2012 London Olympics

BEhind on posting again.  Oh well.. Here is our Olympic festivities


We spent the whole week reading, crafting and playing with the Olympics in mind.  I have never really been hyped about the Olympics as I have been this year. I mean I would watch it sometimes and I really love watching certain sports.  It has been fun learning and counting down the days!

 Here are some of our adventures in prepping for the Olympics!

Olympic shirts.  Landon did his all by him self with my instructions. Arabella picked out what she wanted to do on  the sleeves.  The torch has been a favorite play thing of the week. 

 Torch- I saw several torches on Pinterest as I was gathering ideas.  I used some ideas I saw and added a few of my own.  I think ours looks pretty good compared to the real one this year considering it is made of almost all recycled items ( with the exception for the tinfoil and gold spray paint) and can't really be safely lite on fire.  I was excited we made it all with recycled items.  That orange stuff is from a bag the tangerines came in ;)
I used a toilet paper roll for the round part to hold.  The triangle part is a paper towel roll. After making the trinagle part we pushed one roll into the other and then taped them to We covered the whole thing with

Togas and laurel wreaths to remind us of the original Olympics.  British flag lunch to remember who is hosting this year.  I also have been using Cars 2 as a motivator since part of the movie took place in London.

The Food!

Since our small group meets on Friday and the Olympics started on Friday we had an Olympic around the world themed dinner. It was fun!  Our small group did a great job of representing Asian foods.  I think more than half of the dishes brought were Asian. I made an Olympic Ring Pizza for dessert. Everything was really yummy!

Josh and I planned several dinners that were new to us and distinctive to different places in the world.  We had Bangers n' Mash, Yorkshire Pudding, Egg rolls, Edamame, Burritos, crepes, and Stir Fri.  I tried to find traditional recipes.  It was really fun trying some new foods.  All of them were quite yummy! I think the favorite was bangers n' mash.  

Here is some of the food I remembered to take a picture of.

The Games!

We did some Olympic games as well.  I had a ton planned but as typical in our house.  Life got in the way.  We still had fun and learned a lot!  Before we played any of the sports we watched either the event or practice of the event online (Thanks Mom and Dad for giving us access to the online coverage!).  We did the discus(we made them out of paper plates), soccer, boat races, javelin(made out of straws), obstacle course races, gymnastics, relay races, and swimming.  Landon's favorite sport to watch and play was soccer.  Arabella's favorite to watch and play was gymnastics but she really liked soccer a lot too (Just like her mommy- maybe she will want to gymnastics and soccer like I did). 

Summer Fun at the Williams' House

What is summer filled with around our house?
Legos, Legos and More Legos. Books, puzzles, picture taking, dress up, lots of dress up, playing in the rain, playing with friends, naps(but not as often as mommy would like) and strolls in our wagon.

Fractured Fairy Tales at the Library

FRACTURED FAIRYTALE AND CONFETTI FUN!

The downtown library was having a play in July.  It was a fractured fairy tale.  I think they incorporated The 3 Bears, The 3 Little Pigs, The Red Riding Hood, and maybe a few others.  It was cute but really loud because there were a lot of kids who apparently were very excitable.  The favorite part of the play was when they tossed confetti around the whole room.  We stayed afterward so Landon, Arabella and Lexi played with a couple of other children and the confetti.

Singing, dancing, reading, and writing

Josh and I took the kids to this free local event to encourage reading and writing with music and books.  It was a lot of fun.  They had a children's singer from South Florida sing and dance with the kids.  It was about a 45 min performance.  Both Landon and Arabella were dancing and trying to sing long.  Although Bella was only dancing and singing if she was convinced no one, including mommy and daddy were looking.  Afterward the kids got gift bags with a book, crayons, coloring book, writing book, and a few other little trinkets.  They also had snacks (yogurt with fruit and granola and gram cracker Goldfish cracker) and drinks for the kids.  They also had a HUGE selection of books and let each child pick out their own book and wrote their name it for them.  Landon chose "Smash, Crash" A Trucktown book because he had another one we got in a box of Cheerios.  Arabella picked out "Duck on a Bike", which I have to say is now on my list of top favorite children's books.  It is an adorable book and I like the art too.  So happy she picked out such a great book. 

We had fun and it was a great way to spend a Saturday morning.

Family Fun Saturday

Independance Day

We had a great day celebrating our privilege of the freedom we have in the USA with our friends and family.  We are so thankful we have our freedoms.  Sometime I wonder how long we will have them but I am going to enjoy them while I can.  I hope that all Christian can celebrate their freedom of religion and worship long after I am gone and hope they use those freedoms to show God's Love because if not then the freedom is just a waste.

Thank Blasczychs for all the fun, food, swimming, spending time with great people and all around great time!

Happy 4th of July!!!

