It's been a busy week so far, with school starting and our household goods arriving, but as promised, here are Julia's first day of school pics. Enjoy! :)
August 27, 2008
August 25, 2008
All systems GO!!
So now everyone has signed off on my internship! The dept chair, associate dean, and the dean himself. Dr. Everett emailed us this weekend to say that they are ready for me to fax in my DoDDS application, they will sign it, and it will be sent to Virginia! YAY! That's where the DoDDS people approve the internship and assign me to a school. I am hoping it will be Netzaberg Elem since it's right across the street, I put it as the first choice on my application, the principal is aware that I want to intern there and was supportive, and for right now, I'm the only one, so it's not like there's too many interns.
I am going to be subbing at the school this fall....I went to the orientation last week and it went well. I got the grand tour of the school (again) and met some other women, got to know the office staff a little, etc. Human resources still has to approve me, but they were telling me they already have a need for subs the first week of September, so it didn't sound like it's tough to get approval. They already need subs because many teachers have their household goods coming in within the next month.
My schedule is filling up in other areas as well: there is a great need for Girl Scout Troop Leaders, so I may be Julia's Brownie troop leader. There is a prospective leader meeting on Sept 7th, where things will be decided. She loved the Twilight camp last week and had a blast! It was science-based. They did all sorts of experiments (the soda explosion, etc), made Gak, made their own ice cream (shaken in a bag, not with an ice cream maker), and on the last night they had a big camp fire. She's singing all these Girl Scout songs now! When I picked her up on the last night, she was hanging with two 3rd graders, having the time of her life. I don't think they realized how young she is, but they were very nice to her! :)
I'm also volunteering with the Grafenwoehr Community and Spouses Club....the Crown Jewel Bazaar is coming up in mid-October, and I'm going to be working on that committee. A lot of the Bazaar chairs are PCS-ing (Permanent Change of Station....in other words, military-speak for moving) within the next year, so they need to train new people to take over their position at next year's bazaar....that would be me! If all goes well, I will be the Vendor Chair on next year's Bazaar Committee. I will be helping coordinate vendors, confirm their hotels, send invites to them, help assist with vendor problems at the Bazaar, etc. I'm excited to do it because I want to be able to work at these types of events, and this is the perfect opportunity to learn. The Spouses Club website is http://www.gcsconline.com/ The Bazaar is a good place to shop for European Christmas gifts to send back to the States or items for your home. There are tons of vendors from all over Europe. I've heard the following items will likely be available: Persian and Turkish rugs, oil paintings, antique furniture, fine china, Polish Pottery (my fav!), gourmet cheeses and chocolates, and of course, wine. I can't wait! Place your orders now! :)
Lexie seems to be alternating between angel and devil-baby lately....the teeth. She's not going to be happy to be up at 6:30 in the morning. Neither is Aiden, who is doing great, he's into everything, slowly but surely potty-training, and wanting to ride every car, truck or tractor that we see. ("Ride dat, Mama!")
Our household goods will be here tomorrow! Our van got here Friday and has a huge dent in the bumper! We're going to have to file a claim through the JAG office to get reimbursed for the repair.
And last, but probably MOST important right now, Julia's first day of school is tomorrow! (I really need to get to bed!) She's a little nervous, but I know she'll be just fine. The school is huge, but I know within a few days, she will be showing me where everything is. I'm excited for her, and I know she has another exciting year ahead of her! :) Good night Everyone!
I am going to be subbing at the school this fall....I went to the orientation last week and it went well. I got the grand tour of the school (again) and met some other women, got to know the office staff a little, etc. Human resources still has to approve me, but they were telling me they already have a need for subs the first week of September, so it didn't sound like it's tough to get approval. They already need subs because many teachers have their household goods coming in within the next month.
My schedule is filling up in other areas as well: there is a great need for Girl Scout Troop Leaders, so I may be Julia's Brownie troop leader. There is a prospective leader meeting on Sept 7th, where things will be decided. She loved the Twilight camp last week and had a blast! It was science-based. They did all sorts of experiments (the soda explosion, etc), made Gak, made their own ice cream (shaken in a bag, not with an ice cream maker), and on the last night they had a big camp fire. She's singing all these Girl Scout songs now! When I picked her up on the last night, she was hanging with two 3rd graders, having the time of her life. I don't think they realized how young she is, but they were very nice to her! :)
I'm also volunteering with the Grafenwoehr Community and Spouses Club....the Crown Jewel Bazaar is coming up in mid-October, and I'm going to be working on that committee. A lot of the Bazaar chairs are PCS-ing (Permanent Change of Station....in other words, military-speak for moving) within the next year, so they need to train new people to take over their position at next year's bazaar....that would be me! If all goes well, I will be the Vendor Chair on next year's Bazaar Committee. I will be helping coordinate vendors, confirm their hotels, send invites to them, help assist with vendor problems at the Bazaar, etc. I'm excited to do it because I want to be able to work at these types of events, and this is the perfect opportunity to learn. The Spouses Club website is http://www.gcsconline.com/ The Bazaar is a good place to shop for European Christmas gifts to send back to the States or items for your home. There are tons of vendors from all over Europe. I've heard the following items will likely be available: Persian and Turkish rugs, oil paintings, antique furniture, fine china, Polish Pottery (my fav!), gourmet cheeses and chocolates, and of course, wine. I can't wait! Place your orders now! :)
Lexie seems to be alternating between angel and devil-baby lately....the teeth. She's not going to be happy to be up at 6:30 in the morning. Neither is Aiden, who is doing great, he's into everything, slowly but surely potty-training, and wanting to ride every car, truck or tractor that we see. ("Ride dat, Mama!")
