Cousins Natalie and Walter with Madeline
This girl has lung power! 
Still excited about opening the gifts...
Thanks Nana!
Cousin Ethan sitting by Madeline.
Friday, August 29, 2008
Happy 2nd Birthday Madeline!
We stayed in Washington long enough to be able to celebrate Madeline's 2nd birthday with our friends and family, which was great since we missed out on that last year for her first birthday. It is wonderful to have family and friends who are so willing and ready to help, and they were able to get Decoursey Park in Puyallup reserved for the evening of the 4th (which was her actual birthday - I know I am like a month behind). We had a bbq, a yummy Costco cake, and lots of fun letting the kids play and the adults socialize. Madeline loved her presents, but she wasn't all that into opening them. She was pretty much content with just the first couple she opened, but then of course every new present after that she loved just as much. I think her favorites were the blue sparkle sandals, the book Fancy Nancy, and the Disney Princess stuff. She used to be really into Dora (not that she has ever even seen the show, but how can you miss the obscene amounts of Dora paraphernalia everywhere) but now she has completely forgotten about Dora and is strictly focused on princesses. It is pretty cute though; last Sunday we put on her church dress and she immediately pointed to herself and said, "Princess!" Did I mention she is ALL girl? Thanks to everyone for coming and celebrating with us! And a special shout out to Poppa Falcon for providing the pics:
Cousins Natalie and Walter with Madeline
This girl has lung power! 
Still excited about opening the gifts...
Cousins Natalie and Walter with Madeline This girl has lung power! Still excited about opening the gifts...
Monday, August 11, 2008
Bye Bye Daddy, Hello Washington
After what seemed like only a couple days (although it was actually about 2 weeks) it was time to say goodbye to Joe. I had a business conference scheduled in Portland, that I had already paid for months in advance, thinking Joe would be home in August as originally planned (have I mentioned you can't count on the Army timeline?). I really needed to go to this conference, so Madeline and I actually left a couple of days before Joe did. It was really sad for us, and it gave Joe a taste of what we go through every time we drop him off. I think the hardest part was that Madeline did not understand why he wasn't going through security with us at the airport. She just kept looking at him and gesturing with her hand, saying, "C'mere."
Madeline stayed with my parents while I went to the conference, which was exceptional. I am so glad I went. We are working at building our online business to a level that will support us as a family so Joe can get out of the Army. We figured it was worth it to give up 2 days now for full time later. I know this is a shameless plug, but if you haven't seen our website, please check it out! www.myproducts.mychoices.biz
After the conference, we stayed for about another week to spend some time with friends and family, and celebrate Madeline's real birthday!
Madeline stayed with my parents while I went to the conference, which was exceptional. I am so glad I went. We are working at building our online business to a level that will support us as a family so Joe can get out of the Army. We figured it was worth it to give up 2 days now for full time later. I know this is a shameless plug, but if you haven't seen our website, please check it out! www.myproducts.mychoices.biz
After the conference, we stayed for about another week to spend some time with friends and family, and celebrate Madeline's real birthday!
Pageant
We are lucky enough to live just 2 hours away from Palmyra, where Joseph Smith was raised and received the Book of Mormon. Each year there is a huge pageant called the Hill Cumorah Pageant, and hundreds of members from our church come from all across the country to perform in this outdoor play about the Book of Mormon. Last year we were out of town so we missed out, but this year Joe was home during the Pageant so we went to see it. We had a great time. People come from all over to see it, so it was fun talking with the people sitting around us before it started. Also, there was a family from our ward who was cast in the pageant, so that made it much more exciting to know some people up there. I was really impressed with the whole production. The set and the special effects were amazing. The cast arrives about a week before the pageant starts (it runs for about a week and a half), and they don't even find out their parts until they get there, so the Lord truly helps them get everything together in time for opening night. If anyone has the opportunity to attend, it is definitely worth seeing.
This is the husband from our ward, who played Lehi. They did an awesome job on the costumes; we never would have recognized him! This guy is a captain in the Army, so he is clean shaven and has short dark hair.
Here is his wife and their new baby. They were part of a crowd scene and went to Jesus when he was ministering to the children.
Abinadi being burned at the stake.
Christ descending... it was so realistic and awe-inspiring.
This is the husband from our ward, who played Lehi. They did an awesome job on the costumes; we never would have recognized him! This guy is a captain in the Army, so he is clean shaven and has short dark hair.
Here is his wife and their new baby. They were part of a crowd scene and went to Jesus when he was ministering to the children.
Abinadi being burned at the stake.
Christ descending... it was so realistic and awe-inspiring.