Victoria's Secret

Josh was showing the kids some silly animal pictures on the computer.  The website that had the pictures had the little add picture things on the side that changes occasionally when you clicked to the next picture.  One of the ads that came up was a Victoria's Secret ad.  She was fully dressed and smiling.  Arabella got excited and started pointing to the girl.  As she started pointing, she said "Mommy." She continued to say "mommy" and then looked around for me and pointed to me and smiled while she said "mommy." Josh asked her if she thought that looked like Mommy.  She shook her head very excitedly yes.
I doubt Victoria's Secrets model search will be calling me up...ever.
But at least my daughter thinks I look like a pretty lady with a pretty smile on her face. :)

Sleeping Beauty

  


While watch Sleeping Beauty recently.  Landon was all cuddled up with me, during the scene were Aurora is singing with all the animals (in the beginning of the movie). Prince Phillip rides near and hears her singing.  Landon and I then have this conversation...
L: Mommy I to meet one, her.
M: One what?
L: A princess that sings to the animals and are friends with birds.  I want to meet her. I want a red bird too. I want us to have birds together. 
M: So you want to meet a princess?
L: Just her, one that like the woods and birds.
M: Well she is just pretend but I am sure there are lots of little girls who like animals.
L: I want to marry one.  I want to be the prince and have a horse but a black one.  I like black.  A black horse, a princess, and a red biird. and a blue bird, and owl.
And then goes off on how all the birds are related.  I couldn't follow that part as well but there were lots of relation between the all the bird we saw.  I think maybe all of them were related but the owl.  ;)



M: so you want to marry a princess? who likes birds?
L: yes, can I?
M: Well, sure but I bet who ever you decide to marry will be a princess to you.  You just need to treat her like one and you will be her prince.
L: Is that what Daddy did?
M: Yes, he treats me like his princess. ;)
L: That is what I will do.  I still want a red bird.





I thought that was such a cute conversation.  Sweet and scary.  I want him to grow up and be happily married but never thought he would think about it already.  ;)

Short trip home

We went home to visit a little,but mainly to have a beach date and wonderful babysitters to celebrate our 8th anniversary.  Somehow I didn't take any pictures of our family.  Landon and Bella did a "fashion show" with my mom as the designer.  It was cute!  I got lots of the kids and Dad W has some of the kids and Josh at the beach that I need to get from him(I went shopping with my family that morning). One awesome, so what unexpected thing, I got to see my brother.  He came up Saturday morning.  I love seeing my brother so I was very excited and so was Josh.  So was Landon!  Arabella is still warming up to her uncle, all of them.

It was too short but a nice trip.

Thanks Mom and Dad for everything you do for us!  Thanks Aunt Jamiie and Dad for watching the kids!  We miss you all!

Sleepy time sweetness

While saying good night to Landon...
Landon: Mommy, I can sleep by myself because I am a big boy but I want to cuddle with you tonight. 
Me: Why is that? 
Landon: Because you are the sweetest Mommy (eyes get really big and comes closer to my face) I have ever had seen in the whole world! (then lays his head on the pillow with a sweet smile) And that is why I need to cuddle with you.

Who can argue with a request like that!?!








July 11, 2012

Florida, Florida, Florida

At the end of July, Jessica come down to Florida to visit for 2 weeks.   The same day she arrive Josh's brother Jon and his wife Merry arrived in Florida. Jon and Merry will now be living in the Niceville/ Crestview area of Florida!!  Jon got out of the Marines and will now be in the Reserves as he goes to school and in just a few months be becoming a daddy to baby Owen!!!  (This will be BIG for me- come November I will be an Aunt for the first time!!!!  I am super excited!!!!!)  

Jon had to check in with his Reserve group in Jacksonville.  On the way back from there, Jon and Merry stopped in Gainesville for the night.  They arrived right before Landon woke up and he was so excited when he got up.  Landon received a awesome fold up play tent with Lightening McQueen on it. Arabella loved meeting her aunt and uncle for the first time.  The next day Jon and Merry played with their niece and nephew while I cleaned and packed.  Josh got off work as nap time was rolling around so it was about time to leave.  Landon rode with Jon and Merry and Josh, Arabella and I were planning on leaving with in the hour after them.  That didn't happen.  Things took longer than planned which seems to happen a lot with a baby around.  Plus as we were ready to go the car battery decided to die.  Josh had just driven to the gas station to get gas and air in the tires  less than an hour beforehand so I don't really know what happened.  Thankfully, our nice neighbor offered us a jump not too long after we realized what happened and the car was fine.  It has been since then too.  So Landon ended up by getting there about 2-3 hours before us.  He didn't mind because Aunt Jessica, Jamiie, Uncle J, Grandma W and Grandpa W were there waiting for everyone to arrive.  I think this was the longest Landon was away from both Josh and I.  I was stressing a little just because I am a little crazy and overprotective.  I was really glad Landon was able to spend lots of time with his family because I think that is SOOO important.(so Jon and Merry don't take offense to this overprotective mommy's worries)  Aunt Merry did a great job at helping me cope with my worries.  She kept me updated every hour with text about Landon and some pictures too.  Thank you Aunt Merry!!

