A One Car Family...

Last week we sold our Nissan Maxima.  We totally intended to get another car but then we started thinking and talking about what else we could do with the money.  We made a goal last year to complete the Total Money Makeover by Dave Ramsey and have done ok with it.  We decided to make the sacrifice of having only one car and pay off our roof instead of buying another one.  Our little Ford Focus is kind of squishy with all of us in it.  Madi's knees touch the back of my seat and mine touch the dash but I am so excited to see the debt disappearing.  Some days it feels like we will never make it past baby step two and then other days I can see step three right around the corner.  Hopefully this sacrifice pays off in a big way.  I would love to be able to be on step three by this time next year.  Guess we shall see...

Princess Rapunzel & Mater Boy...

Saturday we surprised the kids with Disney on Ice.  We went earlier in the week to get them new outfits so Madi could dress up like a princess but we didn't tell them why.  Of course Madi picked the ballet outfit over the princess dresses which still looked so cute on her.  I did her hair all fancy and we decided she needed a tiara.  Derrick ran to get one and picked up a necklace and earrings too.  She was in heaven!

The back... 

Easton got a new Mater outfit and the Lightning McQueen shoes he has been wanting for the longest time. 

Here is our princess all ready to leave for their surprise.  I'm pretty sure she had the best tiara out of all of them we saw.  She looks so grown up with that and her dangly earrings. 

Cheese... 

I probably should have found a cuter background, but here they are at Disney on Ice.  Madi was super excited but you never would have guessed.  She was so somber throughout the entire program.  She just took it all in and watched every move.  Easton on the other hand got so excited especially for Tangled when Max came out and of course, Mickey Mouse.

Madi said her favorite part was Cinderella and Rapunzel.  I am glad she liked it.  We had great seats, row 15, and were able to see the entire rink.  Someday I want to sit rink side with the kids.  I've done it before and it is so magical to have them so close and have the ice spray you as they skate by.   Cheesy, I know. :D

Look at that face.  You would never guess she was loving it. 

Wish I had got him 30 seconds before.  His head was in the bucket trying to get pieces with his tongue.  Silly kid! 

Rapunzel was my favorite part and I think Easton's too.  I didn't ask Derrick which he liked the best.

I love that at the end they have all the princess come out.  Madi thought that was great too.  Here is Belle... 

And Snow White... 

And Ariel... 

And Cinderella... 

And Rapunzel.  Easton loves this movie and was so fun to watch during it.  I wish I had videoed him.  Can't wait until next year.  Monsters Inc or Nemo would be fun.  Guess we will see... 

A day at the zoo...

The weather really has been perfect the last couple weeks.  We decided it was time to take advantage of our zoo pass and spend a Saturday having fun as a family.  Easton and Madi both love the zoo.  It is fun to see the animals when the weather is a little cooler because they more active.  The elephants were "talking" to us. (Side note: I heard a rumor that Zuri's mom is prego again.  Does anyone know?) The bears were playing.  The monkeys were having fun and the tiger was pacing.

I put Derrick in charge of the camera so I am actually in a picture! :D  Me and my princess... 

I love his face!   

Madi thought it was "too sunny".  Guess she is still adjusting to the change of seasons.  I am loving it! 

And here is the photographer.  Isn't he sexy?!  Such an amazing hubby and daddy!  Love ya babe! 

March 2, 2013

Feeding the ducks...

We went to Jensen Park to feed the ducks and they must have been hungry!  They attacked us!  They were literally begging for more and taking the entire piece from our hands before we were able to break it or toss it or anything.  Easton thought it was great.  Madi was scared to death and ran to me.  She wouldn't let me put her down until we were in the car.   Poor girl...

Looking pretty worried...

The goose that is as big as Easton was the most aggressive.  I think Easton really enjoyed how close they got.  He didn't want to leave.  They were getting so close that Derrick threw the last half of a loaf, grabbed Easton and we hurried to the car.  They need to learn to wait their turn and not be so impatient! 

March 1, 2013

HAFB...

With the wonderful weather we have had we decided to to HAFB Museum and check out the planes.  I have taken them before but Easton wasn't big enough to enjoy them.  He LOVED it!  He is all about airplanes, cars and trucks.  It was so fun to see him and Madi get so excited about all the planes and they LOVED being outside.

Whenever I go here I think of my dad.  It's an easy way for me to talk about him with my kids since he passed away before they were born.  He worked as an air traffic controller for most of his life and yet he never tired of seeing an airplane take off or land or fly overhead.  I took him here once, just a few years before he died.  It was like Disneyland to a little kid.  He had sparkles in his eyes and was so excited to walk through and read the facts and see all the planes and equipment.  Airplanes always make me remember some of the good things about him.

These tires are massive!  I love the way Easton was in awe of them.   

Madi kept commenting about how scary the planes looked.  A lot of them are painted with scary faces or big sharp teeth.  I thought it was funny that she was so concerned about that.

 Intrigued by a movie...

I loved the new addition of the Vietnam exhibit.  I never realized how real of a war it was.  It is kind of skipped over in history classes and labeled as a "police action" but here is a model of one of the many cells that POW's lived in.  At night they were fastened into their beds.  They lived under awful, awful circumstances and were treated inhumanly. 

Ready to eject... 

I am determined to someday get the perfect picture of the two of them, both looking, both smiling.  Might not be until they are teenagers but I am going to get it! 

I think the kids favorite part was being outside.  They are soooo done with winter and being inside all day.  Easton LOVES the snow and immediately started a snow ball fight with Madi and me.  He thinks it is so fun to throw it at me and giggles hysterically as I try to dodge his throws. 

Madi enjoyed it too.  She got me with several and then her attention to Easton. 

Look at the size of this one... 

"Don't get me!!!" 

I love watching them play together, especially when they are laughing and having fun.  So much nicer than when they are arguing and hitting each other. 

Madi had fun spinning some wheels on a few of the planes.  I was bummed the children's area was closed while we were there.  Guess we'll have to go back.

Coming here makes me so thankful for the men and women that fight for our country; for the services they provide and the extreme sacrifices they and there families make.  This is a picture of my father-in-law in uniform.  Pretty handsome picture.  Derrick looks so much like him.  Derrick remembers dropping him off right before Christmas when he was deployed for Desert Storm.  I am grateful to live in the country I do.  Even with all the problems we face and the political craziness that is here, there is no where else I would rather live.

 

March 1, 2013