Our household goods will be here tomorrow! Our van got here Friday and has a huge dent in the bumper! We're going to have to file a claim through the JAG office to get reimbursed for the repair.
And last, but probably MOST important right now, Julia's first day of school is tomorrow! (I really need to get to bed!) She's a little nervous, but I know she'll be just fine. The school is huge, but I know within a few days, she will be showing me where everything is. I'm excited for her, and I know she has another exciting year ahead of her! :) Good night Everyone!
August 22, 2008
Mother's Intuition and Other Random Stuff
I never thought much about mother's intuition until I had kids and it began happening to me. When Julia was a baby, I remember jumping up to check on her out of the blue, even though I had just done so and she was sleeping soundly, to discover a bug resting on her eye. Lots of little moments like that have led me to trust my instincts, trust that mother's voice in my heart that tells me what to do. Just last week, Julia was supposed to come back home and tell me if one of her friends was home before staying to play, and when she didn't return after 15 minutes, I decided to go look for her. She was supposed to be going to her friends' house on the very next street, and normally I go a certain way, but on this day I decided to go the back way...as soon as I rounded the corner, I knew what had pulled me in this direction, for there was my little girl, with another child I'd never seen before, starting to walk down a steep slope off the walking trail....it led to nothing but rocks and water and broken glass, and she was wearing flip flops.... There is no doubt in my mind if I had shown up five or ten seconds later, she would have already fallen down there. I screamed her name and caught her just in time. Needless to say, she was not allowed to play the rest of the day and got a firm talking-to about just how dangerous her little adventure could have been.
Mother's intuition struck again a couple of weeks ago, only I didn't realize it until today. I went to the parents meeting for cheerleading on the Vilseck base, about 2o minutes from here. I saw a woman there, and I thought she looked oddly familiar, which was strange to me considering at the time we'd only been here a month, and I was on another base. I didn't think I'd seen her here on Graf, and knew she didn't live on my street. Where did I know her from? I even said hello to her and mentioned that she looked familiar, but I could tell she didn't recognize me so I let it go. I thought she probably looked like someone I once knew or something.....
Then today....today we went to the CDC (child development center, for you non-military folk) to have a tour, since Aiden and Lexie will be starting there Sept 2. Lo and behold, when they walked us by the infant room, there is this woman, rocking a baby and talking very softly to him. The director was telling us "I will have to look at the roster and see if she'll be in the A or B class." But she didn't have to tell me, I knew that this woman was going to take care of Lexie. This would be Lexie's new teacher, her favorite teacher, that she would bond with her just like she had with Ms. Miriam and the other wonderful teachers at Jellybean Junction. I kept looking back at her, I couldn't believe what my gut had felt weeks before was coming true. When we walked back to the front, the director confirmed what I already knew in my heart and soul....Lexie would be in the A class, with this familiar stranger. We walked in to be introduced and when I said "This is Lexie...." She said "Alexis Smith? I already have your birthday up on the wall, we just need your picture! We've been waiting for you! We need another little girl..." Lexie just beamed at her. It was amazing. I felt so content and at peace, watching her interact with my daughter. Wally felt it too. I know it's going to be a little bit of an adjustment for Lex at first, since she's been out of the classrooom environment since June, but I feel very comfortable with the care she will be receiving. This is the right place for her to be while I am finishing my degree.
The school is brand new, and there are lots of cars and trucks, so Aiden will be very happy too. The rooms are so nice! And clean! And CDC's have very high standards, both for education and for cleanliness. I know because I used to work in one in Mannheim. The only downside is that they used an astro-turf for the playgrounds (because they were trying to avoid having to mow around play equipment) and have found out that it contains lead....so the children can't play on the playground until the astro-turf is replaced. They are having outside time with tricycles, water tables, bubbles, etc in a certain large area that is not covered in astro-turf. Unfortunately it will be October before the supplies arrive from the States to correct this problem, but if this is the only downside to this school, I think I can live with that. :) Aiden can't wait to go back to school...he was so excited running around that place, Wally and I were laughing. He's going to be sad next week when Julia starts school, and he's stuck here with his baby sister and boring old mommy!
