tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-236124742024-03-12T21:29:12.598-04:00Where Your Treasure IsThere your heart will be also. ~ Matthew 6:21Jonihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00802543096647270631noreply@blogger.comBlogger654125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23612474.post-4214321380975749082013-06-22T11:33:00.000-04:002013-06-22T11:33:38.196-04:00Disney Trip PhotosAt the beginning of this month, we took a trip to Disney World with my family. It was an amazing trip, and we're so glad we went! (Justin wasn't able to go, but he was happy for us to be able to go without him.) Elias did AMAZING with all the break from routine, and we were not surprised to learn that he LOVES roller coasters! Here are some of my favorite pics from the trip.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Om1WPvfA9Js/UcW_S1H6RSI/AAAAAAAAEQ4/8lRGS7WC1K4/s1600/028.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Om1WPvfA9Js/UcW_S1H6RSI/AAAAAAAAEQ4/8lRGS7WC1K4/s320/028.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Our first day, we went to Star Wars Weekend at Hollywood Studios. We got to take pictures with Ewok Chip-n-Dale, and Chewbacca too!</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-u4khwYclMu8/UcW_WQTN4YI/AAAAAAAAERA/ELmhLnvusy4/s1600/123.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-u4khwYclMu8/UcW_WQTN4YI/AAAAAAAAERA/ELmhLnvusy4/s320/123.JPG" width="239" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Elias was excited to visit the Magic Kingdom and see all the characters and Cinderella's Castle!</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-CbG10ke3bqI/UcW_ZrHRzeI/AAAAAAAAERI/hbvu5EtQRR0/s1600/185.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-CbG10ke3bqI/UcW_ZrHRzeI/AAAAAAAAERI/hbvu5EtQRR0/s320/185.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Sweet family moment in the Magic Kingdom.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-T5X5V0IyePY/UcW_iHKXMWI/AAAAAAAAERQ/wQxy7ntsuoM/s1600/193.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-T5X5V0IyePY/UcW_iHKXMWI/AAAAAAAAERQ/wQxy7ntsuoM/s320/193.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Riding Big Thunder Mountain Railroad with Grandma. He LOVED this one! A roller coaster that's also a train... How could it get any better??</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-HXvm7MtsCyE/UcW_qK3lN_I/AAAAAAAAERg/21xLw7P-GWA/s1600/156.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="239" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-HXvm7MtsCyE/UcW_qK3lN_I/AAAAAAAAERg/21xLw7P-GWA/s320/156.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">We had breakfast at Chef Mickey's. Elias liked meeting the characters and eating Mickey-shaped waffles, but his favorite part was dancing and twirling his napkin to the Celebrate music!</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-ZrCWzK6MOHA/UcW_luDY9RI/AAAAAAAAERY/BwwRjUQGMBE/s1600/210.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-ZrCWzK6MOHA/UcW_luDY9RI/AAAAAAAAERY/BwwRjUQGMBE/s320/210.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">In Epcot, we loved this musical group called the Jammitors!</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-AT0ap39PraM/UcW_ua3KDbI/AAAAAAAAERo/OCuWE9G2NdM/s1600/216.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-AT0ap39PraM/UcW_ua3KDbI/AAAAAAAAERo/OCuWE9G2NdM/s320/216.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Elias watched Monsters, Inc. for the first time in the car on the way to Florida, and he LOVED it! (We watched it twice!) So we were pleased to find Mike & Sully every where. We also visited the Monsters, Inc Laugh Floor in the Magic Kingdom, which he loved! (Did that twice too.)</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Lt3wOaUBx5A/UcW_1jpF2dI/AAAAAAAAER4/pJz6zQhMndQ/s1600/217.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Lt3wOaUBx5A/UcW_1jpF2dI/AAAAAAAAER4/pJz6zQhMndQ/s320/217.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This model railroad in Epcot was fun.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-1d43WOhArfs/UcW_0WuIFiI/AAAAAAAAERw/4yqBR24eItc/s1600/235.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-1d43WOhArfs/UcW_0WuIFiI/AAAAAAAAERw/4yqBR24eItc/s320/235.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Sweet cousin moment at the Garden Grill in Epcot. Pay no attention to the chicken leg that Azlan hadn't quite finished with yet. :)</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ecR_5puokPk/UcXBKWVTHzI/AAAAAAAAETE/GS-4Wz-ar1g/s1600/242.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ecR_5puokPk/UcXBKWVTHzI/AAAAAAAAETE/GS-4Wz-ar1g/s320/242.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">We saw characters all over the place, and Elias was never too sure about them. The closest he would get to them was a high-five. However, by our fourth day, he had warmed up a little, and he actually gave Dale a hug at the Garden Grill!</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Ts3vKIGKkiQ/UcW_27G61QI/AAAAAAAAESA/CKIt5oID8mE/s1600/246.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Ts3vKIGKkiQ/UcW_27G61QI/AAAAAAAAESA/CKIt5oID8mE/s320/246.JPG" width="213" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Family hug in front of Spaceship Earth.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/--gKcOArXJD4/UcW_958R4kI/AAAAAAAAESI/WmYhV6XG-T4/s1600/250.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/--gKcOArXJD4/UcW_958R4kI/AAAAAAAAESI/WmYhV6XG-T4/s320/250.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">It was Elias' idea to do the Chicken Dance while we waited in line for the Safari at Animal Kingdom. The whole line was entertained!</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-mZnNLf-eWis/UcXABsHJT3I/AAAAAAAAESQ/6rHfxrUosy4/s1600/260.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="239" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-mZnNLf-eWis/UcXABsHJT3I/AAAAAAAAESQ/6rHfxrUosy4/s320/260.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Everybody enjoyed some Mickey ice cream!</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-wQuAqAAgFZ0/UcXACzCmQdI/AAAAAAAAESY/cWC8kBI4of4/s1600/261.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="239" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-wQuAqAAgFZ0/UcXACzCmQdI/AAAAAAAAESY/cWC8kBI4of4/s320/261.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Animal Kingdom was our last day, and by then Elias was riding the big coasters like the Primeval Whirl!</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-lV-tsDOPM4A/UcXAETgOvPI/AAAAAAAAESg/jNn_jG94G9U/s1600/265.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-lV-tsDOPM4A/UcXAETgOvPI/AAAAAAAAESg/jNn_jG94G9U/s320/265.jpg" width="213" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This was the official photo from the Dinosaur ride (which was way too scary for kids, IMO). But the picture is classic!</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-jbXk-l1ztrA/UcXAPuZouaI/AAAAAAAAES4/L6-dI3P1hm4/s1600/269.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-jbXk-l1ztrA/UcXAPuZouaI/AAAAAAAAES4/L6-dI3P1hm4/s320/269.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Festival of the Lion King in Animal Kingdom may have been my favorite part of the entire trip. It was AWESOME!</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-i7KwBfzEYNI/UcXALAkBeAI/AAAAAAAAESo/kjPPlc5s5aQ/s1600/271.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-i7KwBfzEYNI/UcXALAkBeAI/AAAAAAAAESo/kjPPlc5s5aQ/s320/271.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">For our fancy dinner on our last night, we ate at Narcoossee's at the Grand Floridian. The boys were all stylin' in their <a href="http://www.warriorpoetclothier.com/" target="_blank">Warrior Poet</a> shirts.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-a-COYuk2200/UcXAPUrQZyI/AAAAAAAAES0/QdHv-FEV4fs/s1600/284.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-a-COYuk2200/UcXAPUrQZyI/AAAAAAAAES0/QdHv-FEV4fs/s320/284.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">As a souvenir, Elias bought a stuffed Mike & Sully, which were good entertainment on the way home!</td></tr>
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Jonihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00802543096647270631noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23612474.post-46380653748723643922013-05-18T13:36:00.001-04:002013-05-18T13:38:37.612-04:00Trip to ChattanoogaEarlier this month, we took a trip to Chattanooga that was so special! We stayed at the Chattanooga Choo Choo Hotel, and then we went to a Day Out With Thomas! Elias was in little-boy heaven! :) As his souvenir of the trip, he chose a Day Out With Thomas photo album, and then I made a little story of our trip with the photos we took. So rather than typing out the tale of our trip into a blog post, I thought I'd just show the story pictures we put into his album.
