New York City with Kids

This year, instead of a bunch of gifts the kids usually get for Christmas, we decided to travel with them instead.

When I was cleaning out their closets a few months back I found Christmas gifts from last year that hadn't been opened! Lego sets that hadn't been put together, etc. The amount of stuff they receive from not only us, but their grandparents and their dad's side of the family is just embarrassing. 

I know we are very blessed, but instead of all these THINGS, we need to make MEMORIES with them.

Big T has been asking to go to New York City for several years now, as he's seen it on TV and in movies. 

They had been asking to go back to our favorite spot, Breckenridge, CO. but I knew the snow would be TOO COLD for them (we usually go in the summer). 

So we booked a trip to the magical New York City during Christmas break.

We wanted to keep it a surprise, and not tell them until we were at the airport. So for weeks I bought hats and gloves, and snow boots and packed their suitcase in secret. 

We told them we were taking Travis to the airport for a business trip one morning before school and then I was going to drop them off at school afterward. 

When we got to the airport at 7:30am we parked and told them we had a surprise for them and that they were going with us.

Big T was excited, Mushy was sad about missing Polar Express Day at school. 

It took him a minute, but he was excited as well. 

Here's what we did and what I recommend with an 8 and 10 year old. (We left Trace at home with my mother in law, as we are a bit adamant on not traveling with him for a few more years and have a very eager grandma that wants to stay at home with him any chance she gets!)

Statue of Liberty

I looked into touring the Statue of Liberty (I've been before, but the kids and Travis have not) and I figured the boys would want tickets to the crown, but when I went to book them (about 3 weeks before we left) they were sold out.

I didn't think they'd like touring Ellis Island and just seeing the Statue of Liberty up close and not going in the crown, (Ellis Island has an AMAZING museum, but the boys would have been bored), so we opted for the FREE ferry to pass it. We took a cab from Times Square (where our hotel was) to the Staten Island Ferry which is free and runs every 30 minutes on the weekends.

The boys loved the boat ride and seeing the Statue of Liberty that way.

Top of the Rock/Rockefeller Center

This is one of the most crowded places in NYC during Christmas, so if you're going to want a good 360 degree view of the city, buy your tickets ahead of time!

The boys lasted about 15 minutes before they were ready to go. They like more DOING than SEEING.

Ice Skating 

We opted for ice skating at Bryant Park's Winter Village. This was our favorite activity.

I know it's very iconic to ice skate at Rockefeller Center with the big tree, but we loved Bryant Park. 

They have a ton of pop up glass houses with local artisans and cool gifts, food, and more. 

It's truly like a little winter village. I would have loved to shop around if we didn't have the boys.

We ice skated for about 2 hours and they boys LOVED it! 

I bought tickets for a specific time online the day before. 

FAO Schwartz

This toy store is in Rockefeller Center and it was PACKED. Of course, it's Christmas time and it was newly re-opened but they have cool demonstrations of the toys and stuff you don't see everywhere! 

Definitely recommend taking your kids here to see all the cool toys!

The Lego Store at Rockefeller Center

This is super cool! The boys loved seeing all the lego builds in here!

Black Tap Milkshakes

This was a must do for us. We waited in line for probably 45 minutes for a diabetes packed milkshake. Worth it.

Times Square

We actually stayed at the Sheraton Times Square and it was a great location.

I had so many people say not to stay in Times Square because of the crowds, but we really liked the location. When we walked ANYWHERE we had a rule of holding a kids hand at all times. Travis held and hand and I held a hand. The crowds are no joke, especially around Times Square, but we knew it was going to be like that. 

The boys got a kick out of the street performers and all the craziness of Times Square.

Central Park

We didn't make it to Central Park this trip. I think this would be great with better weather. Maybe a bike ride around Central Park in the Spring or Summer (I've done it in April and it was GORGEOUS!)

Broadway Shows/The Rockettes 

Many people recommended seeing The Grinch, or Frozen and I just didn't think my boys would enjoy that, so we didn't do any shows. 

However, I have seen The Phantom of the Opera on a separate trip and it was AMAZING! So I would definitely recommend a show without kids!

John's Pizza

This was by far the most recommended pizza place. When we got there, I realized I'd been there before but just didn't know what it was called. They have the best pizza! 

We waited for about 45 minutes for a table. Their bruschetta, cheese bread and pizza is amazing!

Junior's Restaurant

I heard this place is great for cheesecake, but we never made it.

Getting Around the City

We walked almost everywhere. If something was more than a 15 minute walk we took a cab. They have an app you can download in the cab to pay, its super simple.

