Looks like my last post didn't take, sigh.
I am very much enjoying life as we're living on base til the 1st in temp. lodging. I love our temp. house and will miss being steps from the officer's club, the chapel (after church on sunday, we go to go to a picnic with lots of food, fun, games - including a potato sack race whcih Mouse and Princess competed in - and a bounce house), auditorium (where we saw the play Snow White on Saturday), the museum (where we got to walk around airplanes, missles, rockets and fun aircraft outside), and the especially the playground with the world's largest sandbox. I'll miss the daily maid service and the feeling of safety for my kids that you get on a secure base. I'll miss the free carmel chocolate cappucinos from the lodge lounge.
Anyhoo, that said, our new house is empty and ready for us to move in. We have some cosmetic things we need to do and it will take some time to baby proofs the backyard (another long story) but starting Friday, life will be boxes, unpacking and getting settled in our new home for the next two years.
I am making a promise to myself and to the family that I'll make sure to do something fun everyday despite there being so much to do to get settled. I'll have to review this paragraph when I get in the mode to get it all done right away.
I really love it here in the Springs so far and most everyone who lives here seems to love it. The sky is beautiful everyday. The clouds are a work of art and the mountains are just amazing. I am still in awe.
BTW, how did my family get their nicknames, I've been asked.
Mouse was nicknamed Mouse at the Coast Guard Academy. He was the star tennis player there and could scurry across the court in no time and pick up any tennis ball. I think it is a cute name so I stuck him with it.
Princess is for the meaning of her real name.
Spiderbaby can climb anything. I pulled her little body off the tippy top of the playgym on base yesterday. When she turns 2 in September, I'll rename her Spidergirl.
Photos soon, I promise.
Monday, July 28, 2008
Monday, July 21, 2008
We're Here!
We finally arrived to our temporary home this afternoon and we are in the Springs!!!
One last word about Kansas, the 30 miles were rough, but Kansas takes the bad rap for what is really an awful drive through the first part of Colorado. Until you get close to the Springs, there is really nothing but dirt.
Anyhoo, we are here and momma is happy. I LOVE our temporary home. It is like a 2 BR deluxe timeshare you would get on vaca minus the hot tub. The place is new and most importantly directly facing the world's largest sandbox and playground with lots of kids. Princess and Spiderbaby have already made friends and can play by themselves while mom and dad get settled in. It is great to have a little time to get checked in, get groceries, haircuts, prescriptions, until we get to move into our permanent place. This will be a fun week til the boxes arrive.
Thank you Rachel for the Princess bicycle you gave Princess in Louisville. She is enjoying riding it on base :) Spiderbaby hopes you got a nice new snowglobe.
On a very sad note, I got a cell phone call from Kelly today that the Rev. Karen Blomberg of Westminster Presbyterian Church in Alexandria, VA passed away of natural causes while she was on retreat. This was a big shock to me as she married Mouse and I. She was my pastor, counselor, and a friend. She was a mentor when I served as a deacon. I find it interesting that Jesus took her home while she was on retreat. She was a retreat type of person and I attended a retreat with her. She will be missed and her life made a difference in my life.
One last word about Kansas, the 30 miles were rough, but Kansas takes the bad rap for what is really an awful drive through the first part of Colorado. Until you get close to the Springs, there is really nothing but dirt.
Anyhoo, we are here and momma is happy. I LOVE our temporary home. It is like a 2 BR deluxe timeshare you would get on vaca minus the hot tub. The place is new and most importantly directly facing the world's largest sandbox and playground with lots of kids. Princess and Spiderbaby have already made friends and can play by themselves while mom and dad get settled in. It is great to have a little time to get checked in, get groceries, haircuts, prescriptions, until we get to move into our permanent place. This will be a fun week til the boxes arrive.
Thank you Rachel for the Princess bicycle you gave Princess in Louisville. She is enjoying riding it on base :) Spiderbaby hopes you got a nice new snowglobe.
On a very sad note, I got a cell phone call from Kelly today that the Rev. Karen Blomberg of Westminster Presbyterian Church in Alexandria, VA passed away of natural causes while she was on retreat. This was a big shock to me as she married Mouse and I. She was my pastor, counselor, and a friend. She was a mentor when I served as a deacon. I find it interesting that Jesus took her home while she was on retreat. She was a retreat type of person and I attended a retreat with her. She will be missed and her life made a difference in my life.
My Mom
I just had to post this story on my blog. My mom got in a car accident yesterday on her way to church in Old Town, Alexandria, VA. She was running very late and wasn't supposed to be on the road at that time. It wasn't her fault and gladly she wasn't hurt. There was damage to her car and it took a while for the police to arrive and information to be exchanged. Now she was running very late. She goes to Downtown Baptist Church in Alexandria, VA, which is more than a church, it is really a caring family and strong support system. She knew the folks at her church would be worried about her, so she called to let them know what happened and that she was fine. The funny thing is that the young lady who hit her was also heading to church in DC and wouldn't make it. My mom invited her to come with her to her church and two two got in my mom's car and rode over to the service together. Turned out the young lady knew several people in the congregation adn was warmly welcomed. When does this happen? I was so amazed and proud of my mom. In most cases, people would be angry and exchange explicatives over having been hit, but my mom stays calm, sees it in perspective, and ends up befriending the person. I don't think God willed my mom to get into this car accident, but I do know God can take a bad situation and turn it into good as if he planned it all along.
Welcome to Colorado!
Two timezones, two kids, two cars, and we're finally in the state! Last thoughts on Kansas, the last 40 miles were really nothing but flat, dirt, corn, grass and sky. But we made it and it was a good drive.
Recommend stopping in Burlington, CO to the Welcome Center. All the maps and brochures you could ask for, a play room with lots of toys for the kids, fresh coffee and an Old Town Museum to tour which we're going to do.
Recommend stopping in Burlington, CO to the Welcome Center. All the maps and brochures you could ask for, a play room with lots of toys for the kids, fresh coffee and an Old Town Museum to tour which we're going to do.
