Dylan...

We could not be happier and prouder to be your parents Dylan. The past 3 years have been absolutely amazing. They have been the best 3 years of our lives...and it has only just begun! You have grown and learned so much the past 3 years, you amaze us everyday. You are such a smart, funny, considerate, and loving young boy. You have definitely turned into a young boy the past year (but you will always be mommy's baby boy!!). You no longer wear diapers, you laugh at jokes, tell funny stories, sing songs, make up your own songs, say your ABCs and count, talk NON-STOP, love golf and bowling, play T-Ball, getting ready to start pre-school, remember things, cook...

Dylan Jacob,

As you turn 3 today I think about the 9 months I was pregnant with you. I enjoyed those 9 months so much. I loved the idea that I was about to be a mommy. When I bought that first blue outfit (it was 3 onesies, and a dump truck short outfit) I couldn't believe that I was going to have a son. A little boy was going to be mine. I could have never imagined that it would be as fun as it is. I will never forget the Friday afternoon you were born. I was sure you would come out with a head full of dark brown hair (just like you momma) but you didn't!! You didn't have much hair at all, and it wasn't brown, it was blond!! You did have the brightest blue eyes though. The second daddy brought you into the recovery room I was in love. I don't think I had ever felt so proud, happy, scared, and excited in my life. I have fallen more and more in love with you each and every day. I could not be a prouder mommy, and I am so lucky that you are mine to love and care for.

Happy Birthday Baby Boy!

Love,

Mommy

Dylan's Birthday Parties

Birthday party #1-BBQ
This party was with my family and few friends. All of the kids got these goofy glasses in there
"party baskets". So cute!All of the kids got a pail with some things to do outside. My dad made the cake...a tradition in our family. When my sister and I were younger he would make a cake in the shape of our age. This year he made a 3 for Dylan. Dylan requested yellow frosting and yellow sprinkles. Usually red is his favorite color, so we asked several times what color he wanted and he always came back to yellow!! We let the kids attempt to go down a slip and slide. It wasn't too successful! Dylan wasn't too fond of going down on his belly, so he ran down most of the time! Dylan and his friend Elijah waiting to go down. Elijah sure had fun, he would run down and then slide. It was so fun to watch him!! Miss Ava isn't so sure she wants to join the boys!

Party #2 was with Seth's family. We took Dylan and his cousins golfing. These are the golf cupcakes Dylan and I made. I had no luck finding cupcake ideas online for a golf theme, so I did this! I thought they turned out pretty cute, and they were VERY easy!! Dylan loved playing putt putt with his cousins. Seth's brother and sister have 3 kids each, and a cousin has 2 so there were 9 kids total for the day. You may be saying to yourself...I didn't know Quinci was so talented and could make such a cute shirt...well trust me, I'm not, and I didn't make that shirt!! I had it custom made by the fabulous Rachel at goldenshop. Her stuff is so darn cute and she is easy and fun to work with!! I can't wait for another baby someday so I can order more from her!! I love her bibs and party hats. Just perfect for a 1st birthday!!

Here Dylan and a couple of his cousins are playing putt putt!

And my birthday boy blowing out his candles.

Be sure to check back Tuesday for a birthday post for Dylan's real birthday!

T-Ball

Dylan is in an indoor t-ball league for 3-6 year olds. Today we had game 2!! They are pretty darn funny. At any point during the game you can find kids sitting in the outfield, running to their parents, picking up a base and moving it (that would only be my son that does that!!) and running anyway but the right way. I think Dylan enjoys it for the first 30-45 minutes, but then he gets bored and wants nothing to do with it.
Here he is on 1st base, so proud that he actually made it there. Batting is his strong area, but running the bases, not so much!! This one was during practice before the game!!

Here Dylan is up to bat. He was the last one, so he just got to run the bases, didn't have to stop and each one, which isn't a bad things!!

Dear...

Dear Disney World,

We had A LOT of fun when we came to visit. Dylan is still talking about Dumbo, Goofy, the airplane and sleeping in the hotel... but he is also still talking about the scary guys at the parade. I understand that there are a TON of people that are Star Wards fans, but not us. We didn't like this parade, and Dylan really didn't like it. We can't talk about our trip without the scary guys coming up.

