The Franklin Diaries - Part Four

On Tuesday Sarah had to work late so Franklin and I set off on our own.....ummm what to do, I know let's go play in Central Park!!!! Well, the first thing up we took the subway to Columbus Circle at 59th and crossed over to walk on the southside of the park. Like all good tourists, you MUST do the cheesy horse drawn carriage through the park (the funny part is that you think you are getting this great tour of the park but in reality you aren't, you actually on see a very, very, very tiny section!).....



First, Franklin fed the horse a carrot! He thought this was really great! I was thinking it's a good thing sweet hubby isn't here because all I would hear would be how that horse is going to bite his hand off or how nasty it is......sweet hubby can be a little overprotected of Franklin (wait, that's harsh, not a little overprotective.....a TON overprotective).






We are all set for our ride through the park!










So much fun for Franklin!!!



We drove past the large play area, the carousel, and Worman skating rink. So when we came to the rink, I asked the driver to stop and let us out there (I really didn't want to finish the ride and then walk once again back into the park)........I had been hearing on the news about a crazy man hanging upside down for 60 hours so hey, we are gawky tourists and really what do gawky tourists do? They go see crazy men hanging upside down in the park!!!


This David Blaine hanging upside down for the 60 hours (at this point he has about 20 more to go). Franklin wasn't really impress with this.











Franklin was more interested in eating his snack!




At least I wasn't as much of a gawky tourist as some....I didn't get my picture made with him or get his autograph, I mean I do have some self-respect....I keep my gawky tourist to a minimum!!!






Once we (I mean, urr, I, when I) got my thrill seeker gawky toursity thing out of the way we managed to make our way through the large mass of other gawky tourists to find the big playground. And we played, and played, and then we played some more, and wait, we played a little more.....I mean it isn't every day you get to play in Central Park!


King of the mountain!






Baby slides....


Baby swings......

Then on to the big slides and the big swing.

Franklin was fasinated with the tire swing ......he stayed on it for a long time going round and round then proceeded to stagger instead of walk!


He also enjoyed a little rock climbing as well.....

I finally convinced him that we really needed to go and do some other things..... you know like ride e carousel!!!!

After the carousel ride we ate hotdogs in the park.....then Franklin wanted to chase the pigeons again. He was so wired from his day that I wasn't sure I would make it through.....maybe there is a reason people are always asking me if he is my grandson instead of my son!!!!! I AM TOO OLD FOR THIS!!!!!! BUT DARN'T, IT IS A LOT OF FUN!!!!!!



Once we finished our hotdogs it was time to walk again......did I mention that I lost 20lbs walking across the Brooklyn Bridge.....well I did, and now I am working on losing another 20 lbs walking through Central Park.....I am sure that is how it works......So when that bicycle taxi came along and asked us if we needed a ride, I didn't hestitate to say yes......I mean I don't want to lose weight too fast......so we ended up at 59th and Madison to visit a little toy store that I heard about a long time ago.....I actually used to visit this store to buy Sarah bears when she was growing up.......so I thought it would be fun to introduce Franklin to FAO Schwartz.........



As you can see we are considered diplomatic guests since we were greeted at the door by the doorman (stop smirking - I know they greet everyone but I can dream can't I?)


This small toy store is 3 floors! YES, 3 wonderful, glorious floors of heaven for all children who enter with their wallet holding parents. First things that you see are life size elephants, tigers, horses, etc ranging from $350 and up! Pocket change......

Of course we had to look at everything!!!!! I mean it is a toy store.... Unfortunately for us we had a budget of what we could spend so we had to really look hard to find the things in our budget......but until then we did a lot of playing!

This is the King's chair so that you can sit and read books! We were in a book area where Franklin picked out a new book and a puzzle to purchase.....oh, yeah, my baby is intellectual.....who needs toys to play with when you can stimulate your brain...uh, huh.... (Ok, I am really joking here, but I was truly amazed that this kid picked out a puzzle and a book for his treat instead of another toy that he really didn't need!)

You can't go to FAO without playing the big piano (this is the piano that Tom Hanks danced on in the movie "Big") Franklin was a little hesitant at first but once he overcame the shyness I couldn't get him off! He really enjoyed playing the music with his feet.

After we finished with the piano we made our way downstairs to the candy store area where Franklin bought his teacher some m&m's and himself a large lollipop and starbursts. Did I mention this was a small toy store and that we spent about 2 hours in there!!! I am so tired at this point I absolutely must rest before going on so we sat out in front by the water fountain to watch people and birds.

We headed back home so that Franklin could work on his puzzle and read his book.

