We are now back in Military housing and we are also still in Washington, for those of you wondering if we have moved out of the area yet. We still haven't heard any news from the Navy about moving out of state. We moved backing into housing because our house sold pretty quick, and we can now just waiting out the news here, on where we are going next.
This week has been a crazy, busy week. It all started on Sunday (the 21st) when Jeremy and I picked up the U-haul. We we loaded up a 17ft truck with as much as we could fix, so Jeremy could drive it to the lease singing the next day (Monday the 22nd), so we could start unloading it right away. Then it was back to the old house for the second load. Yup two loads and hours of back breaking work, but we did it. I'm still not sure how. After the first load was out of the truck, I was done. I didn't want to move another muscle. The Lord must have blessed me with strength at that point, because we did keep going, and like I said, we did finish. Tuesday (the 23rd), was spent cleaning the old house, and getting any little things we had left behind.
We've been back a few times to our old house this week, to check the mail, and Olivia gets upset every time we drive down that street saying "No, we live in the new house now, not here." Yes she really likes the new place. She was so thrilled when we started unpacking her stuff, and kept saying to every stuffed animal that she unpacked "You made it! You made it to the new house." I'm relieved that she feels this way. I was worried that leaving our old house would upset her. Yes we are military and yes we do move all of the time, but last time we moved was two years ago, and Olivia was only two, and was probably to young to be attached to a house. I guess what I should really worry about is if she will want to move again in the next few months. :P
We lost some square footage moving here (only 700 ish), but I'm really impressed on how we are making it work, and I guess we are just going to have to become closer. :)
Christmas Eve and Christmas were wonderful. We got to stay home (in our new home), and chill. We made cookies on Christmas eve, and on Christmas day Jeremy made us sausage gravy. We played a lot of Minecraft and watched Home Alone. It's was the kids first time watching it, and they loved it.
I hope everyone had an awesome Holiday. Happy New Year!
Saturday, December 27, 2014
Monday, December 15, 2014
Deep Breaths :)
Hi everyone! I have a little to update you guys on, and since a little is better than nothing at all, I decided to write a blog post.
I need to first start by thanking all of you prayer worriers out there. God has really come through for us this week. We have to get some repairs to our (soon to be their) chimney, and after the inspector came and we finally got an estimate a week later, and it was over $5,000. Yes, wow! This was just something we could not afford. You can imagine the stress and worry that took place in the days that followed. We really didn't know what to do. Our real estate agent suggested that he could try and work something out with the buyers. See what they thought about it, and wanted to do, and see if they were willing to cover some of the cost. Well it really payed off because they were, and they also wanted to change some things about the fireplace anyways. This decision cut our cost in half, and that was something we could afford and are more than willing to pay for. So once again a big thank you to all who have been praying for us. Words can't describe how relieved and thankful I am.
We are moving back into military housing a week from now, so I'm going to be really busy this week finishing all of the packing. Fun! Lets just say that's there is more to do than I care to think about. I've gotten the house about a third of the way packed, so yes still two thirds to go. I Think Olivia thought I canceled Christmas when I packed up the Christmas tree last week. I'm sorry to say that it was the first thing I packed, and we decided that even after we move we aren't getting it back out again this year. I know, it does seem somewhat sad, but all you need to have a good Christmas is just each other, and I can say that we are more than blessed in that department.
We still have no news about our final destination, so if you could keep the prayers coming, and pray for news, than that would be great. We really can't move forward until we have news. Jeremy needs news before he can apply for jobs.
I made this map after looking up all of the different Homeschool laws from all of the 50 states. Yes every state has different laws and some states are easier to homeschool in than others. Since homeschooling is my number one priority right now, I would like to move to a state that is very homeschool friendly. If anyone were to ask me right now what state I wanted to move to the most. I would say Texas, because they have awesome homeschool laws. That may shock a few people because I have said for years now, that given the choice I would move back to San Diego. I still love that city and it is still my most favorite place, but it's just to expensive. I still count myself as a San Diegan (even though I was born and raised 3,000 miles away from it) and yes if money weren't an issue I would move there in a heartbeat and have someone explain the homeschool laws to me (because I found California's laws a bit confusing). I do feel though, that I could also grow to love another city just as much, if given the chance.
Well that's all I have for now please keep praying for news and, I'll tell you once we have some.
I need to first start by thanking all of you prayer worriers out there. God has really come through for us this week. We have to get some repairs to our (soon to be their) chimney, and after the inspector came and we finally got an estimate a week later, and it was over $5,000. Yes, wow! This was just something we could not afford. You can imagine the stress and worry that took place in the days that followed. We really didn't know what to do. Our real estate agent suggested that he could try and work something out with the buyers. See what they thought about it, and wanted to do, and see if they were willing to cover some of the cost. Well it really payed off because they were, and they also wanted to change some things about the fireplace anyways. This decision cut our cost in half, and that was something we could afford and are more than willing to pay for. So once again a big thank you to all who have been praying for us. Words can't describe how relieved and thankful I am.
