because you get to see different types of birds that you never seen before. Like for example, Black Swans. You don't see them in New York City. Buckingham Palace is such a beautiful palace. This is actually my second time seeing it. They say Two times is a charm. The three of us walked to Abby Road and took a picture in front of the statue of Church Hill. The church in that area is actually where Kate and William got married. I actually took a tour of the church when I was there two years ago. We started to get hungry so after we took the train to Baker Street, and took a photo in front of Sherlock Holmes Apartment, we found this lovely restaurant that had delicious nuggets and chips. Later that evening we took the Bakerloo Train to Elephant and Castle and went to a Baptist Church to Worship our Great an awesome God. Without Him nothing in life would be possible. The people at the church were super friendly. I loved and always have loved hymns. We sang lots of those. It felt so worshipful.
Monday March 18th
My parents and I took the The Hop on Hop Off Tour. When we got on the bus, the bus driver gave us headphone. On the double decker bus, mom, dad and I sat on the rooftop so that would could take great pictures. We plugged our headphones in and listened to a fantastic audio of the history in London. Some of the places we got to see were South Kensington and Chelsea, Norfolk Square Gardens, Westminster, Lambeth and Fleet Street. In Kensington stood St Augustine's C of E Anglican Church. In Westminster, Paddington we saw St Mary's Hospital where Prince George, Prince Louis and Princess Charlotte were born. I personally thought that was really cool to see. In other parts of Westminster, we got to see Trafalgar Square (my sister in law loves that area of London). The three of us got off at the the stop where the Tower Bridge was located. Inside the Tower Bridge we went upstairs and took a tour. On part of the floor, they had this glass covering part of the flooring so that people could take pictures of themselves laying or sitting down as traffic flew by down below. After the tour of the bridge, we had our first 99(soft served vanilla icecream on a cone with a chocolate cadbury flake on top) it was delicious. Something you can't get here. It's just not the same.
Tuesday March 19th
Mom, Dad and I took the District line to Tower Hill and bought our tickets and waiting in the crowd full of people for the the Menagerie to take us on a tour. He was a terrific tour guide. We then went into the Crown Jewels and got to see all the beautiful crowns Queen Elizabeth wore. Unfortuantly we weren't allowed to take any pictures but I defiantly learned lots of history about her crowns and Tower of London. I had another 99 and man oh man was it out of this world delicious!!!! The three of us took the City Cruise on the River Thames. Our first stop was at Greenwich Mean Time. The walk up is very steep! Also I'm not exactly in shape. But it was worth my legs feeling like jello. A beautiful view of London. I learned so much about where time came from and how it all works. We took the cruise to the London Eye. London Eye is one of my favorite things to do in London. The view never ceases to blow me away. It was my mom's first time and she actually enjoyed it.
Wednesday March 20th
For our last day in London, we got up early and headed to Buckingham Palace. We got to see this amazing show that the guards put on called The Changing of the Guards. The Guards marched behind the gate as they played their instruments. I didnt get to see this the last time I was in London. I could tell Mom really enjoyed it because she had a big smile on her face. I learned something new, women serve in the London Military. Something I didn't know until that day. It was nice to just pause life and to enjoy the moment of that day. Afterwards we walked a short block to the Royal Mews Museum. This Museum was different then the others because it had both an outdoor and indoor exhibit. We got to see the different carriages that Queen Elizabeth rode in the past and in the present. The history of all her rides were pretty cool too.
Thursday March 21st
We got up early and finished packing. At noon we hopped onto the Chunnel train which travels at two hundred miles per hour. Three hours later we made it to Paris. After getting directions and our metro tickets to ride their trains, we arrived at our airbnb apartment. I was a little nervous because I was in a strangers house and a different country where english isn't their first language. But after we got settled in, I felt comfortable and ready to tour Paris. Paris at night was beautiful. Plenty of people out walkinig around. I kept seeing signs that said "Beware of pick pocketers." I kept my hand on my bag a lot. Didn't want to risk it. It was a beautiful evening. I really felt like I was on vacation putting reality behind me.
Friday March 22
The three of us road the train all the way to a dream come true. Believe me, I pinched myself three times to make sure I wasn't dreaming. Turns out it wasn't a dream. This was really happening. I couldn't believe I was standing in front of the Eiffel Tower. The enormous beautiful tower stood there shinning bright in the sun. My face was in shock and very happy. Something that was on my bucket list since I was little. After living the dream, we got to see the famous Arch. That was cool. Cars drove under it. Finally after walking what seemed like forever, we made it to the Musee d'Orsay. A place filled with old statues (who have no clothes on 🙈) and old paintings too. Some of the paintings were very pretty. Others didn't impress me or make me say, "Ooh ahh." 😂) But it is cool to see.
Saturday March 23rd
Dad wasn't feeling well so Mom and I went on an adventure together. We went to a famous church in Notre Dame called Sainte Chapelle. The colorful stain class windows were out of this world AMAZING. Such a gorgeous clean place. I enjoyed that. We took the train and went to another Museum called the Pantheon. That place was really interesting. Full of tons of history. I felt mom and I learned a lot that day. Later that evening the three of us went to a restaurant called La Patio. It was walking distance from our apartment. The waiter was very friendly. We learned a lot about the different neighborhoods in Paris.
Sunday March 24
We took the long train ride to see another the famous Lourve. A museum apparently you have to see before you leave Paris. The Lourve was HUGE! So many stairs to climb. We climbed thirty flights of stairs that day. Got to see Napoleon's apartment which was very cool. Sparkly and shiny. After the Louvre we were tired from all the walking we did. We ended up going back to the apartment to relax from a long day. Later that evening we went to the same local restaurant. Despite it being late, He was happy to serve us. (I have a crush on him still. He's very cute. I can't help it!!!!!)
Monday March 25th
Very early in the morning, the three of us went to pick up our rental car. Once we got the car, we drove two long hours to Normandy. In Normandy we saw Omaha Beach. It looked so beautiful. Reminded me of Hawaii except it wasn't as warm. Very windy but the view was amazing. We then drove to an amazing place that I really loved. The American Military Cemetery. (My childhood best friend serves in the military) Which is one of the reasons why I enjoyed it. As we were walking, I whistled the tune of the Star Spangled Banner out loud. I thought to myself, "This is why we stand for the national anthem!" After the tour, we drove back "home" to Paris. That was a great day. The country side of France.
Tuesday March 26th
For our last day in Paris, we went to Versailles, France. A much shorter drive than Normandy. In Versailles, we saw and toured the Palace. Lots of old paintings and furniture that was used by the old historic people way back then. We walked down to the river and saw the ducks swim around. We were going to see another famous place but it closed early. We headed back home and decided to buy groceries and eat at the apartment. Our last day was great.
Friday March 15th
On Friday evening, my parents and I headed to JFK Airport in New York City. Late that evening around ten, on Virgin Airlines which is what we flew, took off for Heathrow Airport in London, England. The flight to London was uncomfortable because the seats were close together. We had a lot of turbulence but that doesn't bother me. I got twenty minutes of sleep. Didn't watch any movies but I did play some games on the TV and listened to music on my Ipad. Three times I got up to stretch on the plane. Didn't care for the food except for the saltine crackers. They we very good. Drank lots of water and had some soda. Defiantly made the flight go faster than it really did.
