Ohio and NYC and a little bit of Pittsburgh

I know for a fact this is going to be a long post but I couldn't figure out how to split it up into separate posts so... if you don't want to read you can always just scan through the pictures but I have a ton of funny and cool stories too!
To make our way out to Ohio we used my (Lindsey's) mom's flight benefits from jetBlue. My mom is a pro at flying standby she makes it so easy for everyone even though I know it is stressful for her. We are so grateful to be able to use her benefits though because just the flights would have cost us over $1000 per person. We started heading out Wednesday night from SLC to NYC on a redeye flight then once we got to NYC we hopped on a flight to Pittsburgh and then drove from Pittsburgh to Ohio. Ben and I were unable to sleep on the redeye flight so we slept on the flight to Pittsburgh but it was only about an hour long flight. We all ( Mom and Dad Parry, Lindsey, Ben, Spencer and Morgan) pitched in on the rental car and we got a van that fit us all. It was a very classy van but we later found out it had a mind of its own.

Miss Ava had been waiting for us all day but finally went down for nap a little before we got to there house. When we arrived Trevor and Savannah greeted us. We all just sat around and chatted and figured out a plan for the week. Ava was so excited when she came down the stairs to see all of us I loved it!
The next day which was Friday was Ava's #2 Birthday so it was a big party day for her! We had dairy free egg free pancakes (because Ava is allergic). We went to Toys R' Us to pick out presents. Mom and Dad Parry bought her a bike but they have to have it delivered. Ben and I bought her a super cute ladybug helmet. Ava loves opening presents and she is so grateful for everything its adorable.

Ava in her Ladybug helmet

Grandma, Aunt Morgan, and Ava with her b-day cake

That night we had wacky cake for her b-day and played with balloons and ring around the rosie's and danced to the bear necessities. It was an Awesome Party! 

Another super cute thing about Ava is she is being potty trained right now. She is doing so good and has a ducky potty that quacks when she goes. Ava and I had been playing and I noticed she was being a little different so I asked her if she needed to go and she went on a dead run to the bathroom! LOL... later that night she was sitting at the table and I went to go the bathroom as I was closing the door I caught her eye she gave me a HUGE grin and looked at me like "You go girl, show 'em how it's done". It was awesome! 

Ben and his Thurmanator

Spencer, Morgan, Me, Ben, Amy and Trevor at Thurmans

The next day, Saturday, after breakfast and lots and lots of playing including sledding, Me, Ben, Spencer, Morgan, Trevor and Amy headed to Thurmans a famous little place where you can get a burger called the Thurmanator. We left Mom and Dad Parry with the girls at home. The wait to get into Thurmans was about 2 hours but it was totally worth it! Ben and Spencer got the Thurmanator I shared wings with Trevor and Amy and had fried pickles and a coney. Yes so healthy I know. Everthing was amazing! We were so full but when we got back to the house my mom had just took fresh cinnamon rolls out of the oven. Oh my goodness. Killing us... literally. 

Pulling Ava in the sled

Ava being silly on her horsey

Me and Baby Savannah

The next day, Sunday, was baptism day for Savannah and a baptism/birthday party with Amy's family. 

Everyone got all dressed up and pretty for the big day. 

Me and baby Savannah (my goddaughter)

Ben and Savannah

The baptism itself was a really neat experience and so spiritual too. Father Mark who is Amy's uncle performed the ceremony. I am so grateful we were able to be a part of this special day.

Father Mark, The godparents, parents and Savannah

Spencer, Morgan, Amy, Savannah, Trevor, Ava, Me, Ben, Mom P, Dad P

 Afterwards we headed to Amy's sister's house for a fun party with cousins and more presents and lots of yummy food. While we were there one of Amy's sisters came in and said there was a van outside with its lights on. Someone thought it was theirs but then Dad went outside to check and it was our rental van. Not only were the lights on it was running! Lol! My dad didn't know how he that had happened. We knew it had an auto start on the keychain or something but we couldn't figure it out. The next morning before we headed out back to Pittsburgh Dad went to go load up the van and the side door was open. We decided that that van had a mind of its own. 

The crazy van

We said our goodbye's :( and headed to Pittsburgh. We barely made it on time for our flight. Once we got to New York we had to ride the AirTran to the Subway and then took the Subway into the city. First stop was the Hard Rock Cafe. 

A wall of over 300 guitars which were all donated.

