saturday afternoon we took eleanor and samson on their first row boat experience in central park. the weather was just too good to not be in the park and it’s been on our summer to-do list since, well, may. we had a great time together taking turns rowing (our kids wanted to do all the work! it’s like, where are you guys when the dishes need to get done?!) and enjoyed looking for ducks and waving to people on bridges above us.
josh and i haven’t been out on those row boats since we were first married. who knew we’d be back rowing with two kids a few years later? we were walking up columbus avenue past lincoln center on friday night as a family and josh commented on how crazy it is to think of just how many memories we have jam packed right here in this little pocket of manhattan. this little area specifically on the upper west side is where we first met, where i went to school and performed, where josh went to school, where our first date took place, where we were married… to name a few of the big ones. but also, this is where most of my growing up took place. where some of the biggest decisions of my life happened. i remember sitting on those steps in front of lincoln center late one night at 19 years old crying my eyes out as i came to the realization that i wasn’t the person i wanted to be and needed to make a change. i think about that moment every time i walk by lincoln center. that night was such a turning point for me. there are many spots and street corners and park benches and little cafes in manhattan that hold those kind of significant memories for me. it’s still very surreal for me to be living here in this neighborhood once more and to be raising two of my children here along side my husband. there’s no other place right now in all the world i’d rather be raising them than this pocket of manhattan, my little home.
^^^the skyline wasn’t so bad…^^^
^^^waving to a duck!^^^
This morning, i said to my boyfriend: “our next long trip, will be in New York City”. :)
It’s wonderful that you have so many memories tied up in where you live, and no doubt so many more to come! x
Thanks for sharing this first row boat of your kids with us! :) Beautiful moment and wonderful memories tied to the city were they are growing. They are a lucky pair of kids! :)
what a lovely post Naomi! I was at the very bridge a few months ago on our trip to New York. I’m looking forward to bringing up my future kids in London, and after 12 years here, it too is jam packed with memories and of growing up. xx
Great post, you always give me goosebumps..
And Samsons hair is not from this world!
These photographs are amazing! I just went canoeing for my anniversary, but there’s something about a rowboat that’s much more dreamy than a canoe. Adding this to my list of to-do’s for when I’m (hopefully) in NYC this spring!
beautiful words, beautiful photos.
I love all of these photos. –Hanna Marie
This post really spoke to me. I feel exactly the same about the city I live in. The first place I have lived since leaving my parents house, where I went to uni and met my love. I know that we will be leaving the city, probably in two years time when my man does his Phd, but this will always be one of the most special places in the world to me.
http://lifeiswhathappensblog.wordpress.com/
This is just the sweetest post. I love going to places already full of memories to make new ones, they always seem just that bit more special. Your family are the cutest.
Lucy xo | http://www.we-resolve.com
Oh wow what a beautiful post Taza! Your little ones are growing so fast! Such cuties. Looks like you had an incredible afternoon, really loved this post (as always)! Would love to spend an Autumn afternoon this way.
-Jade
Gracious Silhouettes
Hi Naomi, now that I have read and enjoyed this new post, I have to say that I´m more in love with your family (if that is possible!) :)
I´m learning about your faith and lately I have lots of questions burning in my head. Do you mind if I ask you some things?
I was just wondering… do you think that your life would be very different if you weren´t mormon? Do you miss something in your life? I mean, is there something that you wish you could do and you don´t because of your faith? Do you feel that non mormon people treat you different when they know about your faith?
Please, do not take this questions like I want to hurt you or something, because I don´t. I admire and respect you. It´s only that I would like to hear answers from people which I see as firm in their beliefs like you :)
Thank you Naomi.
Wow!!!
What a wonderful Saturday you had!
That city really has a lot of secrets from all the people that live there!
great pics! looks like so much fun.x
http://www.myclayexperience.com/
That is what the city is to me–a place full of memories growing up to be the person I am today. Except all below 14th Street and my pocket of Park Slope.
We did this as a family and it was so much fun! I want to go again after seeing this! What a beautiful view of the city it must have been
i love this post! how special it is that your children are growing up where their parents fell in love. as they grow, they will surely fall in love with NYC, too. what a precious little fam you have :D
xxoo,
nikki
http://www.dreaminneon.blogspot.com
Thank you for refreshing honesty and optimism. It’s so lovely to read something that’s down-to-earth and values family as much as you do.
wow- so pretty! i remember being there a few years back. i have had many moments and memories i remember like that in the city of chicago as well.
Such a sweet post, and beautiful pictures! It’s great to read along with your reminiscence, I’ve never thought so much about the passage of time until when we had our little one and everything seemed to stuck on fast forward (I want it to slow down SO much). Also, wanted to say thank you so much for the mocs from your giveaway. They arrived last week and we absolutely love them!
Great post thanks for sharing. Your little pocket of New York is special. I love that area and being so close to a temple is amazing! We are hoping to spend some more time in central park next trip up as it was chilly February last time we were there..lol–
What beautiful photos!
