Way back When-esday

This one is a picture from our pre-kid days. You know, the days when we could fly off to fun destinations at the drop of a hat. This is a particular favorite. After Christmas in 2001 we went to New York City. It was a great trip. It was only my second trip there, but on the first trip we had done some of the more touristy things, so this time we were able to really see more of the city. It was also only a few months after 9/11, and the tragedy was still very real when we visited Ground Zero. But this picture depicted one of my favorite parts of the trip. This is Little Italy all lit up for Christmas. In the heart of New York City, it's almost like a small town street festival. There are lights, holiday music playing on loudspeakers, people milling about the street vendors, and shop owners making holiday announcements on several streetcorners. And while we were there, it even started to snow. It was a perfect experience. We may not be able to make such trips at the drop of a hat anymore, but someday we will definitely take the kids to NYC during the holidays.