Ash

Our time in New York has been so much better/easier thanks to the fact that my sister has been living so close.  She was a nanny for a family in New Jersey and would come in most weekends and crash on our sleeper sofa, and hang out with us.  She was so fun to have around.  She also babysat several, several, times for us for free, which I know I've mentioned the price of babysitters in the city before, so she's saved us a FORTUNE!

She left today to go back to Utah.  I'm so sad!  I'm going to miss her so much.  The girls will miss her too.  I feel like we've always been pretty close, but being together out here has definitely strengthened our relationship!  It will be lonely in the big city with out her!

Embarrassingly enough about 7 or 8 years ago we became obsessed with the Amanda Bynes show What I Like About You.  We used to watch it all the time and talk about how awesome it would be if we lived in New York together, like the sisters in the show do.  We used to say we were going to do it one day.  This morning before she left she reminded me about it and said we got our What I Like About You moment.  It gave me a good laugh.  Not quite what I had in mind all those years ago, but it's been an amazing time, and I'm so glad she's been here for it.

 We've celebrated a few holidays since we've been out here together, but we were lucky enough to spend her 23rd birthday with her last month.

 For her birthday we went to brunch at Alice's Teacup.  A favorite of ours.  Ash got to sit next to Avery which was probably more work than a birthday girl deserves, but I think she still enjoyed it.

This place is fun.  They have a HUGE variety of teas...including several herbal teas.  Hailey loves it because they give all the little girls fairy wings to wear while they eat and sprinkle them with Fairy dust as they leave.  I love watching her with her little tea cup.

Ash has saved me.  I don't think I ever realized that I was an obsessive person until moving to New York.  I've gone through several different OCD periods since moving to the city.  Probably the most memorable was the bed bug obsession.  Someone I knew got them and I became terrified I was next.  Ash came to our apartment one night and found me tearing apart furniture, squinting, picking up crumbs or specs and examining them.  Honestly I was very near a breakdown.  Luckily my sis laughed hysterically at me and made me realize how insane I was being.  She brought me back to reality in record speed just by imitating me and laughing at me.  I don't know what I'll do with out her, but I'm so glad I had this time.  Love you Ash!