Harry Potter--Universal Studios

After 7 days of Disneyworld, we hit Universal Studios.  Our main focus was to see the new Harry Potter section of the park.  

I'll confess, I haven't read the books, but they are definitely on my list now.  Gunner and the girls have read them, and even Junior knows all about Harry Potter.  

Inside the castle is the coolest ride!  I think I did most of the ride with my mouth open, I was so shocked at what I was seeing.  Great ride.  (It's a little intense as a girl passed out on the ride not long after we got off, so they had to shut the ride down for a bit.)

Abs took her Harry Potter costume and several people stopped us and wanted to know where we got it.  (Ummmm......Current outlet for about $7.)

Abs enjoying a butter beer.

Abs with the singing toad choir or something like that.

Junior in front of Hagrad's house.

Abs in front of the Hogwarts Express.

The whole area only had a few rides, but lots of shops.  Em was in a wheelchair this day and unable to walk at all, so we didn't go inside any of the shops because of the masses of people.

They had a wand experience that my kids really wanted to do, but the wait was several hours and then you still had to wait in line outside of  Ollivander's.  Next time I would add the wand experience as the older two were willing to wait hours for that.

I really wish I had read the books before we went there, but I just had a few million other things to do.

So......it's overly priced to get in, the crowds are overwhelming, the heat and humidity is outrageous, but my kids, who are huge Harry Potter fans, loved the experience.  

P.S. The butter beer was good and the pumpkin juice was great as well!  

Conversation With Abs

Last night we had the final briefing about the deployment.

I'll get to some stuff in another post, but of course Abs stole the show.

They went through all the technical stuff and they mentioned there would be a portion of the briefing dedicated to questions from the families and Soldiers.

Abs eyes lit up and she said "I have questions".

Oh dear.

They mentioned they would hand out microphones and Abs started trying to figure out how to get one.  I assured her that she could ask me her questions later.

She wanted a microphone, but they decided not to hand them out, and the LTC would repeat the question.

Someone asked a routine question, and when the LTC asked who was next, Ab's hand shot up before we could stop it.  The LTC saw it.  He pointed to Abs.

Abs stands up in a crowd of about 800 people, wearing her Twilight Burger King crown, a red and white polka dot dress, and her new daddy doll in her arms.

"Is my daddy going to come home?" came out loud, strong, and in the sweetest, most innocent voice you have ever heard.

The audience responded with sadness, "Awwwwwwww". They all waited to see what he would say.

The LTC stopped for a second.  Collected his thoughts.  He repeated the question.

The lady behind me put her hand on my shoulder.  I teared up.

He didn't laugh at Abs, he didn't smile, he took her seriously, and not one person in the audience said a word.

He responded with something to the effect of.....I am not a shoe salesman. I don't make promises that I can't keep.   I'm not sure what the future holds.  What I can promise you is that your daddy is well trained.  He has had the best training available.  Your daddy has the best equipment available to him.  I am pretty sure your daddy can handle anything that comes up.  Your daddy is with a group of men that are some of the best in the Army, and I promise you that we will do everything we can to keep him safe and all the other Soldiers safe.

Abs smiled.  She understood that he couldn't promise her daddy's safety, but she appreciated that he promised to try.

The LTC looked relieved that she didn't ask anymore questions.

I cried.  9 years old.  She's been through three year long deployments and this one will be her fourth.

They never get easier...

Who wants more stress????

Apparently that would be me.

Gunner stopped by housing and they have a house available on post for us.  We are going to take it.

So in less than two weeks, we have to pack everything up, move, and send Gunner off to war.

I have no idea how this is going to happen, or what it means.  I am taking my vegetable garden with me, somehow.

I have a lot of purging to do.  I have to get quotes from a moving company since I can't move my piano or the shrunk by ourselves.

We have no boxes.

I hope this works out and isn't a HUGE mistake.  It won't snow as much there, which kind of makes me sad.

But I like an adventure, so I guess we are giving it a shot.

I only called him and asked him to check with housing because I was irritated about something here.  Maybe next time I should keep my mouth shut?

