Summer Days Driftin' Away

Yes, I know, summer isn't even here yet.  But as you well know, we are stationed at "Fort Snow" and we don't often see a plethora of warm days during the year.  We have to make the most of those few short weeks that we see the thermometer peep above 60.  While it's still in the low 40's here today, I'm well into preparing for the summer.  In fact, I think I spend most blistering winter days indoors, dreaming about my summer plans.  If you haven't figured it out yet, I'm not much of a winter person.  But summer is around the corner and while it is short lived here in NY, it is beautiful up here.  The summers never get too hot, often peaking around the mid 80's.  There's always a nice breeze and plenty of seasonal activities.  The drive-ins, putt-putt, go-karts, and golf courses finally open for the season.  Best of all, baseball season begins!  We love going to see the minor league team play here.  The team isn't huge (unlike our team back home), so the stadium is rarely packed, my son can usually talk to and get an autograph from the players, and the food isn't overpriced.  There's also a free program my son signs up for every year that gives him a free drink, hot dog, and ice cream at every game.  And best of all, because we are military, we get seats for next to nothing, sometimes free! 

Every summer, we pretty much plan out the same 4 or 5 activities and find ourselves doing those repeatedly without any other ideas.  Well, I was pretty happy to find all these "100 things to do this summer" lists on Pinterest.  I immediately made plans to print and check off everything on the list this summer.  After posting the first list I found on the fridge, I took a closer examination and discovered a few problems.  1) There's a 100 things on this list!  There's certainly not 100 days in the summer, I don't see how we could get to 100 of them.  2) Some of these activities will never happen. For example, one thing mentioned a planetarium.  I have no clue where the nearest planetarium is...but if I did, I assure you we'd already be there.  There's not many places like that any where near this small town.  3) Some of them where not age appropriate for my 4 year old.  One activity on the list was origami.  Well, I don't know about your child's coordination, but I assure you, this wouldn't be happening in my house...it would end in a paper wad and frustration.  4) Some of the things I just didn't understand or care to do...like a lizard shop or a peculiar p party? 

I found a few other lists, but ya know if you want something done right, you just gotta do it yourself.  My list was compiled of activities we could- a. do as a family, b. were age appropriate for my son, and c. were available to us.  My list only consists of 50 activities, rather than 100 so we can be sure to knock off all of them this summer.  I also included several indoor activities for those cold and/or rainy days/nights. 

First thing I did was edit my list in photoshop and made it all pretty of course.  Next I printed it and put it on the fridge for a common reference spot.  (Btw, I have future plans of framing it behind glass and using a dry erase marker to mark through completed tasks.) Finally, I emailed it to myself for a quick iphone reference when we find ourselves out and about on the weekends seeking an activity.  *Side Note* I also do this with my grocery lists...I keep a general list saved in my computer and make changes as needed, then email the saved file to my phone before I head to the commissary.

But back to the subject.  (Sorry, I'm the queen of tangents and side notes) <--See what I just did there!  Okay, well, without further ado, I present my official Family Summer Bucket list. Feel free to use it for your own summer-to-do list.  Just don't claim it as your own creation, that would hurt my feelings. :/ 

My son's first 5k!

Yes, you read that right.  My 4-year-old ran a 5k.  Yes, he ran it...the entire way! He finished in under 30 mins and if you consider the steps of a toddler, that's pretty stinking impressive if you ask me.  We ran the 5k as a family, it was through a park with some fierce hills.  By the end, my son was motivating me to finish.  I have never felt sooo much pride in my child than I did when he crossed that finish line.  I nearly cried.  The 5k we chose was the Miracle Miles for Madeline.  Maddie was the daughter of a photography client turned friend of mine.  She became ill a few months ago and after a brief battle, moved on to be with the other angels in heaven.  Being so young, it was a terrible tragedy.  But the family has managed to be so strong and kept so positive through it all.  They had a fund raiser several months back to support a foundation in their daughter's name.  The place was standing room only, people were literally lined out the door trying to get in.  When I heard of a 5k they were planning to host, I didn't hesitate to sign up the whole family.  I assumed we would walk it as a family.  My husband had other plans.  He began taking the boy out for a run every day for 2 weeks, taking him further and further to prep him for the marathon he was going to run!  And run it he did!  I was so proud of him, but tried not to lose focus on the meaning of that day.  I know little Maddie was there, watching over everyone, pushing them a little further and a little faster, cheering us all on.  She was certainly there with our family...bringing us a little closer and putting a huge smile on all our faces.  I am so glad we got to be a part of that experience and can't wait to do it again next year.  I also can't wait to run another 5k as a family...I'm thinking a color run next!