Early Birthday
We took advantage of the last few days together by celebrating Madeline's 2nd birthday a bit prematurely. Joe and I set up a swingset in the back yard, and Joe also put together a tricycle during her nap. Her favorite pastime is pretty much anything outside, but swinging probably tops the list. She was so excited when she woke up that she insisted on playing on the slide while Joe was finishing tightening all the screws, and then went right to the swings. She was so cute on the slide. She would climb up there, sit at the top, and then before she could slide down she would have to say, "One, Two, Threeee!" and then slide down. The swing set was a big hit for sure.
The trike was also a winner. We got one that is three stages and you can have a handle attached to the back so the parent can push while the toddler is learning to pedal. Good thing Joe was here. He seemed to have as much endless enthusiasm for pushing her around as she had for being pushed around. She was just squealing and giggling the whole time. The only problem was she was in control of the steering, so they went in circles or into the bushes a lot.
The trike was also a winner. We got one that is three stages and you can have a handle attached to the back so the parent can push while the toddler is learning to pedal. Good thing Joe was here. He seemed to have as much endless enthusiasm for pushing her around as she had for being pushed around. She was just squealing and giggling the whole time. The only problem was she was in control of the steering, so they went in circles or into the bushes a lot.Sunday, August 10, 2008
Keeping the Romance Alive
When we got back from camping we were able to relax for a few days, go to church together, and just hang out around our house and in Watertown. It was very enjoyable, but the best part of Joe's whole visit was our romantic excursion that I had successfully planned AND been able to keep a surprise for Joe. This is a feat, because although I am typically good at keeping secrets, Joe just doesn't count. Especially when I am excited about something, I have the worst time keeping my mouth shut because I am so used to sharing everything with him. But the joy of our trip far outweighed the pain of keeping it a surprise.
We left Madeline with a friend from church and headed off to Saratoga Springs, NY. Saratoga is just south of the Adirondack state park, and it is about 3 1/2 hours from Watertown. Neither of us had been there before, and I basically chose it because it was close to the big surprise I had planned and there was a Marriott there so we could get a good deal on a room (thanks Patrik). Turns out, Saratoga is really famous for horse races, and it is a pretty upscale little city. It was absolutely commonplace to see luxury cars of all types (Lexus, Mercedes, BMW, Porsche, even a Viper) just parked on the side of the road. We totally fell in love with it there. The main strip was lined with all kinds of little local shops and fabulous restaurants. When we go somewhere new, we really try to experience the local stuff, rather than big chains, so it was ideal. We saw very few chain restaurants at all (one Wendy's, a Coldstone, and a Ben & Jerrys), and there were a few big department type stores but that was it. It was such a great place to walk around. It was about as city as I get. There was great nightlife, with people walking on the streets and music and a fun atmosphere, but not everyone was drunk and there weren't really any scary people to avoid or people begging for money. We ate at several different restaurants, and they were all delicious. Our favorite was Eugenio's Cafe Gelato, which I discovered online with rave reviews. It is a little cafe that serves authentic Italian gelato (which is the Italian form of ice cream but better) made fresh, and all kinds of fresh homemade Italian desserts. The owner is from Italy and uses family recipes for many of the desserts. It was soooo good! We had to go there both nights for dessert. Our hotel room was really nice, with a kitchen and sitting area as well as the bed and bath, and the service was outstanding.
Our second day there we had to get up really early for the big surprise. Joe was totally confused because we literally got up at about 4:00 am, so he figured we were driving really far to get to the place. As we were walking out the door I finally caved and told him that we were going for a hot air balloon ride! It was a sunrise balloon ride, which is why we had to get up so early. Joe is not the type of guy who gets very outwardly excited about things. Even if he is happy and excited, sometimes it is hard to tell. Over the years I have developed the ability to discern between his slight changes in facial expressions and tone of voice, but anyone would have been able to tell how excited he was about the trip. It was so rewarding for me to see that look on his face when he realized I wasn't kidding. The whole experience was a blast, and I would definitely recommend it to anyone.
We met the balloon pilot and crew and went to a small park where we were going to be taking off. It was fun to see how the whole process is performed, and it made me realize I am happy to just pay someone to do all the hard work so I can just enjoy the ride. We watched them set up, and blow up the balloon, and then add the heat so that the balloon would rise off the ground. Then we got in, and away we went. Maybe the first minute or so was a little scary, since I am a bit afraid of heights, but it wasn't too bad and it quickly passed. After that, it was almost surreal. We went as high as 4000+ ft above the ground, and it was so fascinating to look around and see the view, which is not really unlike a view from and airplane after you take off, but to realize that we are just out in the open air floating around. The view was spectacular from all the different heights. When we were so far up the cars looked like they were little hot wheels or something, but the interesting thing was how much we could still hear. Even from up so high we could hear dogs barking or motorcycles on the road. I guess because we were traveling with the wind and it was so calm that the sound just traveled well.