I know a lot of people said to take the subway, but we opted for cabs. 

Clothing

I wore fleece lined leggings and then Lululemon leggings on top, long soft socks, comfy boots (THESE ARE AMAZING!!), a sweater, a parka, E tip gloves, and a hat and scarf or this awesome face mask thing I bought there.

The biggest thing was your face getting cold. It was in the 20s and 30s with SUPER cold wind chills the entire time. My body was fine, but my face got cold quickly!

I also wore a fanny pack the entire time and I gotta say, I'M A FAN!

I hadn't worn one since probably 3rd grade, though they're called belt bags now, but this was a game changer for me!

I wore it under my zipped up coat and it was great to be hands free and safe from pick pocketing while in the big crowds. 

The boys wore fleece lined leggings, sweatpants, thick socks, snow boots, parkas, neck warmers, and face masks. 

Eating

If you're going to go to the popular places, make a reservation. 

Most places you'll end up waiting 45 minutes to an hour to eat. 

We found some great lunch places based on reviews on Yelp.

The Counter in Times Square was GREAT! I had their veggie burger and it was awesome! 

Their fries are great as well.

Gregorys Coffee is my favorite coffee place, and Le Pain Quotidien is our favorite place for breakfast. The boys loved this place, too.

Be prepared to spend a pretty penny on food. Each meal of ours was on average $100 for the 4 of us, more if we had an alcoholic drink. Travis and I aren't big drinkers, so when we drink, it might be 1 glass of wine with dinner. I think we did this at 2 meals. 

All in all, we had a great trip. There's definitely stuff I'd like to go back and do, but we got to check off NYC at Christmas time off the Bucket List. It truly is a magical place at Christmas. The music, lights, shopping, it's really neat to see!

I really feel like you could live in NYC and still not see and do everything, there's so much!

I wouldn't recommend taking your kids if they are less than 10 years old, though.

I know people do it every day, but taking a stroller and small child around the city, in stores, up stairs, elevators, with coats and hats and everything, just seems like it would be a lot. 

We really enjoyed giving the gift of travel this year and look forward to continuing this tradition with the kids!

Pay it Forward- Rebecca

This is Rebecca.

"I’d love to nominate my Nanny, Rebecca Payne, this year. In my opinion, she’s an 83 year hero and here’s why - she worked her whole life as a single mother to provide for my dad and uncle when they were younger and then me when I was a teenager and moved in with her. Yet now, as a senior citizen, she struggles financially from month to month trying to survive on social security and retirement and it completely breaks my heart. She struggles to have enough money to purchase groceries (which are rarely healthy because they cost so much more but are crucial to her health as a diabetic) and pay her mortgage. utilities, property insurance and property taxes. The home she lives in (70+ years old) is falling apart but because she has refinanced it over the years and already struggles she can’t afford to have any necessary repairs made. Her home has no central air or heating (she uses window units and space heaters), the linoleum in her kitchen and bathroom has worn away and the subfloors show throw, her bathroom is full of mold and can’t be healthy among other problems. She would never ask for help or handout because that isn’t how she and her generation were raised; however, I know she would be so humbled and appreciative to receive any help that people felt led to give. And as her grand daughter, I would love to see her burden lightened and give her hope for her future."

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Location: Greensboro, NC

How you can help:

Rebecca is in need of grocery gift cards. 
You can send her a Walmart gift card (this is where she gets the majority of her food) HERE and send it electronically to:
RebeccaPayne1936@gmail.com

You can also purchase Visa gift cards to help with paying her bills and home repairs directly from her Amazon Wish List .

*Please make sure to choose "Send to Rebecca's Gift Registry Address" at checkout.

As always, Thank you for Paying it Forward.

Pay it Forward- Traneice

This is Traneice and her boys.

"Traneice Williams is one of the most hard working and giving single moms that I have ever had the privilege of knowing. We met at Texas Baptist Children’s Home in Round Rock, TX when we were living in the same cottage with our kids. TBCH is a wonderful organization that helps single moms get back on their feet after going through hard times. Read about Traneice’s story before she moved into TBCH HERE. After her time at TBCH, she moved into income based housing and had a car, a job and a promising future; life was going well. Unfortunately, her car ended up getting repossessed after she missed a few months worth of payments because other bills were piling up. Due to not having a car, she ended up losing her job. This caused a domino affect with other bills. With her parents no longer being around, she has no one to turn to when she needs help financially. Even though Traneice has been through so much in just 30 years, she’s never given up hope and always believes that God will provide. She does whatever she can to preserve for her boys. Not only does she do what she can for her boys, this woman, who has had such a rough life still finds it in her heart to serve and give back to the community. Most recently she helped a family by sponsoring their thanksgiving dinner and helped them prepare their home to host their family. Traneice’s heart is pure gold. She is definitely someone I admire and I aspire to be more like her. I just want her to be able to have one worry and stress free Christmas. She is an amazing woman and she and her sweet boys deserve every bit of love they can get. ❤️"

