Hockey and Planes

Friday night was a bit of an adventure.  We got to experience major Metro delays, what fun!  A train derailed and then another train tried to push it off the track and it also derailed.  We didn't make it to a restaurant before the game, instead we spend an hour and a half on the metro.  We did make it right before the puck dropped though.  As you can tell from the picture we were in the nose bleed section.  All the way at the tippy-top, last row even.  If I had been with any of the Crissman boys we would have not sat in our assigned seats.  We would have started out down near the rink and then moved every time someone came and said that we were in our seats.  But we stayed at the very top the whole game.  I liked the seats because it wasn't as loud up there and I could actually follow the puck easier.  We had a great time and the return trip on the metro was flawless. 

Our view from the "cheap seats".  Happy birthday Grandpa!  We loved having you here for your birthday.  
Then today we were planning on going downtown to see the cherry blossoms, but the weather prevented that from happening.  Drizzle all day is no fun to be outside in especially with 2 kids.  So instead we went out towards Dulles to the Udvar-Hazy Air and Space Museum.  Will was so excited to be going to see planes and a space shuttle he kept asking when get there mommy.  The great thing about the museum is that it is in a huge hanger and the kids can run and not mess up anything.  You can tell by the big smiles that it was a big hit.
The Enterprise shuttle.  This is so cool to be so close to.  It is covered with square panels all over and is just huge.
Had to take a picture of the US Army plane.  Justin told Caroline and Will that the US stood for "uncle sugar's" and I can't wait for Caroline to repeat that to the general that Justin is going to work for in 2 months.
The kids did really well with their sleep over Friday night.  They are ready to do it again.  It was hard to get them to leave Ellie's this morning when I went to pick them up.  The on;y issue was Will kicked Juliet in the head and had to sit in time-out for a while.  Caroline stayed up late as kids will do on sleepovers but it wasn't talking or playing with the others.  She said she was looking at the stars.  There are glow-in-the-dark stars on the ceiling in the bedroom that she was sleeping in.  So the kids first sleepover with friends is a success!  

Hair, hair, hair

Caroline usually doesn't let me get anywhere near her hair.  If I try to brush it you would think I was poking her with a thousand tiny needles instead of try to brush her hair.  As she will tell you it is tender back there.  The thing is I completely understand where she is coming from.  I too had a tender head and remember many a morning that I was in tears while my mom was brushing my hair.  I am sure my mom said several of the phrases that I use on Caroline to try and get her to stop wailing.  I get it, it hurts, a lot, but really do we need all those tears?  One thing that has helped is getting some detangling spray.  What an ear saver.  Another is my neighbor gave Caroline a no-hurting brush.  Really a simple comb with a squishy handle but her daughter uses it and doesn't cry so we hoped it would help with Caroline.  Which it does sometimes.  I get to brush and do something with Caroline's hair 3 days a week.  The 2 school days and Sunday's for church.  This week for both school days she wanted braided pigtails with bows.  I don't have 2 matching bows so this is what she chose.  So cute.  She got lots of comments about being Pippy Longstocking.  She doesn't know who that is but one day I am sure she will.

New dress-ups from Aunt Susan.  Still really big on her but she loves the feather-y headdress.
After nap one day she asked to play Sesame Street on my computer.  I usually don't let her because Will can be a little rough on my computer and I don't want any of the keys to be popped off by his little fingers.  But Will wasn't up yet so it was a perfect opportunity to let her play.  She's getting the hang of moving her finger around the pad to get the mouse where it needs to go and then clicking the right things.  Sesame Street has great games that have big pictures so they are easier to click.  Caroline really enjoys the pattern game that has Cookie Monster in it and then an Elmo counting egg game.  
Dennis and Ingrid got in town late last night and so far the kids have been all over Grandma and Grandpa.  Tonight we are going to a hockey game to celebrate Grandpa's birthday.  The kids are having a sleep over at Ellie's house and boy are they excited about that.  This will be the first time sleeping at some one's house other than family without mom and dad.  I really hope Will doesn't wake up too many times during the night!  But I am looking forward to not waking up any!

Caroline's newest trick

as you can see she is a very strong little girl.  The good thing about her being able to do this is the fact that she is not conniving or mischievous.  All thrill is just getting up there.  She doesn't want to stand up or get into all the cabinets which is I am sure what Will would want to do.  SO for now Caroline can only get onto the counter when Will isn't around.  Because I surely don't want Will seeing that it can be done with out the help of a stool.  I know he isn't tall enough of strong enough yet but it is only a matter of time.

