Shame on Me!

I can't believe it has been almost 3 months since I last posted. Shame on me! Life really has been just about the craziest ever. It is finally, finally!, slowing down a bit. The old house is refinanced to allow us to pull some equity out, the new house hasn't started to be built yet (but soon!), my job is awesome, and the kids are wonderful.

It's been a bunch of stress though. Between the new job demands, the double house stress, Vacation Bible School, and taking care of two little ones, I went to the ER twice in one week for panic attacks. I think we're back under control though...I'm taking some light medication to keep me from being insanely anxious, and I'm much happier for it!

The new house plans are coming into vision finally. Below is a peak at what my kitchen will look like...white main cabinets, and olive cabinet for the island, stainless steel appliances, and a darker counter. We're really excited to see this house finished! Carl and I have picked every last door handle, drawer pull, tile, carpet, hardwood, etc. to go in this house...we are crossing our fingers to see it break ground in November. The financing is all prepped with the bank, the builder just has to finish details on the land to get started. Hooray!

Luke is changing as fast as ever - he just babbles all the time. He has some words, "Mama" is his favorite. He gives the BEST squeezes ever. He keeps me busy though - he likes trouble! I have decided that the age between 18 months and 3 years is my favorite...before that they don't interact as well, and after that they get attitude!

Savannah just started back to preschool - she loves it. She has a new teacher that teaches science...and she absolutely LOVES that. I think I have a science girl on my hands. She really loves rocks and butterflies...maybe a biologist? It's fun to watch her learn and bring home new ideas.

My job is the best ever. I love all of the people I work with. I was SO busy in August and the first week of September...but it's slowed down some. I really am so happy at WVU. I'm teaching two evenings a week too, so that is nice. Next semester I'm going to teach on my lunch break two days a week, so I'll have the extra income without being away from the kids longer...so that will be awesome too!

Time is flying by...hopefully I'll be able to update house photos soon!!!

Quick Run Down on Life

I've been a terrible blogger-mom. I haven't really blogged in what seems forever! Here's the rundown on why I haven't:

1. I switched jobs. I miss my coworkers at Fairmont State, but absolutely LOVE my new position at WVU (and the people there are just as great!).

2. We are in the beginning stages of planning the house we are going to build. Lots of decisions, stress, heartache, and headache.

3. We decided to sell our house this summer instead of next summer - to be financially stable. While we could have swung two mortgages, the idea terrified me. So in the time span of two weeks (literally) we prepped our house for viewings. One of those weeks was also swim lesson week. That meant I worked my last week at FSU, came home, grabbed the kids, went to swim, got home, got them in bed, and then from 8:30pm until we collapsed, Carl and I were decluttering, cleaning, fixing, etc. Then my first week at WVU was full of house prep too. In that time we also paid to have all our carpet replaced on the upper floor of the house - which meant everything had to be off the floors except beds and dressers. Craziness!

4. We have a tentative agreement with buyers (already!). Things aren't going to rush through closing for various reasons...but hopefully by the end of September Carl and I won't have a mortgage payment.

5. Which all leads to - moving back in the with my parents until the new house is ready...which seems like it could take a bit of time.

So amidst all of this, I love my kids. They are growing and changing every day. I noticed this week that Luke doesn't seem as empathetic as his sister, he just is too excited to slow down to see how others feel. He is just very different in personality. I love my job, I love making a difference, and hopefully I'll love the new paycheck. Carl and I are so excited for the new house, but being patient is really difficult...I keep reminding myself that next summer we'll be sipping wine on the back patio while the kiddos play on a flat acre of land....that is what keeps me moving!!

To Everything There is a Season

I know I say this a lot, but my life has turned into a crazy life. I don't even know how else to describe it right now, other than plain crazy.

For any of those following along on facebook, I've had some pretty exciting yet cryptic posts recently. Well, the cat is finally out of the bag, so I can share. And yes, I know most of you are secretly hoping the "exciting news" relates to more little Poland babies...sorry to disappoint, but that crazy train has left the station. No more babies!

The household is going through some major changes though...this is my last week at Fairmont State. I've always loved the people I work with and the outreach activities I'm involved in...but the commute has been driving me batty. I'm 40 minutes from the kids and I hate the drive in the snow. So what is ahead for us? I am moving into a position at WVU...in the Freshman Engineering Program. I'm excited for the challenges and opportunities that are present, the proximity to my family, the salary change...all of it is exciting. I've been in this process with WVU since February...so you can imagine my elation when I finally got the call. I start to work at my alma mater on Monday!

So with the job change (and salary change) we've decided to pursue building a house...and have some very serious plans in the works. We're hoping to get a construction loan underway in July...so by the kids's birthdays we hope to be in our new house. This of course led to the discussion about when to sell our house...we had originally planned to sell it when the new house was almost done...but now I'm thinking about financial safety...and we've decided we just love stress, so we're going to put our house on the market now, as in before July 1st. So every waking moment spent at our house is used for decluttering, preparing for a yard sale, or cleaning. Everything is out of place - and for those who know me you realize what kind of stress that is for me. We have to replace carpet, move the cats to my parents' house, move a LOT of stuff into a storage unit, and generally spruce up the house...all while still maintaining our jobs and caring for our kids. No short order! (Did I mention this week is swim lessons - every night?)

So this has all led to a very exciting summer, but incredibly stressful too. It also has led to some pretty in-depth realizations. We are getting older, making more important decisions. Carl turns 30 this fall, and I do next fall. Everything is changing, we're growing up, becoming mature (I thought that happened when we had kids - I was wrong). It really feels like we are in the midst of a life-changing moment. It's like our journey has suddenly come upon a giant mountain and we are slowly climbing up, knowing how amazing it will feel to rush back down the other side. We are closing a chapter in our lives, just to open another. When I started working at Fairmont State, I didn't know I was pregnant with Savannah...and now I've had two children, lost two children, and flourished in my ability as a professional. Carl's job is progressing well and he is content. We are turning 30(!!) soon. We are selling the house that we brought our children home from the hospital to live in...the house we lovingly prepared for our family. It's like we can just feel the change.

Exciting? YES.

Scary? Absolutely!

Pinterest Mom

I'll admit, it's been a while. I've been busy. There's a lot on the horizon. I'm just not ready to share all of that...so for now...

I've been doing a lot of Pinterest browsing recently. I've pinned all kinds of party ideas (Construction Zone Luke and Faith, Trust, and Pixie Dust! for Savannah) and can easily see my party creating beginning this fall. I've pinned ideas about teaching math skills (gasp! Savannah is already old enough!) and I've pinned all kinds of cute recipes. I've pinned crafts with kids, Christmas ideas, all kinds of things. I'm one of those moms. At Savannah's 4th birthday, one of her new friends from school attended, along with her mother. The mom looked around and said, "So you are one of those moms who goes all out, huh?". I just laughed and said I loved crafting, and I do.

So I am on of those moms...the kind that always brings something out of the ordinary for Halloween treats, or decorates like crazy for a birthday, or creates all kinds of holiday themed crafts with my kids. I am the craft leader for VBS (keep an eye out for a post where I try out all of this year's Kingdom Rock crafts out with Savannah!) and I put a lot of time into making memories. We have an elf at Christmas that does all kinds of silly things. *sigh* I am definitely one of those moms.

I've seen a lot of comments, memes, pins, etc. about moms who aren't like me...aren't craft crazed. And I agree with most of them - the little things I work myself into a tizzy over are probably not going to change anything about Savannah or Luke's outlook on life. They probably don't even realize the amount of work I put into making just one moment a little more special. I realize, and I enjoy it. But the other day, out of nowhere, I got a little reminder that all my hard work does stick in Savannah's memory. I'm not sure what brought it up, but out of the blue, Savannah said, "My silly Ralphie - he turned the milk green!"...she was referring to our resident elf, Ralphie, that in December decided the milk should be green. So while my kids may not remember all of the details, they will remember some, and as they age, they will realize that I love them so much and did so much to make their childhoods special. So yeah, I'm one of those moms. What do you have to say about it?

