February 14-15: Long Drive, World Trade Center & The Statue of Liberty

Aurora had a shadow-day and audition at NYU so we decided to make a quick family vacation out of it. Initially it was going to be Eric, Ro and Graigry because the older two didn't have school on the 15th. Then after the almost week they had off of school during the Polar Vortex, the 15th became a make up day for the high schoolers. We decided if two kids were going to miss school, going to NY was worth all the kids missing one day of school.

I had my car in the shop the week before for a general check up, which meant the back brakes were replaced and some small things were tied down. I felt comfortable about driving it the 11 hour one way route. Then, the Sunday before we were supposed to leave, the car wouldn't start. GREAT!! Just what we didn't need. After church, Eric listened to the clicking noise and decided we should charge the battery, so I got the battery out and we charged it over night, praying that this would solve the problem.

Monday morning, while Eric, Graigry and Ro were at seminary, I put the battery back in place, reconnected it and turned the key. LIFE! I was so happy. Our prayers were answered and we would be on our way come Thursday afternoon.

Manhattan is only an 11 hour drive so we wanted to leave as early as possible after work and school. I got home from work on Thursday at 4 and finished helping Eric fix the fence on our driveway. Ro and Graigry got home from school about 4:30 and after the last few things were taken care of at home, we were off.  Kids were going to miss school on Friday, so we spent the first part of the lit road trip working on homework while listening to Simon & Garfunkel while driving I-70 Eastbound.

We stopped for Burger King just after seven. It being dark outside, homework was tucked away and a DVD became the road trip entertainment. I think we watched three movies before deciding it was time for "bed."

"NO!! NOT THE FLASH!!"

This is what an 11 hour drive looks like

Eric did most of the driving, but I drove into Manhattan, which terrified me. I hate driving on unfamiliar roads, at night, that are narrow due to some construction. I was so nervous winding around the roads in Jersey on the way to the Holland Tunnel though it was cool to see the Statue of Liberty lighting up the early morning sky (we arrived in Manhattan just after 5am). I tried to wake up the kids to see it, but I think they were more interested in the inside of their eyelids.

We couldn't check into the hotel until 8am, so we found a free place to park, at the side of Washington Square Park and tried to get a little sleep. Eric got out and walked around looking for a bathroom (I did the last drive shift while he was sleeping). At 7:30 we called the hotel and asked if our room was ready (we'd asked for an early check in) and it was! We drove the 1.5 miles down Broadway to the Residence Inn (a very big thank you to Patience who got us a free room making this trip become a reality) where Eric and Ro went in while we stayed with the car. Ro had to get ready for her shadow day at NYU and Eric needed to check in. When he got back, we made the trek to the 16th floor while Eric drove (rolled around and waited in Manhattan traffic) around waiting for Aurora to prep herself for the day.

Daytime and night time windows' view
(the clock was on our wall)

Aurora had to be at the school by 9:30 so while Eric took her there, we freshened up and the kids perused the tv stations. Once Eric got back from dropping her off, I wanted to head out. We were in New York, the city that doesn't sleep! Therefore - neither should we. :) It was 10 am Friday morning and we had less than 36 hours to get in as much NY as possible. I was going to spend as little of it as possible in the hotel. We had tickets for the Statue of Liberty tour at 1 and our hotel was within walking distance of several "site" so off we went. The World Trade Center was two blocks from our hotel, so we went there first.

World Trade Center Train Station
(there's a mall inside, underground)

I couldn't help but feel emotional as we walked past all the names of victims, but especially the public servants that ran into the buildings of their own will to try to save strangers.

Neta capturing water to feed a rose
White roses are on the names of those whose
birthday is that day.

My Monkeys at the Memorial

These buildings were HUGE!

Reading about the Survivor Tree

I hope you can read this.
I would love to see it in the Spring.

After our stroll around the Trade Center, we stopped back by the hotel and I packed my back with some snacks. Then we walked the just over a mile straight down Broadway, making a stop at the Wall Street Bull and the National Native American History Museum before arriving at Battery Park and getting on the ferry (talk about security - sheesh - three checks before getting to Lady Liberty). I was grateful that the weather was partly cloudy into to partly sunny for our adventure. (Earlier the forecast was for rain.)

ON THE FERRY

On the self guided tour to the pedestal,
you can get a walkie-talkie thing that tells
you different things about the Statue
depending on what numbers you type in

FAMILY SELFIE!

Listening to the tour on the pedestal

Inside Liberty
I really wish I would have bought tickets to the crown,
but I didn't think the kids would be up for the climb
(or the required decent & walk back to the hotel)

I should have got some video;
you feel like you're moving, or the Statue is moving
as you look up and the clouds roll by

Manhattan background

We went to Ellis Island, which the kids were not interested in, sadly. Eric and I had wanted to walk around, but the kids were done and completely uninterested. Instead of walking around Ellis Island they spent 30 minutes waiting for the next ferry. My phone was dying so I couldn't really go wandering around incommunicado. Blah!

After returning to Battery Park and walking back to the hotel, kids had walked enough and were not in the mood to do any more sight seeing and it was 4:00 anyway. Aurora was done with her shadow day at 4:30. Eric thought about calling for the car, but that would take 30 minutes and then we'd have to fight traffic to get to NYU. Better use of time, walk the 1.5 miles to campus. Because my phone was charging, I wanted a buddy, and Graigry was told to come with me (he didn't want to go, but came when asked). We walked at a speedy pace and he complained the whole time about his ankles and how his feet were about to fall off. In about 30 minutes we were outside the building waiting for Ro, after which, we walked back to the hotel with a stop at a Subway to grab two footlong sandwiches for dinner. Back at the hotel, we ate while Aurora told her about the fantastic shadow day she had.

Aurora went to the lobby to study after dinner (got her email from Vanderbuilt saying she wasn't accepted) and Nate, Neta and I watched a movie on Lifetime. I am grateful we do not have tv at home; WAY TOO MANY commercials.

Eric and Graigry fell asleep fairly quickly after laying on the bed. I was told that Nate, Neta and Ro went to bed after midnight. I have to take their word for it as I fell asleep after ten because I laid on the bed. Had I stayed sitting at the desk, slumber would not have overtaken me. Probably a good thing though as we had a long drive back Saturday evening.