Saturday March 16th
After five and a half hours we landed at one of London's International Airports. Once we got past security and got our bags, my parents and I took the Coach Bus to Victoria Station. From there we took the District Line train to Fulham Broadway where our airbnb apartment was located. The apartment was very cosy. After we got settled in, we took a two hour nap to shake off the jet lag. The bed was low but very comfortable. When we woke up from our nap, we took the train to Piccadily Circus (like Times Square in New York) and looked for a place have dinner. Finally found a place after looking for what seemed like forever. Ate at this fun place called Planet Hollywood. They played music on big TV screens and the place was very colorful. I loved their chips (french fries). After dinner, in the rain, we took the train to Westminster and stood on the bridge as we took a picture of the amazing view of the London Eye, Big Ben and House of Parliament. The three of us decided to head back to the apartment and just have a relaxing evening drinking Tea and watching TV. That night actually Mom and I stayed up to half passed midnight. We were really enjoying the British verison of Who Wants to be a Millionare.
Sunday March 17th
Happy St Patrick's Day!
The three of us took the train to St Pauls Cathedral. What a beautiful BIG church. I enjoyed listening to the church bells play music. We walked around to see other tourist attractions. Mom and I actually found this lovely park where they had this fun thing that you stand on and it wabbles side to side. While we were on it, it got windy and we started wabbling fast. Like we were doing the floss dance. Mom and I jumped off because we got scared. But that was really fun. In the rain, my parents and I took the train to Westminster and walked through St James Park to see Buckingham Palace. St James Park is one of my favorite parks because you get to see different types of birds that you never seen before. Like for example, Black Swans. You don't see them in New York City. Buckingham Palace is such a beautiful palace. This is actually my second time seeing it. They say Two times is a charm. The three of us walked to Abby Road and took a picture in front of the statue of Church Hill. The church in that area is actually where Kate and William got married. I actually took a tour of the church when I was there two years ago. We started to get hungry so after we took the train to Baker Street, and took a photo in front of Sherlock Holmes Apartment, we found this lovely restaurant that had delicious nuggets and chips. Later that evening we took the Bakerloo Train to Elephant and Castle and went to a Baptist Church to Worship our Great an awesome God. Without Him nothing in life would be possible. The people at the church were super friendly. I loved and always have loved hymns. We sang lots of those. It felt so worshipful.
Monday March 18th
My parents and I took the The Hop on Hop Off Tour. When we got on the bus, the bus driver gave us headphone. On the double decker bus, mom, dad and I sat on the rooftop so that would could take great pictures. We plugged our headphones in and listened to a fantastic audio of the history in London. Some of the places we got to see were South Kensington and Chelsea, Norfolk Square Gardens, Westminster, Lambeth and Fleet Street. In Kensington stood St Augustine's C of E Anglican Church. In Westminster, Paddington we saw St Mary's Hospital where Prince George, Prince Louis and Princess Charlotte were born. I personally thought that was really cool to see. In other parts of Westminster, we got to see Trafalgar Square (my sister in law loves that area of London). The three of us got off at the the stop where the Tower Bridge was located. Inside the Tower Bridge we went upstairs and took a tour. On part of the floor, they had this glass covering part of the flooring so that people could take pictures of themselves laying or sitting down as traffic flew by down below. After the tour of the bridge, we had our first 99(soft served vanilla icecream on a cone with a chocolate cadbury flake on top) it was delicious. Something you can't get here. It's just not the same.
Tuesday March 19th
Mom, Dad and I took the District line to Tower Hill and bought our tickets and waiting in the crowd full of people for the the Menagerie to take us on a tour. He was a terrific tour guide. We then went into the Crown Jewels and got to see all the beautiful crowns Queen Elizabeth wore. Unfortuantly we weren't allowed to take any pictures but I defiantly learned lots of history about her crowns and Tower of London. I had another 99 and man oh man was it out of this world delicious!!!! The three of us took the City Cruise on the River Thames. Our first stop was at Greenwich Mean Time. The walk up is very steep! Also I'm not exactly in shape. But it was worth my legs feeling like jello. A beautiful view of London. I learned so much about where time came from and how it all works. We took the cruise to the London Eye. London Eye is one of my favorite things to do in London. The view never ceases to blow me away. It was my mom's first time and she actually enjoyed it.
Wednesday March 20th
For our last day in London, we got up early and headed to Buckingham Palace. We got to see this amazing show that the guards put on called The Changing of the Guards. The Guards marched behind the gate as they played their instruments. I didnt get to see this the last time I was in London. I could tell Mom really enjoyed it because she had a big smile on her face. I learned something new, women serve in the London Military. Something I didn't know until that day. It was nice to just pause life and to enjoy the moment of that day. Afterwards we walked a short block to the Royal Mews Museum. This Museum was different then the others because it had both an outdoor and indoor exhibit. We got to see the different carriages that Queen Elizabeth rode in the past and in the present. The history of all her rides were pretty cool too.
Thursday March 21st
We got up early and finished packing. At noon we hopped onto the Chunnel train which travels at two hundred miles per hour. Three hours later we made it to Paris. After getting directions and our metro tickets to ride their trains, we arrived at our airbnb apartment. I was a little nervous because I was in a strangers house and a different country where english isn't their first language. But after we got settled in, I felt comfortable and ready to tour Paris. Paris at night was beautiful. Plenty of people out walkinig around. I kept seeing signs that said "Beware of pick pocketers." I kept my hand on my bag a lot. Didn't want to risk it. It was a beautiful evening. I really felt like I was on vacation putting reality behind me.
Friday March 22
The three of us road the train all the way to a dream come true. Believe me, I pinched myself three times to make sure I wasn't dreaming. Turns out it wasn't a dream. This was really happening. I couldn't believe I was standing in front of the Eiffel Tower. The enormous beautiful tower stood there shinning bright in the sun. My face was in shock and very happy. Something that was on my bucket list since I was little. After living the dream, we got to see the famous Arch. That was cool. Cars drove under it. Finally after walking what seemed like forever, we made it to the Musee d'Orsay. A place filled with old statues (who have no clothes on 🙈) and old paintings too. Some of the paintings were very pretty. Others didn't impress me or make me say, "Ooh ahh." 😂) But it is cool to see.
Saturday March 23rd
Dad wasn't feeling well so Mom and I went on an adventure together. We went to a famous church in Notre Dame called Sainte Chapelle. The colorful stain class windows were out of this world AMAZING. Such a gorgeous clean place. I enjoyed that. We took the train and went to another Museum called the Pantheon. That place was really interesting. Full of tons of history. I felt mom and I learned a lot that day. Later that evening the three of us went to a restaurant called La Patio. It was walking distance from our apartment. The waiter was very friendly. We learned a lot about the different neighborhoods in Paris.
Sunday March 24
We took the long train ride to see another the famous Lourve. A museum apparently you have to see before you leave Paris. The Lourve was HUGE! So many stairs to climb. We climbed thirty flights of stairs that day. Got to see Napoleon's apartment which was very cool. Sparkly and shiny. After the Louvre we were tired from all the walking we did. We ended up going back to the apartment to relax from a long day. Later that evening we went to the same local restaurant. Despite it being late, He was happy to serve us. (I have a crush on him still. He's very cute. I can't help it!!!!!)
Monday March 25th
Very early in the morning, the three of us went to pick up our rental car. Once we got the car, we drove two long hours to Normandy. In Normandy we saw Omaha Beach. It looked so beautiful. Reminded me of Hawaii except it wasn't as warm. Very windy but the view was amazing. We then drove to an amazing place that I really loved. The American Military Cemetery. (My childhood best friend serves in the military) Which is one of the reasons why I enjoyed it. As we were walking, I whistled the tune of the Star Spangled Banner out loud. I thought to myself, "This is why we stand for the national anthem!" After the tour, we drove back "home" to Paris. That was a great day. The country side of France.