Mother, Mother, Mother

Since Mother's Day is two days away, it seems appropriate that just about everything on my mind lately is related to being a mom, and just what that means. My life has seemed to be upside down recently...a lot of drama that has really prompted me to stop and thinking deeply about what it means to be a mother. Last week, Carl and I found out that a mother we know, reasonably well, had a daughter that was capable of doing something very, very, very bad. Her daughter will most likely be in prison for quite a while. Her juvenile daughter. It was so sad when I heard the news. I kept thinking, "but she is such a good mom, how can her child do this? What is to say Savannah wouldn't do this? I'm a good mom too!". It made my heart hurt for the mother, because I know she is a good person, and she raised her daughter to be a good person. But things went awry.

I was talking with a coworker about the situation, and she said she knew a family that had the same type of thing happen. The son got in trouble with some drugs, got mixed up with the wrong people. The mother sent him to another town for a while to keep him safe. The boy returned on his own, saw the guy he'd had trouble with, and while on a high, shot at the man. He ended up killing a little girl. That son is now in prison. For life. And the mom did everything she could to raise a respectable young man! And she is a good person! And she tried to help her son out of the situation! It is just so scary and awful.

How do I know that I'm doing the right things? That my kids will grow up to be great people? What is even more scary to me is that those two instances are about children who came from loving families. What about all those kids that are being raised in a family that is not at peace?!

I think about how my life has changed in the past few years since I've become a mother. The news effects me more...yesterday a student brought a gun to one of the local high schools (my own alma mater!) and was thankfully apprehended, and it isn't quite apparent if he'd meant harm or not. But my kids will be in that school in 10 years! I have heard people say this is why they don't want kids...but really, I wouldn't change my mind about having kids, ever. I don't know what they will become. That is scary in a lot of ways...what if they stray like the others? But they also might become someone great - someone who changes the world, makes a difference, or leads groups to greatness. I have no idea. I am only here to guide them along the right path now, and trust God to help them along the way. And if they falter, I'm the one to pick them up, dust them off, and put them back on the right path.

It's a lot of work being a mom. A lot. Not only is it my job to train these miniature people about living life, and being responsible, and making a difference, but I also have to make sure I clean up as they go. Luke has raised my tolerance for a messy house to an all new level. He is just the absolute definition of a boy. Noise with dirt on it. Gosh he needs a bath just about every time he eats! The other day we visited a good friend who recently had her second child, a boy. He is so calm. He is so different than Luke. My other good friend also just had a boy. Again, a calm, easy going boy. I have recently found myself wondering, how did I get stuck with the crazy one? Why do my kids leave handprints everywhere (honestly the house with the new baby had no handprints on any appliances or windows!)? We does my son insist on being "Destructo" and climb everything and scream loudly? Why does Savannah insist on becoming a hellion when we're in large crowds (not running everywhere, but clingly desperately to us making everything a million times more difficult)? But ya know, my kids might not be the cleanest (and certainly my house isn't!), but I love them. They are mine. They are genuinely kind-hearted. I wouldn't trade them for anything. The miscarriages were awful and hurt me in so many ways...but without them I wouldn't have Luke. He is just about the most adorable flirt I've ever seen. I wouldn't ever give up the opportunity to have met him.

So it's tough. My house isn't clean all the time (or hardly ever anymore). My life is busy (too much!). There are days that I feel like I go to work, come home, clean up, make dinner, handle bath time, then bedtime, then more cleaning. (Or packing for trips or looking at land or houses, or taking Carl's mom somewhere, or going to church meetings...) And at some point I get to sleep. There are no breaks. There isn't "me" time. It's just surviving and trying to enjoy the ride.

Well Toto, We're Not in High School Anymore...

So as much as I'd like to deny it - I graduated from high school 10 years ago. It doesn't seem possible for time to have gone by as quickly as it did...but here we are...grown adults. As like most high school classes, we plan to have a reunion. Generally the tradition is that the class president from our senior class plans the events. I honestly don't remember who was class president, but apparently someone does, and they formed a committee, and a facebook invite. There was also apparently some kind of forum to discuss where/when to hold the reunion. Turns out it will be on a Saturday night, in a bar. Here's the problem with that - most of us are 30 or will be soon. Many of us have families. Many of those with families really don't need an extra three hours of loud noise (we get enough of that in our own homes before 8:00pm!). So while I'm not trying to be picky, I'm pretty sure the planning committee members are all childless. So, an evening at a bar sounds great. The planning committee is receiving some flack on the facebook event wall...and those defending them are close friends...mostly single or childless also. I do think it would be nice to plan something in the daytime, and family friendly. Especially in the summer - they could easily do a picnic at a park (which I'm sure would be cheaper than renting out a space at a bar). Honestly, I'd rather see people and their families, to see what they have produced than see everyone drinking at a party. I had enough of that 10 years ago.

In the end, I don't really care what they do. They scheduled the date for the Saturday I will be driving back from Hilton Head...so I won't be there...but if I was in town, here's why I wouldn't go: It is clear from all the bickering on the facebook event wall that most of my graduating class is still stuck back in high school. The same groups hate each other, the same snarky people are snarky, and no one wants to think about anyone but themselves. Maybe I'll attend when we celebrate 15 years...if it appears any of them have matured!

Decisions, Decisions!

Recently, Carl and I took a big step in our journey together - we are ready to expand again! No, not in the having more babies way. We met with a builder to begin the tedious (and decision laden) process of building a house. We've looked at a few properties we like, and may have found the right one...we're going to drive by it again tonight and see if it meets my criteria (flat enough for the kids to have a space to play, roads fairly easy to navigate in the winter, etc.). The lot we're looking at has two acres...that part is a little scary for me...Carl would be mowing a lot! We could also develop some of that land for a big garden, a playset, fenced area for the kids, etc. So if we like the lot, we may begin the process of buying the land. Then we'll wait. Most likely we won't break ground for maybe another 9-12 months. We have some pending changes with salaries and life situations, so we want to give those things some time...but if we love this land, we don't want to lose it. So we may just buy the land, pay for it each month, and if in the end we decide we like somewhere else better, then we'll sell it.

Meeting with the builder was just insane...there are so many options! I didn't realize how specific I would be in the things I like, but I am picky! I want a pantry for sure (walk-in would be nice, but we'll see how cost prohibitive it is), I definitely want 4 bedrooms. I need a craft room! The garage needs to have some storage space. We may or may not finish the basement when we build...that will depend on where we are financially. We definitely want a big kitchen...and a formal dining room. We feed our families at every holiday, and have lots of birthday parties at the house...so we need the dining space. So while we're looking at land, we're also going through page after page of house plans. We like the kitchen in one, the dining room in the other, and the garage in the other....so we are picking the structure of what we want now. Then we'll go back and see how much that's going to cost us....and if we have to make changes to keep it in the range we want, then we go back and make changes...honestly, I have a feeling we'll take months to make all those choices anyway. So while we're waiting on life to happen, we're going to plan (sounds just like me!). I've started thinking about my kitchen (and craft room!). Right now we have more earthy colors....I think I may go with lighter cabinets...more seaside appeal. The kids bathroom will probably be themed Disney of some sort (maybe Mickey/Minnie?). We just have A LOT of decisions to make.

