Here I am, packing my bags, again..... We are boarding a plane today and heading to our next home. I know, weird right. Well, today we're flying back to Seattle and we have about 3 days before we board our next plane bound for Korea. It's weird thinking that this will be my last day in Florida for awhile. At any rate, here is the rundown for the week and the rest of our visit.
Let's Go Again Mommy!!!! On Sunday, we decided to head to Busch Gardens for the day. Ronnie and I have very fond memories of going to Busch Gardens and riding roller coasters, and we knew this would be a great day for Holly. And we couldn't be more right! She drug us from coaster to coaster, asking to go again and again and again. Luckily, they have a parent switch off area, so we would wait in line once and get to ride twice, so the other parent could stay with Sarah. Now, Sarah didn't get left out of the fun -- she picked the bumper cars, the flume ride, and the Sesame Street area.
Before we knew it the sun was setting and Holly wanted to go on one more coaster before the park closed. She and Ronnie ran up ahead to Gwazi, the double wooden coaster, while Sarah and I rode a few more rides in the Sesame Street area. I finally caught back up with Ronnie and Holly and we ran up to ride the coaster one more time. As we were going up, we had a great view of Tampa -- it is such a beautiful city at night! Holly was pointing out the stars that were up, though she didn't realize we were cresting the top. She told me "Mommy, look at all the stars and the moon and look there's another sta-AAHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!" followed by a "THIS - IS - AWE - SOME!!!!!!" It was a good day!!!
Fin Growth The girls "graduated" from swimming lessons! They are so much better than they were, but we still need more practice. Holly is able to jump off the diving boards and get herself to the side. Sarah is also able, but a little more reserved if you aren't right there to catch her. Now, onto continuing our lessons and build them into strong swimmers.
Holly is 7!!!!!! After hounding her for days, we finally got to August 10th. Holly was so excited! And when the time came, we all gave her big hugs and told her "Happy Birthday." Even Cleo the cat joined in on the love fest (not really, but I made her get a hug from Holly). We went over to Grammy and Papa's house for a birthday party with Uncle Robbie and her cousin Arryn. It was such a great home party, complete with climbing trees and a zip line!
Getting a little WILD We continued our Florida fun with visiting the Jacksonville Zoo. They run a great special on Tuesdays - $2 for admission! Again, we had a fantastic time running around and looking at the animals, hiding out from the heat, and getting wet. Yes, that getting wet part: there is a spray park at the zoo, but it's more like a huge splash pad. So the girls went in fully clothed. Then, the ubiquitous afternoon thunderstorm crept up at 3 pm, rather than 4 like it's supposed to. We were exiting the zoo when the bottom fell out and had to dash to the car. We were soaked in just the 100 yards we had to run, but it was too much fun!
So that about wraps it up.... We had a great time visiting family and seeing a few friends here and there. But now it's on to scope out the next adventure in our lives.
Friday, August 12, 2011
Sunday, August 7, 2011
The It's Amost Holly's Birthay Party
It's August ya'll! Meaning one thing in our house - Holly's birthday. Every year, we start building up to the festivites by waking her up on the morning of July 31st and telling her it could have been her birthday today but X-many years ago she decided she was comfortable. So she can't have cake for breakfast. And we repeat every day until August 10th. Poor Holly... if she gets out of her childhood unscathed it will be a miracle.
We decided to take advantage of being in Florida and held a small family birthday party for her today. Holly and I conspired on her cake this year -- I owed her big after ruining last year's cupcakes. After a bit of searching and lots of back and forth, we settled on a homemade Barbie cake. I couldn't be more pleased with how it turned out for her and Holly was tickled pink! We also decided to decorate the porch a bit. A blog that I follow posted a "how-to" on making normal crepe paper streamers fabulous. And that they were - they came together easily (10 minutes and done) and were super cute! Try it out yourself and check out some of her other posts and ideas - Ruffled Streamers
The party was low key. The girls went swimming in the lake, came up and make candy necklaces then it was time for cake and ice cream. We had a great visit with my sister, nieces, Callie and Laurelei, and Ronnie's parents (Grammy and Papa). Oh, and the cake, it was a hit!
