Our 'Vacation' that we need a vacation from!

Whew!  The last few days have been nothing but a whirlwind of activity!  I will start this out by saying, we do not consider the last week a vacation.  Waking up at 4:30AM (3:30AM CST) was not our idea of a good time, but it was well worth the outcome:)  Kevin and I had our first big trip together and not only did we survive, I think we enjoyed our time together:)

We went into "The City" on one of the first days.  Needless to say, Kevin and I can both CROSS THIS OFF OF OUR LIST OF PLACES TO LIVE.  I have mad respect for those of you reading this who do live in New York, but it was not for us.

We started off at Time Square - I saw Cookie Monster and Shrek!  Cookie Monster was a little too fond of me as you can see here - - - After we had our pictures taken, Cookie Monster demanded that I tip him for his time taking a picture - he felt that $10 was appropriate.  I felt like $0 was more appropriate.  We settled at $1.

We saw Ground Zero, we saw the Statue of Liberty, we rode on a double decker bus, we saw where Payton Manning lives, the list goes on and on and on.

The real point of the trip was to watch my little brother graduate from West Point Military Academy and to be commissioned as an officer after his graduation.  This was not a day long process, it was a 2-3 day long experience!

The cadets preform several types of 'parades' throughout the year.  The graduation parade we have been told is the most impressive.  I have to say, my favorite part is the hats!  How fancy are those!  Only the Seniors or Firsties get to wear the hats with feathers (along with the handsome red sashes).

They really do all look the same with their hats and haircuts. 

The entire week was FULL OF PICTURES! I kept telling Andrew, this is a once in a lifetime moment, we have to document the entire process!  After the parade we took more pictures. 

They must train them not to smile!

 The next day was graduation day!  This was so exciting for me because the POTUS was speaking (oh yea, and graduation was happening to) as the commencement speaker.  Something about being in the same building as the POTUS is incredibly awe-inspiring to me.  There was one, no wait, two slight problems with this day.  Because POTUS was coming to speak they had asked that we all be on grounds by 7AM (graduation started at 10AM), in our seats by 8:30AM.  The weather that morning was not what we were told it was going to be.  So we (all 4000 of us) showed up in nice dresses, sandals, etc.  It was foggy/misty/rainy and about 48 degrees.  It's a miracle that we did not come home with pneumonia! Our seats were also on the other side of the stadium from POTUS, but that did not stop me from taking a hundred pictures (and videos).  

Happy Graduation Andrew!  Don't let go of that diploma!

To finish out the day we had Andrew's commissioning ceremony.  We went out to the shooting range where he has spent the last 4 years of his life as a place to get away and enjoy himself.  Andrew (although he will never admit it) has been one of the top shooters for the Trap and Skeet Team for West Point.  I think that the commissioning was my favorite part of the entire trip.  It was a private/intimate setting with just close friends and family.  There were four cadets who were commissioned out there that afternoon.  I was even more excited because my mom got to put Andrew's officer bars on his jacket!  

Also, let's not forget that I got to go to West Point prom (a banquet for cadets and their guests the night before graduation).  

 All in all a great week, we may not have gotten a lot of R&R but we got to spend some great time with family and friends and made some great memories!