November 2008

Joel's parents, Jim and Dee Dee came to visit for a week over Thanksgiving. We had a wonderful time showing them our favorite places and some new places in NYC and by our house. On Monday December 1, Dagny performed at the High School for her first Chorus concert. She was very excited that her grandparents were here to see her sing.


The second half of of the week of the Lytle's visit, we spent time at our house and explored the Hudson River Valley by our house in Monroe. Below is Joel and Jim in front of Boscobel "Federalist Style architecture" Mansion across the Hudson River from West Point Military Academy. It is an amazing historical home with a great view of the river and the Academy. Joel also showed his parents West Point. Joel and Jim went to Hyde Park to see the Vanderbuilt Mansion and Franklin D Roosevelt's home, while Dee Dee, Gwen and the kids went to the Woodbury Commons Premium Outlet mall.




On Thanksgiving we had a front row view of the Macy's Thanksgiving Parade - right across from Macy's on 34th Street. Below is a picture of the opening cheerleader performance of the parade from where we were standing. It was only 40 degrees - much colder than last year when it was 60 degrees. We had a very New York Thanksgiving of going to the parade, eating dinner in a restaurant, and Joel, Jim and Dee Dee went to Chicago on Broadway and Gwen and the kids went to see the movie Bolt. Tuesday Jim and Dee Dee went to see the Rocketts and Radio City Music Hall and our family joined them (after a record long commute of two and a half hours) that evening to see Irving Berlin's White Christmas Musical at the Marquis Theater - it is definitely one of our favorite musicals!

On Wednesday - the day before Thanksgiving - we went to the Intrepid Sea, Air and Space Museum on Pier 86. It is on an Air Craft Carrier. We saw and amazing collection of Naval history of the Intrepid. It has been under renovation for a couple of years and just reopened on November 8. President Bush, astronauts, and retired Navy were there on Veteran's Day to celebrate to re-opening.

Below is our second annual holiday dress fashion show at the Largest Department Store in the USA - Macy's on 34th Street. The girls tried on several dresses and then each selected one.