Valentine's Day Fun

Well I am a tad bit late with Valentine's Day but at least it is still February, right??

We were hitting the road for Valentine's Day so we actually celebrated a night early. Chad had told me he was taking care of dinner so that was one thing I did not have to worry about. As I said, we were going on a road trip and I am one of those people that has to have a spotless house before I go out of town. There is nothing more irritating than a messy house after hours of being on the road. So I spent all day cleaning and packing and cleaning some more.

Chad came home from work with a sack that contained our delicious dinner for the evening: Lobster! My favorite!!! However, I was a tad bit reserved about letting Gavin see us cook them. You see, every time we go to our cute little local market, it is a must for Gavin to go look at the "Spiders" in the tank. We talk to them and tell them goodbye, so I felt like he had sort of made a connection with them. I wasn't sure he was ready to learn the rules of the food chain, if you will. I mean, a chicken or a cow does not look like a chicken or a cow on your plate. A lobster looks just like a lobster. So I took Gavin into our room to play while Chad prepared our lovely, romantic meal that I was certain was going to give our son nightmares. After everything was cooked and we were setting the table, Gavin immediately starts talking about the spiders. Chad explained to him that we were going to eat them. Without even hesitating just the tiniest little bit, he announced that he too was going to eat that spider. And boy did he. He ate his weight in lobster. He devoured it like it was an oreo. He had no more of a connection with those lobsters than he does with milk in a cow. I guess natural instincts overpower any sort of illusions I had about him making friends with the 'spiders' at the store. And because, man, lobster is just so, so good!

So we had a delicious dinner and I got a gorgeous orchid. It is ten days later and I have yet to kill it, so I am pretty proud of myself so far. I hope all of you had a great Valentine's Day and spent it with the ones you love!

Our adorable little Valentine. 

Gavin's little Valentine gift. All about robots!

The Heart of a Child

This was too sweet not to share. And I am sure in a few weeks I will completely forget it ever happened and I want to remember how sweet Gavin is in every day moments like this.

So our son is completely obsessed with robots right now. Mickey is his best best buddy but robots are just a complete fascination with him. Chad and I searched high and low and can you believe in these days of advanced technology there are no robots to be found for a little two year old boy to have and to hold? We found a stuffed toy robot a few months back at Target and Gavin has really loved that thing but I know a robot that moves and lights up would just blow his mind. We wanted to give him one for Christmas but there just wasn't one that fit what we were looking for. So alas, we went robot-less for Christmas. And I have to say, he survived just fine.

But today I took my weekly, sometimes daily, trip to Hobby Lobby. They are trying to get rid of the last remains of their Christmas loot. Ninety percent off of flatten bows, glitter-less glitter ornaments and apparently a very sad and very broken robot-looking nutcracker sort of thing. I don't even understand what it is supposed to be or how it is in any way a Christmas item. But there it was, lodged among all the other Christmas decoration rejects and my son spotted him the minute we wheeled down the aisle. "Robot, Mama!! Robot, Mama!!" I am not an advocate of getting Gavin something every time we go to the store. If that were the case,  we couldn't afford to eat. But I do let him hold whatever it is he is fascinated with at the time and he can hold it the whole time I am shopping and then when it is time to check out, we have to put that object back. We say goodbye to it and promise to see it the next time we are in the store. For instance, at Target there is a birthday card that has a robot on it and every time we go into Target, we have to go to the card section and get that 'robot book' as Gavin calls it. We wheel all over Target and Gavin reads his robot book and when I am done shopping we put it back with promises to see it next time. Let's face it, it is Target. He gets to see that thing every week.

So he sees this sad excuse for a robot in Hobby Lobby and I have every intention of just letting him hold it and then we are going to put it back on the shelf. I have no use for a nutcracker much less one that is an orange robot. So as I am looking for the right color paint, Gavin is talking to this robot. He is playing with it and the arm falls off. I tell him to be careful with it because he is broken. We continue shopping and Gavin starts telling me "Mama, I no want to put him back. I want to take him home and fix him." I have to say, this is the first time he has ever rejected putting a toy back. He has always been so good at putting it back without even as much as a peep. But I am listening to my son talk about how he wants to fix this toy and I am looking at him holding it so lovingly. I mean, this thing was just pathetic. Both of his eyes were gone, he had one arm, his "bolts" on his head were all gone but one. There was no way anyone else was going to buy this ugly thing much less love it as much as Gavin was right then. So I caved. I told him we would take him home and fix him. We found some eyes for him and some new bolts. A little paint and some glue and he would be good as new. Gavin was SO excited. He was telling the robot the whole time that he was going to 'the new house'. (That is what he calls home.) He had every lady in Hobby Lobby wooing and awing over him and that ugly robot. It ended up being a whopping $1.00 with the 90 percent discount. On the way home, Gavin had him in his lap and I heard him tell the robot, "It will be ooooookay. We will fix you and you will be okay." Seriously, I almost cried.

