P Day - The Biggest Letter Day EVER!

We had so much stuff for P Day, we weren't able to smash it all into one day. We tried, but there was just no way! So cancel all your appointments, this is going to take a while!

P Day 1

D and I spent our not-so-lazy Sunday at Mom & Bob's house and brought all of our P Day stuff with us. Boy, we were busy! I think my parents were really excited to be a part of our huge letter day.

As soon as we got there, Pa had Phineas & Ferb tattoos to apply. Dylan got a Perry tattoo for P Day. He and Pa have been doing tattoos quite a bit lately and they are getting to be pros. And I'm sure Bob likes showing off his Phineas & Ferb tattoos to all the guys at work!

Whlie his tattoo was drying he decided it was time to eat. It was a day of P food! He snacked on some peanuts while Nonny made him a giant pancake!

He ate the entire pancake. And he definitely didn't want to share any of it with Lili the cat. I know it looks like D is showing Lili how to count to 4, but he was actually saying, "No, Lili! Stop! Go away!"

Ahoy! Next up was pirate time! We both put bandannas on and got out the pirate stuff. We forgot to grab his big sword from Matt & Jenn, but we brought his inflatable one from his first birthday party, and his Jake from my dad and Connie.

It didn't take long before our pirate time turned into a full, blown-out pirate sword fight. I know that it looks like a very unfair fight, but D made me take the big sword and he used Jake's little one.

 

 

We needed a breather after all the running around and laughing, so D and Nonny had some quite time and looked at his Jake & the Never Land Pirates look & find book. They looked  and looked and looked! He loves look & find books. 

After that, D wanted to do stickers with my mom. I don't think he is capable of going to their house and not "doing stickers." So, the two of them searched through all the stickers and found ones with P stuff on them.

There was just enough time before naptime (Yes, that's right - I'm not even to naptime of Day 1 yet!!) for one more P craft. 

Last week, at his Arts & Play Class at the Y, Dylan made a shamrock craft that we made into a pumpkin craft for today. I cut out a yellow pumpkin from construction paper and then cut up an orange sheet. I covered the pumpkin with glue and let him place all the orange pieces. It turned out pretty cute. We gave it to Nonny & Pa once it dried and they displayed it proudly on their fridge!

I had gotten three pumpkin books from the library. So, we snuggled up on D's bed and got reading pre-naptime. My favorite out of the three was How Many Seeds in a Pumpkin by Margaret McNamara.

When D woke up from his nap hungry, we filled his tray with P food! We adults had already indulged in a P lunch of Clints Pizza (So, we were happy!). Dylan had peanuts, pickles, pizza, peaches, and pudding!

P Day was definitely the easiest one for food. And it was a bunch of stuff that Dylan really likes!

On to another P Craft! It was time to make a pig!

I saw a similar craft online, but it was a plain plastic bottle with pink paper wrapped around the middle. I thought it would be much cuter if we painted it!

I squirted some pink paint inside of a clean and dry plastic bottle, put the cap on tight, and let D shake it until the entire inside was coated with pink paint (I used Martha Stewart high gloss paint).

D helped hold the pig still while my mom and I used her hot glue gun to glue a white pipe cleaner for the tail, pink paper ears, and squishy ear plugs for feet (the feet were my mom's brilliant idea - awesome!). I drew eyes, snout, and mouth with a Sharpie.

I think the pig ended up being the hit of the day. Although, I'm not sure that Dylan was as excited as the adults were. In my modest opinion, the pig is awesome!

After some pig play time, we got back to work! I had an actual worksheet for today along with all these crazy crafts. I printed off the Confessions of a Homeschooler letter search for P. 

Then, we made a pizza for Daddy. I had cut out some red circles and black mushroom shapes. Pepperoni and mushroom just happens to be Josh's favorite. So I asked D to make a really yummy pizza for Daddy. We glued all the pieces on and then took a pretend taste test. Hope you don't mind that we already had a bite, Babe!

While searching through his massive amount of books, Nonny and D found a picture of a beautiful peacock and a book about penguins!

By the time dinner rolled around D asked my mom if she would make some Mac & Cheese for him. Apparently  P Day was a little too much to handle because he started to fall asleep while chowing down.

I manged to get a second wind into him by pushing up bath time. By the time we got home, D was in his PJs and starting to get sleepy again. I put on Happy Feet (about penguins) and we snuggled up on the couch. Needless to say, he didn't make it to the end of the movie.

P Day 2
We didn't need a second day of P, but I had so many fun things to do, that I just couldn't stop myself. Day 2 wasn't nearly as full of letter stuff as Day 1.

