An Amazing Memorial

Did you guys know that I write a Family Travel blog over at R We There Yet Mom?  It's filled with family trips and tips and I love to host your vacations...check it out if you haven't yet.

Now, typically, I don't like to "cross-contaminate", however, this post and the experience left a profound impact on me, so I wanted to share it over here as well.

On 8 small acres in Lower Manhattan, sits the site of the Nation September 11 Memorial. It is an amazing tribute to those 3000 who lost their lives in the September 11, 2001 attacks on the World Trade Center, the Pentagon, a field near Shanksville, PA, and the 6 who perished in the World Trade Center bombing in 1993.

 The Memorial features twin reflecting pools that sit in the footprints of where the Twin Towers once stood.

 The names of each person who perished in the attacks are etched into the bronze panels that define the reflecting pools.

 It's a powerful reminder of how much life was lost in these attacks and it puts a name to these lives....especially those that rushed into save others.....

 The pools are nearly an acre in size and feature the largest manmade waterfalls in North America.

There is a plaza that sits adjacent to the pools.  400 trees are planned for this area, to create a contemplative area of reflection.

 There is a general hush.  As if the hustle and bustle of the city that surrounds it doesn't exist.

Everyone is reflective and somber.  How can you not be?

  The names are the heart of the Memorial.  They are stencil-cut, allowing you to look through them to see the water, or for paper rubbings, and to see the light at night shine through.   Honestly, it hurts your heart to read the names.  But I can't help but feel we need to have that feeling - to remember and never forget.

 Towering over Pool 2, is the building of One World Trade Center, planned to be the tallest building in the United States.  It's an awesome site to see the "rebirth" of this complex.

 Memorials like these bring it all home. Where as I may not personally know someone who perished that day, they are someone's father, sister, daughter.......

 And this is a place for those families to remember, to grieve.....

And a place for everyone else to never forget this horrific event.

I was lucky enough to visit the National September 11 Memorial the week after it opened.  If you will be visiting New York City, I highly recommend a trip.  Tickets are required at no fee, but you will need to reserve them in advance.  There is additional information on the website, including an interactive map and mobile app to find any names.  

Random NYC

Well, not exactly.  New York City is most definitely NOT random.

However, we had fun with our iPhones and took some fun Random photos while there in September:

As I tweeted that we had arrived, Connie asked to see what fun outfits we were wearing - this one's for you Conns.....

 Just look at these amazing treats we found at the Little Italy street festival and calories will automatically be added to your hips....look away....look away....

 My cousin and I enjoyed not one but TWO sippy cups with wine while watching Chicago.

All that wine led us to silliness in the Times Square Hershey store.....

And look!  We found the Naked Cowboy - did you know he can make up to $1500 in tips on a good night??  That's enough to make you want to quit your job and move to NYC to dance in Times Square with no clothes on, right?

 How about becoming a barista in one of the world's largest Starbucks?  We played on their interactive postcard machines for too long.

 And one last fun Times Square pic- this is a truck that drives around the city - pretty cool huh?

All that fun made us hungry - just a few blocks over is the famous Shake Shack - we had a custard chocolate concrete with peanut butter, fudge, pretzels, and marshmallows- it was so good.

 We did happen upon some pretty humbling sites - like this fire station directly across from the World Trade Center.  We were there 5 days after the 10 year anniversary, but I'm pretty sure it always looks like this.

Lastly, I captured this single rose tucked into a loved one's name at the 9/11 Memorial.

Words couldn't possibly convey the emotion of seeing that in person.

I have more to tell you about our NYC trip, but most of it will be posted over at R We There Yet Mom?.  Take a minute to pop over and see me there!

Crazy Fans: Let's be clear- I'M NOT ONE OF THEM!!

If you are a regular reader of my blog, you know that I get a wee bit excited to meet a celebrity.  Just a tiny bit.  Chris Tomlin anyone?

And after meeting Rob Lowe in NYC recently, I thought my weekend in the Big Apple had been fulfilled.

I mean, I can't post this picture enough right?

We were both at the Book of Mormon and he brushed my shoulder...yes brushed it (have I told this story already?  Yes?  Oh well, here it is again).  Anyways, the ladies in the picture ran up to him to take their picture and I was standing right next to him fumbling with my phone to take a pic - I looked at him and asked if I could take a picture and he winked at me - WINKED AT ME! - did you catch that he is looking right at me in the pic????

I immediately texted Matt to tell him I had a new crush and he had competition.

Anyways.......
While we had a fun girls weekend in the big city, the main reason we went was to attend a charity event celebrating All My Children and the end of the show.  AMC has had a central place in our lives for YEARS.  My Mom & Aunt watched it from the very beginning, bringing myself and my cousin into the fold when we were old enough.

So when my Aunt heard about the event hosted by Ricky Paull Goldin (aka "Jake"), she grabbed tickets.  We were all so excited to head to a "private event hosted by several actors from the show."  uh-huh.

