Blast From the Past

The Lairds came to visit us from Budapest and I think we got a little bit spoiled.

They brought us cookies, they brought Dylan's buddy, they brought an excuse for me to go to Poland again, they brought Haley's Webkin that we left in Budapest during Christmas, they brought memories of our life in Budapest, they brought a fun-filled atmosphere that can only be because they are some pretty rad people.

Boy can this family give! They even paid for dinner.

You can come back anytime.

2 Peas in a Pod

Logan is soooo excited to walk around in the cold. 

It seems like there's a statue on every street.

B & D looking out over Charles Bridge. Dylan said,  "Those ducks better get out of the river before someone gets mad that they didn't fly away for the winter." This was after an old lady told him (as far as we could tell from her finger waving rant) that he should be wearing a hat. 

The entrance to Charles Bridge 

Cool building at night near the old town square.

Love Bugs

Here are my love bugs at Preschool: 

 This was after we gave each other "Heart Attacks" with stickers. 

Dance little cherubs! Shake what your momma gave you!

Here are my love bugs at home:

Dapper Dylan

Mushy Maleia

Hugable Haley

Lovable Logan

TWO MORE PICS: 

I came to the rescue after hearing "maaaaama! duh! maaaaaama! duh! maaaaaama! DUH!" He crawled on the train table and got stuck. He was trying to tell me, "Mama, come and get me down I'm stuck!" I was laughing so hard he started laughing too. He was even patient enough for me to grab my camera. 

With Love

What a way to live. With love. I read a quote the other day and it read, "Live your life so that you never have any enemies." What a great quote! That doesn't mean that you will never have people that don't like you, because sadly, you probably will, but we should be living a life where we don't intentionally make people unhappy or don't let people make us feel like you want to gouge their eyes out. More than I want to admit, I have felt like this towards people in my life... It's okay to feel angry, but don't let it linger.

Another quote comes from a coach of mine that I like to remember in times where I get angry, "Get mad and get over it." It's okay to have those feelings, but it's not okay to let them affect the rest of your life.  You can feel angry, but don't be angry. Don't let it be apart of you. Believe me, it affects everything else in your life. Whether you realize it or not. It's an anchor that holds you under that you need to cut from your life. The longer it's there, the harder it is to cut.

I am glad that I did this. Three times, in fact. The first one was the hardest, thickest rope of hate that I had to saw through. It took me a few years. There are many people that I personally know that have held this hatred burden for their whole lives. They are constantly bringing their hatred up into conversations, playing the victim, hunger for pity. This was me. ug. How embarrassing!! Sorry for all of you that had to endure my woeful plight. And thank you for listening.

It wasn't until I cut through that hate anchor and left it sinking hundreds of miles into the dark abyss that I realized that I was this pity seeker. I was the victim and wanted everyone to know. Now when I bring one of these circumstances up into conversation or think of it, I laugh. Laugh? Really!? I wondered why this was until I read something in a book about hate. I can't remember the exact quote, but what I remember is, "Just like addictions, you have replace the feeling of hate with something else." So I chose laughter. Actually, I didn't really choose it, but it was a natural sub-conscience transition that I have chosen to accept. Some choose longing or solace or peace... I chose laughter?

The other two?
One: Peace and
Two: Pity for others who have to endure one second of this man's presence. ;) Nice, huh?

So how do you broach the topic to those who are like this? Don't unless you are willing to let them cut you out. Do it with love. The only way to live.

What I have learned: You can still love someone and despise what they do.

All (youknowwhat) Breaks Loose!

... well, breaks down at least.

Here is how we felt while daddy was away. 

Forget the phrase, "the woman belongs in the home" because when the husband leaves the home, the home and everything in it goes on strike.

Here are the things that "broke down" aka "went amuck" while B was away on his fun-filled training in DC for almost a month:

1. Our PC lap top crashed.
2. Not one, but TWO vacuums died.
3. The oven stopped working, over a weekend nonetheless.
4. Garage door got stuck... twice!
5. B left on Sunday, the first snowfall of winter started on Monday. Me? Shoveling? (of course!)
6. The van's "Check Engine" light went on.
7. The Big Mac (our new Mac computer) stuck it's tongue out at me and wouldn't let me run my word files so I can print my preschool units. (see #1)
8. Also found out what "non-compatibility" TRULY means and my self esteem was shattered whilst I tried to install Microsoft Office on the Mac. Had to phone a friend to save me... and my dignity.
9. New HP Printer was also fighting Big Mac (as I not-so-endearingly now call BM) and BM stopped talking to HP for no bloomin' reason, so I (once again) can't print my files.
10. The space heater in the garage broke. (Okay, so I ran over it, but STILL!)
11. A frame with glass fell off the wall and shattered.
12. A glass jar of mayonnaise and a glass cup and a glass bottle of soy sauce shattered in the kitchen. Not all on the same day. Phew! Those were fun to clean up... even on the ceiling.
13. I had to go to the hospital for Dylan to perform crazy Cystic Fibrosis tests.
14. (last but not least!) B was supposed to get home on Sunday. We made signs, we rushed home from church to get ready to pick him up at the airport with said signs, but there was snow in London (his connecting city) and it closed down the airport. So, he spent the night in Dublin, Ireland. Lucky him!

True story.