Sunday, July 20, 2008
Colby, Kansas
What is there to do in Colby, Kansas? A lot more than you might think...
As parents of two preschoolers, our measure of a good town seems to revolve around what is there to do with and for the kids. We are staying at a Quality Inn (thank God for freq. stay points). It works well for us. Free wireless internet (key! Are you reading Hyatt? Wyndham Vacation Club?), pool, two great beds to jump on with other furniture positioned perfectly to jump off of to one bed and then another.
We found an amazing park in the town, recommended to us at the Colby CVB. It is like new and has the highest slides I've ever seen at a public park. The great news about Colby is that it is 15 miles away from the next time zone, so it stayed light here until 9:30pm. Our kids are so off of their schedule, but hey, we are on vacation til tomorrow. So we played til dark and then are watching Disney movies until they drop.
I'm a bit sad our western pioneering adventure is coming to a close, but I have to remind myself that it is just the beginning! So many friends to meet and make, a new church to find and community to discover. And the travel opportunities right around our new town. I can't wait to take the girls to pan for gold, visit the place where they make Celestial Seasoning tea, take the cog up Pikes Peak, go to the hot air balloon festival in town, the state fair, the New Years Day fruitcake toss, the air force academy and esp their cool chapel, and so much more I have to read about.
As parents of two preschoolers, our measure of a good town seems to revolve around what is there to do with and for the kids. We are staying at a Quality Inn (thank God for freq. stay points). It works well for us. Free wireless internet (key! Are you reading Hyatt? Wyndham Vacation Club?), pool, two great beds to jump on with other furniture positioned perfectly to jump off of to one bed and then another.
We found an amazing park in the town, recommended to us at the Colby CVB. It is like new and has the highest slides I've ever seen at a public park. The great news about Colby is that it is 15 miles away from the next time zone, so it stayed light here until 9:30pm. Our kids are so off of their schedule, but hey, we are on vacation til tomorrow. So we played til dark and then are watching Disney movies until they drop.
I'm a bit sad our western pioneering adventure is coming to a close, but I have to remind myself that it is just the beginning! So many friends to meet and make, a new church to find and community to discover. And the travel opportunities right around our new town. I can't wait to take the girls to pan for gold, visit the place where they make Celestial Seasoning tea, take the cog up Pikes Peak, go to the hot air balloon festival in town, the state fair, the New Years Day fruitcake toss, the air force academy and esp their cool chapel, and so much more I have to read about.
Driving Across Kansas
Ok, my east coast and Western PA friends - driving across Kansas is not that bad. In fact, I found the tales about how long, difficult, flat and boring the drive is across this state to be horribly over exaggerated. I actually liked the drive. It is RELATIVELY flat, but has some nice rolling hills, which is pleasant as opposed to driving the PA turnpike. There are rest stops and exits at least every 20 minutes. There are fast food restaurants,, gas stations and a couple more interesting stops if you need a break from driving. You can visit the Eisenhower presidential library, a museum with a large dinosaur fossil collection, various farms. Lucky for us, the kids were angels, loved watching the hay and animals as they drove through the state. We stopped at a BK once, and they napped for the afternoon. We made it almost across the whole state but decided to stop as we only have @ 3 more hours til we arrive in our new town. Overall, I found a good radio station and enjoyed the drive across country and found it relaxing a good thing to do on a day that is 100 degrees outside. Thank you Lord for AC, walkie talkies and cell phones.
I want to shout out a happy birthday to my niece Maddie whose bday party was today. I am sad we couldn't be there to celebrate, but we love you Maddie and are glad you were born.
I want to shout out a happy birthday to my niece Maddie whose bday party was today. I am sad we couldn't be there to celebrate, but we love you Maddie and are glad you were born.
Kansas City, Mo Rocks
We had a great time in Kansas City!!!! As soon as we arrived (kids did GREAT in the car - they must be getting used to all the driving and sleeping in new places), we lunched at Fritz's. It was cooler than cool for the kids. The restaurant has a train theme - my nephew Jackson would love it. They have phones at each table where you call in your order and a choo choo train that winds around the top of the tables in the restaurant literally delivers your food in a box. When our food arrived, our girls went absolutely ape crazy screaming and laughing in delight that their food came the way it did. The got train hats and just loved it. The food was terrible, but who cares. The trains were just too cool.
The free puppet show at Crown Center was amazing - original music and supercool puppets. Princess loved it. We did the Moneyville exhibit. The girls created lots of original art at Hallmark's Kaleidoscope Center where they let families have free reign of all kinds of extra Hallmark supplies - stickers, cards, envelopes, ribbon, wrapping paper, letters- and Crayola supplies, since Crayola is owned by Hallmark - create art. Princess and Mouse colored a space ship together on special cardboard and had it cut into a puzzle. I learned that I can draw flowers and butterflies and they look good! I may take up doing more art. After our art session, we toured Hallmark's Visitors Center and learned about the company and its history and saw exhibits of cards and ornaments and more. If we had more time, I would have taken the kids to the Coterie theatre in Crown Center. It is one of the top 3 children's theatres in the country and they had a play that had a similiar plot to the little mermaid. Unfortunately, the kids really needed a nap at this point, so we took the kids to Sheridan's for custard and then to the Hyatt for a nap.
After nap, we went back to Crown Center to eat at the Crayola Cafe for dinner - great kids menu. We missed shopping at the Crayola Store, where I planned to do some serious damage, as stores close at 6 on Saturday. Shopping is superfabu at Crown Center - lots of original indy stores. I wish we had more time at KC, but with most everything being closed or on reduced schedule, we thought it best to use Sunday to drive across Kansas to start getting near our new home.
After dinner, we got in our suits and headed to the rooftop pool at our hotel. Sitting under the big sky in a recliner pool side, I felt so relaxed and that all is well with the world. Meanwhile, Princess and Spiderbaby enjoyed swimming with Mouse and the girls are reallygetting to be good swimmers.