We are moving back into military housing a week from now, so I'm going to be really busy this week finishing all of the packing. Fun! Lets just say that's there is more to do than I care to think about. I've gotten the house about a third of the way packed, so yes still two thirds to go. I Think Olivia thought I canceled Christmas when I packed up the Christmas tree last week. I'm sorry to say that it was the first thing I packed, and we decided that even after we move we aren't getting it back out again this year. I know, it does seem somewhat sad, but all you need to have a good Christmas is just each other, and I can say that we are more than blessed in that department.
We still have no news about our final destination, so if you could keep the prayers coming, and pray for news, than that would be great. We really can't move forward until we have news. Jeremy needs news before he can apply for jobs.
Well that's all I have for now please keep praying for news and, I'll tell you once we have some.
Thursday, December 4, 2014
Small update on our house, but no still no news on where we may be moving.
Hey everyone!
I want to first start off by thanking everyone for their prayers. Life has been a little crazy, but our ability to keep calm and keep the stress level down has truly been the work of God's hand.
Our house went up on the market on the 14th of November, and after only 6 days we had an offer in on it. That was great news and a big sigh of relief. It has been mostly smooth sailing since, but we have hit a small wrinkle with the fire place and some repairs needed for that. I ask now that you pray that the repairs will be affordable and done quickly. That has been the main source of stress these past few days.
We still have no news from the Navy as to if they are going to assign Jeremy a new rate, or discharge him. I must say that waiting for that news alone has been really hard for us. He really can't start applying for jobs unless he has a discharge date. I'm still really hopping that the news will come this week, even though this week is almost over.
I do have some good news though. Our house (as long as everything goes well), will be closing on the 31st of this month. I guess that may seem like bad news since we don't know where we are going yet, but I applied for military housing in the area just yesterday, and they have already reserved a house for us. Yes very good news, so if the Navy continues to take it's sweet little time, at least we will have a place to live. Our plan is to get a storage unit and put a lot of our stuff in it, and only move the bear necessities when we move into military housing, because we will most likely be moving again within the next few months. Eeeekkkkk!
Yes like I said, it's a bit stressful, and I feel like it's also the wrong season for it. I haven't thought of Christmas as much as I usually do this time of year, because my mind is elsewhere. Thank goodness I have already bought presents.
I really wish I could tell you guys more, but there is nothing else. I can't thank you enough for your prayers, and I ask that they continue, because it's not over yet.
I want to first start off by thanking everyone for their prayers. Life has been a little crazy, but our ability to keep calm and keep the stress level down has truly been the work of God's hand.
Our house went up on the market on the 14th of November, and after only 6 days we had an offer in on it. That was great news and a big sigh of relief. It has been mostly smooth sailing since, but we have hit a small wrinkle with the fire place and some repairs needed for that. I ask now that you pray that the repairs will be affordable and done quickly. That has been the main source of stress these past few days.
We still have no news from the Navy as to if they are going to assign Jeremy a new rate, or discharge him. I must say that waiting for that news alone has been really hard for us. He really can't start applying for jobs unless he has a discharge date. I'm still really hopping that the news will come this week, even though this week is almost over.
I do have some good news though. Our house (as long as everything goes well), will be closing on the 31st of this month. I guess that may seem like bad news since we don't know where we are going yet, but I applied for military housing in the area just yesterday, and they have already reserved a house for us. Yes very good news, so if the Navy continues to take it's sweet little time, at least we will have a place to live. Our plan is to get a storage unit and put a lot of our stuff in it, and only move the bear necessities when we move into military housing, because we will most likely be moving again within the next few months. Eeeekkkkk!
Yes like I said, it's a bit stressful, and I feel like it's also the wrong season for it. I haven't thought of Christmas as much as I usually do this time of year, because my mind is elsewhere. Thank goodness I have already bought presents.
I really wish I could tell you guys more, but there is nothing else. I can't thank you enough for your prayers, and I ask that they continue, because it's not over yet.
Tuesday, November 18, 2014
The Legates Family is Moving... AGAIN!
I'm sure you are hopping that the title holds some news as to where we are going, but I am sad to say, that not even this blog post holds any shred of evidence as to where we may end up. We received the news two weeks ago. Although I was hopping that by this time I would have received more news such as where, or what exactly is happening, so that way I could share it here, or at least with my family and friends, but I have nothing else to report on that matter.
I'm just going to explain why we are in this situation in the first place. Back in February my husband passed out on the way to work. Thank goodness he walks to work instead of drives (you can read all about that on this post). Face planting on the sidewalk and the headaches that followed after that disqualified him from his rate (job) in the Navy. That was okay though because they were going to let him apply for three other rates, and most likely one of them would pick him up. It was all supposed to happen like this... He would get pick up by his new rate in January, go off to a school for it, come back a few months later, and maybe we would move at the end of all of that if they were going to send us elsewhere. Which meant if we were going to be moving, than we would move sometime next summer... maybe. I really should known by now that nothing ever happens the way you expect it to, or at least not when you husband is in the military.