Mom and Dad P at Hard Rock Cafe

Ben and I with our HUGE appetizer that we had as our meal

Then we headed to Timesquare and went to the Hershey's store, Toys R' Us, The Disney Store and also got to see some really cool street performers/dancers. 

Ben and I in front of Timesquare

Mom and Dad P in front of T Rex at Toys R' Us

Jack Sparrow made completely out of lego's

Me, Mom, and Morgan at Timesquare

It was an amazing trip I am so glad we were able to go.

Bike Ride and other thoughts

Ben and I wanted to go for a bike ride today... it never happened. That's OK though we are set for the next time we want to go for a ride. The way the situation went it kinda reminded me of the book "If you give a mouse a cookie". We had to find bike riding outfits which can be difficult when it's colder outside because you don't want your pants to get caught in the chains. Ben ended up wearing my old dance pants with some of his shorts over them and I wore some cut off sweats that Ben has threatened to throw away ... LOL not going to happen. Then we had to find our keys and Ben's shoes which ended up being in the closet... Then one of the bikes tires were flat so we had to look for our bike pump...couldn't find it so we drove to my parents house to get their pump and by the time we got back home it was dark and freezing so no bike ride today BUT on a positive note we are so ready for the next time we want to go on a bike ride.

 

In other news Ben is thinking about trying to get into the police academy. I think he would really enjoy it and it's something he has talked about doing for awhile. He needs to take the NPOST test to be able to apply and probably wouldn't be able to get in until the fall or so. Right now he is working at IHC in the E.R on call and at 1800contacts and is waiting to hear back about a concrete testing job. He will be taking a math class at SLCC this semester and then he just needs one more math class to graduate with his Associates degree.He is also hoping to get into ji jitsu this year which I have kinda a hard time with but he'll be fine right? 

I'm trying to get into Weber State to take some prereq's for their nursing program. I'm sick of SLCC. I've gone their for to long and I feel their are better options out there. I like their online set up as well as well as they don't have a waiting list for their nursing program and since I already have my associates degree I have a better chance of getting in. However, one tiny setback I was planning on going this semester to Weber online I applied about a week and half ago and had SLCC send my transcripts but I haven't been accepted yet I'm supposed to know by tomorrow...school started this past Monday. Little stressed. My alarm actually went off the other day and Ben said I sat straight up in bed and said " Hi, I was just calling to check on the status of my application." and then I turned my alarm off. 

On a funny crazy note Ben almost got karate chopped in the face the other day. It was after we watched a movie where people broke into someone's house you know the kind anyways I was coming out of the bathroom and heard someone coming down the hall and just to be safe I karate chopped and ended up an inch away from Ben's face. Needless to say we both started laughing uncontrollably. He is so patient with my random "freak out someone's in my house who's not my husband" episodes. Like that time when we first got married and I got up to go the bathroom in the middle of the night and Ben didn't know he thought a pipe broke in the bathroom and told "me" who was not in bed that he was going to check on it so he opens the door to find me on the toilet with a shocked look on my face and he's even more shocked because he just told me he was going to check on the broken pipe. I started screaming for some reason and then there was a whole bunch of laughing to this day. Speaking of toilets and bathrooms I got told I was going to heaven at the hospital the other night for cleaning up some feces. Hope that didn't gross anyone out but it's nice to know someone thinks I'm going to heaven ya know. It's a crazy random life but ya gotta love it. 

We leave for Ohio Wednesday night for a few days. I'm so excited. I just found out my brother Jason is going to be able to come out as well so the whole famdamily will be together again. Ben's also never been out to Ohio so I'm super excited for him. 

I'm going to try and take more pictures this year if Ben will let me ;) He says they all look the same but just with a different background. That's just hilarious.

Here I am...

Hey it's me Lindsey. So remember last year how I was doing that whole weight loss thing and I was doing so well and I had lost 10lbs? Well I really fell off the wagon sometime after the 10lb mark and now I'm back to square 1 or even worse square negative 10. I've gained that weight back plus some. I'm super embarrassed and ashamed and don't know why I let it happen. I'm also not one to let out all my thoughts and feelings on the internet but I need support and I need to be held accountable. I don't consider myself terrible unhealthy I ran a half marathon just a few months ago but I want to do more I know I'm capable of more and I don't want my weight or my health to hold me back EVER! I can do this this time. It's going to be life change. I'm going to finish this and it's going to be great. Not quite sure what my winning plan is as of now besides trying to eat healthier and a ton of exercise! So here I am admitting I didn't follow through last time and ready to do it better this time around. Also, I'm open to help suggestions anything.