The free puppet show at Crown Center was amazing - original music and supercool puppets. Princess loved it. We did the Moneyville exhibit. The girls created lots of original art at Hallmark's Kaleidoscope Center where they let families have free reign of all kinds of extra Hallmark supplies - stickers, cards, envelopes, ribbon, wrapping paper, letters- and Crayola supplies, since Crayola is owned by Hallmark - create art. Princess and Mouse colored a space ship together on special cardboard and had it cut into a puzzle. I learned that I can draw flowers and butterflies and they look good! I may take up doing more art. After our art session, we toured Hallmark's Visitors Center and learned about the company and its history and saw exhibits of cards and ornaments and more. If we had more time, I would have taken the kids to the Coterie theatre in Crown Center. It is one of the top 3 children's theatres in the country and they had a play that had a similiar plot to the little mermaid. Unfortunately, the kids really needed a nap at this point, so we took the kids to Sheridan's for custard and then to the Hyatt for a nap.
After nap, we went back to Crown Center to eat at the Crayola Cafe for dinner - great kids menu. We missed shopping at the Crayola Store, where I planned to do some serious damage, as stores close at 6 on Saturday. Shopping is superfabu at Crown Center - lots of original indy stores. I wish we had more time at KC, but with most everything being closed or on reduced schedule, we thought it best to use Sunday to drive across Kansas to start getting near our new home.
After dinner, we got in our suits and headed to the rooftop pool at our hotel. Sitting under the big sky in a recliner pool side, I felt so relaxed and that all is well with the world. Meanwhile, Princess and Spiderbaby enjoyed swimming with Mouse and the girls are reallygetting to be good swimmers.
Thursday, July 17, 2008
Kansas City, MO
On Saturday, we leave Branson at the crack of dawn to head to Kansas City, MO for the day and one night at the Hyatt Regency Crown Center. The night is free as my 16,000 Hyatt points are some of the only points that didn't expire with the airline/hotel racket to take away everyone's points which will be the subject of a future rant. We have a busy day and night of FUN so we'll be taking it easy here in Branson tomorrow in preparation for our next destination.
Saturday, we're headed to the Hallmark Visitor's Center, where they make Hallmark cards. In the Crown Center complex, we'll also visit the Kaleidoscope Center, a center where we'll take the girls for a 40-minute family art session where they'll get use of recycled Hallmark materials and can create, play and do their art. The Center has a puppet show at noon. We'll also visit a Moneyville interactive exhibit created to teach kids about money. The nice things about all these activities is that they are free. Branson is fun but not cheap. For dinner, we'll have lunch at the Fritz Railroad Restaurant where I hear they deliver lunch to you on a choo choo train. Dinner is scheduled at the Crayola Cafe. And if we run out of stuff to do, we'll go to our pool and rooftop sun deck at the end of the day. I am sure we'll all sleep well that night.
After Kansas City, we high tail it across the state of Kansas to our new home town. I expect internet to be spotty so I may not blog for a day or two.
I am really enjoying writing this blog and promise to post pix soon, as soon as I figure it out. I set it up so all my friends can post comments, so post!
Saturday, we're headed to the Hallmark Visitor's Center, where they make Hallmark cards. In the Crown Center complex, we'll also visit the Kaleidoscope Center, a center where we'll take the girls for a 40-minute family art session where they'll get use of recycled Hallmark materials and can create, play and do their art. The Center has a puppet show at noon. We'll also visit a Moneyville interactive exhibit created to teach kids about money. The nice things about all these activities is that they are free. Branson is fun but not cheap. For dinner, we'll have lunch at the Fritz Railroad Restaurant where I hear they deliver lunch to you on a choo choo train. Dinner is scheduled at the Crayola Cafe. And if we run out of stuff to do, we'll go to our pool and rooftop sun deck at the end of the day. I am sure we'll all sleep well that night.
After Kansas City, we high tail it across the state of Kansas to our new home town. I expect internet to be spotty so I may not blog for a day or two.
I am really enjoying writing this blog and promise to post pix soon, as soon as I figure it out. I set it up so all my friends can post comments, so post!
The Shoji Tabuchi Show
OK. Yesterday was a fluke. The kids are indeed related to me and do enjoy the theatre. We went to see the Shoji Tabuchi Show and the kids LOVED it. We prepped them for this show for a few weeks and I presented Princess with several stickers in advance for her good behavior. We also took them to the pool before the show and skipped nap time, so that helped the cause.
Anyhoo, about the show, it was super fabulous. Shoji had it all. He's a violinist and a singer and had a great back up group of dancers and singers. Shoji can play country, broadway showtunes, Elvis, gospel, 50s, and I'm sure I'm forgetting something. He has more sparkling jackets than Neil Diamond. Mouse was happy to hear the show close with Neil's Coming to America. Shoji can also fly while playing the violin. We saw everything fall from the sky - balloons, snow, bubbles, confetti, snowflake metal confetti, sparklers, streamers, hair scruncis, and mardi gras beads - all at different times, and if you have any other ideas, I'm sure they would incorporate it in the show. It was more than a show, it was a party. You have to see it for yourself. The funniest was seeing the girls react to the show. They just loved it and imitated Shoji and the dancers. Everyone around us thought the kids were hysterical. After the show, Princess asked if she could give Shoji a hug. Sadly, we missed seeing the man at intermission. We went to the Ladies room which is the most ornate bathroom I've seen in my life. Buckets of freshflowers everywhere, purple crystal chandeliers, and a baby changing station fit for a queen. I hear the men's room is even more over the top with a pool table and leather chairs.
This is a show you just have to see for yourself. Live. The DVD wouldn't explain it. It was a fun ride and I am still coming down.
Another note, we went to a place called the Falls , famous for its tossed rolls. Literally they chuck the rolls at you and that is their schtick. We thought this would be a fun lunch place and it would be a great story for our family in Pittsburgh, as chucking rolls across the table is a family tradition. The quote of the day from Mouse, "I wouldn't eat at this restaurant again." Steak was overcooked, green beans came from a can and the fries had to have come from the frozen food aisle. Rolls were ok but the tossing - I'd rather not have someone pawin' on my rolls.