As you can see there isn't much floor space for him to play on in Sarah's room!

All in all it was an absolute FUN day for both of us. One thing I have noticed since we have been here is that for some strange reason Franklin has a tendency to go to bed at 6:30 most nights....still trying to figure that one out (NOT).

For now the doctor is out.....wondering what tomorrow will bring....

The Franklin Diaries - Part Three

Ok, so after my Brooklyn Bridge experience, I had to re coup on Monday morning!! We were lazy until around noon when we ventured out to find the American Museum of Natural History or as Franklin put it "the dinosaur musim." He was extremely excited to go see the dinosaurs -- I don't think he realized that they had other things there as well but he found out!
At the subway stop for the museum there are dinosaur images throughout so we had to get a picture by one but I don't think you can really tell what it is!!


Before hitting the museum we needed lunch.....I mean I lost 20 lbs walking the bridge and I really don't want to spend all my extra money on new smaller clothes so I really felt I should just endulge in more food and more food (that comes later ; - ) ). So we found a pizza place and dug in!!!



This is Franklin eyeing a squirrel....he really wants to chase it! That has been his thing here....chasing everything....birds, squirrels, pigeons......you name it he tries to chase it or catch it!

We finally made it to the museum (after another 10 mile walk - I'm sure!)

We looked at the African mammals first, then the Asian mammals, and finally found the dinosaurs!!! Franklin went super crazy - he was sooooooo excited to see these. He moved through the exhibits pretty fast and then went through them again so as not to miss anything!

This is one of Sarah's famous self-portrait pictures of the three of us!!

This is Franklin touching a "dinosaur egg."

So we are getting ready to leave the museum and I wanted to make absoulutley sure that I didn't miss Teddy Roosevelt on the horse (you know from THe Night at the Museum) and was so dissappointed to find out that it was only a prop based on the statue in front of the museum of Teddy Roosevelt on the horse.

All in all a very fun day!

For now the doctor is out......wondering what will in store for tomorrow...(actually I already know since I am behind on blogging, but you don't know!)

The Franklin Diaries - Part Two

Franklin and I went to church with Sarah on Sunday.....but to get there we had to take a bus (about 40 blocks) which was very delightful for him!

We skipped out after Sacrament meeting and headed downtown to walk the Brooklyn Bridge. Oh yeah, I'm STUPID!!!! I am way to BIG and OUT OF SHAPE to walk the Bridge but I finally made it!

Getting Started!

Help, I need water, lots of water!

Yea, we are on the other side......FINALLY!!!

After crossing we went down below to eat lunch at Grimaldi's Pizza but the line was about an hour long......so we did the next best thing......ICE CREAM at Brooklyn Ice Cream Factory.....oh, yeah it was wonderful! Then we walked some more because we just didn't feel like we got in enough exercise that day, I mean you can really never walk to much, right?

Brooklyn Ice Cream Factory at the pier.......you can tell by the line that they probably don't have good ice cream....

We finally ended our day back at the apartment where Franklin and Sarah immediately crashed on the futon and began eating the pretzel crackers for dinner....we are so good about getting a decent meal here!

Don't I have great looking kids? I love being here with both of them. Franklin is having such a great time with his sister and Sarah is enjoying Franklin.

Oh, I forgot that when we were walking home on Saturday night (our first night here) Franklin told Sarah that he was ready to go home.....his daddy really needed him to come home! Then we had Franklin call sweet hubby just to touch base....oh, big mistake.....Franklin became more homesick and really wanted to go home to daddy, according to him it would be ok for mom to stay in NYC but Franklin really needed to go home. We talked him into staying with us (I mean really I am NOT putting him on a plane by his self - (oh, wait I used to do that for Sarah when she was little but not by choice). I finally put him to bed and prayed he wouldn't be so homesick the next day.....

For now the doctor is out......wondering if she has lost 20 lbs today walking....I really think I should have lost by now....I mean so many miles in one day??????

The Franklin Diaries - Part One continued...

When Franklin and I finished our nap on Saturday we walked around the corner and bought a few groceries (yes, diet coke!!). Not really thinking about this I really didn't pay attention to how much I bought so I ended up carrying several very heavy bags back to the apt. and proceeded to have fingers almost severed off from carrying the heavy bags!!!!


Then it was off to meet Sarah at S'mac for dinner.....only in NYC would there be a restaurant devoted to mac and cheese (with some pizza). What fun!

Franklin was so HAPPY to see his sister!!!! He proceded to catch her up on the past nine months in an hour and a half.......silly Franklin!!! I think he was afraid that he only had that one night there.

