Quote of the week

Earlier this week, we were driving by Chuck E. Cheese's and Ryan hollered, "Hey, there is Chuck E. Cheese's!" I'm not sure how he even knew what it was because we've never been there, but that's beside the fact!

Caitlin quickly jumped into the conversation and said, "No Ryan, it's not Chuck E. Cheese's; it's Chuck E. Jesus."

Nice.

Lego engineer

Ryan is happiest when he building with Legos. We're continually impressed by what he comes up with each day. Ryan told us the other day that he was going to build "Bisneyland" (AKA Disneyland) with his Legos and it appears that he's got a good start.

When we went back to Disney over the weekend, Ryan rode the rocket ride in Tomorrowland three or four times. He loved it! It's the ride that is similar to Dumbo - you get in rockets, go up in the air and go around in circles. Here's his re-creation of the Disney rocket ride:

Who knows what he'll come up with next??

Whirlwind weekend

We spent last weekend in Las Vegas and Disneyland. I carefully packed for every situation (wedding, hot and cold weather, unforeseen accidents, etc.) and thought I had it all together until halfway to Vegas I realized I forgot the camera! Bummer.

So, I'll just make a quick list of notable events:

* Watching Dave (Mike's brother) and Jessica (our new sister-in-law/aunt) get married.
* Shielding the kids' eyes from the scantily-clad dancers in the Excalibur casino.
* Picking out M&Ms at the M&M store. Caitlin chose hot pink, light pink, and purple. Ryan chose black, grey, and navy blue.
* Seeing the Bellagio fountain/light show. I could watch it all night!
* Meeting Minnie Mouse, Pluto, Sleeping Beauty, Snow White, Cinderella, and a host of other characters.
* Riding with Ryan on the Toon Town roller coaster - and watching him finally start to enjoy himself at Disneyland.
* Partaking in lots of yummy food and drink!

All in all, it was a fun weekend. I'm still so disappointed that I forgot my camera. We'll just have to go back to Disneyland again before heading north!!

Only in San Diego...

...can you spend a January afternoon at the beach...in shorts and a tank top! We're enjoying some exceptionally warm weather and we're lovin' it!

Our precious beach babes!

Dreams come true

As temporary Southern California residents, we resolved to enjoy everything that the area has to enjoy: the SD Zoo and Wild Animal Park, Seaworld, Legoland, and of course, Disneyland. Mike took the day off yesterday and we headed up to Anaheim. We weren't sure what the kids would think - or how they would behave - they've had a really hard time adjusting to life away from home and they are very overtired and grouchy.

The first place we headed was the Autopia. We told Ryan about how he could drive his own car, so he'd been asking to check that one out first. He loved it, as expected!

Our kids aren't the most adventurous of souls, so we next headed to Mickey Mouse's Toontown for some kid-friendly rides. Mike and I were laughing because we've always skipped Toontown on previous visits - I guess the ride line-up changes when you're with a 4-year old and 2-year old! The kids enjoyed visiting their favorite characters' houses: Minnie, Donald, Goofy, and Mickey. We decided to meet Mickey Mouse. Ryan didn't want to have anything to do with him and Caitlin loved looking at him from a distance, but was afraid to get near him.

Next up, we headed to meet the Disney Princesses. Seeing Caitlin meet the princesses was definitely the highlight of the trip! We waited in quite a long line, not sure what we were waiting for, but when we got to the front and realized that Caitlin would have one on one time with each princess, it was all worth it! When Caitlin came around the corner and saw Ariel, she was so excited that she couldn't stop jumping up and down. At first she didn't want to get close to her, but then she went in for a hug.

We saw Belle next. Belle was especially sweet to Caitlin. Here is Caitlin telling Belle that she is two years old.
Belle asked Caitlin who her favorite princess is and Caitlin quietly answered, "Cinderella." Belle took Caitlin by the hand and walked her over to see Cinderella. It was very sweet!

All in all, the day was a success. The park was busier than we anticipated, but we still got to do a lot. I had to include this picture of Ryan on the carousel because it captures his facial expression of the day. He looked like he was having an awful time and barely cracked a smile, but when you asked him if he was having fun, he always answered "yes." We actually weren't surprised that he reacted this way - he's our serious, cautious child. I think he was a little overwhelmed and trying to process everything he was seeing and doing!


Thanks to an awesome military deal, we have two more days at Disneyland and California Adventure that we have to use within the next two weeks. We're heading back on Saturday to check out California Adventure and hit some of our favorites. Ryan is already asking when he can drive the cars again!

