Christmas Lights in Metro Kansas City, Kansas

We took a ride tonight and kept our fingers crossed that it would all work out! We were looking to see some Christmas lights this year and heard Johnson City had the best ones out there. We were searching for something similar to BLORA at Fort Hood, Texas (we went every year we lived there), but there isn't anything available in this area. So, we looked online and found the MUST SEES for this area!

And we were not disappointed! For those of you who knew we were going this afternoon, then you knew it was our first time and it was for you guys too! Yes, we mapped it out for you and you can learn for our newbie mistakes! :) We ventured out and I will say there are some houses that are a MUST SEE and worth the hour drive. We only visited the North side of Johnson City and we still didn't see all the stops. We saw 6 stops and it took us an hour drive, two hours to visit all the stops and an hour drive home. It takes a little longer than expected because all the houses are not side by side or even on the same street which is unlike BLORA. But, still worth it!

There were some amazing homes! One house I couldn't believe Santa's workshop or all the decorations. It didn't even look like a house! It is unbelievable! You could get out of your car and tour the whole outside of the house which the girls loved. Lydia loved the train set up and Lillian loved the nativity scene and Rudolph.

And just when you think it is all Bah Humbug about Christmas year after year and no one cares about the TRUE meaning of Christmas, we came upon this house. We almost drove away and thought it was just lights. But, it was a whole show tuned into a radio station. The lights were timed to music and the elves talked to you. The home owners asked for donations and a 100 percent of the donations were give to the Children Mercy Hospital in Kansas City. Isn't that amazing? It was about 5 songs long and totally kept the girls attention. Lillian didn't want to leave! It was only stop number two for us on the road tonight and we had to keep rolling along the highway.

It was worth the trip and there are three other areas to tour in this area. Maybe we will make it back up the road, but if not, then it was one happy tour tonight and four happy family members. We didn't make it home until 9:00pm, but the girls are sleeping now. Hopefully, dreaming of what Christmas is really all about! Good night all and sleep tight!

Love,

Julie

Slike as ICE!

The Martin clan all had their first ice skating experience today in Kansas City. I haven't had skates on in years and the other three had never gone ice skating at all! And you know what...it was a TON OF FUN! We fell, but not too hard and no one broke any bones! YEAH!!!

Lydia looked adorable in her little ice skates! Who knew they made skates her size and they just made me smile. Lillian took to ice skating right away. Rich and I held onto the wall too at first, but then we all let go. I only got two laps in and Lydia was ready to take her skates off...she said they hurt her feet. Lydia stood on the ice and slid back and forth for all of two seconds, but it counts as her first time!

I was impressed with Lillian! Yes, she fell. Yes, she hit the wall. Yes, she held onto the wall. But, she skated for THREE hours in the freezing cold (outside rink) and finally found her way. She skated all by herself and even let go of Rich and the wall and skated in the middle of the rink. She LOVED it and only quit because her feet and ankles started hurting her.

Lydia and I went inside Crown Center and enjoyed listening to Christmas music and a little snack. She loved the band playing and would clap at the end of every song. It was adorable! She gave it her best shot today!

It was a great way to start the Christmas season. We decorated the house this morning, went ice skating, and we are now decorating the outside of the house. Tis the Season and it came upon us with a bang. Nice cold weather! Will it snow?

So, is it to early to say Happy Holidays? Maybe...maybe not. How about..just enjoy your day no matter what you chose to do? Me? Happy Holidays! Love you all!

Julie

Gobble Gobble!!

Gobble Gobble Turkey Time! Finally, it was time to celebrate Thanksgiving Day! I have thought about turkey for a long time now with all of Lillian's Kindergarten artwork coming home this past week. Nothing but turkeys and more turkeys! And it was worth the wait!

Tom the Turkey was frustrating Rich this year! It took him 6 hours to cook and to finally hit the table! Rich said he was a little rusty this year since he hasn't cooked a turkey in three years due to deployments. So, we were all just thankful to be home together and surrounded by our wonderful friends.

The Chessers and their family come over for dinner and we had 13 total people here to help us make the holiday special. We all made way too much food and will be eating leftovers probably until Christmas! We really did make enough to feed the ARMY! :) But, it was all so yummy and I can actually say I was pretty good and didn't stuff myself!

Now, speaking of eating too much, let's talk about Lydia! She ate her plate and almost my whole plate and I am not kidding! Then, dessert time came and I was going to throw up watching my girls eat WAY TOO MUCH! What was I thinking as a parent? All I kept hearing was COOKIE from Lydia and Lillian telling me she needed two more cookies because she only had two! UGH!! I feel like I need to run 5 extra miles for them in the morning to burn off their over indulgence!

The meal is over, the kitchen is clean, the dishwasher is running and the children are asleep. I think it is time for some Christmas decorations to make an appearance!

So, what am I thankful for this year? Heated seats in my car since it is only 26 degrees right now, having Rich home this year and not in Iraq, my children enjoying the Thanksgiving dinner, my children and I enjoying all of our new friends, seeing smiles on everyone's faces, for grandparents who are not really Lillian and Lydia's grandparents giving them extra attention tonight, for friends who help clean the kitchen, and for my family no matter where they are tonight. That includes my girls in Texas! I miss you guys so much!

