Charity's Crazy Beautiful Life

Halloween 2009 - Favorites with a Spin

For the last few years, we've tried to find a theme for our Halloween costumes. This year we toyed around with some costumes where we'd dress up as a family.  I think we'll do that next year. But being in Okinawa made that hard this year because I didn't plan enough in advance. They don't celebrate Halloween here, so I had to get creative with costumes. And as the kids and I were discussing what they'd like to be, we talked about what their favorite things were. And came up with a costume based on one of their favorite things -- but with a bit of a twist. (All the pictures this Halloween were underneath our front porch, which is tiny, because it was pouring rain all night.)

Daziel loves the Twilight Book Series - as does most of the teenage population in America. He just recently read all four books in about a month's time. Then he watched the movie, Twilight, and liked it even more. So he decided he wanted to be Edward Cullen, the leading vampire, for Halloween.

This is Edward Cullen from the movie. So pale and handsome... with big hair and a cold stare.

This is Daziel's version - Edward MexiCullen.

Allyssa's favorite singer is undoubtedly Taylor Swift. You know, the teen, country pop singer, songwriter, actress who has all the young kids swooning?

This is Taylor Swift. Yes, THE Taylor Swift...with her blonde curly hair and sweet smile. 

This is Allyssa's version - Taylor Swift with a haircut.

(The heart Allyssa is making -- something Taylor always does.)

One of Colby's favorite TV shows is a cartoon called Ben Ten about a boy named Ben who has this watch that helps him transform into alien forms with unique powers so he can help the world. 

This is Ben, Ben Ten. What do I have to say about Ben? Well, he's Ten. (Right? What else does that ten stand for?)

This is Colby's version -- Ben Ten who's actually Seven.

Oh, the joys of Halloween...one of my most favorite holidays. And Craig and I always have fun with the kids and dress up too. Craig is usually some kind of Green Bay Packer Fan Fanatic...but this year, he was...

a mad scientist. Why? Well, he couldn't go out wearing his costume with the Brett Favre jersey, which made him a little "mad"...or... we just so happened to have this costume handy. He's such a good sport to dress up with the kids!

And me? Well, I was Momma Swift of course! Momma Swift dressed up in her tried and true witch costume (which Craig says suites me very nicely...ahem, thanks babe!! And yes, I'm aware that's not exactly a compliment! ;-)

Daz, and his buddy, Dakota...

Allyssa, and her friend, Allison...

And because Allyssa and I got so into her costume, I have to share just a couple more things...

The boots we came up with using a $4 pair of women's dress boots from the thrift store. Taylors Swift has a pair that look very similar. (Allyssa has a magazine that tells all about Taylor Swift.) These were a disgusting color of burgundy when we bought them. And they're not really cowboy (cowgirl) boots, the back actually has a bit of a heel.  But I painted them and cut the top of them to look like cowboy boots, and they just have the right pointed toe. Allyssa is SOOO in LOVE with her Taylor boots!

We put a piece of tape over her brother's guitar and then used a sharpie marker to "sign" Taylors name on it. Then we added a few teardrop stickers that we made because of Taylors song, "Teardrops on my Guitar".  Taylor loves hearts too. Do you notice the hearts on Allyssa belt, which we also customized from a thrift store find (it was pink and gold when we bought it for a quarter) and the heart and "T" charms on her necklace? Allyssa has read all about Taylor and knows all about what Taylor loves. So cute!

And after we got home from trick or treating in the rain, the at times pouring rain, my kids were tired and wet and ready for pizza and candy. But Allyssa was happy that her Taylor heart was still drawn on her hand. (Something Taylor actually does too.) Boy, my girl is Taylor crazy, isn't she?

 I can't believe that this is the fourth Halloween on my blog. If you'd like to see us the last three years, click below...

Zaleski Halloween 2008

Zaleski Halloween 2007

Zaleski Halloween 2006

Good night, and...HAPPY HALLOWEEN!!

I hope this makes you laugh...

I don't know about you...but in our family, we joke, and poke fun, and play around... ALOT!! We call each other nerd, geek, loser and dork -- and we know it's all in fun. And we're joking! No one walks away with hurt feelings. Sometimes I think we probably joke like this alot more than most families. That our family is probably filled with more pranks than most familes. I don't think it's bad. Actually, for us, it makes our family fun. We laugh. We think it's funny. But sometims I wonder, if others would think it's a little over the top.

Tonight, as I was doing the last of my Sunday evening routine with the kids, Craig started chuckling as he was on the computer checking emails. I asked why he was laughing. He read me this, an email from his daughter. (Yes, she is his daughter when she does things like this!) And, yes, I am talking about the same daughter that I just posted about in my last blog. Which is, yes, the same daughter that I sill picture in my minds eye, as my sweet-smelling, cuddly baby...who is usually considerate and kind. And I really can't believe that she even knows HOW to send an email. But what amuses me the most is that she would send one like this...

----------------------------------

From: allyssa

To: craig and daziel

Hi you guys. I noticed when I first met you that you guys are complete NERDS!!!!!!! I don't care what you say. Daddy- We need to have a tickle fight. Daz- You should practice hitting home runs on the Wii.
 Allyssa

P.S. I don't mean to be mean but you need some Listerene. Not a swallow but the whole dang bottle. (I am joking with all of this, so don't get all emotional.)

----------------------------------

Now, I laughed. And thought it was pretty stinkin' funny! And Craig obviously did too. And I think it's funny that she plays on her winning batting streak on the Wii and uses that angle with Daz, as she knows he'll probably be a little "sore" about it. Smart girl, I thought. Hey...I have brothers. I know how sibling rivalry goes. And it was all in the name of fun and laughs. That little P.S. thing that she said, by the way, came from a playground chant that she learned years ago...which we've already discussed is not that nice. But apparently, she has learned that being that nice with her dad and her brother does not apply? To which, again, I laughed.

 

Then I started to feel a little guilty. (And by the way, when I say "little", I mean little.) And then, I had to ponder my parenting skills for a little bit.  I started to wonder if my child was going to end up being one of those, you know, mean girls... which again started to worry me, a little.