Tuesday March 26th
For our last day in Paris, we went to Versailles, France. A much shorter drive than Normandy. In Versailles, we saw and toured the Palace. Lots of old paintings and furniture that was used by the old historic people way back then. We walked down to the river and saw the ducks swim around. We were going to see another famous place but it closed early. We headed back home and decided to buy groceries and eat at the apartment. Our last day was great.
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| Changing of the Guards - Buckingham Palace |
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| Guards walking at Buckingham Palace |
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| Church at Notre Dame - Paris |
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| Eiffel Tower - Paris |
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| Patheon - Paris |
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| Sainte Chapelle - Paris |
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| Lourve - Paris |
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| Buckingham Palace - London |
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| Tower of London - London |
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| Our Tour Guide |
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| Tower of London - London |
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| View from the London Eye - London |
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| Omaha Beach - Normandy France |
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| American Miltitary Cemetery - Normandy France |
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| Trafalgar Square - London |
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| A view of the Eiffel Tower at Night - Paris |
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| The Arch - Paris |
January 30, 2019
About Dundalk Ireland + Dundalk Timelapse Video by Mark Duffy
Have you ever wanted to go to Ireland? Have you ever been curious about what Dundalk looks like? Look no further.
One of my favorite photographers who are from Dundalk, Ireland, put together this timelapse video of Dundalk County Louth Ireland. If you would like to see more of his photography, check out his Facebook and Instagram pages: MarkDuffyPhotography
Mark Duffy also has his new book that he published. It's called Louth Rediscovered. Amazing photos he captured in County Louth and other parts of Ireland. Check it out at his website here: https://www.markduffyphotography.com/book/louth-rediscovered/ When you finished watching the video, subscribe to his youtube channel!
Click here to read more about Dundalk Ireland Below.
Dundalk Ireland
Feel free to share the video with your friends and family!
December 29, 2018
An Early Christmas with my Family + Congratulations Lily and Cooper + Christmas in Atlanta = TONS OF FUN
The day of the soon to be Christmas, in the busy, crowded, city of New York, Cooper proposed to his beautiful girlfriend Lily. My cousin Lily said yes, of course. Everyone including me was very excited to finally meet Cooper. Who by the way is a very nice, kind hearted man. Congratulations Lily and Cooper! 😍😀🌠
That evening the eighteen of us celebrated Christmas at my house. My Grandma made an Egg Plant, Cheese Cake and a salad. Jena brought over Italian Bread. Mom and I made Stuffed Shells. Aunt Bug and her clan brought pizza from L&B and cookies from Michaels.
Let me pause and go off topic for a second. These two places are famous in Brooklyn. Michaels is a bakery known for their delicious brownies and mixed array of cookies. L&B has been around for seventy nine years. Long time I know. They are famous for their pizza being made with the cheese inside the dough and the sauce on top. If you are ever in Brooklyn, give it a try.
Okay, getting back on topic. we socialized for an hour before we gathered around the table for dinner. It was buffet style. With eighteen people, that makes it a whole lot easier. After we finished eating and cleaning up, everyone moved into the living room where we opened presents. I was the elf who announced who the present was for a from.
Every year my cousins and I, Mom and her three sisters do a secret Santa. Nobody knows who has who until the secret is reviled the day of the Christmas Party.
Henry had me as his Secret Santa. I had my cousin Renae as my Secret Santa. Every year it seems to work out perfectly. I got a DK Eyewitness Book on Paris, an Umbrella with the Eiffel Tower as the background and a big laminated map of Europe. The best gift ever was seeing my Brother Ryan
💜😍🤗!
By the way I was told I was a great Elf.
We al hustled back inside the kitchen for Tea/Coffee and Dessert. I just had Hagendaz ice cream with Irish Tea. Everyone else had Cookies, Cheese Cake and Ice cream with their tea and or coffee.
Sunday after Church, the day after the Christmas party, my parents, brother Brendan and I drove to the American Hotel in Freehold New Jersey. My Aunt bug was hosting a party to celebrate the Cooper and Lily's engagement. It was lots of fun.
Since my parents and I were going to Atlanta for Christmas, my brother Brendan and I opened our gifts from each other and our parents. From my brother, I got a blanket with flags on it and a LA Dodgers winter Hat. From my parents I got IRISH Cadbury Chocolate, Diary of a Wimpy Kid The Melt Down, Crusoe the Worldy Wiener Dog, Amazon Alexa Echo. Lovely gifts. Very blessed.
My Parents and I drove three and a half hours to Delaware to see my Cousins Diane, Patrick, Tim and Danny. Oh and their beautiful cat Winter.
When we arrived, I realised my suit case was not in the trunk, instead it was back home sitting on my bed.
It was my dad's birthday, so we went to the Long Horn Steak House for dinner. My Cousins bought my dad a Dairy Queen Ice Cream cake for dessert. Dinner was lovely, the cake was out of this world DELICIOUS! Dad ws surprised and happy at the same time.
It turned out I got a surprise Christmas present. Wasn't expecting anything. I got Vanilla Scented perfume, Reeese's and a book on flags around the world. Timmy and Danny loved their gift from us which was video game chairs. (They LOVE Fortnite)
Late that night we watched Home Alone. One of my favorite Christmas movies.
On Saturday, Timmy, Danny and I went over to Aunt Maureen's house to decorate Ginger Bread houses. My Aunt Maureen has three cats who are really friendly and beautiful. I had a lot of fun decorating and spending time with my family.
That same day, mom and I went to Kohls to get me some clothes to wear on our vacation and for work. I was successful. All very comfy clothes.
After we finished shopping, Cousin Pat made a delicious chicken with buttered pasta. We gathered on the couch and watched Elf. That's my all time favorite Christmas movie. I can watch that movie over and over and never get tired of it.
Sunday we got up early and packed up our stuff. Cousin Pat made us breakfast. He is an amazing cook. We took a group selfie by their Christmas tree and hugged. We were ready for the eleven hour hour trip to Georgia.
While we were in the car, I noticed the exit in Virginia that said, "Lynchburg" It brought back memories when my brother Ryan went to Liberty Univeristy. Oh and of course made me think of the day he graduated. GEEEZ I feel old 😱!!!!!!
Our first stop for dinner was in Greensboro North Carolina. We went to Cook Out. Cook Out has a over 40 different types of milkshakes and cheap affordable food. Lines are always out the door. That's how popular it is.
Many long hours later, we made it to Atlanta. Our hotel was beautiful. Very fancy in the lobby area. The fountain made it feel extra special.
On Monday, Christmas Eve, the three of us drove to Coca Cola World. That place was AMAZING! You got a free can of coke of your choice. So much to see and plenty of history to learn about. My favorite part was seeing my dad pull faces when he taste tested the different sodas around the world. The top nasty soda I tried was cucumber Sprite and Sprite Zero. Let's just stick to Coke AND Water. No need for these ridiculous nasty inventions.
For lunch we went to Chik-Fil-A. It was surprisingly crowded. I guess everyone had the same idea as us. But it was worth the wait because Chik-Fil-A is the bom digity dot com.
Since I forgot my suit case, mom and I had to go to JC Pennys. Luckily we found one in the clearance section. I usually avoid that section but I was desprate.
