The biggest surprise...

Well, so I obviously haven't had a chance to write about our upcoming Disney plans prior to now, but that's okay.  The truth is, as I'm typing this I'm thousands of miles above the earth, flying to Orlando.

The littles have no idea where they are going, and it's lovely.  I can't wait to surprise them with their Mickey ears when we arrive :)  We were originally going to tell them when we got to the airport, but Brad had a good point - the earlier we tell them, the more they are going to ask us about every last detail.  So instead, we decided to wait until we're really close.

As of this morning, Jack's best guess was Great Wolf Lodge.  They really love Great Wolf Lodge.  Then he thought maybe we were returning to Vegas.  They also really loved Vegas.  But this?  This can only be what I imagine is the best place on earth if you're six and two.

We're going to get there, get our rental car, check into our hotel, and then head to Magic Kingdom.  Their little, adorable minds are going to be blown.  I'm pretty sure.  I promise to photograph the surprise.  There might be a video - we'll see.

Cutest. Sentence. Ever.

Late last night, Hannah Bear came padding into our bedroom.  I pulled myself out from under the covers and took her back to her bedroom.  I tucked her back in, and kissed her good night.  Then I went back to sleep.

Probably 30 minutes to an hour later, she came back, and I was too physically tired to get out of bed again, so I just pulled her up next to me and we snuggled for the rest of the night.

Snuggling with Hannah is not how it sounds.

What it really means is that she flailed around, smacking me in the face, elbowing me in the back, and tossing her legs over me the entire night.  It's just how she sleeps.  You've seen the pictures :)

In the morning, I heard her climb down, and I assumed she went to put on her "bea-u-ti-ful dress" and that she'd be back.  She must've found something to distract her because about 30 minutes later when I got up and headed down the hallway, I saw her coming my way.

"Why'd you get up?" I asked her.

And our sweet Hannah Bear?

She said, "Cause the skies were awake."

Note: Since I wrote this post, I have discovered that this is, indeed, a spinoff from a Frozen quote that Hannah learned from watching her favorite movie.  Anna pops up on Elsa's bed, trying to awaken her, and explains, "The skies are awake, so I'm awake and I want to play!"  Still pretty adorable, but now makes so much more sense!

Johnny

Three days before Jack's birthday, I learned that my cousin Johnny died tragically at the young age of 42.

I came out of an appointment to see that I had three missed calls from my dad, and a text message from my brother-in-law that said it all.  "What happened?  Cousin Johnny?"

I knew.

My parents weren't answering the phone, and I called John to ask what was going on - he thought I already knew.  I felt sucker-punched.

I sat in my car and cried my eyes out for 45 minutes.  I called my Aunt Kathy and listened to her sob on the phone and said the only thing you can say - I am so, so sorry.  I wondered how it's possible for our family to go through so much and all at one time.

This felt like too much.  We cannot do this.  This cannot be happening.  Please, please, this cannot be happening.  We cannot handle this.

But we are - there is no other choice.

Six months ago, I sat next to my cousin Johnny at our cousin J.J's funeral.  We were both uncomfortable.  We chatted about how we'd want to have things done at our funerals.  We said things like please, help them find the best picture of me you've ever seen.  Please, don't let me be in the room.  No casket, no body.  Just beautiful flowers, a beautiful picture, music we loved.

And today, six months later, I will attend Johnny's service, and there will surely be beautiful flowers, a beautiful picture, and music he loved.  There will be ashes.  We didn't talk about ashes, so I don't know his thoughts on that, but I'm sure my Aunt Kathy did.

Today is such a sad, heart-breaking day.  My Aunt Kathy and Uncle Jack have lost their only son.  My cousin Shelly has lost her brother and her best friend.  And then there's all of us.  We all have a Johnny-shaped hole in our hearts.

{Shelly's husband, Ron, and my cousin Johnny - Summer 2007}

Johnny was a gentle soul.  He loved his dogs, he loved to read, he loved to camp - to sleep under the stars.  Maybe he was lonely or maybe he just liked the calm and quiet.  He certainly had inner demons like the rest of us, but he was oh so loved. And just like that, he's gone.

Johnny - I am so sad that you are gone.  I hope that you have found peace.  Maybe you found Grandpa and Ben.  I hope so.  I love you and I'll remember you always.  And to my Aunt Kathy, Uncle Jack, and Shelly - I love you all, and I hope that the memories you have of Johnny will bring you peace and comfort in the days and months ahead.

Birthday Fun

This weekend was mostly spent celebrating our not-so-little man's birthday, which was just perfect to us because we've really been needing a reason to smile around here.

