Pretty Amazing

11/12/2010 09:38:00 PM Edit This 2 Comments »
Not to say that I'm jaded by all things military but having grown up on Air Force Bases around the country (and a few outside the country) and hearing an F-4 fighter jet coming to a screeching halt on the air field a mile or so away just meant that Dad would be home for dinner to me. So I've seen a lot of impressive military sights in my time. But I was pretty darn impressed today when I had just dropped Lexie off at her pre-school and I was heading to an appointment when I saw this....
 a Trident nuclear powered submarine heading out of town.
 And no they didn't turn around and head back to City Hall.
 I got caught up in the excitement of it's leave taking and followed it a little ways. Here it is going right towards an apartment building I sold a year ago - cool!
 Then all of a sudden one of the follow boats started to catch up to the sub so I knew something was up.
 Sure enough a Washington State Ferry was heading right towards them.
 I mean really. No one at the base thought to check the Ferry schedule?
 I'll bet the morning commuters where surprised to look out and see the sub so incredibly close.
Blessings to the crew who are heading out to parts unknown and specially prayers to the families that will be waiting & hoping to see this sub come back home safe and sound.

Then after Lexie's piano lessons I pulled out of the teacher's drive way to this sight....

 a family of deer quietly munching on dinner. Then I turned a couple of corners and this was the view out my window. Simply breathtaking.
Lexie and I are so blessed to live in such a beautiful, special part of the world.
(Aren't you amazed - I think this is the first time I've posted without a picture of Lexie:-)

Little Moments

11/09/2010 09:57:00 PM Edit This 5 Comments »
Part of the joy of life with Lexie is the little moments. Like....
-Waking up to Lexie saying "Mommy I was just helping the chick-monks with their nuts and then a fairy came to help too." What a sweet dream and it's good to know she's helping others even in her dreams.
-When changing the toilet paper roll is something she looks forward too, takes about 3 attempts to get it done right and deserves a high five when it's done!
-Often when I ask her to get something for me she'll hand it to me with a flourish and a curtsy as she says "my laaaaady." It stops me every time and makes me laugh.
-I smile every time I walk into a room that she's in and she's talking to herself. Usually she's telling a story or talking to one of her dolls or toys as if they where a princess or a cowboy or a kitten. Or she's being the kitten or princess or pig. And of course she has to wear a costume to make the event.
-The other day I was getting her dressed in one of Brooke's hand-me-down sweaters (thanks Brooke & Yin-Yin) and the sweater has a farm scene on it. So she had to have braids and boots and her cowboy hat. Of course the hat wasn't warn to school but it was worth being a little late to let her enjoy the process of dressing the part.
-Oh that face, that sweet beautiful little face. Especially when she flashes her dimples or she giggles softly or laughs like a loon! I never get tired of seeing her sweet face.
-Her imagination never stops and I love to see where it takes her and often times me with her. I've finally gotten her to tell me who I am in the latest fantasy which is helpful so I don't hear "Mommeeeee, I'M the dogie and you are the girl with the dogie." Okay - good to know.
-She was at the table the other day playing with her cash register while I was getting dinner ready and I'd hear ding when the drawer opened then she'd say "thanks for shopping with us and have a pleasant day."
-I love to hear her say please and thank you almost all the time without any prompting from me.
-For whatever reason Lexie often says "Hello today." Just the way she says it cracks me up.
-This morning during our drive to her pre-school she asked me if today is tomorrow. What a terrific question. Of course today is tomorrow and today will also be yesterday...tomorrow. After a few more questions on my part I found out the big kids - aka the kindergartners - are putting on a play for them "tomorrow"and if today is tomorrow then she didn't want to be late.
-And one of my favorite little moments, yesterday (which would have been today when she told me about it) Lexie said that she and her friends Lauren D. (there are 2 Lauren's in her class so she always says Lauren D or Lauren M,) Collen and Sofia where playing family and they were flying around the world to go get their baby girl. What better way to celebrate Adoption month than to have a little moment where you realize your daughter understands she was adopted, has no problem with it and has taught her friends that adoption is how you create a family. Which is certainly how we created ours. I had to take a little moment myself to clear my throat before I could respond to her question of how far away Kazakhstan really is.
I am so thrilled to be able to share the world with this beautiful little soul who constantly reminds me of the joys of the little moments in life.

