Nana Connie comes to GA

This week, my Step-mom (Dylan’s Nana) came to visit for a few days. Connie gets lots of Dylan time, Dylan gets lots of spoiling, and I get lots of relaxation…everyone is happy! She came for a 5 day vacation, which we all agreed is not long enough! Next time, we will know better.

We picked her up on Saturday, just in time for her to come to the ‘Trunk or Treat’ on base with us and the Runnels Family. I didn’t have Dylan’s costume ready so he just wore a “I heart Mummy” shirt - and I think he looked adorable! I’m not sure if he was scared or amazed at all of the costumes around him. In this photo, I couldn’t get his attention because I think the Mario Brothers were standing behind us!

‘Trunk or Treat’ went up one road and back down the other, and there were lots of trucks, cars, and even boats all decked out in Halloween decorations. It was sunny and gorgeous out, which meant that LOTS of other people were there at the same time as us. The line to walk up and down the street was really long! But we still had fun.

Dylan really liked the big blow-up lawn ornaments. Every time the spider would move his head from side to side, Dylan would laugh and clap. I guess he didn’t get the memo to be scared around spiders that are bigger than your car.

He also liked the giant black cat. His head moved back and forth too. After clapping for a while, he went over to pet the kitty. But that one wasn’t as cuddly as Oscar.

All of the cars had different themes and cute stuff. Dylan liked the Pirate themed one (of course) and tried to steal some treasure instead of candy. He knows what he likes!

Us with Katie & Elleah

I’m so glad the Runnels let us tag along with them and their little half angel- half devil. The only down side was that both of our kids didn’t take good naps that day, so neither one of them was energy packed and ready for fun. At least there was no screaming and crying! Now we’ll just have to hope that our group Trick-or-Treating night goes well!

Dylan has been having so much fun with Nana Connie. I think they are both going to be sad when she leaves. At least he got a huge amount of spoiling squeezed in the past 5 days. Between all of the hugs, and long walks through the neighborhood, and book reading, and snuggling, and presents (more on that later)...he has been one lucky little fella!

Dylan & Nana Connie

Pumpkin Carvers

It has become a bit of a tradition for Josh and I to carve pumpkins every year. We started a few years ago, and aside from last year (we were a bit too busy between our 3 month old and the Halloween Party we were trying to put together), we’ve been doing it every year! We knew it was a bit early to do it on Oct 14, but Josh is leaving on Sunday for a 2-week school in California. So it was now or never!

Of course, this time, we had an excited little helper! Dylan was really into it, even though he had no idea what we were doing. He wanted to get right in there and get his hands dirty…literally!. He is such a fast learner too - I dipped my hands in once or twice and he immediately followed my lead and was pulling pumpkin guts out and putting them on the table.

Of course, once my pumpkin was almost completely cleaned out, he wanted to start putting stuff back inside. “That’s where that stuff belongs, right? So, that pumpkin guts step took me a little longer than planned. But it was well worth the cuteness that I got in return.

Once the carving tools came out, he quickly got annoyed that we were doing something that he couldn’t help with. But at least he gave me a little love before leaving the room to go play with other toys. Is he the sweetest thing you’ve ever seen, or what?

The process takes a bit longer when you have a 1yr-old running around the house, but we both managed to finish our pumpkins. After Dylan went to bed, we took a couple photos of our masterpieces! Another year of awesome carvings!

Happy Halloween, Everyone!

The Baum Wedding!

The main reason that we went to Orlando over the weekend that we did, was because I had a very important event to attend - Phil & Natalie’s wedding! Nothing better than friends getting married!

I met Phil in 2005, when I started working at Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort. We became friends quickly, maybe mainly because he is such a wonderful man. He’s an amazing person that I feel lucky to call my friend. Only recently, I got to know the woman he plans to spend his life with, Natalie. Once, we started to get to know each other, I feel like we have become good friends as well. She is so sweet and supportive. They make such a great pair. I hope to call them friends for many years to come!