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Location: Austin, TX

How you can help:

You can purchase items directly from Traneice's Amazon Wishlist to be sent directly to her to help her and her boys have a great Christmas!
Make sure you check "Send to Traneice's Gift Registry Address" at checkout!

*Once all items are fulfilled, the list will be empty.

Thank you for Paying it Forward!

Pay it Forward- Chris

This is Chris & Kim.

"I am nominating my dad and his girlfriend (basically my step mom), Chris Lieberman and Kim Hann. I am nominating them because in a time of great need of assistance, they’re still striving to help others. My dad was the Founder and executive Director for the Tulsa Route 66 Marathon (I had the privilege of meeting you and cheering you across the finish line when you ran your first marathon!). 

March 8th, 2016 our family’s lives were turned upside down. I was a freshman in college, my sister just graduated college and landed a job in Dallas (away from home) when we received a call to let us know our dad fell off of a ladder in the marathon warehouse and suffered a severe traumatic brain injury, he was being rushed into emergency surgery and they said he most likely wouldn’t make it. 4 weeks in a coma, in the Neuro trauma ICU + many many months in the hospital + many YEARS in inpatient rehab facilities around the US (I encourage you to follow his Facebook page, Chris Lieberman Updates, we have shared his story there since the week of his injury) he survived and our family has started the Brain Injury Recovery Foundation this year, to help and care for families who are just now going through what we’ve gone through. My dads fight isn’t over. They are currently living off of disability and Kim’s part-time job income, traveling to Dallas for my dad to receive therapy 3-days a week and still giving the foundation their all. We have a goal to make it easier on families in Oklahoma, to not have to travel out of state for therapy like we did, and build a rehab center in Oklahoma.. however, we need donations to make that happen and I need my dad back! In order to get my dad back, he has to continue therapy and our family doesn’t have the means to continue supporting the traveling to Dallas financially. I am asking for help in two areas, 1) gas cards and fast food cards while they’re on the road to recovery and 2) donations to make sure Oklahomans have resources in state to receive affordable therapy to overcome neurological injuries such as brain injuries, strokes, MS, spinal cord injuries and more."

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Location: Tulsa, OK

I have had the pleasure of meeting both Chris & Kim many years ago, as I ran my first ever marathon at the Route 66 Marathon. They are both amazing people and are so incredibly deserving.

How you can help:

You can donate directly to the Brain Injury Recovery Foundation (tax deductible) HERE.

You can purchase items directly from Chris & Kim's Amazon Wishlist.

You can purchase gas gift cards HERE and email them to:
kim@braininjuryrecoveryfoundation.org

Pay toward Chris's continued therapy at REACT Dallas HERE.

Thank you for Paying it Forward.

Pay it Forward- Cassandra

This is Cassandra and her family.

"Cassandra is a mother of two kids, Camryn & Colton. Cassandra & Camryn are going through an extremely difficult time. Something horrific occured that none of us could even fathom. This is Cassandra's nightmare that she is living every single day. On September 21st her estranged husband broke into her house and beat her until she was limp and unconscious. He then went on to assault their 9 year old daughter. Thankfully she was able to slip away from his grip. The monster then went upstairs and shot their 18 month old son 9 times while he napped. He then went on to kill himself. She did everything that she could - got a order of protection and had a loving home for her and her two kids. This didn't stop her estranged husband. We've come together as a community but Cassandra still needs support. She was a stay at home mom before this tragedy. She hasn't returned home since the loss is so deep. She has become an advocate for domestic violence victims Camryn is trying to live a normal life but now she's left as an only child. I know the loss is so tremendous. Cassandra has always helped others when they need it and would give the shirt off her back to help someone else. I would love for them to feel a little spark of joy in their hearts and know that there is still good in the world."

Here is a post directly from Cassandra, a letter to her son, Colton:

You can read about the full story HERE.

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How you can help:

You can purchase items directly from Cassandra and Camryn's Amazon Wishlist and they will be sent directly to them (choose Cassandra's Wish List Delivery option at checkout).