The year of dolls and Legos

When we awoke to snow on Christmas morning, I had to take pictures. I can remember one other snowy Christmas in Washington, but we rarely have White Christmases, so I had to record the event! Thankfully, the snow didn't interfere with our Christmas plans!

We started out Christmas morning at home with Santa presents and stockings. Santa brought Ryan the "big boy fireman Legos" he'd been asking for (since before Thanksgiving!). Caitlin got a brand-new baby doll and stroller (easy to pack for San Diego). We had a relaxing morning -- until the power went out! We got ready to head to Grandma Kay's house in Kirkland for more festivities.

The Lego and doll/princess theme continued through the day as we celebrated with both sides of our family. One of the best things about being back in Washington is being able to spend time with all of our family -- and not having to travel over the holidays! We had a really nice day (and a nice Christmas Eve with Mike's dad and stepmom).


Christmas came to an abrupt end about 6pm. Mike and I headed home to take down Christmas and get ready to leave the next morning! We left Ryan at my parents' house, but brought Caitlin home with us because she was sick (quite sick as we learned the next morning).

I'm looking forward to a more relaxed holiday season next year, although Mike won't be celebrating with us. :(

More snow pics

As promised, here are a few more pictures of our major snowfall. Here's the snow fort that Mike constructed with the kids. I hear that there are still a few remnants of it in our front yard!

And of course, I have to include the picture of Ryan getting pummeled with snow! Both of the kids really enjoyed the snow, but we were ready to say goodbye to that troublesome white stuff!

Let it snow!

In the past 9 days, more snow has fallen than I can ever recall! The initial storm rolled in on Dec. 13 and we got about 4 inches of snow and ice. The temperatures didn't get out of the 20s for several days so all the snow stuck around. On Wednesday night we got another 5+ inches and then Saturday and Sunday we probably got another 8+ inches. It's been absolutely crazy. The roads are a mess, although we have been able to get out most days. Thankfully we can access lots of stores without encountering any huge hills. Here's a picture of Mike and the kids with their pal, Mr. Snowman. Mr. Snowman was built last week and didn't survive the massive snowfall we received yesterday. He's just kind of a blob in the front yard.
I'll post some more pictures soon of the snow fort Mike built this morning with the kids. It's pretty cool!

Check it out!

My December "Sell-a-bration" is up on The Writer Mama's blog. Check it out at: http://thewritermama.wordpress.com/2008/12/17/december-sell-a-bration-17-becoming-proactive/.

I've taken a couple of writing classes from Christina Katz (The Writer Mama) and her book was very instrumental in getting my writing career off the ground!

A tale of two Mallards

Ryan never sucked his thumb or took a pacifier (although there were many times when I wished he would because he was soooo fussy and agitated as an infant), but he is VERY attached to his yellow duck named Mallard. Many of you have met Mallard and know of Ryan's relationship with his feathered friend. He's such an important part of Ryan's life that I purchased a spare Mallard (now affectionately known as "New Mallard") in case we couldn't find "Old Mallard."

A few months ago, Old Mallard was missing (later to be found zipped inside a suitcase), so we brought out New Mallard. Ryan instantly knew the difference, but he was okay with it. When Old Mallard came back, I couldn't help but taking a picture of them side-by-side. Old Mallard has endured a lot in his four short years - many "baths" in the washing machine and lots of love from his pal, Ryan. He's a little dingier, a bit floppier, but definitely still Ryan's favorite!!

"I got hot"

Almost every night for the past month or so, Caitlin has taken off her pajamas after I've put her in bed. The following morning, I always ask her why she did it and she says, "I got hot." This cannot be true because we quite possibly live in the coldest house in Snohomish County!!

The other night, I couldn't resist snapping a picture while she was sleeping, although I feel a bit bad because I think she knew I was taking a picture by the expression on her face. Oh well, I had to capture this moment in time - naked Caits, laying on her PJs, with her beloved paci in her mouth.

Christmas Kick-off

We had a full day of Christmas today! It's fun to get a jump on the holiday season, especially since we're leaving for San Diego on December 26th.

We went to church with my parents' and attended an annual Christmas craft event, celebrating the first Sunday in Advent. Santa made an appearance. Ryan sat on his lap, but refused to make eye contact with him. He told Santa what he wants - "big boy fireman Legos." I think "Santa" has already taken care of that one. Wink wink!