The mac and cheese......ummmmm soooooooooo goooood!!!

Caleb ordered the classic American and Cheddar with NO bread crumbs. I love how it is brought out in an iron skillet......extemely hot, but oh, so yummy!

Sarah and I got the 4-cheese.........delectable.......in heaven!!!!!

As you can see we didn't waste any of it!!!

After dinner we walked about a mile beside Central Park West (needed to work off that mac n cheese) then found the subway home, only when we made a transfer we jumped on the wrong train and ended up at Yankee Stadium so Sarah said, it is only a few blocks we can walk home (a few blocks my aching feet!) It was a mile! So I got in a two mile walk for the day!!! Here are some pictures of Franklin on the subway and of Yankee Stadium (which held their last game in the stadium on Sunday evening- next year they will play in a new stadium).

Yankee Stadium at night.

Franklin had it easy for this mile walk!

I think I walked my feet off the first day here.

For now the doctor is out......wondering if these blisters will heal soon.

The Franklin Diaries - Part One

Ok, so Franklin and I left for NYC on Saturday to go see Sarah. I decided that I would take the next few days and blog about Franklin and his many adventures in the big city as well as his time with big sis Sarah!

So I had a hurried trip to Utah from Wed morning (super early!) getting home on Friday afternoon. I had to get clothes washed/dried, run errands, and re pack my suitcases so that Franklin and I could catch a 6:30 am flight to NYC. I was busy running around like an idiot on Friday and Friday evening when I finally realized that my child had not been fed any dinner (it was 9pm!!!) so I hurriedly fed him and put him to bed thinking it would be super hard to get him up at 5 am! It wasn't!!!

Sweet hubby helped us get checked in at the airport and left us to board the plane. Going through security with a child is a lot DIFFERENT than when I am flying by myself. I have a child in a stroller, backpack full of things to keep him occupied with, a bag of snacks, my bag with computer, notes for conference (that I will be attending while here) and my purse. Off with the jacket, shoes, ect. Oh my goodness!!!!!!!

After security trying to get our stuff back together...and shoes back on!

I was starving when we got there so I bought us some breakfast to eat on the plane. However, not thinking things through I let Franklin have his CHOCOLATE MILK before we got on the plane and just as I said be careful.......there it went all over his shirt, pants and stroller!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

So I had a sticky, wet, chocolate mess of a boy (note to self.....it is a good idea to pack extra clothes for Franklin in the backpack for disasters such as this!). So we get somewhat cleaned up and it is time to board the plane. This was not Franklin's first flight but it will be his first memory of a plane ride since he was just a baby when I took him on a business trip with me.

All settled in with cereal bar and chocolate milk!



After breakfast and a quick plane change in Memphis, we settled in again with a movie this time.


Oh, yeah, Madagascar for the 50th time!

Franklin fell asleep with about an hour left of the flight and missed the landing in NYC (however, he finally awoke from the loud noise of the landing. It was past noon at this time and we were hungery again, so I decided that since it always takes sooooo long to get a taxi and get to Sarahs house that I bought us pizza slices to eat while after we picked our luggage up.

NYC Pizza slice is almost as big as he is!!!!

We get done with pizza and get our bags and are off to find the taxi!

One must be clever when traveling with a four year old!!!

We got our taxi and headed to Manhatten. First of all Franklin gets in the back and realizes there isn't a car seat ---- whoo hoo he thinks he is a free man!!! BUT, mom has other ideas ........Get that seatbelt on right now!!!!
UGGGGGG!!!! The taxi driver isn't from America (no surprise there) but worse he is driving a taxi in one of the busiest cities and doesn't know where everything is!!!!! I am trying to explain where Sarah's apt is (after giving him the written address to look at) and he is still CLUELESS!!!!!! He keeps asking people where it is while at stop lights!!! All the while I am telling him to go towards Yankee Stadium area. Meanwhile, I look over at Franklin who is just sitting there and turning green.....he is getting car sick from the fast start/stop and sharp turns!!!! I put armbands on him to help with the sickness.

We finally arrive at the Brownstone and the taxi driver DUMPS my luggage in the street by the sidewalk - NOT ON THE SIDEWALK!!!!! Can we say NO TIP! I then have to lug everything up the steps and a flight of stairs. But we are here!!!!!

Oh, yeah, lets throw some gang signs since we are in the big city!!! Just kidding!!!
Needless to say, we crashed for a couple of hours and then bought some groceries before heading out to meet Sarah for dinner at S'mac. That diary entry come later.

For now the doctor is out, wondering if I am going to survice the big city with a four year old!!!!