Twelve Years Later...It's Still One of Our Favorites!

One of our families MOST FAVORITE places when we lived here in the 90's was the Baltimore Science Center!!! We spent MANY hours...days...weeks {grin} exploring every inch of it! Kimberly even spent the night at the Science Center with her Girl Scout troop. So...of course...one of the first places we had to get a membership to (so we can return again...and again...and...) was the Science Center! Saturday we loaded the family up for a "Mom Mis-Adventure"! (Hey and this one we even had a GOOD one!)

The Baltimore Harbor was breath-taking (as always)! There is just something about the water that calms me (which if you know my ADD brain is AMAZING!!) I LOVE this sculpture outside the Science Center! It's "Arrrrrrrrt" as Kimberly likes to call it {grin}

The kids (and MOM!!) we very excited to find out we were going to Tim Burton's "Alice in Wonderland" in IMAX 3-D!! Wow! That's a BIG screen to watch a movie on! It REALLY felt like things were flying at you! MUCH better than the digital 3-D movies I took the kids to in Killeen! After wiping up the drool watching Johnny Depp...we were OFF to explore the Science Center!

The kids got to go up on the roof to look out the observatory. They got some great shots of the sun with their own cameras. We're working at helping them create their own blogs to journal some of their experiences while we are living in DC...so be watching for more info on that! (They can share their own cool pictures there!)

The kids were SUPER-EXCITED about the geo-caching exhibit! They really want me to buy a GPS so they can start doing it! Kimberly had gotten interested in this quite a while ago and has tried to find a few caches just by common sense looking. She even drug her grandpa out with his GPS while he was visiting us last year. I think it looks kinda fun...but we'll have to see!

They had so many new exhibits at the Science Center. They did a HUGE remodel about five years ago (yes...I had to ask). It is SO cool...I mean it was cool before...but this is WAY better! It was so busy, so we just did the quick tour and will have to spend many more hours exploring!

We found this really cool room with hands-on stuff while we were waiting for Steven to bring the car around. I practically had to DRAG Stevie out of it...he wanted to stay and play! We'll have to plan our next trip QUICK!

Missy was getting tired and cranky as the day went on...but we figured out a way to keep her happy! "Smile Missy!"

While the kids were on the roof taking pictures of the sun...I was just soaking in the Maryland sun and enjoying the view!

The family looking out the telescope observatory...they were WAY up there! Isn't zoom a great thing? {grin}

Kimberly...looking at the sun! Didn't your mother ever tell you that can hurt your eyes? {grin}

Okay...I admit, I had to try looking at the sun too!

It was a GREAT day and I can't wait to go back! It was totally a different museum than the one we used to visit...but in a good way! I think it would have been boring to go re-do the same things after the first reminisce trip...but this has LOTS of possibiltities! And with a membership...we can go lots and lots!

I'm Replacing This House...One Piece at a Time!

At least that's what it seems like! {grin} The day we moved in, just as we were leaving to go back to the motel for the night (since we didn't have beds yet!) the fire alarm went off. Maybe that was the warning sign? We looked around but didn't see any smoke, so we called the housing office and told them about it. They said they would send the maintenance man over (Dave, as we have become on a first name basis by now LOL!) He came and was perplexed as to why it was going off, but gave us a new alarm (we could have used some Tylenol too by that point). That was visit #1.

Well, as you move into a house, you find problems with a house...and this house was no exception. He was back to look at a broken window (which was later fixed), to look at the garbage disposal which we felt was not working properly but he said was fine (but keep reading {grin}, and other smaller jobs. We started joking that he should stay for dinner since he was becoming like family. Then...came the BIG jobs...

The stairs were AWFUL! They were steep, SLICK (from years of sock-shined use) and treacherous! With my foot, I was worried about slipping down them, and of course...that's exactly what I did! I then felt like I was scaling mountains--hanging on the hand rail for dear life both up and down the stairs. That worried Steven enough, he was over at housing requesting a solution. So about a week later, here come maintenance people AGAIN to put carpet on the stairs for me! MUCH nicer!!