<iframe frameborder="0" height="500" scrolling="no" src="http://s162.photobucket.com/user/daisyjo37/story/29695/embed" width="500"></iframe><br />
If you're having trouble viewing the photo story or want to see larger pictures, try clicking <a href="http://s162.photobucket.com/user/daisyjo37/story/29695" target="_blank">here</a> to view it in Photobucket.Jonihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00802543096647270631noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23612474.post-78546059090792641102013-04-23T14:34:00.000-04:002013-04-23T14:34:12.027-04:00Where Does He Come Up With This Stuff?: Angry Birds EditionOver the past 6 months or so, we've learned that Angry Birds are a big hit among young boys all around the world. Elias was slowly introduced to it by way of friends who liked it, but when we returned to the States, he began playing the game on Grandma's iPhone. He, of course, thought it was super fun, and another Angry Birds fan was born. So then the next time Grandma was at the store, she saw a box of Angry Birds Cheese Nips, which she knew Elias would love, so she got them. And he did. Not only does he enjoy the tasty crackers, but he also loves looking at the box where all the Angry Birds are there together.<br />
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-s5pzXPSVRu4/UXbMdJhb2QI/AAAAAAAAEN4/L7YHCcUM7sg/s1600/abcheesenips.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-s5pzXPSVRu4/UXbMdJhb2QI/AAAAAAAAEN4/L7YHCcUM7sg/s200/abcheesenips.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>
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For reasons beyond my comprehension, he decided to make up names for each of the Angry Birds. Therefore, these are their new names:<br />
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<b><span style="color: red;">Red one = Mado</span></b></div>
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<span style="color: #444444;"><b>Black one = Moodo</b></span></div>
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<b><span style="color: #999999;"><span style="background-color: white;">White one = Meedo</span></span></b></div>
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<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: yellow;"><b><span style="color: #bf9000;">Yellow one = Tofasar</span> </b><i><span style="color: black;">(That's pronounced toe-fuh-sahr. I have no idea.)</span></i></span></span></div>
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<b><span style="color: #3d85c6;">Blue one = Charlie</span></b></div>
Bahaha! Oh, and as mentioned <a href="http://jonitapp.blogspot.com/2013/04/kite-culture-festival.html" target="_blank">in my last post</a>, the <span style="color: lime;">green pig is named Guido</span>.<br />
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So that's all well and good, but here's where it gets really funny. My dad is a backyard birdwatcher, and so he keeps birdfeeders that attract all sorts of birds. Elias and I have really gotten into the birdwatching as well, and Elias has now identified a real-life bird to be the equivalent of each of the Angry Birds! Let me introduce to you the identities of each one!<br />
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-ajnZNJPWahk/UXbSa7J1gqI/AAAAAAAAEOQ/rLheEuKWSB8/s1600/mado.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="169" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-ajnZNJPWahk/UXbSa7J1gqI/AAAAAAAAEOQ/rLheEuKWSB8/s320/mado.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Yb9aNpzuhS4/UXbSa9X3GJI/AAAAAAAAEOs/IaLqGQkavWA/s1600/meedo.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="172" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Yb9aNpzuhS4/UXbSa9X3GJI/AAAAAAAAEOs/IaLqGQkavWA/s320/meedo.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-qbyVGezYTYs/UXbSaso0PzI/AAAAAAAAEOU/VD9gPndOwZI/s1600/charlie.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="172" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-qbyVGezYTYs/UXbSaso0PzI/AAAAAAAAEOU/VD9gPndOwZI/s320/charlie.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-S_jnJnXiXB4/UXbSbBuFYPI/AAAAAAAAEOo/wGcx0PLb3TQ/s1600/tofasar.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="172" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-S_jnJnXiXB4/UXbSbBuFYPI/AAAAAAAAEOo/wGcx0PLb3TQ/s320/tofasar.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
So we'll be sitting at the table with the birdfeeder outside, and Elias will suddenly shout "Hi, Charlie!" or "It's Meedo!" So we'll look to discover a blue jay or nuthatch at the feeder. And there can be any number of the same bird on the feeder - the 10 goldfinches in our field of vision are all named Tofasar.<br />
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So I don't know where my kid comes up with this stuff, but it's fun!<br />
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<i>*Thanks to the <a href="http://angrybirds.wikia.com/wiki/Angry_Birds_Wiki" target="_blank">Angry Birds Wiki</a> for the images of the Angry Birds. I also learned there that each bird already has a name. We're going to stick with Elias' interpretation.</i>Jonihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00802543096647270631noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23612474.post-50246417533924425732013-04-21T21:07:00.001-04:002013-04-21T21:17:37.158-04:00Kite & Culture FestivalThis afternoon we went to the <a href="http://www.kitefest.com/" target="_blank">International Kite & Culture Festival</a> in Georgetown. There were bouncy houses, which Elias thoroughly enjoyed. Then we got some food; Justin thoroughly enjoyed a lamb gyro and baklava! (Elias and I preferred more boring food: a cheeseburger and a chicken philly, respectively.) We had brought Elias' kite with us (the green pig from Angry Birds - Elias has named him Guido), and the weather was great for kite-flying! <br />
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Below is a shot of the whole festival from the top. The white tents are the
food/craft displays. The bouncy houses are in the back behind the tents.