They got married on 9-10-11 at their friends’ home in Celebration. It was a luau themed event, filled with Hibiscus flowers, margaritas, leis, and hot, hot, hot weather! It was such a sweet celebration. It was easy-going but classy. Perfect for these two!

Since Josh had just taken so much time off of work, he couldn’t get more leave this quickly, so he didn’t make the trip to Orlando with us. Thank goodness the newlyweds, Matt & Brittany, let me tag along with them as their third wheel.  

The ceremony was only a few minutes long. Just long enough to say the important stuff like, “I do!” They looked so happy. Fun fact: Natalie’s best friend couldn’t be there, so they set up a laptop right by where they did the deed and she got to basically be a part of the whole thing. I love his photo because she is waving to her best friend on the computer.

Wasn’t Natalie an absolutely gorgeous bride? You can’t even tell by looking at her that it felt like it was a million degrees outside. There is reason why there isn’t a photo of me, Matt & Britt at the wedding. We looked like our seats were in a sauna. But Natalie doesn’t even look phased by the heat. That must just be the true happiness look, right? Either way, she looked amazing.

And check out their get-away car! They went to Downtown Celebration to take photos with the car as well. So awesome.

I absolutely love hibiscus flowers, so needless to say, I was in love with their cake. It looked beautiful. They had some really fun food as well. I think my favorite part was the Mashed Potato Bar. I probably could have just had two plates. One with a Mashed Potato Bar creation, and one with cake. What more could a girl going stag ask for?

What is Natalie’s new last name, you ask? Baum! Check out this great frame with photos of buildings…how great is that? Think I can find any architecture with the letters S-I-T-K-O?

It was such a fun night. I owe a big one to my Mom & Cindy for being on Dylan duty so I could go and be an adult for the night. And CONGRATS to the new married couple - may they have many, many happy years ahead of them. If they look anywhere near as happy as they did that night, they’ve got it made!

Harry Potter & Coronado Springs

Right after we got back from Michigan, Dylan and I only had a two day break before getting back in the car and heading South to Orlando. I had a wedding to go to over that weekend, so I figured that I would make it a working trip as well! It just really stinks that  my job requires me to go play at Disney World! Oh, darn!

But since I knew it was going to be really hard to do all of Disney with a 1-yr old, I asked my mom if she wanted to do Disney with us! And she also brought a family friend, Cindy, with her! But I’m getting ahead of myself. Mom & Cindy didn’t show up until Friday evening, and Dylan and I headed down on Wednesday so that we could go to Universal on Thursday with Mike and Terry.

I hadn’t seen any of the new Harry Potter stuff yet, so I asked Mike and Terry if they wanted to make the journey through Hogsmeade with me! They had been there before, but they were more than happy to take the venture with Dylan and me.

My honest review? What was there, was done really well. It looked amazing and there seemed to be no detail missing. But, I think I was under the impression that there was more to it! There was the main attraction (the ride inside Hogwarts), two rollercoasters (one of which was not a new ride, it as just rethemed to Harry Potter), one restaurant, and only a couple shops. Although, I have been told that there will be more in the future. I guess Universal is even contractually obligated to build more!

I think my favorite detail, or styling choice, is that they chose to make it Winter. Since there will never be real snow in Orlando, it was really neat to see it on the buildings throughout Hogsmeade. In true never-missing-a-detail fashion, they even made sure that the snow sparkled in the sunlight, just like real snow.

Me & Mike with our Butterbeer

We also had to make a stop at the Butterbeer cart. They serve Butterbeer two ways, frozen (like a slushy) or carbonated (like soda). We, of course, got both to get the full experience. The vendor told me she liked the frozen one better, but I think I liked the carbonated one. They were both really good, but I feel like you got more of the flavor with the carbonated one. It tasted like Cream Soda with a butterscotch twist. REALLY good! I didn’t get a chance to try the Pumpkin Juice, though…maybe next time!

Dylan at the Three Broomsticks

We had lunch at the Three Broomstick, which was really good! Funny fact: they don’t serve soda in the Harry Potter area. I guess it was a decision made my JK Rowling. She was, apparently, very specific on what kind of food and drink should be served. We had a really great lunch before heading out of Harry Potter World.