Christmas Eve dinner was at the famous Out Back. You wouldn't expect a lot opened on Christmas Eve or Christmas. You have to thank the people who give up their Christmas to serve you.
My favorite part of the Hotel was the Hot Tub. Oh my gosh, it was so relaxing. I was in heaven. It really does wonders for your muscles.
Christmas Day, we went to the Aquarium. It was surprisingly crowded. I guess its the place to go for Christmas. Who knew. *SHRUG* Lots of sea creatures to see. Mom and I got splashed by the Doliphins at the Doliphin shows. As unpleasant as getting wet is, a memory was made and will be remembered for a life time. My favorite animal is Puffins. They are ADORABLE. Of course who doesn't love penguins. The moving floor was really cool. Made it easier to see all sea creatures and capture them on your phone.
Christmas Dinner was at Golden Corral. Took thirty minutes to get inside. Its a popular place. Buffet style. I love their turkey and gravy. *mouth watering* Despite the long wait, it was worth it.
Our last day in Atlanta took place at Stone Mountain Park. A mountain with a beautiful view of Atlanta. Lots to do at the Park. From Snow tubing to hiking, to train rides around the mountain, and just relaxing. My favorite part of Stone Mountain was the Train ride. We got to sing Christmas songs as we rode around the mountain. That was a lot of fun.
A long drive to Greensboro North Carolina from Atlanta. We were staying overnight so we didn't have to long of a drive home. *Whispers* don't worry it still felt long. *laughs* We went to my favorite resturant for Dinner. CHILIS!!!! The service was awesome.
To say Atlanta was fun would be a lie. To say Atlanta was supercalifragilisticexpialidocious would describe the trip perfectly!
That evening the eighteen of us celebrated Christmas at my house. My Grandma made an Egg Plant, Cheese Cake and a salad. Jena brought over Italian Bread. Mom and I made Stuffed Shells. Aunt Bug and her clan brought pizza from L&B and cookies from Michaels.
Let me pause and go off topic for a second. These two places are famous in Brooklyn. Michaels is a bakery known for their delicious brownies and mixed array of cookies. L&B has been around for seventy nine years. Long time I know. They are famous for their pizza being made with the cheese inside the dough and the sauce on top. If you are ever in Brooklyn, give it a try.
Okay, getting back on topic. we socialized for an hour before we gathered around the table for dinner. It was buffet style. With eighteen people, that makes it a whole lot easier. After we finished eating and cleaning up, everyone moved into the living room where we opened presents. I was the elf who announced who the present was for a from.
Every year my cousins and I, Mom and her three sisters do a secret Santa. Nobody knows who has who until the secret is reviled the day of the Christmas Party.
Henry had me as his Secret Santa. I had my cousin Renae as my Secret Santa. Every year it seems to work out perfectly. I got a DK Eyewitness Book on Paris, an Umbrella with the Eiffel Tower as the background and a big laminated map of Europe. The best gift ever was seeing my Brother Ryan
💜😍🤗!
By the way I was told I was a great Elf.
We al hustled back inside the kitchen for Tea/Coffee and Dessert. I just had Hagendaz ice cream with Irish Tea. Everyone else had Cookies, Cheese Cake and Ice cream with their tea and or coffee.
Sunday after Church, the day after the Christmas party, my parents, brother Brendan and I drove to the American Hotel in Freehold New Jersey. My Aunt bug was hosting a party to celebrate the Cooper and Lily's engagement. It was lots of fun.
Since my parents and I were going to Atlanta for Christmas, my brother Brendan and I opened our gifts from each other and our parents. From my brother, I got a blanket with flags on it and a LA Dodgers winter Hat. From my parents I got IRISH Cadbury Chocolate, Diary of a Wimpy Kid The Melt Down, Crusoe the Worldy Wiener Dog, Amazon Alexa Echo. Lovely gifts. Very blessed.
My Parents and I drove three and a half hours to Delaware to see my Cousins Diane, Patrick, Tim and Danny. Oh and their beautiful cat Winter.
When we arrived, I realised my suit case was not in the trunk, instead it was back home sitting on my bed.
It was my dad's birthday, so we went to the Long Horn Steak House for dinner. My Cousins bought my dad a Dairy Queen Ice Cream cake for dessert. Dinner was lovely, the cake was out of this world DELICIOUS! Dad ws surprised and happy at the same time.
It turned out I got a surprise Christmas present. Wasn't expecting anything. I got Vanilla Scented perfume, Reeese's and a book on flags around the world. Timmy and Danny loved their gift from us which was video game chairs. (They LOVE Fortnite)
Late that night we watched Home Alone. One of my favorite Christmas movies.
On Saturday, Timmy, Danny and I went over to Aunt Maureen's house to decorate Ginger Bread houses. My Aunt Maureen has three cats who are really friendly and beautiful. I had a lot of fun decorating and spending time with my family.
That same day, mom and I went to Kohls to get me some clothes to wear on our vacation and for work. I was successful. All very comfy clothes.
After we finished shopping, Cousin Pat made a delicious chicken with buttered pasta. We gathered on the couch and watched Elf. That's my all time favorite Christmas movie. I can watch that movie over and over and never get tired of it.
Sunday we got up early and packed up our stuff. Cousin Pat made us breakfast. He is an amazing cook. We took a group selfie by their Christmas tree and hugged. We were ready for the eleven hour hour trip to Georgia.
While we were in the car, I noticed the exit in Virginia that said, "Lynchburg" It brought back memories when my brother Ryan went to Liberty Univeristy. Oh and of course made me think of the day he graduated. GEEEZ I feel old 😱!!!!!!
Our first stop for dinner was in Greensboro North Carolina. We went to Cook Out. Cook Out has a over 40 different types of milkshakes and cheap affordable food. Lines are always out the door. That's how popular it is.
Many long hours later, we made it to Atlanta. Our hotel was beautiful. Very fancy in the lobby area. The fountain made it feel extra special.
On Monday, Christmas Eve, the three of us drove to Coca Cola World. That place was AMAZING! You got a free can of coke of your choice. So much to see and plenty of history to learn about. My favorite part was seeing my dad pull faces when he taste tested the different sodas around the world. The top nasty soda I tried was cucumber Sprite and Sprite Zero. Let's just stick to Coke AND Water. No need for these ridiculous nasty inventions.
For lunch we went to Chik-Fil-A. It was surprisingly crowded. I guess everyone had the same idea as us. But it was worth the wait because Chik-Fil-A is the bom digity dot com.
Since I forgot my suit case, mom and I had to go to JC Pennys. Luckily we found one in the clearance section. I usually avoid that section but I was desprate.
Christmas Eve dinner was at the famous Out Back. You wouldn't expect a lot opened on Christmas Eve or Christmas. You have to thank the people who give up their Christmas to serve you.
My favorite part of the Hotel was the Hot Tub. Oh my gosh, it was so relaxing. I was in heaven. It really does wonders for your muscles.
Christmas Day, we went to the Aquarium. It was surprisingly crowded. I guess its the place to go for Christmas. Who knew. *SHRUG* Lots of sea creatures to see. Mom and I got splashed by the Doliphins at the Doliphin shows. As unpleasant as getting wet is, a memory was made and will be remembered for a life time. My favorite animal is Puffins. They are ADORABLE. Of course who doesn't love penguins. The moving floor was really cool. Made it easier to see all sea creatures and capture them on your phone.
Christmas Dinner was at Golden Corral. Took thirty minutes to get inside. Its a popular place. Buffet style. I love their turkey and gravy. *mouth watering* Despite the long wait, it was worth it.