Justin and Elias are the pair on the far left, and you can see their
green kite at the very top of the picture.<br />
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Jonihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00802543096647270631noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23612474.post-56594508192308859482013-04-12T16:49:00.003-04:002013-04-12T16:49:50.741-04:00New BicycleMy parents' neighborhood has a Facebook page, and Dad spotted on it that someone was giving away a bike for a 4- or 5-year-old boy. So he claimed it for Elias, and we went to pick it up. It is a great little bike, the perfect size for Elias! Such a blessing to be given it for free! We just picked up some training wheels, and he's good to go.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Lq_VMuEP8js/UWhzE34APPI/AAAAAAAAENU/Tg_FHR0acIE/s1600/IMG_1706e.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Lq_VMuEP8js/UWhzE34APPI/AAAAAAAAENU/Tg_FHR0acIE/s320/IMG_1706e.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The bike has both a horn and a bell, which Elias likes even more than riding on the bike!</td></tr>
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<span id="goog_733541653"></span><span id="goog_733541654"></span>We hope the weather warms up and stays good so that we can use this great new bike!Jonihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00802543096647270631noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23612474.post-64814143897696926492013-04-11T11:15:00.000-04:002013-04-11T11:15:17.700-04:00Celebrating EasterIf I hurry up and get this posted, it'll be not quite a year since I've posted on this blog. I haven't been snoozing that whole time - the things I've been blogging have been over on our <a href="http://tappsturkishtravels.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">Turkish Travels blog</a>. However, while we're back in the States, I'll start putting things back on this blog... I like having kind of a record of what our life is like, and I also like being able to share it with others.<br />
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So although we had only been back in the States for a few weeks and barely had our wits about us (and still don't for that matter), we had a joyous celebration of Easter! How beautiful to reflect upon the resurrection of Christ and what that means for us both in this life and for eternity!<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-jdFySGcmtNY/UWbOi4sn3OI/AAAAAAAAEMY/yHekLFXpvEs/s1600/SDC13326.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-jdFySGcmtNY/UWbOi4sn3OI/AAAAAAAAEMY/yHekLFXpvEs/s320/SDC13326.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My parents' neighborhood had a little petting zoo the Saturday before Easter. Elias LOVED the chicks, and still talks about them! He was less excited about the goats (that you can see in the pen behind us).</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-I9Pf0n52_fk/UWbOaxaS6RI/AAAAAAAAEME/DUNbdsn5bzM/s1600/IMG_1714e.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-I9Pf0n52_fk/UWbOaxaS6RI/AAAAAAAAEME/DUNbdsn5bzM/s320/IMG_1714e.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">We colored eggs the day before Easter. Grandma had bought some no-spill coloring cups, and those worked great!</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-qqdvSSds8PI/UWbOl38MEII/AAAAAAAAEM0/yCAm_3DdAwM/s1600/SDC13331e.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-qqdvSSds8PI/UWbOl38MEII/AAAAAAAAEM0/yCAm_3DdAwM/s320/SDC13331e.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I had also bought some of the shrink-wrap egg decorators, which I remember using as a kid. However, rather than dipping them in boiling water, which is what I remember doing, the instructions said you could also shoot them with a hair dryer to make the plastic shrink. Elias loved that too!</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-BpyS6zY2slE/UWbOn9YqOwI/AAAAAAAAEM8/ofZHkFV6Br8/s1600/SDC13332e.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-BpyS6zY2slE/UWbOn9YqOwI/AAAAAAAAEM8/ofZHkFV6Br8/s320/SDC13332e.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Our beautiful eggs!</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-_i1fd678BkQ/UWbOjjzZyII/AAAAAAAAEMo/xOYiCe2pWco/s1600/SDC13330e.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-_i1fd678BkQ/UWbOjjzZyII/AAAAAAAAEMo/xOYiCe2pWco/s320/SDC13330e.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">We had brought home from church an Easter craft for Elias to do, so he and Grandma did that the day before Easter. He liked the way he could "open" the door to the empty tomb!</td></tr>
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Then on Sunday morning, there was a lot going on at church! First a sunrise service, followed by breakfast. Then the choir practiced its cantata that it would be performing in the later service. Then Sunday School, then the later service, then an Easter Egg hunt!! In the later service, the children performed a handbell song, which Elias thought was awesome!