A Magical Day

11/07/2010 12:27:00 AM Edit This 5 Comments »
Just as I was leaving my office last night, Kim mentioned that Disney on Ice was coming to town and asked if I was taking Lexie. No I hadn't heard about it but I've wanted to take her for the last year or so since she's at the prefect age to really enjoy it. Naturally I jumped on line and sure enough they were in town - THIS weekend and it was Friday evening! Now when I said in town I meant in Everett (which is 1 hr 47 minutes away according to my GPS) so I figured if I can't get decent tickets this late then I wasn't going to drive 4 hours round trip. Clearly it was meant to be since they had 2 tickets just slightly off the middle in the second row! How could I say no. But I didn't tell Lexie until we were getting on the elevator to go up to the show. Nothing worse than hearing "are we there yet?" for two hours straight.
Do you think she was excited? She really didn't know what we were going to see except that Micky, Minnie and princesses were involved. Needless to say, it sounded like heaven to Lexie. 
They certainly know how to entice the young buyers (or rather their parents) as you make your way to your seats. I managed to keep Lexie to one Minnie cup which was really pretty cute.
The timing of everything couldn't have been better. We weren't in our seats more than 10 minutes when the show started. And what a show it was. Disney really knows how to put a production on - and this coming from someone who was in the business for 13+ years.
This was part of the opening number and here is Lexie's reaction when the lights went down.
Watching her was the best part of the show for me. And she was captivated the whole two hours. Magic!
Here she is watching Micky the Magician try to get the brooms to work during the Fantasia number. She wasn't sure if the brooms where his friends or not.
Then it was on to the Halloween act with all the villains. Lexie didn't like that much and climb onto my lap. She has never seen Beauty & the Beast, Snow White or any of the classics except Cinderella because of all the "Bad Guys." She knows the characters because of the wonderful sing a long videos that have all the best parts of the movies - the songs. So she was very worried that Mickey would eat the apple from Snow White's Evil Witch. Have no fear ALL the kids in the audience told him just say NO!
After the bad guys were chased away the Fairy Godmother turned Minnie into a princess. Then all the princesses explained to Minnie how she would know when the right prince comes along. This was a big number and a BIG hit with Lexie.
 I'm sure you're surprised but the act ends with Mickey and Minnie realizing they were meant to be together. Ahhh...
Fifty minutes later it was intermission and Lexie couldn't have had a bigger smile on her face especially when I broke down and bought her these flashing Minnie ears.
Pretty darn cute!
Then she had to do the Hot Dog Dance!
 She said the ears made her do it!
Fifteen minutes of buying time later, it was time to take in the second act. It started on the beach with Lilo & Stitch.
 Then we were off to Japan with Minnie...
 and Lexie was helping Mickey look for Minnie in China.
 Here's Mulan and her man (sorry but I can't remember his name) trying to figure out where Minnie has gotten to.
After a few more exotic locals they find each other and true love of course. Then it's time for the final celebration - Christmas. I did tell you this was Disney on Ice - Let's Celebrate didn't I?
 Who better to play Santa than Goofy? Then where there is Santa there are Toys as in Toy Story 3 a real crowd pleaser (for everyone but Lexie who made me leave in the middle of the movie because it was scary.) But Lexie does like Jessy so we made it through this part:-)
 Then the Princesses & their Princes had to join the fun
 and of course the stars of the show had to outshine everyone else by coming back in a carriage.
 They even had some fireworks
It really was a terrific show and I would recommend it to anyone with kids under 8 or even 10. And no Lexie isn't upset about the show only that it's over. This is her reaction when I told her they weren't coming back. So pitiful!
Hearing this for 2 hours was worth every penny.
It really was a magical day all because of my little Minnie Mouse.
I hope you and yours have your own magical day really soon.