Anyhoo, about the show, it was super fabulous. Shoji had it all. He's a violinist and a singer and had a great back up group of dancers and singers. Shoji can play country, broadway showtunes, Elvis, gospel, 50s, and I'm sure I'm forgetting something. He has more sparkling jackets than Neil Diamond. Mouse was happy to hear the show close with Neil's Coming to America. Shoji can also fly while playing the violin. We saw everything fall from the sky - balloons, snow, bubbles, confetti, snowflake metal confetti, sparklers, streamers, hair scruncis, and mardi gras beads - all at different times, and if you have any other ideas, I'm sure they would incorporate it in the show. It was more than a show, it was a party. You have to see it for yourself. The funniest was seeing the girls react to the show. They just loved it and imitated Shoji and the dancers. Everyone around us thought the kids were hysterical. After the show, Princess asked if she could give Shoji a hug. Sadly, we missed seeing the man at intermission. We went to the Ladies room which is the most ornate bathroom I've seen in my life. Buckets of freshflowers everywhere, purple crystal chandeliers, and a baby changing station fit for a queen. I hear the men's room is even more over the top with a pool table and leather chairs.
This is a show you just have to see for yourself. Live. The DVD wouldn't explain it. It was a fun ride and I am still coming down.
Another note, we went to a place called the Falls , famous for its tossed rolls. Literally they chuck the rolls at you and that is their schtick. We thought this would be a fun lunch place and it would be a great story for our family in Pittsburgh, as chucking rolls across the table is a family tradition. The quote of the day from Mouse, "I wouldn't eat at this restaurant again." Steak was overcooked, green beans came from a can and the fries had to have come from the frozen food aisle. Rolls were ok but the tossing - I'd rather not have someone pawin' on my rolls.
Nature Walk with the Princess
Princess is just like her mom. She's a morning person. No matter what time we go to bed, we're ready for action and full of energy in the morning. This morning I woke at 6am with my cell phone ringing. It was a call for Mouse from the Coast Guard confirming he is on for a school starting on Sunday. Turns out, he'll be able to attend a school later, so we are together for the rest of the trip. Thank God!
With gettting up so early, Princess and I went for a nature walk around the lush property of our timeshare. I love Princess. She sees the world in a grain of sand. We stopped so much along the way and she did most of the talking, which was wonderful. We saw spiderwebs and she explained the difference between the big webs and the little webs. We saw fish in the pond, rocks, the moon, discussed dew on the grass, robins, flowers, swimming pools. We walked to the rec center borrowed the game candy land, booked a much needed massage for mom and took a chauffeur-driven golf cart back to our place. I'll cherish this walk for a long time. She is so full of life and wonder and doesn't worry about the things that worry mom. Mom needs to stop worrying so much and delight in life as the Princess does.
With gettting up so early, Princess and I went for a nature walk around the lush property of our timeshare. I love Princess. She sees the world in a grain of sand. We stopped so much along the way and she did most of the talking, which was wonderful. We saw spiderwebs and she explained the difference between the big webs and the little webs. We saw fish in the pond, rocks, the moon, discussed dew on the grass, robins, flowers, swimming pools. We walked to the rec center borrowed the game candy land, booked a much needed massage for mom and took a chauffeur-driven golf cart back to our place. I'll cherish this walk for a long time. She is so full of life and wonder and doesn't worry about the things that worry mom. Mom needs to stop worrying so much and delight in life as the Princess does.
Wednesday, July 16, 2008
Noah the Musical
Today we unfortunately learned the hard way that our children are too young for a full blown musical . We took the kids to see Sight and Sound's Noah the Musical in a brand new theatre just built in Branson. The show opened just 6 weeks ago. The show was spectacular. Too bad our children were too young to sit still through the show. After Princess kicked a lady's head with her croc as she and spiderbaby were playing musical chairs during the show, we opted to go to the back of the theatre. At the top, we found a sound proof cry room where we took our little chickens to run and yell and play and do stuff while we watched the show. After intermission, I took Princess and she lasted another 25 minutes.
Mouse and I like the show and were impressed with the set, the actors, and the sound was state of the art. The theatre was enormous and must have cost several million $$ to build. I was told they have 250 full time employees to run the show. With all the live animals that filled that ark, I can totally believe it. The show is privately owned by a dairy farmer couple out of the Lancaster area who have 2 theatres there.
If you're in town, go see it, but find a babysitter.
We are to see Shoji tomorrow. We are going to have the kids skip naptime in hopes that they will be too tired to be obnoxious during that show. Mouse is going to have counseling session with Princess and Spiderbaby on how to watch a show and not go crazy. Keep us in your prayers.
Mouse and I like the show and were impressed with the set, the actors, and the sound was state of the art. The theatre was enormous and must have cost several million $$ to build. I was told they have 250 full time employees to run the show. With all the live animals that filled that ark, I can totally believe it. The show is privately owned by a dairy farmer couple out of the Lancaster area who have 2 theatres there.
If you're in town, go see it, but find a babysitter.
We are to see Shoji tomorrow. We are going to have the kids skip naptime in hopes that they will be too tired to be obnoxious during that show. Mouse is going to have counseling session with Princess and Spiderbaby on how to watch a show and not go crazy. Keep us in your prayers.
"I want to go home"
We had another great day on vacation, away from most of life's stresses doing new and extraordinary things and my Princess announces after fourth time I put her to bed, "Mummy, I want to go home." I felt my heart hurt. We're having a great time. We're at a great resort with lots of space and 5 pools and so much to do and she wants to go home.
I explain to her that her home is with mom and dad and her sister and God. She is going to a new place where she is going to have her own room and it will be green, the color she has chosen.
