Generally ones in the flats look a bit "leggy" that can be caused by too much heat for the available light during the day and too warm at night. Notice the seedlings on the lower shelf, (in the jiffy things) how they are skinny and leaning... Also I see drops of water on the tomato plants, try bottom watering. I see you have a rubbermaid container in there. The lids are great for bottom watering. Pinch off the dead and dying leaves from the tomatoes, when you transplant them plant them so deep that the dirt is just below the good leaves. The stem grows roots that way, gives you a really good tomato plant. Try putting an oscilating fan on the shelf below your cordless drill. Seedlings grow with thicker, stronger stems if they are wind blown.

Sounds like a great trip - we are likely do the same trip this year. My concern is keeping DH entertained. Two of our boys live there. DS3 has lived on Mulberry St going on 1.5 yrs - it is a wonderful neighborhood no matter what time of year. He was on 58th for 2 yrs, next door to One Columbus and a block down from the Hudson (fun to look at, have a drink, not my taste to stay there). DS1 moved there 1.5 yrs ago - first year .3 mi east from brother on 58th (midtown and near shopping) and now in Hells Kitchen (Lots and lots of restaurants). That is the west of the Times Sq area. I encourage you to find maps on line or Barnes and Noble and look at the neighborhoods. It might influence where you stay. I sometimes stay with the boys, sometimes in hotels very near where they live. (found on line) I would also plan some alternative activities....the weather may impact what you do. Also google places and print them out - it will help you get organized and recognize it. An fyi - Top of the Rock and Empire St Bldg viewing areas are COLD and windy, no matter what time of year, I did Empire in Feb, ....we were almost the only ones there and could only be in the outdoors for a minute or two without warming up inside. Worth doing, but do dress for it. Top of the Rock was freezing in August. Street food is fun in midtown around Rock Ctr - DS1 works in 50 Rock and knows which are the best carts, I can never remember but skip the ones that don't have a big line. Funny though, DS3 won't touch street food....his loss. A few things that haven't been brought up: The Campbell Apt in Grand Central Station. Go for a drink...look it up on line - very historic, most tourists would not find it. Grand Central Station is interesting even if you don�t find the Apt. Eataly on 5th, amazingly fun - google it. La Crepe at 51 Spring in Nolita (DS3 in between Prince and Spring on Mulberry) - OMG good. Last summer I happened upon NY Cake at 56 w 22nd, the most amazing store for baking supplies - it is overwhelming....very fun store. And it was chance I found it, I was trying to get to Home Depot that is a block up, Yes there is a HD in Manhattan ... they just dont cut wood - they cant handle the dust). Go through the Time Warner Center shopping and check out the huge Whole Foods downstairs, fun for lunch just for the experience. (Columbus Circle - 59th st) From there walk up to Lincoln Center - host to so many events - including Fashion Week shows. There is a cute place called Rice to Riches down in the Mulberry - Nolita area - a block from La Crepe that is only Rice Pudding....about 20 flavors, all delicious, fun containers....I was in there once and had just ordered when a tour guide actually brought a huge group in there to see it. In Flatiron, try L.A. Burdick, the most amazing Hot Chocolate ever.. you could hit art galleries in Chelsea then have dessert.it is at 5 E 20th. Great on a cold day. Fun store for house wares: Gracious Home up in the Lincoln Center area. Also not to be missed: ABC Carpet and Home at 888 and 881 Broadway at E 19th - a wonderful old building and 10 floors of wonderful / interesting things to look at....it has been in business since 1897. I have seen it mentioned on this site from time to time. The Apple store on 5th (near the opposite side of the park - maybe 60th and 5th) might be hit with your kids - it is a big clear cube and you go down to shop. Thinking of engineering and architecture, one interesting thing about NYC is that it is so old and yet they adapt through the times and generations - stores that have small store fronts easily has three huge floors all underground. I live in SoCal and don't go anywhere with my car here....in NYC I ONLY take cabs....if I am with the DSs I will do the trains but give me a cab anytime. DS3 is a cab taker too..faster, easier, you see the lay of the land. I can and do the subway to get anywhere (except going to /from the airport) in London but I find the NY subways dark with not great signage and harder to figure out. I also walk and walk and walk and walk. Keep your eyes open when you are there, you never know who you will see! Yellow cabs are a good thing, pass on the Black Cars - not subject to the same regulations. Just get out there and wave one down - the lights on the top of the cab will indicate if they are on duty (or not). You will feel like a native! Sorry to be so wordy, and easily with nothing you are interested in ..... seems I am in a NY state of mind.......