 

To make myself feel better, I made her go do a chapter in her Sunday School book, say two Hail Marys, and apologize to her brother. (Her Dad? I think mybe he had it coming.) Ok, maybe I didn't make her do that. How could I, I laughed about it!?! But should I? Or maybe it is I who needs to be reading chapters out of Sunday School books and saying Hail Marys! Yes, indeed, I do!

 

Good night all!

 

As Requested...Beach Pictures - the Good Life!

Ok, I just want to let y'all know that I listen to your requests....you wanted beach pictures. So we drug ourselves out to do our Sunday outing and went to the beach. Just to please you, because some of you have been requesting Okinawa beach pictures. And oh, what a chore that was. (cough, cough) Going to the beach on a Sunday afteroon. (clearing throat) Oh yes, an almost unbearable way to spend our Sunday afteroon! (Uhum, you do detect all of the sarcasm, right? Ok, glad we're all on the same page, here.)

So as I was saying. We went to the beach. And this particular beach is on the army post that is right up the road from our air base.  It took us about 15 minutes to get there. And it has a little food shack, a water slide, and things you can rent like canoes and paddle boats. We had a good Sunday experiencing, yet again, some of what this lovely island has to offer.

The slide that my family had to try. Over. And over. And over and over and over again.

  

 

Note the Pacific in the background.

 

So, we have had a very busy last few days. I got brave and drove off base. And then did it again, and again, and again. And ooohhh, the're some reall great shopping to be had on this island of ours!! I also took the kids to a water park and the beach (but forgot my camera). We've moved our computer room and craft room upstairs to have a more spacious living room. I've painted two walls. Done seven loads of laundry. Went grocery shopping for the first time with a planned menu... restocking the pantry after you move is a chore! So, needless to say, we've been keeping busy.

But not too busy to keep us from our Sunday afternoon exploring.  And Torii Beach is definitely a spot that we'll be going back to!

 

And as we were getting ready to leave the beach today so we could attend Sunday evening mass (yes, Sunday evening mass! Very cool 'cause it means we get to sleep in on Sunday mornings!) and in good Zaleski style... Colby looked over and said to Allyssa, "How does that song go? I quit smoking, drinking and women? Or I quit drinking, smoking, and women". Yep, from a top 40 country song off of our beloved AFN network. We all had to laugh!

And if it makes you feel any better -- you know, that you don't live 15 minutes down the road from this beach -- 3 bugs walked across my computer screen as I was typing this post. And I've been hearing the geckos chirping as they're eating their yummy bug dinner. But then, if I share that with you, I have to share that my hubby gave me a foot massage as I was typing too, wouldn't I? Ok, ok, I know, enough already!

Sunday afternoon Zaleski exploring on Okinawa -- it's a good life!

Sunday afternoon exploring off base

I've gotten a few "nudges" from people who want to see pictures of things here in Japan other than our house. I get it...I get it...you are excited to see Japan too.  Well, in order for me to show you pictures of Japan, I had to get off base and see it for myself.  I hadn't been off base since the first night that Craig picked us up at the airport in Naha. So yesterday, our Sunday, we went off base for a few hours. It was the first day that we were all fully rested, feeling well, and...it was really fun to go do a little exploring as a family. 

 First off, the island of Okinawa isn't that big. But that being said -- there is ALOT of stuff to see and do here! We have not even begun...and I am not worried that we'll get bored during our three years here, that's for sure!

I'd also like to add that I wasn't the greatest photographer. We were just driving on Sunday, without much of an agenda, so these are all pictures I took from the car. We were just trying to see what was out there. And...I have no idea what I was taking pictures of.

I just wanted to give you a "taste" of what we were seeing -- but that was a little hard, because I was mostly gawking and forgetting to take pictures.  There was so much to see.

My friend, Monica, asked me if all the signs here are in Japanese or if most of them are in English too. Well, before I got here, I thought they'd be in both English and Japanese. But I was wrong. They were mostly in Japanese. Where we went yesterday was, anyhow. Which just adds to the fun, the adventure, and the discovery...in my opinion.

I took this picture to show you the shisa dragons sitting on either side of the gate. They flank the entryways to many buildings on and off base.  From what I learned in my orientation class last week, they are a decoration that are most often found in pairs and are similar to a gargoyle. The shisa is seen as a protector, and is believed to be good luck. They are abundantly seen on rooftops or doorways to buildings and homes on Okinawa. Interesting, I thought. I'll definitely need to leave here with my own set of these guys! (A smaller set, of course.)

I had to show you a picture of us driving on the left side of the road. Which actually hasn't taken that long to get used to. Except, of course, on my way to take Craig to work at 5:20 this morning. But hey, I was sleepy!! At least the road was empty. He had a good laugh over that! And I was very alert after that point, Mom... so don't worry, k?!!

As we were traveling off base, we passed several McDonald's. Which, I didn't even expect to see here. Darn, I thought I had escaped the American Fast Food trap, but alas, it has followed me to Okinawa, Japan.

And finally, we made it to our destination!! The 100 Yen Store!! 100 Yen is approximately one U.S. dollar so this store is supposed to be like a dollar store. But it was so much better than any dollar store I've ever stepped foot into!!

And sorry, there aren't any pictures of inside the store because I was entirely too enthralled with what I was seeing. I'll have to attempt that again another day! (Insert big cheesy grin at the thought of having an excuse to go to the 100 yen store again.) And believe it or not, even Craig enjoyed browsing around the store. Yes, you read that right. My husband who loathes, no, abhors shopping. He was pretty handy too. He found some S-hooks that I'd been needing for my pot rack that we couldn't find on base. Good job, honey! We also bought the kids a few Japanese snacks to try out. Oooh, what fun that was!! They were pretty good. 

And because my kids have been so intrigued by all of the vending machines, Craig did what any good dad would do and he let them each pick a drink from the vending machine outside the 100 Yen Store to go with their snack.

So, we spent our Sunday afternoon driving back to the base, drinking our vending machine drinks, eating our Japanese snacks, and listening to the top country countdown on Armed Forces Network (AFN). A great way to spend our Sunday afternoon! I have a feeling we'll be spending many more Sundays like this! 

6 days until Japan...

Do you remember when Craig bought me my van before he deployed last summer? Yes, this van...

