NYC Day Four

Well, we finally got a good night sleep mostly due to the fact that Angel is now sleeping in her own room!! We woke up and of course started the day with some Starbucks and fresh bagels and Chris made bacon and eggs. Then it was a day of rearranging furniture to our excitement of a perfect fit and set up of things!! We finally managed to configure the furniture in a way that the dining room table chairs don't hit anything and the table can be centered in the window!! There is one bookshelf that we hope when they leave this apartment they will be able to remove as Caitlin and I were DETERMINED to make it fit, as it was the only place and perfect spot for it. So...push and shove we did until it lodged itself in the corner!! Chris made a trip to IKEA and Caitlin also took Angel for a walk and a shopping trip and came back with some strawberry milk that she really liked!!! I decided I needed to fix Angel's sandals so we got some superglue and I thought the top of it had to be pinched off, but it didn't so I ended up gluing my fingers together!!! My sisters thought I was joking at first until I frantically was trying to get them loose but nothing was working. So Megs googled "how to unglue fingers" and we found that olive oil was the trick!! Glad we didn't have to go to the ER for that one!! Megs made some yummy taco salad, but unfortunately right before dinner one of her permanent crowns fell out and was causing some pain. Not sure what to do about that one (I guess we could have googled that too) we called her doc who said to go get some Fixodent and just glue it back in temporarily. So that was a success although still a little painful to eat and drink. After dinner we decided we "needed" to go get some yummy frozen yogurt at a very popular place here called Tasti Delite - and it was tasty....they have TONS of flavors but cycle them out every couple days. Angel was very excited that not only she got her OWN but also got to sit on her OWN bar stool. After our walk back home we got the kiddies ready for bed as we had to get up earlier for church the next morning.

NYC Day Three

Well, after a very rough night sleep wise, we woke up to two men in the apartment yelling, "Hello, hello?". Due to the fact that I had just gotten Emma back to sleep, I rolled over to cover her ears and try to keep her to sleep. Caitlin sat up half asleep and acknowledged their presence while Megs came out in her robe and hair in a towel to assist them. Apparently they were the AC guys coming to check out the system only to inform us one was broken and the other needed servicing and goodbye. Of course it is only supposed to be 93 degrees today and we have moving to do and babies in the house...no problem. So we grinned (ok, that might be a stretch), but we did manage between fans and drinking and complaining helped a lot too!! Once we got up we all decided to take a walk to Starbucks. Angel loves walking the NYC streets and hopping and skipping and doing 1-2-3-WEE. She was very excited because she got her very own little Starbucks treat and thought she was grown up drinking "coffee". Then we walked to the gardens and had some sisterly chats while Angel played in the water....and Caitlin informed me that Emma also tried her first sip of coffee (she is putting everything in her mouth right now...apparently even Starbucks straws!). We mostly moved around stuff and continued to unpack today. Caitlin took Angel to the Kiddie Sports Bar around the corner, which is a fun ice cream-candy place that caters to little ones. She was very excited coming back and showing me her back of "bellies" (jelly bellys). The athlete (Caitlin, or as I call her the insanely dedicated trainer) decided that since she needed to exercise she would just run the stairs in the complex here. Yes, remember we live on the 27th floor!! And as if that wasn't enough she decided in between each flight of stairs it would be "fun" (again, INSANE) to do push ups on the elevator doors. I was just worried she would pass out in the heat and so was a man she passed in the stairwell. After we made her take a shower, we decided to give Indian food a try...actually Caitlin and Meghan talked me into it. Angel usually likes Chicken Curry, however when Caitlin and Meghan tasted it they had to drink a ton of water, so let's just say Angel got leftovers for the night. I did really like my dish though and the Naan bread. Megs took Angel for a walk that evening and they had fun getting a new toy car and some mini M&Ms. Caitlin has been a HUGE help with giving the girls baths and once Angel was bathed, mom made the decision to put her in her own room so that she would actually go to sleep...and it worked!! I only had to go in once all night long!! Miss you Jason....the girls and I love you lots!! Amazing what a team we make...all the little things that we don't even have to tell each other to do with the day to day duties and caring for the girls....I never have realized it so much before this trip. We make a great team and you are such an incredible help...although I do hope you are enjoying some R&R from daddy duties!! (there are some cute pics of Angel singing in the slide show)

