Our tips for going to Manhattan with Kids on the Cheap

We spent a lot of money so far. Oh well. Here are some cost-saving methods we could have utilized but didn't:
(1) Don't buy milk for your kids at stores or restaurants. Just go to Starbucks, fill up the sippy with whole milk or half-and-half at the milk and sugar station and high tail it out. You never have to worry about hitting up the same Starbucks twice for free milk because there are over 1.2 million Starbucks in Manhattan with 10,000 more popping up each day.

(2) Just go to Central Park and ride the State Island Ferry everyday. They are both free. Also, stiff the Met when they say "whatever you wish to contribute for enterring"

(3) Forget your hotel, either stay at P'Diddys or sleep in the Subway--its warm!

(4) Buy from the Off-Broadway hot dog vendors--they are $.50 cheaper per dog.

(5) go to Manhattan Kansas

(6) Skip the M&M Store and go to the Skittles store in the Bronx. It is a lil' riskier, but probably cheaper

(7) If some dude can play guitar in Times Square in his underwear, then so can you! Grab a pair of drumsticks, an empty five gallon bucket, play and panhandle

(8) When the guys at the Plaza hotel (a ritzy hotel on the southeast edge of Central Park) tell your their bathroom is "under construction" and is not open to the public, then go in a plant in the lobby.

(9) There are enough pigeons and other birds in the parks and the City that you can eat by hunting them. Plus, no one will miss them.

(10) "Can I have a lot of crackers with my soup? I said a lot of crackers!"

The M&M Store in Times Square

We went to the M&M Store in Times Square. It was right across from our hotel.

Who would put their kids in these pants?
OK M&M marketing Dept. You are really funny. 4 out of 5 M&M characters look really stoned. Just put the bloodshot eyes on them and get it over with.

We saw more shoplifting at this store than any other store in Manhattan! You can fill a bag full of M&Ms from these colorful chutes. The cost is only a meager $11.99 per pound (in the store it is about $3.00 per pound). We saw more people taking handfulls of M&M's and munching away.

"Behind the Colorful Chutes of M&Ms: The darker side of the M&M store"

Empire State Building

We went up to the 86th Floor of the Empire State Building. The wait was attrociuos, but the views were great. Plus, it is an outdoor viewing deck!
The Financial District, SoHo, Chelsea, East Village, Chinatown and Little Italy


Hairpulling!

Uptown Baby!

Tina Fey and Alec "S'posed to be in Canada" Baldwin

The restraining order against us says we are allowed in Rockefeller Center only before or after the Today Show is completed filming, so we went to the NBC Studios around noon on Wednesday. They were filming some scenes from 30 Rock which we never watch in Rockefeller Center. We snapped these shots of Tina Fey and Alec Baldwin.


Ok, enough pictures. Go away crazy tourist!

At a Park in Central Park!

As Wisconsinites, we feel it is appropriate to disrobe our children at a public park to their diapers when we feel it is best to keep their clothes dry. Needless to say, the other NYC children kept their clothes on.

Our Visit to the Met!

Melissa, Tubbypillar, and a BF Pillar in the Greek Section of the Met!

Nice Sword!

On the Roof of the Met with the Giant Balloon Animals and a beautiful view of Central Park and the Manhattan Skyline!

Hayden and a giant Balloon Dog!

Wow, that is a big balloon dog!

Interesting facts about New York City

Did you know that there are 1,239,283 Starbucks on Manhattan alone! Additionally, more than 1/3 of Manhattan residents are employed by Starbucks. Now I know why they are shutting down so many stores. After I decided to keep track today, I counted 19. I only counted 4 Duane Reades, 4 Mcdonalds and 4 TGIFridays.

The crazies in City Hall Park

Walking around City Hall Park!


The guy (shirtless) in front of the fountain was a real pleasure to be around. He walks up right next to us when the boys and I were near the edge of the fountain peering in. He started to dance and we walked away. He then laid on the ground and started pulling coins from the fountain. He then started to dance again, quite erotically. Fortunately, he kept his pants on and did not pee in the fountain, which I thought he was going to do. He then proceeded to pray, throw coins into the fountain, smile and then he repeated this cycle a few more times. We did not wait around to see what he did next.

Stop looking at us P-Diddy! A few from the room overlooking times square.

The Brooklyn Bridge

Man that is a long walk! No sleep til Brooklyn!

Not even a 1/4 way to Brooklyn!

View from the Brooklyn Bridge!

The Financial District from the Brooklyn Bridge!

$$$$

$$$$$


the guy on the 1$

Wasted $$$$$

The S. O. L. and Battery Park

After touring ground zero, we went to Battery Park and we saw the Statue of Liberty. We decided not to take the ferry to the statue because the line was so long and Donovan and Hayden had a bit too much stroller time.

