Thanksgiving 2023

We've spent Thanksgiving in NYC every year since 2018 

except 2020 because of the pandemic. 

We love remembering how Courtney knew a great place to have Thanksgiving dinner

because her "friend, Michael" told her about it. (Carmine's in 2018 and 2019).

Marty, Lizzie and Emi were good sports to come with Dan and me to watch the parade.

Unfortunately, by the time we made it to Lincoln Center, it had just finished.

(Started at 8:30, finished by 10:30 on the UWS).

We jumped back on the subway to 50th then walked to 5th Avenue and caught the last few floats at 10:55.

But just in time to see Santa!

Windows at Bergdorf Goodman's.

Becca got to dance with the BTTF cast at Macy's.

We were already on the East Side, so it was an easy walk to Central Park Zoo.

It's not a big zoo, and I really thought we'd see Alex the Lion and Marty the Zebra.

But maybe that was ever only fictional.

But we were just in time to see the seals putting on a show.

And the penguins were pretty cute.

We also saw a big grizzly and a monkey. The red panda was hiding.

And swans. But it was a pretty zoo with ivy-covered brick buildings and arbors.

We had a couple of hours of down time before Lunch + Dinner = Linner,

and the boys went to the gym to see who could lift the most.

The girls napped.

Dinner this year was at 3:00 so Becca had time to make it after her parade performance.

We love that we can join with the Petersens to celebrate Thanksgiving! We love their family.

Courtney's friends Emily and Victoria joined us too. So happy to have anyone join us who wants to!

Christopher and Nicholas both made sure weeks ahead of time that we were 

ordering the mac 'n cheese too. 

(Apparently last year they were very disappointed when we didn't have it!)

It was delicious!

Look how dark it is at 5:00 in NYC in the winter!

The fountain lights turned on yesterday and they are beautiful!

Back to our place to watch the Cowboys play football,

work on a puzzle and eat chocolate.

And nap.

After halftime we tried to make a charcuterie board with veggies, crackers, cheese and grapes.
I am the worst at designing boards. I don't know why, but if I touch it, it's so unappetizing.

But Emi... well she's just non-stop cute!

She has also been a really good sleeper and napper on this trip.

We put her in the closet where it's really dark.

Only problem, is the light comes on automatically when you open the door, 

and Dan and I couldn't figure out a solution to deactivate the sensor.

(Figured it out a few days later -- its a magnet.)

Also, we all were a little worried about her getting enough oxygen. 

Nick and Chris went to the new Hunger Games movie, but the rest of us were too tired.

I really like Hunger Games too. Should I have gone?