Our DC & NY Trip!

This post has been about 2 months in the making. I have started it, added to it, and slowly but surely it is now complete. I have basically been trying to get my footing back and get us into a routine, since this trip. But alas, two vacations away, one new nephew born, one week husbandless away for work, and one spontaneous childless getaway (again!!) to see the Boss' this time in Seattle for Kevin's game, I have been trying to keep up with life! No complaints here, it's been a hectic amazing last few weeks!! But finally, this post is complete... Please enjoy...

I was a ball of tears the day before we left on our trip. I would literally be re-counting how many pairs of underwear I'd need & then burst into tears at the thought of not seeing the girls ever. again.

Or at least 10 days worth.

I was packed and had been looking forward to our exciting vacation, but I wasn't ready to leave my children. About a week before we left, I had the realization that they are practically the air that I breathe, and I truly was slightly panicky not knowing what I would do without my air supply for that long. When one or the other would whine or demand something of me leading up to our trip, I would have moments of "oh I can't wait to get away for a bit". But mostly, I was sad. Really, really sad. Truly, I was an emotional wreck.....

And then we left and everything changed!! :)

I had the most fun I have had in a long time. Beginning with an evening with only my husband. We had a yummy dinner we both love before heading out of town, a fun car ride up, a free airport hotel stay (courtesy of my wonderful Dad), and an exciting early morning flying away. It was so fun to be with only my Love. A different kind of fun. A youthful, feeling like a different kind of Ginny, fun. The whole trip was so busy and went by way too fast!

First stop: 5 days in New Jersey/New York!

We had the privilege of staying with one of my best friends for many years, Breanna, in New Jersey. Her college sweetheart and husband, Kevin Boss, plays for the New York Giants so they reside on the East Coast for now. We have talked about wanting to go visit them, but once the plan arose of going to visit my brother & his wife in DC we decided this was our chance to include a few days in the Boss' neck of the woods. We were so glad it worked out!! Bree had just started her nursing job (she is a nurse in a cardiac unit of a big hospital!!), so she had a few days of work while we were there, but we didn't mind seeing the city ourselves since she took some time when we were with her to make sure we knew how to get around. But after our sightseeing and their time at work we would all meet back at the homestead. Those evening chit chats either over dinner somewhere or just lounging during "comfy clothes time" were delightful and memorable getting to know one another better and Bree and I laughing about who knows what, picking right back up where our friendship leaves off each time we see each other. I have not laughed that hard in a long time. And I laugh a lot around our house, between the silly girls & goofy Aaron!! But we're talking tears!! That can only mean one thing: plenty of history with a lifelong friendship :)

Here are some other snapshots from our time with Bree & Kevin and during our day out in the big city:

Walking through Central Park.

Central Park.


Don't worry. He got through. Just. Barely...

Making some NY friends.

Lady Liberty & plenty of rain.

Sinnnnging in the raaaaaain!

After a yummy local dinner.

As if it needs to be said based upon our attire from head to toe... but here we are at the Giants game!

Why yes we are Boss Fans.

Didn't capture the whole crowd of eager fans, but here's a snapshot of signing autographs after the game. Just Kevin, though.

It was odd no one asked us for ours?

Being goofballs before the game, we found Kevin's Jersey being sold in the Giants NFL Pro-shop. So I insisted on taking a picture.

We REALLY looked like crazed-fans, wearing his jersey while taking pictures of his jersey, sleeping in his jersey that night, what? I didn't do that. Ah, haha..

(awkward trailing laughter......)

I was just really excited to be there!!!!! :)

Me & Mrs. Boss Lady :)
Also, first debut of the Glitter Glam "BossLady" Jersey on the Mrs!

Obviously, we had a blast at the Giants game, we enjoyed going out in public where Kevin was often recognized, we loved riding around in style, but ultimately our favorite parts of the trip were just the conversations and laughter. We are eager for the day that we get to be around the Boss' more. They are both lovely, grounded, generous people & Bree is the same sweet Bree I've always known & loved. Thanks again for all your wonderful hospitality friend!!!!!

Second stop: Travel Day

We rented a car to drive from New York to DC. We didn't have major plans, just to travel the countryside and to stop in Gettysburg, PA. It was a delightful day together. Although New York was fun and busy, we knew there would be more busyness to be had once we got to DC, so we were looking forward to our "travel day" as a slower-paced day in the country.

Picking up our sweet ride for the day...

Here is a much better angle of our powder blue baby.

We stopped at the Battle of Gettysburg Museum and even took the self-guided car tour of the historic city, and I tell ya what, I learned a lot!!! I was a little hesitant about going there, as I am not as much of a history buff as Aaron, but I thoroughly enjoyed myself and now have a better first-hand understanding of what the Battle of Gettysburg was all about.

