NYC

I had a blast in New York.    This was my 3rd trip to the city, but it never gets old!

   *Warning! Picture overload*
I drove in NYC! It was much less intimidating than I thought.  There were a couple tense moments, especially merging from 10 lanes into 2 in 30 feet going into the Lincoln Tunnel.
 I lucked out this trip!  Randee has friends that live in the city.  Thank you Allison and Noah.  I am lucky to have met such a great family.  They were great hosts and I am forever grateful for their hospitality.

Our trip Highlights:  
-The Shake Shake. (really, really good burgers)
-High Line
-Chelsea Market
-5th Avenue
-Black and White cookies
-Flat Iron
-Times Square
-Newsies!
-9/11 Memorial
-Brooklyn Bridge
-Grimaldi's Pizza under the Brooklyn Bridge
-the Subway
-Cake Boss Cafe
-Levain Bakery
-Central Park

Easter Weekened 2013

Happy Easter from our family to yours! 

 Sunday: At the branch.  I am so thankful for Jesus Christ and the hope and joy that the act of the atonement brings to all mankind.  I know he is my Savior.  He lives!  I know this to be true.  I can feel the comfort and joy in my heart when I say this.  He took upon himself the sins of the world.  He took upon himself my sins in the garden of Gethsemane.  Jesus Christ is the Son of God. He lived for me, and died so that I may live again and become clean and pure.   

 Saturday:  Egg hunt at the church.  It was freezing.  (As usual around here.  Spring just doesn't want to show!)

 Heath wanted to find eggs. He really did.  But every time he started to, he got side-tracked and forgot what he was supposed to be doing.

 We are the parents that forgot to bring an Easter basket for the kids.  Naturally, we used trash bags from the janitor closet.

 Friday Night: Painting Eggs

 Scuba- 'Dye'-vers.  (I love pinterest.)

More Easter Weekend activities!

We went to the Zoo with Cori and her kids on Friday.  Getting a zoo pass has been one of the best things here!  We go at least 1x a month, and when the weather is nice, more!

 Every time I hand my camera to a stranger to take my picture, the people in it are ALWAYS blurry.

 Be the polar bear!

Peter

I am going to brag about my kid. *disclaimer- I do not in any way think any of my kids are perfect.  They each have their own unique trials and things that they struggle with and things that I struggle with them.  That being said, I have to give credit where credit is due.
He has been SO motivated to learn to read.  (I did give him a bribe.  Hey, incentives are okay- right?)

I was making lunch a couple days ago when I noticed Peter get this book off the shelf.  He started reading it out loud, on his own.  He can't do the whole book yet, but I am SO impressed with how hard he is trying.  And I am thrilled that this is a pleasant situation for both of us!  He gets out a book or two every day and we have spent about 30 minutes of him reading out loud.  I am in heaven!  I really hope he has a love of reading like I do. 
(in case you are wondering what the bribe is... I promised him a LEGO Star Wars set when he can read a whole book like the one above on his own) 

I have a second Peter story too.  He is so...soo...uh...Peter?  I can't describe it any other way.  Tonight I noticed that Peter had thrown all of his bedding on the floor (from his top bunk).  He said it was because he lost a toy earlier and had to find it.  I really wasn't in the mood to climb back on his bed and tuck in the sheets. (If any of you have ever had a bunk bed, you know what a pain-in-the-butt it is to make those things)  So I told him since he took them off, he could put them back on.  About 40 minutes later, I can hear wimpering upstairs.  (I had been ignoring it for a good 35 minutes)  I figured Peter was just upset because his sheets weren't flat or something.  When I went in his room I found him with the light on, and the flat sheet perfectly positioned and pulled taught on his bed, but he was about a foot off on the length so he couldn't tuck it in on the foot of the bed because his body was on the bed still.
He was trying SO hard!
He was not going to go to bed until his bed was made perfectly.
For being four years old, he really surprises me sometimes.  If it was me at age 4, I am pretty positive I would have dragged 1 of the blankets up my ladder, wadded it in a ball and fell asleep and not even cared.  

Pixie's and Pirates

It has been crazy around here.  More than crazy.  Absolutely nuts.  While Bryan and I are running around like chickens with no heads trying to figure out all the nitty gritty details of our upcoming move, my kids have decided that they are still going to get older.  Brookie turned 3 on Sunday.  I know I say this about all my kids, and on every birthday, but geez, didn't I just give birth to her?
  We had a "Pixie and Pirate" themed party.  I was planning a bunch of fun activities at the park, but alas, we live in effing Pennsylvania, the land of eternal winters.  It was snowing so I had to change gears and we hosted 12 kids with an average age of 4 in my 1200 square foot home.  It was a blast.

 I had to put this picture in.  It is hilarious.

 We had a "Pixie Painting" station.  Bryan brushed up on all his fairy painting skills...

among other things.

Okay, so not everything was to the theme...

 To find some buried treasure...

And of course, the picture I promised of Peter taking his Pea's to school on St. Patty's day with his Peter Pan costume on.  (I didn't let him wear the leggings...)

So much for Mexican Food.

We got our unofficial orders on Thursday.  Bryan came home and brought me flowers and a card.

 yup.  Asian lily's and a Good luck card. 

I am still processing this.  I think I might be excited.  Then I am overwhelmed.  It comes in waves.  We did put it on our list.  But I am not sure if I actually realized it would become my reality in a few short months.  I think it will be a great adventure.  It just goes to show that when you think you are making plans, God steps in and laughs.  He shows you something better.  Other than being overwhelmed, I am actually calm about it.  I know there is a reason we are going here. 
I was making all these plans and dreaming in my head about life after dental school.  This was not in my wildest imagination.   As of now we don't have the details.  Official orders aren't going to be sent out for another month.  I don't know where in Korea (other than the fact it is SOUTH Korea for all you really worried. :) )  We do know that Bryan reports for duty July 11, 2013.  I don't know how long.  It could be 2 years.  It could be 4.  I don't know.  I plan on keeping my blog super updated as we figure this process out.  And just in case any of my friends ever prepare to move across the globe, maybe my experience can help someone else out in the future. 
Far East, here we come!

my little lucky charms

Peter came home from school on Monday gushing with enthusiasm for Friday. 
"We get to wear our favorite green clothes!  And we get to bring our favorite green food!"
Then he asks "Can I wear my Peter Pan costume?!  For my favorite food, I am going to bring peas because they are awesome."

I haven't stopped laughing since he told me this.  I can just picture him in his costume that he wore for Halloween two years ago eating a huge bowl of peas while the rest of the kids in his class eat green M&M's wearing their (boring) clover and green Irish tees...(In my little vision I picture Peter's top so short it shows his belly button and those oh-so-small green leggings and brown hat with a red feather.)

I love you Pete. 

If you follow me on Facebook, you have probably already heard Brooke's funny words of the week.

Brooke: Help! Help! I have spicy flowers all over me!!! 
Translation: she got into a sticker bush and had thorns stuck all over her clothes.