I'm not really home sick yet, but I'm sure when all the excitement passes and Mouse has to go back to work and I'm home with boxes to be opened and two preschoolers at home fulltime, it will sink in. I'll miss being so close to family and not being able to see them regularly. I know the girls will especially miss their cousins. I know I will miss my Just Moved group (http://www.justmoved.org/) that I started in Pittsburgh. I love these women and they are like sisters to me. I will miss my job, esp. my colleagues at Westminster Church. It was a great PT gig as their Consulting Director of Communications where I got to interact with adults a few days a week and use my skills for good. I'll miss my Mothers and More group. The girls will miss going to school at Westminster CDC, their friends and teachers. I was amazed at how much the girls learned in their short time there. Spiderbaby learned to sign and still signs to us when she needs something. Princess learned the Pledge of Allegience and much more. I'll be looking for preschool curriculums online when we get to the Springs or be praying for a good part time job and a spot at the Peterson CDC.
I won't miss Mouse working late hours at work and at home. The good news about this new job is that Mouse gets to come home at a normal time and cannot bring work home with him. When Princess gets to her new home, I hope she'll realize it was worth the trip.
I'm already starting to look ahead and look forward to our time in the Springs. We're going skiing at Christmas with Mouse's Uncle in Breckinridge. On my short list of places to visit: Pagosa Springs, CO and possibly Durango. Definitely Santa Fe,NM and Albuquerque, NM for the Hot Air Balloon Festival in October. And then there are place much closer by. These two years are going to fly.
I explain to her that her home is with mom and dad and her sister and God. She is going to a new place where she is going to have her own room and it will be green, the color she has chosen.
I'm not really home sick yet, but I'm sure when all the excitement passes and Mouse has to go back to work and I'm home with boxes to be opened and two preschoolers at home fulltime, it will sink in. I'll miss being so close to family and not being able to see them regularly. I know the girls will especially miss their cousins. I know I will miss my Just Moved group (http://www.justmoved.org/) that I started in Pittsburgh. I love these women and they are like sisters to me. I will miss my job, esp. my colleagues at Westminster Church. It was a great PT gig as their Consulting Director of Communications where I got to interact with adults a few days a week and use my skills for good. I'll miss my Mothers and More group. The girls will miss going to school at Westminster CDC, their friends and teachers. I was amazed at how much the girls learned in their short time there. Spiderbaby learned to sign and still signs to us when she needs something. Princess learned the Pledge of Allegience and much more. I'll be looking for preschool curriculums online when we get to the Springs or be praying for a good part time job and a spot at the Peterson CDC.
I won't miss Mouse working late hours at work and at home. The good news about this new job is that Mouse gets to come home at a normal time and cannot bring work home with him. When Princess gets to her new home, I hope she'll realize it was worth the trip.
I'm already starting to look ahead and look forward to our time in the Springs. We're going skiing at Christmas with Mouse's Uncle in Breckinridge. On my short list of places to visit: Pagosa Springs, CO and possibly Durango. Definitely Santa Fe,NM and Albuquerque, NM for the Hot Air Balloon Festival in October. And then there are place much closer by. These two years are going to fly.
Tuesday, July 15, 2008
Silver Dollar City II
We went back for our second day at Silver Dollar City. It was really hot today and much more crowded than it was on Sunday. That said, we still had a good time. We made a beeline for the kiddie rides, which were not that crowded and Princess (who prefers us to use her full name Princess Madeleine the Great) and Spiderbaby got to ride all the rides at least twice. Princess MTG loved the Roller Coaster especially and Spiderbaby especially liked the frogs.
We saw a magic show which was packed as it felt like it was 100 degrees out and the show was inside and well air conditioned. The show was good, but we really LOVED the ice circus. Princess slept during the whole show.
Money just flew out of my wallet today. The crafts here are top quality and many things are made here. If you are into crafts (Pat, if you're reading - this is the place for you! Be sure to get Phil to take you here) this is the place. I hear in the fall and winter they have even more crafters come in and set up shop. I bought pink glitter parasols for Princess and Spiderbaby that an artisan personalized for each of them with princess crowns and hearts. I bought a princess crown door sign that the same artist personalized for Spiderbaby's new room, complete with ballet slippers. Also bought lye soap, pine and regular, that was made on site. We were tempted to buy at the pottery, leather shop, home furnishings store and much more. If the kids were awake, we would have built our own train toys at the woodworking shop for the kids for only $7. And Homie, if you're reading, they had jerky of all kinds to buy - alligator, kangaroo, elk, and a bunch of animals I forget.
Even as crowded as this place was, everyone was still polite, friendly, and respectful.
If I didn't mention it before - the people here just love veterans and Jesus. Many of the shows we've attended, they'll play a patriotic song and have members of the military stand and be recognized. The crowd will rise during the song on their own and clap for the members who've served our country. It really does make us proud and makes us feel so appreciated. Silver Dollar City is christian owned and many of the performers sang gospel songs and the veggie tales sang bible school songs. Coming from PC headquarters - Washington DC and even Pittsburgh, PA - it was surprising to hear performers at a mainstream park give thanks and praise for their Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. It's fine with me!
This really is a trip of a lifetime. If you find yourself in the area, I'd encourage you to visit. For us with small kids and living so far away, I don't see us hoping a plane to Springfield or Kansas City , MO and renting a car and driving here. Since it was sorta on the way, it was a stop worthwhile. It really has been neat experiencing this part of the country I've never seen before.
BTW, remember the televangelist Jim Bakker? He's here in Branson. He is married to a woman named Lori and he and his wife have a show on the cable channel out here. It is much more small scale than the old PTL days, but he's still doing his thing. They've adopted a bunch of kids - like 6 or something. Movie recommend - They Eyes of Tammy Faye - an indy documentary on the late Tammy Faye Bakker. She was great on Surreal Life.
That's all for now. Tomorrow is pool day with the kids, as everyday has been here. We see Noah at the new Sight and Sound Theatre tomorrow.
We saw a magic show which was packed as it felt like it was 100 degrees out and the show was inside and well air conditioned. The show was good, but we really LOVED the ice circus. Princess slept during the whole show.