We read Polar Bear, Polar Bear, What Do You Hear by Eric Carle (I know I've mentioned it before, but Dylan absolutely loves Eric Carle books) and then we made our own Polar Bear.

Okay, so I know that this is a pathetic attempt at a Polar Bear, but it was an easy craft that D could do all by himself. I drew a (poor version of a) Polar Bear, covered the paper plate in glue and let him stick cotton balls to it. Voila, craft accomplished.

For dinner, Dylan had Phineas & Ferb chicken noodle soup with Perry shapes. Perry, obviously, had to join us at the dinner table and check out D's food.

[Side note: for those of you who don't have kids or who haven't yet discovered Phineas & Ferb...you are missing out. It's pretty awesome. Just ask, well, almost anyone who has seen it!]

After dinner we were in a Perry mood. So we pulled out D's Phineas & Ferb look & find book and got a little assistance from Perry. We also watched the newest episode stored on the DVR while we were at it.

Before finishing our day with popcorn and the original Disney animated Peter Pan, we did one last P activity. I had some tri-colored pasta and had him separate it by color. He also spent some time pretending to chow down on the uncooked pasta.

I can't believe we are finally done with P stuff. I also can't believe that you made it through this entire entry! Whew! I think we may pick a less busy letter for tomorrow.

Josh’s Farewell Party

I thought I’d use Memorial Day to write about Josh’s Going Away Party. Saturday, May 19 was the big day to celebrate my amazing husband. It wasn't to celebrate the fact that he was leaving. It was to celebrate the fact that he is serving our country, the sacrifice he is making, and to let him know how much he is appreciated and loved by family and friends.

Me & My Man

Some of Josh’s family was able to make the trip to Moline. His Mom, Dad, Sister Michelle, and Uncle Bud traveled to Illinois to show their support. I was so grateful that they were here. My Dad and Step-mom also came from Colorado for the party. It really meant a lot that these people traveled all this way for Josh’s send-off.

It was an all-American party, from the Coast Guard service-member to the décor! Fun note: the signs on the drink coolers were labeled VETERANS (Adult Beverages), ENLISTED (Soda), and RECRUITS (Water). I’m telling you, when I pick a theme, I stick with it!

We had so much food! There was enough to last all day with plenty leftover! My Dad was the grill master with the hot dogs, and I had lots of help with the food from my Mom and Grandmas. We even had a teamworking cookie machine the day before the party. Josh made the batter and then the cookies were baked by Cindy, Michelle, and Connie.

Speaking of cookies…

Cookie Bar

Josh isn’t much of a cake man so we decided to have a cookie bar for dessert. My grandma even made a huge batch of her chocolate chip cookies that she always makes for Josh. And we ordered a giant cookie instead of a cake.

It was quite the turnout. So many people came to show support for my man. I was so proud. He even got some special drinks and a cigar from some of the guests. Sometimes he is a little too humble to be the man of the hour, but he certainly deserved it this time.

I was happy to have several of my friends there to show support. Jon, Colleen, Erin, Tricia, and Breanne all came. I know that handful of friends are going to be the ones who are going to be here keeping me occupied over the next year. I’m really lucky to have their care and support.

Breanne, Colleen, Anika, and Tricia

Colleen and I shared a couple awesome moments. She had all her kids with that day and our children were bonding like crazy. While we were watching Dylan push Tyler around on one of his toys Josh came up behind us and said, “You two have been waiting for this moment for about 15 years, haven’t you?” Yes, yes we have.

Dylan & Tyler

Dylan also had a quiet moment with Kiley that I was really excited to catch with my camera.

Kiley & Dylan

Dylan had way too much fun at the party. I'm sure he thought the party was for him. There ended up being a lot of kids there.

He was also getting awfully spoiled by Poppy (my dad). He took Dylan for a walk across the street and bought him an ice cream cone! Good thing he was still in his swim gear because I think he got more ice cream on this clothes than he did in his mouth.

Dylan may have thought the party was for him, but Josh was obviously the man of the hour. I think he told the same stories more than a dozen times. When he was leaving, where he was going, about the kind of ship he'll be on. I even saw him with his phone out at one point, showing a map of where to find Bahrain.

Talking to B-ry

Overall, I think the party was quite a success. The kids seemed to love the Kids Zone in the back yard and it looked like the adults had fun too. So many people came to support Josh and wish him good luck. It was a great send-off. Josh even got support from California - Bryan called that evening.

I need to thank my Mom for weeks of help leading up to the party. She was there for me the whole time and I couldn't have gotten the party together without her and Bob. And a big thank you to everyone else who helped make the party such a success.

