Waiting for the Fast Pass time

Here I am, waiting. I really wish I was sleeping. It was that kind of day. The kind that makes you think, "Surely it's Friday!" But no. It's only Wednesday.

I'm waiting on Disney. Yes, I'm the crazy one, among thousands of crazy ones, waiting to book my Fast Passes online tonight. Disney's website says midnight, but that's eastern time. So really, I only have 26 more minutes to go. I thought, why not put it to good use!

We are so lucky to be heading to Disney again. I love Disney. My kids do too. I think secretly J does as well, though he won't really admit it. He does love Epcot and Hollywood Studios. I think it's because those aren't quite as thematic as the Magic Kingdom. We are headed there for 1 day. Yes, only one. We weren't even supposed to be going, but thanks to a silent auction, we are! The trip really centers around heading to my uncle's house at the beach. THAT will be relaxing. This will be exhausting, but so worth it.

A, C & I sat around the computer tonight making a list of the top 3 rides at each park we are going to:

Hollywood Studios:
Toy Story Mania
Rockin' Roller Coaster
Tower of Terror

Epcot:
Soarin'
Test Track
…I'm secretly excited about the countries. They'll be able to appreciate them a bit more now that they're 4 years older from the last time we went. And J has already said that's where we will find a good spot to sit down for lunch.

Magic Kingdom:
Haunted Mansion
Space Mountain
Snow White mine ride
Pirates of the Caribbean

I think we have a pretty good list going! The best part is, they would be completely satisfied if we went on these rides and nothing else. I love thinking about their reactions when they go on these rides. For the most part, these will all be new to them since they're taller. They've been talking about the Rockin' Roller Coaster and the Tower of Terror the most.

We are so so lucky to have the means to do these things with our kids. I feel so grateful to have things like this trip to look forward to! Even if it means visiting Disney for only one day!

A Taste of the Tropics-Land of the North Style

Today we had a taste of the tropics. Yesterday too. It was lovely. It was wonderful. It was (almost) as if we were there! Like on a cruise with our friends or in St. Maarten with other friends or…you get the idea.

This is a place our kids have been begging to go to since they knew what it was. Let's say they were…3. We pass it every time we go to my parents' house while driving on the freeway. And when they were that little, they went to my parents' house once a week so Mom could watch them while we were at work. Every single time we would drive by it would be, "When can we go there? Why haven't we gone there before?" Up until a year or two ago my excuse was always along the lines of, "You have to be taller." or "You have to be older." Well, no more. No more excuses. And thanks to Mom and Dad, we were able to go there as a family. Best. Christmas. Present. Ever. Said A & C.

If you ask what their favorite was, they'd probably say the family raft ride. That was a trip. I found out I don't like going backwards. As J says…where I don't have control. Going forward or sideways I was fine because I could see what was coming!

All of the slides were really fast! I even went on a body slide! That was a big step for me. The kids went on every single slide there was to go on. And many many times over. Going double on a slide was always a bonus because we got going really fast. I always screamed. And they always said, "Don't scream, Mommy!" I couldn't help it. 

Other highlights included the lazy river which is pictured above, the wave pool, and a splash area with smaller slides and other water features. A especially loved the wave pool, while C loved pretty much everything, especially the are where he could play basketball. A also went on a rope thing similar to this (which was in Oregon): 

It certainly takes balance and coordination to do that!

Of course I can't go on and on without mentioning our room. The kids thought it was great with bunk beds and their own night lights. They slept well, considering we were go-go-go until 10:00 when the place closed! We had a blast. Thank you, Mom & Dad, for giving us this gift where we were able to be together and make lots of memories! Now when we go by, they say, "We were there! Remember this and remember this!" They loved every minute of it.

Disney Cruise!

Finally…I finished it.

I take forever because I want things to be just so. But I finally finished the book!

I'm posting this instead of writing about everything on the blog…that way I only write about it once!

Enjoy if you like!

Click here to view this photo book larger

Shutterfly photo books  offer a variety of layouts and cover options to choose from.

on being a mom

Being a mom is

great
wonderful
priceless.