Chattin it up with 'ol Honest Abe.

Truthfully, the day was a little rough on me. Not because my expectations for Gettysburg were lowwww (because I ended up being pleasantly surprised!). Not because of our time together, it was a lovely time. Not because of anything other than my own thoughts. We were SO busy in NY and on this travel time once we were driving, I finally had time to think and miss those two little munchkins who I had left behind. I absolutely knew they were in the best hands with my wonderful Momma, their Gramma Lu, but on this particular day I was homesick for the little Ladies. And there wasn't much I could do about it...

So I text my Mom, asking for her to describe her moment right then. I held my phone and (im)patiently waited....The lump in my throat and my held-back tears turned into laughter with her response. It was a long one, and it included potty training mishaps, attitudes, messes, tears, near injuries from eachother and more messes... I laughed out of pity & out of the reality of what I was missing...and then I felt much better :)

Third Stop: 5 days in Washington, DC!!!!!

Oh what an adventure! I can still taste some of the fabulous wine we drank and food we savoured. Mmmm...Rasikas.... :) Enough said! We couldn't have planned for better tour guides than Tom & Autumn. Of course, someone that lives in the city you are visiting will probably know their way around, but geesh, we really did it up! While Tom & Autumn both had to work, we spent the first day just lounging, we slept in, made coffee, watched TV, just had a splendid leisurely day. We eventually made it out to the city to explore. We had a nice quiet lunch and got to visit the Fallen Officer's Memorial. We walked around and found a recent OSP Fallen Officer's engraved name. As a dedicated & supportive wife of a hard-working police officer, it was quite emotional for me to be there! But it was good, and beautiful scenery.

Fallen Officers Memorial.

We checked out our first museum, the American Portraits Museum. Aaron only set off one of the alarms while we were there... I guess they frown upon you touching the artwork & tripping the invisible alarms, or something?...

Tom & Autumn are total foodies, so you know we ate like Kings & Queens while we were with them. I am not kidding about Rasikas, I am still craving the tastes of the evening spent in that Indian restaurant. Best authentic foreign food I probably have ever had. We also had yummy pizza, where the broad genre "pizza" does not fully do this delicious place justice. We indulged in lamb sliders--YUM, and we enjoyed good sandwiches, appetizers, brunch and of course many cocktails and a variety of wines.

And boy did we see it all!! In one particular day we saw so many of the major monuments with our tour guide Tom leading the way. Tom even said he didn't think he'd seen that much of the city in one day, ever. We took our time at each place too! We just walked and walked and walked until our little feet were tired and our little hearts were content. Here are some snapshots of seeing it all:

Obama's Crib.
I mean, the White House.

Fords Theatre.

Gorgeous new WWII Memorial.

Washington Memorial x2

Tomb of the unknown, changing of the gaurds. This was awesome.

The 4 of us!

Although there were no pictures, we took a evening cruise one night to see the monuments by moonlight from the Patomic River. It was a lot of fun! It became a joke by the end of the trip, but we literally saw Washington, DC from just about every single angle there is possible. By foot, by car, by boat and eventually by plane, we saw it ALL! How fun to have had so many angles. We loved being in such a historic town, it really was very interesting and brought life to a lot of things we had learned, heard or even viewed via TV. But to actually be there was pretty cool. We were so glad we got a chance to go visit the monuments in person, not knowing if we'd ever get a chance to do that again. And it was a lot of fun being with Tom & Autumn. Not only did we get to know them better as adults and as a married couple, but it was so fun to be a part of their lives for a few days!! Yes, very different than our own, in one most obvious way, that we only go out to eat a few times a YEAR! But how fun for us to be a part of their world and enjoy it all with them. :) Thanks again Tom & Autumn for showing us a good time!!!!

It seems surreal that we took this big huge trip together, after over a year of planning, saving, talking about it all and getting the details figured out with care for the girls with some very easily willing, generous help from my parents... but we did go. And we were SO glad that we could!!!

Besides our main hosts' Bree & Tom and their respective spouses, we have a few others to thank.....

Thank you to my Mom SO SO SO much for being so absolutely wonderful, gracious and compassionate with our precious little ones in your care. I know they had a wonderful time by the confusion Audrey had when I was back and you weren't there anymore. You made her feel at ease & safe, which made us feel at ease and comforted knowing you are the next best thing to Momma, and the perfect temporary replacement. And Dad, we appreciate SOOO many things you did for us. From before we left to the moment we walked back into our home, we have so many reasons to thank you. So for all the many things that no one sees or gets to enjoy but us, from the bottom of our hearts, thank you, thank you, thank you!!!!! You both made it so much easier to leave and so much easier to return.

And for that, we are very grateful.

It was such a memorable trip for us!!!!