I love this van! But, we aren't taking it to Japan with us. Alot of times in the military, when moving overseas, you take your vehicle with you. But taking your vehicle to Japan is not recommended. From what I've learned there are several reasons to this. First off, you drive on the other side of the road in Japan, so it costs alot to convert your vehicle. Second...it's an island and space is small - and American cars are not, AND, and island gets lost of saltwater so things rust. So after finding all of that out, and that the Air Force will store our van for us in a really nice storage facility (and pay for it) while we are gone, AND, island vehicles aren't too expensive...we decided to store our van while we're gone.

So today, Colby and I spent a good portion of our morning cleaning our van out and getting it ready for storage.

And oh boy, did this picture remind me of his daddy. He looks so big in this picture (literally...it must be the angle). And, if his dad were here (and not already in Japan) -- this would totally be his job. Craig would happily take on this chore. So I don't know if it's because my youngest really is a mini-me of Craig, or that he walks and talks just like him too, or that it's been almost four months since I've seen him and I'm just really missing him...(probably a good mixture of all of that)...but cleaning the car out with Colby today sure did make me miss my husband.

But Craig isn't here. And I'm not going to dwell on that, because we will see him soon. But today, Colby was here...and he was happy to help! He's such a good helper! So we cleaned and detailed our van becausee when you store a vehicle for three years, they want it REALLY clean before you turn it in. I guess for a few reasons. So they can make note of the damages already to it before they take responsibility for it. But also, 'cause you'd hate to leave a Mickey D's french fry under your seat for three years, to come back to a car infested with ants, right?

Not only was Colby willing, but he was good and thorough! Man I love that kid! So, we did other things today too. Spent two hours at the vet getting my dog's Health Certificate... but that's a whole other story. We went to Allyssa's first showcase show, but again... that's a whole other story too.  I even did some laundry and started packing up the rest of our stuff that hasn't been packed here, because we leave here tomorrow. But again, a whole other story. So, I guess, for tonight, I get to tell you that ...

six days before we left for Japan I cleaned out my van with my six-year-old. Who was happy to help. And good at it too!

7 days until Japan

Yes, I am counting down the days until I get to give my hunky husband a hug. Until I get to see my new home. Until I'm no longer picking my clothes out of a suitcase. No, I'm not counting the hours and minutes...but I feel like I should be. It's been almost four months since my dear husband left for Japan. We NEVER thought that this move would take the turns that it has, or, that we would be apart this long. But, it is what it is. And here we are today, still a strong family... after all of this. We are so super excited to be reunited again soon. And because of that excitement, I know that this week could be one of the longest week's of my life. But, fortunately for me, I have a lot of things I must do before we catch our flight Sunday afternoon that will keep me busy and distracted.

Today...I spent the majority of my day (after doing some laundry and making some important phone calls) helping my sister, Ange, set up shop. Yes, Ange is the sister who does the wedding flowers. And for the past four-ish years, she's done them out of her home. But, she has recently decided to start a new venture and open up an actual brick and mortar store...

where she will not only do wedding flowers, but where she will have retail things to sell...alot of homemade things. Because, she is also very artsy and makes amazing things. Like jewelery and really amazing altered collages...and she is now needing a bigger place to make/display these items. But she also thinks that she will be able to do some events centered around her artistic abilities. Some classes and parties...workshops. And, I think that the college town she lives in is the perfect backdrop for such a business. And I also think that she is capable of making it work. Her product (her creativity) is definitely marketable! It has already proven to be!

So, today, we worked on this two-room shop. One room will be her flower shop/retail space. The other room will be where she holds classes/workshops/parties. These pictures are of the blank slate, the before. In this aspect, my sister and I are alot alike. So today, it was alot of fun getting to help be creative, and to help her set up something she has dreamt about for a while. I know it will be a success...I only wish I lived close enough to help for longer and more often.  But, at last, Japan awaits. I leave here (the Spokane, WA area) Wednesday night to head to my Mom's for a few days. Tomorrow I will need to work on packing up my suitcases and tying up a few lose ends. But today, today I got to hang with my sister...and play. What a good day!

Enjoyable Evening

 

Yes, an enjoyable evening indeed! With Aunt Kimmie and Uncle Lance...and cousins Madisen and Chloe and "The Andy Griffith Show".  

This week we're staying with my sister, Kim, in Portland (Oregon, not Maine).  I know, I know...you are all wondering how many darn sisters I have (if you're not one of them :-) I'll fill you in on that later. Right now I want to tell you that my kids went to bed very excited tonight. Because tomorrow night Uncle Lance is taking the boys to a Portland Beavers baseball game and Kim and I are taking the girls to the mall to shop.  With money they earned by setting up a spa and charging us old and aching adults $2 for massages. You know they earned bank on that one!!

Side Note:  I just watched Grey's and it made me cry tonight. And I'm FAR FROM a tv crier. I don't cry at Hallmark commercials, or Lifetime movies (heck, I don't even watch those!)...I didn't even cry when I watched Marley and Me! But for whatever reason, I cried tonight. Izzy Stevens made me cry. 

Anyhow, it was a very nice night...crying and all! I hope you had an enjoyable evening as well! Nighty night. Over and Out! Hasta Pasta.

We're in Vancouver -- WA -- not B.C.

We drove to the other side of Washington on Tuesday. To Vancouver, Washington.

(We saw this on our way here...

and, well, several other mountains that look similar to this one. Do you know which mountain this is?)

So as I was saying...we traveled to Vancouver on Tuesday. Honestly, we're not even in Vancouver. We're in a town outside of Vancouver called Battle Ground. And if I want to be even more honest with you (which I do), we're not really in Battle Ground either. We're outside the city staying with my little sister, Alisha. In the country. And I don't have much Internet time out here.

I'll try to get more Internet time in the next week so I can share more fun stuff about our crazy PCS (Permanent Change of Staton for all you nonmilitary folk).  In the meantime, know that we are enjoying our visit and the great outdoors by doing things like...

taking a nature hike

 

feeding ducks, and watching baby chicks hatch. For real. Busting out of their shells. (Hey, what numb skull forgot that camera for that one?) I hope you've been up to some exciting stuff too!

Beware: this post talks about puke! (But only a little.)