Caitlin on the other hand was scared to death of him. She sat in my sister's lap the entire time. I tried to coax her up there by bribing her with a candy cane from Santa's basket and she said, "Mama, you can go get my candy cane for me." Smart cookie! After Santa, the kids enjoyed making crafts and decorating cookies.

Right after ADVENTURE, we headed out to Fall City to cut down our Christmas tree. Cutting down the tree is one of my favorite Christmas traditions. I have such fond memories of going out to the tree farms as a child. I want my kids to experience trudging through the mud, choosing the perfect tree, getting a candy cane and a cup of cider and then hauling it home to decorate.
I was anxious to get the tree up and decorated today - and we did it! It was quite the task to try and get it straight in the tree stand by myself, but after a lot of adjusting, it's up. The kids helped me put on the ornaments and they actually were quite helpful! Here's the finished product!

So much to be thankful for

On this Thanksgiving eve, I spent a few minutes thinking of things I'm thankful for. Some are silly and superficial, but other things I'm so incredibly grateful for. I limited my list at thirty, but I could have gone on and on. God has richly blessed my life. So, here's my list.

I'm thankful for:

Mike’s unconditional love and support
Healthy children
Starbucks coffee
The ability to worship freely
Jane Austen books
Ryan and Caitlin’s unique personalities
My incredible friends – they make me a better wife, mom, and friend
The seat warmers in my minivan
God’s perfect timing
Finding success doing something I love
Ryan’s sensitive heart
Being a stay-at-home mommy to our beautiful kids
Torrential rain storms
Play dates
Reality TV
Hot showers
Jesus’ sacrifice
Our house and yard
Tulips
God’s faithfulness
Mike’s awesome Daddy skills
Our extended family (and how close they are!)
Gold Creek Community Church and its ministry
Caitlin’s vivid imagination
Mexican food
The Internet
Yoga pants
On Demand
The men and women (especially our friends) serving our country around the world
God’s sovereignty

Happy Thanksgiving!

Thankful Celebration

I know I'm his mama, but isn't Ryan adorable in this picture?!

Ryan attends a WONDERFUL preschool at our church called Kids at the Creek. Tonight, the kids had their Thankful Celebration. Each class got up on stage and performed a song or recited a poem. After the performance, each student got the microphone and had a chance to introduce themselves and share what they are thankful for. Ryan, along with his classmates, wore feathered headdresses that said some things they were thankful for. Ryan's feathers said - "My cars, my big boy Legos, and my bed." He's all boy and completely in love with Legos.

Here's Ryan's turn with the mike...

In case you can't understand him, he said, "Hello. My name is Ryan. I'm thankful for my mommy and daddy and my sister, Caitlin." Melts my heart!! I'll have to save this video and play it on a day when Ryan is really driving me nuts!

Little mama

Caitlin, somewhat surprisingly, loves babies (real or pretend). I never imagined that she would be so nurturing - especially since she didn't get her first baby doll until a year ago!

Being the second child, Caitlin gets to play with lots of hand-me-downs. Having a big brother, she loves cars, trains, blocks, etc. After last Christmas, I noticed that she was spending lots of time driving cars around the floor, so I started looking for a reasonably-priced baby. I found a great set at Target (my favorite store!) that included two babies, a stroller, bassinet, and high chair. She was instantly hooked!!

Now, she always has a baby doll or animal in tow, along with purse filled with bottles and other things she might need. I love watching her play and use her imagination!
Caitlin is sitting in her "car" a.k.a. the laundry basket, holding Kiki, her pink monkey. Notice the purse and other goodies.

Baby Buddy (one of my Cabbage Patch Kids from when I was younger) just woke up from his nap and needs a story.

The fruit snack debacle

Every time we take a trip to the Commissary, I let the kids choose a box of fruit snacks to bring home. This special treat usually guarantees good behavior, but today was a different story.

We hit the fruit snack aisle about mid-way through the store. Ryan picked out Lego fruit snacks and Caitlin selected Nemo snacks. The kids were especially hyped up today (standing up in the cart, pulling things off the shelves, hitting each other, etc.) and after the treats were in the cart, I threatened to take them away several times.

Finally, when we were checking out, Ryan whacked Caitlin on the head, so I pulled the fruit snacks out of the cart and told him they weren't coming home with us. As soon as this happened, the wails began. If you've ever heard Ryan when he's upset, you would have recognized the familiar combination of shrieks and high-pitched screaming. I just ignored him, but he was so upset that the scene continued. I had to drag him out of the store. I don't think I've ever had to drag him out of a store.