We came to Disney to see sweet, nice characters, not ones like this

or this one, what in the heck is this anyway???And this one, "ubaca" as Dylan says, might have been the scariest of all.
actually, I think seeing families (small children included) dressed in full Star Wars costumes may have been scarier!! I guess I just don't get it, just like they don't get my Dr. Pepper need....which brings to my last problem with you...

next time I come to visit PLEASE have some Dr. Pepper for me. Somewhere. You have a bazillion gift shops, couldn't just one of them have some Dr. Pepper for people like me? I didn't like that my options on drinks were so limited. Don't get me wrong, I love water (more than Dr. Pepper actually) but a nice, cold Dr. Pepper would have been heavenly on those early morning and late nights. I would really appreciate it.

Thanks!!

Some good food!!

Sunday we had Seth's mom and dad over for a Father's Day Dinner. We also wanted to show them all the videos and pictures from Disney, so it worked out great! I made their favorite pasta dish and salad. I have made this several times when they have some over, and they always seem to love it, or they are just being polite!!!

I got this recipe from my dad, and I think he got it out of the paper. When he told me what was in it, I thought he was crazy. There is NO way it could taste good, but it does!!
Here are the ingredients...

Yes, that is taco seasoning and spaghetti sauce!!

I use...

1 1/2 pounds of ground beef

1 jar spaghetti sauce

1 envelope of taco seasoning

shell pasta

8 oz. cream cheese

8 oz. chive and onion cream cheese

1 package of cheddar cheese

Cook the pasta and ground beef

While it is cooking, mix the cream cheese and sour cream together

Add the spaghetti sauce to the cooked and drained hamburger--mix together

Add 1/2 of the cream cheese mixture and mix together

Add the drained pasta and mix together

Pour into a casserole dish ans top with remaining cream cheese mixture, like below.

Add about 1/4 of the cheddar cheese on top and bake for 45 minutes or so on 400. Add the rest of cheddar cheese and bake a little longer, just to melt cheese!!

I don't have a picture of the finished product, I didn't want my mother-in-law to think I was nuts to take a picture of food!!

As the side, I made another one of her favorites, salad!! Not just any salad, salad with homemade Italian dressing. I got this recipe from the secretary at Quincy, and it is AMAZING!!

1 package of good seasons Italian dressing mix

1/2 cup oil

4 T water

2 T vinegar

1T honey

1T sunflower seeds

1T Parmesan cheese

mix all together and refrigerate

I serve it with spinach leaves, some mozzarella cheese, and croutons. Oh, so yummy!!!! This is the ONLY salad my husband will eat, it is that good!!

For dessert I made home made ice cream and Neapolitan cupcakes!!! Here they are all decorated, I suck at decorating cupcakes, so these aren't that great!!

Here is the inside of the cupcakes!! So cute, and pretty yummy too!

Anyway, I love cooking and reading and trying new recipes. Doing this, and for some reason deciding to document it and blog about it got me thinking...how cool would it be to do a cooking blog??? Ok, I am not as talented or have enough time to do this on my own but how cool would it be to get 7 women, and each one have a day of the week. On their day they would post a new recipe, craft, idea...it could be called something like...7 women...7 days. Oh, the things I cook up while Dylan is napping and Seth is mowing. They shouldn't leave me alone often, I think of way too many things!!!!!!!!! So, would you read a blog like that? Would you be a woman that would want a day each week to blog about something other woman would want to know about?

Some more Disney

On our last day we had a special lunch with Pooh and Friends. By this time Dylan wasn't scared of the characters at all! He would willingly give them hugs and pose for pictures!! This mat be one of my favorites from the trip. Dylan and Tigger!

I think little Miss Piglet had a little crush on Dylan! She sure stayed around for a long time, played peek a boo with him, gave him kisses...

Dylan and mommy driving the race car. I drove this time, thinking Dylan was too little to drive.
I guess I was wrong...

Yes, that is Dylan in the driver's seat! He drove. Daddy was brave enough to ride along!

Dylan and Daddy on the Buzz Light Year ride. It is a pretty cool ride, you use those guns to shoot a laser at different things.

Riding the rocket ships. We had to take an elevator up to this ride, so we were very high!

And another one of my favorites! I just love this guy more than anything in the world!!

Happy Father's Day

Hello, it's me, Dylan. Since I am going to be in preschool next year I told mom I needed some practice on the computer!! She said I could do a post about my daddy!!!