Today, my friends, I could share with you about my day...about how I took the kids to Hannah Montana: The Movie, how we all liked it, and how it was much better than I thought it would be. Or, I could tell you about how I attempted to take the kids to Saturday Night Mass. How, after being there for five minutes, Daziel told me he was sick to his stomach and puked at the back door as we were hurriedly trying to find him a bathroom. My poor boy! Or, I guess I could tell you about how Colby decided to join Daziel and now both of my boys have been sick all night long.

But no -- no, no, no. I won't do that to you. I won't go into those gory details. Instead, because neither of those topics sounds exciting or enticing... (And because I was missing my husband and going through pictures from when we were in Wisconsin and happened upon some funny pictures that are much nicer than talking about puke!) Today I share with you this:

 

And yes, this is how we -- we who lived in the South for almost four years-- dressed in the freezing cold Wisconsin weather while we were there.

Did I mention that while we were there we stayed with Craig's sister, Tracey? His happiest sister?

 

Well, yeah, ok, she is his only sister...his only sibling for that matter.

But just look at that smile. Doesn't she look happy? She's always smiling! No joke, Tracey is one of the smiliest (is that a word?) people I know.  Especially for pictures. Which makes me smile, and laugh, because that is SOOO the opposite of her brother. Oh, I'm not talking about the happy part. Craig can be a pretty jovial kind of fella. He just doesn't ever smile for pictures. He could be in the greatest of moods, but when a picture is taken, his smile disappears. Which means that we have a ton of pictures where Craig looks -- mad and annoyed. Which again, makes me laugh!  

Do you see Tracey's daughter, our niece? That's Mariah, and her red hair is for real! I think she is one of the cutest red-heads I have ever seen! 

   

On one of those cold, February evenings while we were visiting in Wisconsin, we took the kids out to play in the snow. Which kind of excited Craig and I, who had both grown up playing in the snow. It excited the kids too, because we hadn't seen snow in years!

 

Then our nephew, Matt, got out his four-wheeler.  Which enticed Craig to get out a four-wheeler. And what do you do in the snow with a four-wheeler? Well, you pull a kid on a tube, of course!!

  

Which of course enticed me to take pictures of that kid on the tube. But these pictures, they just didn't do. So, I climbed on the back of that four-wheeler, held onto my beloved camera with one hand and tried to hold onto my beloved husband with the other.

 

Hold on, Colby!

 

Aaaah, Craig, slow down....

yes, I know he's smiling...but I'm falling...

No, he didn't slow down or stop whipping around just because I was sitting backwards on the back of that four-wheeler. He didn't slow down for Colby either.

 

So we lost him.

Which means that Colby wasn't smiling any more.

  

So Craig did what any good father would do. He consoled his son.

Then asked, "Who's next?"

Gosh I miss him!

Gosh I miss that butt!!

(Ok, ok, sorry! He's been gone for a month.)

Mostly, I'm glad that I didn't have to talk any more puke tonight!

Hotel Homeschooling

So, since we've been on the road indefinitely, I've been homeschooling the kids.

When we pulled them out of school on February 13th, we knew they'd miss about a month. They're kind of lucky because they went to a military school and are headed to another military school... and you see, these military school's were ok with that. Not that they encourage absences.  They do, however, realize that we military kind live far from our families.  Which means that when we have the chance to go visit, even if it's in the middle of a move, we go visit!  

So plan A, when we were originally planning this military move, was to let the kids have a month off of school.  We would travel across the country visiting family, fly across the Pacific, land in Japan, and immediately enroll them in their new military school.  All would be well. But you probably know as well as I do that life hardly ever allows us to use Plan A. 

So about the time we were leaving Montgomery on the 13th of February, because we still didn't have Daziel's passport, I started thinking of Plan B.

Some of you may not know that the first year we lived in Montgomery I homeschooled the kids. Because of that, and our love of books,we have a nice little library of school books and games. Thankfully, in my Plan B thinking mode, I loaded up one whole suitcase of those types of things, some more relevant curriculum books, and their devotionals thinking that if I needed to, if things didn't work out as planned, I could homeschool the kids until we could make it to Japan. Ha!

The first week or two we were on the road I was pretty lax about it. I mean, we were on "vacation" and technically, I could always call it their "spring break", right? But as I saw the days on the calendar pass on with still no sign of a passport, I decided that I'd better hunker down and try to edjumicate my childrens a bit.  I mean, if I didn't, they could ultimately be doomed. They could be missing an important piece of the puzzle that could wind up creating a ripple effect. And for all I know, they could end up getting held back, or forget how to read, or get to the 10th grade and realize they didn't know anything about anything...all on account of missing a month or two of school "that year we moved to Japan". Oh, I know, I know. You're telling me I'm being a little bit melodramatic with all of this. What I really didn't want is for their brains to get dusty. I didn't want them to get out of the routine and discipline of school, and really, what else was I going to do with them ALL DAY EVERY DAY if I didn't?

We homeschool wherever we are staying during the week, and this week, it just so happens that we're staying in a hotel. So this morning after learning all about the Iditarod, we moseyed our way down to the hotel laundry room.

  

No, I didn't have unrealistic hopes of teaching the kids the mechanical workings of these washers. I just had a week's worth of laundry to do. So I filled up every single one of these washers and then...

 

we read...

  

in the laundry room of a hotel. Because that...that is our life right now.

Merry Vacation -- Day 1 & 2

Ok, so we got here and originally were going to wait until the 19th to go to Disney and wait for Craig's sister and her family to arrive (they flew in on the 18th). But we got word that they might be delayed due to weather, so we went ahead and started our Disney adventures yesterday...the 18th.

 

And of course we started out with The Magic Kingdom. Please excuse Colby in any pictures...if he doesn't look happy...it's because he gets moody about getting his picture taken. He is having a blast, though.

We all are. It's been two full days of parks and we're having so much fun. After doing about half of The Magic Kingdom yesterday, we decided to take a different route and do The Animal Kingdom today. We have seen and done so much already! Rides, shows, pin trading, safari's, character autographs, and have spent time with family.

 

And Craig has found his favorite ride...a roller coaster that has made him a lover (he's not been a huge fan of them before today)...

 

A ride all about this mountain. A pretty big mountain, right? Well, it's a pretty big ride too. And I heard it was pretty stinkin' cool! I mean, Craig wouldn't quit telling me how cool it was. I didn't find out for myself.  You see, Colby and I didn't ride it. I mean, somebody had to stay back and take the pictures...right?