Our last day in Atlanta took place at Stone Mountain Park. A mountain with a beautiful view of Atlanta. Lots to do at the Park. From Snow tubing to hiking, to train rides around the mountain, and just relaxing. My favorite part of Stone Mountain was the Train ride. We got to sing Christmas songs as we rode around the mountain. That was a lot of fun.
A long drive to Greensboro North Carolina from Atlanta. We were staying overnight so we didn't have to long of a drive home. *Whispers* don't worry it still felt long. *laughs* We went to my favorite resturant for Dinner. CHILIS!!!! The service was awesome.
To say Atlanta was fun would be a lie. To say Atlanta was supercalifragilisticexpialidocious would describe the trip perfectly!
October 2, 2018
Never Forget October 1st 2017
October is officially here. Fall has come! Last year in the beginning of October something horrific happened. Country bands, artists and fans will NEVER forget!
On October 1st 2017, there was a massive shooting at the Country Music Festival in Las Vegas. 851 people had non fatal injuries. 422 people were injured by the shooting. 59 innocent people lost their lives.
September 19, 2018
Hello Peeps it's been a while #RandomPost #Update
Hello Peeps,
Summer is over, which means it's time for me to put my big girl pants back on. These past three weeks I've been adulting. I love my job though. September is coming to an end.
Wanna hear something funny about the New York City Transit System?
Every station have these machines that are labled "HELP" If you need help a person on the other end will give you assists.
Anyway, on this day, the trains were BAD. This guy was running late for work. He about had it. Even his coffee didn't calm him down. He literally walked over to the HELP machine and pressed the button.
The person asked, "How can I assist you?"
The man said, "Hi, the train has been sitting here longer than ten minutes. I'm late for work!"
The person replied, "Sorry to hear that sir."
Literally a minute after talking to this person, the train finally moved. We will never know if this guy got to work on time or not. But hopefully his boss was understanding.
One of my best friends, her name is Margaret. We have been friends for fourteen years. She serves in the United States Army. Last weekend I was feeling stressed about something. I texted her, and told her I haven't been feeling myself. She asked me if everything was okay. I explained to her the situation. A few minutes later she responded with the best advice that cheered me up.
"Hey everybody makes mistakes!" Those words of encouragement really made me feel much better. I realised I wasn't the only person in the world who made mistakes. Lots of people do and thats okay because nobodys perfect.
Oh my friend Abigail Breslin came out with a new song called Sleepwalking. It's on spotify. You can check out the link in her bio on Instagram and Twitter. I love the song and I think you should listen to it.
Hope you all have a great week and a fantastic weekend.
Summer is over, which means it's time for me to put my big girl pants back on. These past three weeks I've been adulting. I love my job though. September is coming to an end.
Wanna hear something funny about the New York City Transit System?
Every station have these machines that are labled "HELP" If you need help a person on the other end will give you assists.
Anyway, on this day, the trains were BAD. This guy was running late for work. He about had it. Even his coffee didn't calm him down. He literally walked over to the HELP machine and pressed the button.
The person asked, "How can I assist you?"
The man said, "Hi, the train has been sitting here longer than ten minutes. I'm late for work!"
The person replied, "Sorry to hear that sir."
Literally a minute after talking to this person, the train finally moved. We will never know if this guy got to work on time or not. But hopefully his boss was understanding.
One of my best friends, her name is Margaret. We have been friends for fourteen years. She serves in the United States Army. Last weekend I was feeling stressed about something. I texted her, and told her I haven't been feeling myself. She asked me if everything was okay. I explained to her the situation. A few minutes later she responded with the best advice that cheered me up.
"Hey everybody makes mistakes!" Those words of encouragement really made me feel much better. I realised I wasn't the only person in the world who made mistakes. Lots of people do and thats okay because nobodys perfect.
Oh my friend Abigail Breslin came out with a new song called Sleepwalking. It's on spotify. You can check out the link in her bio on Instagram and Twitter. I love the song and I think you should listen to it.
Hope you all have a great week and a fantastic weekend.
September 3, 2018
Happy Labor Day
It is officially September! Which means summer is coming to an end and school is starting up again. Actually New York City Public Schools start this Wednesday. Schools in Ireland started already. Most schools in America started up in the middle of August because they end in beginning of May.
On Saturday afternoon, my parents and I took a ride on this Quadruplet bike at my local park. It was a beautiful breezy day. Perfect day to peddle around as we bonded. After the bike ride, my mom made her famous Egg Plant Parmesan (only my mom and my brother Brendan like it) I made my famous fried chicken with ravioli. That was a delicious dinner. Later on in the evening, my mom and I played a six rounds of UNO. Sadly she won but it was a great game.
On Sunday my mom and I went to church. After church we picked up a pizza from Victoria's Pizzeria which by the way makes the best square pizza. While my mom took her Sunday nap, I organized my room. For dinner I made chicken noodle soup with chicken nuggets. You may think its an odd combination but actually it's quite delicious. That evening my mom and I went over to my Grandma's house to see Henry and William. They were having a sleepover at Grandma's house. We did a twenty four peice puzzle and had delicious popcorn.
On Monday (Labor Day) my mom and I slept in a little bit. Then I made pasta and tea for our lunch. I like my pasta with butter now a days. After lunch we ran some errands. First we went to Petco to get food for my Betta Fish. Then we walked across the street to Stop n Shop to get some things. Lastly we looked at couches at Raymour and Flanigan. My mom made her delicious London Broil with Mashed Potatoes and Gravy. Not your typical Labor day dinner but it was delicious and that's all that matters.
Happy Labor Day to all my American Readers!
Have a semester in school for those of you that already started!
Good luck to all the kids and teens who are starting school this week!
On Saturday afternoon, my parents and I took a ride on this Quadruplet bike at my local park. It was a beautiful breezy day. Perfect day to peddle around as we bonded. After the bike ride, my mom made her famous Egg Plant Parmesan (only my mom and my brother Brendan like it) I made my famous fried chicken with ravioli. That was a delicious dinner. Later on in the evening, my mom and I played a six rounds of UNO. Sadly she won but it was a great game.
On Sunday my mom and I went to church. After church we picked up a pizza from Victoria's Pizzeria which by the way makes the best square pizza. While my mom took her Sunday nap, I organized my room. For dinner I made chicken noodle soup with chicken nuggets. You may think its an odd combination but actually it's quite delicious. That evening my mom and I went over to my Grandma's house to see Henry and William. They were having a sleepover at Grandma's house. We did a twenty four peice puzzle and had delicious popcorn.
On Monday (Labor Day) my mom and I slept in a little bit. Then I made pasta and tea for our lunch. I like my pasta with butter now a days. After lunch we ran some errands. First we went to Petco to get food for my Betta Fish. Then we walked across the street to Stop n Shop to get some things. Lastly we looked at couches at Raymour and Flanigan. My mom made her delicious London Broil with Mashed Potatoes and Gravy. Not your typical Labor day dinner but it was delicious and that's all that matters.
Happy Labor Day to all my American Readers!
Have a semester in school for those of you that already started!
Good luck to all the kids and teens who are starting school this week!
The Bike that we road in the park
August 25, 2018
August with my Irish Family (Part 2)
On Saturday August 4th, my dad drove Aunt Lorraine and Eimear to the Green Acres Mall in Long Island. While they shopped, my mom and I spent some time together. I finally got her to purchase a bag for the wedding off of Amazon. When they came back, we had my delicious fried chicken with french fries. Everyone loved it.