The first bit was over more city, but we were looking out at mountain ranges and rivers, so it was beautiful, and then we traveled into the country over farmlands and open spaces. It was so absolutely peaceful, I really didn't want it to end. It wasn't windy at all, because we were traveling with the wind, and over the farmlands it was very quiet. We saw several deer, and the pilot took us just to the height of the treetops, where we were able to reach over and pluck some leaves. The whole trip was so serene. After about 90 minutes we landed in a field and Joe and I got to snack on fruit, doughnuts, and sparkling grape juice while they packed up the balloon. It was so much fun, we would love to do it again.
The last day we just explored Saratoga a little more. They have a bunch of horse statues, all decorated, similar to the cows in Portland and the pigs in Washington. We got a map of all the horses and were being very touristy, going around taking pictures with all of them. It was kind of like a scavenger hunt, so we got pretty into finding them all. In the end, we decided it was too much and didn't end up getting all of them. But we get some good ones.
Overall, our time together literally could not have been more perfect. I am still amazed that our relationship only grows stronger as time passes. I am so blessed to be married to Jocephus, he is my perfect companion, and it thrills me to know that we will be together for eternity.
We left Madeline with a friend from church and headed off to Saratoga Springs, NY. Saratoga is just south of the Adirondack state park, and it is about 3 1/2 hours from Watertown. Neither of us had been there before, and I basically chose it because it was close to the big surprise I had planned and there was a Marriott there so we could get a good deal on a room (thanks Patrik). Turns out, Saratoga is really famous for horse races, and it is a pretty upscale little city. It was absolutely commonplace to see luxury cars of all types (Lexus, Mercedes, BMW, Porsche, even a Viper) just parked on the side of the road. We totally fell in love with it there. The main strip was lined with all kinds of little local shops and fabulous restaurants. When we go somewhere new, we really try to experience the local stuff, rather than big chains, so it was ideal. We saw very few chain restaurants at all (one Wendy's, a Coldstone, and a Ben & Jerrys), and there were a few big department type stores but that was it. It was such a great place to walk around. It was about as city as I get. There was great nightlife, with people walking on the streets and music and a fun atmosphere, but not everyone was drunk and there weren't really any scary people to avoid or people begging for money. We ate at several different restaurants, and they were all delicious. Our favorite was Eugenio's Cafe Gelato, which I discovered online with rave reviews. It is a little cafe that serves authentic Italian gelato (which is the Italian form of ice cream but better) made fresh, and all kinds of fresh homemade Italian desserts. The owner is from Italy and uses family recipes for many of the desserts. It was soooo good! We had to go there both nights for dessert. Our hotel room was really nice, with a kitchen and sitting area as well as the bed and bath, and the service was outstanding.
Our second day there we had to get up really early for the big surprise. Joe was totally confused because we literally got up at about 4:00 am, so he figured we were driving really far to get to the place. As we were walking out the door I finally caved and told him that we were going for a hot air balloon ride! It was a sunrise balloon ride, which is why we had to get up so early. Joe is not the type of guy who gets very outwardly excited about things. Even if he is happy and excited, sometimes it is hard to tell. Over the years I have developed the ability to discern between his slight changes in facial expressions and tone of voice, but anyone would have been able to tell how excited he was about the trip. It was so rewarding for me to see that look on his face when he realized I wasn't kidding. The whole experience was a blast, and I would definitely recommend it to anyone.
We met the balloon pilot and crew and went to a small park where we were going to be taking off. It was fun to see how the whole process is performed, and it made me realize I am happy to just pay someone to do all the hard work so I can just enjoy the ride. We watched them set up, and blow up the balloon, and then add the heat so that the balloon would rise off the ground. Then we got in, and away we went. Maybe the first minute or so was a little scary, since I am a bit afraid of heights, but it wasn't too bad and it quickly passed. After that, it was almost surreal. We went as high as 4000+ ft above the ground, and it was so fascinating to look around and see the view, which is not really unlike a view from and airplane after you take off, but to realize that we are just out in the open air floating around. The view was spectacular from all the different heights. When we were so far up the cars looked like they were little hot wheels or something, but the interesting thing was how much we could still hear. Even from up so high we could hear dogs barking or motorcycles on the road. I guess because we were traveling with the wind and it was so calm that the sound just traveled well.