Being a mom is
tiring
hard
time-consuming.

Being a mom is
rewarding
joyous
never-ending.

Being a mom is all of these things wrapped into one. Before I was a mom I don't think I got it. In fact, I'm pretty sure I didn't. I just thought it was the next step. Then came the babies and that "baby stage" that wasn't my favorite either. It was hard. And tiring. And time-consuming. But then things clicked. I "got it."

I began to understand why I was picked to be a mom. I knew because of the sleepless nights. I knew because of the "Mommy!"'s all through the day. I knew because I couldn't go without having joy because of the littlest things my kids did, be it finding dandelions and bringing them to me, be it running to me when they were hurt, or be it the drawings or little notes they left me in the house. Those were the reasons I knew I was picked to "do" this thing called motherhood.

I think about my own mom…all the time…but today more than usual. I think about all she did for me and all she taught me. I think about how I use everything she taught me as I'm trying to be the best mom I can be now. Moms really are right. ALL. THE. TIME. That's what I know about mine. I also know she is strong. She is brave. She is everything I hope to be as I "grow up" to be like her. Because that's what we want to be…just like our moms.

Being a mom is
never what I thought it would be
better than I ever expected it to be
something I am so privileged to be to A & C.

Happy Mommy's Day to everyone!

Words from J

I love coming across old emails. Often times they are the ones I keep because there's something about them. I came across one of them today. 

J wrote these words on a Friday before he was going away for an annual boys' weekend. They're never my favorite weekends because he's gone. I'm completely spoiled like that because he doesn't travel for work. I always wonder how different life would be if he had a different job. It would be part of our life-his leaving on business trips and such. But for now, that's not how it is, so our family isn't used to having him gone. Clearly he felt the love before he left...

It is very humbling and heartwarming to have your son hug you like that when you're going to leave, not to mention so many hugs and kisses from your wife ;)

The abundant love you 3 give me on a constant basis makes me incredibly happy.

Just wanted to tell you that you all mean the world to me, and I feel so very blessed & lucky.

I am also blessed and lucky. Every. Single. Day. Because of him!

The moment at which I knew she was ok

This week has been unlike any week I've ever had in my life. Well, I suppose the week of my mom's surgery during breast cancer was a bit similar, but this IS different.

Mom had open heart surgery on Monday. Scary. We waited in the ICU waiting room for about 7 1/2 hours that day, waiting to hear how Mom did. There was work with a valve, a single bypass and cauterizing of the heart to keep her in rhythm. Not minor, but major work.

As we waited we busied ourselves with various activities:

 Reading the paper

 Playing the DS

 Coloring

 Eating donuts...and eating chocolates...and eating cookies...and eating...

And reading magazines.

With visitors and things to occupy ourselves, time seemed to pass a little faster once we were into the day. But then the minutes came as we knew she was going to be finished and then time creeped by slowly again. About 3:30, the time finally came to see her.

Things were as we expected when we saw her-tubes, beeps, medicine hanging (11 bags to be exact)-all of these things we knew would be present-nothing was a surprise. Mom started waking up about an hour or two after coming out of surgery and when she was "awake" enough to know surgery was done she started spelling. Yes. Spelling. Words. With her left hand (that was strapped to the bed so she didn't pull anything out). Correctly. First it was C-O-L-D. She was cold and wanted more blankets. Then it was H-E-A-D. Her head itched or something on her head bothered her. We took care of that too. 

There was a "change in shift" as I left her room and Dad came in. They don't like a lot of people around the ICU, which is very understandable. They're constantly moving around in there. Adjusting, reading numbers, pumping meds...anything and everything you can imagine. I came back in at some point and things happened in the room next door. The thing you hope doesn't happen out of surgery...I listened to a whole code blue as the gentleman next door passed away. Horrible. As I was in Mom's room, with commotion happening next door, she begins to spell again. H-O-T. She was hot, so we took covers off. Next it was T-R-Y. She wanted to try to get the tube pulled so she could be off the vent. We couldn't explain that to her because we didn't want to have her panic. But...

the moment at which I knew she was ok...

was when...

she spelled...

