Ellis Island and the Statue of Liberty

It was really cool to finally be able to see the Statue of Liberty! She looks so much neater in real life... :) We thought we wouldn't be able to go up it, but we got surprised, and anyone who wanted to could go up to the top of the pedestal! (It's about half as tall as the whole statue.) The view up there was beautiful.

First, we took a ferry to Ellis Island, where all the immigrants were processed.

Dad and Betsy boarding Miss New Jersey

Ellis Island from the ferry

In the Registry Hall

Sarah hanging out

Sarah and I

"Da Man"

How often do you get to see the back of the Statue of Liberty?

The original torch (in the museum under the pedestal)

You know how old this foot is? Ask Kelly...Lady Liberty hasn't taken a shower in a little too long!

Looking up from the top of the pedestal

The beautiful view of Manhattan from the pedestal

These are the stairs going up to the crown, and you can kind of see the skin and skeleton, too.

Three beautiful ladies (Mom says :)

We (Mom, Ang and I) were walking around it at the base, and we looked up and saw a familiar gray head. Turns out it was Dad, Sarah, Betsy and Danny, and we had to wave at them for a while before they saw us. You can barely see Dad, but he's up there. :)

Two beautiful ladies (says me)

The little kids were so excited to become Junior Rangers.

The swearing-in ceremony

Typical shot, only without the Photoshopped sky

We stopped at this aquarium-place on our way through Rhode Island where my heart was forever captured by these fish!!!! They were absolutely adorable! (Too bad they were $69 each...and require salt water tanks. Bummer. And it would probably die under my care anyways.)

Dad's dream truck...?

Danny had a better choice. :)  He looks so macho.

We spent most of the day today (Thursday) driving. The countryside/seaside was gorgeous and the little towns were absolutely adorable! I'd do just about anything in order for everyone we know back home to shift over to New England. :) Then I could move here. How 'bout Newport, Rhode Island? (Oh yeah, and we'd have to bring the bus kids, too... :)