Another thing this signals? We are officially done with children. We are building our dream house, to accommodate 4. Of course, there would be space for another child if God decides to surprise us, but we really like where we're at. We are ready to start our new chapter and watch the kids grow.

So the journey begins...with no definite end date. It could be a year, or it could be 5 years. It is just exciting to start thinking about designing our own space (and sad to think of leaving our first home...the one we brought our children home from the hospital to).

Savannah Turns 4 - Candy Party!

The past few weeks have FLOWN by. My weekends have just been nonstop chaos for the most part. The weekend of March 23/24 I had the State Science Fair and Savannah attended two birthday parties (one of which out of state). Then the next weekend was Easter...which meant lots of little things we did with the kids. We colored eggs, we made the traditional bunny cake, our church had a big Easter Egg Hunt and learning stations tied together (I ran the craft station for 60+ kids), and of course Easter Sunday church, the bunny baskets to empty, and the dinner with family. It was just insane! Then the week between Easter and Savannah's party was just chaotic too. I taught Tuesday and Thursday evenings (an FE review course with the topic of Engineering Economy) so on those days I left for work at 7:00am and arrived back to the house at 9:30pm...and those were my tabata workout days too! Wednesday night I had a United Methodist Women's meeting at 6:30, so I got home and saw the kids a bit and then headed off to that. Ideally, I would have skipped this month's meeting because of all the other craziness going on, but I'm the Vice President, which means I'm supposed to give presentations occasionally...so I needed to be there.


Needless to say, I was relieved when the weekend arrived! Friday night was just crazy party prep night...but Saturday was worth all the stress. Savannah had a beautiful day and really enjoyed her party. We missed a few of our friends (my bestest had her 3rd child that day - a new little boy to spoil!), but the day was special.



The candy decorations were fun to make - and the real candy buffet was tasty too!



Luke loved the decorations too - at least the balloons!! He was a walking balloon boy for quite a while.



The kids loved decorating cupcakes! The Wilton Topping Tornado was a big hit!



The cake! I loved the candy candles - surprisingly found them at Walmart!



Still no singing, but at least she blew out her candles!



My pretty girl on her big day (and little brother admirer too!).



Our good friend Patrick (or to my kids - Mr. Pat) got Savannah the Disney Dazzling Princess Game. Savannah adores it. After everything had calmed down, the guests were gone, Luke was in bed, Carl was running his mom home, my big girl and I were able to just enjoy time together and play. It reminds me of a game of my childhood (Pretty Pretty Princess anyone?!) and it was a ton of fun to play with her. It is also pretty adorable to see Carl playing too - he has to wear the jewelry to become a princess too!!

After all is said and done, I am so glad the party went well. But I'm also really glad the parties are over for a while. My closets can get back to normal (instead of holding party decorations and party food and just about every craft product under the sun). My evenings can be spent with the kids, and life can just be enjoyed. No more craziness until closer to Halloween again. Even though winter/early spring birthdays mean inside parties, I'm kind of glad. It gives me crafts to focus on during the cold winter months, and then during the warm spring and summer months I can just enjoy my kids. I can't wait for spring planting and dinners on the deck!!

Crazy Busy Life

I'm not sure when I blogged last...it seems like forever! Life has been insane for the past month...and sadly I think that may be the trend between Luke and Savannah's birthdays. There's just so much to do! This year we celebrated Easter between the birthdays too. Thankfully Easter is after Savannah's birthday next year, so that might help out a bit.

Work has been pretty crazy this month too. The State Science Fair was the 23rd, so I was busy as a bee the week before. This week I'm also teaching review sessions on Tuesday and Thursday evening for the upcoming Fundamentals of Engineering Exam. Yesterday was pretty brutal, and I expect tomorrow to be the same. I leave my house at 7am...work my normal day...including my 45 minute lunch break Tabata workout class...then between 4 and 6 I find dinner somewhere...then from 6-9p I teach the review class. I finally walk in the door around 9:30p. Last night I just showered and crashed into bed. Back at work bright and early at 7:30 this morning! So - work is busy this week!

It's also the week before Savannah's big candy birthday party! Thankfully I finished most of the decorations and plans before Easter, so there isn't a whole lot I can do until Friday night and Saturday morning. I can guarantee that on Saturday night, after it's all over, I am going to collapse into my bed. I am already exhausted and my week is still running at full speed.

I may be busy - but I wouldn't trade any of it for the world! I love my kids and I enjoy my job!

The Art of the Fib

Today is a "Daddy Day" at the house...which means Carl is in charge. For some reason I'm more nervous about leaving him home with the kids than leaving them with anyone else. It isn't that he doesn't love them, or pay attention to them, he just underestimates them and overestimates himself. He will attempt to work on his laptop remotely AND watch the kids. From experience, I know that's become a challenge since Luke became mobile. I'm worried Luke will fall off something, or eat something that is meant to be inedible, or be the crankiest child on earth when I get home. I'm worried Savannah will have candy for lunch.

I think Carl feels he can work on the laptop and watch the kids with one eye. In some instances, that might be true. But not often. If you are anywhere near Luke he will want to see the laptop...which leads to him pulling on the screen from the back. More than one time he has almost succeeded in snapping the thing in half. So really, no laptop unless it's on a table. Then, when it is on the table, Luke will stand right next to you and scream because he can't see it. So, really, using the computer when he is awake is almost impossible. So, Carl will just wait until naptime...or so he thinks. Well, this week Luke has decided to only nap once daily, instead of twice. I would much prefer twice...he is too grouchy without the second nap...but I can't force him to sleep (unless I drug him, which I am obviously NOT going to do). So Carl may get 30 minutes when Luke sits in his crib and "talks" to everything. But it won't be long before he throws his bink and Lovey Bear out and just screams for someone to get him out too.

Savannah is generally much easier, but sneakier. She has learned the art of the fib. I really wish I could claim she is perfect (Luke too) and that she is immune from the disease of lying...but alas, she's almost 4. She knows what she wants, and she's learning how to get it. For starter's, she knows Dad is the answer to everything. If she doesn't want to go to bed, she says to me, "I want Dad to put me to bed." She knows that he is slower about the process. He lets her stay up while he empties his pockets, puts his PJs on, checks his email....well, she most definitely gets an extra 20 minutes when he is the bedtime king. If she asks for a certain food and I tell her no, she immediately goes to Carl. He generally doesn't think about the closeness to dinner, etc...so he says yes. It isn't that Carl doesn't care for her health or sleeping habits, he just always picks the easiest route. Keeping her happy. He doesn't like a scene, doesn't like crying or screaming, and most certainly doesn't like for his time to be interrupted. I can appreciate that, but I also see the value in telling a child no, setting some boundaries, and reinforcing who is in charge. Carl of course thinks he is in charge...I wouldn't be surprised if, today, Savannah rules the roost. (Especially since he wants to work too - he'll do whatever keeps her out of the way and happy - thus candy for lunch.)

Savannah knows very well that Carl is the "Yes" Man and I am the "NO" Mommy. She has begun to use that to her advantage. On Sunday, a good friend brought Luke a birthday present to church. When we got home, we opened it to find a puzzle for Luke. Savannah wanted to play with it. I told her that we could, after lunch. Well, not 5 minutes later she came over to me and said, "Can I open this puzzle? Dad said I could.". So I sighed and was slightly annoyed that Carl had given her permission when I had told her no. But, I hate to contradict him, so I let her open it. So then after lunch I was talking to Carl and told him I really wish he wouldn't have told her yes. Turns out, he didn't tell her anything - just to ask mom. So his answer had been to check with me, and her "translation" was to tell me he said yes. She completely played BOTH of us!