Josh took 2 days off work and we headed up to the panhandle so we could see her for more than just the weekend. So we were in the Panhandle from Friday through Wednesday. 

We stayed with my parents and got to see them in the mornings.  We spent most of the afternoons and evening over at the packed Williams house.  It was great and a little sad.  Josh and I, more than ever, wanted to live back "home"(second home I guess even though we both still call Ft Walton Beach and Niceville "home") so we can be closer to our families.  We got to go to the beach with all the aunts and one uncle plus Grandma W.  Josh and Landon went twice.  Arabella and I came down with a little fever cold thing but thankfully it was short lived.  On the way back to Gainesville we stopped to have dinner with my brother Adam.  He took us to his favorite restaurant which I think has been our favorite so far too!  I only wish we could see Uncle Adam more with or without the yummy food!  ;)


It was a great vacation!  Family is the best!!

Family fun in the Sun time: Our July

Here is a few of the happenings of our July.

Fourth of July was spent having fun with family and friends.  We had a great morning as a family and then headed to the Durrenberger's after nap for dinner and fireworks.   Julie and her kids also were there to join in the fun. 

One Sunday after Sunday school, we headed out to the Ichetucknee Springs with Sally and the Fairrows.  It was so funny.  Arabella wasn't too fond of the 78 degree water, it did feel pretty cold that day.  She and I hung out and watched everyone play in the water and to Arabella's delight there were some kids with balloon that we were able to watch.  Landon hung out on Daddy's shoulders in the water most of the time.  It was a no nap day for Landon but he did awesome! 






 We joined my MOPS group at the UF Museum of Natural History.  The Peines were there too and we walked around the building with them after hanging out in the kids center. 











Here are some pictures from the rest of the month.  Mostly just having fun around the house.  We took Landon and Arabella to see a little local play of Custard the Dragon, which is one of Landon's favorite books.  It was okay but Landon loved getting to hug Custard (see below).  Landon, Bella and I went on a nature walk/ treasure hunt and made a college (top right hand). Landon is getting to be a skilled toothbrusher.  On night Josh walked into the bathroom to go brush his teeth and found Landon already doing so (second row on the right)  Landon has been having fun with exploring his world with chalk drawings, spray bottles and Play-Doh (pictures various places below).  Landon loves cars and trains and Arabella is normally trailing him as fast as she can (See below for train track made of books and a train station on a table )


I went to Chaysen and baby Emma's shower.  Can't wait until we get to meet baby Emma, who should be here any day now. 

 Landon helped Daddy make Mommy a shelf for the bathroom.  Josh later painted it black. 

 Arabella has found the fish tank and loves it.  She will scoot over to it (now she crawls since she is crawling on all fours as of this past week!). She just stares at it for several minutes then pulls up on the ledge and bangs on the glass. 

 Trying to get to the pool as much as possible but this month it just didn't happen that much. 

 Arabella loves music and loves Landon's guitar from his Great Aunt Leah. 

This was one of the strangest thing I have seen Reesie our cat do, which is saying a lot because she is a very strange cat.  She loves Landon's car basket.  Once he dumps the cars out she tends to hop in there and try to stay as long as possible.  This day I couldn't even get her out so I decided she would surely get out if we just started filling up the basket.  As you can see below I was very wrong.  She didn't get out until EVERY car, truck and train was back in the basket and she still waited a few seconds/minutes to get out. 

Arabella at 5 months old (July)

Well this has come and gone but I still wanted to write a little something. 

Some first for Arabella...
-First cold (she just slept a lot and was a great little trooper)
-She loves to stand but June 22nd she took her first steps while holding mommy's hands
-Lunch and dinner out with friends (She did great such an easy baby!)
-June 28th started sitting up for a few seconds without any support
-July 4th First time seeing fireworks and first Independence Day (Again she did great, she was asleep on the walk over to the fire works but woke up and was happy as a lark)

My silly monkeys (I didn't even realize I matched them, Landon noticed it and said we needed a picture)

Other News...

Still no teeth but she is teething!
ADORES her brother. He can make her smile no matter how she is feeling.  I LOVE it!
She is such a Daddy's girl (and Daddy is eating it up!).  As soon as she sees him she wants nothing to do with me.  Landon was not like that, he loved his Daddy but he would typically want me.

Exersaucer fun

Arabella plays in the exersaucer when we are eating or I am making a meal but she almost always loves it.

We have a crawler!!

Going to try to catch on my blogging.  Found this one I never published from July 17th.


Right now she is only army crawling.  She can get where she wants to go even on the rug.  She is isn't fast but she isn't slow.

Take a look this....

How long do you think it will be before she is crawling on fours!