The first bit was over more city, but we were looking out at mountain ranges and rivers, so it was beautiful, and then we traveled into the country over farmlands and open spaces. It was so absolutely peaceful, I really didn't want it to end. It wasn't windy at all, because we were traveling with the wind, and over the farmlands it was very quiet. We saw several deer, and the pilot took us just to the height of the treetops, where we were able to reach over and pluck some leaves. The whole trip was so serene. After about 90 minutes we landed in a field and Joe and I got to snack on fruit, doughnuts, and sparkling grape juice while they packed up the balloon. It was so much fun, we would love to do it again.
The last day we just explored Saratoga a little more. They have a bunch of horse statues, all decorated, similar to the cows in Portland and the pigs in Washington. We got a map of all the horses and were being very touristy, going around taking pictures with all of them. It was kind of like a scavenger hunt, so we got pretty into finding them all. In the end, we decided it was too much and didn't end up getting all of them. But we get some good ones.
Overall, our time together literally could not have been more perfect. I am still amazed that our relationship only grows stronger as time passes. I am so blessed to be married to Jocephus, he is my perfect companion, and it thrills me to know that we will be together for eternity.
So Happy Together...
Joe finally got to come home to visit from Iraq! After almost a year, we were dying to be together again. As standard for the Army, Joe did not arrive as planned on the 4th or 5th. I was really hoping he would get here in time to catch some fireworks, but no, he didn't get in until about 11:30 pm on the 7th. I guess I can't really blame the Army, since it was sandstorms that prevented them from flying out, but it is just classic to have our plans changed at the last minute. The important thing is that he DID arrive, and we had a wonderful time.
Madeline took to him right away, which was great for everyone involved. She went right to him at the airport, and by the next morning he wasn't allowed to leave the room without her following behind calling his name. Joe is such a great dad, and I always knew he would be because he loves kids so much. It really warmed my heart watching them play together.
I had planned for us to go camping at Old Forge and visit Water Safari, the largest water park in New York, which is about an hour and a half from us. Before you say it, I know Joe has been in the dirt for the past year already, but he wanted to go! With his delay, the trip was scheduled just a day after he got home. It was a little short for us since we had planned to be able to spend some time relaxing before doing much of anything, but I had already paid for it all so off we went. The camping trip was fun, but the weather was not cooperative. It was pretty cold, and the first morning I had to drive into town to buy us some hot chocolate to warm us up! Needless to say, the water park was not ideal considering the chilly temperatures. I didn't even venture in the water, but Joe and Madeline dove right in until her lips were blue and we decided to call it good. She did get to go down a little water slide a couple of times (until a bigger girl didn't wait for her to move at the bottom and crashed right into her - she was done after that) and they had some swings in the water that she played on. This place reminds me a lot of Wild Waves for those of you in WA who have been there. They not only have a water park, but they also have lots of rides for kids and a whole bunch of little exhibits from fairy tales that we wandered around and looked at. Oh yeah, and a petting zoo. Joe and Madeline went on the helicopters and I took her on the little cars even though I could barely jam my knees into the thing. But she had fun and that is what counts.
Madeline took to him right away, which was great for everyone involved. She went right to him at the airport, and by the next morning he wasn't allowed to leave the room without her following behind calling his name. Joe is such a great dad, and I always knew he would be because he loves kids so much. It really warmed my heart watching them play together.
I had planned for us to go camping at Old Forge and visit Water Safari, the largest water park in New York, which is about an hour and a half from us. Before you say it, I know Joe has been in the dirt for the past year already, but he wanted to go! With his delay, the trip was scheduled just a day after he got home. It was a little short for us since we had planned to be able to spend some time relaxing before doing much of anything, but I had already paid for it all so off we went. The camping trip was fun, but the weather was not cooperative. It was pretty cold, and the first morning I had to drive into town to buy us some hot chocolate to warm us up! Needless to say, the water park was not ideal considering the chilly temperatures. I didn't even venture in the water, but Joe and Madeline dove right in until her lips were blue and we decided to call it good. She did get to go down a little water slide a couple of times (until a bigger girl didn't wait for her to move at the bottom and crashed right into her - she was done after that) and they had some swings in the water that she played on. This place reminds me a lot of Wild Waves for those of you in WA who have been there. They not only have a water park, but they also have lots of rides for kids and a whole bunch of little exhibits from fairy tales that we wandered around and looked at. Oh yeah, and a petting zoo. Joe and Madeline went on the helicopters and I took her on the little cars even though I could barely jam my knees into the thing. But she had fun and that is what counts.