We got him home and glued his arm back on, painted his new parts and glued them on as well. We put his eyes on and let him sit for a few hours. After his 'nap', the robot was ready to get all the hugs and button pushes from Gavin he could handle. He is still so ugly but Gavin has taken him upstairs, fed him water and showed him all the robot apps on the iPad. The best dollar I have ever spent.

BEFORE

Armless, eyeless, sad, sad robot

AFTER

Arm back in place, eyes and bolts all put back together. Still creepy looking but I think that might be a smile??

A Together Kind of Christmas

This Christmas was so very special to us as Chad was going to be home to enjoy it with us. Last year he was deployed and it was tough celebrating separately. But the good Lord brought him home safely and we were more than ready to celebrate His birthday with Chad!

Gavin is still in those 'innocent years' where he doesn't quite get the whole presents under the tree, stockings stuffed and Santa coming. The first thing he was excited about was the fact that we were actually putting a tree in our living room. "It gets to stay with us??" He loved putting the ornaments on the tree and all the lights outside. I do have to say that one of his favorite things was the nativity scene. He absolutely loved playing with that. He would rearrange the characters and always ask me if he could 'pet' Baby Jesus. When he asked me what kind of animal the donkey was, my response of 'donkey' was not the correct answer. He looked right at me and said "No, Mama, that is Maverick." Apparently my brother's dog was present at the birth of Jesus.

Gavin felt like EVERYONE needed to be in the stable.

Chad's parents came for a long weekend. Our time with them was a little delayed due to a snow storm that blew through. And I mean, a MAJOR snow storm! Our house was covered in snow. Everything was so pretty! Chad and Gavin even made a snowman. I could not get Gavin to come inside. He wanted to stay out there for as long as daddy was going to let him.

Silly Daddy

Our cadet snowman

But Chad's parents were able to make it the very next weekend and we had a blast! It was the first time we had company in our new home. Gavin thought it was so cool that they were sleeping upstairs. (He thinks going upstairs is the coolest thing ever.) It was so nice having them around because Chad was recovering from hernia surgery and they were such a huge help to us. We went and saw Christmas lights, went to Chad's work and saw Santa fly in in a helicopter and of course got to open up a few presents. This was especially great for Gavin as he had been looking at presents under the tree for days and was so confused as to why he could not open them.

The week of Christmas my parents, my brother and my grandmother came to be with us. Their trip was delayed as well but only by a day. We had so much fun with so many people in the house. Some people might find it stressful or aggravating to have family all under one roof. But we loved it. I didn't think a week was long enough. Gavin certainly didn't. He was spoiled the minute my mom and grandmother got off that plane until they got back on. My Florida family was very much enjoying the colder weather we have here. Well, except for my grandmother who thinks anything below 65 is 'freezing'.

Gavin was a very happy little boy when he woke up Christmas morning. He discovered his very own kitchen in the living room. My boy LOOOOVES to play in kitchens. Whenever he goes to the church or over to a friend's house, he beelines it for those play kitchens. He was and still is one happy little boy over that one. Of course between my parents and Chad and me, Gavin was completely spoiled with presents. He had a pile of them. He didn't know which one to open first, second or last. He got new clothes, bath toys, and tons, I mean TONS of Mickey stuff. I really will have a little crack in my heart the day he decides he is too old for Mickey. He is truly Gavin's first best friend.

So our holidays went exactly as we wanted them. We had some beautiful snow to play in, a wonderful house to celebrate in, our family to share it all with . We are very blessed and so thankful for all we have been given and pray it continues. Hope everyone had a very Merry Christmas!