Money just flew out of my wallet today. The crafts here are top quality and many things are made here. If you are into crafts (Pat, if you're reading - this is the place for you! Be sure to get Phil to take you here) this is the place. I hear in the fall and winter they have even more crafters come in and set up shop. I bought pink glitter parasols for Princess and Spiderbaby that an artisan personalized for each of them with princess crowns and hearts. I bought a princess crown door sign that the same artist personalized for Spiderbaby's new room, complete with ballet slippers. Also bought lye soap, pine and regular, that was made on site. We were tempted to buy at the pottery, leather shop, home furnishings store and much more. If the kids were awake, we would have built our own train toys at the woodworking shop for the kids for only $7. And Homie, if you're reading, they had jerky of all kinds to buy - alligator, kangaroo, elk, and a bunch of animals I forget.
Even as crowded as this place was, everyone was still polite, friendly, and respectful.
If I didn't mention it before - the people here just love veterans and Jesus. Many of the shows we've attended, they'll play a patriotic song and have members of the military stand and be recognized. The crowd will rise during the song on their own and clap for the members who've served our country. It really does make us proud and makes us feel so appreciated. Silver Dollar City is christian owned and many of the performers sang gospel songs and the veggie tales sang bible school songs. Coming from PC headquarters - Washington DC and even Pittsburgh, PA - it was surprising to hear performers at a mainstream park give thanks and praise for their Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. It's fine with me!
This really is a trip of a lifetime. If you find yourself in the area, I'd encourage you to visit. For us with small kids and living so far away, I don't see us hoping a plane to Springfield or Kansas City , MO and renting a car and driving here. Since it was sorta on the way, it was a stop worthwhile. It really has been neat experiencing this part of the country I've never seen before.
BTW, remember the televangelist Jim Bakker? He's here in Branson. He is married to a woman named Lori and he and his wife have a show on the cable channel out here. It is much more small scale than the old PTL days, but he's still doing his thing. They've adopted a bunch of kids - like 6 or something. Movie recommend - They Eyes of Tammy Faye - an indy documentary on the late Tammy Faye Bakker. She was great on Surreal Life.
That's all for now. Tomorrow is pool day with the kids, as everyday has been here. We see Noah at the new Sight and Sound Theatre tomorrow.
Monday, July 14, 2008
College of the Ozarks
We had lunch at the College of the Ozarks Dining room today. The place was impressive, as was the lunch, and the story of the place and the people. The College of the Ozarks (CO) aka Hard Work U. is a fully accredited college of about 1500 students who work 40 hours a week on the campus for 12 weeks and 15 hours a week throughout the school year in exchange for room, board and tuition. During the four years, students work in the on campus lodge, restaurant, dairy farm, mill, farm, do landscaping, smoke hams, make fruitcake (the are known for), jelly, weave blankets, and more. Students can pick up to 35 majors and leave school with real work and life experience and are debt free. Financial Guru Dave Ramsey would eat this up. I think it is great, as do many wealthy business people who have endowed this beautiful place and the impressive lodge (built in 2004) where we had lunch. If you are anywhere near Branson, this is worth the trip and worth a further read about this place. BTW, if you are thinking about applying, it is tough to get in, almost as selective as the US Coast Guard Academy.
Silver Dollar City
Ok, now I'm a Branson convert. I love this place. This amusement park is a gem. In one day:
- we saw the Veggie Tales live show
-Princess and spiderbaby met Bob and Larry and then Hello Kitty a few minutes later
-we saw Circus on Ice featuring a guy solving the rubik's cube while juggling 3 balls and skaters on stilts.
-we hiked in a real cave! We toured an amazing cave which reminded us of the cave in National Treasure 2
-we ate real food - Silver Dollar City has to have the best amusement park food in the planet - real fried chicken, mashed potatoes, skillet meals, homemade ice cream, mountain cookies.
-shopping in great store with unique and quality souveniers, unlike the crap you buy at tourist spots on the east coast.
-Saw artisans making cool stuff, like copper sculptures, leather crafts, baskets, blowing glass, making candy, etc.
I can't get over how friendly people are here. A lot of the workers are college students with the navigators or Young Life spending the summer here or local townspeople. A worker stopped Mouse just to ask if we needed anything and wanted to know if we were having a good time. She also gave us recommendations of things to do here.
The place wasn't crowded and the other tourists were so polite and unhurried. How refreshing.
They are about to open a culinary school in Sept. where they'll teach people how to bake pies among other things. I wish I were here for that.
- we saw the Veggie Tales live show
-Princess and spiderbaby met Bob and Larry and then Hello Kitty a few minutes later
-we saw Circus on Ice featuring a guy solving the rubik's cube while juggling 3 balls and skaters on stilts.
-we hiked in a real cave! We toured an amazing cave which reminded us of the cave in National Treasure 2
-we ate real food - Silver Dollar City has to have the best amusement park food in the planet - real fried chicken, mashed potatoes, skillet meals, homemade ice cream, mountain cookies.
-shopping in great store with unique and quality souveniers, unlike the crap you buy at tourist spots on the east coast.
-Saw artisans making cool stuff, like copper sculptures, leather crafts, baskets, blowing glass, making candy, etc.
I can't get over how friendly people are here. A lot of the workers are college students with the navigators or Young Life spending the summer here or local townspeople. A worker stopped Mouse just to ask if we needed anything and wanted to know if we were having a good time. She also gave us recommendations of things to do here.
The place wasn't crowded and the other tourists were so polite and unhurried. How refreshing.
They are about to open a culinary school in Sept. where they'll teach people how to bake pies among other things. I wish I were here for that.
Saturday, July 12, 2008
Island Fire Show
We went to our first show in Branson!!! Island Fire is a polynesian show located at the Dutton theatre on the strip. We won these tickets from the CVB and had a great time. The girls enjoyed and sat through the whole show. At the end Princess got on stage with mom and showed off her dancing skills. As soon as I learn how to upload photos, you can see us :) The show included a luau buffet, which was actually luau type food at the Dutton deli served to us by the stars of the show. Wow these people work hard. They perform and have to wait, serve and bus tables. I talked to mom Dutton and apparently these kids come from American Samoa for 10 months and support their entire families back home with the money they make here. One thing I like about Branson is that EVERYONE is friendly and approachable. I hear most performers meet with the audience during intermission and in this case did before and after the show - even the big guys. Don't see that in NYC or DC.