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Listen at the end of the video... Hear the excited "YAAAAAAAAAY!"? That's Elias. :)
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-HsT7z-w0oxs/UWbOfN7EzMI/AAAAAAAAEMU/Syq56o9rdb4/s1600/IMG_1744e.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-HsT7z-w0oxs/UWbOfN7EzMI/AAAAAAAAEMU/Syq56o9rdb4/s320/IMG_1744e.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My parents' church has this cross of daffodils planted on the hill behind it, and every year it blooms just in time for Easter!</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-7n-hiQanxJA/UWbOepVAmzI/AAAAAAAAEMM/CoxsyEqqkJ8/s1600/IMG_1716e.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-7n-hiQanxJA/UWbOepVAmzI/AAAAAAAAEMM/CoxsyEqqkJ8/s320/IMG_1716e.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Due to bad weather, the Easter Egg Hunt at church had to be moved inside, but Elias still had fun!</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-4x123bGcnGA/UWbOjzFZ6YI/AAAAAAAAEMs/eND-1PgIpMQ/s1600/IMG_1718e.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-4x123bGcnGA/UWbOjzFZ6YI/AAAAAAAAEMs/eND-1PgIpMQ/s320/IMG_1718e.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">For Easter supper, we made Easter Egg Salad! You can't really tell from the pictures, but the egg dye got on the eggs themselves, so our salad was pretty psychedelic. Made it even more delicious!</td></tr>
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Christ is Risen!Jonihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00802543096647270631noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23612474.post-42536989005142426982012-05-13T07:36:00.001-04:002012-05-13T07:45:06.592-04:00Thankful for Her Legacy<br />
<center><a href="http://www.aholyexperience.com/2012/05/what-every-mother-has-to-know-before-mothers-day/what-every-mother-has-to-know-before-mothers-day" target="_blank"><img alt="1000 Moms Project" src="http://www.aholyexperience.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/05/1000Moms_button8.png" /></a></center>
Today in celebration of Mother's Day, I wanted to join in with the <a href="http://www.aholyexperience.com/2012/05/the-one-thousand-moms-project-make-a-mothers-day-difference/">One Thousand Moms</a> project and show a little gratitude for my mommy in this public forum. Although I have kinda the best mom in the world, so there are a lot of things to be thankful for, one thing I've been meditating about a lot recently is her legacy that faith, love, and family are more important than material things. (Of course, I'm thankful for BOTH my parents having lived this out, but today we're focusing on Mom!) A few ways she has done this:<br />
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- Before I was school age, she took in sewing at home so she could stay home with me instead of going out and getting job, when I know we could've used the money.<br />
- When I was in elementary school, she and Dad both went back to college to finish their degrees in order to pursue their dreams. Looking back, that was like totally insane of them, but I'm proud of them for doing it. Seeing their sacrifice made a big impact on me.<br />
- When I was in college, they sold everything and moved to Poland as missionaries. That is such a huge deal! They quit comfortable jobs that they loved, sold a beautiful house, and left behind their family to follow the Lord in obedience.<br />
- Even after returning to the States, they took jobs (or stayed in jobs!) that were less comfortable, less money, and further away from family, all for the sake of the ministry they were called to. <br />
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Seeing where I am today, it's easy to see how watching Mom & Dad's life of making drastic steps of faith and obedience has shaped my worldview as well. Mom, I'm thankful for the way you have shown me with your life that materialism is NOT where fulfillment is found, and that love is not hindered by distance! I love you!Jonihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00802543096647270631noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23612474.post-75843731837676590492012-02-28T09:00:00.000-05:002012-02-28T09:23:12.535-05:00Warrior Poet ClothierMost of you know that I've been doing all my blogging recently on our Turkey blog. However, I have this awesome news that I wanted to post on here and spread the word! Warrior Poet Clothier is a fledgling company that I've been working for as a social media assistant since November. This is an amazing company that makes awesome designer shirts for boys, but their true goal is to encourage and instruct boys to grow up to be strong, virtuous, and godly men. I am thrilled to be even a small part of this company, and I'm especially thrilled to announce that the opening line of shirts is available for sale TODAY! Warrior Poet is offering a Friends & Family 30% off discount, so check out the image below (Click <a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/--os_0718Ci4/T0zWgfiBlRI/AAAAAAAAC1g/AzQdvUWt5QI/s1600/Warrior+Poet+Family+and+Friends.jpg">here</a> to view larger image. You may need to click on the image again to enlarge.):<br />
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/--os_0718Ci4/T0zWgfiBlRI/AAAAAAAAC1g/AzQdvUWt5QI/s1600/Warrior+Poet+Family+and+Friends.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/--os_0718Ci4/T0zWgfiBlRI/AAAAAAAAC1g/AzQdvUWt5QI/s640/Warrior+Poet+Family+and+Friends.jpg" width="340" /></a></div>
I can't say enough good things about this company and its mission! <br />
Visit the website: <a href="http://mywarriorpoet.com/" target="_blank">http://mywarriorpoet.com</a><br />
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Facebook: <a href="http://facebook.com/mywarriorpoet" target="_blank">http://facebook.com/<wbr></wbr>mywarriorpoet</a></div>
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Twitter: <a href="http://twitter.com/mywarriorpoet" target="_blank">http://twitter.com/<wbr></wbr>mywarriorpoet</a></div>Jonihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00802543096647270631noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23612474.post-52544042999267118482011-12-26T14:44:00.002-05:002011-12-26T14:44:37.954-05:00Elf YourselfI had forgotten about the <a href="http://www.elfyourself.com/">Elf Yourself</a> website where you can put your faces in and watch yourself do hilarious dances each year at Christmastime. So I put in Justin, Elias, myself, and Mrs. B since she's as beloved as a member of the family. The video it made was hilarious - click <a href="http://elfyourself.jibjab.com/view/iF2Jjc4sW5uMaYGW?cmpid=ey_fb_self">here</a> to watch my favorite. (I believe the link is only live until January 15, so hurry on over if you want to see it.)<br />
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However, another version of the dance wasn't as good, but the ending pose was too hilarious - I took a screen capture to save it forever!<br />
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Justin dipping me and Elias dipping Mrs. B. Couldn't get any more lifelike than that!Jonihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00802543096647270631noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23612474.post-1819137083030964942011-12-25T22:12:00.000-05:002011-12-25T22:12:02.390-05:00More Christmas FunIn addition to the birthday party for Jesus, here are some other pictures from our Christmas Day together. We went to church in the morning, and it was a really neat service. They brought all the kids on stage and read the Christmas story from the <a href="http://www.jesusstorybookbible.com/">Jesus Storybook Bible</a>, which rocks my socks off. I have never read anything out of that book without crying. Ever. If you have kids Elias' age or older, get one for them. Anyhow, here is my adorable boy in his Christmas church outfit:<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-aMx4BEqyjN8/TvfjvKhwceI/AAAAAAAACy8/R1ivxa-rOkw/s1600/Elias%2527+church+outfit.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-aMx4BEqyjN8/TvfjvKhwceI/AAAAAAAACy8/R1ivxa-rOkw/s320/Elias%2527+church+outfit.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Who can resist a cutie in a sweater vest? Not me.</td></tr>