Thank you for Paying it Forward.

Pay it Forward- Nicole

This is Nicole.

"Nicole is an amazing single, veteran, mother to four awesome children. She has been fighting a very rare and aggressive cancer – Small Cell Neuroendocrine Carcinoma of the Cervix for the past 4 years. She has endured over 50 rounds of chemo, had over 25 hospital stays, numerous surgeries, infections, 28 rounds of radiation and a failed clinical trial. Unfortunately, her body is starting to fail and she's running out of options. 

Her tumors have continued to grow and her doctors advise her to go on hospice. 

 Because her disease is so rare and aggressive, she has traveled to MD Anderson in Houston every 9 weeks to one of the few experts in the world on this rare cancer for the past 4 years. 

The costs of travel, medication, treatment, her recent divorce due to her husband leaving due to cancer diagnosis/stress and her oldest going to college have added much financial stress on top of the extreme physical and emotional burden she is carrying. 

 I would love to see her and her family have a wonderful Christmas. 

It would be so nice to make this Christmas a little easier for this well-deserving mom and her kids. Her children are 7-year-old twins, 12-year old daughter and 19-year old in college."

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Location: Ann Arbor, MI

How you can help:

You can purchase items directly from Nicole's wishlist for her kids and herself to make their Christmas a little better this year.

*Once all items are purchased the list will be empty.

Thank you for Paying it Forward.

Pay it Forward- Stephanie, the Fighter

This is Stephanie and her family.

"I share this every year and I don't know that I will ever stop sharing it. Because, here's the thing, I wish I saw a story like mine when cancer came barreling through my life. I wish there was someone years ahead of me on this same road. Someone thriving. Someone surviving. Someone beating the odds and truly living life after a horrific diagnosis. I wish I could see that doctors could be wrong, that statistics didn't matter, and that hope could be healing. 

I was diagnosed on January 25th, 2012, only 19 days after my 25th birthday. 

Stage 3, high grade metastatic Large cell Neuroendocrine cervical cancer-the rarest of the rare and extremely aggressive. 

I was given less than a 20% chance to survive that first year. I'll never forget my oncologist crying as she shared the news. My medical team wasn't sure which route to take and suggested we try anything. If it didn't work, we'd move on to the next option. 

A week after receiving my diagnosis, I underwent a radical hysterectomy, deeming me infertile.

The following week my port was placed, and days later I began chemotherapy. Ecternal radiation was added; My body bombarded with toxic cocktails. 

I would do anything to survive. 

Soon I was cancer-free, but within three months a softball sized tumor had grown. From no evidence of disease, to a softball sized mass. My first of three subsequent recurrences. My chances of survival sank lower and lower.

More surgeries. More chemo. More hospital visits. More blood transfusions. More emergency room stays. More pain. More grief. More trauma. More fear. I thought it would never end. 

But it did! 

4 fights against cancer. 4 surgeries, 55 chemotherapies, 28 radiation treatments and I SURVIVED!

I was cancer free for almost 4 years when this last recurrence (my 5th time fighting cancer) happened. It was a devastating shock.

When I was first diagnosed, my husband and I had a large savings and we had to completely drain it to pay for all of the expensive treatments. We still haven’t been able to build a savings back up because 5 times through cancer is extremely expensive.

I’ve had a total of 5 major surgeries, 73 chemotherapy treatments, 28 radiations, countless ER visits and hospital stays.

I finished chemo the day before Thanksgiving and my next scan will be on Dec 18th. 

I meet with my doc on the 19th to find out if this treatment worked. 😅😅😅"

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I have followed Stephanie on Instagram for years and one thing I absolutely LOVE about her is her outlook on life. 

She, despite fighting cancer FIVE times now, at such a young age, is so incredibly optimistic! 

She can truly teach us all that no matter what tough things you are going through, you can always find hope and positivity in life. 

In July 2018 Stephanie and her husband Matt adopted a sweet baby boy, Breck. 

Stephanie, Matt & Breck need your prayers. 

They need prayers for clear scans. That Stephanie will be cancer free again and for a long, happy life.

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How you can help:

Stephanie and Matt are in need of monetary donations. 

ANY AMOUNT WILL HELP!

You can Venmo Stephanie at @smadsen

All monetary donations will go to medical bills and general living expenses. 

Breck, their 1 year old son is also wanting a Kidkraft Kitchenette for Christmas.

If you are wanting to donate one, you can Venmo Stephanie with the title "Breck kitchen"

and those funds will be allocated toward purchasing for him for Christmas. 