To Timeshare or not to Timeshare
Mouse and I did the timeshare tour this morning. Yes, we sold 2 hours of our time and gave up our precious children for 2 hours to the kids club they have for a whopping $120 cash. I have to admit - I LOVE TOURING TIMESHARES! I find the whole process fascinating. I love to travel and love to hear about the new properties that are available - future vacation options for us - and what is new in the industry. With my marketing background, I find the salespeople interesting and the approach they take to get you to buy. This was the best timeshare experience I've ever had. I don't know what information they pulled on us ( would LOVE to know how what happens in the back office, do they google us? Check our credit?), but they put Mouse and I with their top guy, President's Club leader, who had his very own office in the corner, versus the 150+ couples we passed, who were all seating in a huge cafeteria setting with tables on top of each other. I love staying in timeshares and have toured at least 10 and have thought about buying for the past 10 years. I just can't make the numbers work and make sense to buy. Mouse's work schedule is never so we can book way in advance and can;t commit to the same week every year or even a consistent area of the country. That is why the points system appeals to us and with all the properties Wyndham owns (they own RCI) I would definitely buy Wyndham if we were to buy. But here's the deal. For less than our maintenance fee, we can byu a week in a 2 BR off ebay for @$500 or book the same room last minute through Armed Forces Vacation Club for $329 a week. I've also sponged off of my brother and his wife who own like 5 weeks - renting weeks from them or staying with them. Between the these options, we've been covered and don't have to lay out $22K plus $800 a year in maintenence fees. Timeshare owners please ring in - we'd love to eventually buy, but it seems to be more of a hassle to own.
Friday, July 11, 2008
Purina Farms in Gray Summit, MO
I highly recommend this stop. Purina Farms is 30 minutes south of the Lou, and it was on the way to Branson. Princess and spiderbaby watched a movie on how to communicate and interact with pets, watched an amazing dog tricks show, rode kiddie John Deere tractors in a barn, saw baby chicks, petted cows, pigs, cats, dogs, and more, rolled around in the hay and swung like monkeys from a tarzan rope. I am going to create an animal picture book from all the animals we've seen on this trip. It was a 90 minute stop well worth the time.
The Scoop on Branson
Recipe for Branson, MO:
-Take some of Nashville, TN
-Las Vegas lights
-Add a little Route 66 nostalgia
-a little Ocean City, MD
-Southern hospitality
-gospel
and mix it all together and you've got Branson, MO
I've never been to a place quite like this and knowing that I probably never would, so we just HAD to stop here and experience it. We love our timeshare - Wyndham Branson at the Meadows (thank you Chris, Susan and Kathy for giving us your points) - it has everything we'd ever need, including LAUNDRY machines in our room, a much needed bonus when living out of your suitcase for a month. They have 5 pools, which excites Princess very much, 2 playgrounds, movies, ponds, and evening socials. Today, my goals is to stay at the resort and relax and play here. Tonight we are going to the family carnival and dinner here. Saturday, we're going to Island Fire, a luau dinner and polynesian fire show. Other shows we're hoping to see include:
-Shoji Tabuchi (based on mom's recommendation. I'm sure I'll have MUCH to report on this). It is apparently THE show to see here.
-Dolly Parton's Dixie Stampede - kids love animals
-Noah's Sight and Sound -
-Silver Dollar City, an amusement park that has Princess and Spiderbaby's favorite character - Bob and Larry in a live show. We'll spend 2 days here.
-Titanic exhibit. They built a huge replica of the boat on the Branson strip and they have the biggest exhibit here. Mouse really wants to see this.
My posts/email response may be spotty over the next week, as our WiiFi is spotty here at the resort, only real downside.
-Take some of Nashville, TN
-Las Vegas lights
-Add a little Route 66 nostalgia
-a little Ocean City, MD
-Southern hospitality
-gospel
and mix it all together and you've got Branson, MO
I've never been to a place quite like this and knowing that I probably never would, so we just HAD to stop here and experience it. We love our timeshare - Wyndham Branson at the Meadows (thank you Chris, Susan and Kathy for giving us your points) - it has everything we'd ever need, including LAUNDRY machines in our room, a much needed bonus when living out of your suitcase for a month. They have 5 pools, which excites Princess very much, 2 playgrounds, movies, ponds, and evening socials. Today, my goals is to stay at the resort and relax and play here. Tonight we are going to the family carnival and dinner here. Saturday, we're going to Island Fire, a luau dinner and polynesian fire show. Other shows we're hoping to see include:
-Shoji Tabuchi (based on mom's recommendation. I'm sure I'll have MUCH to report on this). It is apparently THE show to see here.
-Dolly Parton's Dixie Stampede - kids love animals
-Noah's Sight and Sound -
-Silver Dollar City, an amusement park that has Princess and Spiderbaby's favorite character - Bob and Larry in a live show. We'll spend 2 days here.
-Titanic exhibit. They built a huge replica of the boat on the Branson strip and they have the biggest exhibit here. Mouse really wants to see this.
My posts/email response may be spotty over the next week, as our WiiFi is spotty here at the resort, only real downside.
Ice Cream and Custard
Oh, I forgot to put a plug in for Graeter's ice cream in Louisville, KY - best chocolate mint chip ice cream I've ever had and I've had a lot of ice cream. In St. Louis, we got to drive on historic Route 66 and stop at Ted Drewes and have a concrete - it's vanilla custard with stuff mixed in. All good stuff. If you're passing through you gotta stop.
It was neat driving on and alongside Route 66. I bet it made for a more fun road trip seeing all the big neon 50s signs, the kitchy hotels, lounges, bowling alleys and car dealerships alongside the way.
It was neat driving on and alongside Route 66. I bet it made for a more fun road trip seeing all the big neon 50s signs, the kitchy hotels, lounges, bowling alleys and car dealerships alongside the way.
