Danica's here!

Danica arrived on Thursday, in town for work and also for a mini-vacation. She works for a company that sells ribbon, gift boxes, wrapping paper, etc to various stores and companies. Her company is participating in the the New York Gift Trade Show this week and I got to see firsthand how much work it takes to set up a booth. It was a fun day and I learned all about ribbon! I want to buy some to use on my cards--it's beautiful and so colorful.

The show ends on Thursday and we'll begin the real New York adventure then. We are going to explore neighborhoods like Soho and Chelsea and maybe even see some famous people. NY Fashion Week starts in a few days and apparently, lots of celebs are in town. Kathleen arrives on Saturday, so we can all explore the city together.

The two of us at Grand Army Plaza in Park Slope. It was so cold out, Ethan had to take this photo super quickly so his bare hands wouldn't freeze to death.

First Snowfall

Luna in awe of the 1/2 inch of snow on the fire escape.

This past week we had our first snowfall and the coldest temperatures in two years. Imagine waking up in the morning and discovering it's nine degrees outside. Friday was a "wear long underwear under your clothes" type of day. And an "I wish I had a ski mask" day as well. The wind chaps your cheeks and takes your breath away.

Our first visitors

Ethan's brother, Matt and his wife Courtney, came to the Big Apple over MLK weekend. They tried out our new humongous air mattress that barely fits in our living room. (Kathleen and Danica, your turn is next!) It was a fun weekend full of football, walking, and lots of eating. We tried out a Mexican place near NYU which turned out to be really good. They served lots of spicy dishes, which Ethan of course LOVED. :)

We watched the big game and unfortunately, I was the one who suffered the major disappointment of it all. But now that Ethan's team is having their turn in the Super Bowl this year...Go Bears!

Matt and Courtney and the view from the Brooklyn Promenade. Great place to see Manhattan.

The E & E Rivalry

It all comes down to this Sunday. Elin's Seahawks vs. Ethan's Bears. We went through it once already this season and we all know how that ended. This photo was taken before that terrible game. We are both ready for round two....and since I am the one who types this blog, I have the right to say.....GO SEAHAWKS!!! :)

A New York Birthday

I turned the big 2-9 this week. Ethan surprised me with tickets to my first Broadway show! We saw Wicked at the Gershwin Theater. It was a fun show--Ana Gasteyer from SNL played Elphaba. Ethan and I both read the book last year, so we could tell that there was a lot left out of the show---and a lot was changed. The ending was completely different and the plot was more "kid-friendly". After the show, we went to Union Square and explored a bit before heading home to watch the Seahawks-Cowboys game. I wore my jersey for good luck and it actually worked! What a crazy game that was.

Elin has a job!

As of January 3rd, Elin will be a full-time employee at Columbia University. She will be working as an assistant to the Finance Director in the Grad School of Architecture, Planning and Preservation. The job is relatively similar to jobs she's done at SPU---paying invoices, filing, updating budget spreadsheets.... It feels great to have two incomes again!

Christmas in Virginia

Richmond

Ethan and I spent two days in Richmond with his brother Matt, sister-in-law Courtney and Peyton, his nephew. Uncle "Ethey" had fun getting tackled and throwing the ball around with Peyton and Aunt "Kaylie" had fun playing woo-woo (trains).

We saw some Christmas light displays near their neighborhood. One of the houses has been showcased on the TLC channel as one of the most decorated in America. There are lights covering everything and the electric bill is almost $3000 from Nov-Dec.

Roanoke

Our first Christmas as a married couple was a good one. It was hard for me to be away from my family for the first time ever but being with the Via's was the next best thing. They made me feel right at home. Marcia cooked an awesome Xmas dinner---Ethan requested a turkey dinner and he got it!

Fixated on the train in Polar Express.

The Big Tree

Christmas at Rockefeller Plaza

About few days before Christmas, Ethan and I visited "The Rock" to see the holiday sights. We braved the crowd, saw the gigantic tree and watched people ice skate. We would have joined them, but the mile long line changed our minds. Maybe after the holidays....

St. Patrick's Cathedral

We walked farther down 5th Ave, just past Rockefeller Plaza and came across this huge cathedral. It's odd to see such an old building surrounded by skyscrapers. We were able to go inside St. Pats and see how nicely it was decorated for Christmas.