Gunner as a Dad

My kids are very fortunate in that they have a dad who would do anything for them.  During our time in Tampa, we hit the beach one day and he was recruited to be the Little Mermaid.  (I'll spare you the full body, but they completed it with shell decorations and all.)

Since Em had hurt her knee, there was no way that she could get around the beach on crutches.

He carried Em to the water, to the towels, to the water, to the sand castles, to the water, to the towels, to the water, to the towels, to the water......

Of course Junior benefits from riding on his shoulders, playing with him, and all the roughhousing that I don't do.

Sometimes I feel like I have four children because he is just as goofy as the kiddos.

Abs is a hard kid.  Very hard.  Sometimes I think that no one can love her like I do, but I know he does.

Our time is limited, but he has done his best over the last year to leave his children with memories to hopefully hold them over until he returns again.

Did we scar him?

Goofy's Barnstormer at the Magic Kingdom.  Junior rode the Hollywood Tower of Terror, Big Thunder Railroad, Splash Mountain, and everything else, but for some reason he did not like this ride in Toontown.

Luckily, his fear didn't last long or I would have felt like a horrible parent.

Army Wives

I finally caught up on the show.

There were a few things that stuck out in my mind.

When Claudia Joy said "We never get used to it, we just get through it".  I think that sentence sums up my life right now.  Yes this may be the 5th year that he will be gone from us, and I can't say that it is any easier except for I am not having a baby this time or starting a new career.  I would like to think that I do more than "just get through it" though.  I'd like to think that I improve my life somehow while he is away.

The whole part where Trevor told the oldest boy that he was the "man of the house" rubbed me the wrong way. As a teacher, there were so many of my boys that were told that, and it stressed them out, especially if their moms were having a hard time with the deployment.  I liked Roxy's response of "do not ask a boy to do a man's job".  I wish more people took that to heart.  I can see asking them to help out a little bit more, but I think just the title of "man of the house" is what irks me.

When Trevor stated that "Army kids grow up faster than most", I cringed.

Do you think that is true?

I'd say my kids know a lot more about world events than most kids.  I think they are resilient, make friends a little bit easier, adapt to change faster, but grow up faster?

Sure they worry about their dad being in a dangerous position and most other kids don't, but I just don't see that they are wise beyond their years or are more grown up than their peers in the civilian world.

What do you think?

Air Force Giveaway

I'm Army.

We live on an Air Force Base.

Abs insisted on joining the deployment club at her school since she knew she wasn't returning.

So........

I have two copies of....

If more than two people want it, I'll have Abs pick a number since they are her books.  Very easy, just tell me you want them, so I know that they go to a good home.  

Thanks!

Abs and water

Remember my facebook status that said something to the effect of "guess which child 'fell' into the fountain?"

I'm sure it wasn't hard to guess.

I was going through pictures from Florida and I stumbled upon these that Gunner took.

He took pictures?

It's a good thing playing in the fountains isn't a big deal, but she went on to get SOAKED.  He couldn't stop her early in the fun?

I'm all ears!

T-Rex Cafe

I had heard from two friends, that the T-Rex cafe was a must-see at Downtown Disney, so I made reservations.  Which I canceled later because I was too busy at the parks!

Finally we made it down there...

There was an ice cave in the middle of the restaurant that changed colors, and the dinosaurs came to "life" periodically throughout the meal.  All three of the kiddos were excited once we got inside (and Abs too).  

That's the ice cave in the back.

Abs was just excited to name each of the dinosaurs.

A giant T-Rex when you come in the door.  Gunner tried to feed Junior to him, but unfortunately those pictures didn't turn out.

The food was overpriced of course, but the place was packed and they were making a killing.  I think I want to own a franchise in some hot family spot like that.  

The food was actually pretty good, and I can't complain about the margaritas either.  When it was all said and done, we actually spent what we usually do at Rainforest Cafe, so it wasn't too bad.  I was just feeling cheap by that point!  