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Then the weather was really beautiful today - warm and sunny! So my boys spent quite a bit of time playing outside!<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-gBiVTTlFtL8/TvfkA_TN1zI/AAAAAAAACzM/O49T4LxJuZM/s1600/SDC12242e.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-gBiVTTlFtL8/TvfkA_TN1zI/AAAAAAAACzM/O49T4LxJuZM/s320/SDC12242e.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My adorable boy in front of the neighbor's display of inflatables. You should see their front yard!</td></tr>
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Elias rode his tricycle.*<br />
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And we all played frisbee!<br />
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Then for dinner I cooked an ethnic Indian meal. In my mind, it reminds us that the angel said "I bring you glad tidings of great joy, which will be <u>FOR</u> <u>ALL</u> <u>PEOPLE</u>!" But really we just like Indian food.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Butter chicken, green bean & potato curry, and tomato rice. YUM!</td></tr>
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So we really had a special and enjoyable Christmas together!!<br />
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<i>*Note: I've had a video of Elias riding his tricycle on these adorable ramps that Justin set up for him for MONTHS, and I've just been too much of a slacker to blog about it. So, uh, look at these awesome ramps that Justin made for Elias, and see what fun Elias has riding his trike on them!!!</i>Jonihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00802543096647270631noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23612474.post-89590724360219718102011-12-25T21:55:00.002-05:002011-12-26T14:46:08.040-05:00Christmas, Birthday-StyleEvery year at Christmastime we really try to make it as meaningful and as honoring to Christ as we can. So we try not to tie ourselves to traditions, but to be willing to try new things in order to make the holiday special. This year we were at home just the three of us for Christmas day, and so we tried something new that I think was REALLY fun!!! Instead of making it like a traditional Christmas, we celebrated it more like a birthday party.<br />
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Elias helped me make a pumpkin cake with cream cheese icing. (YUM!) Since it was just us, we halved the recipe and only made one layer.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-zVYueutLzOU/TvfhAG5GtUI/AAAAAAAACyk/9ealgtXMuYU/s1600/SDC12249ce.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="242" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-zVYueutLzOU/TvfhAG5GtUI/AAAAAAAACyk/9ealgtXMuYU/s320/SDC12249ce.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The 1 candle just happened to be the only one we had in the house that would work on a cake. But hey, Jesus is God's one and only Son, not to mention He's just #1. So it works.</td></tr>
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Then we decorated with balloons and streamers!<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-dccHSyf_BLY/Tvfh5GDU4bI/AAAAAAAACyw/QvXSLEQ8YbE/s1600/SDC12247ce.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-dccHSyf_BLY/Tvfh5GDU4bI/AAAAAAAACyw/QvXSLEQ8YbE/s320/SDC12247ce.jpg" width="247" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The balloons looked pretty awesome when the fan was spinning! On the back wall is Elias' Christmas-themed artwork, some from school and some we did at home.</td></tr>
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We lit a candle and sang happy birthday to Jesus!<br />
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Then, instead of giving gifts to each other, we chose various missions and ministries, and we gave donations as our gifts to Jesus, since He is the Birthday Boy after all!<br />
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It was really a lot of fun, and the birthday party atmosphere really resonated with Elias. There was absolutely no confusion at all about what we were celebrating and why. Happy Birthday, Jesus!!!Jonihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00802543096647270631noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23612474.post-67027834932142671042011-12-11T19:37:00.001-05:002011-12-12T14:47:40.653-05:00Family PortraitsWe also got some family portraits taken, and those turned out great too! Most of you will see the first one in our Christmas card.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Elias being a ham.</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My sweetheart & me </td></tr>
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See Elias' portraits from the same session <a href="http://jonitapp.blogspot.com/2011/12/3-12-year-portraits.html">here</a>.Jonihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00802543096647270631noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23612474.post-45153480119058048372011-12-11T19:28:00.001-05:002011-12-12T14:48:33.117-05:003-1/2 Year PortraitsSince I totally dropped the ball on getting 3-year portraits of Elias, we got some at 3.5 instead! Worked out well to get family portraits for our Christmas cards at the same time - see <a href="http://jonitapp.blogspot.com/2011/12/family-portraits.html">this post</a> for those. :) Here's my precious buddy at 3.5! (Click to enlarge.)<br />
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-lnDmCnQrLoA/TuVMFzEXYEI/AAAAAAAACwE/1P4K0UsjbaM/s1600/tapp-2048.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-lnDmCnQrLoA/TuVMFzEXYEI/AAAAAAAACwE/1P4K0UsjbaM/s320/tapp-2048.jpg" width="213" /></a></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">We had to get at least one shot with Mrs. B - the love of his life. :)</td></tr>
</tbody></table>Jonihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00802543096647270631noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23612474.post-28089238032859571932011-11-11T21:44:00.001-05:002011-11-11T22:02:25.336-05:00Zoo With Nana & Granddad<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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As I mentioned <a href="http://jonitapp.blogspot.com/2011/10/family-frenzy.html">here</a>,
Justin's parents came for a visit shortly after Elias and I returned
home from our trip to Atlanta. Unfortunately, I'm way worse at taking
pictures when we're at home than when we're someplace new, so I don't
have many pictures of Nana & Granddad's visit. One thing we did
