Lars, Jessica, Ashton & Gunnar: New York City!

I was lucky enough to get to experience New York City last week when I tagged along a work trip with Lars. It was SO much fun! Lars has been a couple times before, but it never really worked out for me to join him when the boys were younger, so this year when he asked if I wanted to go, it seemed like a great year to do it and it was. We were also lucky enough to have Aunt Kelli offer to come watch the boys while we were gone. I am always SO grateful for her :) It is such a good feeling to just be able to leave them in good hands and know they are totally fine with her. And the boys were super excited for her to sleep over for 5 whole nights!

We flew out on Monday, April 22nd about 11:00 I think, then got back home on Friday the 26th right about 5:00.

Getting ready to head out...

I have to say that New York is not someplace that I've always dreamed of visiting, but I really did have such a great time and loved getting to go! It was an awesome opportunity to do it when we didn't have to pay for the room etc...

When we got there on Monday, I got to experience my first cab ride. We took a cab to our hotel and it was probably my least favorite part of the whole trip!

I hate riding in the back seat in any car and this one smelled like an outhouse and just the way NYC cabdrivers drive...it's exactly like you'd imagine it. Crazy!

So needless to say I wasn't feeling too well right when we got to the hotel. But I got over it quickly and we decided to go find a place to eat dinner and wander around Times Square for a bit. We stayed at the Renaissance Times Square, and it was obviously right down in Times Square.

We had a guy that Lars works with, with us that night and we decided on this Brazilian place...

It was really good. Then as we were walking around this interesting guy approached us and started showing us some magic tricks and made this balloon heart and puppy for me...it was pretty comical actually.

And that was just the beginning of many people trying to sell us anything and everything as we walked around town all week.

We ended up walking around Rockefeller Center for a little bit, then headed back to our room...we were tired!

This was the view from our room on the 12th floor...

The noise didn't really bother me that first night, but wow it sure did the rest of the nights. The city really doesn't ever sleep!

Monday morning we got up and walked down to a little place across the street and got a bunch of fruit and some breakfast for Lars. Then he had to catch the shuttle over to the trade show for the day.

Before we got out to NY, I really had no intention of venturing out on my own while he was at the show, but after walking around the on our first night all my nervousness about it went away and I decided I needed to take advantage of my time while I was there (and not just sit in a hotel room!) and I got ready for the day and walked down to Central Park that morning.

I had to walk about 12 blocks to get down there and then I walked around the park for a long time. It really is pretty. Even though it was FREEZING that day!

Really cold and windy. After I had walked around for quite awhile I decided to start heading back, but then I kind of didn't remember where I'd come in at, so I had to retrace my steps and I eventually found my way back to the street our hotel was on and headed back. After I'd gone a few blocks, I decided to walk into this place and get some hot chocolate.

And while I was waiting in line I looked at their croissants and decided on a chocolate/almond one. It and the hot chocolate were delicious!!

And I found myself being so grateful as I sat there with my treat. Grateful that it had been cold that morning, or I never would have stopped in. Also grateful that I was on my own that day, or I never would have had to learn my way around. It was so fun to be by myself doing whatever I wanted and going wherever I wanted.

Blessings are everywhere :)

After I finished my hot chocolate and croissant I walked the rest of the way back to our hotel and warmed up there for a little bit before I looked at my map and ventured back out to find St. Patrick's Cathedral.

It was really close to where we were staying actually, so I didn't have to walk far. When I got to it, all I could really see was lots of scaffolding. It is under construction inside and out, but it was still beautiful. I walked around inside for a long time and stopped to light a candle and pray for awhile.

So peaceful...

After I left there, I slowly walked back towards the room and on my way I walked by a Running store and almost just kept walking, but decided to go in and finally get my feet/arches measured.

Something I've been meaning to do in Logan for a long time, just haven't gotten around to it. And I was so glad I did. The guy was so nice and helpful and brought me out a few pairs of shoes to try that would be good for my feet and the type of running I do. I loved a couple of them, so after calling Kelli and having her look them up on Amazon to make sure I couldn't get them cheaper (I couldn't) I ended up buying the Brooks ones, and I LOVE them! It was fun to finally do that and get some new shoes now that I'm running more.

Then I went back to the room for a little bit before it was time to go find the Gershwin Theater where the Wicked show plays on Broadway. It was also really close and Lars had read online that every day a couple hours before each show, people can come put their names in for a lottery to win tickets to the show. So we figured I might as well do that before we bought some. It was the one show I really wanted to see while we were there.

So at 4:30 I walked down and found the theater and put my name down, then waited around till 5:00 when they drew the names. They drew 13 names for a pair of tickets each. There were about 100 of us standing around, so when they said "Jessica Larsen"...I couldn't believe it!!!

I was so excited! I think I screamed...haha. And yes I had the guy in front of me take this picture. It's just so fun to win something! Especially something like that!

At that point I didn't even realize that they were FRONT ROW tickets too! Seats that sell for $300 each...we got for $30 each. You just had to show ID and pay cash. I couldn't wait to tell Lars. So I actually texted him really quick and just said Bummer :(, thinking he would text me right back, but he didn't. So then I had to text him again and say "Just kidding! I won, I won, I won!!!" So then I think he didn't quite believe me, so I called him and he was shocked and excited too! Kind of funny, he told some guys that were standing next to him that I won the lottery and the one guy was like "oh my gosh!! So how much did she win?!" And he had to tell him...that no, not the real lottery, just the Wicked lottery...haha.

So then I had to tell Lars to hurry and get back to the room so we could get ready, go eat and make it to the 7:00 show!

We ended up eating at this place that was right across the street from the theater and it was really good and fast.

Then we rushed over to the theater to go find our seats and they were awesome! We could touch the stage and could look down below right in front of us and see the orchestra. So fun!

And I just can't even explain how amazing the show was! We loved everything about it! The two main actresses were just amazing, and I just loved the story.

Definitely a highlight of the trip. Really that whole first day was just the best day :) For sure a day I will never forget...