To Daddy,
Daddy, I think you are really great. I love you a whole lot. I like when you act like a monster and I hide under my covers. I like laying in your bed with you and watching cartoons. I think you are really funny when you try and scare me and mommy. When we go golfing and bowling it is really fun. I want to be just like you when I grow up. I want to be able to slam dunk all by myself, just like you can. Thank you for being the best daddy in the whole wide world. I am one lucky little boy!!
Love,
Dylan


Happy Father's Day Seth. Thank you for being a wonderful daddy to Dylan. He is so lucky to have someone like you. You are such a blessing to both of us.

Alright

Before I begin...do any of you other bloggers out there ever see something, do something, hear something...and immediately think...oh this is going on the blog??? I sure hope I am not the only crazy one that does!!

Anyway...I love this song, Alright by Darius Rucker. It really makes you think that things are alright. Maybe you would like to buy that new expensive TV, car, house...maybe you would like to go out to a fancy dinner for our birthday...maybe you would like to fix everything in our house right now, maybe you would like a different job, maybe those new shoes, that purse or outfit are just screaming at you every time you go to the mall...but really things are alright!
You have your needs met. Most importantly there is roof over your head at night, you go to bed with someone you love at night, there is dinner on the table every night...
I think we all at times worry about what we don't have and gripe over it and wish that we had this or that...but really we have what we need. Those extra things would be nice, but would they really make your life that much better.

I know that I have a house that Seth and I have made into a very nice home for our son and ourselves. Sure it could be bigger, nicer, newer...but it is our home and it is just perfect for us.
Seth and I both have jobs. Even better we both have stable jobs. Sure, he has to travel at times, but he works for a great company that isn't going anywhere any time soon. I am a teacher, and right now there are many, many budget cuts in the district, but I have a job. Not my first choice for the upcoming year (I will be doing a 2nd/3rd grade combo class) but I love my school, the people I work with, and the kids...so it is worth it!!
I have an amazing little boy that is the love of our life. We should never take for granted how lucky we are to have a healthy, smart, fun loving child.
I have an amazing family. I don't know what I would do without my mom and dad and sister and brother in law. They are simply incredible.
And my husband...he is also pretty darn fantastic. He sticks by my side and roots me on when I need that extra push. He loves me so much and I am so lucky.

Basically, my life is more than alright, it is just perfect for me and my little corner of the world.

My baby

My baby is growing up way too fast!! Today I took Dylan in to be screened to be a peer model in the preschool at my school. It is a special ed class, and they have a few non special ed students as peer models...and Dylan will be one of them!!! He passed with flying colors! Some of the tasks he did awesome on and some he struggled with, but all in all he did well!! I never thought I would want my kids to be at the school I teach at, but now I feel differently about it. I like the idea that he will be there and I can peek out my room and see him walking down the hall. He will be there Tuesday-Friday in the mornings only! I am so excited, and I can't wait, but it makes me sad that he is growing up so fast!!

In less than 2 weeks he will be 3. I am going to have a 3 year old, wow!!! We are doing two parties again this year...one for my family and a more kid friendly one for Seth's.

Here is the invitation for the party with my family!! I thought it turned out pretty cute. I did something like this for his thank you cards last year and I just loved them. Simple, cute, and cheap!!! And here are the invitations for Seth's family. We are doing putt putt, imagine that!!! I also thought these were very cute!!!

To my hubby!!!

Seth,
Thank you for 4 fabulous years of marriage. Four years ago today I got all dolled up and put on a pretty white dress and walked down the aisle. Lucky for me there was a very handsome and amazing person at the end of the aisle! That night was truly amazing...the best day ever (well 2nd to June 30, 2006!!!). Everyday since then I have fallen more and more in love with you. I truly know that we were meant for each other. I know I need you in my life to make it complete, and I am pretty sure you wouldn't survive without me (ha ha!). You make me laugh when I am down and protect me when I am scared.
I love you with all my heart and I can't wait for all the years we have ahead of us!
Forever and Ever.

Hollywood Studios and Animal Kingdom

Dylan trying to be just like Mickey Mouse!
Day 2 in Disney World we started at Hollywood Studios. We got a later start this day--we didn't wake up until 9:15 which was great since we got up before 6 the two mornings before! We got to Hollywood Studios just in time for a Star Wars parade-that is a whole other post on another day! We then went to eat with the Playhouse Disney characters. Today was Little Einstein and Jojo's circus, Dylan doesn't know those guys, so he wasn't very into it! After lunch we went to some other things at Hollywood Studios. Dylan's favorite was the Honey I Shrunk the Kids play area. Everything was HUGE in there!
I love this picture of Seth and Dylan! And, no that is not some sort of man purse...it is the camcorder bag. Not sure why he is carrying it that way!

