Happy New Year!

I keep forgetting to add things to this blog. The time has flown by recently!

In the middle of December, Wendy and I headed to New York City to check off a bucket list item (Wendy's list). We went specifically to see Andrea Bocelli in concert at Madison Square Garden. Spectacular concert!

On the GO train heading to the Island Airport

Times Square, a block from our hotel

At the concert - we had bar stool seats

Bocelli did mostly classical and opera for the first half, then Christmas for the rest.
He sang with his son Matteo and 10-year old daughter Virginia.

Rockefeller Center

Random spot near Rockefeller Centre (next to a glass waterfall)

At the top of the Summit One Vanderbilt Tower

In the ballroom at Summit One Vanderbilt

In the ballroom at Summit One Vanderbilt

After New York and all the rain, we travelled to Orlando to meet Parker and his girlfriend Jaclyn, plus Wendy's best friend Mel and her husband Murray, and their friend Ivan.  They did Animal Kingdom before Wendy and I arrived, but we all headed to EPCOT the next morning.

At EPCOT

Lots of 4D rides and goofy glasses

Dinner inside an Aztec temple

We also went to the Disney Hollywood Studios park. Lots of great Star Wars rides.

Intergalactic Coca Cola stand

At Oga's Cantina

The Magic Kingdom was our final park. Remind us not to go to Disney the week before Christmas... it was very crowded!

Shopping at Disney Springs for our day off. I had a frozen Kirin beer. I also came down with a cough and chest congestion. Not unexpected.

Universal Studios was our next destination. The weather was cool, but the crowds kept us warm. It was even busier here, compared to Disney. 

Ready to get on the Hogwarts Express train to the other Universal Park.

The Dr. Seuss area was a hit. 

The big storm of 2022 started to hit the continent, so 3 of our companions had to cut and run to make it home before the flights all got cancelled. We stayed and waited for our flight to be cancelled (it was). I was feeling so rough and we were all exhausted that we decided not to go for the second day of Universal.  We were able to rebook on another airline for the 24th of December and got a hotel near the airport - expecting to be cancelled again. We were not!

While we were at the hotel, Adam informed us that the storm pushed down our neighbour's tree onto our house. Here is a clip ( https://photos.app.goo.gl/f9zuogUb6cVfqkNG8 ) of it coming down.

It damaged our gutters, so insurance is looking at repairing it. 

Maddy received a beautiful hand made Christmas gift from Tanya - a new bed. She loves it. 

Our family picture on Christmas Day 2022.

This is our extended family photo with Anton and Tanya. They moved to their own apartment on January 1st after staying with us after their arrival from Ukraine on Easter Sunday. 

We had a late Christmas Dinner on Boxing Day and it turned out perfectly!

Puzzles happened many times over the holidays!

July in Manhattan

In mid-July, Parker and I tagged along with Wendy on a trip to New York City for Wendy's work conference. We hit all of the major tourist destinations during a week that was likely a record breaker for heat! One day the humidity made it feel like 109 F! The huge crowds everywhere seemed to make the heat worse.

Below are a bunch of pictures that we took during the trip.

Carnegie Hall was about 2 blocks from our hotel

Times Square was an 8 minute walk from the hotel

On the subway heading downtown

One World Trade Center

Parker and Wendy at the North tower memorial beside the name of my father's friend (who was on flight 11)

"The Oculus" is an underground shopping mall at the base of the World Trade Center

Interesting architectural details inside the "Oculus"

One World Trade Center - great views and a mind-boggling 60 second elevator ride to the 102nd floor!

Wall mural in the Crocs Store (made with Crocs!)

Parker with a 4th of July milkshake!

The USS Intrepid Air, Sea, and Space Museum

Space Shuttle Enterprise

Parker on the Flag Bridge

Parker with a large slice of New York cheesecake

Wendy having "chicken and waffles" - apparently a thing in NYC

Manhattan as seen from Roosevelt Island

Parker on Roosevelt Island

Parker's 'favourite building' was the UN Headquarters

Getting ready to cross the Brooklyn Bridge

The Flatiron Building

Wendy looking at purses on 5th Avenue

Many people were taking pictures of the barricaded Trump Tower - and a few were giving it the finger!

The American Museum of Natural History

This selfie is just my way of proving to Parker that I am not that old!

Dum dum gimme gum gum.... (Night at the Museum)

Decorative railing in the Natural History Museum

Belvedere Castle in Central Park

Here is a time-lapse video of the craziness that is Grand Central Terminal. If the video doesn't work on this page, click here: https://goo.gl/photos/YEnwc2B1Nxi3iLDg7

Next stop this summer will be Portage la Prairie, Manitoba!