They have a play area outside where the kids can dig through the sand and "excavate".  Unfortunately we didn't see that till we were in line waiting to be seated.  I'd definitely go back again because I have kids that love dinosaurs, but if you don't, skip it for Planet Hollywood (which we did too!).

The Truth Hurts

Junior went through a biting phase while we were in Florida.  

I took him to see this sign, and he was less than thrilled when I asked him to pose next to it.

"Don't do it mommy!"

Getting mad.  Checkout those teeth!

"It says Don't take pictures!"

Amazingly, once it was just our family of 5, the biting stopped entirely.  Hmmmm....

The end of block leave

It always leaves a pit in my stomach.

I know what's coming up, and now it's just a waiting and wishing game.  Waiting for the time to come and Gunner to leave, and wishing that time would go slower.

We packed in as many memories as we could, now we just need to do family pictures, which I still haven't arranged, and I am hoping for a miracle that it will get done in time.

We are crossing the final paperwork off our list.

He needs to go back and sign in off of leave, but that makes it too final.

It's back to work tomorrow and the countdown I have been dreading, begins.

A few of my favorite (facebook) things

Status Updates you know you are dying to read, right?

ABW ...

is off on leg 1 of the Griswold, I mean Hardt, family vacation. I'm already getting a migraine.

 checked all of the pullups through to Orlando, and JR decides to have an accident. The USO had size three diapers and we stuffed him into one of those.

Does not think anyone on the plane was sad to part ways with Junior.

Bets you can guess which kiddo "fell" in the fountain.

feels like she could write a Bernstein Bears book titled "The Bernstein Bears and Too Much Disney" starring Abs.

Thinks that it is wine/alcohol that gets you through extended time with family?

Just had her film debut as a deckhand, my mom as the captain and Gunner as a mechanic. Pictures to come, it was fun!

Is sad that Em's leg is swollen and painful, but the lack of wait times is pretty nice.

Just wanted you to know that Minnie Mouse's house has an alarm system installed. It was packed. Guess whose kid tried to scale the wall and set it off?

Is about to board the plane after the ordeal of going through security with three sets of mickey ears, a stuffed Mickey, a stuffed Minnie, a purse, four carry-ons, a carseat, a stroller, a wheelchair, a pair of crutches, and the rest of the family.

While Gunner was loading the car, he put Junior inside of the car. Junior discovered the horn and honked once for every car he saw "to warn Daddy". They were in a packed parking lot.

Headed back

I can't wait to get home. We went to the beach on Thursday and even with a ton of sunscreen I got fried. Ouch!

We are headed back to Downtown Disney for a quick lunch at Planet Hollywood with a friend of mine. Can't wait!

Block leave is coming to a close and you know what that means....



-- Post From My iPhone

Location:Orlando,United States

How we roll when we vacation

-- Post From My iPhone

Disneyworl

We made it although I think they were ready to throw Junior off the plane. This cute boy?


-- Post From My iPhone

M-I-C-K-E-Y MOUSE

Junior has decided that only potty trained boys can go to Disneyworld with their sisters, and I am "just a mommy" so I shouldn't go.  Thanks kiddo.  I'm going anyway.

Abs dressed for the trip.

The bags are packed, and even though Gunner wouldn't share any of his bag with me, I managed to fit in everything that I needed.

Gunner wanted to arrive at the airport an hour and a half before our flight.  The Denver airport takes forever to get around, plus we have to park, then get bags and 4 kids to the terminal.  I told him we needed at least 3 hours at the airport, and we could always stop off at the USO if we had time.  His solution is that he will drop me off outside the terminal with 4 kids, 6 bags, 6 carry ons, and a carseat.  

How fun does that sound for me?  I think I will line them up, make them each drag a bag, Em will get two, I'll handle the carseat and my bag, and we will march to the counter to check it all in.  I think we might make the evening news.  

Some people frown at "leashes" for the kids, but since my stroller is in FL since we didn't have room in the car on the drive back from TX, I think Junior might have to be on one while we are marching.  I can't afford to lose him.