Other things going on:
*Wally had off work today and will also be off tomorrow....tonight we painted Aiden's room a pale blue. Tomorrow Julia's room will be painted pink.
*Our van should be arriving tomorrow! YAY! No more 3 kids stretched across the back seat of our Rodeo, poking each other incessantly!
*Saturday we are going to Regensburg to make some purchases at IKEA....a desk for Julia's room, a piece for our entryway to store shoes and other items(hard to describe, will post a pic of it after we get it), and something else, but I can't remember what. Also to visit a cool antique store....we met the owner at the PX and she gave us her business card.
*Tonight we had Aiden's foot measured at the PX....he was in a 10 when we arrived here in July....now he's an 11! I don't know how to keep this child in shoes! Julia wears a 12.5, and she's six years old! AIDEN IS TWO!!!!!
*Aiden's new thing is saying "aw man!" whenever he doesn't get his way...it is super cute and super effective! He is the funniest kid! :)
*I went to the sub orientation at Julia's school today. I will be available to start subbing once the kids start at the CDC. The staff is very nice, and I was able to meet Julia's new teacher, Mrs. Weight. She seemed great, so I'm sure Julia's going to have a successful school year.
Okay, that's all for now. I have to get some sleep! I have terrible insomnia lately, but I think having to start getting up at the crack of dawn to get Julia to school next week will cure it. At least I hope it will! lots of love to all of you! :)
Mother's intuition struck again a couple of weeks ago, only I didn't realize it until today. I went to the parents meeting for cheerleading on the Vilseck base, about 2o minutes from here. I saw a woman there, and I thought she looked oddly familiar, which was strange to me considering at the time we'd only been here a month, and I was on another base. I didn't think I'd seen her here on Graf, and knew she didn't live on my street. Where did I know her from? I even said hello to her and mentioned that she looked familiar, but I could tell she didn't recognize me so I let it go. I thought she probably looked like someone I once knew or something.....
Then today....today we went to the CDC (child development center, for you non-military folk) to have a tour, since Aiden and Lexie will be starting there Sept 2. Lo and behold, when they walked us by the infant room, there is this woman, rocking a baby and talking very softly to him. The director was telling us "I will have to look at the roster and see if she'll be in the A or B class." But she didn't have to tell me, I knew that this woman was going to take care of Lexie. This would be Lexie's new teacher, her favorite teacher, that she would bond with her just like she had with Ms. Miriam and the other wonderful teachers at Jellybean Junction. I kept looking back at her, I couldn't believe what my gut had felt weeks before was coming true. When we walked back to the front, the director confirmed what I already knew in my heart and soul....Lexie would be in the A class, with this familiar stranger. We walked in to be introduced and when I said "This is Lexie...." She said "Alexis Smith? I already have your birthday up on the wall, we just need your picture! We've been waiting for you! We need another little girl..." Lexie just beamed at her. It was amazing. I felt so content and at peace, watching her interact with my daughter. Wally felt it too. I know it's going to be a little bit of an adjustment for Lex at first, since she's been out of the classrooom environment since June, but I feel very comfortable with the care she will be receiving. This is the right place for her to be while I am finishing my degree.
The school is brand new, and there are lots of cars and trucks, so Aiden will be very happy too. The rooms are so nice! And clean! And CDC's have very high standards, both for education and for cleanliness. I know because I used to work in one in Mannheim. The only downside is that they used an astro-turf for the playgrounds (because they were trying to avoid having to mow around play equipment) and have found out that it contains lead....so the children can't play on the playground until the astro-turf is replaced. They are having outside time with tricycles, water tables, bubbles, etc in a certain large area that is not covered in astro-turf. Unfortunately it will be October before the supplies arrive from the States to correct this problem, but if this is the only downside to this school, I think I can live with that. :) Aiden can't wait to go back to school...he was so excited running around that place, Wally and I were laughing. He's going to be sad next week when Julia starts school, and he's stuck here with his baby sister and boring old mommy!
Other things going on:
*Wally had off work today and will also be off tomorrow....tonight we painted Aiden's room a pale blue. Tomorrow Julia's room will be painted pink.
*Our van should be arriving tomorrow! YAY! No more 3 kids stretched across the back seat of our Rodeo, poking each other incessantly!
*Saturday we are going to Regensburg to make some purchases at IKEA....a desk for Julia's room, a piece for our entryway to store shoes and other items(hard to describe, will post a pic of it after we get it), and something else, but I can't remember what. Also to visit a cool antique store....we met the owner at the PX and she gave us her business card.
*Tonight we had Aiden's foot measured at the PX....he was in a 10 when we arrived here in July....now he's an 11! I don't know how to keep this child in shoes! Julia wears a 12.5, and she's six years old! AIDEN IS TWO!!!!!
