....hurry up, it's over....

......there is nothing like a soak in the bath after a long day......or after a long, extended five day weekend wrapped in family, adventure, laughter and togetherness.....

......when cool August days bring family from afar and the sun shines it's rays of warmth on three little cousins who want to explore all that NYC has to offer......it was a sight to see......

.....and with each minute, hour and day's arrival was the realization that it always slips by so fast.....so much anticipation, so many hours of planning, so many things to put on the list of to dos when the time of togetherness finally arrives........so we relished all of the prized time.....

.....the classic moments of our baby boy cousin playing dress up with two sisters....

.....the shared acts of love and kindness.....

.....the rough housing that is unique only to an uncle, a Daddy or a grandfather......the kind that makes you laugh until tears roll and your belly aches.....an exhausting act of jollity....

......the increasing acts of nurturing.....my innate care givers and Mommy's helpers.....

.....and as much as the littles kept us moving, kept us laughing, and kept it real; we certainly looked forward to an escapade that involved lights, music and action.....so, after the arrival of an amazing babysitter, who happened to have three kids under 2.5 asleep by 8pm, we began our festivities....and we can't bear to think of a night of festivities without including Rathbones in the equation.......

.....and so it began.....

......and continued.....

.....until we had our New York moment at the end of Rock of Ages when I insisted on sneaking just one photo.....after many warnings of no photography whatsoever, we did get our group shot.....and a blaring,  screaming, angry voice abruptly shouted, WE SAID NO PHOTOS.....ok, dude....sorry....

......pretty good shot from our stranger friend......at least we had already seen the show.....it's not like the angry man could take my camera from me.....

.....and the show was amazing.....actually, amazing might even be an understatement....imagine an evening filled with the best 80s music you thought possible.....it was better than that....absolutely incredible.....we danced our way out the venue.....away from the angry employee.....and as I looked over my shoulder as we bopped towards the exit, I think I may have even seen Kirk and Stefan bouncing to their own beat.......

......and reality hits early the next morning when the babes are ready for another day of play.....nothing a hot and steamy cup of brew can't chase away......

.....one last lunch together.....so we worked up an appetite.....again, the ever so excitement of anticipation.....

.....added with a twist of history and tradition.....

......and you get happy, full bellied loved ones.....all of whom headed home for a well deserved nap......

.....and it was over as fast as it arrived.....

.....it was action packed, love infested, humor infused, squeezed together with some great meals, topped with 5 pizza joints we stack ranked and sprinkled with memories we will always recall in a New York minute....I am fat and happy....

.....Kirk, Erica, and Chase......thank you for making the trip to spend such precious time with us....we love you guys.....xxoo