On the morning of January 1st, Tom and I hopped in the car (because with gas prices below $2/gallon, who could resist?), and after about 12 hours on the road, we arrived in New York City!

The purpose of our trip was twofold. One: we wanted to have a good time and check some things off the bucket list. Two: we planned to visit our friends who have been half-transplanted to NYC for their son's cancer treatment.

I've been wanting to write about our adventures as a way of remembering and sharing, so here goes part-the-first.

The "good time/bucket list" goal was accomplished as follows: Our fun began Friday morning when we visited the Today Show, and checked the first item off the bucket list. On a typical morning at our house, the Today Show chimes signal that "It's seven o'clock!" and we all start shouting and running around to get ourselves out the door in time for school and work. But on those occasional off days, snow days and summer days, I love to sip coffee in my pajamas and watch the Today Show, while Matt Lauer, Savannah Guthrie, Al Roker and others bring me the "news" (okay, so it's also a lot of "what's trending" and other fluff, but I like to call it my "news"). I'm always a bit envious of the crowd of people waving at the cameras and bantering with the anchors, which is perhaps why this crazy wish ended up on my b-list.

Now that I've "been there done that," I can watch with sweet memories, rather than envy, as I recall waiting in the chilly morning air and then shaking hands with Savannah and Willie (Geist), seeing Al up close and in person, and even being on national TV behind him. (Yes, of course we had the kids TiVo it so we could save it for posterity...we've already gotten a few good laughs out of it!)

In keeping with our "good time" goal, we took a self-guided holiday lights tour on Friday night, starting at Bloomingdales and walking over to and down 5th avenue. Our eyes feasted on the windows, lights and music/projection shows of Bergdorf Goodman, FAO Schwarz, Tiffany, Trump Tower, Saks 5th Avenue, Rockefeller Center, and more. With the hustle and bustle of New York City as our backdrop, we even enjoyed the noise, crowds and traffic...a far cry from the quiet woods that normally surround us.

The second bucket list item was to see a musical on Broadway, which we checked off on Saturday. Since the Hotel Edison, where we were staying, was only a block from Times Square, it was easy to find the ticket vendors and theaters. First thing Saturday morning we purchased our tickets, opting for the 8:00 evening show rather than the slightly cheaper matinee. This was a good decision, as it allowed us to take our time sight-seeing around the city in the afternoon. After navigating the NYC subway system and spending several hours at the World Trade Center 9-11 Memorial Museum (more on that in Part 2), we headed back to Times Square.

At the Stephen Sondheim Theatre, we saw "Beautiful: the Carole King Musical." It was...BEAUTIFUL! (Of course.) I was so impressed by the seamless set changes, the familiar songs (too many to list!), the amazing voice and piano-playing by the lead (Jessie Mueller), and the touching story of Carole King's life and rise to stardom. It's hard to put into words, but that lump-in-the-throat feeling I got when she started singing "You've Got a Friend" and "Beautiful," I won't soon forget. To complete the experience, we waited at the backstage door for autographs and photos with the actors. There's something to be said for seeing Broadway stars as "ordinary people," out of their costumes and make-up, donning coats and hats in the winter air, just like the rest of us. (Photos: Me w/Jessie Mueller & Scott J. Campbell)

After the show, and a few selfies in Times Square, we walked to our hotel. Near the back door a small crowd was gathering at the Richard Rodgers Theatre, where the musical "If/Then" was playing. I convinced Tom to wait in the drizzling rain for about 15 minutes so that I could get a glimpse of the show's star, Idina Menzel! (For those who aren't familiar, think Elphaba from Broadway's "Wicked," and Disney's "Frozen" voice of Elsa and "Let it Go.")

When she finally emerged from the theater, everyone started snapping photos like the paparazzi. People were having her sign their Playbills, and since I didn't have one, I found an envelope in my bag and was able to get close enough to hand it to her. She asked me if it was "for keeping or for signing?" and I confirmed it was for an autograph for my daughters (hope she wasn't too disappointed it wasn't fan mail!). She returned the envelope with her autograph! Okay, some might call it a scribble, but it was proof for my girls none-the-less, that their mom had met a real star!

In addition to all the entertainment and events, we truly reveled in the sights and sounds of NYC. Bright-colored confetti collected in gutters and along curbs where the ball had dropped just a day earlier. The bakeries, delis and small food markets found on every street corner tempted our taste buds with New York style breakfast sandwiches, bagels, pizza and cheesecake. Surrounded by so many different cultures and ethnicities, we felt like tourists in a foreign country at times (and probably looked like it too).

Lest I sound like a star-crazed fanatic and wide-eyed, photo-snapping tourist, let me remind you that I spend about 98% of my days in the Midwest country and woods. Around our house excitement consists of seeing deer or wild turkeys in the back yard. So when this country girl has a big city adventure, I am filled with an intense desire to take it all in...and that we did.

It was a great start to our new year. If the first few days are any indication of what's to come, 2015 promises to be a year of bright hope and new adventures.

NYC, part 1: Country girl in the big city