Speaking of Junior, Gunner took him to get a haircut today and Junior told the barber that he wanted his cowlick chopped off.  He came home and was so proud that it was gone, till Em pointed out to him that it wasn't.  Tears, more tears, and even more tears.  He's convinced 4 year olds should not have cowlicks.

This is our last hurrah before Gunner leaves.  So while I am excited about the trip and all that we have planned, I am also sad that it will be a long time before we can do something like this again.  

Wish us luck, and be glad that you won't be on our plane!

Too tired to pack

I got a little packing done, but it's not almost 9 pm and I am nowhere near done.

I'm exhausted.

The race was great!  The water was cold, and the timing mat was at the top of the ramp to T1.  Ummmm....that added minutes on to my swim time, and made me look uber fast in transition.

The bike was a nice course.  Lots and lots and lots of hills.  One right after another.

The run course was all cement, but wove through some field/marsh type things, so it was nice.  Lots of water stops.  I probably should have slowed down on the liquids, because I eyed the port a potty on the route pretty hard.  Fortunately I made it without a pit stop!

Abs and Gunner were there throughout the race cheering me on.  Abs was really impressed every time I raced by. She looked up from my iPhone long enough to smile, wave, yell for me, and then return to what she was doing.

I was 18th out of 54 in my age group.  Not great by any means, but having not worked out in two weeks except for a short 4 mile run one day, I knew I wasn't going to break any records.  It's my fault, but camping wasn't exactly the place to be working out, although I guess I could have run when it cooled down and the mountain lions were out.

The main thing is that I enjoyed the race.  So much so, that I am looking for another race in the same location so that I can kick some butt next time!

Abs and I went to get pedicures, and the lady saw the bottom of my feet and got grossed out.  They are covered in dry skin, blisters, healed blisters, and were looking rough.  She didn't speak enough english to understand what I was trying to say, but she did what she could with them.  All I know is that the massage felt great!

I've got tons of laundry to do before we left, but I did make Junior a shirt while Gunner ran to the store.  I also sent him out with 4 kids to get Em some Keen's for the trip and so that I could try to sleep.  I dozed off and on for hours.

I'm reading The Book Thief right now, and if you haven't read it, it is amazing!  I'm hoping to finish it up on the plane tomorrow and then start in on some of the other books I have lined up.  I completed about 5 or 6 books while I was in Texas, so I am making some more room on my bookshelf...sort of.

We are flying with 4 kids today, wish us luck!

While you are sleeping...

I will be racing this morning.  I had to get up at 3:30  in the morning to head to Denver for my triathlon.

I am in no way prepared, which seems to be my motto for every race this year.

I do it for the fun of it, and this is a sprint, but the bike is only 10 miles, so I can't really compare it to the one where the bike was 12 miles--apples and oranges.

It's all good, I just like to have fun and the challenge.  I lost my tri shorts and Gunner and I had to race out to try and find another pair tonight.  Luckily REI had one pair left.  Whew.

I've laid out my supplies, walked through the transitions in my head so I can make sure that I have everything,

I am getting a pedicure and getting the ridiculous amount of dead skin taken off my feet after the tri and before we fly out.  A girl has to have priorities.

We have so much to do before we leave for Disney....tomorrow.  Help!

How did it happen?

Four years ago......

At 10:01 pm we welcomed Junior (who's not really a Junior, but what my friend called my tummy since we refused to find out the sex) to the world at a whopping 10 lbs 1 oz.

If he had been born October 1st, then I would have had to play the lottery that day.

Gunner arrived home less than 48 hours before he arrived for his R&R from Iraq.

Amazingly, he has survived being dressed as a girl, used as a live doll, playing with barbies, having his hair done, and being used as a model for Em's sewing creations.

He's all boy though.

Obsessed with cowboys, dirty jobs, Diego, and Avatar.

He's opinionated. Still not 100% potty trained (but I am thinking of sending him to The Mrs. for that).  

Loves cars, dinosaurs, and being naked.  (Probably the being naked part because it will make his sisters scream)

Even at 4 he has dreams, or maybe he is just plotting against us.

Where did the time go?

Happy Birthday little guy, we can't imagine life without you!