We decided to take advantage of being in Florida and held a small family birthday party for her today. Holly and I conspired on her cake this year -- I owed her big after ruining last year's cupcakes. After a bit of searching and lots of back and forth, we settled on a homemade Barbie cake. I couldn't be more pleased with how it turned out for her and Holly was tickled pink! We also decided to decorate the porch a bit. A blog that I follow posted a "how-to" on making normal crepe paper streamers fabulous. And that they were - they came together easily (10 minutes and done) and were super cute! Try it out yourself and check out some of her other posts and ideas - Ruffled Streamers
The party was low key. The girls went swimming in the lake, came up and make candy necklaces then it was time for cake and ice cream. We had a great visit with my sister, nieces, Callie and Laurelei, and Ronnie's parents (Grammy and Papa). Oh, and the cake, it was a hit!
Sunday, July 31, 2011
Digging for Gold
I have something to confess. If you haven't realized it yet.... I'm a nerd. I love to know things and watch Discovery on a daily basis. News that researchers have captured antimatter and they have ways to measure it more accurately makes me excited. As does the comic books coming to the movies, though I find that I criticise how they adapt storylines because that's NOT what happened in the comic book. I'm also a bibliophile.
I LOVE books and everything about them. So much that I want to have my own library with a rare book or 100. I even have a Library of Congress card and have read in the main reading room.
One of my favorite places to visit when I'm home is Chamblin Bookmine. It is a real gem on the westside of Jacksonville. Chamblin specializes in used books, but also has old collections and rare finds. I wander in the stacks and get lost in the different genres. If I'm not careful, hours will slip by without me noticing.
Makes you want to go and wander to see what all they have too, doesn't it? So if you find yourself in Jacksonville, and have hours to spend, go and find Chamblin. I promise you won't regret it!
I LOVE books and everything about them. So much that I want to have my own library with a rare book or 100. I even have a Library of Congress card and have read in the main reading room.
One of my favorite places to visit when I'm home is Chamblin Bookmine. It is a real gem on the westside of Jacksonville. Chamblin specializes in used books, but also has old collections and rare finds. I wander in the stacks and get lost in the different genres. If I'm not careful, hours will slip by without me noticing.
Makes you want to go and wander to see what all they have too, doesn't it? So if you find yourself in Jacksonville, and have hours to spend, go and find Chamblin. I promise you won't regret it!
Florida Survival Guide - Week 1
This week's "lessons learned" come to you straight from the Sunshine State. Actually, it's a week and a half, but who's really keeping track.
Jet lag - UGH! We finally landed in Florida last Wednesday and after 40+ hours of travel. Luckily, the girls and I had only really catnapped our way through the travel and were almost on schedule when we landed. We were on the right time zone within a matter of days and without a lot of heartache over it.
Growing Gills We are taking full advantage of being in a warm state with many many pools -- we got the girls signed up for swimming lessons through the city. They started their two week session on Monday and by Thursday I could really see vast improvement. They can swim!!! They can also jump off the diving board and swim to the side. I can't wait to see the final outcome next week.
Discovering History My mom had the day off on Friday, so we planned a trip to St. Augustine. We settled on going to one of our favorite restaurants for lunch, Columbia, and visiting the fort, Castillo de San Marcos. I looked up the fort to find out times they were open and found out that they are doing a living history demonstration on Fridays and Saturdays. Specifically, they were going to fire the cannons and muskets, while having people dressed in period apparel. After a lovely lunch, we headed for the fort. The demonstration was fantastic. You could tell the rangers and reenactors were having a good time, even though the day was a warm one. They answered questions ranging from what did you eat to why are you wearing a full wool suit. Though the girls noted that the steps and the wall for this city was much smaller than the ones in China.