together that I got some great pics of, though, was visit the zoo!</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-_P30y4-miUw/Tr3eda9AV3I/AAAAAAAACqg/ObZfY3OctIU/s1600/SDC12115e.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-_P30y4-miUw/Tr3eda9AV3I/AAAAAAAACqg/ObZfY3OctIU/s320/SDC12115e.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Elias loved this dragon sculpture in the pond.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-yewVOYcxEro/Tr3ejc_d4oI/AAAAAAAACqo/6lla3Z3fCNc/s1600/SDC12119ce.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-yewVOYcxEro/Tr3ejc_d4oI/AAAAAAAACqo/6lla3Z3fCNc/s320/SDC12119ce.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">An otter saying hi to Elias, Granddad, & Nana through the glass. Elias LOVED this!</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-6SE9sXSyey0/Tr3epU-GQcI/AAAAAAAACqw/yAsiUKb-Y7o/s1600/SDC12122ce.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-6SE9sXSyey0/Tr3epU-GQcI/AAAAAAAACqw/yAsiUKb-Y7o/s320/SDC12122ce.jpg" width="239" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">We were there in the morning and the tiger must've been hungry for his breakfast, because he was making some loud growling noises! Elias couldn't decide whether that was terrifying or awesome.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-xaTW4bA0ado/Tr3evBT_v4I/AAAAAAAACq4/K5OhagN03I8/s1600/SDC12123ce.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-xaTW4bA0ado/Tr3evBT_v4I/AAAAAAAACq4/K5OhagN03I8/s320/SDC12123ce.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Checking out the elephant</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-jP_hwmwpUHQ/Tr3e4tWT3rI/AAAAAAAACrA/HQX2XtZIOEw/s1600/SDC12126e.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-jP_hwmwpUHQ/Tr3e4tWT3rI/AAAAAAAACrA/HQX2XtZIOEw/s320/SDC12126e.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This monkey was by far Elias' favorite part of the zoo. He was swinging wildly around his pen, and Elias thought that was hilarious!</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-gEb6UvYbqIc/Tr3fueoKYMI/AAAAAAAACrY/EDdvRIIlTrU/s1600/SDC12130e.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-gEb6UvYbqIc/Tr3fueoKYMI/AAAAAAAACrY/EDdvRIIlTrU/s320/SDC12130e.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">You can't see it well because of Elias' reflection, but the monkey is right on the other side of the glass from him, walking with its arms in the air. Elias thought that was so cool!</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-9fyM236Je7A/Tr3e_F63C0I/AAAAAAAACrI/47Ap5WsDK2g/s1600/SDC12131ce.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-9fyM236Je7A/Tr3e_F63C0I/AAAAAAAACrI/47Ap5WsDK2g/s320/SDC12131ce.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">He really liked these crowned cranes too!</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-4UHY4iJ6D_g/Tr3fIY2XL0I/AAAAAAAACrQ/My6d0vtsGss/s1600/SDC12134e.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-4UHY4iJ6D_g/Tr3fIY2XL0I/AAAAAAAACrQ/My6d0vtsGss/s320/SDC12134e.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Elias and Daddy went up on the observation deck, and this giraffe got really close!</td></tr>
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Even though we don't have more pictures than this, we had such a great time with Nana & Granddad, and we're so thankful they came to visit!!! </div>Jonihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00802543096647270631noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23612474.post-58993748511223694532011-10-29T15:30:00.000-04:002011-10-29T15:30:08.777-04:00Atlanta Trip 9: Wrapping UpCan you believe I had 9 posts worth of pictures from this week-long trip?! It was so much fun, though, and I'm so thankful for that time with my family! If you're still hanging in there in this long series, here are a few pictures that didn't fit anywhere else:<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Hyc8j765Oz0/TqxQCm6tvgI/AAAAAAAACpw/rBZuni4Cgyg/s1600/kids+table+e.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Hyc8j765Oz0/TqxQCm6tvgI/AAAAAAAACpw/rBZuni4Cgyg/s320/kids+table+e.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The kids' table at our Sunday afternoon cookout.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-JMKNqfgPt4g/TqxQGooRazI/AAAAAAAACp4/t9YzR8zmzGo/s1600/mall+train+e.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-JMKNqfgPt4g/TqxQGooRazI/AAAAAAAACp4/t9YzR8zmzGo/s320/mall+train+e.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Grandpa bought Elias a ride on the train at the mall! He was beyond thrilled!!! Notice the blue tickets he's holding - he still has his souvenir train ticket!</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-l3RPi2nJn04/TqxSswBWS-I/AAAAAAAACqA/9BWfdHimvek/s1600/monster+app+e.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-l3RPi2nJn04/TqxSswBWS-I/AAAAAAAACqA/9BWfdHimvek/s320/monster+app+e.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Jessica has an app on her iPad that is an adorable version of The Monster At The End of This Book - a book we used to read when we were kids! Elias absolutely stinkin' LOVED it! He would just laugh and laugh - scream laughing! We definitely bought that one for our own iPad. This picture is Grandma showing it to them before bed one night. Many thanks to Patriot & Azlan for putting up with his craziness while reading this one!</td></tr>
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So that was our visit! Our return home was also an adventure, since Atlanta traffic caused us to miss our morning flight. However, there was another flight 2.5 hours later that they put us on for no charge, and it was really no inconvenience to us at all to get home a little later than originally planned. So, we enjoyed a long car and train ride with my sis to get to the airport, then extra hangout time waiting for the next flight! Score! So it was a fantastic trip - all that I had hoped it would be - and I'm so thankful for how good Elias was to travel alone with! What blessings God has given me in my family!!!!!</div>Jonihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00802543096647270631noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23612474.post-88761340935939366782011-10-29T15:08:00.003-04:002011-10-29T15:30:25.872-04:00Atlanta Trip 8: More CelebratingPatriot and Azlan's birthdays are only a couple weeks apart, so we had a family celebration for both boys, since we wouldn't be able to come back for Azlan's party. Also, Patriot and Azlan are both in karate classes, and while we were there, they passed their tests to move up to orange belt level! Way to go, boys! (We went to watch their testing, and Elias LOVED seeing all the kids doing their karate! He sat still on my lap for the entire hour just in awe of all the kicking and movements and shouting. He still walks around going "A-ya!" like the kids did. Maybe martial arts are in Elias' future too?!) So we had a lot to celebrate that day!<br />
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And when you have a lot to celebrate, where else do you go but Chuck E. Cheese's?! It had been more than 2 years <a href="http://jonitapp.blogspot.com/2009/04/spring-break-part-2.html">since Elias went to Chuck E Cheese's</a> (with the same crowd actually!), so it was definitely more fun for all of us this time!<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Loving the helicopter flying around in this game.</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Pushing buttons on Deal or No Deal.</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This was a helicopter-type ride that you pedal like a bike. He wouldn't actually ride it, but he loved to just touch it and shake it! He called it the Thingmajigger from The Cat in the Hat Knows A Lot About That.</td></tr>
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What's really funny is that even though he loved touching the games and pushing their buttons, he refused to actually play or ride any of them. So we didn't spend one token there, which actually ends up being a lot cheaper... So if he's happy to just run around and look at things, I guess I'm ok with that!<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-s1EEs78hDo0/TqxNN1Wq8dI/AAAAAAAACpg/gSXOnLQK21c/s1600/SDC12107e.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-s1EEs78hDo0/TqxNN1Wq8dI/AAAAAAAACpg/gSXOnLQK21c/s320/SDC12107e.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Looking adoringly at Chuck E.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-V1qMoKQfQaE/TqxND9ec0OI/AAAAAAAACpY/CZkSidP0_qA/s1600/SDC12106ce.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-V1qMoKQfQaE/TqxND9ec0OI/AAAAAAAACpY/CZkSidP0_qA/s320/SDC12106ce.jpg" width="239" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Then he finally found the thing he loved best - seeing himself on TV with the bluescreen!! He danced there until it was time to go. :)</td></tr>