What really happened was two of the three rates that Jeremy (my husband) applied for, he was already medically disqualified for (because of the same reasons). This is of course was something the detailer (the person helping him with all of this) forgot to mention, so of course those two rates said no, and the third was over manned, so no again.
Now what? Yes that was my exact thought as you can imagine. I should also note that we had been waiting for news on this since August, because that's when the paper work was sent. Waiting to hear some news since August, and we finally hear some, and it's... "You can't have those rates, and we still don't know what we are going to do with you."
So what now? Well one of two things is going to happen. My husband is now on the needs of the Navy status, meaning they will find a rate for him that he is qualified for and send him there as long as it's not over manned, or if they can't find one then they will discharge him. We were also told that if he doesn't like the rate that they pick out for him, then we has the option of getting out as well. We should have news soon, but in reality we should have had news by now.
I'm not worried if we get out, Jeremy had a friend who got out a few weeks ago, did the same job in the Navy as him, and had a ton of job offers. I'm also now worried if we say in. I'm use to the crazy lifestyle that comes with having a husband in the service, and I've enjoyed the adventures we've been able to partake in. I do not however want to say here, and it's not because of the rain. No that's only part of it. It's because of the homeschool laws (mostly, there maybe a few other reasons like area and there being nothing here, but mostly homeschool laws). I would like to move to a state where they trust you enough to homeschool your kids without having to check your work every week or making you take a three month long course in order to homeschool. Don't get me wrong, I don't mind them checking our work, but every week is a lot, and not being able to follow my own curriculum is the worst.
I love my children and I want them to be themselves (just the way God made them), and learn the best way possible for them, and I feel like right now, it's just not happening.
I'm sorry I don't have anymore news, but I will update this once I know something. Please continue to pray for our family, and thank you for your prayers so far.
We are just trusting God with get us though this, and off to a new place that we will love.
I'm just going to explain why we are in this situation in the first place. Back in February my husband passed out on the way to work. Thank goodness he walks to work instead of drives (you can read all about that on this post). Face planting on the sidewalk and the headaches that followed after that disqualified him from his rate (job) in the Navy. That was okay though because they were going to let him apply for three other rates, and most likely one of them would pick him up. It was all supposed to happen like this... He would get pick up by his new rate in January, go off to a school for it, come back a few months later, and maybe we would move at the end of all of that if they were going to send us elsewhere. Which meant if we were going to be moving, than we would move sometime next summer... maybe. I really should known by now that nothing ever happens the way you expect it to, or at least not when you husband is in the military.
What really happened was two of the three rates that Jeremy (my husband) applied for, he was already medically disqualified for (because of the same reasons). This is of course was something the detailer (the person helping him with all of this) forgot to mention, so of course those two rates said no, and the third was over manned, so no again.
Now what? Yes that was my exact thought as you can imagine. I should also note that we had been waiting for news on this since August, because that's when the paper work was sent. Waiting to hear some news since August, and we finally hear some, and it's... "You can't have those rates, and we still don't know what we are going to do with you."
So what now? Well one of two things is going to happen. My husband is now on the needs of the Navy status, meaning they will find a rate for him that he is qualified for and send him there as long as it's not over manned, or if they can't find one then they will discharge him. We were also told that if he doesn't like the rate that they pick out for him, then we has the option of getting out as well. We should have news soon, but in reality we should have had news by now.
I'm not worried if we get out, Jeremy had a friend who got out a few weeks ago, did the same job in the Navy as him, and had a ton of job offers. I'm also now worried if we say in. I'm use to the crazy lifestyle that comes with having a husband in the service, and I've enjoyed the adventures we've been able to partake in. I do not however want to say here, and it's not because of the rain. No that's only part of it. It's because of the homeschool laws (mostly, there maybe a few other reasons like area and there being nothing here, but mostly homeschool laws). I would like to move to a state where they trust you enough to homeschool your kids without having to check your work every week or making you take a three month long course in order to homeschool. Don't get me wrong, I don't mind them checking our work, but every week is a lot, and not being able to follow my own curriculum is the worst.
I love my children and I want them to be themselves (just the way God made them), and learn the best way possible for them, and I feel like right now, it's just not happening.
I'm sorry I don't have anymore news, but I will update this once I know something. Please continue to pray for our family, and thank you for your prayers so far.
We are just trusting God with get us though this, and off to a new place that we will love.
Tuesday, September 30, 2014
Harry Potter Party 2014
Well guys it's that time of year again. If you have been following this blog for at least a year, then you know that every year around this time, we have a Harry Potter Party, and watch all of the movies. This year we are doing it a little differently, and not watching the movies one right after another, because that has always caused us to stay up to late, and that makes some of us grumpy... ... mainly our oldest son, who is not a morning person, and is even worse after staying up way to late.
This year we are doing one movie a night starting on October the 24th and ending on Halloween night with the last movie and a halloween party. I am also making a different snack for each movie. The snacks are all Harry Potter themed, and I tried to plain them so that way they would go with what ever movie we were going to be watching that night. I have also made up trivia questions for each movie, ones that can be answered as long as you watch the movie carefully.
