Christmas Lights Are Up!

My Paper City...

Finally, here is a picture of my paper city:

Busy again!

I have been really busy the last month!! School started back up about 4 weeks ago. Going into the 5th week of school. I also got into making paper models of buildings that I saw in New York. I have 7 built already and another on my desk waiting. I will post a pic of my expanding paper city in the coming days.

Where have I been?!

I can answer that question in one word: busy!! I have been really busy since we got back from NYC. I helped my dad shingle/tin a roof, and I learned some interesting stuff from the guy that owns that house. I learned that toothpicks can be called finishing lumber. You know because you use that piece of "lumber" to finish your meal. That pretty much sums up two weeks. Then the last two weeks I have been golfing getting ready for the fall season. I also go an iPhone! In the meantime I also got 400 of my NYC pictures posted to facebook, and here are the links for those:
New York Part 1

New York Part 2

I can't believe school starts in....10 days!!

Extremely Hot Weather!

This week has been extremely hot!! The temperatures ranged from the upper 90's to low 100's. And on top of that there was dew points in the upper 70's. The heat index ranged from 105- 120. It was really miserable to be outside. We are supposed to have a break from the heat tomorrow then it comes back on Friday (I think, I'm all screwed up with days).

Many Spelling errors....

I read through all my posts of the trip and found that I made a lot of spelling errors. Oops! Maybe it was because I usually posted at like midnight which was the only time I had. O well.
On Monday I had 3 more peachicks hatch. That makes 15...or 16... can't keep track of all them. I have already close to $300 saved up for a trip next year. Hopefully we are able to go again!

Day 10: Tyndall, SD

Today we made it home! We left at 9 and made some stops on the way and got home around 9. The trip went by so fast. Thanks again to Erin and Steve for a very memorable trip. Better start saving for next year again!

Day 9: Chicago

Today we made it to Chicago! We arrived around 10 and went straight to the Willis/Sears Tower. We went to the top, took some pictures and went back down and ate. Then we had a tour guide come on our bus and we toured the city. The first thing we saw that was of real interest to me was Harpo Studios which is where Oprah taped her show. After that we went in more of the run-down part of town which was really boring. Then we saw the house where Muhammad Ali used to live and the house where President Obama's lives when in Chicago. Then we drove through Chinatown then along the shore of Lake Michigan. We made a stop along the shore where we could take pictures. I took a great picture of the skyline, see below. Then we went to Millenium Park where we saw the "Bean",  Crown Fountain, and the Pritzker Pavilion. Then we ventured to our hotel in downtown Chicago. In an hour we are heading to Navy Pier for the rest of the day. We are going to eat at Bubba Gumps, go on a river cruise, and watch the fireworks. Tomorrow we head home!

Chicago and Lake Michigan from the top of the Willis Tower.

Looking straight down from the Ledge.

"The Ledge".

Willis Tower.

Entrance to Harpo Studios.

Muhammad Ali used to live here.

All that we could see of Obama's house.

Chicago Skyline and Lake Michigan.

Pritzker Pavilion

"The Bean."

Crown Fountain.

Buckingham Fountain.

Day 8: Coldwater, MI

Today we left NYC and headed back to the corn fields of South Dakota. We made it as far as Coldwater, Michigan tonight. Tomorrow we leave at 8 and should be in Chicago by 10. Lot less traveling compared today, today we traveled from 8 am to around  8:30 pm. Since I didn't get my pictures from yesterday up I will do that now! Was going to do on the bus but didn't get good internet service.
Yesterday we just got some last minute sightseeing in. Our hop on- hop off bus had two routes so yesterday we took what was called the Uptown tour. The first thing that I saw of real interest to me was the place where John Lennon was shot. Then we went around the perimeter of Central Park and made a stop at the Plaza Hotel/GM Building/ Central Park. First we went to the Plaza. I wanted to go into the hotel because thats where Home Alone and Eloise was filmed. We got into the lobby and it looked nothing like the movies. The only thing that looked similar was the dining room. After that we went to the GM Building which is where CBS has it studios. Since we saw NBC studios I thought we should CBS since we were going right by there. After the GM Building we walked into Central Park to a few pictures and walked out. Just to say I was there! We then went back to the hotel and rested. At 4 we went with our group to the Yankees Game. The rest of the bus took the subway but we decided to take a taxi. While we were waiting for a taxi a limo pulled up and we got to and from the game in a limo. Lot better than the subway. Pictures from yesterday:

John Lennon was shot here in front of those gates.