Can you spot them?

 

How about now?

 

So yes...we're having a blast...we hope your days have been just as merry.

inTENtions

Howdy, y'all -- it's been a long time. And how perfect is this post that I have logged on to post several times (to get called away by phone calls, forgotten appointments, childrens questions) but to say -- I've got good intentions. Really, I do...

 

Today I'd like to share with you a reason for celebration in the Zaleski household.  TEN years ago today (yes, I intended to post this last week on the 4th...so yes, it's ten years and a week - go us!), Craig and I got married.  That's right, it's our TEN YEAR anniversary! It's so weird to think that ten years ago, when we were 19 and 23, we got married in a small town in North Dakota...amongst snow and sweaters and a few loved ones...

unsure of where the road would lead -- we believed in life, love and probably a bit of libido.  And here we are, still standing together, still believing in those three things. But today, ten years later, we believe in a few other things too.  Craig and I now believe in living intentionally.  We are now a little older, a little wiser, and quite a bit more mature -- which means that we know that we have to get up every day and make the choice to be happy in our marriage, because marriage is often times hard work. And sometimes painful. But in this last ten years, we've learned that if you make the intentional choice to be happy, even on the bad days, it's good.  Because a marriage built on intention: an intentional willingness to make the good times great and to work through the bad times so the good times are that much better, that's a marriage to be proud of!  It's taken Craig and I a while -- and many of you have witnessed us learning, and growing and figuring it out along the way -- but we have and we're proud today to say -- TEN.  How long have you ben married? "Ten years!"  Thanks for your support and love along the way!

Speaking of intentions, I wanted to let you know I'm out of my "writing funk",and I intend to be blogging alot more to fill you in along the journey of... a trip to Disney World for Christmas and a move to Japan. Stay tuned, it'll be a crazy, beautiful journey. And thanks to a digital camera, a laptop, and a renewed desire to write, I intend to share that journey with you!  

Halloween -- "When I Grow Up"

So...do you remember a while back when I asked for some Halloween Help in choosing our costumes? Well, you all came up with some good costumes. And for a bit I thought that we were going as the Adams Family.  Then...I thought maybe the kids would go as Frankenstein, the bride of Frankestein and the crazy doctor. But nope. Not my kids.  They wanted to be...

   

a Nerd...

   

a Cowgirl...

 

a Biker...

 

and a Packer Fan in denial. Oh, oops...Craig isn't one of the kids...

 

I know, I know...you can't tell by this picture!!

Me? I was a Gypsy Photographer.  And being such, I was behind the camera pretty much all night. So...that was us on Halloween. Pretty much sums us up, eh?  And since my kids didn't want to do a family theme this year, I decided to give theme their costumes...so I'm calling this the "When I Grow Up" Halloween.  I've got more cute pictures and funny stories to share, but I'm going to save that for another night. Because the kids are having a mock election tomorrow at school and I've got to get Colby registered to vote. He can't vote without his voters registration card (we log on online and print it out) and he's bugging me about it.  It's so cute how into this election my kids are!!

So...if YOU are registered...don't forget to VOTE tomorrow!!!

Do You Know the Preamble??

Did you ever have to learn the Preamble in school? I don't know if I did -- but if I did -- I forgot it. Or...it was remembered in that part of my brain that only functions at 2am and wakes me from a dead sleep with a cobwebby grogginess...

(yes, I've got sleeping problems, people)...

So, Craig got home and was happy to be home and to see all of us. We were overjoyed to see him and the kids mauled him and tackled him and tickled him for about a day straight.   And then, they went back to school and we...SLEPT!  He was jetlagged and had sinus issues the first couple of days he was home. I got my sinus infection back and was running a fever then too. So, we basically slept for two and a half days. How romantic, hmnn?  But I'm still enjoying his all-day compay (he hasn't had to go back to work yet)...and we feel much better and very rested! 

Now we're all back to feeling somewhat normal and have been helping Daziel with his homework. I tell ya, 6th grade is really a family affair! Daz has WORLD HISTORY this year. He can earn extra credit tomorrow if he can recite the Preamble. So, for HOURS tonight (my son has a really hard time memorizing things) we listened to this and sang this song so he can recite it tomorrow. He NEEDS these extra credit points! 

And let me tell you -- the Preamble is NO LONGER in the cobwebby 2am parts of my brain.  Since I sang this School House Rock song about 50 million times tonight (no, I NEVER exaggerate) -- it's now in the "I'm stuck in your head and will still be stuck in your head when you wake at 2am, 6am, and will still be stuck next week" part of my brain.  With that said, we LOVED School House Rock the year I homeschooled, and we love it still.  If you haven't heard it, click on the links. It's worth a listen. And you never know...you might just learn the Preamble...

PREAMBLE

We the people of the United States,

in order to form a more perfect union,

establish justice, insure domestic tranquility,

provide for the common defense,

promote the general welfare and,

secure the blessings of liberty

to ourselves and our posterity,

do ordain and establish

this Constitution

for the

United States of America.

A Countdown Chain...It's A Good Thing!

So, a while back, when I was displaying my daughter's Sweet Bottom, my sister posted a comment asking what that chain is in the background.  And now...the answer.

This is the doorway between our living room and our dining room.  And that chain that is hanging there is our "Countdown Chain".  The kids and I made it the day that Craig left.  And this chain is simply the kind of chain you used to make at Christmas time for decoration.  But this time we made it to count down the days until Craig comes home. 

At first, I decided to do this with the kids that evening as a distraction, a way to keep from being too upset that we had just watched Daddy leave for his deployment.  This Countdown Chain is something I did with the kids when Craig deployed when they were younger...because back then, they didn't have such a firm grasp on the concept of months and days. It was more visual and helped them figure it out better. And back then, it worked like a charm. Although, this time around, I had my doubts. I wasn't sure if this constant reminder of how many days Daddy would be gone would be a good thing or not. Would it help them to see time going by? Or would it be a constant reminder that he is gone, and we have x amount of days until he comes home? I wasn't sure. But I figured, it worked before, I'd give it shot.  Worst case scenario, I'd have to take it down.  Luckily, that didn't have to happen...