On Sunday August 5th, Mom and I had nursery at church. After church we brought home a pizza from Knapp Street. Eimear and Aunt Lorraine thought the pizza was delicious. After Lunch, Aunt Lorraine and Eimear went for a walk to Dollar Tree in the heat wave. Thank God for air conditioners.
On August 6th, my dad, Aunt Lorraine and Eimear drove eight hours to Niagara Falls. They were their for two days. They got home late on Wednesday night. I was a sleep cause I was sick with a cold.
On Thursday August 9th, Aunt Lorraine, Eimear, Dad and I went to the beach. It was a beautiful very warm day. The waves were calm and the water was so relaxing. We swam over to this sand dune basically a mountain of sand. This time I wore a shirt over my swim suit so that I didn't get another sun burn on my shoulders. That was my favorite part of the beach.
On Saturday August 11th, It was a rainy day. Aunt Lorraine, Eimear and my dad drove up to Hyde Park in Upstate New York. Mom and I picked Renae up at JFK Airport then we drove into the Lower Manhattan to help her get settled in her apartment. She was starting her first year at Kings College. We went out for dinner at this unusual pizza place. The pizza was okay. I'm picky when it comes to pizza. But I'm glad I tried it. That evening, mom and I had a cup of Irish tea. Shortly after wards, Dad, Aunt Lorraine and Eimear came home.
On Monday August 13th, The four of us took the Q train to 34th Street Herald Square. We transferred to the F train and took it three stops to Roosevelt Island. Once we got out of the train station, we walked a block to the Roosevelt Island Tram. Which took us to Roosevelt Island. That was a fun ride with an amazing view of the city. For lunch we had Chikfila which was delicious. I was never a fan of their chicken but their waffle fries are amazing. Then we walked up to the St. Patrick's Cathedral. Inside the church was beautiful. I love the mosaic art on the windows. In the rain, we walked to do some window shopping in the American Girl store. It brought back so many memories.
On Tuesday August 14th, I don't really remember what we did that day. But I honestly think we went into the City again.Only because of how much I walked that day. Regardless it was another great day.
On August 15th, My dad, Aunt Lorraine and Eimear got up early in the morning and drove to Camel Beach. A water park in Tannersville, Pennsylvania. They had so much fun going on the different slides and enjoying the waves in the wave pool. Mom and I went out to Knapp Street II for lunch. After lunch I finished running some errands. It was a great day.
On Thursday August 16th, It was a relaxing day. We didn't do too much. It was an indoor day.
On Friday August 17th, We drove to Cape May, New Jersey. Eimear and I helped the best men carry boxes of flowers to the fifth floor where the reception area was going to be. At four in the evening, the rehearsal took place. We met the wedding planner and her helper. After the rehearsal, we attended the rehearsal dinner. Ryan handed out gifts for the best men and the father of the bride and groom. Victoria handed out pretty robes for the bridesmaids. After dinner, we drove to the KOA Camp Ground where we stayed for the two nights. Eimear and I went swimming in the outdoor pool. That was a lot of fun.
On Saturday August 18th, Aunt Lorraine, Eimear, Mom and I drove to the Nail Salon in Cape May. All the girls including the bridesmaids (Tori, Marisa and I) and the moms, got their nails done. Both a mani and a pedi. I got both my finger and toe nails painted gold. We made a quick stop to Walmart where my mom bought sunscreen and cold medication. Mom and I drove to the Doctors Inn where the Bridesmaids and the bride were getting their photos taken by professional photographers. I felt like a celebrity. After the photo shoot, us bridesmaids waited in the lobby with the wedding planer's helper. I started the line of bridesmaids. I walked down on the sandy aisle as the photographers took my picture and video of me. The ceremony was short and sweet. More pictures were taken on the beach and by the water. We made our way to the cocktail hour on the fifth floor. I don't drink so I just had a coke. The reception was beautiful and a lot of fun. I gave a speech and danced off my dinner which was chicken tenders and curly fries (special meal for bridesmaid Chlo). For the end of the wedding we lit sparklers. That was a LOT of fun.
On Sunday August 19th, Early in the morning, Uncle Lou, Eimear, Aunt Lorraine, Mom, Dad and I drove to the Mad Batter for breakfast with my Aunt Mo, Uncle Tony, Cousin Diane and Cousin Patrick. It was a lovely restaurant. I just had french fries. After breakfast, we drove back home. For dinner we had Victoria's Pizza. Safe to say Eimear loved it because she had five slices. It was a quiet evening.
On Monday August 20th, Dad drove the three of us to the High Line in Lower Manhattan. What a fantastic view as we walked across what used to be a train station. After the High Line, we walked six blocks to Diary Queen. Don't know how, but some how I ended up with a large cone and I managed to finish the whole thing. The three of us walked around and took the Q train home from Union Square. To this day I have no idea how I ended up there. That was a beautiful not so humid day.
On Tuesday August 21st, The four of us took the Q train to Atlantic Avenue then transferred to the 5 train and took that to City Hall. We took a picture at this famous Court House where we saw the TV show Instinct being filmed. As we walked across the Brooklyn Bridge, Eimear and I stopped to take a picture with these two police officers. Officer Rourke is a handsome man. *blushes* I have crush on a cop. We made it acrossed the bridge into Brooklyn. At Jay Street in downtown Brooklyn, we had McDonalds for lunch then we walked to the Packer Institute to show them where I work. The found it to be interesting. On our way home from downtown Brooklyn, Eimear and I played in the playground by my house. Finally my mom arrived and we drove to Roll'n Roaster for dinner. For dessert we had Cold Stone. Talk about delicious ice cream.
On Wednesday August 22nd, we got up at the crack of dawn and drove to Liberty State Park in New Jersey. After going through security, we made our way onto the ferry which took us to Ellis Island. Took us two hours to tour Ellis Island which was filled with lots of history. We boarded the ferry to the Statue of Liberty. As I ate my five dollar bag of popcorn, we walked around the park then Eimear and I climbed the 195 steps up to the pedestal. Aunt Lorraine took the elevator. As much as I don't like heights, this view was absolutely mind blowing. Going back down we took the elevator. We took the ferry back to New Jersey. For a late lunch early dinner, we had Applebees. First time you see me with a happy plate.
On Thursday August 23rd, My dad dropped Aunt Lorraine and Eimear at Kings Plaza to shop for an hour. Afterwards, we went to Popeyes for lunch. When we got home I helped Eimear bring all her stuff and suit cases downstairs into the livingroom. Early that evening, Dad and I drove them to JFK Airport where we hugged them and said goodbye.
On Sunday August 5th, Mom and I had nursery at church. After church we brought home a pizza from Knapp Street. Eimear and Aunt Lorraine thought the pizza was delicious. After Lunch, Aunt Lorraine and Eimear went for a walk to Dollar Tree in the heat wave. Thank God for air conditioners.
On August 6th, my dad, Aunt Lorraine and Eimear drove eight hours to Niagara Falls. They were their for two days. They got home late on Wednesday night. I was a sleep cause I was sick with a cold.
On Thursday August 9th, Aunt Lorraine, Eimear, Dad and I went to the beach. It was a beautiful very warm day. The waves were calm and the water was so relaxing. We swam over to this sand dune basically a mountain of sand. This time I wore a shirt over my swim suit so that I didn't get another sun burn on my shoulders. That was my favorite part of the beach.