We had to make a stop in the Dr. Seuss area to try a ride for Dylan. He had never been on anything, so I was excited to try. We headed over to the Carousel. He was really excited about all the bright colors and music and just wanted to get on one of those crazy looking creatures! We mounted him up on the blue animal thing that he was pointing at and strapped him in! He like it…until it started going. He FREAKED!! But we had to suffer through the whole ride because the animals go up and down and he had a safety strap on. When he realized that I wasn’t going to rescue him, he leaned out screaming with is arm wide open to Terry hoping that he would help. Poor Dylan! At least we got a couple cute photos before it got scary.

Later in the afternoon, Dylan and I went to Matt & Brittany’s apartment and got Matt to go swimming with us! Dylan is such a little fish! Then the 3 of us headed out for dinner with Phil & Natalie (the soon-to-be-wed couple) and their families. We stopped back over at Matt & Britt’s after dinner because Brittany was finally off work and Dylan needed to use up some of his flirtatious energy on her! It was such a busy day, but we had so much fun!

Coronado Springs Resort

The next day, we checked into Coronado Springs Resort. I had never stayed there before, but Matt used to work there. So he stopped over to give Dylan and I the grand tour. I had never really explored there before so it was nice to have someone around to take us around all the cute courtyards and pretty spots. I’m so glad that I got some Matt-time in. He’s the brother I never had - I’m lucky to have him as one of my closest friends. (Thank goodness he found such an awesome wife so I can love her too!!)

Mom & Cindy at the hotel

That night, through rain delays and crazy crowds at the airport, we finally picked up Mom & Cindy! We took them back to our hotel and took them for a twilight tour of the grounds. I’m so happy that my mom and such a great family friend could be there for this trip. Dylan was incredibly spoiled with two Grandma’s around all week! Now it was really time for me to get down to "business"…and for us to get into some Disney fun! Stay tuned for more Orlando stories…

Michigan Trip Continued...Final Thoughts & Randomness

We’ve been back from Michigan for well over a month now, and I am just finishing up all the posts about it! Needless to say, it was an eventful couple weeks. I already wrote about all the big events, but there were a few things that I didn’t write an entire post about, but I thought that it deserved at least a mention…

Pool Boy!
Gary & Sally brought over Shauna’s old pool for Dylan to use while we were in town. Being that he is such a water baby, we knew that he would love it. We were right. The pool was a HUGE success! We used it several times.

Date Night
There was a night that Josh and I got to go out on a date in Traverse City while Aunt Michelle and Grandma Cindy watched Dylan. Our date started with a walk Downtown Traverse (with a beer from a local brewery and some chocolate from the fudge shop), a nice dinner, a move, a cocktail on the top floor of the Park Place Hotel with live music in the background, and stargazing/watching for shooing stars. It was pretty romantic, if I do say so myself! While we were in Downtown Traverse we walked into Dylan’s Candy Bar and had to take a photo (Even though ‘Dylan’ refers to the owner - Ralph Lauren’s daughter, Dylan…we can just pretend that they meant my Dylan!)

My Boys
This is a photo of Dylan and Josh on the deck behind Joe & Cindy’s house. I just love the photo because they both look so happy. And we spend many afternoons playing around the house and outside. It ended up being a really nice couple of weeks for our little family to spend plenty of time together.

4 Generations
Dylan finally got to spend some time with his Great-Grandma West. We had to take a 4 generation photo the night before we left. There were better photos of the four of them, but Dylan kissing Grandma Cindy’s head made me laugh out-loud…so I picked this one to share.

Larry & Marlene
Marlene (Josh’s oldest sister) and her husband Larry celebrated their 17th Wedding Anniversary on the day we all got in our cars to head back to our homes. They are definitely Josh’s & my inspiration on being a team in their marriage. They make such a great pair and we look up to them so much. We’ve also talked about how much we hope our children turn out as great as Larry & Marlene’s have. They are obviously doing something very, very right.