Wednesday, July 9, 2008
What you may have missed last week...
Last week was one of the most dramatic weeks for the 4 Holmies. In a span of four days, we:
-packed up and moved everything in a 3000 sq. ft house (with the help of 4 packers and 5 loaders)
-had a low ball offer on purchasing our house, which we turned down
-rented that house to an exec. family from overseas
-had the renters pull out
-Sold our house. Keep in mind, after staging and keeping my house Martha Stewart spotless for 5 months, we had no offers. However, the renter and buyer both saw the house for the first time while it was full of boxes and in disarray and wanted it then. HGTV can bite me.
-Mouse, my hubby, received the Army Commendation medal from the Army Corp of Engineers.
-Mouse got accepted to a week long school, which means the day we arrive in Colorado, he flys back to Pittsburgh for a week.
-Mouse also had to work that week.
-Celebrated the 4th with the Stoffers
Driving out of Pittsburgh, I felt like I had wings - the stress was gone and I was looking forward to road ahead and enjoying the ride.
-packed up and moved everything in a 3000 sq. ft house (with the help of 4 packers and 5 loaders)
-had a low ball offer on purchasing our house, which we turned down
-rented that house to an exec. family from overseas
-had the renters pull out
-Sold our house. Keep in mind, after staging and keeping my house Martha Stewart spotless for 5 months, we had no offers. However, the renter and buyer both saw the house for the first time while it was full of boxes and in disarray and wanted it then. HGTV can bite me.
-Mouse, my hubby, received the Army Commendation medal from the Army Corp of Engineers.
-Mouse got accepted to a week long school, which means the day we arrive in Colorado, he flys back to Pittsburgh for a week.
-Mouse also had to work that week.
-Celebrated the 4th with the Stoffers
Driving out of Pittsburgh, I felt like I had wings - the stress was gone and I was looking forward to road ahead and enjoying the ride.
St. Louis
We are enjoying our adventure across country moving from Pittsburgh, home of the world champion Pittsburgh Steelers and Stanley Cup finalist Pittsburgh Penguins, to (heaven) Colorado Springs, CO. Our first stop was to Louisville, KY, where we stayed with Coastie friends Dennis and Nicole and their 2 kids Rachel and Christopher. The kids enjoyed a day at the YMCA waterpark. We're now we are vacationing in St. Louis, MO. This is the ideal vacation destination for families with young kids. I can't say enough nice things about the hotel we are staying in - the Drury Inn Forest Park. It's a new hotel and has everything. In three days, we visited:
- the Loop, supercool street near Forest Park, and went to the famous Blueberry Hill for Dinner
- The Arch, rode to the top in an egg they call a tram that was stolen from the set of Mork and Mindy. Mork arrived to planet Earth in this vehicle. I think I'm afraid of heights now.
-America's Incredible Pizza Co - highly recommend! great food and fun atmosphere - "Spiderbaby" and "Princess," our kids 1 and 3, played glow in the dark mini golf, raced cars, played baby air hockey, bounced on a moon bounce and ate ice cream.
- the Magic House, the best children's museum I've ever been to.
- our friends Troy and Sarah and baby Aidynn who live here and are transferring to tampa. We enjoyed dinner and catching up with these great friends we made pre-kids and haven't seen in 4 years. It was if we had just seen each other, but so much had changed.
- The Science Center and saw the IMAX dinosaur movie, played in the kids discovery zone, and saw a show on science experiments on Peeps, the easter marshmallow candy. Try this at home. Stick a peep in the microwave for 10 seconds.
- Grant's Farm, Anheuser Busch owns this farm and I wonder if they got some the animals from the neverland ranch yard sale. They had it all! goats, the most beautiful horses I've ever seen, flamingos, black swans, deer, Texas long horns, antelope, elephants, llamas, fox, guinea pigs, parrots, ducks, geese, bison. Mouse, my hubby, enjoyed the free beverages and the 3 holmies are down for the count - afternoon nap time.
- Tonight we'll chill - swim in the pool, eat popcorn, jump on beds, have snacks and gear up for the next adventure.
Tomorrow, we visit Purina Farm on our way out of town to Branson, MO.
I am really enjoying this trip across country. It feels like a trip of a lifetime, but being a Coastie family, I'm sure it's just the beginning.
- the Loop, supercool street near Forest Park, and went to the famous Blueberry Hill for Dinner
- The Arch, rode to the top in an egg they call a tram that was stolen from the set of Mork and Mindy. Mork arrived to planet Earth in this vehicle. I think I'm afraid of heights now.
-America's Incredible Pizza Co - highly recommend! great food and fun atmosphere - "Spiderbaby" and "Princess," our kids 1 and 3, played glow in the dark mini golf, raced cars, played baby air hockey, bounced on a moon bounce and ate ice cream.
- the Magic House, the best children's museum I've ever been to.
- our friends Troy and Sarah and baby Aidynn who live here and are transferring to tampa. We enjoyed dinner and catching up with these great friends we made pre-kids and haven't seen in 4 years. It was if we had just seen each other, but so much had changed.
- The Science Center and saw the IMAX dinosaur movie, played in the kids discovery zone, and saw a show on science experiments on Peeps, the easter marshmallow candy. Try this at home. Stick a peep in the microwave for 10 seconds.
- Grant's Farm, Anheuser Busch owns this farm and I wonder if they got some the animals from the neverland ranch yard sale. They had it all! goats, the most beautiful horses I've ever seen, flamingos, black swans, deer, Texas long horns, antelope, elephants, llamas, fox, guinea pigs, parrots, ducks, geese, bison. Mouse, my hubby, enjoyed the free beverages and the 3 holmies are down for the count - afternoon nap time.
- Tonight we'll chill - swim in the pool, eat popcorn, jump on beds, have snacks and gear up for the next adventure.
Tomorrow, we visit Purina Farm on our way out of town to Branson, MO.
I am really enjoying this trip across country. It feels like a trip of a lifetime, but being a Coastie family, I'm sure it's just the beginning.
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