NYC Day Two

We started the morning with a MUCH needed big Starbucks and then ATTACKED the boxes. The big project and accomplishment for the day was getting the kitchen organized and all the dishes put away and setting up the furniture. It pretty much took all day...but along with the job of setting up house we also have two babies to take care of. We tag team keeping them occupied...Angel has been curious trying to explore all the boxes and of course finds everything she is not supposed to touch. She loves the buttons on the TV and equipment and has found her favorite....the volume button!! Luckily Megs had recorded many shows of Little Einsteins so that can keep her attention for awhile. Aunt Caitlin took her for a stroll around the city and found juice to buy and Angel loved pushing the buttons on the elevator and making faces on the reflective doors. There is a nice garden that is part of the complex and Caitlin took Angel there, she loved the water fountains. Caitlin also made a really long tunnel for Angel out of all the empty boxes!! Both of the girls took good naps which allowed for us to get a lot done during that time. Megs was cracking us up because everytime I would unpack a box and go to put things somewhere, I would ask where she wanted things to go or how she liked it. The main answers we got (with a very glazed expression) was "Sure, looks good" or "Wherever you think". Chuck it up to being overwhelmed and three months pregnant!! Hopefully she won't hate everywhere we put things when we leave. We had yummy NYC subs for lunch. In this complex where Megs and Chris live there is a trash chute a few doors down. Caitlin was taking lots of trash to put down it and was apparently fascinated by the sound it made traveling all the way to the bottom. She decided she would hold the flap open with her hand...that was until someone above our floor threw their trash in and BAM and OUCH, poor Caitlin's hand got smacked with a load of trash!! A friend of ours, Renata, is in NYC right now and joined us for dinner (yummy Italian)...it was good to see her and catch up with her since she recently got married. Uncle Chris and Caitlin took Angel to the garden again after dinner and she decided to follow a little boy's example and get in the water....so she came back with wet shoes and socks, but very happy!! It is quite stuffy and warm as the AC units in the apartment are not working well or broken, except for the master bedroom which is now the baby nap room, so we had several fans running. Aunt Caitlin had shown Angel how to make noises in the fan and Angel amused us all with her fan screaming noises. We laughed so hard!! After such a busy, hot and long day you think the kids would have crashed for the night....but tonight was a really bad night. Both of them just wanted mama and I was playing tag team with getting one to bed and then the other...over and over. When they were both asleep, Caitlin and I chat a bit, take a deep breath and say "hurry, get as much sleep as you can!" Let's just say we had several bed buddies throughout the night....

NYC Day 1

Wednesday we started our adventure....getting up very early we were headed to the airport and luckily missed the rush hour traffic. Jason was not fond of saying goodbye to "his girls" but knew we had a mission to go do...go to NYC and help my sister Megs and her hubby set up house!! After getting through the security check which is crazy with two little ones...Caitlin and I were ready for the flight. Angel was very excited about the airplane and sitting in her own seat, although she did not like the fact that she had to be strapped in and couldn't get up and explore. She was very fascinated with the fact that the Airplane book Marmee had gotten her was exactly what she was experiencing on the flight. Once we were in the air, it was less than one hour before both the girls crashed for almost 3 hours!! And of course we just happened to be sitting on the only aisle of seats where the TV screens on our seats were stuck and were not working....especially when they were offering the movies for FREE and with the girls sleeping we could have enjoyed them!! Oh well.....The flight went really fast and we were impressed with Jet Blue. So when we arrived at JFK my sister and her hubby had gotten a car service for us. Well, Caitlin and I felt like royalty walking off the flight and the first thing we saw was a man holding a sign that said "Erin Hartsell". Caitlin laughed because when I saw him I waved and then he shook my hand and starting taking charge. He got a luggage cart and got our bags for us....then proceeded to take us out and keep a parking space free for the driver to come get us curb side. When the Lincoln Town car drove up to load us we got some very peculiar (I say jealous) looks about how we were getting such treatment...it was so nice with the kids and all the luggage...THANK YOU MEGS AND CHRIS. It was an easy drive to their new apartment (except when our driver insisted we try this new type of gum, and kept offering it and Caitlin finally took a piece but didn't feel she could try it in case it was poisoned.). We were so happy to see Megs and look at her new place. It is VERY nice, feels like a hotel walking in and going up to the 27th floor!! Of course as you can see from the pics in the slide show, the apartment itself needs A LOT of unpacking, organizing and setting up!! Hopefully the pics of it when we leave will show much improvement. We ordered some Teriyaki for dinner (NY food is always so yummy) and when Chris got home from work visited and then went to bed....um, well Caitlin and I tried to go to bed but the girls not being sure where they were and in unfamiliar sleeping arrangements had a tough night...just giving Caitlin a good dose of what motherhood is all about!! Overall, a very successful and exciting day!!

City Girls

I know, I know, I know .... I have yet to share any of our fun (um, tiring-hot-exciting) trip here in NYC. But between being surrounded by boxes (either unpacked or broken down in big piles), furniture that keeps floating around the apartment because we haven't quite figured out where we like it, fans everywhere because did I mention it is HOT and the only AC that isn't really broken is the master bedroom which we now use as the baby nap room, and well then there are the two little ones that keep wondering why we don't have all the time to give them our constant attention and why we just can't clean up all the messes. But so far we have had no mental break downs or moving anxiety attacks...I guess when you have yours sisters together it is just so nice to be sharing these moments and making memories that it makes the whole experience much more bearable. In between all the unpacking, setting up and organizing...we are trying to take breaks and at least explore the city a little and let Angel run around and play. Angel loves just walking the streets and staring at all the people zooming by. It is funny to watch her, as Caitlin says, "she looks so little on the streets of NYC." Now if we can just get the little ones (especially Angel) to sleep at night...although last night the trick was putting her in her own room like at home and she did much better...just tough when her schedule and surroundings are so different. Babes are truly creatures of routine and schedules. So while I have had a quick minute to let our loyal readers know we survived the flight and are busy helping to transform this apartment into the Sturhahns new home I will hopefully find some time here soon to post the pics that yes, I have been taking and I know my dear husband (whom I and the girls miss so much...this is the longest I have ever been away from him!) wants to see. So.....come back later and check it out!!!

Two neat sites

THIS SITE is a neat idea a friend of mine and her husband are doing. Thought I would link it here in case anyone would like to help them with raising their funds....it goes to support the Ronald McDonald House, which is a wonderful place that helps so many families and holds a special place in Christina's heart. I am inspired by how they have turned a fun vacation for them into such a giving and fruitful experience as well...way to go guys!! And Christina...don't fall asleep on the bike again!
THIS SITE is a sad, moving, inspiring and amazing site as well. I went to youth group and was friends with Patrick's brother back in high school. Continue to pray for healing and faith and resources for this family.