I really hate she has reached the age of fibs...she recently has told us every single she leaves the bathroom that she washed her hands. Yesterday I said, "You did? Great job! Let me see." Her hands didn't feel the least bit damp. She isn't that great of a hand dryer that her hands are instantly dry...I asked if she was sure...she insisted she had washed them...I doubt that was true. So now we need to have a conversation about fibbing. I know (unfortunately) every child will go through this stage, but I hate it. I keep telling myself that it is a sign of her brain working to find the best path to what she wants...so the idea behind her fibbing is good. She is intelligent enough to work towards her own goals...but the actual fibbing part - terrible.

One thing is for sure, with Savannah now understanding the dynamics of the household, Carl and I need to start checking in with each other when she has a request. We can't trust her to tell us "the whole story". Team parenting has never been so important.

Spring Teaser!

Yesterday was such a tease. The weather was beautiful. I think I have definitely decided Spring is my favorite season. It is such a welcome sight of warm breezes, gorgeous colors, and time outdoors...such a change from the harsh winter that precedes it! Since the amazing weather was on a weekend (and the time change one at that!), Carl and I took advantage of all the extra daylight. After Luke got up from his afternoon nap we loaded up Savannah's trike and Luke's ride-on car and headed out to the Rail Trail. Luke thought the whole idea of taking a walk (without being bundled up!) and being able to "drive" his little car was just grand. He just turned the little steering wheel and honked the horn. He'd grin at everyone passing by and he especially loved it when Savannah would reach over to tap his shoulder or shake his hand. Savannah loved getting to ride her trike for a bit longer than usual. At our house we have lots of hilly terrain, so this walk she could ride a lot and not be going in circles! Halfway through the walk I snapped this photo on Carl's phone...



It was just so fun and nice to be a family. Carl and I each pushed one child with one hand, and could also hold each other's hand. It was just nice to have the four of us. It felt right. I reflected on how complete I felt. I am just so happy with our little family. I was amazed at how much fun it was to do things outside, with both kids. Last summer Luke was...difficult...to do much with. He hated the car. He couldn't crawl or walk. He didn't like hats. He just wasn't a lot of fun. This summer, I have a feeling the two kiddos will keep me busy and laughing.

After our walk, we stopped at the park. Savannah has loved to swing from the moment she first had the chance to do it. She instantly went to the swings. We tried Luke on a little slide since the baby swings were full...he didn't seem too thrilled with that idea. So he watched Savannah swing for a while...apparently over the winter she has learned how to keep her momentum by herself on the swing (how THAT happened I have no idea). She just loved it all. When a swing finally opened up for Luke, Carl sat him in and started to push him. The first few times back and forth Luke looked kind of unsteady. He hadn't ever been in a swing before! (He was too little and hated pretty much everything last summer.) After he got comfortable in the swing he just loved it. He grinned and giggled. I have a feeling there will be many hours this spring and summer with Carl and I pushing kids on the swings.

It was amazingly nice to spend time with the kids, as a family. I am really excited for the memories our family will make this year, and in the years to come. I'm content with my family and my life. I truly feel complete.

Leprechaun Trap!

As the snow continues to curse irritate us, I have been attempting to "Think Spring" in whatever way possible. The day after Luke's party, I put all the winter decorations away and got the Easter ones out. I even made a cute little Easter egg bouquet for on top of the piano.



I'm working on creating a cupcake liner wreath - so far it looks beautiful! I just need a little more time (when I'm not already exhausted) to finish it up. I really love seeing all the pastels and bright colors. I am SO tired of the whites and browns and evergreens of winter!

I have also tried to get into the spirit of St. Patrick's Day this year. It is the first time Savannah can really enjoy any silly traditions, and since it's on a Sunday, we can make the most of all the "green" fun. One tradition I have started this year is really a unique memory from my past. One year, probably during my elementary school years, I made a Leprechaun Trap. I don't really remember the trap all that much, but I do remember playing in my closet and hiding things...and getting chocolate gold coins. I haven't thought about that since...well...ever since I was a child. Then on one of my many "browsing" times on Pinterest I saw a pin about a Leprechaun Trap. I suddenly decided St. Patrick's Day was going to be celebrated at our house!!

So Savannah and I have now made our Leprechaun Trap. She is extremely excited to try to catch a Leprechaun - and even more excited about the idea that he might leave us some gold chocolate coins! The best part of our trap? It didn't cost us a penny! I took a cardboard box (in our case, a Capri Sun box) and painted it with green craft paint....Savannah loved that part! Then we took green tissue paper (saved from our stash that we recover from birthday presents) and stuffed it inside (so the Leprechaun will be comfy!). I found some patterned green scrapbook paper (in my scrap bin) and used a flower type punch to create little "clovers" that we glued to the top. I used some gold glittery paper (again out of the scrap bin) and punched out the shape of butterflies. The last step was to cut some green ribbon (leftover from Luke's highchair tray ribbons) to add on the front. It turned out really cute and Savannah had so much fun making it. She was SO proud of it when she showed it to Carl...and so excited about what it was for! Definitely a tradition to keep...I can't wait until both kids get creative and imaginative enough to build actual working traps - I can totally see Carl going ALL out for a contraption!

The Cat in the Party Hat - Luke Turns ONE!

My little boy is one year old! I am happy to say that we did learn from Savannah's first birthday, and this time around there were no tears (at least none from any kids!). Luke had an amazing day. He woke up pretty early and was in a great mood. We did all the decorating after he went to bed on Friday, so when he woke up and we took him downstairs he got to enjoy the birthday atmosphere right away. He loved the balloons and all the colorful things. He just kept looking around and pointing at things. I think the balloons were probably his favorite though. He likes to pull on the strings and then watch the balloon go back up. I know they were expensive (Carl doesn't even want to know how much I spent on balloons!) but they were worth it!

He ate a good breakfast and got in lots of playtime with Grandma and Grandpa while Carl and I finished up food prep and all outside decorations. I had planned for the whole family to wear Dr. Seuss shirts, but Totsy didn't deliver the kids' shirts in time. I ordered them February 3rd and they still aren't here. I realize they have some kind of crazy method of doing business, but they were rude and not at all helpful when I called last week. Never, ever doing business with them again. I would much rather spend a little extra money and have the items when I need them. It turned out okay though - I had bought Luke a Cat in the Hat onesie a few months ago at a thrift store. At that point I had purchased the biggest size they had. In January I tried it on him and it was tight through the belly, thus I ordered from Totsy. Well, since Totsy fell through, I decided he could just wear a tight fitting onesie for his party and if it got cake and icing all over it, no big deal (I only paid $3 for it at the thrift store anyway.). Well, I guess he has gotten taller, or slimmed down with all his walking, because it fit perfectly on his birthday! So Carl and I had a shirt, Luke had a onesie, but unfortunately Savannah didn't have anything Dr. Seuss...so we put her in her "Brother for Sale" shirt (which I thought was cute on her brother's birthday anyway).

Prior to the party day, I had worried about Savannah's behavior on Luke's big day. I was worried she would either be jealous or clingy. She hasn't shown a lot of jealousy in the first year with Luke, but there's nothing like a birthday party to bring that out! I figured if she wasn't jealous, she'd be clingy and want Carl or I to hold her to entire time since we would have a lot of people in the house. So as usual, Savannah surprised me. She was excited before the party and kept hugging Luke and telling him "Happy Birthday Big Boy!". Then, when one of the families arrived (who happens to have a 4.5 year old), she was content to play in her room with her friend. She played in her room some, played in the party room some, and generally behaved. We had no trouble from her - no tears, no fighting, no jealousy. When it was time to sing to Luke and for him to blow out the candles, she helped. She was just an amazing big sister. I am so proud of her.

