A Rendezvous with Ryan!!!

 I am definitely not the type of lady to brag about how awesome my husband is on Facebook and all over the place for the whole world to read.  I don't really understand why people do that... However, I figure I can do it here because I know that there is only a small group of family and friends who even care to read this blog and I keep it up mostly for me and my family anyway.  So here goes...you have been warned :)

Ryan has been gone to Alabama for just over 5 weeks now working hard at an AF training...uuugh!! It has felt so long!!  Luckily I have a super sweet, thoughtful and wonderful husband who definitely went the extra mile to plan an amazing little getaway for all of us so we could meet up for a weekend!! 

Ryan arranged it all so it would be of little inconvenience to me and the kids.  All I was assigned to do was get the kids and I to the DC airport on Saturday to pick Ryan up.  He, however, had to drive 2 and 1/2 hours to catch a flight to DC where he would be able to drive the rest of the way (another 2 and 1/2 hours) with the kids and I to Virginia where we got to stay at the Great Wolf Lodge!! I really appreciated that because East Coast driving really stresses me out!!

This has to be the funnest hotel I have ever stayed in!!  The kids and I were spoiled rotten by Ryan and best of all, we got to spend the whole entire Presidents Day weekend together as a family!at this super fun place!

When we picked Ryan up from the airport he had some super cute Valentine's Day surprises for the kids and I.  He got the kids these darling teddy bears fully dressed and Air Force ABU's that they could cuddle with when they missed him :) He also got them each a fun new toy, a box of chocolates, and a Pez dispenser.  They especially love those!!!  And he got this prego lady loads of my favorite kinds of candy and a sweet V-day card!!!  It was such a sweet way yo begin our adventure!!

 When we arrived at the amazing Great Wolf Lodge we were all so excited just to stay in our cool room and go to the HUGE water park there...but little did we know that Ryan had many other fun surprised planned for us!!!

 Here is the very grand fireplace in the lobby!!!

 The kids were more than thrilled to see the neat place where they were going to sleep for two nights!! Our room had a little "Kid's Kamp" themed space for the kids!!  It was super neat...

 They thought having their own space with their very own tv was just about the coolest thing ever!! And they each got a turn to sleep on the top bunk!!

 Although, the bottom bunk was pretty cool too!!

 Every day that we were at the hotel, Ryan took the kids to the truly amazing water park and did ALL the work!!  There was not much there that a ginormous prego lady could do so I got some much needed rest and relaxation time where I got to read and nap and just watch the kids having the time of their lives while Ryan took the kids on Every water slide, tube run and water feature that the water park offered...and there was quite a lot!!! 

 Here they are in the lazy river...

 The kids raved about how brave they were to go down the HUGE water slides...and they weren't kidding.  Here is an outside view of the crazy water slides that the kids went on!!!

 Ryan surprised the kids with some very special passes which allowed the kids to do and get so many super fun things!! They got a pair of wolf ears which they adorned for nearly our entire stay :)

 We got to eat a very special dinner and breakfast at a restaurant in the hotel.  Yes...we are eating in our own private cabin/tent booth!!

 The kids made wolf noises quite a lot while wearing their wolf ears...which I loved and hated :-/

 The kids' special passes also allowed them each to get a beautiful glitter tattoo!!  Jane was in Heaven!

 This is a funny picture of Beckham trying his hardest to be brave while the sticker stencil was getting pulled off!!!

 They also were each able to help make their own special stuffed animal!! Beckahm chose a dragon and Jane chose Violet the wolf.

 Another favorite feature of the hotel was the magic wand quests!!  Jane and Beckham each got the pick their own special and very magical wands.  Then we were sent on quests around the hotel!!

 Their wands made all sorts of things around the hotel come to life and do magical things!! This suit of armor talked to us when the kids waved their magical wands at it!!

 We were sent to some very mystical places around the hotel on our quests...

 and saw some very mystical things...

 There were things all over the place that the kids could work their magic on!

 In the cool "Kids Cub Club" the kids each got to choose a craft to make.  Beckham chose to make his own bottle of bubble bath.  His had plenty of glitter and small creatures in it to make their baths extra special.

 Jane chose to make sand art :)

 They also got to color :)

Jane and Beckham got to play some 4D games and go on a 4D ride...all by themselves.  The man in charge very carefully explained to the kids that if they needed the ride to stop for any reason all they had to do was yell stop and make an X with their arms.  Weeeeeell...within literally 3 seconds of the ride beginning, Beckham diligently followed instructions and put his arms in an X and hollered "STOP!!" haha.  Ryan had to peek in and give him lots of extra support and encouragement to finish the ride.  The poor boy felt the need to use his "X and stop" privilege quite a few times before the ride ended- hehe.