We showed up at a club on the upper West Side - Prohibition - where we were shocked to see a line wrapped around the building - they were handing our wristbands to get in.

Once we got in, we saw this:

Standing Room Only y'all.  The whole time.

We were very excited to see Alicia Minshew (Kendall - Erica's Daughter) and Ricky Paull Goldin (Jake Martin) and a few other actors.  It was exciting to see these performers you have watched on tv daily in real life.

Alicia is funny, gracious, beautiful, and tiny!

But the crowding was out of hand.  According to some of "Lish's Fans" this event was much crazier than usual.  After attending an event like this, I am likely to never go to one again.  The actors tried to "mingle" with the guests but all they ended up doing was getting crowded and pushed - I stood patiently in line to meet Alicia, however many ladies pushed in front of me to get to her.

Generally, you'd expect everyone to patiently wait their turn to see her. Nope - it was push and shove to get to her as soon as possible - manners went out the window.

After 20 minutes of not getting any closer, I gave up.  We visited with the girl who has played the 7th Bianca:

She was very fun to talk to - her boyfriend lives in Dallas, so we chatted with him.

One thing I did enjoy was watching all the crazy fans - the actors were so very gracious to these nutjobs:

I have never seen more appliqued t-shirts and jackets in my life:

What made me laugh the most?

The GIFTS!

These ladies brought the most crazy gifts to Alicia.  She received fancy lace dresses, shoes, crocheted blankets and dresses, and toys for her daughter.

Huh?  I didn't even know she had a daughter.  What kind of a fan am I??

One lady even bought her an American Girl Doll!!!  I was so aghast, I had to take a pic of it - here is the hired security holding the doll.  Bet he didn't expect to be working THAT hard that day.

The event ended with an auction. An Erica Cane Clutch anyone?

Or how about a piece of cake?

Looking back, I laugh at the silliness of it all.  I enjoy watching the show but I am not going to go all ga-ga over the actors.  As my sweet friend Viv reminds me, these are all just "regular people." Their job just puts them on tv.

It was a neat way to commemorate the ending of an era in our lives - and we have plenty of funny stories from it.

But just don't call me one of those "crazy fans" - ever.

Shit My Mom Says

It's Tuesday and I have been waiting patiently to post this one with Shawn & Impulsive Addict's fun Tuesday meme.   Today, for Talk to Us Tuesday, I'm gonna tell you a little about my mom and my aunt...and the unbelievable things that came out of their mouths while in New York a few weeks ago.

Let me introduce you to Barbara & Beverly.

2 sisters - very much alike - that tend to say exactly what is on their minds.

no filters.

we call it the "B" factor - and as my uncle says, that doesn't stand for "Beck" (their maiden name).

Their mother is the Queen of Snarky - although if you aren't trying to be hurtful, just saying what you are thinking, does that count as being snarky?

Regardless, my sweet Cousin and I had a field day.

It started as we headed out one evening - it was raining.  I said something about how I loved the rain....

my mom comes out with, "well, your hair doesn't"

"wow, I didn't realize my grandma was on the trip."

and the fun began

Taxi conversations ranged from eating cold breakfast tacos on the plane to having diarrhea on the plane due to said taco.  To "where are my glasses" "On top of your head, mom".  To, ""Do you think he knows where he is going?"  Our driver was snikering in the front.

Give one glass of wine to Aunt Bev and she can't answer the door because she's "naked." And then asking her daughter if she had ever seen a wasabi pee?  get it?  hee hee......ok we thought it was a riot.

But I guess that is better than when her daughter yells out to her while walking down the street that she has a "quad butt". "Mom, your panties are rolling down your butt."

They both tend to say things the wrong way...which only leads them to be made fun of.

My mom likes to "call them up online" when she wants to talk to some one - it's much faster than using the phone.

And she was very excited to get a Starbucks "ticket" for coffee - mom, that's called a gift.card.

For the life of her, she couldn't say "Waldorf" - Waldoffy, Waltdorf, Walldoff - whatever Becca - you know what I mean.

My mom likes Nachos...you know that Spanish style ones with beef and a tortilla on each side.  It kinda tastes like a taco.  HUH?  What the hell did you eat?

And man, give these ladies a strawberry basil martini and they are all of a sudden telling me, "oh honey, you have to suck it up first". Um, no comment.

"If you see our waiter, will you start bitchin at him please?"  Cause that will give us faster service.

My favorite is when they asked me not to tweet any of this stupid shit.  well, atleast they admitted it was stupid.....


And did you notice one similarity in all of these pictures??? They were always on their phones!!!!


This is probably one of those, "you had to have been there to see the humor" posts.  But honestly, these two bring the worst out in each other and we always end up having so much fun.

Case in point.  This is a video, accidently shot by my mom.  

I rest my case.

*** What this post doesn't show is how very loving and wonderful these two women are.  Both have encouraged and shaped me to the woman I am today.  I love you both to pieces!! Thanks for entertaining us so very well!!!