Luke adored being sang to, loved the candle, and really, really loved the cake. As soon as Carl put Luke's cake on his highchair tray, Luke put his hands in it. Once he discovered the icing was sweet, he suckled his cake. He just kept his mouth on it and licked. He loved it. He was even hugging it by the time he was done...it was a delight to watch him even his cake and birthday. He loved opening presents, eating, playing...he loved it all. I think birthdays are going to be incredibly fun from here on out. Luke loves them and Savannah is getting used to the attention when it's her turn.

The evening of Luke's birthday I teared up a little...it is just sad to think this is the end of Luke being a baby...my last baby. I had a few questions about a third...and Carl was cornered once too...but we just have future plans that might be really difficult with a third child....and we are ready to step into the traveling world with our kids. We want to provide a certain life for both of them...and that might be tough with another. Plus another pregnancy isn't really desirable for me. I worried the entire time with Luke...and it wasn't fun going through the trials of getting to Luke's pregnancy. I jokingly said I would take another baby without the pregnancy and Carl said his company helps with adoption costs...so maybe that will be an option in 10-15 years. Maybe we will adopt. Maybe we will adopt an older child...someone who needs us. A child that feels like hope is lost because of his/her age...who knows. I do know I'm very happy and in love with my two kiddos...and after seeing them get their spring/birthday photos together on Sunday, I am in love with their adorableness too!

Here are some special pictures from Luke's big day...

Luke's invitation was a little book:



A Birthday Book for our guests to leave Luke a birthday message:



The yummy Dr. Seuss themed food:



The cake, cupcakes, and sweets:



The decorations:







Let There Be Cake!









Family LOVE!

Spring Holiday Love

Okay - so in an effort to try to momentarily forget that Luke is going to be one (!!) in 5 (!!) days, I have been thinking a lot about the next 6 weeks of fun. Although I love fall and its beauty, and I love the magic of Christmas, I just think the spring holidays have won my heart. I hate overly dislike winter. The colors of white, brown, and pine green (thankful at least for those pine trees!) are probably my least favorite. The cold snowy weather makes leaving the house difficult at times. Dragging kids out in the weather is even worse with the coats and car seats and getting in and getting out...it just is not my idea of fun at all. So not only are spring holidays fun, but they are a welcome sign of the life and color returning to our region.

This year St. Patrick's Day is on a Sunday...and on a weekend we aren't busy. So I'm going to go back to something fun I did as a child - Savannah and I are going to make a Leprechaun trap! I saw a pin on Pinterest the other day that reminded me of the fun of this little contraption. Savannah loves chocolate, so the possibility of finding chocolate coins in the trap on St. Patty's Day morning is more than enough to get her interested in building such a thing. She loves to paint and craft, so I think on the 16th we'll have a ton of fun turning a shoe box into a nifty trap. Of course there's all the fun of wearing green on St. Patty's Day. And green food - lots of green food! I'm going to make Thin Mint Truffles (again - Pinterest!) and maybe some sherbet and sprite special drinks...I just think it will be fun to celebrate a silly holiday with the family.

Then probably a holiday that has stealthily found its way into my top three favorite holidays recently - Easter! As I've mentioned once or twice before, our family is finally not busy the weekend of Easter. Our church usually hosts an egg hunt and luncheon on the Saturday before Easter. This year I'm on the education committee, and we met last night to discuss the hunt and our plans for VBS (I am the resident craft leader!). Instead of the traditional egg hunt, we are going to offer a little bit more to the kids in attendance. All kids will make a bucket to collect eggs in (think pastel colored sand pail for the beach, with Christian foam stickers attached) and get to find lots of hidden eggs with goodies inside. In addition, they will make a craft (that's where I come in), listen to a Bible story, sing a few songs, and then get lunch. I think it is a great way to reconnect with the kids that have been home bound all winter - and to get the kids excited for the upcoming summer VBS. I am not sure yet what kind of craft I will do with the kids...but I do have a few ideas I'm going to run by the committee next week. I think Easter weekend will be really fun...I will prep crafts on Good Friday...then on the 30th we will take the kids to the church for all the events...then when Luke is getting in his afternoon nap, Savannah and I will make the bunny cake for Easter Dinner. We used to have this cake every Easter at my house and I think Savannah will have a blast helping me create it for our family.

The next week we will celebrate Savannah's birthday...I need to get started on creating decorations for her party. I've made the first of 10 invites...and the others just need assembled. I have lists of supplies needed, as well as a few other things done...I will be working diligently on plans next week.

Aside from the excitement of spring arriving soon (3 weeks from Wednesday!) and all the beautiful colors to expect, we did enjoy one facet of winter this past weekend. We took the family to the mall for the annual health fair. Luke was just under the age limit to participate in the baby crawl. (Kids had to be 6 months to 1 year.) We did this with Savannah and she won third place overall...so we figured we'd take Luke and see what happened. He was number 27 of 28 babies, so his first heat was the last of the preliminaries. We watched all the other babies and Carl held onto Luke. He was squirming the entire time - he just wanted down. So when it was finally our turn to go, he was really, really ready to be put down. Savannah and I waited across the finish line to "coach" him over to us and Carl held him at the starting line. When they counted down and announced "Three, two, one, crawl" Luke was off as soon as Carl let go. He sped halfway across the crawling space then kind of stopped and looked around at everyone. None of the other babies in his heat had moved at all. Then Luke saw Savannah and I acting all silly and dashed off to us. He easily crossed the finish line. Honestly, I think the other 5 babies in his heat had maybe moved 3 feet from their starting line. I gave Luke a kiss and turned to give Savannah a hug for being such a good coach and Luke turned around and crawled back to Carl...all before any of the other babies had even made it halfway going the right direction! He was just grinning and giggling the whole time. He is such a ham! Since we were in the last heat, it was right back to the crawling mat to compete for grand champion crawler. Again, Savannah and I waved a bunch at Luke and got him excited...as soon as they said "crawl" he was off. He paused a little in the middle...but then dashed for us again. He easily won first place. He is our crawling champion! In the end, he made out with some great prizes too. He won a stuffed dog, three rubber duckies, a book, a set of sippy cups, a box of wipes, some pedilite juice boxes, a bottle, and a VTech Sit-to-Stand Activity Walker. So we gave Savannah the stuffed dog - it was her reward for being such a good sport about all the attention on Luke and helping coach him to us. (She was so proud of her brother - never once did she pout about him being the center of attention - and she didn't know she was getting prizes, she thought they were all for Luke.) The walker is actually one we'd bought at a consignment sale last fall, so we took it back to Walmart ($30!) and bought him something else. In the end the prizes were nice, but it was just so fun to watch him. He loved every last second of it all. Both my kids made me proud that day...I love being their mom!

First Birthday on the Horizon

Now that I can finally check the weather forecast for Luke's big party day it has really hit me that he will be one year old in just 9 short days!!

I have been doing a million things to prepare the house and the family for his big day. I've even been prepping the birthday boy! We sing to him a lot now - and even show him a candle (#6!). We sing in crazy loud voices and he just giggles and smiles. He has even learned how to blow out a candle - although he may decide he doesn't want to do it on his actual birthday. I have been decluttering and putting our birthday decorations, food prep, plate prep...as much as I can do ahead of time. I have a list of all the things that need done (and when!). I have to make cupcakes, a Cat in the Hat - hat cake, cakepops (plain belly sneetches and star belly sneetches)...all of that needs to be planned and made ahead of the actual morning of his big day.

While all the party planning is pretty much my normal crazy self, the whole singing and candle prep is something new. I was telling a good friend about it, and she teasingly said I'm try to make sure he has the perfect birthday photos and want things to run smoothly...while I totally can see her point, that isn't at all why I'm doing it.