4th Of July
In New York it is illegal to purchase fireworks for personal use, unlike in Washington where you see fireworks stands on every corner. To most people I know, not being able to light your own fireworks is practically a sin, but I have never really been into that so it doesn't matter to me at all. Don't get me wrong though, Independence Day is probably my favorite holiday all year. I love watching the big fireworks shows and being filled with pride for my country. I love the summer festivities and the fresh fruit and all the flags and red, white, and blue everywhere. I love it all. Fortunately, I live in a military community, so although we can't light our own, there is no shortage of fireworks to be seen. I think there were big fireworks shows every night the whole week of the 4th. We went to 2 shows and had a lot of fun.
The first show was at a park near our house on the 2nd. This was definitely one of the best 4th of July events I have attended. This park is a really nice park and it is set high up on a hill, so you can overlook the city from the field, past the treeline. The Syracuse Symphony came and did an outdoor concert of patriotic songs in the evening, and there were soldiers from Ft. Drum there with 5 real cannons, which actually accompanied the symphony during one of the songs which was awesome. Apparently there are cannons actually written into the song, so it was neat that they could do that. Anyway, it was exactly how a 4th of July show should go. The symphony is playing as it is starting to get dark, the cannons go off, and then the fireworks start. So you are looking out over the city, listening to a patriotic song, seeing the fireworks explode in the air, and scanning down to see the soldiers all standing next to the cannons saluting. It was amazing, but you probably had to be there to get the real effect. Here is a little video and some pictures to help you appreciate it:
Madeline had a better time watching the crowd than the fireworks (during which she promptly fell asleep).
Just a sampling of the skyline...
The second show we went to was at the house of someone in our church ward. They live up in the Thousand Islands Region, which is about 45 minutes from our place (yes, our ward boundaries are that big... thankfully, we only live about 3 minutes from the church building). The Thousand Islands area is basically filled with multi-million dollar homes owned by really rich or famous people (like the founder of Columbia sportswear), and some of them are only occupied for about 2 weeks out of the year. There is a castle out there, called Boldt Castle, that is a big tourist destination. Long story short, this guy was building this castle for the love of his life ad then she died before it was finished so it never got finished but the landscaping and the part that is done is gorgeous. So anyway, these people in our ward have a perfect view of Boldt Castle from their property, and every year they do a big fireworks show over the castle. It also happened to be the birthday of the woman who lives there, so the whole ward was invited over and we had a big birthday party and stayed to watch the fireworks, which were really cool. Madeline stayed awake for them this time, and after each round she would clap and say, "Yay! More?" Unfortunately, my battery started dying shortly after arrival, so I didn't get many pictures. Here are a couple for your enjoyment:
The first show was at a park near our house on the 2nd. This was definitely one of the best 4th of July events I have attended. This park is a really nice park and it is set high up on a hill, so you can overlook the city from the field, past the treeline. The Syracuse Symphony came and did an outdoor concert of patriotic songs in the evening, and there were soldiers from Ft. Drum there with 5 real cannons, which actually accompanied the symphony during one of the songs which was awesome. Apparently there are cannons actually written into the song, so it was neat that they could do that. Anyway, it was exactly how a 4th of July show should go. The symphony is playing as it is starting to get dark, the cannons go off, and then the fireworks start. So you are looking out over the city, listening to a patriotic song, seeing the fireworks explode in the air, and scanning down to see the soldiers all standing next to the cannons saluting. It was amazing, but you probably had to be there to get the real effect. Here is a little video and some pictures to help you appreciate it:
Madeline had a better time watching the crowd than the fireworks (during which she promptly fell asleep).
Just a sampling of the skyline...
The second show we went to was at the house of someone in our church ward. They live up in the Thousand Islands Region, which is about 45 minutes from our place (yes, our ward boundaries are that big... thankfully, we only live about 3 minutes from the church building). The Thousand Islands area is basically filled with multi-million dollar homes owned by really rich or famous people (like the founder of Columbia sportswear), and some of them are only occupied for about 2 weeks out of the year. There is a castle out there, called Boldt Castle, that is a big tourist destination. Long story short, this guy was building this castle for the love of his life ad then she died before it was finished so it never got finished but the landscaping and the part that is done is gorgeous. So anyway, these people in our ward have a perfect view of Boldt Castle from their property, and every year they do a big fireworks show over the castle. It also happened to be the birthday of the woman who lives there, so the whole ward was invited over and we had a big birthday party and stayed to watch the fireworks, which were really cool. Madeline stayed awake for them this time, and after each round she would clap and say, "Yay! More?" Unfortunately, my battery started dying shortly after arrival, so I didn't get many pictures. Here are a couple for your enjoyment:
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