We finally made it to the car and he continued to cry most of the ride home, even after sweet Caitlin shared a pack of her fruit snacks with him. The crying finally stopped when Ryan realized that he didn't have to have a quiet time today because it was already after 3pm. Ahhh, finally relief!!

The funniest part of the entire ordeal was Caitlin, emulating the Soup Nazi from Seinfeld. Ryan would scream, "I want the fruit snacks!" and Caitlin would very matter-of-factly say, "No fruit snacks for you." It was hysterical and I really tried not to laugh.

Hopefully this incident will mean better behavior next time we're at the Commissary so the Lego fruit snacks can come home with us!

San Diego Update

Mike and I are taking off in about two hours to drive to San Diego. The month he was home FLEW by - can't believe he's already taking off and moving...again. I'm excited for the road trip, but sad to leave the kids for six days. I know they're in good hands and will have an absolute blast with Grandma Barb and Grandpa Pat, but I've never been away from them for more than two nights...and I've never been 1500 miles away from them. Yikes!!

We plan to get there on Sunday evening after stops in Southern Oregon and Monterey. Along the way, we'll get to see two of our dear friends - it'll be fun! I'll stay in San Diego until Wednesday where I'll get to visit more great friends and hang out with Mike. And...we'll get to check out the condo we're most likely leasing.

We had a change in plans after finding out that the Navy will not move us back to Seattle in May - and learning that Mike is going to be gone during the second half of May and most of June. We have decided to leave all of our things at our house and go into a furnished place in San Diego. I started looking around and found a few vacation properties that offer discounted monthly rates for the off-season. We found a great place just three blocks off the beach in La Jolla. It's completely furnished and all utilities are included in the monthly rate. We're really excited. We're meeting the owner there on Monday afternoon to make sure it's what we want. If it all checks out, we'll sign the lease and put down the deposit.

Mike will fly up on December 15 for Christmas and we'll all leave on December 26 for San Diego. It's going to be a crazy six weeks, but what's new?! Crazy is normal in our lives!!

I'll check-in when I get back from San Diego. In the meantime, please pray for safe travel and calm nerves for me and Mike. I don't do well with change and I have a very upset stomach this morning!!

The paci

Caitlin has a little problem...she is totally addicted to her pacifier! She is sooo attached to that thing! When she was about a year old, I limited her paci usage to her crib and that seemed to work fine, but I don't know how to get rid of it completely. Any suggestions??

If she gets her hands on one during the day, she'll hide so she can have it. I caught her under the dining room table a couple of days ago. We've found her in closets, under her crib, under blankets, sitting in dark rooms, etc. The funniest thing is that she'll immediately pull it out of her mouth and pretend she wasn't using it. Mike walked into her room a couple of weeks ago to see if she was in there and when he opened the door, he was greeted with a pacifier flying across the room. Caitlin had thrown it to get rid of the evidence. At my parents' house, she was standing in the doorway of a dark closet with a pacifier at her feet. I took one look at the paci and she said, "I don't have a paci in my mouth." What a sneaky little girl!!

I'm not going to do anything drastic in the next couple of months because of our move to California, but this crazy addiction must come to an end!

The princess and the dragon

Our three-day Halloween extravaganza has come to an end...although we're all still riding the sugar high!!

On Wednesday, our buddy, Austin, had a costume-themed birthday party. Here's an attempt at getting all the kids (ages 8 weeks to 4) to sit still for a group shot. This was the best we got.

On Thursday night, our church hosted Candy Land Lane, a trick-or-treat/festival event. It was a lot of fun. I passed out candy in Ryan's classroom for a half hour and enjoyed seeing all the little ones dressed up. Mike took the kids trick-or-treating and then on to the bounce houses. They had a blast.

Last night, we went down to my parents' house in Bellevue for dinner and more trick-or-treating. Both of the kids were really into it this year. Caitlin is so independent. I kept trying to hold her hand and she'd say, "I'm okay. I not need a hand." She was definitely on a mission for candy!Here's our pretty princess and dashing dragon. After trick-or-treating, we stopped by Grandma Kay's house to show off the costumes (and get a few more treats!). We didn't get home until 9:30pm. We were all exhausted, but we had so much fun!

Happy Halloween!

I'm a bit behind on blogging, but I'm planning on getting caught up this weekend. I haven't been spending as much time on the computer now that Mike is home. In the meantime, here's a picture of Caitlin, looking very scary with the Halloween Mr. Potato Head fangs in her mouth.

I'll post pictures of our pretty princess and dashing dragon. Happy Halloween!