S-N-O-W. Snow! She wanted to know if it had started snowing outside. She wanted to make sure that Dad didn't have to drive home in the snow. If you know my mom (or me) at all, you know that weather is at the forefront of her mind most of the time. She wants to know that everyone will be home safely. I knew she was ok, because her mind was thinking about snow. And I was right!

We are so blessed to have mom at the point where she is today. She is healing. She is eating. She is breathing well. We are just waiting for a few more things and she will be on her way home! Praise the Lord. We are so THANKFUL for all of the prayers. But we are most thankful for Him, through with all things are possible. Amen!

Merry Christmas a month later

Merry CHRISTmas!

A month late.

There is no excuse...only my hope that you enjoy this post even though it's a bit late. You know what they say...better late than never!

Christmas started off with a celebration that began a string of 4 days of celebrating. 

We were with the Herll family...some of our favorite people! 

There was a Lego set, a remote control truck and a Star Wars set for C.

A guitar, a Rapunzel doll and American Girl doll things for A.

Needless to say, everyone was happy!! We opened, played, ate, watched (a little White Christmas, which is now a favorite for everyone-even the kids!) and laughed. It was a good start to the holidays!

Then it was on to Mom & Dad's the next day for a little celebrating-just the 6 of us. I love that because it's small and we get a lot of quality time with each other. Sometimes life is so busy with dropping off here. Saying hello and goodbye there. It's nice to just stop and pause, spending the day with each other.

There were movies to watch, books to color, CDs to listen to...

 But the best gift was a new pair of ice skates for A & C. Yes, we've been ice skating around these parts and loving every minute of it!

On the third day of Christmas...are you singing? Yes, the third day, we did the regular Christmas Eve things. The kids are in the choir again this year at church, so they lead the congregation in some songs at the beginning of the service. Then it was time for the living nativity-one of my favorite parts as the kids have grown up. This year we had an angel

and a shepherd.

 

 This is one of my favorite because of the innocence of the kids and their faces as they stand up there. This picture is one of my favorites because A is standing still while everyone else is still moving around her. 

I spied him looking for us while he went up with all of the shepherds

 After church it was on to the Herll's house for some more family fun! That is another fun tradition of pulling everyone together for one night during the year. Poor dad...he had to work so late! I really think it is the latest he's ever had to work on Christmas. They didn't get there until 7:45. Yikes! But, he and Mom were there and had fun as always.

Upon returning home we made sure to write a note to Santa and leave some cookies for him. We were VERY excited for him to come!!

We also put out some reindeer food for Santa's reindeer.

They ate it up, too! You can imagine that reindeer are hungry after a whole night of flying. There were Santa tracks to be seen on the steps, too! 

Christmas morning came with much excitement!

A got her Barbie Dreamhouse...

 C got his Dino Trapper and Wreck it Ralph DS game.

Needless to say, Christmas morning did us all well as we tore through the gifts under our trees. We are so blessed!

As Christmas Day continued...the fourth day of Christmas...we ventured to Mamma Sue's & Big Papa's house. There we celebrated with Lisa & Greg, Jake, Lindsey & Liam, and Dan, Denise & Aaron. We were so lucky to see everyone and spend time with everyone-even though poor Liam was so sick!!

 Mamma and Papa were very excited to be with all of their grandkids. As were they...

A was excited with her Pillow Pet that had been on her list for birthdays and Christmases of the past. She found herself in the midst of Legos, DS games, clothes and crafts. She was one lucky and happy girl that night!

Aaron loved A's light. I think he wanted one of his own!

 C was excited too! After all, what boy wouldn't be excited about getting 3 or 4 new DS games in a 30 minute span of time?!

 Our 4 Christmases came and went. We are forever blessed with wonderful memories with family from all over. It is a busy time but a treasured time. Here's to many more years of laughter, food, good company and goofy faces!!

Halloween 2012

Trick-or-treat!

Smell my feet!

I would love to have something good to eat!

say the fairy

and Captain America!

Happy Halloween, everyone!