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Then we went back to the house for cake, ice cream, and presents. I for some reason didn't get any pictures of cake time... But it was yummy! Then it was present time, and in true Grandma fashion, she had brought one for Elias! She said she felt bad that the other boys were getting birthday presents, but Elias wasn't getting anything. I think that's sweet. So all three boys were simultaneously ripping into presents! Mayhem.<br />
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They were all very excited with their haul, and Elias didn't let go of his little Cars 2 Lightning McQueen and Fillmore characters for the next 48 hours! (He's holding them in the pajama photo in <a href="http://jonitapp.blogspot.com/2011/10/atlanta-trip-family-fun.html">this post</a>!)Jonihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00802543096647270631noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23612474.post-65633603345309301212011-10-28T10:10:00.004-04:002011-10-28T10:10:57.097-04:00Atlanta Trip 7: Birthday InsanityOne of the reasons we scheduled our trip when we did was so we would be there for Patriot's 7th birthday party! It was possibly the coolest party ever! It was a video game-themed party, so they rented something called <a href="http://rollingvideogames.com/">Rolling Video Games</a>.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-CtdR9aPzC5s/Tqq0Cp1t8JI/AAAAAAAACoQ/-ZrYaG9UkJM/s1600/birthday+7e.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-CtdR9aPzC5s/Tqq0Cp1t8JI/AAAAAAAACoQ/-ZrYaG9UkJM/s320/birthday+7e.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">There was a very large number of very loud, very excited boys. I've never seen such a thing! Kinda glad my kid is only 3... I've got some time before we're doing things like this...</td></tr>
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It was a trailer outfitted with 4 large-screen TVs, and up to 16 people could play simultaneous video games in there! So Patriot had 15 friends over, and they had some intense video game action in there!!!<br />
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Not being a gamer myself, Elias and I only peeked in to see the insanity, but it was hilarious! The boys were so excited! After the boys had turns, they let some grown-ups in to give it a try.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-uH4TL5X1KD4/Tqq0BkAHFCI/AAAAAAAACoA/6-8h2eiNp7Q/s1600/birthday+5e.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-uH4TL5X1KD4/Tqq0BkAHFCI/AAAAAAAACoA/6-8h2eiNp7Q/s320/birthday+5e.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Birthday boy playing an intense game with Grandpa, Brother, and Daddy</td></tr>
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Only after the truck left were the boys willing to come in and participate in the rest of the festivities: pasta, cake pops, and presents. Jessica had ordered cake pops shaped like video game controllers - how cute were these?!<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-W9vd9O3OmEY/Tqq0Hx6lAqI/AAAAAAAACoY/wqu3wIxqwhQ/s1600/SDC12099ce.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-W9vd9O3OmEY/Tqq0Hx6lAqI/AAAAAAAACoY/wqu3wIxqwhQ/s320/SDC12099ce.jpg" width="239" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Elias sure thought it was tasty! He gobbled his down and immediately said "More?!"</td></tr>
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Patriot's birthday was actually the next day, and so we went to school to eat lunch with him on his special day.<br />
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It was Elias' first time in a school like this, and my first time since high school!<br />
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It was HILARIOUS how much Elias LOVED the school cafeteria food! For Elias, I chose something that Patriot called "stuffed crust," which in my mind would be something like a pizza calzone. When Elias was eating it, though, I saw that it was all white, so I asked Patriot what it was stuffed with. He said fish. HA! Elias LOVES fish, so he actually enjoyed it way more than he would've pizza. So there ya go. <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-2XySwXF0fS0/Tqq3Tu10WuI/AAAAAAAACo4/TSfR09zA2lY/s1600/school+lunch+3e.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-2XySwXF0fS0/Tqq3Tu10WuI/AAAAAAAACo4/TSfR09zA2lY/s320/school+lunch+3e.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I chuckled at how my child is probably one of the few who would be happier about fish than pizza.</td></tr>
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Then after school, the whole family met Patriot at the bus stop, and they even took the dog decorated with some birthday balloons to celebrate his big day!<br />
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So happy birthday, Patriot! Can't believe you're seven already!Jonihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00802543096647270631noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23612474.post-63368297544422974562011-10-27T20:10:00.003-04:002011-10-27T20:11:58.818-04:00Atlanta Trip 6: Decorating Pumpkins<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
Grandma had brought with her 3 pumpkins donated to her grandsons from a
friend in Kentucky, so one afternoon we decorated them! I say
"decorated" because Patriot and Azlan carved theirs, but Elias and I
opted for drawing with a sharpie. When I say "Elias and I," I mean me, because he didn't care in the slightest about the pumpkins. But I drew a really cute cat on ours! So there.</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-JRg8Y8C3jvo/TqnwgwBpzZI/AAAAAAAACm8/X_9d7yyDIRI/s320/pumpkins+1e.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="240" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This is as long as Elias lasted. You can see him already getting out of his chair to go run up and down the hill some more.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-6xRmuwDPYaI/TqnwhcEFBiI/AAAAAAAACnE/iflDP8K9OL4/s1600/pumpkins+2ce.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-6xRmuwDPYaI/TqnwhcEFBiI/AAAAAAAACnE/iflDP8K9OL4/s320/pumpkins+2ce.jpg" width="239" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This is the really scary face that Azlan wanted to put on his pumpkin!</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-VDaiWEOHIpM/TqnwiR_yzeI/AAAAAAAACnU/ZgviUNiXzBc/s1600/pumpkins+4e.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-VDaiWEOHIpM/TqnwiR_yzeI/AAAAAAAACnU/ZgviUNiXzBc/s320/pumpkins+4e.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Then he decided he'd rather have the Red Power Ranger on his pumpkin, so Grandma printed out a picture and helped him draw the design.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-xW444IFj-9Y/Tqnwh0CALuI/AAAAAAAACnM/BzoG3jrEZYI/s1600/pumpkins+3e.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-xW444IFj-9Y/Tqnwh0CALuI/AAAAAAAACnM/BzoG3jrEZYI/s320/pumpkins+3e.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Patriot using the dremmel.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-wq0NXA1UaYA/TqnwjextFYI/AAAAAAAACnc/vw-AXQ7ZjuI/s1600/pumpkins+5e.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-wq0NXA1UaYA/TqnwjextFYI/AAAAAAAACnc/vw-AXQ7ZjuI/s320/pumpkins+5e.