*Aiden's new thing is saying "aw man!" whenever he doesn't get his way...it is super cute and super effective! He is the funniest kid! :)
*I went to the sub orientation at Julia's school today. I will be available to start subbing once the kids start at the CDC. The staff is very nice, and I was able to meet Julia's new teacher, Mrs. Weight. She seemed great, so I'm sure Julia's going to have a successful school year.
Okay, that's all for now. I have to get some sleep! I have terrible insomnia lately, but I think having to start getting up at the crack of dawn to get Julia to school next week will cure it. At least I hope it will! lots of love to all of you! :)
August 20, 2008
What happened to my baby?
Lexie has been screaming constantly the past few days! She's on an antibiotic for her ear infection(s) and doesn't seem to be having any sort of reaction to it, so I can only assume it's doing its' job. So my next guess is her teeth. Her top two teeth seem to be coming down, so I'm thinking that what's causing this massive three-day-long fit. She is cranky and waking during the night, she won't drink her milk unless it's perfectly warmed....just the slightest bit cool and she throws the bottle, arches her back and screams. If you warm it for just 10 or 15 more seconds, she will drink it without complaint. She's very restless all night long, and has absolutely no patience. If I do something like, wipe her face (God forbid) she flips out in an all-out rage. She wants to be held constantly...I can't shower or eat a meal unless Wally is here or I just let her scream.....she hasn't been napping very well, and I end up spending naptime cleaning the kitchen, folding laundry, watering our plants and sweeping....no time for silly things like meals or showers!
Last night I tried Hyland's teething tablets, a homeopathic medicine (and I remembered that Navasha used them with Meredith, the only personal recommendation I could recall) I dissolved two in 1 tsp water and gave it to her with a medicine dropper. To Hyland's credit, she did sleep much better last night, so considering she's been screaming off and on this morning, she may get more in a few minutes. Right now she is only quiet because Julia is reading her a story.
After Wally had been home five minutes last night, he looked at me, and said "oh honey, I'm sorry." It's been a rough few days. I want my happy Lexie back.
Last night I tried Hyland's teething tablets, a homeopathic medicine (and I remembered that Navasha used them with Meredith, the only personal recommendation I could recall) I dissolved two in 1 tsp water and gave it to her with a medicine dropper. To Hyland's credit, she did sleep much better last night, so considering she's been screaming off and on this morning, she may get more in a few minutes. Right now she is only quiet because Julia is reading her a story.
After Wally had been home five minutes last night, he looked at me, and said "oh honey, I'm sorry." It's been a rough few days. I want my happy Lexie back.
August 18, 2008
The madness begins...
This is the week, today is the day. It all begins. Julia's very first cheerleading practice is at 4:45 and Girl Scout Twilight Camp is Mon-Wedn. She's actually double-booked already. Cheerleading practice doesn't end until 5:45 and Twilight camp begins at 5:30! The first half hour of camp they're eating anyway, so Julia will eat in the car on the way there. Practice will be Mondays and Thursdays, so it's the only day it will overlap with camp. Some of her Brownie stuff came in the mail today: her handbook, sash, some pins and patches, and a Brownie t-shirt. Her uniform should be here next week, which is fine since the meetings don't start till September. We aren't even assigned to a troop yet.
School starts a week from today, and my mom sent her the cutest outfit that she'll wear, unless it's too cold. I'll take a pic and post it after I drop her off. She got a huge box filled with Hannah Montana stuff from my parents: t-shirt, pencils, bracelet, notebook, etc. They also sent Aiden and Lexie some things, plus some grocery items that they don't carry at the commissary. Aiden can't do without his certain brand of granola bars! Thanks again, Mom!
On Sept 3, ballet starts, and that will be on Wednesdays from 3:30 to 4pm. She's anxious to see if this class will be like the one she did in Melbourne. It's on a month-to-month basis, so I assured her that if she doesn't like it, she can try the jazz class in October. And if she doesn't like that, there are loads of other activities she can try, or she can just do Brownies and cheerleading. There's also the AWANA club at the Graf chapel on Sunday afternoons that she might join. She's going to be a busy girl, but I like the fact that she's trying new things. There was a time that she would not have been comfortable doing that.
Wally was stoked to learn that soccer and baseball start at age 3 here, so Aiden will be able to participate next year. Aiden LOVES to play ball, they even play "pretend ball" in the house: Wally pitches the pretend ball, Julia swings the bat, and then Aiden runs to go get the ball. He'll stoop down and pick it up and say "Got it!" and come running back with....nothing...clenched so tightly in his little hand. It's adorable. Then he throws it back to Wally so he can take his turn at bat. It's a very good rainy day activity!