Yesterday afternoon and again this morning I am watching Aidan.  Most of you might recognize the name.  It is Caroline's boyfriend and the guy she says she is going to marry in a church.  Aidan and his family are moving to Alabama Saturday and the packers are at his house these 2 days.  SO to help his mom out I told her he could come play over here.  The kids had a blast with him and Will was so excited to have a boy over to play with.  Caroline did dress up in a pink dress up and had veil on, while Aidan put on a knights outfit.  Then Caroline says let's get married.  Aidan's response, not yet.  Thank goodness!  But a few minutes later I hear Aidan  say OK we can get married now.  Not sure what he was busy playing with earlier but I guess it just wasn't the right time yet!  I was busy filing and shredding papers so I am not sure what the 'wedding' consisted of but her daddy wasn't here to see it!  So I guess in oh say 20-25 years she can do it again!

Oh and if any of you have been to New Orleans you will want to be at my house for breakfast this morning.  I am making homemade biegnets!!  YUM

New bathrooms

The bathrooms are finally complete!  My mom and I laid the tile in the master bathroom a few weeks ago and this is what it looks like all finished.  The shower is behind the door on the left.  The sink on beside me on my right and there is a large closet on the left.

A little closer view of our awesome tile job.  I also cut and installed new baseboards and toe molding.  Justin put the toilet back in place.
This is the new half bath on the first floor.  This was just a storage closet with a rough end.  I had a professional come and frame the room and do all the plumbing work for me.  My dad and I did the drywall work and then my mom helped do the floor and the baseboards and toe molding.  I also painted.  Great group effort and it looks fantastic.  My favorite room besides my redone kitchen.
And the floor isn't tile it is peel n stick that looks like it has grout.  
I think that is it for all the "updates" for the house at least for now.  Before we leave we will paint all the interior walls  and of course clean but no more dry walling for me.

I also found out yesterday that somebody put in an application for renting our house!!  The are getting the paperwork today and then all that's left is for Justin and I to sign and then we have officially rented our house.  What a load off!!  Next is trying to find a house for us to move to.

Anybody want to come babysit our wonderful kids for 4 days while Justin and I go to MI to find a place?  

Spring time!

Spring is officially here!  Caroline is so excited about it being spring that she tells everybody, HEY YOU KNOW IT'S SPRING!  Now if the temps would rise a little more it would be even better.  The daffodils aren't blooming in our yard yet but they are at the top of the hill at the entrance to the neighborhood.  The Bradford Pears aren't blooming yet either but are really close.  The Cherry Blossom Festival starts this weekend and I am hoping that they are blooming when we go.  But Sunday after church it was warm and sunny.  When we were driving home Caroline asked Justin in a sweet voice if he would bring the table and chairs up so that we could have a picnic for lunch.  Caroline and Will love to have picnics and are always asking if we can have one.  During football season we have picnics on the den floor.  So Justin did what Caroline asked and brought the table and chairs back up to the deck and we had the first picnic of the year.  The first outside one at least!  The sun was so bright that we all had to have sunglasses on.  I wish I had gotten the camera and taken a picture.  

I also got our master bathroom 95% completed.  I had to finish cutting some baseboard and toe molding and caulk around them.  Justin cleaned the shower and then was able to use it for the first time in 3 weeks.  The only thing left is painting the baseboards and cleaning the tile.  I will take a picture hopefully today after I get done painting.  It looks great.

My soap box for this week

Since my days are so busy I try to escape to the gym as many days as I can.  Mondays I even go twice and to different gyms at that.  But after 5.5 hours in a car by myself with no napping kids, no sun for 5 days, and (something else has to be bad right?) I expect the gym to be a nice relaxing place.  Well, it wasn't.  Maybe I am too picky in thinking that when I pay for a service (gym membership) that I should get a few things in return.  All I ask for is a clean place to work out, nice, friendly child care workers, and management that listens to and then does something when you talk to them about an issue.  I don't think I am wrong in thinking that is too much to offer.  I couldn't be farther from right with the gym we are members of.  I have spoken with the general manager so many times about certain issues regarding the Kids Klub (child care) that I think she dreads seeing me walk into the gym!  A few standard things regarding my kids is what I ask for.  If they want to have the TV on, which I tell them to turn off every time I drop my kids off, at least have it on young kid programming.  Not the news and certainly not Hannah Montana.  I would also like it if the PAID workers would not use their personal cell phones while they are working, sit in a chair reading a magazine, and generally ignore the kids.  I would also appreciate the managers hiring enough staff so that there aren't 16 kids to one adult.   I could rant about the poor conditions in the kids klub for days so I won't continue on that subject any longer.