This statue was in the World Trade Center Lobby. This is what remains of it after 9/11. It is now in battery park.

Ground Zero

Ground Zero looked a lot different than the last two times I have visited it. The memorials are gone as is the iron cross. The grave yard is now all picked up and the displays have been moved into a memorial museum. We paid 15 to go to it. It wasn't worth it. Hayden and Donovan screamed most of the time, ruining the somber moment for most. That said, just rent a 9/11 DVD and you will get the same story and picture in a less crowded atmosphere. It is still humbling to see how such a massive area was destroyed and how it is now being rebuilt into a memorial and a new business center.

Ted's Wedding

Ted and Erika!

Ted's proud father Ed


The Mariacci Band (which was phenomenal)

I am looking at 12-story billboard of P Diddy right now

and I don't like it. The boys saw Central Park yesterday. They saw a lot of women who looked like John Lennon. They also walked down 5th Ave. Today they are headed to the S.O.L. (Statue of Liberty), the Brooklyn Bridge, Ground Zero and other attractions in lower Manhattan.

15-Month Weigh-In!!!

The BBB (Big Baby Boys) went to the Doctor on Wednesday for their 15-Month check up. They also got shots. If there is anything that can bring Donovan and Hayden to their knees, it is shots. Not shots in the sense of JagerBombs. Shots with a Sharps or a Syringe. Hayden saw the Sharps coming for him and he simply broke.



The BBB are growing a lot though! Donovan "Chunka" Gulya weighed in at 25 lbs 3 ozs (50th percentile). He is 31 inches long.




Hayden "Tubby" Gulya weighed in at 21 lbs. 10 ozs (15th percentile) He is 30 1/4 inches long.



Hayden now bites Donovan when Donovan the Klepto comes out. Since Hayden now has teeth on top and on bottom, we hope he will start eating different foods so he can catch up to the solidly built Chunkadillo.

Our First Happy Meal!

Something to think about

Two things happened today compelling me to blog.

Today I found out my friend Skye’s husband passed away yesterday night after a courageous battle with cancer. This loss for her and her young son is unimaginable and brings tears to my eyes just thinking about what they are going through.

Second thing occurred at about 5ish right outside my house. While packing suitcases in our living room I heard a crash. I can’t describe exactly what it sounded like other than to say I knew right away it was not a car vs car sort of crash. This was the sound of a car vs bike type of crash. The woman hit was laying face down and motionless in the middle of 63rd street (on the opposite side of Wisconsin as I am on). After dialing 911 I watched from my house as people gathered around her while she laid completely and totally still. After a little bit I could hear her moaning and saying help me. I was hoping she had just been knocked unconscious and when she came to she would get up. I am assuming her coming to and not getting up could not have been a good thing. After what seemed like forever but I am sure could only have been a couple of minutes the ambulance arrived (and blocked my view). About ten minutes after arriving they put her in the ambulance and after about another ten minutes drove off with their sirens on. I am hoping she is going to be all right, she did at least have a bike helmet on. The neighbors were all out there so maybe they will know more the next time we talk.

Life really does just hang in the balance.

Melissa

Pool Time Fun

The boys spent another uneventful weekend at the lake. Here they are chillin' in the pool on Sunday!


There dad built a bean bag toss game and Grandma Sue made beanbags. It is green and gold with Packer patterned bean bags. A lot of time will be wasted playing the bean bag toss game.

Megathanks to Scott and Laura who are going to watch the Big Baby Boys on Saturday so Melissa can go to her 10 year reunion and so Kyle can go to Ted and Erica's wedding in Chicago. Following is the link to Laura and Scott's blog. I am sorry that it is not as cool as Donovan and Hayden's blog. http://scottlauraschiffner.blogspot.com/

Another Week at the Lake

The boys had a fun week with Momma-ma up at the lake. They went to the zoo, an outlet mall in the Dells, Paul Bunyan's World's Worst Possible Service Buffet (even the Paul Bunyon (sic) is spelled wrong on the sign inside), Walmart, Pritzls and numerous other fun places. They got to visit with Grandma, Grandpa, Aunt Katey, Aunt Karolyn, Cousins Carson and Sonja, and accompanying pets for the week as well.


the boys hung out a lot on the slide in their kennel. And what we have here is not only a failure to cooperate, but an unwillingness to cooperate:



From a developmental update, Donovan no longer walks like a penguin. He walks like a human. Hayden still walks like a penguin. Both like to toss food and Donovan is really good at feeding Mini Schnauzers.

Big Baby Boys went to the Zoo today

I'll let you know the details when I find out.

Hayden got really scared from the thunderstorm Sunday night. I felt really bad for him. The thunder was really loud. Melissa got up to console him. It was almost like last fall/winter when one of them would wake up in the middle of the night. Hopefully, all is quiet up north.