Just a clarification to the Florida native who stated newer homes did not fare as well in the hurricanes. That is not the case across the board. I know many older homes with water damage like the new homes - HOWEVER there were PROPORTIONATELY more damaged newer homes - all water damage due to shoddy construction and lack of paint. Yes, according to the report by the Florida Builders Association - PAINT. You need to check into who the builder of the new home was. Builders who had the most problems were Ryland and Mercedes. The subdivision where we recently built was built by Lennar. We had NO damage whatsoever in any of our 300+ homes - not even 1 shingle was lost. We carefully canvassed our neighbors after each hurricane as we live in a smaller community and have developed close relationships with our neighbors. Compare that to our neighborhood in Winter Park - homes there were built from the 50's to the 80's and were custom homes. There was no home without at least shingles missing. The difference is that the newer homes built by quality builders have been built to far better withstand hurrucanes than homes built before hurricane ANDREW came through in 1992. The building code was greatly changed after that in order to avoid the devastation seen in the Homestead area. The roofers had to use nails instead of staples and use more nails in each shingle...one of the main reasons roofs in the newer homes fared so much better than the older homes. The effects of the new code is true in many areas that can't be as easily seen such as: Our home has hurricane straps every 6 feet from the foundation through to the 2nd floor roof. It also has solid poured concrete every few feet throughout all the walls, I could go on, but you get the idea. Also, be sure the check on the schools. They can vary widely...in western Seminole where the previous poster mentioned, Lake Brantley High School, which has a great reputation, rated an A in 2005, but they were a B school in 2003 and a C school in 2004 according to the Seminole County website. It is not uncommon for schools to fluctate - look for a consistent score. You can find the ratings of all Seminole County schools here: http://www.scps.k12.fl.us/_doc/GradesSummary2005.pdf To state that you would never live in eastern or southern Orange County is doing those areas a great disservice. I love living in the Waterford Lakes area (eastern OC) and have friends in the Bay Hill areas and Isleworth areas (Southern OC) that have absolutely fabulous homes and love the area. They sit in their backyards by the pool and watch the Disney/Epcot or Seaworld fireworks at night. Some of these areas also have the newest and most up to date high schools with the latest in technology to offer their students. I would suggest the original poster look over all the different areas of Orlando, it is widespread and there are areas you would be wise to avoid..i.e. Pine Hills, west of downtown,etc. However, every area has its own lifestyle. The area I am in is more relaxed - I have wildlife in my backyard frequently...deer, bobcats, wild turkeys and even wild hogs. We love watching the wildlife come to our yard and feed out of the salt lick or drink from the swimming pool. We have this and we are in a new community. Not all new communities have 'postage stamp' yards. Our yard is not huge but it is between 1/2 and 1 acre - around 3/4 of an acre. We can take 528E and be at the beach in 30 minutes, hit 417S and be at the theme parks in 20 minutes or take 408W and be downtown in 20 minutes or take 417N and be at University of Central Florida and the surrounding research park in 10 min. I think you can find whatever you are looking for here in beautiful Orlando. Just decide what is important to you and take time to look around - there is enough variety for most anything you like.

Mine was on the right side of the main building - bathroom was decent size though no tub and I had an extra bedroom with a twin bed in my room (which I completely didn't need). Also a little deck that was on the side of the building but you could see the water. I had a flatbread pizza at the pub that was great and some kind of asparagus and buratta bruschetta type thing at the Chapman Tavern which was also very good. Haddock sandwich for lunch while waiting for my room - not so good. If I were to stay there again (which is highly unlikely) I would call and specify what I wanted in a room so as to get something to my liking. I think the rooms vary widely and I just booked mine online and it was fine for my two night stay. However the wait staff at the Chapman said the rooms in that building were very nice. I picked the building with ocean view rooms and didn't end up with one. Yes, two weddings while I was there with various wedding party members staying in my facility. That is one thing that would cause me to opt for a different house. They tended to take over all of the common areas. One was complaining about no where to hang the gown as the closet was in the bathroom. I thought about offering up my extra bedroom for the gown but used it as my "dressing room" instead. After making a day trip to Ogunquit I much preferred York Harbor as I don't care for the hoards of tourists and tourist shops which were more the situation in Ogunquit. It depends on what you like though. I liked walking along the coast and enjoying the quiet natural beauty and walking about town enjoying the beautiful historic, New England homes and gardens. There is much more in the way of dining and tourist shopping in Ongunquit however.