Anika: Wife, Mother, Party Planner :)

On Memorial Day today, I'm thinking even more of my amazing husband and all our friends who have or still are serving. That small percentage of our Country's population deserves more than a few special days a year when everyone remembers the huge sacrifices they are making (or have made).

"This nation will remain the land of the free only so long as it is the home of the brave." ~Elmer Davis

Happy Memorial Day!

Eating Out & A Cocktail Party

Life is just chugging along with Dylan and me. I didn’t hear from Josh on Friday, although I feel like we are still trying to get used to the time difference and how to deal with it. We’ll get the hang of it, I’m sure.  I did get to talk to him on Saturday and he told me about his busy day on Friday.

He had one day of intro training on Thurs, followed by a day off on Friday. The work week starts on Sunday there, so his weekends will be Fridays-Saturdays. He said that on Friday, he went around town with the other people from his boat. I guess they went to an all-you-can-eat place where it was $45(converted roughly) for 4 hours of all-you-can-eat and all-you-can-drink. I guess they were there for a long time and took advantage.  

On the other side of the world, Dylan and I went down to Friday’s by the river and had dinner with Grandma Cathie and Grandpa Ben. Dylan was being a ham (as usual) so they really enjoyed him. When we were leaving I thought Dylan was going to knock them over with how forcefully he threw himself at them for a goodbye hug! Yikes!

When we left Fridays, we headed to Mom & Bob’s house. They were having a cocktail night at their house for the neighbors. A couple of the neighbors are teachers and wanted to celebrate the end of the school year. Mom went all out with snacks, treats, and Patriotic Décor. Mike & Liz, Jon, Dylan, and I all crashed their neighborhood party...I hope they don’t mind!

*Side note: Once again, Jon surprised me that afternoon my not telling me he was coming to town and then just showing up at my door. It was a really nice surprise. So, we made plans for him to crash the neighborhood party with me.  (The last time Jon surprised me, Josh showed up later that day. It didn’t happen that way this time)

Teamwork

The neighbors brought more treats and Ron, our bartender brought martini supplies. We had some really fantastic martinis that night. (I had a Cosmo and a chocolate Martini - yummy!) One of my mom’s drinks was so full to the brim that we had to drain a little bit before she could carry it out to the deck. It was a rough job, but somebody had to help her! Thank goodness I was there for her!

Dylan & Aunt Liz

Dylan completely bonded with Aunt Liz. She got down on the ground and played with him for quite a while. They were climbing under the table like it was their fort and playing all kinds of crazy games. At one point, someone’s reusable shopping bag became the toy of choice for almost 20 minutes! It doesn’t take much to keep him occupied! Aunt Liz was so wonderful and I was able to sit down and relax for a while. Everyone was happy!

Dylan and I both stayed the night at Mom & Bob’s house that night. It was a great move!  It was the first night that Dylan had a decent night of sleep since Josh left. I think it was because he knew where he was, and he knows that it’s always Grandma or Grandpa that comes into his room there, not Daddy. I think it got him out of his funk he was in. And I actually got more than 4-5 hours of sleep for the first time all week! Yay!

I am so grateful to have my parents so close while Josh is away. And I am so lucky that they want to hang out with us so much. They are really there for Dylan and me.  I’m definitely not feeling alone. Maybe a little lonely, but that is a completely different thing.

Fantastic Flights & Park Adventures

I talked to Josh! He arrived in Bahrain safely and called me at about 11pm his time from his hotel. He told me that his extremely long flight from D.C to Kuwait was the best flight he's ever had.

Having watched the flight tracker, I already knew that he flew up through the North Eastern part of America and then continued North through Canada before crossing the water. He told me that he could clearly see New York City (which he had never seen before) all lit up at night. He could see Boston's lights off in the distance, but wasn't close enough to see anything. Then, once above Canada, he said he saw an amazing display of the Northern Lights. I was, of course, very jealous because I've never seen them. It's one of the things on my bucket list! He's seen them before, but he said this one was really awesome. After sunrise, they crossed the Southern border of Greenland (which he said looked nothing but white). He finally got about 5 hours a sleep and woke up around Germany.

Where is Bahrain?

His flight landed in Kuwait and then made the short trip over the water to Bahrain. Okay, are you asking yourself, "Where is Bahrain?" I sure did when Josh first talked about going overseas. You don't hear about Bahrain the way you do about it's surrounding countries (like Iran, Iraq, Saudi Arabia, and Yemen). So, here's the map. Now you can get the idea. It's the little country in the Persian Gulf.

By the time I talked to Josh he had checked into his hotel, met with his sponsor (the guy who is about to leave and Josh is taking his spot), and grabbed something to eat. Funny side note: Josh's first meal in Bahrain was at a Bennigan's.