On to the pool, which is why we joined this gym.  It was the only one in the area that had a pool and child care.  I teach at this pool 1 day a week and I used to swim laps several more days a week when I trained for triathlons.  I would like the lifeguard on duty to get the lane lines out of the pool in time for class to start with out me having to ask every single time.  They do have schedules posted.  I don't use the hot tub, but not many people do when it is green and looks like dish soap has been poured in it (very bubbly).  

Yesterday when I got on a treadmill to run, I mean jog, the front of the machine, near the belt was coated with dust and all the machines in that row were filthy.  As was the window ledge and the ledge above the window.  Surely they have a cleaning staff, right?  

Sorry about the tirade.  Justin got an ear full last night!  I now have to find the phone number for someone in the corporate office so that I can tell them politely about how crappy that gym is.    

Hopefully this doesn't come off as me being picky, snobby, stuck-up gym goer.  I just think there are certain standards that should be enforced.

Kindergarten already?!!

My mom is back in NC and my house is looking great!  I wish she could stay until the house rents just to help out.  It is really hard to leave the house "viewer ready" with a 2 year old boy around.  You need one to get the kids out and another to pick up on your way out.  My brother-in-law made the comment after walking in and seeing the playroom that he has never seen it that neat. Then he walked up the stairs to the kitchen/dining room/den floor and said that your mom must be tired!  Yes we did lots of work, but I don't keep a filthy house.  Just toy and paper clutter.  I only go through the mail once a week but I pick up toys twice a day.  I am going to have to try really hard to keep it so neat.  Hopefully it can be habit forming  and continue where ever I go.  Susan is back at my house, even though I am not, this weekend helping some more.  She is going to be doing some wall painting while the kids and I are in NC for a few days.

On another note Justin has already counted down the working days he has left at Walter Reed. Which is at 39 (I think).  Which makes the move that much closer.  I get emails from a real estate agent every few days for rental houses in Michigan and am beginning to plan a trip up there to look at some houses.  Another thing to think about is preschool for Caroline and Will and hopefully finding one as good as the one they are in now.  I looked up the county school system to see when the cut off is for Kindergarten.  Caroline turns 5 this year (holy cow!) and even though I want to home school her I just wanted to see what the cut off was so I would know if I could start homeschooling this year.  Well the cut off is December 1 which means she could go to Kindergarten this year (another holy cow!).  Justin wants to wait so she isn't the youngest in her class if she ends up going to public school eventually.  If we stayed in Maryland it wouldn't even be an issue since she doesn't make the Sept 1 cut off.  It is a difficult decision because she loves to go to preschool and wants to write all of our names and her numbers.  She even brags that she can read (not yet) little words.  But I was the oldest in my class and that was great while Justin was the youngest and hated it.  So what to do, what to do?

Getting the house ready

Last weekend was a busy one around our house.  Susan and Graham came over and Nana was here too.  And boy did we get busy!  We moved a sofa out of the house, a changing table, and several other items that were in the garage so we could donate them to the church yard sale.  The windows were washed inside and out as well as the window sills cleaned.  Justin and Graham pressure washed the  deck and re-stained it, replaced the 1x4 boards on along the top of the fence, and stained them.  New mulch was also put out front and in the back.  That was some of what we did over the weekend.

Susan and Will enjoying some relaxing time before getting back at it Sunday morning.

Susan helping the kids stay out of the way, aka coloring.
Will helping Graham and Justin work on the deck.  The original plan was to pull all the boards up and just flip them over, but some of them were looking really bad so they nixed that idea and just cleaned and stained the deck.
Will had a blast "helping" by using all of his tools and borrowing some of his dad's too.
Then mom and I have kept up the cleaning, fixing pace the rest of the week.  We have painted the front door, finished painting the new 1/2 bath, put base board and toe molding in the 1/2 bath, painted a storage door, and laid tile in the master bath.  I have been so tired at night that I haven't even picked up my computer.  Friday I leave to go take mom back to NC and help her at her beach house doing yard work.  Turn about is fair play.  Mom has helped me all week so I get to go help her for a few days.  I am looking forward to being at the beach even if it is going to be cool.   Being near the water is always refreshing for me.

Family update of sorts

I haven't posted in a few days but have been meaning to, really.  We still have snow on the ground, although I don't think it will last much longer with the night time temps now getting above the freezing point.  I took the kids outside yesterday in all their snow gear and their friends.  They had a blast playing at the playground for an hour.  