Dining room at the Plaza Hotel.

The Plaza Hotel.

CBS Studios.

Yankee stadium. (Target Field would have been better!)

Day 7: Last Day in NYC

Today was our last day in the city. We were busy today getting last minute sightseeing in then we went to the Yankees game tonight. Since I don't have time to post picture tonight. I will post them tomorrow on our way to Coldwater, Michigan. Everybody is read to be out of the city, but I would have liked to stay a whole week. At least I got to see everything I wanted to see. More pictures tomorrow from the road!

Central Park.

Day 6: NYC

Today was another day of sightseeing. We got up at 5:30 to so we could get to the subway at 7. We rode the subway from Times Square to the World Trade Centers. Then we walked to Battery Park. We did that so we could  get to the Statue of Liberty ferry faster. When we got on we stopped at the Statue of Liberty and walked around the base. Then we got back on the ferry and rode to Ellis Island where we toured the Immigration Museum. After that we got back to battery park and hopped on our bus and rode until we got to the United Nations. We stopped there to take a picture of the and the Trump World Tower. We also stopped at the World Trade Center museum which was very interesting. Tonight we are off to the broadway show Mamma Mia then to the top of the Empire State Building. Tomorrow is our last day in NYC.
Pictures from today:

Statue of Liberty

Lady Liberty up close

Bike building the Tuttles of American Choppers.

Lower Manhattan and Upper Manhattan in the distance.

names of people who came through Ellis Island.

Ellis Island Immigration Museum

Memorial to the firefighters who died on 9/11.

Plane window that was recovered from Ground Zero.

Piece of Glass from the World Trade Centers.

More things recovered from the site.

Steel beam from the WTC.

United Nations.

Trump Tower.

Day 5: NYC (Part 2)

Here are some pictures from our night tour. The tour took place in Lower Manhattan and in Brooklyn. We traveled over the Manhattan Bridge, which was really scary! The night tour was really cool, especially when we got back to Times Square and it looked as if it was day time. Tomorrow we are going with Erin to the Statue of Liberty via the subway at 7 am.

The New York Times building

A McDonald's on Times Square

The Chrysler Building

A street in Chinatown

Crossing the Manhattan Bridge

Lover Manhattan and the Brooklyn Bridge

The Kings County Federal Courthouse in Brooklyn

Empire State Building at Night

Times Square

Lots of People on Times Square

Times Square Marquees

Day 5: NYC (Part 1)

Today we started using the hop on- hop off bus service we have access to. Today we made through most of mid and lower Manhattan. The first thing we saw of a lot of interest was Madison Square Garden, which is an event center. Then we drove by the largest Macy's store in the world. Next was the Empire State Building, we go to the top of that on Wednesday. Then we drove by the Flat Iron Building. Finally we got off the bus to see Ground Zero. We had a really eerie experience there, right when we got to the site a firetruck came with its lights on and the horn blowing to get cars out of the way. That was what we would have heard that September day. Before looking at the site we went into the church that survived the attacks without a scratch, not even a broken window. The church is St. Paul Chapel which is right across the street from the World Trade Center site. Then we walked around site. The are building the memorial so we couldn't see much, but we did get to see the new WTC Building going up (The Freedom Tower). Then we hop back on the bus and saw the New York Stock Exchange Bull. After that we stopped at Battery Park which is where "The Sphere" is located. The Sphere was once located in the plaza at the base of the World Trade Centers which survived but with holes in it. Then we drove to Rockefeller Center and saw NBC Studios.
We are back at the hotel now taking a rest and getting ready for our special night tour of the city.

Madison Sqaure Garden

Largest Macy's store in the world.

Looking up at the Empire State Building.

Flatiron Building

St. Pauls Chapel

Ground Zero

the new Freedom Tower

New York Stock Exchange Bull.

The Sphere.

Manhattan Bridge.

United Nations Building.

The main building at Rockefeller Center.

St. Patricks Cathedral.

NBC Studios.

Will post pictures later tonight from our Night Tour.