He was about to get ready for bed and his first day on the job. He'll be going to his first morning of work at just about the time I'm going to bed tonight. This is going to take some getting used to!

But before he called, I was trying to keep my mind occupied. My mom suggested a walk around the pond at Prospect Park. So Dylan and I went with Grandma Linda before naptime today.

Dylan & Grandma Linda at Prospect Park

Dylan is an absolute boy and just loves being outside. I swear, he could stay outside all day long. When he's been cooped up in the house for too long, he'll take my hand and go to the front door saying, "alk. alk." Yes, Dylan, I know you want to go outside for a walk. Please don't compare my son to a dog...even though that's what that story would be if dogs could speak English.

Anyway...My boy is all nature, all the time. He loves to lead the way on a hike, pick up sticks and make a drum out of anything.

He climbed a pretty steep incline to reach a tree stump so he could play a drum solo. Once the drumming was over, he picked up some sticks, pretended like he was biting them, and then set them on the stump while saying, "Eat! Eat!" Who needs toys when you have an awesome imagination and nature all around?

We walked around the lake twice and climbed the hill so Dylan could play at the playground for a while. He loved every minute. 

Dylan and Mommy

I have to share this photo because Dylan makes this face at me all the time. I swear I'm getting glimpse of my  son during his teenage years.

A glimpse into the future

Some of the minor highlights of my day (All highlights are minor after getting to talk to Josh this afternoon): 

~Dylan seeing a frog on tv which made him point and say "Grog! Grog!" over and over. When I looked at him and said, "Did you see a frog?" He smiled, laughed, said yes and then proceeded to start hopping like a frog on all fours around the livingroom. One hop was so intense that it was followed by a somersault!

~My daily "Kiss" from my Kiss Jar had caramel in it! Thanks to my hubby for little, sweet, unexpected surprises.

~Nice calls from Connie and Andrew today.

~A quick chat online with Josh while writing this blog. By the way, he says it is HOT there!

Moving Day and Getting on the Road

Oh, where can I even begin to describe the last month? I have experienced extreme stress, exhaustion, relief, sadness, and joy. It’s been quite the rollercoaster. I wonder if it will slow down anytime soon? It all started with our move out of Georgia and into Illinois in mid-February.

Using my desk that Matt took apart as his new recliner

My mom caught a flight into Jacksonville the day before the movers came to our house. And by the time we got back to the house, Matt and Brittany were there too! I don’t know how I would have gotten everything done without that house full of people helping. I know that I am so lucky to have such great friends in my life. Matt & Britt drove 3 hours to my house just to help clean, organize, and prepare for the packers. It was so hard doing the move without Josh. And I know it would have felt practically impossible without Mom, Matt & Britt. Thank you, thank you, thank you!!!

Grandma & Dylan relaxing in our hotel room

Our entire home was packed into boxes in 4 hours, but the movers weren’t scheduled to come for another two days. Matt & Britt went home, and my mom, Dylan & I camped out in a hotel room and tried to relax for a couple days. I was really frustrated with the delay, at first, but I have come to realize that I really needed that day of rest before our upcoming road trip. One of many blessings in disguise throughout this experience.

Dylan and his Paczki

Our day off between the packers and the movers happened to be Fat Tuesday, so we picked up some Paczkis from Publix and let Dylan dig in! He only had one bite - but it was a huge one! I think he was a little overwhelmed. I happily finished it for him. We were thinking of Daddy while chowing down on our Polish treats. He usually buys them for us, and I didn't want to break the tradition, even if he wasn't physically there with us.

The actual moving day was pretty overwhelming for me! The movers took about 5 hours to get everything we own on the truck. Mom and I managed to finish cleaning the house, got the kid to take a nap in the car, we had the carpet cleaning guy come, I said goodbye to the best neighbor ever (we love you, Von!), turned the keys into the rental office, reweighed the car, and finally got on the road. It was several days worth of things packed into one. We were on the road by mid-afternoon.

We made it North of Atlanta and by the time we got into the hotel room, I was experiencing a level of exhaustion that I’ve never felt before in my life. I felt like I was moving through a dream. It was almost a scary situation. Thank goodness I had my Mama there! She was my rock when I needed some extra strength.

Behind the wheel, helping me drive :)

Dylan was an absolute rockstar in the car on the way back to Illinois. He and Grandma sat in the back seat playing games and having a ball the whole way. We managed to make it back to my parents’ house by about 7pm the second night.

Overall, Dylan has adjusted pretty well for a kid who has been dragged across the country and who has slept in so many different places in such a short amount of time. And the move was only the beginning. Stay tuned for more about the craziest month I’ve ever had to survive. Coming soon…