Caroline has a little cold but with her asthma like response to drainage it becomes a major problem at night time.  She coughed her way through the night last night but is doing better today since I was able to give her her inhaler again this morning.  Tonight should be better since she will have had her inhaler again before bed.  It is amazing how much it helps her.  I am glad that something can give her some relief.  

Will is almost through cutting the last of his teeth for a while.  I think there is 1 last upper 2 year molar still working its way down.  But I am not about to stick my finger in there to check.  His sentences are getting better and longer almost everyday and it is fun to see the sentences change.  For example he would always ask me to share my yogurt with him by saying "share me mommy?"  but now he will say "share wiff me mommy?"  which is so cool.  He is also communicating with Caroline better too.  It helps that your big sister can use some incredible words for a 4 year old.

Justin is still as busy as ever at work and is glad he only has 2 more months left.  Meaning he can get rid of his blackberry really soon!

I am stressing about getting the house rented, finding a property manager, and having the house ready for anything that might come this way.  I have been doing lots of emailing and phone calling.  Several meetings here at the house as well with potential managers.  I met with an agent this morning and felt really good about her and what she can do with regards to getting my house rented in the time I need it rented.  She is even going to put the house on the market tomorrow!  Then she will come later and take some pictures.  But the lock box goes on the door tomorrow!  What a weight lifted from my shoulders.  Justin asked me last night if I wanted a drink and I said what about a cry and a drink, so that's what I did!

I am finally feeling like something is happening and things are moving in the right direction so now I have to be patient and let the agent work her magic.  Easier said than done!

This weekend will be a busy work weekend.  My mom, sister, and her husband are all coming to help do whatever needs to be done around the house.  I have a long list ready for them!  It is supposed to be close to 70 this weekend so it will be nice for getting some windows washed!

Down time

We are pretty busy these days.  Caroline goes to preschool 2 mornings a week, Will goes one morning, and I teach water fitness 2 days.  Caroline also has just started dance class 1 afternoon a week.  We have one completely free day, Fridays.  But almost every afternoon after naps we are at home.  I try really hard to have everything take place in the mornings because that is the most predictable time and we are in better moods.  

So what happens during our down time?  We do lots of things but I have included a few pictures as examples for you.  Dress-ups are HUGE in our house.  Caroline dresses up everyday or close to it.  If she gets bored playing dress-up by herself she tries to include her brother.  Most days he doesn't want to have anything to do with all the dresses and frilly stuff.  But one day while I was cooking dinner I hear them in the den playing so nice.  I can hear bits of the conversation, things like; here let me help you, put it like this it won't itch, or this will fit better.  Then go show your mother.  I turn around when Will runs in and I see him dressed in a blue sparkle-y halter top with a white slip type thing sans undies!  What a sight.  He thought he was looking good as you can tell.  That's one way to entertain yourself!

Another would be to practice scissoring.  Caroline came home from preschool with a paper about practicing using scissors and shapes to practice.  Will wanted to try too so while Caroline was still sleeping Will got to practice with the scissors.  He did really well, I was surprised, and it was so cute to see him hold his mouth open while he was cutting.  Afterwards the scissors went back into hiding!
The kids got finger paints for Christmas this year.  We had not used them yet so one cold afternoon I finally relented.  They had been begging me for weeks.  They had a blast and got their papers so wet with paint that they tore.  They basically needed baths afterwards they were so covered with paint.  Good thing it is all washable paint and comes right out of the clothes.
Now during down time Will is really into playing with matchbox cars.  He puts them into Mac, the 18 wheeler from the movie Cars, and pretends to drive them to the dealership.  Caroline on the other hand wants to use my camera and either take pictures or is content to sit and look through all the old ones that I haven't deleted yet.

Now in my down time during naps I am trying to get a property manager for renting our house and find a place for us to rent in MI.

Snow Day!!

The big storm of the season finally hit. In March!  It started snowing around 10pm and when we woke up this was what we saw.  It was awesome because when this picture was taken it was still snowing pretty hard.  The kids were very excited and it was hard to keep them from wanting to go outside before breakfast!

Now they are ready to go outside!  Well, once we got our jackets anyway.  
Will making sure his "truck" is still in good working order after taking on so much snow.
Caroline pulling her way through the tunnel.  She told me it was slippery with all the snow on it.
We had fun playing in the snow this morning and then even more fun this afternoon.  We stayed out longer in the afternoon because the wind wasn't as bad then.  It chapped their little cheeks and they were still pink when they went to bed tonight.  The snow wasn't good for sledding so hopefully after it melts and refreezes it will be better for sledding.  The kids will definitely get some sledding snow in Michigan!