Weekend Rewind

This past weekend was a long holiday weekend and it was a busy one!

First, it started off with a potluck dinner that we hosted for my soccer team. I was prepared for only 6, maybe 7 families that had confirmed they were coming. But we ended up with 10 families! There may have been 18 kids (hard to count them when they were always running in a million different directions) and 15 of them were boys. I'll let that sink in.... 15 boys under one roof.

But we all had a great time. The adults were able to relax, talk, play pool and darts while the kids all played together. With only one bloody nose, one burned finger from the sparklers we lit later in the night, and Christian crying cause all the boys played with his toys, I'd call the night a smashing success!

Saturday was Gabe's birthday. He had chosen to eat at Joe's Crab Shack which is in Tucson, so we spent the day there. We had bought tickets this past spring for the Biosphere 2 and that was our first stop of the day. It was a pretty amazing thing to see. They had several different ecosystems ranging from a rainforest to the desert.

Their "ocean" with water brought in from the Pacific.

The Rainforest. Just amazing to see, also HUMID.

Where crops were grown when scientists spent two years actually living in the Biosphere.

After the Biosphere, we hightailed it over to the mall to get Gabe some new clothes after his 25lb weight loss. I only got one photo from shopping and it is the most adorably cute picture!

"Take a picture of us mommy!"

We finally made it to Joe's Crab Shack where Gabe got his birthday dinner. Afterward, we raced home because Gabe and I were having our first date night since Noah was born! We ended up bringing Noah because I wasn't sure how he would do at the sitter's since it would be around his bedtime. Thor was the movie of choice that night.

After two late nights in a row, we were all kind of sluggish come Sunday morning but we managed to get to church mostly on time. A little shopping and some lunch later, it was naptime. The rest of the day, we lounged around still tired from Friday and Saturday's activities.

Monday, Veteran's Day, we joined some friends for the annual Veteran's Day parade. We also went out to Applebee's which were giving free meals AND desserts to all veterans. Yes, please! Yum!

Hope you all had a great weekend and happy Veteran's Day to any vets who are reading!

Queen for a Day

Not really but it was my birthday! I'm one of those unfortunate people with a birthday stuck between Christmas and New Year's. You know, the birthday where you get your present wrapped in Christmas paper or you get the "combined" Christmas/birthday gift. Can you tell I'm not a fan of my birth date? I've learned to live with it though and now that I'm older, it's not as bad. (I did however, vow never to have a child in December to avoid them having the same fate.)

Anyway, I woke up like any other day with the kids coming in waking Gabe and I. We always enjoy a little family time playing and cuddling before making our way out of bed to start the day.

Gabe got out first and brought me my gift while the kids serenaded me with "Happy Birthday". They were truly adorable and wish I could have taped it to watch over and over. I had given him a list of things to get me for Christmas and my birthday and he stuck to it and I got everything I wanted! He's been trained well. Hah!

I received the last two seasons of The Golden Girls. Yes, I watch Golden Girls and love it.

my birthday and Christmas gifts

We have a thing in our family that on our birthday, we go out to eat and the birthday person picks the restaurant. I chose a pizza/Italian place nearby called Pizzaria Mimosa. I've heard good things about it and wanted to try it. They're set at the base of the local mountains so the views are amazing. It just so happened as we found out, that they were also celebrating their opening anniversary and each table got complimentary cupcakes! Who can say no to cupcakes much less FREE ones?!

We ordered pizzas for the kids and I chose a breaded lemon chicken while Gabe chose some kind of sausage dish. The food looked great but didn't taste as good as I was expecting. It tasted good, but not as good as it looked. Alena wasn't a fan of her cheese pizza (not enough pizza sauce on it) but Christian DEVOURED his. The pizza was huge for a kid with 8 pieces and he managed to get 4 1/2 slices in him! It didn't occur to me to take pictures while there until we left (and I even had the camera in my purse!).

After leaving we dropped the kids off at the babysitter's so Gabe and I could go out on our own to celebrate. I chose to go to the gun range and the movies. Weird combo, right?

Gabe does a lot of traveling for work and I have a really hard time sleeping and feeling completely safe while he's gone. I bought pepper spray but that only helped a bit. So we bought some guns for home protection and for some peace of mind on my part. We spent a couple hours at the range getting completely comfortable and familiar with our guns. The last time I shot a pistol I wasn't so great at it. This time however, I was soooo much better. We had a brand new steel target and I was the first one to try it out. My first three shots were right on top of each other and the next two were close to it.

See for yourself...

Pretty good, eh?

And here is after two hours...

After the range, we drove to the movies and watched This is 40. Hilarious movie! All in all, it was a great birthday. Just wish it didn't bring me one year closer to 30! :( I dread that day but for now, I shall enjoy my age and embrace it. :)

4 Years Old

Christian,

My sweet sweet boy. How can you be turning 4 already?! I knew this day would come, but it sure came faster than I would have liked!

You have grown from a happy-go-lucky baby to a rambunctious toddler, and now into a loving and caring pre schooler. Christian, you have such a sweet soul and I hope that never changes.

You absolutely love to play the Agent Dash game on our Ipads and are better at it than me. I can watch you play any game and see your mind at work problem solving and figuring out the next step. You are very persistent and do not give up very easily. You will work and work at those games and get better and better.

