HARRY POTTER IMAX AT MINDNIGHT!!!!!!!!!!!!

Seth and I went and was the midnight showing of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 1 last night!  It is such a fun experience to see all the hype. I thought the movie did a great job trying to follow the book, there was two romantic scenes....that I thought were over the line for Harry Potter (not from the book). But over all I was jumping, and squeezing Seth's hand throughout most of the movie....very intense!  Can't wait for the last one!!

P.S. Neville Longbottom is my Hero!!!

Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious Birthday in NEW YORK CITY!!!

 After literally running to make the train (due to lack of parking spaces/ lack of parking attendant to pay) we slid right between those about to shut doors, and began getting excited for our next three days in the Big Apple!  We got off in Grand Central and looked up at the new LED lights that represent stars in the constellation on the ceiling. We walked to Andrew's work (Seth looked like an Ozarks Kid...which a huge backpacking bag on his back....I think he took a few people out!) to store our luggage for a day! Andrew was an incredible host, he really made our trip so easy and enjoyable!!

 Took the subway to the Natural History Museum, Seth was hungry so he stopped at a cart vendor and got Lamb on rice....pretty good!

 Crazy weird Monkey....I think it looks like my little brother....Here is a shout out to you Marcus!!! Love you too!!! haha!

 This museum that we are in is the museum from the movie "Night in the Museum"

 This is the realtive to the Grizzly, the Brown Bear....it is bigger but not nearly as aggressive!

 JESSI!!!!!! PUMAS, COUGARS, MOUNTAIN LIONS....OH MY!!!!

 I wish I had this collection when I teach Biodiversity to my future Biology Students!!!!!

 Picture this crazy huge crab nipping at your toes.....it freaked me out!

I am in my rainforest!  SAVE THE RAINFORESTS!!!

 Waiting for Andrew at Columbus Circle...This is one of Andrew's favorite spots in the city. 

 Yes....he is too sweet!

 So for all who know Andrew...you all know that his vocabulary is as vast as the stars in the sky (That is some mild Andrew lingo). Anyway...Josh Agee guess who won??? I was so excited to beat Mr. Andrew at Scrabble, it should be a huge compliment to him!!  Granted....he had a word on there that I thought was spanish, but it was apart of the English language and I had some good three-to-four letter words...haha! He might have just let me win due to it was my birthday week, but I will take it as a great present!  

 This is my Hillbilly husband in the big city, and yes those are my boots strapped to the outside...just classic!! 

 We walked across the Brooklyn Bridge, we were on our way to South Seaport to get Broadway tickets half off!

 South Seaport

 Ray's Pizza in the Italian District....Thanks Jeremy for the advice to go there....it was great!

 Chinatown...I got to put to work my bartering skills I just learned at our Dave Ramsey class!  I got some scarves and headbands!

 CHINATOWN!

 GETTO

 MARY POPPINS!  It was practically perfect (for all of you who have seen the show!) Seth and I absolutely loved this show, she were so impressed and entertained! We got great seats...just seven rows back! We saw the actors spit and sweat....it was awesome!!! Perfect Birthday Present!

 We are on the subway back to Brooklyn...our tummies told us we needed a piece of cheesecake on Times Square before we went back to Andrew's apartment, but our feet were telling us a different story...tummy won out on that debate!

Yes, I have fallen in love with Eggnog Lattes from Starbucks!

 TOP OF THE ROCK! We went to the top of the Rockefeller tower and got a beautiful view of the sunsetting over the city!  It was breathtaking to see all those lights! It was like Christmas!!!

 Empire State Building

 

LOUIS' LUNCH

We got lunch at Louis' Lunch the other day, it is known as  the first place a  "hamburger" was ever made.  It is a New Haven landmark! The place is still owned by the great grandson, and he was working making the burgers when we were there!

They don't use hamburger buns, just toasted bread....and no condiments...that does mean no ketchup Papa John!! :-)

HALLOWEEN WAS LOST

LAST EPISODE OF LOST

We finished the season for Halloween....we popped the homemade popcorn with Reeses pieces in the popcorn (thanks Beth Hughs for that addiction) Carmel Apples, and Cherry Coke.  Yes, we got a tummy ache on junk food....just like you are supposed to our age...haha!   

BONJOUR! MERCI! QUEBEC CITY!

We are just strolling down one the oldest streets in Quebec City, looking for a place that serves SUGAR PIE and....oh yeah lunch :-)

This was our first food stop, this all in one bakery/soup&sandwich/gelato/coffee bar place was voted on for the best croissants in Quebec City. Yes...they were very good...but all the food there was just mouth watering! Seth wants to open a place like this in Springfield....you should have seen all the bakery items...it took him forever to choose what he wanted. The little boy comes out in him when he is in a bakery....very excited and can't decide! So cute!

