Monday, July 30, 2018

Vacation Continued...


When we arrived back in Maryland, Monday evening, my uncle had homemade chicken soup waiting.  My mom’s side of the family is Polish and Irish so my uncle cooks quite a few Polish dishes.  The chicken soup had kluski noodles, which were different, but so yummy.  We were so spoiled with his cooking.

Tuesday, A and I headed to the All Star Game.  I was so excited for a night out with A and my first All Star Game.  I loved all the pregame action – we saw A Rod, walked around the stadium, high fived other Cubs fans.  I loved the fly over after the National Anthem.  The game was great also.  It was such a fun night.








The remaining days were spent in the pool, duck pin bowling, playing bingo, and eating my uncle’s cooking (sausage and peppers, BBQ ribs, sausage and sauerkraut, etc.).  The boys loved every minute and didn’t want to return home.  But all good things must come to an end…















Thursday, July 26, 2018

New York City


New York!  These streets will make you feel brand new… Big lights will inspire you… Hear it for New York… Is that song stuck in your head now?

We left for New York City late Saturday morning.  After stopping for lunch, restroom breaks, and even pulling over at a hotel in New Jersey because S was having a little meltdown, we finally made it to our hotel.  A and I spent quite a bit of time researching hotels and we couldn’t have picked a better one.  Hotel rooms in NYC are tiny (not surprising), but knowing that the boys would be going to bed earlier than A and I, I was really hoping to find a suite.  After reviewing photos and deals and locations, we decided on the Fitzpatrick, which was near Midtown/the Financial District (I think).  It was a beautiful hotel and our suite offered a separate little room with a sleeper sofa (preferred for the boys as it’s lower to the ground) and a television.  The staff was so nice and incredibly helpful and I loved the location of the hotel – close to all major tourist attractions without being smack in the middle of Times Square.  It was perfect.  After arriving, we quickly hailed a cab and headed to Times Square for dinner.  The boys LOVED sitting in the cab sans car seats (while I was holding on to them for dear life).  Times Square was so so crowded (per usual) so we headed to the Hard Rock CafĂ© for dinner.  I think the boys got a kick out of seeing SO many people, lights, sounds, etc.





Sunday morning, we walked to the beautiful St. Patrick’s Cathedral.  It was enormous and stunning.  I was caught off guard by our bags being searched as we entered and the presence of a police officer throughout mass.  I understand the need, just not something I’m used to.  Nonetheless, we enjoyed mass at such a huge church with such a diverse group of attendees.








After mass, we walked to Central Park Zoo.  S had a meltdown because we refused to buy him his own giant pretzel and he cried most of the way to the zoo.  He also did not understand why he couldn’t ride the horses attached to carriages outside of Central Park.  Once we got to the zoo, the boys were great.  And all things considered, they were troopers, walking quite a distance from hotel to church to zoo.  We enjoyed seeing the animals and there were even little stands set up where the boys would get stamps and have a little lesson on recycling, animal diets, etc.  So fun!







After the zoo, we walked back to our hotel (a long walk) and found the Love sculpture along the way.  Once we made it back, we asked for a pizza recommendation.  The staff recommended a spot just around the corner with NY style pizza.  So yummy!








Since it was still early, we decided to take the boys to the Empire State Building.  Because New York.  I have to mention that A is afraid of heights and I give him credit for being brave and heading outside to take in the view.  At this point, the boys were getting really tired so we grabbed a cab back to the hotel.





Monday morning, we checked out of our hotel and headed to Lower Manhattan where we hopped on a boat and saw the Statue of Liberty along with the Manhattan skyline.  After that, we met up with a friend in Bryant Park for lunch and then it was back to Maryland.






A and I were in New York City seven years ago and we were in such a hurry to see everything because we didn’t know when we’d return.  I think I enjoyed this trip so much more because we didn’t have a set agenda and the boys surprised me with how much they were willing to do/see.  Previously, we stayed on Long Island because I was there for work, but I loved staying in Manhattan.  Now, I want to return to the Big Apple again. J  I really enjoyed the hustle and bustle of the city – so many people, so many things to see/do, and most of all, I loved experiencing all of it with A and the boys.

Tuesday, July 24, 2018

We're Back


We’re back from vacation.  It was so great to get away, but I’ve had a really difficult time since returning.  Being home reminds me that Addie is no longer with us.  She was such a presence and always, always by my side.  As soon as I walked in the door, she was there.  When I got out of the shower, she was waiting for me.  She sat next to me every time I worked from home.  She even slept in the same bed.  I miss her terribly.  And her loss is exaggerated by the previous losses I’ve experienced in the past year.  I feel like I'm not just mourning the loss of Addie, but of the baby that will never be, my previous job, and my brother all at once and the pain is real and exponential.

Returning to work has only made me feel worse.  I interviewed for a new job the day before we left for vacation.  The timing couldn't have been worse.  BUT I left the interview feeling like it went really well, like the job would be a great fit and a big step up for me.  Even one of the interviewers said he hoped he'd see me again and my resume was really impressive.  Annnd I didn't get the job.  From what I can gather, it was between me and another candidate and the other candidate was made an offer based on specific experiences.  So even more disappointment and I'm incredibly unmotivated in my current job.  I need to write a separate post on work woes to capture everything that's happened, but suffices to say I'm having a tough time with EVERYTHING.  I just don't even want to try anymore because everything results in disappointment. 

ANYWAY. I’m so thankful for a vacation that allowed me a brief break from reality.  The vacation couldn't have come at a better time.



We arrived in Maryland on Thursday evening and my aunt had fruity cocktails waiting.  A perfect start to vacation!  My uncle grilled chicken for dinner (seasoned with several different rubs), there was corn on the cob, and several salads – so yummy.  The boys were totally in their element exploring the house, new toys, and running through the giant yard.






Friday, we mostly relaxed, played in the pool, and prepared to leave the following day for New York City.