I've had a few people tell me that they want to do the Harry Potter Party with us, meaning they want to start the movies on the same night as us, and make the same snacks, and get the trivia questions. Yes meaning that they will be watching it in their own house, which makes sense since most of my friends and family live far away, but if you also like to do a party as well, go for it. I'm already going to e-mail out the trivia questions on the appropriate night, so I can always add more to the list. If you would like to be on that list, just send me a message randi.legates@yahoo.com, or you can message me on Facebook if you would prefer.
Now for all of you taking notes and doing the party, this is how it's going to go...
Friday the 24th
Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone
- Snack is a birthday cake for Harry
A chocolate cake with pink icing with HAPPEE BIRTHDAE HARRY written on it in green (like the one Hagrid gives him).
Saturday the 25th
Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets
-Snack is mandrake flower pots
Chocolate cake or dirt dessert in little flower pots
Now for the mandrake, to me it looks like they took a small doll and added fake pine needles to the top of it's head, but if you don't want to do that, you could just add worms, or maybe nuts to it, saying that they were just panted.
Sunday the 26th
Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban
- Snack is chocolate frogs and Jelly beans (like Bertie Bott's Every Flavour Beans)
The frog trays you can buy off of amazon, and all you need to do is fill them with melted chocolate (we like to put peanut butter is ours as well). You can buy either chocolate chips or melting chocolate, and heat it up in the microwave (yes it is that simple).
As for the jelly beans, I'm just going to buy a couple bags of assorted jelly belly's, but if you want Bertie Bott's Every Flavour Beans I have seen them at mall candy stores.
Monday the 27th
Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire
- Snack is potion jello and chocolate wands
The potion jello is just going to be green jello
The chocolate wands (which I made last year) are pretty easy. You just take big pretzels, dip them in chocolate, then roll them in sprinkles (because that makes them magical).
Tuesday the 28th
Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix
- Snack will be Luna Lovegood pudding
I'm just making banana pudding with sprinkles and nalla wafers in it
Wednesday the 29th
Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince
- Snack will be butter beer owl cupcakes like these
Thank you Nerdy Nummies
Thursday the 30th
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows : Part 1
- Snack is Cauldron cake pops like these
Once again thank you Nerdy Nummies
Friday the 31st (YAY HALLOWEEN)
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows : Part 2
- Snack is going to be Deathly Hallows cookies
We are going to be making peanut butter cookies and snicker doodles and frosting them like that (or as best as we can).
Thank you everyone for reading, once again if you would like to have your own Harry Potter Party and want some trivia questions, just e-mail me, and I will get them to you.
This year we are doing one movie a night starting on October the 24th and ending on Halloween night with the last movie and a halloween party. I am also making a different snack for each movie. The snacks are all Harry Potter themed, and I tried to plain them so that way they would go with what ever movie we were going to be watching that night. I have also made up trivia questions for each movie, ones that can be answered as long as you watch the movie carefully.
I've had a few people tell me that they want to do the Harry Potter Party with us, meaning they want to start the movies on the same night as us, and make the same snacks, and get the trivia questions. Yes meaning that they will be watching it in their own house, which makes sense since most of my friends and family live far away, but if you also like to do a party as well, go for it. I'm already going to e-mail out the trivia questions on the appropriate night, so I can always add more to the list. If you would like to be on that list, just send me a message randi.legates@yahoo.com, or you can message me on Facebook if you would prefer.
Now for all of you taking notes and doing the party, this is how it's going to go...
Friday the 24th
Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone
- Snack is a birthday cake for Harry
A chocolate cake with pink icing with HAPPEE BIRTHDAE HARRY written on it in green (like the one Hagrid gives him).
Saturday the 25th
Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets
-Snack is mandrake flower pots
Chocolate cake or dirt dessert in little flower pots
Now for the mandrake, to me it looks like they took a small doll and added fake pine needles to the top of it's head, but if you don't want to do that, you could just add worms, or maybe nuts to it, saying that they were just panted.
Sunday the 26th
Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban
- Snack is chocolate frogs and Jelly beans (like Bertie Bott's Every Flavour Beans)
The frog trays you can buy off of amazon, and all you need to do is fill them with melted chocolate (we like to put peanut butter is ours as well). You can buy either chocolate chips or melting chocolate, and heat it up in the microwave (yes it is that simple).
As for the jelly beans, I'm just going to buy a couple bags of assorted jelly belly's, but if you want Bertie Bott's Every Flavour Beans I have seen them at mall candy stores.
Monday the 27th
Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire
- Snack is potion jello and chocolate wands
The potion jello is just going to be green jello
The chocolate wands (which I made last year) are pretty easy. You just take big pretzels, dip them in chocolate, then roll them in sprinkles (because that makes them magical).