We love, love, love your blog and wrote a short article about it:
http://lasagnolove.blogspot.co.uk/2013/09/our-favourite-blogs-part-2.html
Hopefully that’s okay!
Love from Germany,
Bambi
I would love to know where your shirt is from!
Your photos are beautiful! My husband and I visited NYC in a whirlwind 2 day trip, and one thing we didn’t get to see was Central Park. I’m so in love with the city; I hope we can get back there one day soon and take in some of these amazing sites. Thank you so much for posting the inspiring images! I love your blog!!!
Jess
beingbarlow.com
Awesome photos and the kids look uber excited :)
what sweet little kiddos you have. i am in a completely different boat then you guys, though. my little family of 3 just moved to a completely new area sans family or friends really and now have the task of creating memories in our new and beautiful Montreal.
http://the-sprouted-bean.blogspot.ca/
What a fun evening!
Looks like a WONDERFUL day with the family. :)
Ahhh rowing the boats in Central Park is always romantic! Esp if it’s with ur own family aka adorable kids then it’s all the more special & sweet~ Splendid captures :)
http://www.speakstyleandrock.com
How fun! Beautiful photography. Looks like a wonderful Saturday. <3
So fun! Your family is beautiful!
http://www.kaylee-daily.com
What a wonderful & sweet post Naomi! Your little corner of New York is one of my favorites. Isn’t it wonderful to see things come full circle? :)
Lovely photos to accompany the post as well! The colors are brilliant.
xx
love this post! so much happiness! xo
Thank you for sharing something so personal, makes me love you even more.
I love following all your adventures in that lovely city. Been a follower since before the littles were a part of the picture & Ive loved watching your family grow. You all are so lovely and your kids are going to be amazing people. Lots of love to you all.
By the way I really am loving your hair that way, you look gorgeous!
Home is where the heart is… and what a beautiful place NYC is to place your heart and your family! <3
What a lovely way to spend a Saturday! I’ve done a lot of growing up in my city as well, and I love passing by the places where those little moments that I felt myself evolve took place.
I had a moment exactly like yours when I was 19 too. Crying my eyes out realizing that I wasn’t the person I wanted to be. I made a change that night and my life has been all the better for it every since! Thank you for the lovely post and bringing me back down my own memory lane.
when you’re with the ones you love, there are memories around every corner.
http://semiweeklyeats.blogspot.com/2013/09/work-outfit-2.html
eleanor’s little pigtail messy buns are probably the cutest thing i have ever seen. i mean, i’ve seen them before a million times. but they’re just adorable and i felt the need to tell you.
and samson waving at the duck? for reals.
that’s all.
I love your shoes! Where are they from?
Those shoes!!!! Where from?! Thank you.
Looks like so much fun. Thank you for putting your babies in life jackets. There are so many people (idiots) who don’t.
Thanks for sharing those special memories! As always, such an enjoyable read. All the best.
this is so ironic. i just went to nyc last weekend and road on the row boats. my husband and i actually got engaged on a boat there :)
i also just wrote about the boat house on my blog, too. great minds think a like.
check out my page if you would like!
http://breakfast4two.blogspot.com/
That little pocket of Manhattan is also my very favorite part of NYC although I have spent milliseconds there compared to you… my sister lived there for 2 years and on my visits… it’s just the most charming part of New York, and I fell so hard for it.
where is your top from? love the color and simplicity. perfect for fall.
—m
Looks like a lovely time!
So sweet! How hard was it to keep those babies in the boat?! My niece is 17months and would love to dive out of the boat to get those ducks! haha
xo kristen genevieve
sunnywithachanceoflemons.blogspot.com
I love when you share your little moments and special memories with us! It really puts life into perspective for me. Life is just full of so much love and wonderful things! It’s good to sometimes just stop and take everything in! Beautiful pictures!
Such a beautiful family! It’s reassuring to know that you had some of the 19-year-old crying-your-eyes-out moments like I’m having now. I would never have guessed it looking at your lovely life!
You do a great job of describing that wonderful feeling that everyone covets – that you’re exactly in the place where you are meant to be! Thanks for the lovely words, as always!
pure delight
http://www.thismomsgonnasnap.com
Awe – this looks like a wonderful family outing together! The pictures are beautiful!
xo
Rachel
I love that you guys have made New York City your home, the memories definitely make it so much more than just a city. I love the photo of the skyline – it makes me want to pack my bags and move up there!
love your lipstick!
What a fun outing this must have been!
I really enjoyed reading what you had to say about returning to live in a neighbourhood you know so well from the past.
I too have returned to live in a neighbourhood that I’ve lived in before … once, during a summer home from university and then again after graduation. Then after my husband and I were married we moved back here again. I just love it, and all the history and self understanding that comes with being somewhere you know so well. And we just passed the old house we were married in the other day on our way to get a bottle of wine! I can’t see myself ever leaving this place.