 They bowled...

 ate ice cream...

 got their faces painted...

 and explored every shop and store there was to see!!!

 This is just about the most unflattering picture of me EVER but I have to mention that Jane and I got surprised with a special mommy and me "ice cream scoop" pedicure while Beckham and Ryan hit up the arcade!! We got Tiaras, ice cream coupons, our own nail polish, a strawberry foot soak and rub and got to have our toes beautifully painted!!  It was the best mommy/daughter date ever!! Again, Jane was in heaven!!

 At bed time, we went to a special show and story time with Wiley the wolf!!

 Though it was freezing, we had to make sure we did miniature golfing for Beckham.  He LOVES it!!! The course wasn't even really open.  The nice people at the hotel could see how desperately Beckham hoped to do mini golf before we left. So, they gave us special permission to do it.  We had the whole course to ourselves!!

 The kids' special passes also included a very special 3D picture for each of them and a Great Wolf Lodge mug with as many trips to their special soda machine as we wished!!

This really was just the break we all needed from this LONG time apart!!  There really is nothing in the world better than FAMILY and I am super grateful for mine!!  I am pretty sure I have the BEST husband ever to do all this for us while also working so hard to provide so well for our family!!  We all love him and miss him so much.  Only three more weeks to go!!

Saturdate, Awards, Gymnastics, and Valentines!!!!!

 Before Ryan left, I worried that the weekends would be the hardest.  However, we have managed to fill our time with a lot of fun!!! This past Saturday the kids and I went on a "Saturdate" to the bouncy house place...

 And Applebees!!!  We had a ton of fun and got out plenty of energy :) And had a little ice cream too!!

 I was invited to special awards assembly at Jane's school on Monday to see Jane receive an award.  It was too darn cute to see how proud she was as she walked up to the Principal to receive her award.  She was beaming!!  Jane has been doing amazingly in school and is at the top of her class!!  We are so proud of her :)

 After Karate turned out to be a bit too intense and too serious and frankly... not a lot of fun...for Beckham, I took him out and decided to try a gymnastics class.  He had so much fun!!!   He loved jumping on the trampoline, walking on the beam, showing how awesome he is a somersaults and he even did pretty good for his first time on the bars!! I was so thrilled that he enjoyed his class so much!

 And Jane thought it was pretty cool to have Beckham doing gymnastics class while she was doing one too!!  She even gave Beckham a big hug when their classes crossed paths- so sweet.

Happy Valentine's Day!!!  Valentine's day is a little different without a husband to share it with.  But we had a lovely day nonetheless.  Naturally, Jane came home with a huge haul of Valentines.  This awesome mustache sticker was one of the better Valentine's I've ever seen- hehe!!

And Naturally, Jane had to examine each Valentine very carefully :)

I am happy for Jane and completely anticipated this happening, so I knew I had to create some Valentine's day fun for sweet Beckham, too, so he wouldn't feel left out.  For school today Beckham had some extra special Valentine's day rewards for working so hard and being so smart and awesome!! 

This is Beckham's V-day box that we made together earlier in the week.

Every time Beckham completed one of his school tasks, he got to go and find several of his special Valentine's that I made for him last night, that were hidden around the family room!! He was so excited every time he found a special v-day treat to put in his froggy's mouth!!

I especially loved this one.  It says, "Even though you push my buttons, I love you!!"

This little bag of gummy bears says, "Will you be my bear-friend?"- hehe!!!

He got 12 special Valentines in all and had a full froggy by the end of school today!! We had so much fun :)

Our last bit of big news is that Beckham completed his "letter of the week" alphabet training!!  He now is an expert at  recognizing and writing every letter of the alphabet!! He also knows what sound every letter makes and can spell his own name!!  Yay yay yay for Beckham!!  What a smarty pants!!

For U we made umbrellas :)

For V we made Valentine's :)

For W Beckham did several projects with animals who live in the water :)

And well, X Y and Z  were done rather speedily because Beckham knew those letters really well already!! And it was really hard to find activities for these letters of the alphabet :/ We read books that had those letters in the title, Beckham got special treats at the grocery store that had X Y and Z in the name, we ate yogurt and got new puZZles to do together!! 

Five weeks down and three more to go until Ryan gets home:)