So...every night, part of our bedtime routine is to take one more link off of the chain.  When we first put it up (I should have gotten a picture of it then, darn it!) It hung all the way to the floor on both sides of the doorway. And on the left side, it even puddled a bit.  So, over the course of the summer it's been good for the kids to see their chain shrinking. 

They get excited when they've noticed that it's "halfway up the wall" or that it's "halfway gone". And it was fun when we had our summer guests; even Grandma, Kelly, and Amy  got in on the action and were excited every night to see the a link come off the chain.

Just the other night they got to reminiscing about how it used to look, how long it was when it started, how few we have left to take off. And to me, that's a positive.  Much better than dwelling on the fact that we still have a month to go; that Daddy will still be gone for about 30 more days.

So that's it folks.  Our Countdown Chain.  It's three-fourths of the way done.  As hard as it has been to go four months without Craig here, we've tried to make the best of it. And this Countdown Chain has definitely helped!

How did we make it?

I chose to use brightly colored, patterned cardstock from Stampin' Up that had different patterns printed on both sides.  This is the kind of paper I use for scrapbooking.  You don't have to do that. You could use construction paper, or whatever kind of paper you have on hand. I decided to use paper that would be bright, cheery, fun, and would match my decor...well...because that's me.  And I figured that if I was going to look at this chain for four months, that I might as well like looking at this chain for four months! But by all means, if you plan to do this, use what you have on hand.  In the end, you're just going to be throwing it away night by night anyways. 

So, after choosing the paper we liked, we came up with a pattern.  We figured out how man days  Craig would be gone (this is approximate, since we still don't know exactly when Craig will be home -- I have some extra links to add to our chain if that need arises), and how many links we would need.  When the kids realized that it was going to be 120, they got a bit overwhelmed about how many links we were going to have to make.  So, I had them take turns helping me.  First, I cut strips 1/2 inch thick and 6 inches long.  Then, I let the kids help me build the chain.  We just looped them through each other and used a stapler to fasten it.  Simple.  It took a while sheerly because of the length of our chain.  But all in all, it was a fun project.  A good way to distract the kids (and me too, probably) the first night Craig was gone. And a good way to positively keep track of how long he's been gone and when he'll be home.

A Countdown Chain...it's a Good Thing!

Relay Proud!

Have you been watching the Summer Olympics?  I have, and it has been exciting!  I love the Olympics, but especially the summer games! I get a little obsessed every four years during the two and a half weeks that the games are aired on my television. I don't think I turn it off! I love watching it with my kids, keeping track of the medal count, researching the athletes, the sports, and the countries.  We love sharing in the excitement of the games and the pride of our country; we think it's so exciting!  And, if you hadn't already guessed, my favorite events in the Summer Olympics are in the swimming pool.  And they are even more so this year since we spent a good portion of our summer in the pool.  My kids loved being on the base swim team and I loved to watch them love it!  We loved the team, we loved the meets, we loved our coaches!  We love the sport and the excitement; and what we love even more was that it was the perfect introduction to the 2008 Summer Games.

So...what has been your favorite part of these Olympic games so far? Mine?  Hands down, no questions asked, it was the Men's 4 x 100 Meter Free Relay that Michael Phelps began and Jason Lezak finished to win gold for the US! 

  

Did you get to see that? If not, GO HERE NOW! When you get to this link, click the "Play Now" button, and spend a few minutes watching the most amazing relay, and what I think is the most proud US moment in these Olympics as of yet. 

Now, as I'm sure you can guess, I'm proud for "our boys", our US team, for Michael Phelps who still has a chance to get 8 gold medals, for Jason Lezak who set a world record, for this whole relay team who was so calm and collected, but still kicked some hiney and beat France...who deserved to get beat for talking some smack.  (Gotta love that!)  But it also made me proud because my kids got SO excited about it!  They loved it so much too!  And, in some small way, they could relate.  They swam relays this summer on swim team.  And they "got it"..the importance of the race.  And I love watching the passion my kids have for this sport translate into their excitement to watching these Olympics.  That, mixed with their pride for their country is so fun to watch...

and it reminded me of another relay this summer!  Allyssa's Girls 7-8 Girls Freestyle Relay in her City Championship Swim Meet.  And now, in the spirit of being proud, I'm going to spend a minute bragging up my girl and talking about her last relay of the summer...if you don't mind.

Allyssa has always loved the water. Has taken to it like a fish. And this summer, she found out that she not only loves the water, but the water loves her...she is a pretty talented and athletic swimmer.  She is great at the backstroke...

And she really loves the breast stroke.

 

But what she's best at...is being part of a team.  Her girls relay team came in first place all summer long!

But at the City Championships, the little girl on the right couldn't swim in their relay team.  So they had to put another little girl in there. One that is a good swimmer too, but hasn't been on their relay team all summer.  And, for the first time, at City Championships, they weren't sure if they'd take first place.  Now, you see, I get that this wasn't a gold medal.  I also get the value of teaching my children good sportsmanship, and that winning isn't everything. I think that my children are quite good, and have pretty much mastered those skills, actually.  But I also know that in a competitive sport, for a competitive person, that drive to win comes out.  And my daughter is competitive.  She's a perfectionist...in short, she likes to win; but most importantly, she likes to do her best!  As her mother, I try to keep a handle on that "want to win" and "need to be perfect" part of her, because she is only eight-years-old...and I know that only so much of that is healthy, but I also don't want to sell her short of victory.

So...it was the City Championship Swim meet, and the last race of the evening.  Allyssa and her relay team were getting ready.  Her coach told her, "Allyssa, I know you haven't been swimming as long as these other girls and this is new to you, but I put you in as our anchor.  You're going to finish up this race.  And we might be behind this time around, but I know you can do something about that! You're a very strong swimmer.  For now, do what you do well...you cheer the other girls on and get them pumped up, and then you can finish strong. I believe in you, I know you can do it!"  (Her coach was awesome, by the way!)  After I heard him tell her that, I just gave her a quick hug and whispered in her ear, "You can do it girlie! Give me a good story to tell Daddy when he calls tonight -- make him proud!"