On Saturday August 11th, It was a rainy day. Aunt Lorraine, Eimear and my dad drove up to Hyde Park in Upstate New York. Mom and I picked Renae up at JFK Airport then we drove into the Lower Manhattan to help her get settled in her apartment. She was starting her first year at Kings College. We went out for dinner at this unusual pizza place. The pizza was okay. I'm picky when it comes to pizza. But I'm glad I tried it. That evening, mom and I had a cup of Irish tea. Shortly after wards, Dad, Aunt Lorraine and Eimear came home.
On Sunday August 12th,
my dad drove Aunt
Lorraine and Eimear to Knapp Street to pick up the pizza. After lunch, Eimear
and I watched Rampage with my dad while my mom took a nap. Once my mom woke up
from her nap, we played a quick game of UNO. Eimear and I helped peel potatoes
for dinner. My mom prepped the London broil. As soon as my aunt got up from her
nap, she and Eimear went shopping at Kings Plaza Mall. While they were
shopping, my mom and I had a nice time talking while we drank our tea. It was a
quiet evening. We watched Family Feud and some other shows on HGTV.
On Monday August 13th, The four of us took the Q train to 34th Street Herald Square. We transferred to the F train and took it three stops to Roosevelt Island. Once we got out of the train station, we walked a block to the Roosevelt Island Tram. Which took us to Roosevelt Island. That was a fun ride with an amazing view of the city. For lunch we had Chikfila which was delicious. I was never a fan of their chicken but their waffle fries are amazing. Then we walked up to the St. Patrick's Cathedral. Inside the church was beautiful. I love the mosaic art on the windows. In the rain, we walked to do some window shopping in the American Girl store. It brought back so many memories.
On Tuesday August 14th, I don't really remember what we did that day. But I honestly think we went into the City again.Only because of how much I walked that day. Regardless it was another great day.
On August 15th, My dad, Aunt Lorraine and Eimear got up early in the morning and drove to Camel Beach. A water park in Tannersville, Pennsylvania. They had so much fun going on the different slides and enjoying the waves in the wave pool. Mom and I went out to Knapp Street II for lunch. After lunch I finished running some errands. It was a great day.
On Thursday August 16th, It was a relaxing day. We didn't do too much. It was an indoor day.
On Friday August 17th, We drove to Cape May, New Jersey. Eimear and I helped the best men carry boxes of flowers to the fifth floor where the reception area was going to be. At four in the evening, the rehearsal took place. We met the wedding planner and her helper. After the rehearsal, we attended the rehearsal dinner. Ryan handed out gifts for the best men and the father of the bride and groom. Victoria handed out pretty robes for the bridesmaids. After dinner, we drove to the KOA Camp Ground where we stayed for the two nights. Eimear and I went swimming in the outdoor pool. That was a lot of fun.
On Saturday August 18th, Aunt Lorraine, Eimear, Mom and I drove to the Nail Salon in Cape May. All the girls including the bridesmaids (Tori, Marisa and I) and the moms, got their nails done. Both a mani and a pedi. I got both my finger and toe nails painted gold. We made a quick stop to Walmart where my mom bought sunscreen and cold medication. Mom and I drove to the Doctors Inn where the Bridesmaids and the bride were getting their photos taken by professional photographers. I felt like a celebrity. After the photo shoot, us bridesmaids waited in the lobby with the wedding planer's helper. I started the line of bridesmaids. I walked down on the sandy aisle as the photographers took my picture and video of me. The ceremony was short and sweet. More pictures were taken on the beach and by the water. We made our way to the cocktail hour on the fifth floor. I don't drink so I just had a coke. The reception was beautiful and a lot of fun. I gave a speech and danced off my dinner which was chicken tenders and curly fries (special meal for bridesmaid Chlo). For the end of the wedding we lit sparklers. That was a LOT of fun.
On Sunday August 19th, Early in the morning, Uncle Lou, Eimear, Aunt Lorraine, Mom, Dad and I drove to the Mad Batter for breakfast with my Aunt Mo, Uncle Tony, Cousin Diane and Cousin Patrick. It was a lovely restaurant. I just had french fries. After breakfast, we drove back home. For dinner we had Victoria's Pizza. Safe to say Eimear loved it because she had five slices. It was a quiet evening.
On Monday August 20th, Dad drove the three of us to the High Line in Lower Manhattan. What a fantastic view as we walked across what used to be a train station. After the High Line, we walked six blocks to Diary Queen. Don't know how, but some how I ended up with a large cone and I managed to finish the whole thing. The three of us walked around and took the Q train home from Union Square. To this day I have no idea how I ended up there. That was a beautiful not so humid day.
On Tuesday August 21st, The four of us took the Q train to Atlantic Avenue then transferred to the 5 train and took that to City Hall. We took a picture at this famous Court House where we saw the TV show Instinct being filmed. As we walked across the Brooklyn Bridge, Eimear and I stopped to take a picture with these two police officers. Officer Rourke is a handsome man. *blushes* I have crush on a cop. We made it acrossed the bridge into Brooklyn. At Jay Street in downtown Brooklyn, we had McDonalds for lunch then we walked to the Packer Institute to show them where I work. The found it to be interesting. On our way home from downtown Brooklyn, Eimear and I played in the playground by my house. Finally my mom arrived and we drove to Roll'n Roaster for dinner. For dessert we had Cold Stone. Talk about delicious ice cream.
On Wednesday August 22nd, we got up at the crack of dawn and drove to Liberty State Park in New Jersey. After going through security, we made our way onto the ferry which took us to Ellis Island. Took us two hours to tour Ellis Island which was filled with lots of history. We boarded the ferry to the Statue of Liberty. As I ate my five dollar bag of popcorn, we walked around the park then Eimear and I climbed the 195 steps up to the pedestal. Aunt Lorraine took the elevator. As much as I don't like heights, this view was absolutely mind blowing. Going back down we took the elevator. We took the ferry back to New Jersey. For a late lunch early dinner, we had Applebees. First time you see me with a happy plate.
On Thursday August 23rd, My dad dropped Aunt Lorraine and Eimear at Kings Plaza to shop for an hour. Afterwards, we went to Popeyes for lunch. When we got home I helped Eimear bring all her stuff and suit cases downstairs into the livingroom. Early that evening, Dad and I drove them to JFK Airport where we hugged them and said goodbye.
August 6, 2018
August with my Irish Family (Part 1)
On Monday July 30th, my Aunt Lorraine and cousin Eimear came to visit from Dundalk, Ireland. While my dad circled around the airport, I greeted them inside the airport at the baggage claim. Since Eimear is so tall, I was able to spot them right away. It took a few minutes for the luggage to arrive, not long after that we were on our way home. After we dropped off the luggage, we drove to Nathans in Coney Island for dinner. It was one of the must haves on Eimear's list. But first we took a walk on the Coney Island Board Walk. No matter what time a day it is, there's alway tons of people and plenty of cops.The chicken and fries were very good, but unfortuantly the fries were too salty. As soon as we walked inside ITS SUGAR, Eimear's eyes lit up, as she found a giant cherry flavored gummy bar. When we got home from Coney Island, my aunt and cousin opened up their luggage to get the assortment of candy and other gifts from Ireland. I got two bags of Giant Buttons (I ate them all), Two giant bars of Cadbury Chocolate (I gave one to the Love Birds), two eight packets of Freddos Cadbury chocolate, a personalized pillow and a puzzle of Ireland.
