I survived the first week of school!

Seriously. I'm thinking of getting a t-shirt made. My classes this year consist of a Literacy Lab (2 hours with one class!) and two levels of Freshman English. I LOVE my Advanced Freshman. I could hug them every day. The regular groups are a bit rowdy, but it is much better than the groups I had last year. With a school of 2,200 students, you never know what you are gonna get. Hope everyone else is having a good week!

Broadway and Times Square

While in NYC, we went to a Broadway show. All six of us saw Mamma Mia! on Thursday evening. It was packed...I really expected more flashy sets and costumes, but it was a pretty simple story. After the show we walked around Times Square where Ben took these pictures.

World Trade Center

I couldn't go to NYC and not go to the World Trade Center site. My sister would have been livid! So, we visited Ground Zero and the WTC Museum. Although it is very small, I recommend the museum. Inside you watch two short videos and hear personal stories. There are also several artifacts including an airplane window, firefighters' jackets, and personal items belonging to victims. Seeing these things, as well as the wall of pictures of the victims, really made this event more real to me than ever. If you visit, be aware that you cannot actually get onto the WTC site and there is a large fence around it. Also, a visit to St. Paul's at the south end of the site is worth a stop. This is where many of the rescue workers and volunteers took shelter during the days and weeks following the events. They offer a wonderful timeline of events spanning from 9-11 through late 2002.

Natural History Museum and More...

There is a ton of walking involved in a visit to NYC. Our maps were our best friends! We enjoyed the Natural History Museum, but I actually preferred the Creation Museum. I tired quickly of the emphasis on evolution. I can't understand why I can't just look at the stuffed bison without hearing how he is my distant relative. Anyway, on the same day we toured St. John the Divine and had dinner at the "Seinfeld" restaurant. Then, Ben made us trek all the way to Grant's tomb just to get a picture that he could use to tease Jason McCoy.

Brooklyn Bridge

NYC - Liberty Day

On our first full day in NYC, we took a ferry to the Statue of Liberty. The ride over was a lot of fun and we were excited to get such great views of the statue. Ben's Dad was able to get us into the SOLD OUT museum and pedastal of Lady Liberty.

The All-Star games were in town and Ben took a picture with this miniature lady all decked-out with team emblems.

Amish Country

The visit to the Amish Country of Pennsylvania was very interesting. We learned about their roots and lifestyle and did some shopping. It wasn't until we passed Dutch Wonderland that I realized that we were near the home of my favorite TV stars - Jon and Kate plus 8. I kept my eyes peeled for sextuplets, but I never had a sighting. We did, however, see and shop with lots of really nice Amish people. This place as a tourist attraction leaves you with the strange feeling that the commercial heart of the area is in conflict with the beliefs of the Amish. They didn't seem to mind too much and we had a lot of fun.

Ben is as strong as an ox.

We had lunch at this restaurant. It was served family-style and we got to eat and talk with people from all over the country. The food was good (and plenty).

Learning the secrets of the Amish and Mennonites at the Museum and Visitor's Center. Here, we toured a full-size replica of the Biblical Tabernacle.


These Crocs made awesome travel shoes.