Rye Beach

Brandon had to work night shifts the last week of his rotation for internal medicine, poor guy! It was only 3 days, but after the first day I was out of ideas for day trips to keep me and the kids away while Brandon slept. Enter friends with cars!! Bless their souls! We got a generous invitation to venture out of the city to Rye Beach in Mamaroneck, where a mutual friend recently moved. It was heaven on earth (i.e. totally looked like California), complete with the carnival where the movie "Big" was filmed in the distance. It was a private beach so you had to pay to get on. Worth. Every. Penny.

Gosh, it was so great!! Hands down, probably one of my favorite days here in New York.

Brighton hasn't actually ever rode in a car seat since he's become more aware. He was pretty nervous at first and confused why Mom wasn't holding him or even sitting by him. He fussed for a little bit and then settled down after realizing what a primo view to the outside he had! Admittedly, I could have just rode in the front seat for a couple blocks and the day would have been a total success : )

My hot mama friends Julie and Kassie. And look at this background!! Those red tile rooftops....sigh. 

A view down the beach. Tori said she wants to be a beach bum...I don't even know where she heard that term, but I was like, "Me too!"

All the kids testing the water

The "Big" carnival....you can see the ferris wheel to the left.

This might be why most kids don't enjoy playing with Brighton. Ben puts up with a lot.

Playing football with Evan. 

Catching some rays...not that she needed any more, this girl got fried! 

There were a ton of live starfish (I say "live" because apparently it's rare to see a live one) and crabs. It was so cool! Tori didn't love the idea at first, but on her own later, she found the courage to hold one.

Salad and starfish

"B" is for Birthday...

And beach, bridge, boat ride, Brooklyn...all things we did for Brandon's 31st birthday!

This is why he is 31 and cooler than the other side of the pillow.

The carousel picture is out of order of events, but totally appropriate nonetheless. On B's special day he was pretty set on going to Coney Island for the day, although I fought him pretty hard on it (on his birthday whaaaaaa?). I felt some vintage filters were appropriate to preserve our memories of the beach. 

I was a little lame as far as surprises went (putting down his beach idea and lame gifts, whaaaaaaaa?) But, BUT, I did manage to sneak in a giant red velvet (which I would later discover was not his favorite flavor) cupcake from his favorite bakery Crumbs (wrong flavor, #whaaaaaaa #hegotanipadforvday #nuffsaid).

We only had 14 candles but he doesn't look a day over 13...if 13 year olds are usually extremely masculine with facial hair and the brains of Paul Allen.

With Pres and Mandy's visit, festivities would carry on into the weekend and even the following week (read on for details), but let's stop at the next day where we revisited DUMBO, Grymaldi's, Jane's Carousel, and the Brooklyn Bridge.

Our first time trying Grymaldi's...well as I recall, I said it wasn't worth going back for. Brandon agrees that we must have had a bad cook that day because second time around was awesome!!! Greatest pizza I've had in NYC so far.

And now time for my sappy closing! But let's get serious people, Brandon is.....everything to me! He has been the force behind so many -- of what I consider -- my greatest accomplishments in life. He is my greatest confidant and the person I am most excited to see each day. I am so humbled to be on this journey with him and grateful that his ambition has taken us to so many exciting places with so many unique experiences along the way. They should call us the Febreze brothers, because it's so fresh in here.