Every year on Veteran's Day, I want to read sections of my Grandfather's journal to my kids. He was a soldier & served in WWII.
My Dad has a copy at his house, and I keep meaning to see if I could either get it copied somewhere there, or just write out several sections myself - as you can imagine, he is very protective of it!
The trouble is, I never think of it when we're actually there - just on days like Veterans Day & Memorial Day. I have added it to my "Utah List" for the next trip, and hopefully next year we can read it and I can teach the kids a few things about him and his life.
In the absence of the journal, I thought a trip to the Intrepid Museum would be good. The S.S. New York (the new ship that was made largely from steel reclaimed from the twin towers site) was docked next to it, but no-one was that interested in heading over there, so we just went to the Intrepid.
We had to take Jane to the doctor in the morning, so we went after lunch.
We missed the landing of a Blackhawk helicopter that was at 11am, but it also meant that Rick left work early and met us there. Any day that Daddy gets to join us is super!
We did get a picture with the S.S. New York in the background.
If Jacob ever becomes a fighter pilot - this is exactly what he wants his plane to look like!
Jane hadn't been feeling well. In fact, we took her to the pediatrician right before heading into the city. Double ear infection. Did I take this poor sick baby home? No, I'm afraid it's the curse of being the 4th child. I just went through the drive through of the pharmacy and we gave her a dose of antibiotics and ibuprofen and were on our way. She fell asleep in the stroller as we were getting our tickets and slept the whole time we were there. She woke up much happier!
Of all the things that we got to see on this ship - the thing that probably fascinated the kids the most was this phone. What's that circle thing???? Why is there a cord on it???? How do you dial????
Seriously, this was the phone we had in my house THROUGH HIGH SCHOOL for me.
Yes kids, items from your mother's childhood are now in a museum!
Out on the deck, they had a rescue helicopter. The kids could climb in it and touch all the stuff.
The pilot and a couple of the rescue guys were there answering questions.
Jacob thought it was wonderful, and loved sitting in the pilots seat.
Emily, in the flight simulator.
Jane woke up as we were exiting the gift shop. Sad that she missed it, but it did make the afternoon much easier for the rest of us! (Sorry Jane.) Entry is actually included on our Brooklyn Children's Museum membership - so we can go anytime.
We'll make another trip when Jane isn't under the weather.
We all headed over to Mars 2112 for dinner.
{iPhone photo}
Jane got out to walk, since she'd been in the stroller so long!
I love watching those little legs hurrying to keep up with her Dad. It reminds me of running to keep up with my Dad's long strides when I was a little girl.
{iPhone photo}
We'd never been to Mars 2112 before, and I though it would be fun for the kids, especially Jacob. It's not too far from the Intrepid and not having to move the car was a huge plus.
It's a space themed restaurant. You take a "ride" in a "spaceship" to get there and there are aliens walking around, etc. The layout and decor are supposed to be as if you were on Mars.
Maybe this restaurant was cool when it opened. Don't bother going there now. The "ride" to the restaurant was $2 a person and made me feel kind of sick. The service was TERRIBLE. Seriously, really, really bad. All of that could have been ignored if the food was halfway decent - but it wasn't. It was kind of like Applebee's on it's worst day.
The one "up-side" was that Jacob was convinced we had really gone into space. However, this made him completely terrified of the aliens walking around. He turned his head away whenever they walked by, and stared at them when they weren't looking with eyes like saucers the whole time he was eating - completely on guard. I think he was waiting for it to turn into the Cantina scene from Star Wars!
It was nice to be able to spend this day thinking of my Grandfather, and other veterans who have given so much, that we might have the life we do now.
A happy day in the city for our family!