Christian, we would love to see you put more effort into speaking. You try but then get frustrated and give up. Mommy has been working with you and you have improved.

You love your daddy very much and I can tell you look up to him. From the way you imitate him to the way you look at him, you want to be just like daddy. And I hope when you grow up, you are like him.

Christian, you have such a special place in mommy's heart. You are always trying to take care of the baby and me. You make sure I have water, food, and am comfortable. If I'm hurting, you rub my back and tell me that it will be OK. If I tell you I'm tired, you get me a pillow and blanket and tell me to lay down.

You are such a good son and we thank God every day for you. Mommy and daddy are so proud of you, Christian and we will always love you.

Vacation Part 7 - Final One!

Thursday was a lazy day. We sat around my mom's house watching TV and relaxing. At around 1130, I dropped Gabe and the kids off at my sister's house so Gabe could continue on his homework. I left them to go see a close friend who had just had a baby.

I got there around 1230 and we started talking. I got my baby fix by holding her tiny little one. I forgot how little they really are! Before I knew it, two hours had passed and it was time to go.

I left and went back to pick up the kids to head to a local splash park. Apparently, Christian had gotten in trouble while I was gone, so it was just Alena and I. We met Rhoda and her boys there. Unfortunately, Alena didn't want to play in the water so we didn't stay too long.

We were going to my aunt and uncle's house later that evening so we went back to my parent's for dinner before heading over. I've said before how I grew up Amish and my aunt and uncle are still Amish. We had a great time as usual. We sat, talking around the fire ring outside while the kids played. I love that they all get along because it makes it so much more enjoyable.

And I even took pictures to show you what a true Amish house, just in case you wanted to know. :)

This is just to the right of the door.

Looking in from the door. The kitchen and dining room.

The dining room. Hall to the left leads to the bathroom and living room.  The door at the right leads to the living and stairs.

The living room.

More of the living room.

The upstairs hallway.

Different view of the dining room and kitchen.

Isn't it great?! I love that the rooms are so big and open.

On Friday evening, we had my nephew's birthday party. He turned 10 years old!

Chocolate faced boy.

Happy Birthday!

The dogs looking for a handout.

And they got it.

Alena was feeling good and threw up a few times, so Saturday, we stayed at my parent's house. Sunday was pretty much the same thing. It was Justin's birthday so they came over and we grilled some chicken.

We really didn't want to leave, but sadly, we had too. :( Monday morning we got up super early again and headed to the airport. We had the same problems as last time with trying to get seated together. Luckily, the attendants were a little more willing to help out this time.

We would love to move back home and are trying to figure out a way to make it happen.

My Dearest Alena

My Dearest Alena,

   Today you turn five years old! Happy Birthday! You are so excited to turn five because you are no longer a little girl and this means you can go to kindergarten next school year. Mommy doesn't like it so much because four still seems small but five...? Five just seems so BIG! Plus, you're starting to make mommy feel old. :) You do not like hearing the words Alena, little, and baby in the same sentence. You're taking being five years old so seriously.

We got you a guitar for your birthday after you begged for one when Christian and I got one for our birthdays. Daddy has a few too and you wanted one so we could be a guitar playing family. You love your pink princess guitar and are strumming it gleefully!

You've done and learned so much this past year! You have shown how strong and patient you can be when waiting for daddy to come home from Iraq. You started gymnastics and like it. I can see your athletic ability start to come out and mommy loves it! I think your biggest accomplishment this past year was starting preschool. I can't believe how much you have learned! I love watching you write, spell, and just recently, READ some words!!! I am truly amazed when I see you do these things and can almost not contain my excitement or emotions.

Alena, you have such a wonderful imagination! I love to watch you play because you're so funny. You can always make daddy and I laugh. I hope you never lose your sense of humor. Speaking of humor... you love to make up your own jokes and sometimes, they make sense and are so funny!

You are also just getting into playing with Barbies. You like to dress them into many different outfits. And your mind is so creative! Daddy thinks this is the best thing about you. You can get out all your craft supplies and come up with so many great projects, all on your own. I hope you always use this creativity because it will come in handy when you have kids of your own.

Your vocabulary is rapidly expanding and you are always trying to use bigger and bigger words. Sometimes you use them correctly and sometimes not. But keep practicing!

Alena, you are turning into such a wonderful young lady. You have started to habitually use your manners. Your Sunday school teacher told me this week that you were to only student to thank her for giving you a snack. That made me SO PROUD! And then yesterday in the car, you gave Christian the rest of your snack just to be nice. Another proud mommy moment!

Sometimes however, you can seem like a real Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde. You can turn from sweet and caring to mean and spiteful in a split second! Many times it's directed at Christian. We really need to work on that this year. But I know you truly love your brother. Just last night, you guys wanted to sleep in the same room and cried when mommy wouldn't let you.


I know you don't like many of our decisions but when you are grown and have kids of your own, you will greater understand why mommy and daddy made some of the decisions we have. There are so many things you don't understand when you are this young that you will only understand once you have kids of your own. (and I do hope you someday have kids of your own)

Alena, you are such an amazing child. I hope you never lose who you are and always follow your dreams. Mommy and daddy love you soooo much! You will always have us to be there for you and support you.

Our wall of guitars

The happy birthday girl!