As you may recall, Savannah's 1st Birthday was adorable and fun, but she cried a lot. Especially when we sang to her. I felt horrible. I felt like her day had been ruined by my attempts to throw her a big bash. So I learned. Luke's party won't be nearly so crowded...only our closest friends and family. We also are preparing him for the noise. I want him to be happy - it has nothing to do with photos. Honestly, the pictures of Savannah crying are so funny and cute now...so it really, really has nothing to do with that. I just want him to enjoy the day as much as he deserves to. I'm sure I will completely go photo crazy too - documenting every last detail - but not for my sake. There's no way he'll remember this party...but one day, when he's older, he will realize how much time I put into celebrating his first year of life. He will be able to see how much we love him and how happy we are that he is a part of our lives. So yes, I may go crazy with the camera, but not for myself.

Luke is growing into a toddler faster than I thought possibly...9 more days....he is already walking around the basement, climbing on the couch, and this week gave up his bedtime bottle...next week it's on to sippy cups...he is losing his baby qualities...

This Too Shall Pass

A year ago I was on pins and needles waiting for Luke (or Ella) to arrive. I knew he (or she) would be here so incredibly soon. I had forgotten how tiring a newborn was - I was just excited. Then Luke arrived. And he was so very different in temperament than Savannah. It seemed to take him forever to learn to sleep easy. He was in our room every night for a month (Savannah went to her crib at day two - she slept SO much better there.) I wrote this post about having the kids in my room at night. Carl took a picture of one of those mornings (3/21/12) when he left for work and the rest of the family was completely zonked out in our bed...it is a photo I now cherish...



Now our house is different. Luke has matured so much...he is much less inclined to meltdown. I really think that has come about because he's mobile. He just loves to get into things and is so curious about everything. He eats easier, he is almost done with bottles (we plan to switch him to sippy cups and milk next week!), and he sleeps better. He naps in his crib once or twice a day (it depends on how busy he's been)...and he goes to bed easy. Sleep really is what is so different about our house. For the first few months of Luke's life, sleep was such a rarity. Luke woke up at least once a night, and there were stretches when he'd be awake 3 times in a 9 hour span. The first few weeks of his life Savannah went to bed in our bed, with us (partly because she was ill, partly because we had no energy to force her to stick to the old routine). I was so worried Savannah wouldn't go back to her room easily, wouldn't handle bedtime as well as she did before Luke. But here we are, a year later, and our house is somewhat into a routine. There will be days that things are hay-wire...but pretty much at 7pm we do bath time (and for now they bathe together...although that will be changing as they age) and then by 7:15 Luke is getting his last little bottle. He drinks it down, gets a minute of cuddle time (he squirms after that) and I put him in his crib and walk out. He's usually pretty tired, but awake, when I put him to bed. (He even naps like that, although no bottle right before - just cuddles.) We rarely hear anything from him until the next morning. Savannah finishes her bath when Luke is getting his bottle, so by 7:30 she's in her bed reading books with Carl. She gets her book, a prayer, a cuddle, and a kiss...and then Carl is out of there. She goes to sleep when she's ready. Both kids are doing amazing when it comes to bedtime...once again, Carl and I have from 8:00pm to spend together. In all honesty, I'm still pretty exhausted by that point and am not much good for more than watching TV on the couch...but as the kids get bigger it will be a bit easier. I'm just amazed at how well Luke has changed into a kid that wants to go to bed and how Savannah transitioned back into her routine after the craziness of having a newborn in the house changed things.

So while in March 2012 I was pretty sure we'd never, ever sleep 8 consectuive hours again...we do. We have our evenings again...and we have happy kids.

Now I'm ready for Easter! For the first year since Savannah was born, we finally have an Easter weekend to really appreciate the holiday. In 2009, Savannah came home from the hospital on Easter Sunday. In 2010 we had birthday parties surrounding the holiday. In 2011 we spent Easter in Alabama. In 2012 Luke was tiny and Savannah's birthday party was the day before Easter, and on Easter everyone (except) Carl was so ill we couldn't make it to church and my parents had to travel to Ohio to visit my ill grandmother. We finally will get to spend the weekend celebrating Easter this year! The kids already have adorable outfits - I cannot wait to see them all dressed up together...they are just too cute for words when they are. This year I totally fell in love with the Carter's Easter Shop...Savannah is wearing this dress and Luke will wear this button-down shirt and this sweater. He'll either wear khaki or gray pants - depends on which we can get for a good price. I think the colors this year will really bring out my little ones' blue eyes. I am hoping for at least a sunny Easter, even if it isn't warm. I can't wait for the church's annual Saturday before Easter festivities...and then Easter Sunday...and Easter dinner...and the joy that Easter is in the springtime! I am SO ready for pastel colors and spring. I miss my world of color - wintertime in the north is full of brown, white, and gray. I am ready for the green grass, blue skies, and warm breezes!

As soon as Luke's party is over I'm putting out the Easter decor...

Like Night and Day

When Luke was born, I knew our parenting style would probably be a little different than it was with Savannah. He's a boy. I figured it would be somewhat different to raise a boy than a girl. I also knew that Savannah was an amazingly easy baby. As Luke is approaching his first birthday, I've been reminiscing and reading old blog posts from the time just before Savannah turned one. I really don't think Carl and I realized just how easy we had it with Savannah. I thank God many times for his infinite wisdom in granting us Savannah before Luke!

Savannah was always a laid-back, cautious baby. She didn't take risks. She didn't become mobile early on (we even survived her first Christmas without her being mobile). She ate all foods easily. She was rarely sick. She only really cried when hungry or tired. She had very few meltdown days. We could tell her no and she would just shrug and accept it. (I read a post about her ignoring our bar stools in the kitchen after being told no...) She slept through the night early on. Honestly, she was an angel.

Luke is nowhere near his sister in temperament. He didn't sleep well through the night until close to 6 months. He is an immediate risk taker. He has no fear. He climbs absolutely anything he can in order to get a better view - it is like he has an insatiable curiosity. He eats some things and doesn't others. He is LOUD. He babbles at high volumes just for the fun of it - especially when he's eating. He has been mobile since the early fall - making the holidays difficult. He does not have any desire to understand the word "no". We don't have those bar stools in our kitchen (and haven't since the summer) because he absolutely will not leave them alone. We have used more baby safety devices than ever before...and we have been forced to become creative with them as well. As soon as we put something new up (to make it more safe) he finds a way to make that unsafe. We are always on our toes. The first four months of his life I really think he spent crying more than anything else. He hated the car (and hated is a mild way of describing it). His cry was so high pitched we were sent to the ENT and Neurologist to be sure he was healthy. We saw two other specialists with him also...he is sick more than Savannah was (I will give him some credit here - he has a big sister going to preschool....she was home with just us at this age).

I knew how different they were, but when I begin reading about my life with Savannah when she was his age it really hit me that they are 100% different. They look adorably the same (just this weekend Carl saw a picture of Savannah as a tiny baby and thought it was Luke!) but they are so, so different. I don't know if it is the gender thing, or just personality, or a combination...I have no idea. I am so grateful that Savannah was first. We "got our feet wet" learning to parent with an easy child. I remember thinking our marriage was harder during Savannah's first year...I don't know if we would have survived if Luke had been first. We also have an amazing big sister in Savannah. She is (and has always been) a very empathetic little girl and loves to please. She cares for Luke so much and loves to be the big sister who helps out. She keeps an eye on him for the two seconds I have to run to the bathroom. She won't let him near dangerous things...obviously she can't be a babysitter yet, but she is a BIG help around the house. If they had been born in reverse order...hmm...I don't know...life would be...difficult.