On Tuesday July 31st, Dad, Aunt Lorraine, Eimear and I road the train into the City. First we took the Q train to Atlantic Avenue then we transferred to the 2 train and took that to Clark Street (Brooklyn Heights). We took this really WIDE elevator to the top and walked to the water where we got an amazing view of Manhattan. We made our way back to the station and road the 2 train three stops to Fulton Street(Manhattan). The view of One World Trade Center and the Oculus was mind blowing. I love the Oculus because it reminds me of a mohawk. The four of us took a breif moment of silience for the victims of the 9/11 terrorist attack at the 9/11 memorial. After walking to what seemed like forever, we made our way to the Irish Hunger Memorial. The Irish Hunger Memorial is Memorial that reminds us of the year 1845 when the Irish went through the potato famine. All these rocks represented every county in Ireland. My family lives in County Louth. Just three miles from the boarder that seperates Northern Ireland from Ireland. We made our way to the Staten Island Ferry in Lower Manhattan. A big Boat that took you from Manhattan to Staten Island and back. In Staten Island the four of us found a Dairy Queen for lunch. After lunch, we made our way back to Manhattan where we took the W train to Canal Street (China Town) and walked to Grand Street to catch the B train home. In total we walked seven miles that day.
On Wednesday August 1st, Eimear, Dad and I went food shopping at Stop n Shop. Afterwards, we got our bathing suits on and drove to Rockaway Beach in Queens. When we got to the beach, we placed our towels on the sand and applied sun screen to our bodies. Then we sat down as the waves washed on top of us. The life guard came over to us to remind us not to go too far into the water because the rip tide was high. My dad and Aunt Lorraine got knocked over a few times which was made me and Eimear laugh. As we were having fun, the life guard came over to us again to tell us that the seagulls were eating our bag of chips. Eimear and I ran over to our spot and put the chips in one of the beach bags. That was a really fun day, but the sand got EVERYWHERE! After showering, thre four of us went to Wendys for lunch. The nuggets and fries were delicious. We went to Aldi to do more food shopping, and then Aunt Lorraine, Eimear and I walked to Payless where they bought sneakers. That evening for dinner, for Take Out Wednesday, we had Chinese food from China New Star. It was as always very delicious.
On Thursday August 2nd, the four of us drove up to Scranton, Pennsylvania. First we stopped at the Walmart in Stroudsburg, Pennsylvania to do some shopping. The only thing I bought was deordorant on the go which was shaped as an egg. After checking out, we went to Arbys for lunch. As a big fan of Arbys I have to say the food was delicious. We made it to the hotel in Scranton. After settling in, we drove to the movies. Eimear and I watched Hotel Transylvania 3 and the other two watched Mission Impossible. I enjoyed the movie. As dad waited in the parking lot, Aunt Lorriane, Eimear and I went to Hobby Lobby. A great antique Christian owned store. For dinner we went to Olive Garden. I don't go to Olive Garden often since it's expensive. The fettuccine was delicious. For dessert we got icecream at McDondalds.
On Friday August 3rd, we drove fifteen minutes to this Historic Coal Mine where we got an hour tour of what it was like to work inside the mine. Afterwards we drove two hours to Harrisburg, Pennsylvania to see the Love Birds (Ryan and Victoria). For dinner the six of us went to the Long Horn. Which is a resturant. After diner we drove back to the Love Birds apartment and hung out with them. Aunt Lorraine, Eimear and I gave the Love Birds a gift to celebrate their soon to be wedding. I gave them a book to help their marriage stay together. This was the first time Victoria met Aunt Lorraine and Eimear. Honestly I the three of them liked each other. That night after saying goodbye to the Love Birds, we drove the long three hours back to New York City.
On Tuesday July 31st, Dad, Aunt Lorraine, Eimear and I road the train into the City. First we took the Q train to Atlantic Avenue then we transferred to the 2 train and took that to Clark Street (Brooklyn Heights). We took this really WIDE elevator to the top and walked to the water where we got an amazing view of Manhattan. We made our way back to the station and road the 2 train three stops to Fulton Street(Manhattan). The view of One World Trade Center and the Oculus was mind blowing. I love the Oculus because it reminds me of a mohawk. The four of us took a breif moment of silience for the victims of the 9/11 terrorist attack at the 9/11 memorial. After walking to what seemed like forever, we made our way to the Irish Hunger Memorial. The Irish Hunger Memorial is Memorial that reminds us of the year 1845 when the Irish went through the potato famine. All these rocks represented every county in Ireland. My family lives in County Louth. Just three miles from the boarder that seperates Northern Ireland from Ireland. We made our way to the Staten Island Ferry in Lower Manhattan. A big Boat that took you from Manhattan to Staten Island and back. In Staten Island the four of us found a Dairy Queen for lunch. After lunch, we made our way back to Manhattan where we took the W train to Canal Street (China Town) and walked to Grand Street to catch the B train home. In total we walked seven miles that day.
On Wednesday August 1st, Eimear, Dad and I went food shopping at Stop n Shop. Afterwards, we got our bathing suits on and drove to Rockaway Beach in Queens. When we got to the beach, we placed our towels on the sand and applied sun screen to our bodies. Then we sat down as the waves washed on top of us. The life guard came over to us to remind us not to go too far into the water because the rip tide was high. My dad and Aunt Lorraine got knocked over a few times which was made me and Eimear laugh. As we were having fun, the life guard came over to us again to tell us that the seagulls were eating our bag of chips. Eimear and I ran over to our spot and put the chips in one of the beach bags. That was a really fun day, but the sand got EVERYWHERE! After showering, thre four of us went to Wendys for lunch. The nuggets and fries were delicious. We went to Aldi to do more food shopping, and then Aunt Lorraine, Eimear and I walked to Payless where they bought sneakers. That evening for dinner, for Take Out Wednesday, we had Chinese food from China New Star. It was as always very delicious.
On Thursday August 2nd, the four of us drove up to Scranton, Pennsylvania. First we stopped at the Walmart in Stroudsburg, Pennsylvania to do some shopping. The only thing I bought was deordorant on the go which was shaped as an egg. After checking out, we went to Arbys for lunch. As a big fan of Arbys I have to say the food was delicious. We made it to the hotel in Scranton. After settling in, we drove to the movies. Eimear and I watched Hotel Transylvania 3 and the other two watched Mission Impossible. I enjoyed the movie. As dad waited in the parking lot, Aunt Lorriane, Eimear and I went to Hobby Lobby. A great antique Christian owned store. For dinner we went to Olive Garden. I don't go to Olive Garden often since it's expensive. The fettuccine was delicious. For dessert we got icecream at McDondalds.
On Friday August 3rd, we drove fifteen minutes to this Historic Coal Mine where we got an hour tour of what it was like to work inside the mine. Afterwards we drove two hours to Harrisburg, Pennsylvania to see the Love Birds (Ryan and Victoria). For dinner the six of us went to the Long Horn. Which is a resturant. After diner we drove back to the Love Birds apartment and hung out with them. Aunt Lorraine, Eimear and I gave the Love Birds a gift to celebrate their soon to be wedding. I gave them a book to help their marriage stay together. This was the first time Victoria met Aunt Lorraine and Eimear. Honestly I the three of them liked each other. That night after saying goodbye to the Love Birds, we drove the long three hours back to New York City.
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| Coal Mine - Scranton, PA |
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| Irish Hunger Memorial - Lower Manhattan |
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| Waiting to board the Staten Island Ferry |
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| A BIG fish in the Staten Island Ferry Terminal |
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| Nathans - Coney Island |
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| City view - Brooklyn Heights |
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