And oh, did she! We started out the first leg of the race with the other little girl that got thrown into the relay team last minute.  There were eight lanes, and they were in 7th place as she finished her leg.  Now, the other two little girls that were swimming have been on the year-round swim team and are fantastic!  And they were the second and third swimmers to take to the water...each passing a swimmer, catching our team up to 6th and then 5th place.  A huge feat and very exciting!! And during that time, our whole team was cheering and yelling, knowing the potential of our little girls!  Knowing that our base team has never been looked at as "a team to be reckoned with", but this time around, we want to show them what we can do.  And the last four swimmers in the relay were fairly close, and we were right behind them!  And then, it was Allyssa's turn... 

(*Note - this picture is from a different race. I was too busy yelling and screaming cheering during this last relay to take pictures.)

So, she busted off the block -- dove in the water and took off.  Perfect form, perfect determination, and my little girl swam that leg of that race so perfectly!  She passed not one, not two, but three swimmers!  I was yelling, the boys were yelling, her coach was yelling, and it looked like she almost had it; her and the the girl that was in first place were neck and neck!  And...

Allyssa didn't make first place.  The other little girl beat her by some tenths of a second.  But when she slapped the wall, that didn't even matter. What place she took was far from my mind.  What mattered to me was that, even though they didn't win, it felt like they did! Because really, for her, she did win! She swam the best race..one that she will forever be proud of! The last race of her first swim season, and it was awesome! So awesome, that after she climbed out of the pool...

the guy that runs the year-round swim team got me a brochure and encouraged me to have her come try out for the "Barracudas" swim team and do this year round!  Exciting! She wants to do it.  And after watching these summer Olympics, she asked me the other night, "Mom, could I be in the Olympics some day?  I mean, would I be allowed?" I smiled and told her, "Yes, you'd be allowed.  But you'd have to be really super good...and...you just never know, Allyssa.  You have to be the best of the best.  But it definitely is a dream worth having!"  I think I'll encourage it. I think it's a good thing! A good dream, and she makes me proud! Her determination, her drive, her love for what she does.  And the other night when we were watching Michael Phelps and his relay team barely beat France, we remembered...I remembered...that last night of City Championships when Allyssa made me proud, really proud, relay proud!

Ideal Summer Swim Team Mornings...

 

If you don't know this about me already, let me say, I am NOT a morning person! Ask my mother, ask my husband, ask my children.  I am just a programmed Night Owl. I get alot accomplished at night and I enjoy sleeping in.  This all has to do with my sleeping cycle and my sleep disorder, which is another story for another time.  So, I guess you'd say that summer would have been the perfect time to have had many late nights and lots of sleeping in kind of mornings.  And since I had just graduated and wasn't going to have homework, and we didn't have any hectic routines we had to be on...my summer dream was to do alot of relaxing, reading, and enjoying my summer flowers.  But, then...plans changed...

You see, I usually sign my kids up for swim lessons during the summer. But last summer I noticed something -- they were kind of -- um -- over it. I mean, they loved the swimming part.  They loved the pool. And the water.  And they loved learning new stuff. But, they had pretty much mastered what they needed to at swim lessons.  So, this summer, I decided to sign them up for Swim Team.  The kicker...they would swim Monday through Friday from 6:30 - 8:00am. And this started THE DAY after they got out of school.  No break.  And...they would have to do it on the base, which is fifteen minutes from the base annex, where we live.  Which meant, in order for my kids to swim, I was going to have to get up at 5:30 every morning to get them to swim team on time.  And on top of that, my husband deployed for the summer.  My friends who know that I'm not a morning person told me, "Charity, you're nuts!  Craig's gone, it's ok to give yourself a break for the summer"...or, "Are you nuts!? You are going to get up that early all summer long? You hate mornings!" 

But here's the deal.  I don't really hate mornings! I got up early, super early, for five years when I did home daycare and had to have my home open for business at 6:30am.  I used to prefer the 6am-2pm shift when I did shift work.  I am not a grumpy person in the morning.  I don't have to drink three cups of coffee, smoke two cigarettes or run five miles (obviously :-) to wake up.  Nope, not me. I just have to want to crawl out of my cozy, warm bed.  (Among a few other sleep disorder things, which I will get to another day, I promise, because I know you all really want to know more about how I sleep!) And this summer, swim team did that for me. It made me want to get out of bed; I looked forward to swim team mornings.  And not just because I got an hour and a half to do what I wanted, without having to watch kids, answer to kids, or deal with kids. Although, that helped. Not just because I had an hour and a half to read a book, take a walk, or sit and talk with another pool mom, although, that too was a plus.  But because, these swim team mornings were so calm.  Even though there were usually about fifty kids in the pool, all you could usually hear was the quiet and constant splash, splash, splash of the water as the kids were swimming lap after lap after lap.  And there is something about waking up to the bright sun beating on the blue water and watching your kids, so gracefully, glide through the pool, stroke after stroke after stroke. It was a nice way to start the day.  Until of course...

Colby runs walks really fast by and jumps in, trying to splash me and get me wet! 

And then laughs about it...

And then looks at me and gives me that Colby grin!  But that only lasts for a few seconds, and then even the youngest member of the Maxwell Sea Hawks Swim Team is back off to swim. 

And you know, it's been a week now since Swim Team has been over.  A week since I had to get up at 5:30am.  A week I've spent staying up late and sleeping in and "enjoying the last few days of summer".  A week of not having to worry about ravenous kids who acted as if they'd eat everything in my entire kitchen (because swimming REALLY DOES do that to kids).  A week of remembering how much I loved my swim team mornings.  A week of being thankful that I had that routine to ground us while Craig is gone.  A week of being grateful that the kids had a nice way to tire them out, give them something to look forward to, and a positive way to start their day.  And...I miss it.  I was happy to be up at 5:30 am.   I'd do it again in a heartbeat...for those ideal  Summer Swim Team Mornings.