Beach Barbies Today we headed to Daytona Beach and met up with my sister and her brood. We played in the sand and surf for hours. Since all the girls know how to swim (and Ronnie and I were right there), we started teaching the girls how to body surf. Sarah caught a wave, but didn't like the saltwater up her nose. Ashlyn wasn't so sure about the process so she hung back on the beach. But, Holly and Callie got hooked right away. They really got the hang of it when I caught a few waves with them and went way further than they had been going. We tuned their technique and we played and splashed around until the skies started threatening rain. We cleaned up and headed for the Ocean Deck, one of our favorite beach dives, for an early dinner. Of course, a trip to the beach wouldn't be complete without lessons in sunscreen. I think we all could have done with one more application of Coppertone.... Oh well!
Jet lag - UGH! We finally landed in Florida last Wednesday and after 40+ hours of travel. Luckily, the girls and I had only really catnapped our way through the travel and were almost on schedule when we landed. We were on the right time zone within a matter of days and without a lot of heartache over it.
Growing Gills We are taking full advantage of being in a warm state with many many pools -- we got the girls signed up for swimming lessons through the city. They started their two week session on Monday and by Thursday I could really see vast improvement. They can swim!!! They can also jump off the diving board and swim to the side. I can't wait to see the final outcome next week.
Discovering History My mom had the day off on Friday, so we planned a trip to St. Augustine. We settled on going to one of our favorite restaurants for lunch, Columbia, and visiting the fort, Castillo de San Marcos. I looked up the fort to find out times they were open and found out that they are doing a living history demonstration on Fridays and Saturdays. Specifically, they were going to fire the cannons and muskets, while having people dressed in period apparel. After a lovely lunch, we headed for the fort. The demonstration was fantastic. You could tell the rangers and reenactors were having a good time, even though the day was a warm one. They answered questions ranging from what did you eat to why are you wearing a full wool suit. Though the girls noted that the steps and the wall for this city was much smaller than the ones in China.
Beach Barbies Today we headed to Daytona Beach and met up with my sister and her brood. We played in the sand and surf for hours. Since all the girls know how to swim (and Ronnie and I were right there), we started teaching the girls how to body surf. Sarah caught a wave, but didn't like the saltwater up her nose. Ashlyn wasn't so sure about the process so she hung back on the beach. But, Holly and Callie got hooked right away. They really got the hang of it when I caught a few waves with them and went way further than they had been going. We tuned their technique and we played and splashed around until the skies started threatening rain. We cleaned up and headed for the Ocean Deck, one of our favorite beach dives, for an early dinner. Of course, a trip to the beach wouldn't be complete without lessons in sunscreen. I think we all could have done with one more application of Coppertone.... Oh well!
Sunday, July 24, 2011
How to Survive a TDY 101: Week 4
There is some unwritten rule somewhere that says that things will break, fall apart, or just plain stop when the guys are gone. I don't know who said it needed to be that way, but it was that way for my mom and is now that way for me. Case in point, the windows in my car will no longer roll up or down, unless the door is open at an exact 47 degree angle. Really, I'm just trying to make light of this next part, because what has broken or fallen apart this time is difficult to cope with. Last Friday, I got a phone call from Shirley, my mother in law, saying Robbie (Ronnie's brother) isn't doing well and she needed to talk with me.
Before I go forward, let me back up. Robbie was diagnosed with bladder cancer in March '09; it was treated and the prognosis was hopeful. Then we found out it had metastasized to his bone and had large tumors on his neck in Sept '09. This happened while we were in the middle of our move to Korea. I sent Ronnie back home immediately while I finished up the move myself. The surgery to remove the tumor went okay but the doctors were still hopeful about his condition. In Dec 09, we found out that the tumor had regrown (refer to Go Daddy Go post) and we have been treating ever since. Back in May, he woke up and was paralyzed from the waist down. The admitted him to the hospital and have been doing chemo ever since.