Tuesday the 28th
Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix
- Snack will be Luna Lovegood pudding
I'm just making banana pudding with sprinkles and nalla wafers in it
Wednesday the 29th
Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince
- Snack will be butter beer owl cupcakes like these
Thank you Nerdy Nummies
Thursday the 30th
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows : Part 1
- Snack is Cauldron cake pops like these
Once again thank you Nerdy Nummies
Friday the 31st (YAY HALLOWEEN)
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows : Part 2
- Snack is going to be Deathly Hallows cookies
We are going to be making peanut butter cookies and snicker doodles and frosting them like that (or as best as we can).
Thank you everyone for reading, once again if you would like to have your own Harry Potter Party and want some trivia questions, just e-mail me, and I will get them to you.
Wednesday, September 24, 2014
Mom's day out, Rose City Comic Con, and Arms don't bend that way
I've got a three in one post here for you guys, to catch everyone up on what has happened to us this past weekend, and this week.
Mom's day out
I'm happy to report that saturday I got half a day off from being a mom, and I went out with my friend Katie. I have known Katie since I was a teen. We both went to church together (back in Maryland), and she lives about an hour away from me. We have met up twice before (twice since the move here), but it was just a small hi's and hugs, because the meetings were in busy places, and we didn't have much time. I wanted to catch up and find out everything that had been going on in the last 12 or so years of her life, so my husband suggested that I take her out to lunch, and I loved that idea.
We decided to meet up in Gig Harbor, and eat at Applebee's. It was a wonderful lunch. We talked so much, that I completely forgot about my BLTA that was sitting in front of me, and I maybe only ate half of it. Katie is a wonderful person, and I love the way she sees the world, and how she's very open about her faith.
I didn't want our time to end. We prolonged it though by going to get coffee, doing a little shopping, and going for a walk at the harbor. It was just really great to talk to an old friend, and be able to talk freely about God and how things are going. Oh and she also gives the best hugs.
When I got home, I was welcomed by a clean house. Jeremy and the boys had been busy. That was also wonderful, as I'm sure you can imagine. Yes my husband can handle the kids, and clean the house at the same time (I'm very lucky).
Rose City Comic Con
The decision to go to this Comic Con was kind of last minute. A few weeks ago I got an email from the Emerald City Comic Con (that's the one in Seattle, that happens in March) saying that their tickets were going to go on sale soon. This surprised me, because it seemed a little soon, and I wasn't sure if I wanted to go or not. So to make up my mind I went to the web site to see which celebrity guest were going to be there. I have always wanted to meet Will Wheaton. My thoughts were "well if you are going to meet someone from Star Trek make it Will Wheaton." Why? Well he's a nerd just like us, and he's a nice guys as well, also he's my favorite actor, and that's really the best reason. But to my dismay he wasn't on the list of celebrity guest, in fact there was only two listed. I figured it was because it was to early, and that the list would grow, but that didn't help me, the person who was apparently deciding right now weather she was going to go or not. So I went to Wil Wheaton's web site, and click on appearances and I got both excited and sad all in the same instant, because he was going to be at the Rose City Comic Con in Porland, and Porland is only three hours away. Then I noticed the date. It was only two weeks away, and I thought there was no way we would get tickets. I thought it was like Seattle's Con, where you need to get tickets months out if you want to go at all. Needless to say I was a little sad for the rest of the day. I told Jeremy once he got home, and he did the smart thing and actually looked to see if they still had tickets. I'm sure you figured it out by now, but yes they did.
A week later my husband tells me that he knows what he wants to wear to the con, and I loved the idea so much that I made shirts for everyone.
Do I look surprised it that picture? Yeah I was really surprised. I also got him to sign this...
Mom's day out
I'm happy to report that saturday I got half a day off from being a mom, and I went out with my friend Katie. I have known Katie since I was a teen. We both went to church together (back in Maryland), and she lives about an hour away from me. We have met up twice before (twice since the move here), but it was just a small hi's and hugs, because the meetings were in busy places, and we didn't have much time. I wanted to catch up and find out everything that had been going on in the last 12 or so years of her life, so my husband suggested that I take her out to lunch, and I loved that idea.
We decided to meet up in Gig Harbor, and eat at Applebee's. It was a wonderful lunch. We talked so much, that I completely forgot about my BLTA that was sitting in front of me, and I maybe only ate half of it. Katie is a wonderful person, and I love the way she sees the world, and how she's very open about her faith.
I didn't want our time to end. We prolonged it though by going to get coffee, doing a little shopping, and going for a walk at the harbor. It was just really great to talk to an old friend, and be able to talk freely about God and how things are going. Oh and she also gives the best hugs.
When I got home, I was welcomed by a clean house. Jeremy and the boys had been busy. That was also wonderful, as I'm sure you can imagine. Yes my husband can handle the kids, and clean the house at the same time (I'm very lucky).