 We didn't see the Canadian Flag very often at all....it really really surprised me! But, the Quebec Flag was everywhere!!!  We were listening to the only English speaking radio station on our way into Quebec City, and it was talking about how they want to become their own country....not in rebellious way...just in a pride for how they are so set apart from the other Canadians.  We loved how rich the culture was in Quebec! I felt like I was back in Italy walking through these streets....

This was the Cathedral of Notre Dame, it was very beautiful. 

 This used to be the fort for Quebec City, but now it is a huge hotel called Château Frontenac. It was so incredibly huge, it looked like a castle!

We met a friend here, he was from Brazil. He asked us to take his picture, and then he took ours (he did a good job!) Nice guy, we small talked....and went on our ways...to be continued...

 Oh Mom, the Fall decorations were so magnificent! Window decorations, Door wreaths, pumpkins, huge displays, gourd wreaths....you would have loved it!

I got my birthday present in Quebec City, Seth got me some new nice coats. Now I will always think of our wonderful trip to Quebec City when I wear them!  

 This is at our incredible restaurant La Lapin Saute. Seth ordered Duck which had strawberries and herbs and potatoes, I had rabbit lasagna....yummy!  Then this is when the tears started flowing from Seth (haha) we ordered the Quebec traditional Sugar Pie....words can't describe it!  This is also where we met up with our Brazil friend...the restaurant was very small and tight...we sat down literally right next to him (it was like we were at the same table so close)! So we had a nice dinner conversation that night!!!

Mom, look closely at those decorations!!  I want my kitchen to look like the inside of La Lapin Saute, they had herbs hanging from the celling, brick walls....some day...dreaming....

Old Quebec City has a wall around the city...this goes back to the fort era of the city!

 Just enjoying the french culture....and their food!!!

We had just a marvelous time...Seth really wants to go back to Canada and do some more exploring. I wish we could make it up to Prince Edward Island....it is 14 hours away though!

 We had an amazing Crepe, with some fresh squeezed carrot, apple, and orange juice....too good!

We sat and watched the ice skaters on a public rink...bring your own skates and anyone can hop on! The atmosphere in Quebec is like none other in North America....from my experiences....GO there!!!

CHOCOLATE PUDDING RECIPE ANYONE? :-)

So we were invited over to a couples house from our church here in Connecticut to have dinner and play games. We had a great time chatting, admiring their adorable little girl, eating a wonderful dinner, and I loved how the girls beat the boys in the game!!!  Go Jen!!  But, the CATASTROPHE of the night was my chocolate pudding....So here is the story....
We will first just blame this on Seth because he wanted me to bring the ingredients over for me to make them my pudding for dessert...he loves the pudding... usually haha!  I was a little leary b/c sometimes the pudding recipe can be temperamental...aka... chunky...haha! But I gave it a try, and it was turning out okay until I put the egg whites in the pudding instead of the egg yolks (error #1)...thought it might still turn out. But to finish it off the last ingredient is vanilla, BUT I packed lemon extract on accident (the bottles look the same...come on!) so yes we did have lemon flavored chocolate pudding! Sick Nasty....or so we thought....Why I tried again I will never understand, I mean give it up Brooke you lamed out in front of your new friends...let it go. But, I couldn't I knew that I could make a freakin good batch of chocolate pudding and I wanted to redeem myself....so round two me vs. pudding.  All was going well.....until the chunks started forming....I stirred like a wild women...but the chunks would not disappear (now I am sweating and embarrassed haha) I start to call my husband back for reenforcement "Seth...this isn't looking too good"  Of course, he was supportive until he saw the mess....haha!  No hope, yes we got a rich flavor of chunky chocolate....and what treasure did Seth find in his pudding???? Yes a boiled egg yolk...round yellow hard boiled yolk...it cooked before it could get stirred in...that was the icing. And then the sweet people tried to eat around the chunks.....and then they tried to tell me that their stove gets really hot....and they always use a lower setting. Thanks Jeremy!  But overall we bonded and made memories....and you all know I will do anything for a good memory!!! Sorry Jen and Jeremy! I promise you will get a good dessert out of me before we head back to the big M-O!!!  Of course, the desserts always turn out good when we go over to the Miller's house....Geoff and Jamie count yourself as lucky! After this story you might just give me the plate...instead of hold it hostage for another apple pie...haha! Thanks Frontline friends! 

I WILL....

This was a little video project I had to do for my digital media project....The song is my Geoff Byrd and Seth heard this on the radio and said that this song was how he felt about me....it really hit home for him.  Our marriage counseling project was to write "I Will" statements about who we want to be in our marriage to help shape and develop us as a married couple in Christ.  We do thank God for it all!!!