Coney Island & Some Fish

Today we headed out to Coney Island. We visited the New York Aquarium followed by some time on the Coney Island Boardwalk.







Leah makes friends wherever she goes.


Swinging car on the Deno's Wonder Wheel




Stopped by Nathans

Easter Brunch in NYC

Today we went to Manhattan to have Easter Brunch with Grandpa George & Grandma Ruth. We went to a restaurant called Opia.

Leah posed for some photos before heading out.


Attempted to get a photo of Leah and Louis. This was as close as we got.


We got a great seating at the restaurant right out on the balcony.


The restaurant had a room set up for kids to play in with a face painter, Easter Egg hunt and other goodies.



Waiting to have her face painted.


Not your ordinary run of the mill face painter.



Leah loved it!



Zombie eh?

LI Children's Museum

Today we headed out to the Long Island Children's Museum in the midst of Spring Recess. We took the bus over to the DMV first so that I could get some things done there. Afterward we grabbed a cab over to the museum. I love that the kids travel so well on public transit.

The museum has plenty for the kids to do. Louis had a great time following Leah around from exhibit to exhibit. Leah is true awesome big sister fashion was totally cool with it. She also had some time to herself on the big climbing area.

Passover 2011

We went to Nana's today for Passover dinner. The kids had a great time (as always) with the family. Great food, great company.



Leah showed off her ever growing reading skills.

More fun at the farm

We needed to get out of the house for a bit today and once again White Post Farms was the perfect fit for us. We enjoyed their Easter themed activities.

Easter Egg Hunt



The Goods



Feeding the animals


Meeting the Easter Bunny


Painting a huge ostrich egg.



Riding the train with Louis. You are supposed to be an adult to do this with a little one but Leah said she could do it without me. Great big sister.

Holding on tight to Louis.



The farm has a nice cafe in its gourmet market. Smoothies and fresh baked goods.

Dance Break

Leah and Louis usually share at least one dance break/party during the day. Due to Louis being sick most of the week and then Leah being sick they hadn't danced together for a while. Leah decided to make up for it. After her own dance class she spent some time with Louis dancing away. Louis is too cute, he follows everything she does. He's also wearing one of her shirts.

The Lone Princess

Leah was hoping for a girl (again) but we found today we're expecting another little boy. I understand why she has a desire for a little sister. It is a special relationship but she rocks as a big sister and Louis absolutely adores her. So I know she'll do the same with our next child.

We're all excited. Looking forward to meeting the little guy.

Tooth #5

Leah lost her first front tooth. It has been loose for over two months. Hanging on by a thread or two the whole time we were in New Orleans. She came upstairs last night with it basically all the way out so I pushed down on it and it popped out.

Nola - Day Four - Last Day

Sunday served as our last full day in New Orleans. We were all feeling the effects of our stay away from home. Leah and myself did not want to leave anytime soon. Pretty sure Matt was content with heading back home. Louis is just happy being outside so I don't think he cared either way.

We spent the day walking down to the Riverwalk. We spent some time walking around and had some Sno-Balls, a New Orleans treat. Sno-Balls may look a bit like Sno-Cones but the ice is different. It is shaved much like fallen snow. I especially like my with condensed milk. We got ours with various syrups. They were refreshing and very good.






Matt and Leah walked down past the barrier to the sands onto the Mississippi River.








We then walked down to the French Market and picked up some more souvenirs for family.

The night before at one of the parades we were entertained by this great marching band, the 'Get A Life Marching Band' from Portland, Oregon. They were absolutely wonderful. We saw them again during our travels in and around the Jackson Square/French Market. They are great musicians, hilarious and so much fun to watch.

This is the synopsis of the band's first trip to New Orleans.

Portland's best traveled all-adult marching band recently augmented its string of national performances with its first New Orleans Mardi Gras parade. Over 100 members of the band hit the streets to laissez les bon temps rouler in the Knights of Sparta parade on the evening of February 26. The four-mile parade, dubbed "the best parade of the first weekend" by New Orleans Magazine, followed the traditional Uptown route along St. Charles Avenue and Canal Street with hundreds of thousands of spectators.

On the day following the parade, GAL performed an hour-long show at Washington Artillery Park, just across the street from New Orleans' renowned Jackson Square and St. Louis Cathedral, followed by a performance at the French Market stage on behalf of New Orleans Jazz National Historic Park. (Yes, we actually got to play a national park!)

This guy has been down in Jackson Square for so many years now. He comes and goes throughout the years because he's in the Army.



We loved the street performers/artists in New Orleans. I think this one right here was one of our favorites.






Leah in front of the many art pieces in New Orleans.


This guy cracks me up every time I see him (and the other guy who does the same bit). Go by him, give him a tip and just watch what happens.


He'll likely scare the crap out of you.

Then back to normal.


We headed up to Decatur and then stopped to watch part of the Barkus Parade. The Krewe of Barkus is made of canine friends. They get dressed up and their owners walk with them through a 15 block portion of the French Quarter area.







Stopped at Leah's Pralines which are my FAVORITE pralines but they were closed :(


And one more parade for good luck on Canal Street. Not much choice in stopping as there is little way across.