ME Time...

Everybody needs a little "Me Time" - wouldn't you agree? 

Especially those raising small, unruly children, while working, while having an opposite schedule as their husband and never having ANY free time to just go wonder around Target with a Starbucks and look through the clearance aisle.  I'm not whining and or complaining, really I'm not, but I do sometimes miss the days of being able to do just what I want.  When going to the mall didn't revolve around riding the escalators up and down a million times and playing on the dinosaurs.  I feel guilty saying that, but I do, I miss my free time. 

Now that my two favorite people - who I miss everyday - live in the East Coast - which I have always loved to visit - have now provided me with the perfect places to escape to for a week and enjoy some much needed "Me Time!"

First up - New York City Baby!

I LOVE New York City, fell in love with it the moment I stepped foot into that busy city ten years ago, so that fact that Allie lives right there is well, AMAZING! 

Allie actually lives in Long Island where she goes to school, so I flew into New York, where Ariana, who lives in Maryland, met me at the airport to spend a weekend with Allie and I in New York City. 

Ariana actually took a train from Maryland to Penn Station in New York City, then hailed a cab and got to the airport all by herself - that's impressive! 

I was so happy to see both Allie and Ariana - it was time to party!

Allie picked us both up at the airport and then we went and stayed at her house in Long Island.  Long Island was nothing what I had thought - I'm not even sure what I had in mind it would be like, but I was pleasantly surprised.  It looks and feels like a little old fisherman town!  It's hard to believe you are even in the CITY!  We started the evening out by having drinks and appetizers at this awesome restaurant that sat right on the ocean...

 It was perfect!  Can't get much better then sitting on the ocean drinking with your sisters!

Later we met all of Allie's friends for dinner at a cute restaurant in the downtown area.  Allie's friends were awesome - SO much younger and made me feel ancient - but were great, fun people!  It's always hard to see your family move away from home and you just hope that they will be OK.  So the fact that Allie has met such amazing friends and basically has a new little family there in Long Island makes me happy.  Not really happy that she may never move back home, but I am so happy to see her so happy!

I think Allie's friends were a little disappointed that at 10:30 Ariana and I were ready for bed!  We are thirty you know!  Plus we had a big day of walking and shopping ahead of us...

The next day we took a train from Long Island to New York City!

That's what I absolutely LOVE about the East Coast...you can get from here to there just like that!

I'm so glad that Allie went to the city with us - she was a great tour guide and got us around really fast.  New York moves fast and a couple of blondes trying to figure out where to go is never a good situation!  After getting into Penn Station we took the subway to Soho to have some brunch and do some shopping...

 I had never been to Soho and loved it!  It was very cute and little less busy than other parts of city.  We had brunch at Jane, drank mimosas and then did some shopping!

 I think Ariana enjoyed New York City until I took her to Macys....and then I lost her!  I didn't physically loose her, but she kinda freaked out with how BIG Macys is and how busy the city is up at that part of town!  She was a tad overwhelmed.  After Macys' Allie took the train back home and we were left to fend for ourselves!  I knew my around this area pretty well, so I thought for sure she needed to see Time Square...Ariana definitely freaked out walking through Time Square...

 Time Square is CRAZY! 

I mean you've got tons of people, flashing lights and you know a random Indian running around!

Not to mention a grown man dressed as Spiderman climbing the light pole...

I'll admit - It is a bit freaky!

 We ended at Rockerfeller Center and did some shopping at JCREW, which Ariana liked much better then Time Square, but I knew she was ready to go home.  Back to her comfortable, suburban life, where only Rob would run around in a Spiderman costume!

We successfully made it from Rockerfeller to Penn Station to take our three hour train ride from New York City to where Ariana lives in Maryland. 

We survived New York City, but I'm pretty sure that's the first and last time for Ariana!

For the next three days I got to spend relaxing in Ariana's beautiful new home and playing with my adorable nephews!  Rob and Ariana's new home is just awesome.  I can see maybe why she wanted to get home so bad!  It's located in such a nice area outside of Baltimore and its just beautiful - inside and out!  Of course Ariana has the house looking perfect and so warm and homey!  Again it was so hard to see them leave Colorado again, but their new home is amazing and I am truly happy for them!

I couldn't wait to give big hugs and kisses to Robbie and Ryan.  I wasn't sure they'd remember me, but as soon as they saw me they said "Auntie Jenn, Hi!  Come see..." and showed me all their toys and their rooms and where they take a bath and where they eat and so on...!

They are the sweetest boys ever - I just love and miss them so much!

They also constantly asked me if Eli was sad since his mommy was gone...how sweet is that!

The first day I was there we went to the Zoo.  The weather was awesome that day and it was so great walking around the Zoo with the boys.  Their zoo serves beer as well - which of course Ariana and I had to treat ourselves to!  It was a perfect day at the Zoo...

 I think their Zoo is way better then Denver's - it's older, but it has so many interactive places for the kids to learn and play while they visit.  Ashtyn and Eli would love it...

 They even had a petting Zoo with some goats...

 Thank you Robbie and Ryan for taking me to the Zoo - Auntie Jenn had so much fun with you!

On Tuesday while the boys were at preschool, Ariana took me to Ellicott City for coffee and to walk through all the Antique Stores.  I fell in LOVE with that place.  It's like a dream of mine come true!  I just wish I lived 15 minutes away like Ariana does.  It's the oldest city I have even seen and all the stores were antique stores filled with the most unique stuff ever.  Some were old, some were new, some were crafts...it was amazing.  One store is an antique shop but set up like a Crate and Barrel.  I was in heaven.  Its a good thing I only had a carry on, because I could have spent so much money shopping on that one little street.  I will definitely need to visit that place again, but I will make sure I drive out, so I can pack my car full of crap!

On, Wednesday, my last day, we went to downtown Baltimore to take the boys to the Science Center.  So what I learned while visiting is most of Baltimore is scary - like if you look at someone weird you will probably get shot - but there is a small part known as the Inner Harbor and its beautiful.  Again, I wish I had had more time there and I can't wait to visit with Matt and the kids and walk the piers again, eat at one of the many cool restaurants they have overlooking the harbor and have some ice cream!  Also my kids would love the science center - way better then a museum!

My time there went so fast but I had the best time visiting Ariana and the boys. 

And while I loved our trip to the Zoo, coffee and shopping in Ellicott City, going to the Science Center and having ice cream in the Inner Harbor, my most favorite part was just relaxing with Ariana on the couch after the boys went to bed drinking a beer and talking!  We didn't get all gussied up and hit the town to party - we just snuggled up on the couch in our sweats and relaxed.  Maybe we're getting old, but I love when you can do something so simple with a friend and enjoy it so much more then anything else that had happened that day.

Thank you Allie and Ariana for letting me come out and stay with you!  It was a desperately needed vacation and I couldn't have asked to have spent it with better people.  I really HATE that you both live so far away and I'm stuck here without you guys, but you both live in amazing places and because of that I will be visiting you frequently.  But I still miss you guys SO much!

I better see you all at Christmas, but until then kisses and hugs to you all - maybe just give Rob a high five for me!  Love you and miss you!

Everybody deserves a little "ME Time" and then the mommy hats goes back on and then the fun starts again...