BTW, non-compatibility means: "lame Microsoft Word is racist and chooses not to play with the other computer because of it's make." I still can't figure out how to save my files I composed in Pages into Word so that people can open them when I attach them in emails. sigh. Why do I feel like a grandma trying to understand technology for the first time? Oh deary. I just can't double click! My fingers don't work that fast! Oh you whipper snappers can keep your silly computer woofty whatie talk. 

Moral of the story is: The wife can go on a girlie weekend or a long getaway whenever she wants, but the husband needs to stay put or all H-E-double-hockey-sticks breaks loose! ;) OR this could all happen in a normal month and I just not notice it because I have my hubby here. (I like the first one better.)

Okay, so I didn't embellish, but really, it wasn't as bad as it seems. Good thing I can call the Embassy Facilities Management to come out to fix whatever needs to be done to the house and that I have a neighbor who is one GIANT leap closer to winning "Home Teacher of the Year" award for finding and putting all our PC files on our external hard drive for us. Dylan's tests were all negative for Cystic Fibrosis. (That one put me back into sane-ville.) I have a small driveway, so the shoveling was minimal. The Van never broke down and I still had a little hand held vacuum that worked it's little heart out for me. B got home safe and sound. So life was still good, but just not as easy as when I have my tag team partner around.

Welcome home honey! I, um, have a list for you... andI'mofftoLondonnextweekend. (woohoo!) And for those who have hubbies gone for a WAY long time. You totally win the whine fest and deserve to whine more than I do. I only have a glimpse of how you can handle doing it for a whole year... or more. yuck.

This is how we felt when daddy returned. 

This is how I felt about his beard...

Though you have to admit, it is really cool that he grows a red beard. 

Thank You!!!

What a powerful word! Do you remember that commercial where a guy bumps into a lady on accident and they exchange a smile and then he asks her when she is due (assuming she is pregnant?) And she responds, "I'm not pregnant." And there is this awkward silence and she has a mad face, but then he randomly replies, "Thank you." And she smiles.

How can you not feel good when someone says 'thank you' to you? It's like when I moved to Hungary and driving was crazy and people would cut me off and I could feel my nostrils flaring a little... and then they would do the "Koszi" (thank you) sign by flashing their hazards for a second. All my anger would vanish and I would wave a smily 'your welcome' as if I was meaning to let them in in the first place.

I really do think one of the many problems with the world is that we are too ungrateful. Yes, try to change what needs improvement, but ulcers are made when that is the only thing we exert our energy on. Everyone smiles in the same language. Everyone laughs in the same language. Everyone waves in the same language. When you nod at someone with a smile, everyone knows you are being grateful.

Gratitude can also leave you a little teary. This clip was awesome! I would like to think that Obama put us in more debt to help people like this. If we DIDN'T help, then I would feel ashamed. This isn't political, it's about being human. We need to help each other and feel so grateful that we have so much that we are willing to share with others.

My message is short and sweet today: This world would be a little better if we had more gratitude. So start today say thank you to your kids, husband, the lady at the check out stand, and our Heavenly Father. Not only does it help those you said it to feel good, but you can't help but be a little less on edge, even if you have to say it with clenched teeth.

Eye Opening

So I feel like I have been ranting a lot lately... B must be out of town or something. :) So I wanted to journal a bit about our life this past little while: a little light a fluffyish. Who wants to think on a weekend anyway?

• I met some awesome friends. BFFs in the making for sure! And even joined a few clubs. It's been fun so far! I also went stag to a school social and danced the night away (shoeless) with some really great ladies. I even came home with someone else's shoes... no, I was NOT drinking. 
• Haley had a stellar, (when I say stellar, I mean, even if my kid wasn't in the show, I would still be amazed and awed,) performance at school where they made their own STOMP show. It was crazy fun with a little soul mingled in.
• Maleia's grade built (when I say built I mean constructed from scratch) a bakery in their classrooms and sold bread to the entire K-12 school and their parents. You should see their widdle hats! 
• Logan started to walk! And just yesterday he started to stand up on his own! 
• Dylan has had 2 bouts with Rectal Prolapse, (don't google it, it makes you squirm), but Cystic Fibrosis has been ruled out. Thank all that is holy! And they are pretty sure that he will just grow out of it. 
• I started a Craft Stay In (CSI) once a week during nap time
• I ALSO started Czech classes where the teacher comes to my home once a week, also during nap time. 

Maleia the Baker didn't want to wear her Baker Hat today because it might ruin her hair do. My sweet girlie girl! 

Just before her performance. She was hilarious and did a fantastic job!

Things are rolling along and I'm feeling good about being me. The new me. The me in Prague far far away with newness waiting to pop out at me everywhere I wander. I am also looking forward to calling this place home, where the newness wears off and I can put away my GPS. But for now, the adventure starts every day I open my eyes. And when I say open my eyes, I mean that literally and figuratively.

Life is like Preschool. Fun, but usually messy.

Okay, so I can't help it! These kids are the cutest! 

(Just like the all of my other classes. promise.) 

We went to the BIG KIDS school to Maleia's Kindergarten Bakery. Kelsey's older brother is also in the class. They all chose Chocolate muffins. Surprise surprise. 

I love my winter unit! Collecting snow to watch it melt throughout the day. 

Miss Elle in all her spunky glory!

Mr D. The rough and tumble gentleman among ladies. 

My sweet lovable Miss Kelsey. How can you resist that adorable face? 

Life is messy.
LIVE IT UP!