New York City Day One Pictures

I can't believe it's over. After years of talking about it -- and months of careful planning -- my nieces Amy and Nicole have BEEN TO NEW YORK CITY.  We're back in Iowa now -- and I get to blog about our fabulous visit.

Amy and Nicole are two very busy young Moms...and neither of them has ever been to New York City.

Because we were flying "basic"(more about that later)...we had to limit our packing to one carry on and a totebag.

I put luggage tags on EVERYTHING. My camera, my purse, my totebag, my suitcase...

I made some new luggage tags -- using Mary Mulari's fabric tie-on tag method...

Buying our MTA subway pass.

The BEST value for a dollar!!  We loved, loved, loved the subway...

The Macy's Flower Show was going on

Macy's was decked out.  Flowers EVERYWHERE...

This Flower Show is a miracle.  Really -- not one dead head or brown bloom anywhere.  HOW IS THAT POSSIBLE??

Jackie, at Herald's Square.  Daffodils were blooming all over this beautiful city.

Oh, yeah -- that's the Empire State Building just down the block.  Wow.

Our last stop at Macy's was to find the original wooden escalators...in continuous operation since 1914.