THE BIG MOMENT!

AHH!! Finally! The moment we've all been waiting for! Well, maybe not you all, but I know I sure have.  I waited 12 long months and this past Friday finally, FINALLY the day had arrived!  I could not sleep a wink all night (obviously).  I was out of bed at the crack of dawn, despite the fact that his ceremony was not until 5 that evening.  The call arrived around 10:00 am letting me know my husband's flight had landed safely and the soldiers were processing and the ceremony would be on time.   I began decorating the yard and truck.  Next I made the bed, finished cleaning the house, gave the boy a bath, got myself prettied up, and 3 hours prior to the start of the ceremony, I headed to the hanger.  Yes, I was a bit eager!  Despite the fact I was 2 and a half hours early, I was not the first to arrive, so I didn't feel too silly.  I sat down in the very front of the bleachers and assumed the waiting position.  Soon after, my hubby called, "You might want to get there a little early" he says. HAHA.  I inform him that I'm already there and waiting in the front.  A couple hours pass and the announcement is made, the room goes silent and the doors slowly rise.  It was a breathtaking moment.  I nearly burst into tears, the feeling in that hangar at that moment was indescribable.  The stands roared with applause and screams.  It was one of the happiest moments of my life.  The soldiers marched in.  I looked around, there was at least 200.  He could be anywhere. I knew I'd never find him in that crowd.  I looked up and down the isles of soldiers.  Then suddenly, I feel eyes peering at me...eyes of a soldier standing directly in front of me.  Could it be? Could my man be RIGHT in front of me?  It looked like my husband, but skinnier.  Shamefully, I had to get out my lens and zoom in on his name tape. Sure enough, that skinny soldier in front of me belonged to me!  Seconds later they released the formation and this man took a few short steps forward.  We didn't move at first, we just starred and smiled.  Finally, I jumped up for my hug and it was the best hug ever!  Everything was so exciting at that point.  There were tears and laughter and hugs all around...and yet it was so quiet, because we were in our own little world, wrapped up in each other.  I couldn't sleep at all that night, I couldn't believe he was home...I just wanted to lay on his chest and take him in.  I hate that so many people take the little things like that for granted.  At the same time, I feel sorry for civilians.  A redeployment is a truly unique and amazing experience.  I got to fall in love with my husband again.

Redeployment Bucket List

Going with my besties blog idea of a Fall Bucket List, I've decided to put my own together, but with a different spin.  I call this the Stuff I wouldn't do without my husband or did do and now I want him to do it with me and now I can because he's coming home list or the Redeployment Bucket List for short.   I now present you with the list, in no particular order...

(Photo taken of us last fall, before he deployed)

1) Visit New York City for the Macy's Day Parade

(I will do A NYC bucket list later on...)

2) Go Geocaching

3) Visit a farm and pick a pumpkin & decorate said pumpkin

 

4)  Go to a Halloween store and spend half the day trying on costumes which we will later wear to a Halloween party.

5) Go to an Army homecoming ball and FINALLY have our first dance

6) Watch season 6 of Dexter (without missing an episode)

7) Finally take our honeymoon in the Virgin Islands that we've been planning for 5 years
(Also going to create a Virgin Islands Bucket list)

8) Go Skiing

9) Take yet another boat tour in the Bay (I LOVE them)

10) Go to a NY professional athletic event (Giants, Nicks, Yankees, Jets)...I don't care which, I don't like any of them, I'll be rooting for the away team).

11) Go on a shopping spree for an entirely new wardrobe (we've both lost a ton of weight)

12) Join a bowling league again

13) Go to the movie theater and see a movie that's not rated G

14) Go on our first date (again)

15) Make him breakfast in bed

16) Join a church

17) Take our boy to Chuck E Cheese and Toys R Us...give him a day just for him

18) Visit the National Museum of Play

19) Complete this list, take a photo of each item being checked off, blog about them and link the blog back to each number as I complete them :)

DO NOT SEEK THE TREASURE!