Our next adventure was the sink...we opened the cabinet underneath to get a soda out and Stevie says "what's all the water" (never a good statement to hear). Dave came out and decided he had to replace part of the sink. Then about two days later, after opening the cabinet...again with the water! This time Dave decides the garbage disposal (yes, the same one he said was fine) was cracked and leaking all over the cabinet) so now I have a NEW garbage disposal that WORKS! (what a concept--a garbage disposal that actually can grind the food??!!)

About this time, we are laughing about "What next?" It was funny until Steven is getting ready for work...comes down the stairs and steps in a BIG puddle of water. Several of my ONLY UNPACKED bath towels later, he determines the water heater is pouring water all over the downstairs {sigh}. A day of no water (which is probably okay--since all my bath towels are dripping) later...we have a new water heater (a BIGGER NICER new water heater)!

So if you have been counting...that's a new fire alarm, new sink (left side drain, new garbage disposal...and my new faucet from an earlier post), new carpet, new window and new water heater...all within two weeks of moving in!

It's the Plumber...He's Come to Fix the Sink!

I LOVE moving into a new house! All the organizing...just makes me drool thinking about it {grin} I love the fixing up, sorting, labeling...all the things that make a house a home! I have a sign in my house that says "The best way to clean my house is to move" which sadly is true in my case! It feels like we have been in a constant state of moving now for 3 years...oh wait...maybe that's because it is true! We moved in the fall of 2006 to Idaho from Miami. Then to Texas in January of 2008 and to Maryland in January of 2010! That doesn't leave us in any house very long! About the time I get unpacked...it's time to start packing up for another move {sigh} AND...it looks like we will be moving again next fall! Oh well, I resolve to actually LIVE in this house and enjoy it...even for as short of a time as I may have!

That said...I decided I hated my sink LOL! I used a sink in Texas for the whole time we lived there that didn't have a sprayer. I was SO used to having a sink sprayer...it REALLY bothered me! Steven decided he could install me a sprayer (my hunky handyman!) so after begging housing to let us improve THEIR house, we got permission to put in a new faucet!

This is the icky old faucet. What you can't see in the picture is...they even have the handle turning the wrong way on the hot LOL! It was driving Kimmy and I CRAZY!

What a hunk of a handyman! I love this man! He reminds me of my dad...he can do just about anything too!


Eeeew! That is kinda nasty where the faucet was!

It's the plumber...he's come to fix the sink! Now what to do?? LOL! He can demolish it...but can he put it back together?

This is my pretty new faucet! When the housing maintenance came to check it out the next day, they were impressed with his work AND with the faucet! They had told me I should just get a cheap $30 sprayer faucet at Lowe's...Nope! My hubby bought me the GOOD one! Thanks honey...I LOVE it! (and you!!)

Washington DC...Abridged!

We've been at our new house about three weeks now (well IN the house about 10 days...IN a motel the rest of the time LOL!) and we have driven all over but hadn't taken the kids into DC yet. Steven had a day off work so we decided to brave the COLD wind and "do the DC abridged tour"

And on your left...is the Washington monument...well, actually it is behind us...but the kids LOVE that family joke from when we lived here in the 90's. My sister, Gloria, was visiting and Steven took us down to DC. It was one of our earliest visits there, and we didn't know the city real well yet. He would drive past the monument and say "And on your left...is the Washington Monument". Then he would get turned around...and drive past it again...and again...and again...and...It came at us from the left, the right, front, back and sometimes it felt upside down! We got so lost and disoriented on that trip, but it left us with a great family joke that has made us laugh for over 15 years!

It was sooooo cold and windy...check out Missy's hair! Bad hair day!


On the way home, we HAD to take the kids past the DC temple...it is so beautiful at night. We got there at dusk and were able to see it as the lights just came on. I had kind of a "duh" moment though...I was getting frustrated looking for the reflecting pool. I remembered being able to see the temple reflected in it, but couldn't find it. Kimmy finally laughed when she realized it was frozen and not reflecting...silly mommy!