As always, God is wise beyond any human!!

Sicky McSick Sick

I am so tired of winter and the germs that are inherently associated with it. I have spent most of this season convinced that I am doing something wrong as a mother since my kids are almost always trading illnesses with each other. Honestly, it has been the worst season for illness in my house - ever. I couldn't figure out what I was doing wrong. We wash our hands so much that my hands became overly dry and I had to visit the dermatologist. I clean constantly (which makes for a very LONG day on top of working and party planning!). I feed my kids lots of healthy foods...Savannah gets vitamins every night too. She drinks lots of OJ and eats oranges almost every day. I honestly wondered why my kids seemed to be sick all the time!

I have begun to realize that this year is just a tough year. Several of my friends (in town and out of town) have kids that are sick, get better, get sick, and repeat the cycle endlessly. The weather in our area hasn't helped, but the germs are strong this year. Savannah is in school more, so more contact with other kids. We spend more time at the Play Place at the mall since it is too cold to play outside...and since we now have two kids in the house it is even harder to keep germs at bay. I really think this is just a year we will survive and have stronger immune systems on the other side. Today Savannah was supposed to have preschool, but so many kids were either sick or being held at home by parents trying to prevent illness, that school was canceled. I know her teachers spend hours cleaning the rooms and toys. The freeze out the rooms on exceptionally cold nights...they even wear masks if they are at all feeling ill and are at school.

So I'm done with winter. I'm done with illness. I want my kids to be able to get outside and use up their energy. I cannot wait for summer with Luke - he is going to keep me on my toes running everywhere!

(T-minus 19 days until Luke is one year!)

24 More Days!

Luke will turn one in 24 days. It just doesn't seem possible that a year has gone by since my first meeting with my handsome little one. He has changed SO much. Each day I think how charming he has become. He is so very different from his sister too. He jumps head first into things (often getting himself in quite the predicaments!) and he smiles often. He babbles constantly...and he is a food critic for sure. Each and every meal he practically yells through. He puts food in his mouth and then we hear "Ya ya ya ya!!" and then he repeats the whole thing. He doesn't just talk while he eats, he voices himself loudly. Honestly our house is only quiet when he is asleep. He is also developing into an emotional little guy...if I'm lying on the couch he will crawl or cruise over (he still won't let go and just walk around!) and he leans into me and puts his nose right against mine and just grins. He is such a flirt.

As his birthday has been approaching, I've begun to feel the sadness of him turning one. I love him so much, and now that he is a little older he is much easier to handle. He still keeps me on my toes, but there is much, much less crying. He just is as content as can be as long as he is fed and had a nap. He will play with anything...and even has begun to really play independently too. There are days that although I have an evening out planned (for say a United Methodist Women's meeting) I almost want to stay home to play with Luke and Savannah. When a mom would give up the precious little time she gets away from the house, you know she's in love!

I am just so proud of my little ones. They are such unique little people. Of course, with that comes unique attitudes too. Savannah is already starting some of the drama I'm sure we will see well through her teen years. I am amazed at their development though. They each have different strengths...but they each adore the other.

With all this nostalgia over Luke turning one, I'm sure some have wondered if Carl and I will think about a third. I've been pretty clear that we aren't planning for a third...and the fact that Luke is growing out of the baby stage doesn't seem to change my mind. There are times that I miss being pregnant, or the excitement of having another, the idea of a gender reveal party (which if we had a third, I most definitely would do one of these!), and just the idea of a sibling for Savannah and Luke to love...but then reality wins out. I know I will probably always want to have those things...even when I'm 40! And honestly, our Disney Cruise convinced me that I don't want more children. It isn't that the children on the boat were unbearable...completely NOT the case. It's because I want to take my kids on a cruise like that...and often. Carl and I have already started talking about trying to cruise with the kids every 2-3 years with smaller vacations on the years between. We will visit Disney World in 2014...but then may not go back for a while...maybe 2018? After that we may not go back for a long time...but we will cruise. We love it...and it's magical and relaxing. Disney World is magical, but NOT relaxing. So we want those trips for our kids...and having a third would seriously crimp that plan. Now, if God decides we need a third child, we will love a new one immensely...we'll just change our priorities. For now, we are happy with our family of four...and our plan (although God's plan isn't always our plan!) is to keep it that way for good.

Now just to plan our Disney 2014 trip and keep saving for the Disney Cruise in 2016!!!

All Aboard! Cruising on the Disney Wonder

In September 2011, Carl and I left Savannah with my mom for a few days and traveled to Seattle for business purposes…I thought that trip was difficult. Last Friday night was much, much worse. All day I had been thinking about our upcoming trip and our early departure time (we left Morgantown at 2am on Saturday). Bedtime was incredibly hard. I gave Luke his bottle and cuddled with him, tears streaming the entire time. Then when I went to cuddle with Savannah she saw the tears, so she cried too. It was most definitely hard to leave my kiddos.

Saturday morning we were up and out of town in the wee hours of the morning. I was SO excited. We had a really long travel day ahead of us. We arrived in Miami around noon, and finally made it to the port around 1:00pm. Since we have cruised with Disney before, we’re members of the Castaway Club. One major benefit? A separate check-in line. For all first-time cruisers, the line was SO long…but as members of the club we only had to wait about 5 minutes for the 4 families in front of us. We practically walked onto the boat...amazing after a long day of traveling. Another benefit to the Castaway Club is a stateroom gift. We now have a backpack (which came in handy on port excursions)…and it had snacks in it too!

After a quick stop in our room and to the buffet lunch, we spent some time walking the decks, taking photographs, and making our last phone calls home to the kids. One of the best things about a Disney cruise is the sail away party. On our first cruise it was rainy in Port Canaveral, so we had to enjoy the party inside…this trip Miami was beautiful and perfect for a sail away party. Right before sailing, the main decks become alive with all the cruisers. The staff and activities directors are excited and dancing, the music is fun and loud, streamers and ribbon wands are passed out…it just makes you SO happy to be leaving the worries of the world behind and looking forward to the next few days of carefree living. (Another favorite of mine? The cruise horn. It sounds like the tune of “When You Wish Upon a Star”. LOVE it!) I was much more emotional than I had expected when we were celebrating the beginning of our cruise. I felt excited about time away with Carl, but I also was thinking of how much our kids would enjoy the party…and I was missing them both incredibly. I was exhausted (at that point we’d been awake 16 hours) from travel, so I’m sure some of my emotional roller coaster had something to do with that. I wanted to cry and smile all at the same time.

After the party we stood on deck and watched us sail through the small channel of Port Miami and into the ocean. It was sunset, so it was also beautiful. We passed a Carnival cruise liner still in port…our ship’s captain played the horn for those “other” cruisers as well…I really think just the horn makes you think a Disney Cruise is something special to be a part of. It was really a fun experience because there is a main road that travels right along the shore and people were stopping their cars on the side to get out and wave to us and take photos of the ship. It was special.

After we survived our exhausting first day, my emotions about the kids subsided and we kept busy. Honestly I had thought about how much sleep I’d get on the cruise, but we were up before 8:00am every day! There is just so much to enjoy on the ship that you don’t want to sleep. The food is incredible. In addition to our “rotational dining” (same dinner guests at our table each night, servers rotate among the main restaurants with us also), breakfast and lunch were exquisite. We ate like royalty…and if we were hungry between meals we just stopped at one of three restaurants on Deck 9 for soft serve ice cream, hamburgers, gourmet pizza (pear, gorgonzola, and prosuitto – yum!), chicken tenders…the list is pretty long! We also could grab a quick drink on Deck 9 (everything except alcohol is free)…so coming back to reality where food isn’t gourmet and available instantaneously is pretty disappointing. Darn Disney for doing things so amazingly!