Rose City Comic Con
The decision to go to this Comic Con was kind of last minute. A few weeks ago I got an email from the Emerald City Comic Con (that's the one in Seattle, that happens in March) saying that their tickets were going to go on sale soon. This surprised me, because it seemed a little soon, and I wasn't sure if I wanted to go or not. So to make up my mind I went to the web site to see which celebrity guest were going to be there. I have always wanted to meet Will Wheaton. My thoughts were "well if you are going to meet someone from Star Trek make it Will Wheaton." Why? Well he's a nerd just like us, and he's a nice guys as well, also he's my favorite actor, and that's really the best reason. But to my dismay he wasn't on the list of celebrity guest, in fact there was only two listed. I figured it was because it was to early, and that the list would grow, but that didn't help me, the person who was apparently deciding right now weather she was going to go or not. So I went to Wil Wheaton's web site, and click on appearances and I got both excited and sad all in the same instant, because he was going to be at the Rose City Comic Con in Porland, and Porland is only three hours away. Then I noticed the date. It was only two weeks away, and I thought there was no way we would get tickets. I thought it was like Seattle's Con, where you need to get tickets months out if you want to go at all. Needless to say I was a little sad for the rest of the day. I told Jeremy once he got home, and he did the smart thing and actually looked to see if they still had tickets. I'm sure you figured it out by now, but yes they did.
A week later my husband tells me that he knows what he wants to wear to the con, and I loved the idea so much that I made shirts for everyone.
Yes we were the Wesley Crushers. The shirts are a re-make from an episode of the Big Bang Theory, but what makes them even more awesome is their reference to Star Trek as well, and since we love both shows, it was perfect.
Making the shirts was so quick and inexpensive that it was almost embarrassing. When we went to Michaels to buy the shirts, they were having a sale, and each shirt was half off, so $2 each. We already had the iron on transfers, so all I had to do was find the image, reverse it, and print. So all in all the cost was about $13, and yes that was for all 6 of us.
We got a lot of attention at the Con. Quite a few people wanted photos of us. Yes just random people.
Right after we arrived which was a little after noon, we got in line to get Wil Wheaton's autograph. We were blown away when he asked if he could get a picture and post it on Twitter.
When I was 10 I had a huge crush on Wesley Crusher, and I think for my birthday that year I ended up getting a few of these. I opened all of them, and played with all of them (so it was okay), but now that I'm an adult, I think it's cool to finally have a signed unopened Wesley Crusher doll. :)
Later that day we got pictures taken with him.
We had to spit up because of the rules about how many could be in each photo, but we really didn't mind, and it was well worth the wait.
My youngest son Nathaniel (top photo), was over the moon about Wil Wheaton putting his arm around him (Wesley Crusher is his favorite character from Star Trek as well). That really make his day and make the 6 hour round trip worth it.
I also enjoyed this Con more. It was smaller, but not to small, and it wasn't as crowded, so you could move around and actually look at things.
Arms Don't Bend That Way
Monday night my husband and I were both snuggled on the couch watching the premiere of the Big Bang Theory, while the kids played down stairs in the basement. Right when the credits started to roll our second son Zachary comes running upstairs all out of breath saying "Darien's arm broke." My first thought was "no, he probably just hurt it, and only thinks it broke." Also at this point I could hear no crying. We went down stairs to really just make sure everything was okay. Well yes needless to say he did brake his arm, and it was quite obvious that the arm was broken, by just looking at it.
Ummm.... Yeah....
Apparently the kids were playing a game of "The Floor Is Lava" and the floor won.
So Jeremy took him to the emergency room, and from what my husband says he was a real trooper. He didn't cry once, and he was very polite to everyone there, despite all of the pain he was in. He's Wesley Crusher shirt had to be cut off though, so I may have to make him a new one.
He's okay though, and is at the doctors right now with his dad, getting a cast put on
School work has been interesting though. So my job as Homeschooling mom is going to be a little harder, since he can't write right now. Yesterday I ended up writing everything for him, while he verbalized it. I really didn't mind to much. Darien has always done really well with his work, so it wasn't to bad.
Well that is all right now. Thank you for reading, and I'll let you know how the whole cast thing goes.
Tuesday, September 2, 2014
So I donated my .........
Hair :)
So it was almost 3 years ago, back in Nov. of 2011 that I decided that I was going to grow out my hair in order to donate it. Here's a before picture...
So it was almost 3 years ago, back in Nov. of 2011 that I decided that I was going to grow out my hair in order to donate it. Here's a before picture...
In theory it should have only taken two years. Hair grows at an average of half an inch per month, and since you need at least 10 inches to donate it to Locks Of Love (yes that is who I donated to), then yes it should have only taken two years. ... ... ... Well I guess I can make up the excuse that we did have to move across country two years ago, and the stress of that could have slowed down the growth of my hair for a period of time. ... ... ... Yeah I'm going to go with that. I did end up trimming my hair every 3 to 4 months, but that was just to keep the dead ends at bay.
After about 6 months of growing it out, it was awesome, I finally had my hair long enough to do some of the fun braids that I had been wanting to try out on my own hair. At that point I was wondering when I would donate, because I wanted to be left with some hair in the end.