I tracked Ronnie down in Alaska, with the help of Allison, and gave him the message to call his parents. What Shirley was calling to tell us is Robbie has made the decision to stop treatment. He found out that he has blood clots in his legs and lungs and his liver is starting to fail. On top of that, the tumor is not shrinking and may even be growing. The docs are giving him 1 - 3 months to live.
I gathered all my strength, packed my bags and kids, and hopped home on Tuesday. After having spent 40 hours on the road, the girls and I finally landed in Florida on Wednesday morning. We will be in Florida for the next few weeks visiting with Robbie and other friends and family.
But this needs to be said. For all the things the military can do and have done wrong, the one thing they get right time and time again is emergency leave. We needed it back in 2001 when Ronnie's Aunt Sarah passed away, and again in December 09 when the relapse happened. Here we are using it again and the process could not be smoother. The professionalism and what else can I do to help is exactly what we need in this process and I can't thank the Draggins, Lady Draggins, and our military family enough.
I also learned a big lesson this week - no matter how much I hate a subject, it is possible to prepare for a final exam, take said final the night before you fly internationally, and manage to get a 100 on the test. Guess those old school skills are still in this brain after all.
The next few weeks will be posts about Florida and what all we're going to do while here and making the best of our time with Robbie and the family.
Love to all!
Chris
Before I go forward, let me back up. Robbie was diagnosed with bladder cancer in March '09; it was treated and the prognosis was hopeful. Then we found out it had metastasized to his bone and had large tumors on his neck in Sept '09. This happened while we were in the middle of our move to Korea. I sent Ronnie back home immediately while I finished up the move myself. The surgery to remove the tumor went okay but the doctors were still hopeful about his condition. In Dec 09, we found out that the tumor had regrown (refer to Go Daddy Go post) and we have been treating ever since. Back in May, he woke up and was paralyzed from the waist down. The admitted him to the hospital and have been doing chemo ever since.
I tracked Ronnie down in Alaska, with the help of Allison, and gave him the message to call his parents. What Shirley was calling to tell us is Robbie has made the decision to stop treatment. He found out that he has blood clots in his legs and lungs and his liver is starting to fail. On top of that, the tumor is not shrinking and may even be growing. The docs are giving him 1 - 3 months to live.
I gathered all my strength, packed my bags and kids, and hopped home on Tuesday. After having spent 40 hours on the road, the girls and I finally landed in Florida on Wednesday morning. We will be in Florida for the next few weeks visiting with Robbie and other friends and family.
But this needs to be said. For all the things the military can do and have done wrong, the one thing they get right time and time again is emergency leave. We needed it back in 2001 when Ronnie's Aunt Sarah passed away, and again in December 09 when the relapse happened. Here we are using it again and the process could not be smoother. The professionalism and what else can I do to help is exactly what we need in this process and I can't thank the Draggins, Lady Draggins, and our military family enough.
I also learned a big lesson this week - no matter how much I hate a subject, it is possible to prepare for a final exam, take said final the night before you fly internationally, and manage to get a 100 on the test. Guess those old school skills are still in this brain after all.
The next few weeks will be posts about Florida and what all we're going to do while here and making the best of our time with Robbie and the family.
Love to all!
Chris
Tuesday, July 19, 2011
Next Stop.....
Coming soon to a blog near you... oh who am I kidding, it's this blog.
We've pulled orders to Fort Lewis, WA (just south of Tacoma and Seattle). We are way too excited!!!! More to come about our move and other crazy tall tales about them not understanding grits, sweet tea and about how long it takes them to figure out we're not from around there.
Adventures with the Olivers - Pacific Northwest style
We've pulled orders to Fort Lewis, WA (just south of Tacoma and Seattle). We are way too excited!!!! More to come about our move and other crazy tall tales about them not understanding grits, sweet tea and about how long it takes them to figure out we're not from around there.