This was Kimmy's absolute favorite exhibit at the Smithsonian American History Museum when she was a little girl. She used to stand of it FOREVER and sit and look at each room. She got her love of miniatures from this dollhouse.

This exhibit was very special to me. Steven served in Operation Desert Shield/Storm under these two Generals. It is the combat patch that he chooses to wear on his shoulder of his uniform. (He also has the option of Fort Hood since he went back to Iraq with them) I remember sitting glued to the television as Desert Storm started. I was only 20 years old...way too young to have to be worried about war, death, bombings...I watched Schwarzkoph and Powell give their briefings over and over...praying that my husband would return safe and sound.

I just thought the National Archives is the coolest looking building! I kept driving everyone nuts having to look at the architecture...but I LOVE old buildings!

Stevie's favorite president is Abraham Lincoln. He is obsessed with the Civil War. He about got a case of whiplash when we failed to tell him about the big Civil War exhibit at the Museum of American History. He also was thrilled with the big exhibit about Abraham Lincoln. This picture shows a copy of a cast of Lincoln's hand and you can compare your hand to his. A pretty good role model for him to look up to!

Kimmy LOVES rocks. It started with a geology class she took in Texas. She collects them, talks about them, reads about them...You can imagine how excited she was at the Smithsonian Museum of Natural History. They have a HUGE rocks and gems gallery, including the giant topaz in front of her and even the Hope Diamond (which I thought was so interesting--they MAILED the diamond, by US Postal Service, to the Smithsonian when it was donated! I don't even trust the mail when I mail out ebay LOL!) She definately wants more time to explore!

We did the National Gallery of Art on the run...well, we did all of the museums on the run (it was just a sneak peak for the kids) so I thought this picture that came out kinda blurry like it's in motion was kinda funny! Missy was in HEAVEN...she was in the middle of ART! The girls just want to take their sketch pads in and draw!

Stevie's was SO excited to go the Smithsonian Air and Space Museum! This was HIS museum!! He even was excited for the McDonald's because it wasn't any old Big Mac...it was an AIR AND SPACE BIG MAC...that is SO much better! He even got into his best Guy Fieri position to eat it (if you have seen "Diners, Drive-ins and Dives, you will understand)

Parking Pass: $21

Lunch (with Air and Space Big Macs): $50

Souveniers: $30

Spending the day in DC with my kids (and seeing the excitement in their eyes): Priceless!

What Happens When Kids Get Bored?

Well, at our house you usually end up with a big mess! I got a beautiful new desk for our new house and it came unassembled...boy did it come unassembled! It took Steven about 7 hours to finally get it all put together (Thanks honey! I love you!) Several blisters and a headache later, I had a desk AND a huge bag of styrofoam that came around the millions of desk parts. I am sure I could have been boring and just thrown them away...but this is the Weatherston ZOO and we HAD to have some fun with them! The kids (and the BIG KID) took them outside to let their inner "Karate Kid" shine through!

Kimmy...able to break boards with her deadly bare hands!

Many fight sequences also ensued during our styrofoam play.

Dad has to show the kids "how it's done"...Bad to the bone! Gotta love my tough guy!

Crouching tiger...kicking Kimmy! Hiiiii-YAH!

You just KNEW he'd have to try using his head huh? He's pure boy...what can we say?

We made sure Missy's was a little smaller...not TOO much brain damage!

Of course...you did have to watch out for flying styrofoam that might just HAPPEN to hit you when you weren't looking!

Always make sure you get at least and EQUAL size of styrofoam for the fighting though...poor Missy's is WIMPY!

Steven looks a little worried in this picture...Maybe he's afraid Stevie will miss?

An "I'm ALMOST brain-damaged" before picture. I think he may need some Tylenol when he is done!

I Guess If I Have to Play Catch-Up...This is a Good Place to Start!