I always love your posts
=]
Hey pretty lady! What an awesome day! That green shirt, where did ya find it?
love your shirt! where’s it from?
i love to hear about your flashbacks from the past, they are inspiring, feels as if it will all work out for us. seeing you so happy sure makes me want to live in NYC, although i’m only 15 minutes away.
i love to hear about your flashbacks from the past, they are inspiring, feels as if it will all work out for us. seeing you so happy sure makes me want to live in NYC, although i’m only 15 minutes away
http://www.etsy.com/shop/blushbazaar
Your words were especially sweet for me to read in this post. It is nice (in a way) to know that even my role models struggled some at 19. It’s funny that is the same age I was when I had my own awakening about the life I wanted to live and the woman I wanted to become. You are an amazing lady and I appreciate so much your good example. I love how you adhere to even the smallest commandments and standards and I am grateful to you for doing that. Thank you for sharing your feelings, memories and experiences here. What a special place Manhattan must be for you & Josh. Cherish your time there with your little family. Beautiful photos, as always.
Xoxo
Keisha
How adorable is this! Love remembering moments like that too. It always makes you realize how far you’ve come in life. Great post Naomi.
This is so sweet! What a lovely activity for your little family!
This looks like such a wonderful time! I love going out in boats!
Leah Faye
a clover and a bee
Beautiful pictures! I love when places remind us of good memories – I think the same thing with my husband- I can’t believe we’re experiencing all over again our memories with a little one!
http://www.seashellsandeggshells.blogspot.com
I love this post. Such wonderful family photos – such a beautiful family, such a beautiful city.
Adorable. The “firsts” as a family are fun. Isn’t it crazy…those moments when you look back. I always look at my husband and think, “Imagine if we knew then”….and in your case, that you’d be back with TWO little ones. :)
Eleanor’s hair is always so cute! Oh, and I wish I kept up with the haircuts for our little man. Sampson looks so groomed, my little bear is always a mess, ha. ;)
xo,
Henna
http://hennablossom.com
New York looks beautiful. What a fun thing to do, I remember going for boat rides when I was younger.
Carina
http://www.carstina.com/
This makes me want to hop on a plane and fly to NYC! Wonderful memories!
Very cute!
simplyonelove.com
you say “two of your children” as if there’s a third…on the way?
Beautiful pics… Can you tell me where your boots are from?
Did you notice how green the water was on Saturday?!? Looked like paint!!! No good, poor ducky. Rowboats are amazing though. I once took a 7 year old boy with me & he looked up ar me with big blue eyes and said “I think when I have a girlfriend this will be a romantic date. Right?”. I died of cuteness overload.
What a fun family outing!
xx
Kelly
Sparkles and Shoes
The one and only trip I took to New York with my hubby (then boyfriend) we ran into Amy Adams and Patrick Dempsey filming “Enchanted” on those row boats! It was surreal!
NYC is such a dreamy city! The best for making memories!
x
I would LOVE to know where your shoes are from!
Memories are wonderful things we get to carry with us all our life. I’m so glad you made such beautiful ones in NYC.
so so sweet :) I was just wondering Naomi if you have any lipstick staying power tricks? Yours always seems to stay on perfectly!
Looks like a fun afternoon! :-)
what a gorgeous little getaway! a perfect family trip.
xx
Looks like you had a pretty awesome family boat ride. I still can’t believe you can do that in Manhattan! Thanks for sharing.
P.S. I’m absolutely in love with your lipstick color!
I absolutely love this! I can’t wait to take Olive for her first boat ride. xo
Fantastic words, i loved it :)
If you knew back at that time your life would turn up this beautiful, you would be smiling instead of crying, right? Everything always ends up ok, or better…xoxo
I lived on the UWS when I first moved to NYC in 2007. We now live in Brooklyn, but I have such nostalgia for that area as well. Although we love our boro and live near some amazing places, I would definitely consider moving back there, especially for the park. I used to go there almost everyday.
What a wonderful family adventure! I might be available for adoption if you guys want to expand your family. ;)
Amy @ http://www.thegiftedgabber.com/
what a lovely story, and such sweet moments with your babes. just precious!
ahh! i LOVE NYC sooo much! i wish my family and i lived there! or at least got to spend a summer or fall (my favorite time in NY) there! it’s so magical. i use to live on long island as a nanny and would go into the city almost every weekend. my heart is in that town!
OH! and i LOVE samson’s chuck taylor’s!
Just wanted to take a moment to tell you how breathtaking beautiful your photos are (your famiy too!). Love it.
Michaela
possibilityforsimplicity.wordpress.com
so fun!
Valentina
http://valentinaduracinsky.blogspot.com/
What lipstick color are u wearing??
Beautiful and funny pictures. Of course Samson makes me say “awwww” :) like always!
Hugs from Warsaw, Poland!
http://restlessblonde.blogspot.com/
Ive asked a couple times before and don’t mean to be a pest :) butt what blush do you use? So gorgeous! And love your hair like that!
thank you! it’s angelika by nars.
Love your shoes Naomi, where from?! I would be sooo grateful if you could also give me a good breakfast recommendation in the city , I’m staying sun- mon with my mom and 6 mnth baby boy. Staying at the Hudson if that helps. Figured you’d know of a great spot:)