Sharpied Swimmers

 

First, I must forewarn you that you might hear alot about swim team in the next couple of days. So...lets start out with a part of swimming that I loved, that really had nothing at all to do with the sport, but more with the team spirit.  Can I say that I LOVED that I got to draw all over my kids for swim meets?  I mean, how many of you did that when you were younger?  When Amy was here visiting, we even discussed that...how we used to "tattoo" ourselves with sharpies when we were teen agers.  (I won't tell you about the time we pierced our belly buttons with safety pins, or when we...not today anyhow).  For swim team, I got to relive that experience. The drawing on backs with sharpies part. (No piercing, I promise.)  And, I loved it! I took my box of sharpies to every meet, and was usually met with at least a few more little ones (besides my own) who were lined up to get "marked up".  How many other Moms out there would love to draw all over your kids with Sharpie markers?  Come on, I want a head count, I'm not really that messed up, am I? Ok, ok, don't answer that!   

Ok, stop for a moment and look at that tush.  I mean, goodness gracious!! He's only FIVE, people, FIVE!! I know I'm gonna be in for it when he's older. He already has all the little girls chasing after him.  Man alive, he's gonna give me gray hairs soon! 

So, all summer, the kids wanted me to write...EAT MY BUBBLES...on their backs for their swim meets.  I couldn't bring myself to do it.  A little too cocky...or I'm a little too superstitious and thought it'd bring them their "worst game"...or, maybe it was a little too over that line -- you know the one.  But then, at this weekends City Championships (which I'm sure to go into more in depth tomorrow) I saw several parents wearing these t-shirts.

 

Apparently, in the world of swimming, their isn't that line, and I need not worry about it anymore...maybe?

 

Big Kids -- Big Bubbles

Objects in rear view mirror may appear closer than they are...errhhh...I mean...objects are closer than they appear...errhhh...does anybody know the difference between those two phrases?  Extra points if you can name that song. Well, anyways, what I really meant to say was...bubbles shown in pictures are life size and so much fun!  Even for some big kids!

  

An afternoon of summer fun with big kids and big bubbles!

 

Adorable Entrepreneurs

 

Allyssa and Colby spent pretty much all day outside hanging out with some of our back yard neighbors. 

My friend and neighbor, Kristi, was great today!  I had such a sinus headache and she had my kids over to hang out and play with her kiddos on her big blow up slide for a good portion of the day  She's got four; and all of our kids get along fabulously!  And today, Allyssa and Kristi's two youngest daughters decided they needed to make some money. So...they set up a Lemonade stand and "went to work"... 

chanting "lemonade for sale, only 50 cents, lemonade for sale, only 50 cents, lemonade..." all afternoon. So much that it drew me out of my house enough to get a little fresh air and a glass for myself. 

I must say, Kristi is a great neighbor to have!  She was such a life saver today.  Because my kids would have been so bored and bummed since I was really not feeling that great.  We have been spending alot of time with her and her family because her husband is deployed right now too.  Another good thing about living on base, we have each other to lean on.

Meet Leah, she is sweet, and adorable and such a princess girly-girl. 

And here's Tony.  She's the rock star -- all attitude and sass!

They're both great kids and Allyssa really enjoys playing with them. I think because they adore her so much and let her boss decide what they're gong to do. 

And of course, you already know my Adorable Allyssa.

So today... the girls decided the lemonade stand would be fun.  They were so cute!!

And when a big Suburban pulled up filled with tons of big kids getting back from an afternoon at the pool (Kristi with a load of neighborhood kids which included my Daz man, her older two, and most of the other older kids in the neighborhood), the girls had a line of enthusiastic customers. (What good big kids to come home chanting "lemonade, lemonade, lemonade") and making the girls feel so special!

So they went through their line of customers, and made quite a bit of money.

What Adorable Entrepreneurs!!!

 

Biscuts, Baseball and Memories

Last week while Amy was here visiting, we went to a Biscuits game. You know, our local AA Southern League ball team.  

The game was great!! We had a ton of fun.  We sat right behind third base and a foul ball (line drive that was super duper fast) almost hit me and Amy.  It was about an inch low and got lodged in the seats in front of us.  Crazy scary.  But Colby was so excited about it and got to keep the ball.  He was SOOO darn cute! 

 

After that, he went and sat down right behind the dugout and watched the rest of the game.  He was cute and cheering and so into it!!!  And because he was…one of the guys from the dugout went and got a broken bat and gave it to him.  Oh my, did that make his night!

Amy and I really enjoyed it!!  We used to play ball together, way back in the day.  We sat there talking and reminiscing all while enjoying the game and watching my kiddos enjoy the game.  And there's something to be said for AA Southern League ball games!  Lots of down home, good southern spirit!  And as the sun set and the sticky air settled into a slight breeze, we sat back and enjoyed the game, some old memories, and making some new ones!

Stay Tuned

I just wanted to let you all know that we're having bad storms down here today.  I've been trying to ward off (somewhat unsuccessfully) a migraine for the past week or so, and now Daz seems to have a stomach thing going on.  Please forgive my absence from the blog, but it may take a day or two (or ten, who knows) to regroup.  I'll post more when I'm feeling better, am not running to a bed side with a towel and a bowl, and feel that it's safer to stay on the computer without threat of being electrocuted.  Happy Happy Joy Joy in the Zaleski Abode!!

And just so  we're not that big of a summer bummer, I had to share a swimming picture.

(Colby and Allyssa at their first swim meet -- both getting ready to tag off on their relay.  They don't compete against each other, but there were enough lanes in the pool, that they were swimming at the same time.  There will be more swim pictures soon, because my kids have totally gotten into it.  The boys both asked for "jammers", which are the boys Speedo swim trunks that look like bike shorts and Allyssa even wears a swim cap now.  They are too funny!  And so into it.  I love it!)

And something we are all excited about...

Olympic Trials Television Schedule
Airdate	Time	Network
Sunday, June 29	7:00-8:00 pm CT	NBC
Monday, June 30	7:00-8:00 pm CT	USA
Tuesday, July 1	7:00-8:00 pm CT	USA
Wednesday, July 2	7:00-8:00 pm CT	USA
Thursday, July 3	7:00-8:00 pm CT	USA
Friday, July 4	7:00-8:00 pm CT	NBC
Saturday, July 5	7:00-8:00 pm CT	NBC
Sunday, July 6	7:00-8:00 pm CT	NBC

 

 

FLORIDA or BUST!

Yeah, yipee, hurray, on the spur of the moment we're packing up the kids and heading to the beach for two nights.  I hope you're all planning on having a fabulous few days, because we will be!  See you on the flip side with some more fabulous beach pictures.