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.

Favorites

Peter's favorite this week:  Star Wars (I think it is going to be his favorite for a while...) combine that with Lego's, and the kid is in heaven.  And he doesn't even OWN either.  Its been the best tool to help me teach him how to read.  We discovered the Star Wars Lego Books at the library, and he is OBSESSED with them.  He pours over a pile of books for hours trying to figure out who all the characters are.  They have "Level 1" readers in the Lego series, so we checked out a very large pile and it isn't work anymore to try to get him to want to read!  We can sit on the couch for 30 minutes at a time to practice.

And that means I am in heaven because I have found something to occupy the quiet hours of the afternoon when the other two are napping!

Brooke's favorite this week: Water Color.  She even water colored her face.  Its a great motivator too.  She will do her chores and take naps so she can get out the paints.  She has filled up a whole water color book in 3 days!

Heath's favorite this week: Having his fingernails cut.  He holds his hands out flat so I can trim them and seems to find the clippers to bring me so I can cut them 'again'!

My favorite this week: Grapefruit.  I bought 2 giant bags last week and have been eating them for breakfast every day.  Yum.

Bryan's favorite this week:  finishing Part 1 of officer training!  They changed the curriculum so after graduation he won't be at 'officer training' for 6 weeks, but for 3.  Consequently they gave him this massive workload that they supposedly taught during the first 3 weeks on an online course.  It was super time consuming and somewhat of a pain, so I am glad he is done. 

Anticipation and Reflection

Its an exciting time in our house.  We FINALLY got a list of bases we could get sent to.  Finally.  It seems like we have been waiting 4 years.  Now that it is here, I feel like the time is flying by.  Here is our top 10. (In Alphabetical Order)
- Europe (Germany/Italy/Belgium)
- Ft. Eustis (Virginia Beach)
- Ft. Gordon (Augusta, GA)
- Hawaii
- Ft. Hood (Waco,TX)
- Japan
- Korea
- Ft. Lewis (Tacoma WA)
- Ft. Sam Houston (San Antonio, TX)
- Ft Stewart (Savannah GA)

We should know in about a month where we are going.

We have also been reminiscing about what an awesome 4 years it has been here in the 'burgh! (I could make a list of things I dislike too, but I am going with the positive vibe for this post)
 Favorite things here:
1. The great friends I have made.  I have never met a better group of girls in my life.  They have changed me and uplifted me and help me be a better me.  Thank you girls SO much.  You know who you are.

 2. Running on the trails around here.  I heart Schenley Park.  And Frick.  And South Park.  And the GAP trail, especially at the Waterfront.  I have so many great memories of running with Jessica, and Cori, Rachael, and Ashley.  Memories being drenched in sweat, and soaking wet from the rain.  Memories of me pushing all the kids up icy hills and memories of stopping to watch the deer in my path.  I have memories of running that damn er, darn 2 mile loop 4x in a row training for half marathons.  I have memories of Bryan pushing the kids and me with a baby bump, or a new born taking a nap while we stay on the paved paths and enjoy the gorgeous scenery around us.

3. Bike riding.  BEST purchase as a couple ever!  Our 330 mile bike trip to DC will forever live in my memory as one of my all-time favorite vacations.

4. Game nights with Jessica and Adam.  The only thing better than having a game night is beating Bryan and Adam.  At ANY game.

5. Bike riding with the Gniegtings.  What could be more fun than hauling 5 kids behind us in trailers and bringing enough food to feed an army?  Answer:  Doing this on a weekly basis!

6. PNC Park.  I am a Pirate fan, just because of the stadium.

7. PPG Steps and the Fountain, and the splash parks.  Awesome summer fun. Even though I got shot at, it still stays on my top 10. (yes. for reals.  Gunshots, and bullets. You can read about it HERE)
     7.1 The Zoo
     7.2 The Children's Museums and Science Center
     7.3 The Library system.  It rocks.

8. Having four seasons.  Did you know in places outside of Arizona, the blossoms have flowers and don't freeze off?  Or get blown away in 100 mph winds?  It is amazing.  And in the fall, the leaves change colors.  Like, LOTS of colors.  Reds, oranges, yellows, golds, pinks.  And it lasts for a couple months.   Breathtaking.

9. The view coming out of the Fort Pitt tunnels of the city. And the entire downtown area at night.  I don't think there is a cooler city at night.  And the Bridges.  And the view from Mt. Washington.

10. I couldn't leave being entertained by the bizarre people that live here off my list.  Seriously.  People wear sweatpants to weddings, and as long as it has a Steelers logo them, it is entirely exceptable.  There is such a sub-culture here.  They have a set of driving laws, dress codes, and speech that is completely unique to Pittsburgh.

11.  I have to add Ballet to my list.  I know it isn't unique to Pittsburgh, but it has been one of the things I LOVE about living here.  Being able to take an advanced dance class doesn't come around often as an adult.  To do it with a very talented instructor and live pianist just takes the cake.

Yinzers like my list?

Finally, in true Pittsburgh fashion, I am posting our Christmas picture. Gotta love the auto-timer feature.  Merry Christmas in February!  (my neighbors haven't taken their Christmas lights down yet and there is a giant abominable snowman around the block from me, so I don't feel like this is bad timing at all.)