You can follow Stephanie's story on her Instagram at @derailingmydiagnosis.

Thank you for Paying it Forward.

Pay it Forward- Bethany

This is Bethany and her girls.

"I am nominating one of my employees, Bethany. She is an amazing single mom and struggles to make ends meet. She doesn’t have family and lost her mom to breast cancer. With Christmas close, I would love to be able to bless her with presents for her children. She has 2 girls that she works so hard to provide for. She spends her days working for me as a preschool teacher (which doesn’t pay much) and her free time making sure the girls play sports and cheer... she is constantly fundraising for her girls so they can play and participate in the things they love. She is an amazing person and mother and she deserves to not have to struggle for one Christmas! It breaks my heart to see such a selfless person go through so much. She could really use a blessing!"

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Location: Irving, TX

How you can help:

Bethany could use some help with basic necessities for her and her girls.

Pots, pans, underwear, socks, and shoes for her girls as well as gift cards and some gifts to go under the Christmas tree.

You can purchase gifts directly from Bethany's Wish List and they will be sent directly to her.

*Once the wishlist has been fulfilled the list will be empty.

Thank you for Paying it Forward. 

Pay it Forward- Naomi

This is Naomi's family

"This year my dear best friend lost her fiance and father of their 3 children, and her middle child in an accident. In September Maurance Sr. had the 2 youngest babies, Nena (6) and Maurance JR, (4). 

He was being the fun, silly Dad as always and he lost control of his truck and it went into a pond. 

Maurance was able to bring their 4 yr old up to land and went back for Nena.....neither of them surfaced. 

Naomi and their oldest were at volleyball practice and didn't find out for hours what had happened and that she lost them. They didnt have life insurance. I cant imagine being in Naomi’s shoes, nobody can.  

Jr, their 4 yr old son doesn’t understand where Daddy and sissy are.  

Ariana, their 12 year old daughter has always been more mature for her age but has really had to grow up quick these last few months.  

My heart breaks when I see her, she has been so strong for her mom. Naomi doesn't make much and provides the best she can for the babies, but her house needs work. Some of the floors in the house aren’t finished, she needs drywall work done where Jr let a sink over flow, a few interior doors need replaced, but Naomi never complains.  

She doesnt ask for anything, she always finds a way. I have asked her a few times what is needed and she always says nothing. Of course this holiday is going to be excruciating for her, especially when Nena should have turned 7 on Dec 10. I only wish I could take some pain from her. I thought I could try and take some weight off her shoulders by nominating her for PiF 2019."

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Let's help make Naomi and her kids' Christmas a little better this year.

LOCATION: Fairfield, Ohio

How you can help:

Naomi needs things in her house fixed, as well as gifts for her 2 children, Jr. and Ariana.

You can purchase gift cards to Lowe's and Home Depot and gifts from their 

Amazon wishlist.

*Once the wishlist items are fulfilled, the list will be empty.

Maybe a handyman that can come donate some time and materials to fix some things around their home?

Please send any resources to JBHolidayPIF@gmail.com

Thank you for Paying it Forward.

Pay it Forward - Tara

This is Tara & her 4 kids

"Tara is a single mom to her 4 children, JD- 7, Kayda- 5 (6 soon), Danielle- 4 and Dylan- 2. She homeschools the 3 older kids because of her oldest having severe autism, and her self having a seizure disorder that keeps her from being able to drive. She is one of the best moms I know, she does everything she can for her children. Life hasn’t been easy for her and her kids. About 3 years ago she finally got away from her toxic relationship with her kids father. All of the 3 oldest have been through more than any child should go through. The tipping point was when he abused her oldest son, and she finally left. She has to support her kids off of social security income and food stamps due to her not being able to work because of her seizures. Our family definitely helps her where and when we can. Every year we help make sure they all get items for Christmas, because otherwise they wouldn’t have anything. But this year I want to nominate her and her kids because they have a major need for beds and bedding more than anything. 

They have mattresses but they are falling apart and very stained and old. She makes sure every month that she gets everything the kids need and pays her bills for her apartment. She buys bus tickets to get to and from all of the Dr. appointments she has to go to every month. Most months she has very little left over. I want her to have joy again and to not have to stress over this holiday season!" ************************************************************************************

How you can help:

Here is Tara's Amazon wish list. You can purchase items directly from her list and it will be sent directly to her. 

*Once all items are purchased on her list, the list will be empty.

Let's help Tara and her kids have a great Christmas this year!

Thank you for Paying it Forward.