Speaking of being crazy in love…Even though we went through some sadness and stress while we were there, it was really nice to spend so much quality time with my husband. We are very lucky to have found each other and I don’t take that for granted. I’m so happy to be so included and loved by his family.

I think of how it was luck, or fate, or destiny, or divine intervention that we actually met and fell in love. Two people who never would have crossed paths. Thank goodness we did.

Bye Bye!
When we got in the care to drive home, Dylan waved for about a mile down the road…I think he had a blast at Grandma & Grandpa’s house. Thanks to everyone that made our trip so special. Next time, let’s do it under cheerier circumstances. We love you! "Bye bye!"

Michigan Trip Continued...1 Funeral for a Great Man

I think I was putting off writing about this day because I feel like anything I wrote just wouldn’t seem to be enough. But, I will do my best...

Josh’s Grandpa, Ed West, died while we were in Michigan. He died on August 24 at the age of 91. I had only known him for six years, but I learned very quickly what a kind, gentle, admirable, and honorable man he was. He was nothing but wonderful to me since the day I met him. Even though Dylan will never remember his Great-Grandpa West, he will know his memory and legacy through us.

Cindy, (Josh’s mom) loved her dad very much and I know she inherited much of his compassion. I also know that it meant so much to her that her entire family was there at her father’s funeral. That’s right! 1 husband, 5 children (and 3 additional children in Larry, Eric, and me!), and 8 grandchildren.

It was the first time that all 8 Grandkids have been in the same place at the same time. We did our best to get a good photo of them all!

Listed from oldest to youngest: Dalton, Morgan, Logan, Meredith, Mallory, Lucas, Jessie, and Dylan! What a crew!

Anika with Josh, Logan & Dalton

I, of course, couldn’t pass up an opportunity to have my photo taken with 3 of my favorite young men! How handsome are they all dressed up? I’m a lucky lady to have them in my life!

It was a lovely service, and I am so happy that we were there to be surrounded by our family. Thanks to all of our family and friends who showed us their support. Grandpa West was a great man, and I guarantee you that our little family will do our best to make him proud. We love you, Grandpa!

Michigan Trip Continued...1 Family Cookout Courtesty of the Cadaret’s

On the last Friday that we were in Michigan, The Cadaret Family put together a cookout for our entire family. It was so thoughtful of them. And it was a wonderful chance for all of us to spend some quality time together.

Shauna, Gary & Sally Cadaret

Who are the Cadaret Family? Gary, Sally, and their daughter, Shauna, are Joe and Cindy’s neighbors and close friends. I first met them in 2005, when after an hour of meeting me, Gary (who LOVES to retell this story) told me that even if Josh didn’t know it yet, I was the one. Josh proposed to me the following year. I guess Gary was right!

"Mmmm! Corn on the Cob!"

The Cadaret's put together a huge feast for all of us.  This was no small feat considering there were over 20 of us there! Burgers, dogs, salads, carrot cake, and more! We stuffed ourselves - it was wonderful! And Dylan really liked the corn on the cob that Carson and Marsha brought over!

It was the night before Grandpa West’s funeral so it was really nice for all of us to spend some quality time together at the house. It felt wonderful to be surrounded with so much family and so much love. Josh and I are blessed with such a amazing family.

I think Dylan really liked being spoiled and loved on by so many beautiful ladies! Both Aunt Marlene and Cousin Morgan loved their Dylan-time!

Aunt Marlene even gave Dylan his bath and put him to bed that night so that Dylan’s Mama could enjoy some relaxing time. I was very grateful for the adult time…and I think Aunt Marlene really liked the baby time. It was a win-win!

It was the perfect evening, filled with food, fun, family and friends. A HUGE thank you to the Cadaret Family for throwing together such a nice evening. You are truly wonderful friends.

Michigan Trip Continued...1 Trip to Bussia & Dzia Dzia’s House

What is a Bussia and a Dzia Dzia, you ask? It is Polish for paternal Grandma and Grandpa. So Bussia is Josh’s Grandma Joan and Dzia Dzia is his Grandpa Ted (Joe’s Mom & Dad). They live down near Detroit.

