Hotel Bliss

So we are on a long stretch of hotel days and nights which is very interesting with 2 young boys. The first 3 nights we were in different places but now we are in the same hotel for a few nights, in Meadville, PA (aka home of the zipper). Today was an eventful day, Brady and I spent 3 full hours in the pool, ate at the Cracker Barrel, and had DQ for desert after an in room dinner. There are surly some challenges to this type of a life - we happen to have one pack-n-play set up in the bathroom which makes it a bit challenging to use the potty after 8.30 - there is the constant planning and thinking ahead to possible problems, the car naps, and the driving driving driving -- but honestly we are having a lot of fun. There are so many light little things that happen every day that keep us laughing and we are so happy to be together. Here are some funny things: I got Brady the Little People Noah's Arc toy - since we are in a hotel, I like to have one new thing to help entertain them and he loves animals. I've been saving them for Meadville since we're going to be here a while. He saw the box the first night and just stared at it, no fit or anything just staring at it. The next night he saw it and named all of the animals, then he kept asking Big Dad for them - "Big Dad" I want one of those zebras".... it was so cute and he was so patient. When we gave it to him tonight he was so happy. The other day when we were leaving McDonalds he saw a half sucked lollipop in the ashtray and tried to grab it. Today when we were leaving the pool it was so cold and Brady was running down the halls screaming in his Mr. Incredible swim suit. McKinley is starting to bite which shouldn't be funny but he laughs every time and it is so funny. Brady talks himself to sleep every night and says the funniest thing, usually he ends up putting himself in time out and apologizing to everyone he can think of. I don't know if these make you laugh but they fill my heart with happiness.

Trick or Treat

What a fun night. Brady, Mac and I went to my parents neighborhood for Trick or Treat.
This year was the best because Brady was actually old enough to care. In
fact, I had bought him a monkey costume like Mac's but while we were at
the Kjos' in Michigan he found a ,Mickey Mouse costume that fit
almost perfect and so I took the monkey back and he got to be his
favorite character. He couldn't have been happier. He really loves candy
now too so it was a double bonus. Since his hands were covered with
Mickey hands he had some trouble reaching into the baskets full of
candy but when he figured it out, he just kept grabbing and noone was
stopping him. It was so cute and funny. He was a little scared of kids
in masks and those with face paint but he was a good sport. He kept
saying, "Brady was scared, Pa was scared, Mommy was scared" - and he
was money with "Trick or Treat" - Mac and Kaiden were twin monkeys
riding around behind Brady. They kind of got ripped off since they
couldn't talk but some people managed to fill up their little basket. I
wonder who will eat that candy?

Jennifer Garner - my new BFF

Okay so perhaps I am a bit of a freak - but I love Jennifer Garner. For my birthday Liz gave me Alias season 1 - When Tony and I started watching it - we were totally addicted until we finished out season 5. For those who have not seen the entire series it is addictively awesome! We watched at least 2 episodes a day for a couple of months and were extremely sad when it ended. At one point I felt like I knew Sydney Bristow and her dad Jack. I wondered what was happening in the lives of Sydney and Michael Vaghun and at times I caught myself thinking of them. There is a slight obsession that comes from watching a show everyday. So when I saw Jennifer Garner on TV in MI - talking about her play on Broadway I wanted to go. Tony made it happen for me. The play was good - Cyrano - it was one of the cleaner shows we've seen. And the actors were just amazing. After it was all over during the standing ovation we made for the doors to get close enough for a pic. When she came out the door my heart was beating so fast. She was so nice and so pretty - and I said "Can I get a picture with you, you are so my favorite" and she said "awe, you are my favorite" -- ha ha -- isn't that so funny. So Jen, is my new BFF.... and I am a little bit of a stalker.

A day in The Big Apple

Tony and I love New York and we rarely get to go by ourselves, but when we do, oh the good times we have. We did so much yesterday and we had so much fun. We toured Radio City Music Hall and NBC studios and we went to the Top of the Rock... so fun. We met a Rockett and saw a show. It was a great Grown Up day. Jules was so great to watch the boys and Kay spent the night since we were home late. I am so thankful for the opportunities to do fun things like this. Tony is the best at making adventures happen.

A PA Fall

After Reading Ellie Chase's Ode to Fall I feel inspired to write one of my own. I do love the fall, the crisp air, the cool mornings the colorful leaves, the ending of another great summer. However the fall here as felt a little like fall and a little more like an unending summer. On Monday we had a Mops day at Ashcombe Farms - it was a sunny hot day. I think it was like 90 degrees. I wanted some cute pics of the boys next to pumpkins but it just looks funny with them in shorts and red hot faces. A few days later it was more like fall and I got some cute pics of them in the leaves in our front yard. That is the one thing that stinks about the fall. We literally have a million leaves to rake. Here is the start of a lot of work... Luckily it is a lot of fun for Brady.

A Great Sunday

This is the start of a series of blogs I've been meaning to write, so if you've gotten this far you are all caught up. Sorry for so much at once but you know how it is with kids and what not. This was such a great Sunday for several reasons. We got to go to church with my cousin Kari who attends Central Christian in Baltimore, MD. This is a significant church to my family because when we first decided to follow Jesus we attended here. Now they are in a beautiful bulding but at the time they met in a school. It was a really neat service. One surprise was that there was a guest speaker, a missionary nonetheless, Butch Frey from Mexico City. I was so excited! When I was at CBC I had the opportunity to go to dinner at the Frey house several times. We talked about life and missions and it was so awesome to hear him again. Afterward we got to chat with him in Pastor Terry's office while Tony and Pastor Joel talked about Montana. (so much conversation is generated because of MT). After that awesome moment we went to visit my cousin Shawn and his wife Steph who just had a baby girl named Miranda. She was so precious. After that we had lunch at my favorite restaurant The Macaroni Grill -- mmm ---My goal when I go is to drink as much Mango Tea and eat as much bread as possible. Then I eat a few bites of my meal and save the rest for lunch. It makes me happy just thinking about it!