On Friday, his actual birthday, we had a cookout with family, per Jack's request.  He'd decided this year that his party would be reptile-themed, so I did my best with that :)

The spread

I didn't have it in me to make a snake cake - so instead, I put the cupcakes in a snake shape.

Presents

Jack with Grampy and Grammy

With Grandpa and Grandma

Our birthday boy

And his little sister :)

With Great-Grandma Earlie

With Aunt Ryan

and Aunt Jess!

Jack and Daddy

Me and my boy

It was a really fun evening, and I think Jack had a blast! 

On Saturday, Jack had his last soccer game of the season.  When I originally planned Jack's party for his friends, we didn't have a game scheduled for this weekend, but something got shuffled around in the schedule, and we didn't want him to have to miss his last game.  Luckily, the times didn't overlap, so Brad and I decided to divide and conquer - I'd take the kids to the game and rush them to the party, he'd get the cake and balloons and meet us there.  

I'm glad we took Jack to the game - he earned his medal for the season, and I could tell he was really proud of himself. 

Jack's in the blue shorts, and I love that he looks like a gazelle in this picture :)

Taking a shot

Hannah dressed up for the occasion

Earning his medal

Then it was off to the party!

Here's the invite that we planned around.  I got it here.

These three - they melt my heart!

Jack and Addison

The party crowd

Silly faces - I love the way that Addison is looking at Jack in this picture.

Jack and Hannah in the birthday chair

Dylan, trying to figure out exactly what was going on...

The birthday cake.  Oh, the birthday cake.  

Here's a little story for you - Jack requested an ice cream cake for his party.  At first, he just said, "Just ice cream, no cake," but I explained they don't make them that way.  Also, it's hard to find an ice cream cake that fits a reptile theme - I tried, and couldn't.  I mentioned this to Jack, and he joking replied, "If it's not ice cream cake, then you're fired."

I know this sounds harsh, but it was actually really funny.  Sometimes when the kids are trying to do something and don't quite work it out okay, Brad will jokingly say, "You're fired," and we all laugh.  This was the first time Jack had a chance to try the words out for himself.

So I tried to custom order one at one place, and that was unsuccessful.  So I decided we'd have regular cake, and it would be fine.  Jack doesn't really like cake anyway.  When I told him this new plan, he got really upset - immediately.  And I felt awful.  So I tried to custom-order another cake and was shocked by how expensive that became.  But it was his birthday, and I wanted him to feel special.  

Brad actually had to leave the party for a bit to get said cake because when he went to get it the first time, the shop wasn't open yet.  It was a disaster...and then when Jack finally took a bite of his cake, he casually announced, "Maybe I don't like ice cream cake after all."  

Are you kidding me?  I nearly died.

At least he was smiling at the looks of it!

I love this!

At least someone likes ice cream cake :)

Goody bags

It was a really fun party, but it was also a lot of work.  It's prompted me to decide that next year, I'm doing SIMPLE for birthdays.  No themes, no favors, no goody bags.  I need to reign it in.  I really do.  Hold me to that, please.

After his party, Jack was just riding his new scooter around the house, wearing his orange velour hat that Daddy bought him because it matched the party colors.  This boy makes me smile so very much!

And now he's six.

  

It was bound to happen...

So early this morning, as I was putting on my makeup and getting ready for work, I heard Hannah Bear start to whimper.  It quickly escalated into a full-blown cry and a tiny, "Ow".  I came running out of the bathroom to discover our tiny tot wandering around the kitchen, looking for me.

"What's wrong, Hannah Bear?  Why are you crying?"

"There's something in my nose..."

"What do you mean there's something in your nose?  Do you need to blow your nose?"

"No, there's something in my nose."

And then the possibility hit me.

"Hannah Bear - did you put something in your nose?"

Whimpering.  "Yes, and it's stuck."

"What did you put in your nose?" I asked, panic setting in.

"I don't know."

So I proceeded to lift her up and look in her nose, and sure enough, an unidentifiable object was clearly lodged in her nostril.

Perfect.

I quickly carried her up the stairs to our bathroom, sat her on the counter, and proceeded to use our tiniest tweezers to remove the object.  Thankgoodness.

I still have no idea what it is or where she found it or why on earth she decided to stick it in her nose.

We had a firm talking-to that there will be no more "things" in her nose.  Ever.  She seemed pretty scared when it happened, so hopefully that will deter her from ever making the same mistake again.

And that's how my week began.

Lovely.

Silent Sunday

This little princess has been wearing her "bea-u-ti-ful dress" for days.  

She sleeps in it, wears it to school, sometimes lets me wash it, and even wears it to soccer.  

"Wanna see me twirl?" she asks.

Grandma Stella - thank you for Hannah's bea-u-ti-ful dress!