Wally's birthday was nice. We went to Weiden because there was another fest. This was a smaller one, but they had pony rides, so the kids were stoked. The also rode the "bumpy cars," as Aiden calls them. Julia even rode the kiddie bumper cars all by herself! It was so cute. Julia jumped on a trampoline in this harness so she could go really high...I'm sure there's a name for it, but I don't know what it is. We had fun, then went to an amazing Chinese restaurant near our house, at Wally's request. He loves their shrimp fried rice and so do the kids. We came back home and sang Happy Birthday and ate some of the cake the kids and I made the night before. It was very good. Wally insisted that he didn't want any gifts....that going to Prague to see the Gamecocks play WAS his gift, but I couldn't let his birthday pass without a little something from us. So I surprised him by getting him something he REALLY wanted...a new pair of Oakley's (sunglasses) since he lost his before we moved. He was surprised and happy to get them. All in all, it was a great day.
For my birthday in a couple of weeks, we decided to go back to Prague. We only really got the one day there last time, and there's so much to see. And it's only 2.5 hours away, you can't beat that. I can't wait! :)
Okay, got to get a few things done before Aiden and Lexie wake up from their nap and we take Julia to practice. Much love!
PS: I will add pics from the fest and Wally's birthday later.
School starts a week from today, and my mom sent her the cutest outfit that she'll wear, unless it's too cold. I'll take a pic and post it after I drop her off. She got a huge box filled with Hannah Montana stuff from my parents: t-shirt, pencils, bracelet, notebook, etc. They also sent Aiden and Lexie some things, plus some grocery items that they don't carry at the commissary. Aiden can't do without his certain brand of granola bars! Thanks again, Mom!
On Sept 3, ballet starts, and that will be on Wednesdays from 3:30 to 4pm. She's anxious to see if this class will be like the one she did in Melbourne. It's on a month-to-month basis, so I assured her that if she doesn't like it, she can try the jazz class in October. And if she doesn't like that, there are loads of other activities she can try, or she can just do Brownies and cheerleading. There's also the AWANA club at the Graf chapel on Sunday afternoons that she might join. She's going to be a busy girl, but I like the fact that she's trying new things. There was a time that she would not have been comfortable doing that.
Wally was stoked to learn that soccer and baseball start at age 3 here, so Aiden will be able to participate next year. Aiden LOVES to play ball, they even play "pretend ball" in the house: Wally pitches the pretend ball, Julia swings the bat, and then Aiden runs to go get the ball. He'll stoop down and pick it up and say "Got it!" and come running back with....nothing...clenched so tightly in his little hand. It's adorable. Then he throws it back to Wally so he can take his turn at bat. It's a very good rainy day activity!
Wally's birthday was nice. We went to Weiden because there was another fest. This was a smaller one, but they had pony rides, so the kids were stoked. The also rode the "bumpy cars," as Aiden calls them. Julia even rode the kiddie bumper cars all by herself! It was so cute. Julia jumped on a trampoline in this harness so she could go really high...I'm sure there's a name for it, but I don't know what it is. We had fun, then went to an amazing Chinese restaurant near our house, at Wally's request. He loves their shrimp fried rice and so do the kids. We came back home and sang Happy Birthday and ate some of the cake the kids and I made the night before. It was very good. Wally insisted that he didn't want any gifts....that going to Prague to see the Gamecocks play WAS his gift, but I couldn't let his birthday pass without a little something from us. So I surprised him by getting him something he REALLY wanted...a new pair of Oakley's (sunglasses) since he lost his before we moved. He was surprised and happy to get them. All in all, it was a great day.
For my birthday in a couple of weeks, we decided to go back to Prague. We only really got the one day there last time, and there's so much to see. And it's only 2.5 hours away, you can't beat that. I can't wait! :)
Okay, got to get a few things done before Aiden and Lexie wake up from their nap and we take Julia to practice. Much love!
PS: I will add pics from the fest and Wally's birthday later.
August 17, 2008
My Life in Movies
I got this idea from my friend Kitty (whose blog is hysterical, even if you don't know her) who got it from a relative, who got it from, wherever. You can see where this is going. Credit belongs to someone for starting it, but I have no idea who to give it to. So...here goes, a list of my favorite movie from each year that I have been on this planet:
1978: Grease...this was a no-brainer for me!
1979:I've only seen it a couple of times, but I have to go with The Jerk, if nothing else cause I love Steve Martin.
1980:Airplane! Silliest movie ever!
1981:Have to go with Raiders of the Lost Ark. Nothing else on the list appealed to me.
1982:I loved E.T. when I got older, but I remember crying in the movie theatre when my parents took me to see it!
1983: I have to choose Return of the Jedi. Cassidy and I watched The Man with Two Brains about a bejillion times. That Steve Martin!:)
1984: Ghostbusters! Gremlins! The Karate Kid! Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom! I can't decide! What a great year in movies!
1985: Back to the Future. No doubt about it. Although I did watch Clue on HBO countless times.