Cheers to 2014

We certainly were a little sad to say goodbye to 2013. It was just so VERY good to us! Yes Chad spent most of it in Afghanistan but he came home safely and I still cannot even think about the day he came home without tearing up. That day really was my favorite day of the entire year. It was nine months of worrying, wanting and needing all released in one sweet, wonderful hug. Completely indescribable and emotional! This past year also brought us a family trip to Disney World, a most wonderful and special trip just for two to Europe and of course, our new home. 2013 definitely blessed our family in many ways. We celebrated New Years Eve with a house full of friends and kids. We even got to stand on our back porch and watch some pretty amazing fireworks from the comfort of our own home. I thought it was so fitting to say goodbye to an old year and hello to a new one in our new home full of new friends. Oklahoma really is becoming our home and we are so happy where we are in our lives.

And what better way to start off a year than with my beloved Seminoles being the NATIONAL CHAMPIONS!!!! I am still on cloud nine over that game and I don't ever want to come down. What a sweet victory it was! GO NOLES!!!!!

So we are looking forward to what this year will bring us. Gavin will turn three. (Seriously, he just learned how to walk, right??) We won't discuss how old I will be. Chad starts his new job very soon. And hopefully I will pay more attention to this blog. I plan on reading more books, finishing more Pinterest projects and spending a little more time on the floor with my son. So here's to 2014! May it be full of wine glasses with friends, hugs from family and trips to places you've never been. I love all of you!!

How blessed am I to see this face every day of every year??

Introducing Archer

We were so happy to welcome Archer into our home during the holidays. He and Gavin became fast friends and we had so much fun with him. He was a mischievous little elf and some times a little lazy. (He never even changed spots sometimes! Can you believe it??)

He arrived on December 1st in a package delivered via balloons from the North Pole. Santa sent a note along with him telling Gavin all the rules and why Archer was here. He explained the true meaning of Christmas and wanted Gavin to know that he and Jesus know he is a good boy and they just want him to do his best. Gavin had a very hard time adhering to the "no touch" rule. We didn't worry about it much since it was mainly the overwhelming need to hug Archer that got him 'in trouble'. All Archer needed was to sit by the Christmas tree lights and warm up and he was fine. He liked Gavin's hugs and felt it was worth the little bit of magic it took to of him.

Meeting Archer 

And he brought some Christmas books

This was Gavin's favorite Archer trick- taking a bath in marshmallows! How silly!

He made himself pancakes and eggs

And a cookie that looked like him. Such a good little cook!

Even Archer was so happy the Seminoles won the ACC Championship!

Hanging around

Even Archer got in trouble... the trike is not allowed inside, even with Christmas lights on it!

His last night with us, he went all out and hung big boy underwear all over our tree. Think he was sending us a message?

We had so much fun with Archer. He was so sweet and brought Gavin a few gifts, he played some funny little tricks and he even got in trouble some. But it was all in good fun! We loved having him around and he has definitely become a part of our family. We can't wait until we see him again next year!

Big News!! (Not Pregnant)

Can you guess what is important about these pictures??

Well, besides Gavin's little cute self. No, it has something to do with that little airplane he is playing with. We have some exciting news to share with everyone! After many prayers and a strenuous interview process, Chad has been hired by United Airlines to be a pilot for them. He is beyond excited!! This is a dream come true for him and I am so proud of him. For those that don't know, it is very hard to even get selected to come in for an interview for the major airlines. It is a very coveted job and there are many, many qualified pilots vying to get these positions. Chad flew to Denver in September to have an interview with top United Airline officials and sat in a simulator with a current airline pilot. After a few weeks of waiting, we finally got the call that he had been selected to become an airline pilot. He starts his "classes" in February and then life gets a little difficult for us for a little while. This new job means a lot of away time from home. I mean A LOT. The first year is going to be pretty stressful for us as Chad will be gone most of the time. But all good things to do not come without work. We know we can power through the tough times to get to the benefits that will be awaiting us on the other side. The good news is, I will be loading Gavin up in an airplane and flying to Florida on a more frequent basis! So the next time you talk or see Chad, give him a pat on his back. This is a huge accomplishment added to his already long list. I am so very proud of him and I look forward to this new adventure that awaits us.

Can you see Chad in the pilot's seat??