After a year I could do almost any style, that I couldn't do before due to my lack of length. I remember wondering at this point if I still wanted to donate at all, because I really enjoyed my hair just like this, but I continued to grow it. I wasn't going to just give up at this point.
At the two year point my feelings were mostly the same as they were at the one year point. I loved it, and the only problem I was having with it was dryness. I would wake up on most days with the Hermione look. That's when I would throw some curl cream in it, braid it, then call it a day. If I wanted to leave it down however, it would take some washing or curling with an iron for it to look normal.
But it was a few months ago, (at about the two and a half year point), that the hair started to drive me nuts. There was hair everywhere. All over my shower, and my bed. I was finding my hair in the most strange places. Also showers were no longer fun and refreshing. I looked and felt like a drowned rat afterwards. It would take so long for my hair to dry, and it almost wasn't worth washing my hair. I got in to the habit of just braiding it right out of the shower. It was at this point that I realized that having chin length hair would be nice again, but I put it off so I could get it a little longer, and maybe give them a little more hair.
But it was Sunday night, that I had just had enough. I put it into a low pony and had Jeremy measure it. 13 inches... WOW... 13 inches from the elastic to the ends. Yup it was time alright. Once I made the first snip I began to feel relieved. Olivia saw the ponytail right after I had cut it, and she said "Oh no mommy your hair broke." Heehee. I told her it was okay, and that I didn't need it anymore, and that I was giving it to someone who did.
So here I am, two days after, felling relieved and only a little sad. The good news is it will grown back, and as crazy as it sounds, I think I would like to do it all over again. So here I go back to the beginning, starting to grow out my hair, to donate it. :)
:)
Friday, August 15, 2014
Wrapping up the summer
This post is just going to be about a few different things that I've been wanting to write about. So first off the pool.
In my last post I told you guys all about the pool that we got off of amazon. My only complaint that I have, is that Washington summers are not nearly long enough. We had two good weeks of hot swimming weather, and then that was it, and the pool got little to no use. I will say that the times that we did get to use it, made the cost well worth it. The pool it self was easy to set up, and easy to clean, and when you only get two weeks of pool weather, than that is really what you want. We are goting to be packing it up this week, so I'll let you guys know if it survives the winter.
In other news, we are starting school work this Monday... EKKKKKK... The summer went by so fast. Where did it all go. I've been so busy this week getting ready. I was mostly planning out the school year (what work we needed to do every week), and cleaning. The books all came about a week and a half ago, and it was almost like Christmas. I really enjoyed organizing the school bookshelves. I always find it fun to get out my big box of old school books, and my just shipped to me new school books, and switch them out with last years books.
We are planning another trip to the Great Wolf Lodge in September! I'm really excited. It's a secret though, so don't tell the kids (as I look around to make sure none of them are behind me reading this as I type it). We really do love that place, and if it was cheeper, I'm sure we would be there all of the time. We are going to do the trip right this time, and pack snacks. Lots of snacks! So that way we don't have to eat out as much.
We have also started to plan our annual Harry Potter Party. It's still a ways off though. We are doing it a little different this year. Instead of having it be all the movies one right after the other until we have watch them all, we are doing a movie every night, with one or two snacks that fit in with that movie, and the last night with the last movie will be on Halloween night and we'll wrap it up with a full on Halloween party. So it goes like this 24th (of October) will be The Sorcerer's Stone, the 25th is the Chamber of Secrets, 26th ... oh you get the picture. All ending on the 31st with the Deathly Hallows part 2. I'll post more about it when the date is closer.
Off Campus should be starting up again in about a month, and my kids are really looking forward to that. I am too! I really enjoy just going out with Olivia. It's also sad to think that next year if we are still in this area, she will be joining them at off campus (yeah wow... I'm really not ready for that).
Well that about sums things up. Thanks for reading :)
In my last post I told you guys all about the pool that we got off of amazon. My only complaint that I have, is that Washington summers are not nearly long enough. We had two good weeks of hot swimming weather, and then that was it, and the pool got little to no use. I will say that the times that we did get to use it, made the cost well worth it. The pool it self was easy to set up, and easy to clean, and when you only get two weeks of pool weather, than that is really what you want. We are goting to be packing it up this week, so I'll let you guys know if it survives the winter.
In other news, we are starting school work this Monday... EKKKKKK... The summer went by so fast. Where did it all go. I've been so busy this week getting ready. I was mostly planning out the school year (what work we needed to do every week), and cleaning. The books all came about a week and a half ago, and it was almost like Christmas. I really enjoyed organizing the school bookshelves. I always find it fun to get out my big box of old school books, and my just shipped to me new school books, and switch them out with last years books.
We are planning another trip to the Great Wolf Lodge in September! I'm really excited. It's a secret though, so don't tell the kids (as I look around to make sure none of them are behind me reading this as I type it). We really do love that place, and if it was cheeper, I'm sure we would be there all of the time. We are going to do the trip right this time, and pack snacks. Lots of snacks! So that way we don't have to eat out as much.