1986:Ferris Bueller's Day Off for sure. I also loved The Boy Who Could Fly, Labyrinth, Top Gun, and Little Shop of Horrors. Another big year!
1987:Dirty Dancing. First movie soundtrack I owned.
1988: Coming to America cause this was before Eddie Murphy became a jackass. Also Big. Gotta love old school Tom Hanks.
1989:Ok, clearly I can't pick one from each year! This year's picks are Back to the Future II, Ghostbusters II, The Little Mermaid, and Driving Miss Daisy.
1990: Ghost. I did it! I only picked one!
1991: Father of the Bride. Another Steve Martin fave
1992: The Bodyguard. Wayne's World. My Cousin Vinny. Single White Female. (stiletto to the eye, anyone?)
1993:The Nightmare Before Christmas. Groundhog Day. I love Bill Murray.
1994: ooh, too many! Forest Gump, The Santa Clause, Natural Born killers, Ace Ventura, The Shawshank Redemption....I could go on, but it's getting late...
1995: The American President. 9 Months. Clueless. Father of the Bride Part II, Toy Story, Sev7n, Mr. Holland's Opus
1996: The Birdcage. Jerry McGuire.
1997: Good Will Hunting. "How do ya like them apples?!" Austin Powers.
1998: There's Something About Mary and The Truman Show.
1999: The Matrix and American Beauty. Oh and Office Space! That is probably the funniest movie of all time in my book.
2000: Meet the Parents and The Family Man, in which Nicolas Cage is at his finest.
2001: Don't laugh, but I loved Save the Last Dance. Also The Wedding Planner, The Princess Diaries, and Legally Blonde. I said stop laughing!! Harry Potter and Shrek too.
2002: My Big Fat Greek Wedding. "Spray some Windex on it!"
2003: Something's Gotta Give, How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days, and Freaky Friday...Lindsay Lohan was so cute and innocent back then! Mystic River broke my heart, and The School of Rock cracked me up.
2004: Mean Girls! ("Danny Devito!") The Notebook. 50 First Dates and National Treasure.
2005: I loved Guess Who (RIP Bernie Mac). Also Monster-In-Law and Hitch.
2006: The Pursuit of Happyness, The Devil Wears Prada (but the book was better!) and Dreamgirls.
2007: Knocked Up, Juno, and Hairspray.
2008: I haven't seen a whole lot this year (what, you think I am busy or something with 3 kids?!), but I loved Definitely, Maybe and Sex and the City.
1978: Grease...this was a no-brainer for me!
1979:I've only seen it a couple of times, but I have to go with The Jerk, if nothing else cause I love Steve Martin.
1980:Airplane! Silliest movie ever!
1981:Have to go with Raiders of the Lost Ark. Nothing else on the list appealed to me.
1982:I loved E.T. when I got older, but I remember crying in the movie theatre when my parents took me to see it!
1983: I have to choose Return of the Jedi. Cassidy and I watched The Man with Two Brains about a bejillion times. That Steve Martin!:)
1984: Ghostbusters! Gremlins! The Karate Kid! Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom! I can't decide! What a great year in movies!
1985: Back to the Future. No doubt about it. Although I did watch Clue on HBO countless times.
1986:Ferris Bueller's Day Off for sure. I also loved The Boy Who Could Fly, Labyrinth, Top Gun, and Little Shop of Horrors. Another big year!
1987:Dirty Dancing. First movie soundtrack I owned.
1988: Coming to America cause this was before Eddie Murphy became a jackass. Also Big. Gotta love old school Tom Hanks.
1989:Ok, clearly I can't pick one from each year! This year's picks are Back to the Future II, Ghostbusters II, The Little Mermaid, and Driving Miss Daisy.
1990: Ghost. I did it! I only picked one!
1991: Father of the Bride. Another Steve Martin fave
1992: The Bodyguard. Wayne's World. My Cousin Vinny. Single White Female. (stiletto to the eye, anyone?)
1993:The Nightmare Before Christmas. Groundhog Day. I love Bill Murray.
1994: ooh, too many! Forest Gump, The Santa Clause, Natural Born killers, Ace Ventura, The Shawshank Redemption....I could go on, but it's getting late...
1995: The American President. 9 Months. Clueless. Father of the Bride Part II, Toy Story, Sev7n, Mr. Holland's Opus
1996: The Birdcage. Jerry McGuire.
1997: Good Will Hunting. "How do ya like them apples?!" Austin Powers.
1998: There's Something About Mary and The Truman Show.
1999: The Matrix and American Beauty. Oh and Office Space! That is probably the funniest movie of all time in my book.
2000: Meet the Parents and The Family Man, in which Nicolas Cage is at his finest.
2001: Don't laugh, but I loved Save the Last Dance. Also The Wedding Planner, The Princess Diaries, and Legally Blonde. I said stop laughing!! Harry Potter and Shrek too.