One of the main reasons we spend one of the weekends of our Michigan trip in the Detroit area was to visit with them. And we couldn’t pass up the chance to get 4 generations of Sitko men in one room together.

Josh, Dylan, Ted (Dzia Dzia), and Joe Sitko

On Sunday morning, we all got dressed up, went to church, and then headed over to Bussia & Dzia Dzia’s house for a visit. I know I’m a bit biased, but I think Dylan was really adorable in his church clothes!

The best part was that Dylan finally got to meet his Great Grandpa Sitko (I don’t know how to say Great Grandparents in Polish so we still use Bussia & Dzia Dzia) and his Great Grandma. He got to sit on Dzia Dzia’s lap and show off his dancing skills to Bussia. I think really enjoyed out little bundle of joy…how could you not?

Dylan & Dzia Dzia

It was a wonderful visit and I am so glad that we were there. I hope that spending time with Dylan brought some sunshine into their day!

Michigan Trip Continued...3 Days of Torch Lake

I had never heard of Torch Lake until I started dating Josh. He told me that it was the third most beautiful lake in the world (and the two ahead of it on that list were in Europe). My response was, “According to you?” Apparently it was according to National Geographic. Since then I have seen the quote from NatGeo and I’ve seen the lake…and I would have to say that Torch Lake is the most beautiful lake I have ever seen.

It would be hard for you to picture the Caribbean blues and greens in Northern Michigan, but trust me, they are there. My photos of this trip don’t quite capture the beauty of the lake. But it really is amazing.

Snack time with Grandma Cindy

Torch Day One
Josh’s Grandparents have a house right on the Lake. In just the few years that I’ve been around, that house has been the setting for many family gatherings. On the first full day that we were in Alden, we spent the day at the Lake House enjoying the family and tubing off of Eric’s new boat.

Wearing Cousin Morgan's Sweatshirt

To tell the truth, it was a bit colder than I expected. Coming from Southern Georgia in Mid-August, all I was thinking was hot, hot, hot! So Dylan only got in the water briefly. I think he panicked for a minute because it was nothing like his bathwater or the warm pools in Georgia & Florida! Thank goodness that Cousin Morgan wanted to share her sweatshirt with little chilly Dylan. He looked pretty darn cute in that sweatshirt...even though it went down to his toes!

Torch Day Two
Several days later, Joe, Cindy, Josh, and Michelle went down to the Lake House to clean and get the house fixed up. This was the Higgin’s Ice Cream day I mentioned before when I was doing everything in my power to distract Dylan from undoing all of the great cleaning and organizing that everyone was getting done. So Dylan and I went for a quick swim in the lake that day too. The water was a little chilly so it didn’t last long. But as short as it was, we had fun. And we were watching boats zooming by and we were working on the word "boat." He got as close as pointing and yelling, "BOW!" I'll take it.

Logan, Dalton, Marlene, Josh & Dylan

Torch Day Three
The last Friday that we were there, we headed down to the beach on Torch Lake so Josh could go tubing with the boys one more time. Let me tell you, Josh, Dalton, and Logan were daredevils out on that lake. They were flying all over the place. And Eric really loves throwing them around on that tube. I guess it’s just boys being boys - and they do it so well!

Dylan with Aunt Marlene

When we first got there, Dylan passed out and took a nap in the sand while I relaxed for a bit with Marlene. [Side note: I can’t tell you how nice it is to have such an amazing woman as my sister-in-law. She is always there for me when I need her and she has an amazing heart.] When Dylan finally woke up, Aunt Marlene took him to the shoreline to play.

Playing with Cousin Meredith

We didn’t even have time to get his swim suit on once he was at the water line. He got so excited and just went straight in. He was having SO much fun splashing in the water.

One thing is for sure - my son is a fish! He isn’t afraid of the water at all. He almost seems to like it when he's running so fast in the water that his feet can't keep up and he falls face first into the lake. As a matter of fact, most of the time he thinks it’s hilarious!

Our little family had so much fun splashing, swimming, and tubing in Torch Lake this summer. And being there with our family made it even better.