I've been MIA for a bit, my apologies.  My mom, brother and his kids came to visit this week.  We had an action packed 3 days.  We visited some local sites, the farmers market, the beach, a farm, tried some local restaurants, and explored the area by playing a game I've been interested in partaking in for a while now...geocaching.  I learned about geocaching recently from Extreme Makeover and was immediately intrigued.  I looked it up on the internet, but was a bit confused and figured someday I'd gather more information and try it out.  However, if you know my brother, you know he's the kinda guy who'll jump at the opportunity to try out something new, hense why we visited new landmarks, unique restaurants, and a farm while he was visiting.  Armed with a geocaching app on the iphones, we headed out into the wilderness in search of a small container (or a treasure for the kids sake).  Our first cache was located only about a tenth of a mile from where we started and was located under some rocks, behind a parking lot, fairly easy walk, fairly easy to locate.  It really got us inspired to seek a second one before dinner.  With only a fourth of a mile walk, we figured it'd be a quick find.  WRONG!  3 toddlers, quarter mile, nothing but grass and rocks equals, whine whine whine!  "Carry me, I'm tired, there's a bug on me, I don't want to walk through this grass, it's too high!"  SHOO! I was soo grateful when we finally found that sucker buried in a tree stump.  We headed to dinner and called it a night.  The following day, we hit the beach.  After our day of sun and sand, we decided to check the iphone and see if there were any nearby caches.  We were in luck, there was one just a few hundred feet from the truck.  This particular cache was a part of the Seaway trail.  The state has placed 15 along this particular region on this trail.  I'm leaving out some details here, but basically after you locate 10 of there caches, you'll be awarded with a coin.  Good fun.  So after such an easy treasure find, we again found ourselves hooked!  We decided to seek another cache from the Seaway trail before we headed home for the day.  There just so happened to be a few more on our route home, so we stopped off the road to seek another.  Oh it's only a half mile away from the road, no sweat, right? WRONG AGAIN!  The pathway to this cache was located directly next to a river, and the mosquitoes were in full bloom.  Unfortunately, we were still in our beach attire...bathing suits, coverups, flip flops...not exactly prepared with ideal hiking gear.  Bugs were flying in and out of our ears and mouths, biting us from head to toe.  It was getting dark, kids had to pee, I had to pee.  Everyone was tired...it was miserable.  After about what seemed to be an hour of walking and whining, we arrived at the location where the cache was said to be.  We searched and searched, but it was nowhere in site. OH NO!! It was terrifying thinking this entire hike might be in vain.  It was getting dark and we didn't have a flash light if we didn't find it soon, we'd never find it.  With the assistance of our cell phones as lights, we searched and searched the brush.  Finally, I saw an odd string tied to a tree and pulled.  Out popped a frog, I screamed!!  Luckily, the cache followed behind so my scream of terror quickly turned to a cry of joy when I realized our search was over.  I quickly pulled out the camera and snapped a photo.  My intentions next were to sign the log book, toss it back and get out of the bug pit.  But to my surprise, when I opened the cache, I discovered something that made it all the whole walk worth it...almost.  It was a cavalry garter.  Before my husband deployed, he was attached to a cavalry unit.  With a short time before there deployment, I had a crash course in the cav.  We had a spouse spur ride, where we earned our spur necklace, and usually our garters.  Unfortunately, there wasn't enough time before the deployment to have the garter ceremony, so it was to be held after the deployment but before the ball so that everyone would have them to wear to the dance.  I was pretty excited about being a part of this tradition and getting to wear my garter to the ball.  Sadly, my husband was transferred to a different unit mid-deployment and we're no longer attached to the cav, which meant, I wouldn't get my garter when he returned.  I was pretty bummed about that.  Fast forward 4 months and here I am in the middle of nowhere finally earning my garter.  And let me tell ya, I earned the heck out of that garter!  I had to run back that half mile with a 40 pound toddler on my hip, in flip flops, fighting bugs, in the dark.  So anyhow, the garter was held safely inside a package that reads, "The yellow garter is an Army Cavalry tradition.  The yellow color represents a longing for a soldiers return.  The white and blue represent the pure and faithful manner in which the wearer waits for the soldier's return.  We have placed this garter as a reminder that soldiers are just men and women with someone waiting for them to come home.  So please take the garter, keep it or move it around, but we ask that you take the time to think of those soldiers that are still away from loved ones." Awesome cache huh?  Trust me Team Skrabelova, I'm thinking of my soldier still away, and I thank you for the great cache!  It made my day.

Once we were back in the car, we asked the kids if they wanted to look for anymore.  In unison, they replied loudly, "NOOOO!" HAHA, well, with just a short time before sunset, we headed off in search of one last quick cache on the seaway trail anyways.  This particular cache was just behind a sign in a parking lot, so we left the kids in the truck with grandma and we jumped out and grabbed it.  Of course, the kids all jumped out anyways to see what goodies were tucked inside.  Nothing exciting was found this time, but we did finally get a punch in our book, putting us one step closer to that reward coin.  After this cache, the sun was set and we were starving, so we finally called it a day.  Unfortunately, my family had to leave this morning, so I guess it just leaves me and the boy to seek the rest of the cache's on the trail alone.  Wish us luck!!