2002: My Big Fat Greek Wedding. "Spray some Windex on it!"
2003: Something's Gotta Give, How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days, and Freaky Friday...Lindsay Lohan was so cute and innocent back then! Mystic River broke my heart, and The School of Rock cracked me up.
2004: Mean Girls! ("Danny Devito!") The Notebook. 50 First Dates and National Treasure.
2005: I loved Guess Who (RIP Bernie Mac). Also Monster-In-Law and Hitch.
2006: The Pursuit of Happyness, The Devil Wears Prada (but the book was better!) and Dreamgirls.
2007: Knocked Up, Juno, and Hairspray.
2008: I haven't seen a whole lot this year (what, you think I am busy or something with 3 kids?!), but I loved Definitely, Maybe and Sex and the City.
August 16, 2008
Kara and Kiel
I should have posted this a couple of weeks ago when I first found out, but time has gotten away from me! Kara, one of my best friends, is having her first baby...she is due December 2 and they found out that they're having a GIRL! They are naming her Kaitlyn. Congrats Kara and Kiel! You are already amazing parents! We're so excited for you, and we can't wait to meet baby Kaitlyn! :)
August 11, 2008
Prague
We had an amazing time in Prague! We only really got one day there on this trip, because Wally was under the weather on Saturday. We left with just enough time to make it to the game. We did our sight-seeing on Sunday before leaving. However, now that we've been there, we know what there is, and what we want to see next time. We also found an amazing hotel, the Dorint. I highly recommend it if you are going to Prague, expecially with children. It was very spacious, unlike many European hotels, and an absolute luxury, considering we've been sleeping on temporary Army beds until our household goods arrive later this month.
My favorite thing about Prague (so far) was the 600-year-old Charles bridge. We walked over it, along with what seemed like hundreds of other people, and there were beautiful statues, artists and musicians, and a gorgeous view! I can't wait to go back and explore more of this beautiful city!
PS: I went back and added a slideshow to the Great Babyfood Boycott post of the Volksfest, so check that out too!
** I had to delete this slideshow cause it was messing up the blog! Sorry! :(
My favorite thing about Prague (so far) was the 600-year-old Charles bridge. We walked over it, along with what seemed like hundreds of other people, and there were beautiful statues, artists and musicians, and a gorgeous view! I can't wait to go back and explore more of this beautiful city!
PS: I went back and added a slideshow to the Great Babyfood Boycott post of the Volksfest, so check that out too!
** I had to delete this slideshow cause it was messing up the blog! Sorry! :(
Shout out for Cindy!
My friend Cindy is a great photographer. After years, YEARS, of her friends insisting that she should go into business, she finally did. I met Cindy in the year 2000, when I taught preschool. Her daughter Jaime was four at the time she entered my class....and now Jaime is starting middle school! Where does the time go? I looked at her blog today and when I saw Jaime's picture, I couldn't help getting teary-eyed. She was my baby before I had babies of my own! Now she's turning into a beautiful young woman. When we get our household goods, I'll have to scan some old pics of Jaime and me together. So check out Cindy's blog, if you get a chance.....and if you live in Gainesville and need some pictures taken, you now know who to call! www.cu4photos.blogspot.com
August 2, 2008
The Great Baby Food Boycott & Update!
A few weeks ago, right after we moved here, Lexie decided she is done with baby food. She will only eat it now if it's mixed with oatmeal or rice cereal. I've never had a baby begin eating table food so early....I'm amazed by all she can eat, especially considering she only has her two bottom teeth, and honestly, they're not even all the way in. But the girl eats anything and everything you give her....she never ceases to amaze me. She loves bread, especially soft rolls and croissants. She also loves peas, rice, diced carrots, mashed potatoes, and diced fruit. We also cut up whatever meat we're having into tiny pieces (or shred it) and she just gobbles up whatever we put on her tray.
Last night we went to the Volksfest on base, the first one we've been to since arriving. I had forgotten about all the yummy food at those things! We ate Nutella and banana crepes, and the kids ate these mini donuts sprinkled with cinnamon sugar...even Lexie loved them! Aiden and Julia rode some rides, and I took Julia in the funhouse, which was more scary for her than fun. It was very dark!
We have done quite a bit of local travel since arriving, visiting both the towns of Nuremberg and Regensburg. They are both about an hour away. In Regensburg, we visited St. Peter's Cathedral, which is one of the most beautiful churches I have ever seen! We visited the downtown of both places and have enjoyed local food like brats, doners (think gyros), and the BEST pretzels.
I've been planting flowers around the house....I do not have much of a green thumb, but I'm learning as I go! I've visited the local store Obi, which is like Home Depot, and bought flowers and planters, soil and fertilizer. We are also trying to get our grass in better shape. It was very dry when we arrived....since the neighborhood is so new, there is no shade. We've been fertilizing and bought a sprinkler to try to make it pretty and green. I also planted some herbs....chives, basil and oregano. They are doing very well.