Going down the bog leave slide. He loved all the slides in there!

The bog play-doh jar. He wouldn't stand there for anything in the world!

Coming down the big tree trunk slide.

Animal Kingdom was pretty cool. We went around 4:30 so it wasn't very busy. On our way to the safari we stopped to take some silly pictures. Dylan wasn't tall enough, so I was holding him sideways.

Dylan and daddy.

The Mickey Mouse ears Dylan picked out!! He has the traditional ones with his name on the back already, Aunt Ashley and Uncle Brad got them for him a couple years ago!

Once again, he has popcorn and water! The boy LOVES popcorn!

Walking to the safari.
The safari was cool! It was on a bog truck and it was like a real safari you would take in Africa! We saw animals, drove through water, and on some very bumpy roads!

Breakfast, Magic Kingdom and Epcot

We started our first morning very early. We had breakfast reservations for 7:45 with Lilo and Stitch, Mickey, and Pluto. It was at Ohana, so everything was Hawaiian themed. Dylan had no clue who Lilo and Stitch were, so he wasn't sure what to think. Once Mickey came out he was a little more excited, but still a little scared and had to hold on to Seth. He kept telling us that when he saw Mickey Mouse he was going to give him a big hug and kiss...well that didn't happen the first day. He did warm up to them later on though!

The last guy to come out was Pluto. He was very silly and Dylan loved it...but still had to hold on to me! The breakfast was fun, but we were ready for Magic Kingdom! We rode the monorail over there, and that was one of Dylan's favorite things. It is like a big bus in the air. He called it the backwards roller coaster!

Our first ride, the tea cups. I am not sure he knew what was about to start. I knew he would like the rides, but I wasn't sure if he would like to go round and round really fast, so I told Seth to take it easy (you have control on how much your tea cup spins).

I think this picture is proof that Dylan didn't mind the spinning. Seth acted like we were going to run into the middle pole and Dylan thought it was pretty funny. I love how Dylan laughs, especially when he is laughing because of something we are doing. There is nothing sweeter than hearing your child laugh so hard.

After the tea cups Seth and Dylan rode on Dumbo. I decided to sit this one out and take pictures. This was also Seth's first time to Disney World, so he hadn't done any of these things before! Dylan liked Dumbo, it ended up being his favorite ride he says (of course, the longest line we waited in too!!). When Dylan and I rode this ride later in our trip he had to hold my hand because I was too scared he said!!

The carasail, or has he calls it, the Merry Go Round! My two favorite guys!!

Goofy's Roller Coaster. Again, he had to hold my hand because I was the scared one!! This was pretty fast and we were in the front. Seth and Dylan rode it on our last day again, and Dylan didn't like it that time. He said it was too fast and scary for him. He like the big roller coaster better (known to the rest of us as the monorail!).

After the roller coaster we rode the train, and while riding it Dyan fell asleep. We decided to head back to our room and take a nap. Of course the minute we got there he woke up! We stayed there for a couple hours to rest though. We were going to go back to Magic Kingdom, but our plans changed! When we went down to get on the bus the Magic Kingdom bus had just left so we decided we would go on whatever bus came next! Well, it was Epcot. I didn't even plan on going to Epcot, because there isn't that much there for Dylan. It ended up being great for 2 reasons! First of all Dylan saw this...

and if you follow my blog and know my son, you know that he LOVES to golf. So yes, he thought this was a giant golf ball!! It was funny seeing him react to it.
After we saw the big golf ball we saw a sign that said Character spotting. We got in line (in the air conditioning) and soon realized we would get to see Mickey, Minnie, Donald Duck, Pluto, and Goofy! Score!!!!!!!!! We waited about 30 minutes and Dylan got to meet all 5! It was awesome and I am so glad we hopped on that Epcot bus for that reason alone! He wouldn't go by himself for the first 3, but he did for Pluto and Goofy. He was so proud of himself for doing it all by himself!

Here the family is with Minnie Mouse.

And my big boy with Goofy. He really liked Goofy and Pluto the best during the whole trip.

Right after we got done with Goofy all 5 went on a break, so lucky us!

After Epcot we headed back to Magic Kingdom. We rode Aladdin's Magic Carpet ride and did a silly Safari.

Around 8:15 we sat down for the night time parade, Spectromagic. Dylan had his popcorn and water, so he was a happy camper.

Next will be day 2 at the parks--Hollywood Studios and Animal Kingdom!