We have also started to plan our annual Harry Potter Party. It's still a ways off though. We are doing it a little different this year. Instead of having it be all the movies one right after the other until we have watch them all, we are doing a movie every night, with one or two snacks that fit in with that movie, and the last night with the last movie will be on Halloween night and we'll wrap it up with a full on Halloween party. So it goes like this 24th (of October) will be The Sorcerer's Stone, the 25th is the Chamber of Secrets, 26th ... oh you get the picture. All ending on the 31st with the Deathly Hallows part 2. I'll post more about it when the date is closer.
Off Campus should be starting up again in about a month, and my kids are really looking forward to that. I am too! I really enjoy just going out with Olivia. It's also sad to think that next year if we are still in this area, she will be joining them at off campus (yeah wow... I'm really not ready for that).
Well that about sums things up. Thanks for reading :)
Monday, July 14, 2014
We got a pool (it may be little, but it is still ours) :) And also new summer schedule
I have always been hesitant about getting a pool, even the smallish ones. I always think about set up, water, chemicals, and maintenance. That's what always stopped me before from saying yes. As if I didn't have enough to do already, was always my excuse. However after finding out that all of this week we were going to have 90 degree weather, kind of changed my mind. We don't have AC! It's okay really, most of the time we don't need it. Our house can feel like a furnace on hot days, and it's better on those days to either hide in the basement, or play outside. So yeah we got a pool. We got the Intex Easy Set 12-Foot by 30 -inch Round Pool Set. We had some work to do though before we could set it up. Our backyard is not level. We have a slope, and it's not a steep one, but we still had to do some leveling, so the pool would set up right.
When all was said and done though, it was one of the best purchases we've ever made. These past few days we've had so much fun it that little pool. We played Marco Polo, and made whirlpools (yes there isn't much else you can do in this pool). On amazon it $70 right now, and yes that's what we payed as well. Best $70 I've ever spent. :)
When all was said and done though, it was one of the best purchases we've ever made. These past few days we've had so much fun it that little pool. We played Marco Polo, and made whirlpools (yes there isn't much else you can do in this pool). On amazon it $70 right now, and yes that's what we payed as well. Best $70 I've ever spent. :)
So in other news, we have a new summer schedule. Why? You ask... Well my kids have been kind of lazy this summer, and that's fine to a curtain degree, but when you find your kids watching 5 episodes of My Little Ponies (that you turned on for your daughter, but she is nowhere in sight), because they can't find anything else to do, well you may have a problem. So I came up with this
They all have areas of school work they need to improve on, and I also have all of them writing a fan fiction this summer, for a creative outlook, and improvement on writing skills, and as long as they do well, then get to swim during pool time. I'm happy with it, and now they won't be sitting around watching tv all day.
3000 miles, for a vacation with the Legates family.
See the title? That's what my brother and my sister-in-law did. Crazy right? Yes crazy, but awesome. They arrived in Seattle at 10:45am on July 4th. I left the house at 9:30, so I could meet them. It turned out to be pretty perfect timing to, because I had just parked the car when I received a text from Jessica (my sister-in-law), that they had just landed. After that I just put myself right outside the exit to terminals A&B, knowing they would walk by there. Yes I completely caught them off guard when I ran them down the moment I spotted them. I guess I should also mention at this time, that I had left my kids at home with Jeremy, so I was completely kidless (it was awesome).
That's us waiting at baggage claim :)
It was an awesome week. Friday the 4th was spent grilling, playing in the sprinklers and with the water guns, eating good food, and playing board games and video games.
Saturday we walking all around Seattle. We did a lot of walking that day we walked to the ferry.
We walked to Pikes Place Market and the original Starbucks.
We walked to the mall to catch a ride on the monorail, then walked all around the Space Needle, and through the Pacific Science Center.
And yes of course this meant that we had to walk all the way back. :) Wesley (my brother) and I estimated that we walked a total of 6 miles that day. Needless to say my feet were hurting by the end of it. It was a good day though.
Sunday we had set aside to just relax. We made pizza, watched tv, and play more games. Everyone made their own pizza and it was fun to see all of the toppings and pizza creations.
Monday we got in the car and made the 2.5 hour trek pass Port Angeles and to Lake Crescent. We walked the trail up to the water fall, and had a picnic lunch on the way.
Tuesday we went to Scenic Beach, then to Skippers for some awesome Chowder, and lastly to Poulsbo to get some yummy donuts.
Wednesday we played mini golf, and ate out for both Lunch and Dinner. We played more games that night, and we were a little sad because it was their last full day with us.
Thursday was spent packing up and saying good-bye :(. The kids and I drove them to the airport, hoping it wouldn't be long before we saw them again. Olivia had fallen asleep in the car, and didn't awake until we were almost home. Her first question was "Where is Uncle Wesley?" :(
I'm so glad they took time out of their busy lives to come and see us, and I had a wonderful time just hanging out with them. I'm glad they made it home safe and sound, and back to their puppy Steven. :)
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