Today we went to the town of Weiden, about a 15 minute drive, and I had a happy reunion with some of my favorite shops I used to frequent in Mannheim: H & M, Xanaka, Orsay, C & A, and the New Yorker. The only "American" names I saw were Espirit and a Paul Mitchell Salon! I found a nice little coffee shop and there were tons of outdoor cafes and eis cafes. (Eis-ice cream) Ice cream is a big deal here. We frequently eat ice cream in the town of Eschenbach, only a few miles from home. They serve the ice cream in cones or cups, with these tiny little plastic spoons that are a genius invention for children. They also serve the ice cream with a round piece of ice cream cone in it that you use to dip and eat. YUM! The kids are hooked, as are we. Even Lexie gets excited and kicks her legs when she sees the little cup of ice cream.
Julia has made some nice friends around the neighborhood that are her same age, and I'm getting to know their moms. We're very happy on our little street! We bought a Isuzu Rodeo (black) from someone in Wally's battalion, and it's a bit cramped with 3 carseats across the back seat, but it will be more than sufficient until our van arrives later this month. It's a bit of a struggle to share the car since we are not within walking distance of much, but Wally usually comes home at lunch and we take him back to work, leaving us with the car for the afternoon.
I will add some pictures to this post later....right now, I have to head up to the PX because we're low on diapers. One downside....almost everything on base closes at 8pm! German stores close even earlier!
** I had to delete this slideshow because it was messing up the blog! Sorry! :(
Last night we went to the Volksfest on base, the first one we've been to since arriving. I had forgotten about all the yummy food at those things! We ate Nutella and banana crepes, and the kids ate these mini donuts sprinkled with cinnamon sugar...even Lexie loved them! Aiden and Julia rode some rides, and I took Julia in the funhouse, which was more scary for her than fun. It was very dark!
We have done quite a bit of local travel since arriving, visiting both the towns of Nuremberg and Regensburg. They are both about an hour away. In Regensburg, we visited St. Peter's Cathedral, which is one of the most beautiful churches I have ever seen! We visited the downtown of both places and have enjoyed local food like brats, doners (think gyros), and the BEST pretzels.
I've been planting flowers around the house....I do not have much of a green thumb, but I'm learning as I go! I've visited the local store Obi, which is like Home Depot, and bought flowers and planters, soil and fertilizer. We are also trying to get our grass in better shape. It was very dry when we arrived....since the neighborhood is so new, there is no shade. We've been fertilizing and bought a sprinkler to try to make it pretty and green. I also planted some herbs....chives, basil and oregano. They are doing very well.
Today we went to the town of Weiden, about a 15 minute drive, and I had a happy reunion with some of my favorite shops I used to frequent in Mannheim: H & M, Xanaka, Orsay, C & A, and the New Yorker. The only "American" names I saw were Espirit and a Paul Mitchell Salon! I found a nice little coffee shop and there were tons of outdoor cafes and eis cafes. (Eis-ice cream) Ice cream is a big deal here. We frequently eat ice cream in the town of Eschenbach, only a few miles from home. They serve the ice cream in cones or cups, with these tiny little plastic spoons that are a genius invention for children. They also serve the ice cream with a round piece of ice cream cone in it that you use to dip and eat. YUM! The kids are hooked, as are we. Even Lexie gets excited and kicks her legs when she sees the little cup of ice cream.
Julia has made some nice friends around the neighborhood that are her same age, and I'm getting to know their moms. We're very happy on our little street! We bought a Isuzu Rodeo (black) from someone in Wally's battalion, and it's a bit cramped with 3 carseats across the back seat, but it will be more than sufficient until our van arrives later this month. It's a bit of a struggle to share the car since we are not within walking distance of much, but Wally usually comes home at lunch and we take him back to work, leaving us with the car for the afternoon.
I will add some pictures to this post later....right now, I have to head up to the PX because we're low on diapers. One downside....almost everything on base closes at 8pm! German stores close even earlier!
** I had to delete this slideshow because it was messing up the blog! Sorry! :(
Our new layout!
I was having problems with our blog layout, so I asked a friend for help. Bethany is a mom from the ivillage board I became a part of when I was pregnant with Aiden. We have gotten to know each other quite well over the past 2 years. We also both had another baby since our 2 year old! Her daughter Delaney is one month older than Lexie....Happy Birthday Delaney Marie! Bethany and her family live in Las Vegas, they have four beautiful children, and she is a digital scrapbooking queen! She's now working for Brownie Scraps, another friends' digital scrapbooking site, but she took time out of her busy schedule to create this custom layout for me! Isn't she amazing?! Thank you, Bethany! I am so happy with our new blog!
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