On the first night I was pretty excited to meet our dining table. One of my most treasured memories from our first cruise is the friendships we made with the two other couples we met on the cruise. We all share the same wedding date and have remained close over the years. This trip we sat with 3 other couples. It was delightful meeting them all…although we were the only couple with children at home. We also were the only ones from anywhere besides Florida. Apparently Disney was offering so pretty amazing deals for Florida residents because it seemed like just about everyone we met was from somewhere in Florida.

The shows on the ship are just as I remember – Broadway quality and attention-grabbing. I was brought to tears (what kind of crazy emotional person am I?!) twice during the shows. I loved the magic behind the Disney stories, and again I kept thinking of how much my kids would love the magic too.

Our port excursions turned out to be not at all as we’d planned. The horseback riding in Cozumel was cancelled due to low participation…so we went to the Guest Services desk to see what else was available. Although I was a little bummed about not getting to ride horses, we did something I think is much more unique to the South. We swam with dolphins! I thought I’d be nervous about swimming in water with other sea creatures (I hate fish swimming around me), but I was completely comfortable. The park where the dolphin adventures were held has a few ocean corrals for their dolphins…so we were in the ocean with the dolphins…no simulated pool. We each were able to kiss the dolphin, shake hands, and hold a hand target up while we stood on the deck along the corral. Then we each got to swim out into the ocean for some pretty unique experiences. The first experience was to tread water and hold our arms out straight in front of us, under the surface of the water. Then the dolphin (ours was named Noel) would swim out to us and lay across our arms like a baby. We were able to hug the dolphin. Then we gave a signal (they taught us all ahead of time) and the dolphin would swim around one side of us and come up next to us, lying on its back. We held onto her flippers and she started swimming, pulling us along. By far the most exhilarating experience was the boogie board. We would swim out into the middle of the corral with a boogie board. Once we were out far enough we’d climb on the board so that our feet were still in the water, then Noel would swim to us and use her nose to push on one of our feet. We were told to lock our knees and hold on…she pushed us SO fast. It was amazing. I definitely had an amazing time with the dolphins…we think we’ll take our kids to do something similar when they are older and can remember it…I will treasure those memories.

Our other excursion was supposed to be a catamaran boat trip out to snorkel around Castaway Cay (Disney’s private island). The day we arrived at Castaway it was pretty windy, so unfortunately the catamaran wasn’t allowed to sail. In the end, Carl rented snorkel equipment and explored the snorkel lagoon at the island. He swam for quite a while out there while I read a book on the beach. He found all kinds of “buried treasure” out there…

We stayed at Castaway for the morning and then returned to the ship a little early to pack everything up and swim in the ship’s pools (they are the most empty on port days). Castaway is such a big perk of cruising with Disney. All of the food is included in the cruise, and it is just your ship’s group of people on the island. When we had honeymooned, we only explored Serenity Bay (only guests 18 and over are allowed in that section)…but we used this cruise as a way to “research” the benefits to family cruising. I am extremely pleased with the family beach experiences. Disney has created a “wall” of rocks to break all the waves and rough waters, and then placed 5 lifeguard towers in the middle of the swimming areas. The beach front is the perfect setting for adults to sit in low chairs at the water’s edge, while the kids play in the water. There aren't any waves to knock little ones down…it is just like a swimming pool. I think I will feel so confident in my kids’ safety when we revisit Castaway with them.

Another perk we took advantage of this time was the onboard activities that were offered. We saw two movies while onboard – Lincoln and then Wreck It Ralph in 3D. There were others offered, but we just didn’t have time to see more movies! Honestly we were so busy and tried to get so much in – we thought a 3 night cruise wasn’t long enough…this cruise was 5 night and we still want a longer one! We played Disney trivia one afternoon with the same group with ate our meals with. They all were so much better at the trivia…they ended up winning, but they have cruised 9 times and 44 times (SO jealous!) and already had the prize for winning (Disney Cruise Line ball caps), so they gifted them to us. Another fun activity is “Who Wants to Be a Mouseketeer?”. When you enter the studio to play, the hosts give you a random number. Then the computer randomly selects a number and that person gets to come on stage and attempt to answer 5 questions about Disney (movies, parks, anything Disney). If you are picked to go on stage you automatically receive a special pin (only available on the cruise ships) and then if you answer all 5 correctly you win a trophy. The first night I didn’t want to get numbers to try to play – I had no idea what to expect and I’m not really one to go on stage. Well, the next night we decided, “What the heck, we probably won’t get picked.” We were wrong! Carl’s number was picked, but he made me go instead of him because he said I know more about Disney. Much to my embarrassment, Carl has the whole thing on video…I did get a nice pin and trophy though!

The character experience on the ship is unprecedented. Of course there are scheduled times to meet and greet for autographs and photos, but there are also lots of other times you will just happen to see a character. One special memory for me happened at our first day at sea. I was half-sleeping on a deck chair on the top deck. This is a quiet spot that has lots of sun. Carl had been next to me, but decided to go grab a drink. A little while later I heard rustling near me and some voices walk by (but we were on a ship, people are always walking by)...I assumed Carl was back and just kept sunning. WELL. Thirty seconds later I hear Carl's voice, from the opposite side of me that I thought he was on...he said, "Did you see you sun-bathing partner?" I sat up and turns out it hadn't been Carl to settle in a chair next to me...it was Goofy!! It was just me and him, hanging out, sunning. No cameras to follow us, no children hanging on him...just us! Carl teased him about trying to take his lady - it was just such a unique moment. The only sad part was that we didn't even have OUR camera - I didn't expect anything nearly so exciting to happen while sun-bathing. Lesson learned - on a Disney cruise always carry a camera!

There is also a Pirate Night. The food is pirate themed - delicious! After the last dinner seating they have a pirate party at sea which ends with Mickey setting off fireworks...magical! After the fireworks there is a pirate food buffet, just in case you didn't get enough at dinner! The turkey legs were humongous!

During dinner on our last night we were talking about the pin I had received at "Who Wants to Be a Mouseketeer?" and asked our dining partners about pin trading…I see a future for us in that. I am excited to begin my collection. Upon hearing Carl and I talk about it, one of our dining mates (the group that has cruised 9 times) handed us a pin that said “Pin Trading”…they said they had more than one and it would get me started. So very cool. I look forward to building my collection and keeping track of all the fun ways I get pins.

So after cruising without our kids, Carl and I have discussed our thoughts. We absolutely do not regret leaving them at home. We are exhausted and we’re adults. Our kids would be worn out by the end. They wouldn’t remember it and I saw SO many other kids in the middle of meltdowns on the last day. They are just too young. We were able to enjoy one last trip without them…but we also cannot wait until they come with us again. With DCL, if you book your next cruise while onboard, you get special perks…so we booked a “placeholder” cruise. That means that we can rollover our benefits of booking onboard as many times as we want until the right cruise comes along. Our benefits include only having to pay a 10% deposit instead of 20% (which is fully refundable if we decide not to cruise again afterall – fat chance of that happening!), we pay 10% off the prevailing rates for the cruise we select in the end, and we will get a $200 stateroom credit…and we were able to book two rooms with those benefits…so we booked a room for my parents too. Right now we will probably roll our benefits until January 2016…Luke will be almost 4, Savannah almost 7…perfect ages. Both potty trained, not taking naps, and able to swim. I am SO excited for that trip…all of the waiting for them to be old enough will finally be over!
On the first night of our cruise, someone at the dining table asked the other couples, “Why Disney cruise Line?”…my response, “Why NOT Disney Cruise Line?”. I can’t think of any reason not to cruise DCL.