Saturday, July 16, 2011
How to Survive a TDY 101: Week 3
Usually around Week 3, we have settled into the routine of not having daddy around, and this TDY was no exception. This week brought to you by:
1. Cheer Camp - back in the spring I procrastinated long enough that I didn't get Holly signed up for Cheerleading season. It's no secret that I am not a fan of cheerleading, though I do like the athleticism that can accompany it (think the tumblers and flyers). It's the clapping and drone-like chants that grate on my nerves. But I sucked it up for my girls -- the things parents do sometimes.... But I digress. My sweet friend Kristen taught the cheer camp this summer at the Youth Center and she said Sarah could tag along too (Sarah wasn't old enough to officially sign up). So all week, off we went to cheer camp. While I'm still not a fan of cheering, I did like that my girls enjoyed the camp. They got to learn a small dance as well as the chants and even learned some of the jumps.
2. More ways to not use your kitchen - The ladies met for supper club again this week. I think I could get used to this. This time we went to the USO for their monthly "Dine for a Dime" dinner. To help out, I brought a lasagna with me (okay so I had to cook a little, but I didn't have to do the dishes). We enjoyed a hot meal, great company, and an even better setting. I'm thinking I will have to add this event to our frequently dined locations.
3. Boot Camp - The girls aren't the only ones going to camp this summer. I am going to a mommy and me bootcamp with Sarah a few days a week. It works out nicely, the kids play while the mommies have gym class. Since I've been working out, my little Sarah likes to get involved. I have her count out reps for me, jump rope, or see how much my barbells weigh. Every so often, she'll join me in exercising. Here she is showing me how to do a dip properly. I'm glad she's enjoying it!
4. No Parents Allowed - On Friday, I took advantage of the Give Parents a Break night offered by the Youth Center/CDC, though the girls and I call it No Parents Allowed night. The girls went and played for a few hours while I met up with some of the ladies for Thai food. After dinner, my friend Joy and I went to Chili's to have a well-earned margarita with Jenn and Mel.
1. Cheer Camp - back in the spring I procrastinated long enough that I didn't get Holly signed up for Cheerleading season. It's no secret that I am not a fan of cheerleading, though I do like the athleticism that can accompany it (think the tumblers and flyers). It's the clapping and drone-like chants that grate on my nerves. But I sucked it up for my girls -- the things parents do sometimes.... But I digress. My sweet friend Kristen taught the cheer camp this summer at the Youth Center and she said Sarah could tag along too (Sarah wasn't old enough to officially sign up). So all week, off we went to cheer camp. While I'm still not a fan of cheering, I did like that my girls enjoyed the camp. They got to learn a small dance as well as the chants and even learned some of the jumps.
2. More ways to not use your kitchen - The ladies met for supper club again this week. I think I could get used to this. This time we went to the USO for their monthly "Dine for a Dime" dinner. To help out, I brought a lasagna with me (okay so I had to cook a little, but I didn't have to do the dishes). We enjoyed a hot meal, great company, and an even better setting. I'm thinking I will have to add this event to our frequently dined locations.
3. Boot Camp - The girls aren't the only ones going to camp this summer. I am going to a mommy and me bootcamp with Sarah a few days a week. It works out nicely, the kids play while the mommies have gym class. Since I've been working out, my little Sarah likes to get involved. I have her count out reps for me, jump rope, or see how much my barbells weigh. Every so often, she'll join me in exercising. Here she is showing me how to do a dip properly. I'm glad she's enjoying it!
4. No Parents Allowed - On Friday, I took advantage of the Give Parents a Break night offered by the Youth Center/CDC, though the girls and I call it No Parents Allowed night. The girls went and played for a few hours while I met up with some of the ladies for Thai food. After dinner, my friend Joy and I went to Chili's to have a well-earned margarita with Jenn and Mel.
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