My family has gotten the BIGGEST kick out of the fact that I counted down the days until Steven came home by how many garbage days were left! I guess it is a memorable occasion that happens every week (either that or we lead a BORING life?? Maybe it is because it became MY responsibility to keep track of it while Handsome was gone?) Oh well, for whatever reason...garbage day was a day of celebration at our house...because it was ONE week closer until the "Daddy-Dude" came home! FINALLY...it was the LAST garbage day before he came home! I don't think I even had to remind them *grin*

I guess I wasn't much better! I also got very emotional when I realized the milk expired AFTER my husband was home! I stood in the aisle at Walmart with tears in my eyes and had to take a picture of the milk cartons LOL! I guess in a military community, people get used to it--since no one even paid much attention to the looney lady in the milk aisle!

It was FINALLY THE DAY!! They were supposed to come in a day earlier--but their flight got bumped. It is amazing how agaonizing an extra 24 hours are! The day just absolutely WENT SOOOOOO SLOW! No homeschool was accomplished...no cleaning...no reading...just a bonkers mommy day! *grin* We finally started getting ready for the BIG event after lunch! When Steven went to Desert Shield/Storm, I was only 19 and had gone home to Idaho for the deployment. Kimmy and I weren't at the base to welcome him home so we wanted to go "all-out gaudy" for him! We spent the afternoon decorating!

I had ordered a "Welcome Home" banner. It was quite the feat getting it hung--I should have let Stevie hang it I guess--since he is taller than me--but staple guns and teenagers just sounded like a recipe for the emergency room LOL!

Missy decided to do a HUGE sidewalk mural as a welcome home! She spent lots and lots of time making it look "just right"!

I decided we would hang yellow ribbons all over. I thought about letting the kids tie them on the tops of the trampoline poles...but once again...emergency room would really detract from the welcome home ceremony *grin* We also ran out of ribbon so that idea got shot down!

Steven has always laughed about all the car windows being decorated at the base...so we made sure his car was just as gaudy as everyone else! We COVERED the car with ribbons, pictures, and more! Everyone got to take a window and decorate however they wanted. (Crayola has the BEST window markers!!)

Kimmy did the whole back window. It said "Welcome from the Zoo Crew" and had a picture signifying each of us...Handsome was the gorilla, Missy the giraffe, Stevie the tiger, Kimmy the wolf and I was the red panda. It looked AWESOME!

Missy made lots of flowers, army men (with "impossible to draw" hair) and hearts galore! The car REALLY stood out! (which is good...since it is a boring white van LOL)

We got to the gym early to find a seat (since my foot doesn't like just standing). The kids took lots of books to read...though everyone was so excited, I don't think they read much! The USO had goodies and drinks available and mostly we just "people watched". It was amazing to see what some people would choose to wear (????) We were boring...just dressed up cute! I was getting worried Kimmy wouldn't get to see her dad come in...they were running late and she had a class she HAD to be at for a test. Luckily she got to be there for the excitement, but then gave him a hug and ran LOL!

After MANY "get your hopes up" false alarms...the DJ would get the crowd worked up with "Let's get ready to rumble..." or other wowsa songs, the smoke started and in through it ran THE SOLDIERS! It was so exciting...trying to figure out which of these identical trees was yours! The screaming and yelling was almost deafening! We yelled out "HANDSOME" because we knew he would know who that was if he could hear us LOL!

Finally, after what seemed like an eternity...but in all actuality was probably only a minute or so...I found him. The look on his face when he turned and saw us was priceless and one I will treasure always! My handsome had come home safe and sound!

I wish I had a picture of Kimmy with her dad too...but she literally hugged and ran! Her teacher had told her she could be late for the test...and she was! I am amazed she got such a high score after all the excitement we had! It was a music appreciation class with slooooow music to identify and other such "dull" questions *grin* How she kept her mind on it, I don't know! Missy and Stevie were soooooo excited to see their dad!

It's always amazing to me, when Handsome comes home after being gone for so long, it feels like he has never been gone. We got into the car, and even after having been alone for so long and being in charge of everything, we just reverted right back to how things were before. It felt nice to be the passenger in the car and to let him drive. It felt right to have him home (after a startling moment or two waking up in the night to someone else in my bed LOL) and I am grateful that we are a family together once again. It has been a super long year and not the easiest one. Here's hoping the next one will be filled with joy, fun and togetherness!