26.2

I'm not really sure what most people see when they look at those numbers but for me, the last thing I think is miles that an actual person has run. Are you kidding me?? That is insane. But that is exactly what my husband and my mother-in-law did. While Chad was deployed, instead of lounging around in his spare time and waiting for the days to tick by, he started running. As you can clearly see, he ran a lot while he was in Afghanistan. He dropped 30 pounds! He told his mom when he got back that he wanted to run a marathon with her. She is a big runner and it was something that he had on his bucket list and who better to cross the finish line with than your mom?? So they both signed up for the Marine Corp Marathon in Washington DC. After many more months of training, October was here and it was race time!

We arrived in DC and were met by the most perfect fall weather. The temperature was just right and all of the trees were at the peak of their leaves changing. I couldn't have painted a better backdrop for our weekend. And Gavin was amazing. We were on the go the whole time we were there so it meant no real nap time for him. No problem, Mom, I will just go to sleep in this not meant for sleeping umbrella stroller you brought. Seriously, he slept in that thing. I still have no clue who's kid this is but I am NOT giving him back. (To the future Gavin who is reading this years down the road, of COURSE you are my child. I only joke because you were so wonderful to your mom when you were a toddler and I am pretty sure I was not so wonderful to mine when I was one.) But really, he was a champ and as usual, an amazing little travel buddy. My dear, sweet, oh so long ago best friend Marie came down from New Jersey to tag along with us one day with her daughter, Emmalyn. We do not get to see each other much so these little visit that we get to squeeze in here and there are wonderful. We mainly stood in line waiting to get Chad and Sue's race packets but having Marie there made it ten times more enjoyable. If you know Marie, she makes a dentist appointment ten times more enjoyable so it was nice to have her there as we stood in a maddeningly long line. Which brings me to the fact that I have about ten suggestions for the suggestion box on the Marine Corp Marathon packet pick-up situation if anyone is interested to hear them. No? Ok, moving on.

Beautiful leaves

Got their bib numbers!

This was Gavin's favorite part- the metro! (Sorry for the small, grainy pictures. It was so much easier to snap away on the phone than lug around my camera. But I'm always so disappointed when I don't make the extra effort to lug it.)

Me and Marie. Lots of years and laughs between us.

Emmalyn and Gavin showing the capitol city what winter style is all about.

The morning of the race Chad and Sue got up at an hour that I have no clue even exists because I have never seen it and I still don't believe it is there. Dennis, Gavin and I took our sweet time getting ready and made our way down to the race. We were able to link up with them at about their halfway mark. After cheering them on to the second leg, we visited the Washington Monument and the Lincoln Memorial where Gavin decided the sign that said do not climb the steps was not for him. Disregard that he is two and cannot read or the fact that I said "Do not go up there." Up he went! He made it to about the fourth step before Mommy rushed in and ruined everything.

The whole time we were sight seeing and meandering around DC, Chad and Sue were still running. Wow, that is a lot of running. A LOT! We could not get anywhere near the finish line. It was so crowded and they did not allow strollers. So we met them at the family meet up. They crossed the finish line together and got their very hard earned medals. I was so proud of them! It is really quite an emotional experience. I'm not real sure why I was the one that was crying. I was having fun and drinking a beer, they were the ones that ran all over the capital area. No, honestly, I was very proud of them. I had watched Chad work very hard to reach that goal and it was a thrill seeing him finish it.

Cheering on NeeNee and Daddy

Restricted area... looks like a great place to go....

Standing with Honest Abe

Washington Monument. It was a gorgeous day!

So proud!

The next day we visited the World War II Memorial which I had never seen. It was so beautiful! If you have never been there, go see it. I think it is by far my favorite. Our last evening we went to dinner in Alexandria, Virginia which is where my mother was born. And coincidentally, it is just as lovely as she is. I would love to go back and spend some more time there. And money- what cute shops!!!! So we got to check the capitol of the United States off of the list of places Gavin has seen in his short little life while Chad got to check off something on his bucket list. It was a very successful trip for the Mihalek household. And also our last trip for the year. The holidays are coming up and we are so excited to spend them in our new home! The suitcases are neatly packed away and the holiday decorations are coming out!

World War II Memorial

It was so beautiful!

A beautiful place with waterfalls I can run around? Whatever, banana.