I thought a lot of my past Thanksgiving dinners in Texas and I always think of Nina and her family. They always welcomed me with Rich home and when he was away. We always laughed, played and made it through together. I can't believe I have known you 10 years now...I just missed you guys tonight. I know you were all sitting around the table laughing and guess what... I was talking and telling stories about you too! It made me smile!

Happy Thanksgiving and thank you Chessers for making it special! And thank you to all the soldiers not home tonight and far away...there are a few of you dear to my heart right now and I know how much your families missed you today. One holiday down girls and keep counting down!

Good night and love you all! Have a wonderful holiday with your family and friends!

Julie

Bradley Elementary Open House

It was time to show off! Lillian couldn't wait to take her whole family to Open House night at her school. She was so proud of all of her accomplishments and so am I! She is a bright and amazing little girl and I always pray she keeps this same attitude for school and has a love of learning!

She took us to her room and showed us her desk. She got to move to a new table this week and it was such a bright spot for her! :) She talked about it all weekend and finally she got her new desk. Such small things in life that keeps them smiling!

Lillian had made several pictures and her artwork has really changed from preschool until now. She really tries so hard to keep in those lines, color neatly and even talk to me about blending her lines and dots. Leaps and bounds to Kindergarten and for having such a great teacher who is so well organized! :) You know I LOVE that in my life! :)

We toured the school and she showed me her Science Lab, Art Lab, Music Room and the amazing planetarium. We even got to watch a little show and Lydia laid on the ground with the big kids too and ooh-ed and aah-ed with all of them. She just follows her sister around like she is the next in line for Kindergarten! I wish she didn't want to grow up so fast, but I know she will. She will be right behind her sister amazing us with her Kindergarten artwork soon. Isn't that aging me too a little too quickly?

The night was full of excitement and ended in full drama too. One little girl in tears because open house was over and she didn't get to show us everything. We missed the cafeteria (which I have lunch with Lillian two times a week at least), the gymnasium and the school nurse. But, it was still disappointment for Lillian! She loves her school and is just proud. I see that now!

Julie

Lillian and Abbie's Sleepover!

Lillian and Abbie hit it off the moment they met one another when we moved here in July. We came first to Fort Leavenworth and then The Chessers moved in across the street from us a little later that month. Lillian and Abbie instantly became best buds and have spent most afternoons together. And Lydia loves Abbie too along with her brother Cody! Cody and Lydia are buddies too although Lydia just really tries to take his bicycle and then tell on him to Mandi (his mother). And Mandi is suckered in by Lydia's charm too just like Jessica was at Fort Hood, TX! They both always take her side even though she is the one who started it, but that is why Lydia loves them both! :) She is a smart cookie!

It was the perfect afternoon for a sleepover because it is cold and raining outside. We stayed inside and started playing our sleepover games. We played Musical Sleeping Bags and even Lydia enjoyed herself running around the sleeping bags. We only fell a couple of times, but we all managed to get right back up and started running again! All the winners received a pair of custom made Hannah Montana flip flops! They looked adorable in their flip flops!

We also played Bed Bugs! They threw bean bags into a little crib and I just kept moving the crib backwards. It was quite a shot for them, but they made some good ones! Of course, Lydia cheated and even tried to get into the crib at times. One hot mess!

After we all refueled at dinner time, then we sat down to color our own pillowcases. The girls made some wonderful masterpieces and it was the longest anyone sat down the whole night! Lydia even sat for more than two seconds...I think! Lydia just enjoyed running with the big kids all afternoon into the nighttime!!! You should have seen them using the pillow cases for sack races!!!

We finally got ready for bathtime. Lydia was ready for her bed! The big girls stayed up and we painted nails and toenails, did tattoos and made bracelets. Lillian has the bead that says "friends" and Abbie says "always". By this time, several games of Simon Says and one snack and show and it was time for bedtime!

Good night Abbie and Lillian! Sweet Dreams and hope you had fun!

Love you all!

Julie

Happy Veteran's Day!!

Happy Veteran's Day! Today we marched in the Veteran's Day for the Girl Scouts. It was a cool morning and only 47 degrees, but the rain held out and no RAIN ON OUR PARADE today! YEAH!

The girls were adorable! We had made our own banner for the parade and all the Girl Scouts marched together. It was cold while we stood there and just waited our turn, but then it didn't feel too bad outside. We were supposed to sing Patriotic Songs and we did, but after singing the same ones over and over again, we decided to break our out own favorite songs. The girls really enjoyed those and had a good time while we walked, waved and clapped.

And we even were interviewed by Channel 5 news today! They interviewed me and some of the girls including Lillian. I don't think we will make the news, but it sure was a cool moment! I didn't know what to say and was so nervous! Lillian was a PRO!!! We will be checking the news tonight for sure!!!

Lydia and Rich waiting along the sidelines for us. We finally got to see them and wave to them too. Lydia was such a big girl and was waving to us as we passed by. She even put her hand over her heart for the American Flag. What a big girl!

Happy Veteran's Day and love you all! Thanks for serving our country honey and giving us our freedom! We honor you today and salute you! We are very proud of you and all of your accomplishments in your Army Career!!! Love you bunches!

Love,

Julie