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Jessica is deep in concentration.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-drHrFsnsodA/TqnwkIwQoiI/AAAAAAAACnk/MoTsXBQ0NAk/s1600/pumpkins+6e.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-drHrFsnsodA/TqnwkIwQoiI/AAAAAAAACnk/MoTsXBQ0NAk/s320/pumpkins+6e.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Mom used a terrifyingly large knife.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-pc13JC28ODU/TqnwlNlZ6FI/AAAAAAAACns/qSWnzeflKOY/s1600/pumpkins+7e.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-pc13JC28ODU/TqnwlNlZ6FI/AAAAAAAACns/qSWnzeflKOY/s320/pumpkins+7e.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">We ended up with three awesome pumpkins!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>Jonihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00802543096647270631noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23612474.post-23836549871784885782011-10-27T11:17:00.001-04:002011-10-27T11:18:02.929-04:00Atlanta Trip 5: DowntownOne afternoon we took the MARTA train to downtown Atlanta, which of course, thrilled Elias to the depths of his soul!<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-eBTpQDBKwDg/TqlyYWIR0JI/AAAAAAAACms/GKrZ-atcZPg/s1600/SDC12086.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-eBTpQDBKwDg/TqlyYWIR0JI/AAAAAAAACms/GKrZ-atcZPg/s320/SDC12086.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Too excited to sit still!</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-ThwDIdB9Spc/TqlyelxzyoI/AAAAAAAACm0/h3VnMpIdUos/s1600/SDC12089ce.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-ThwDIdB9Spc/TqlyelxzyoI/AAAAAAAACm0/h3VnMpIdUos/s320/SDC12089ce.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Grinning at Grandma</td></tr>
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We went to Centennial Park, where the Olympics were held in 1996.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-MHyNgTqql_M/TqlyNr5unII/AAAAAAAACmc/7ogB3WCtyro/s1600/park+5e.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-MHyNgTqql_M/TqlyNr5unII/AAAAAAAACmc/7ogB3WCtyro/s320/park+5e.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Grandma with her boys</td></tr>
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The park was beautiful, and the weather was just perfect. There were also some really great playgrounds, and the boys had a great time playing!<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-a-ed38-OSuM/TqlyLMEmvGI/AAAAAAAACl8/S5vV7pKxLl0/s1600/park+1e.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-a-ed38-OSuM/TqlyLMEmvGI/AAAAAAAACl8/S5vV7pKxLl0/s320/park+1e.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Azlan & Patriot "selling" Grandma some ice cream at the playground's "store."</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-tbpp7YtOZi4/TqlyNFDEeEI/AAAAAAAACmU/HYYIUCC0Ui8/s1600/park+4e.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-tbpp7YtOZi4/TqlyNFDEeEI/AAAAAAAACmU/HYYIUCC0Ui8/s320/park+4e.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The curly slide is always Elias' favorite!! If you look closely, you'll see his skinned left knee - he did that on the concrete just a few minutes before this photo was taken, but he shook it off and kept playing. There's fun to be had!</td></tr>
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<br />
Then we tried to go to Hard Rock Cafe for dinner, but the wait was too long, so we instead visited an only-in-Atlanta kind of place called Aunt Pittypat's Porch. (Aunt Pittypat is a character from Gone With the Wind, which takes place in Atlanta.) Good, down-home Southern food there! :)Jonihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00802543096647270631noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23612474.post-73003285427134019242011-10-26T21:45:00.000-04:002011-10-27T10:58:07.965-04:00Atlanta Trip 4: Aunt Jessica's HouseWe were very grateful that my sister's house had enough space for us all to be able to stay there together! Good times! Elias had a few things about the house that were his favorites:<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-yzHATDf7IKM/TqlvlSW5kgI/AAAAAAAACl0/QSBu43C2pPM/s1600/fake+pumpkins+ce.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-yzHATDf7IKM/TqlvlSW5kgI/AAAAAAAACl0/QSBu43C2pPM/s320/fake+pumpkins+ce.jpg" width="239" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Elias' single favorite thing about Aunt Jessica's house were the decorative fake pumpkins. She had two on shelves in the living room, and those were seriously his favorite thing to play with! They were hollow and open on the bottom, so he would stack them and call them a pumpkin patch, or he liked to try to put his foot inside. (Note that he had to take his socks off to play with them... Whatever.)</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-s_jQ6osX9xA/Tqi0rdSmSuI/AAAAAAAAClQ/vWTDWhEUN7E/s1600/SDC12083ce.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-s_jQ6osX9xA/Tqi0rdSmSuI/AAAAAAAAClQ/vWTDWhEUN7E/s320/SDC12083ce.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Patriot & Azlan have bunk beds, and there is a trundle bed that pulls out from underneath, which Elias slept on. He thought it was fun to sleep in there with his cousins, and Aunt Jessica was sweet enough to put a homemade train quilt on his bed! He. Loved. It! So much that he actually napped in it our first day there - a combination of loving the bed and being so tuckered out from our exciting travels.</td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-wK-htBMupeg/Tqi0m69k7FI/AAAAAAAAClI/L9twLZlYl1A/s1600/playing+piano+e.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-wK-htBMupeg/Tqi0m69k7FI/AAAAAAAAClI/L9twLZlYl1A/s320/playing+piano+e.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">He LOVED their electric keyboard. He played the piano as much as we would let him!</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-iVQppJKQaUY/Tqi0zztysxI/AAAAAAAAClY/w3qlt_8ZPLY/s1600/SDC12084e.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-iVQppJKQaUY/Tqi0zztysxI/AAAAAAAAClY/w3qlt_8ZPLY/s320/SDC12084e.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">...and sometimes MORE than we let him.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-4tcW8CuUfPM/Tqi09UNm1NI/AAAAAAAAClg/Q69Ktz2r3lg/s1600/SDC12094e.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-4tcW8CuUfPM/Tqi09UNm1NI/AAAAAAAAClg/Q69Ktz2r3lg/s320/SDC12094e.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">They have a huge backyard that is a big slope. He LOVED running up and down that hill! I'm standing on the back deck to take this photo, so that's how steep a slope it is!</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-bBMfFNHJydE/Tqi1YR9XC0I/AAAAAAAAClo/znmkGhzgxvY/s1600/SDC12095e.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-bBMfFNHJydE/Tqi1YR9XC0I/AAAAAAAAClo/znmkGhzgxvY/s320/SDC12095e.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I have no idea why, but he liked to lay down on the side of the hill and shout "Help! I'm stuck!" Talk about the boy who cried wolf! No way I was going to go down there each time he said that... ;)</td></tr>
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They also have a big bathtub and lots of bath toys Elias had never seen before! Very cool! He was especially taken with one, which was a little grabber shaped like a snake head (Elias called it a dinosaur) and it had a trigger you could pull to make the mouth move. He quickly figured out how to pull the trigger to move the mouth, and then he thought it was really funny to act out one of his favorite scenes from Thomas & Friends Hero of the Rails with it. I was pretty impressed at his ability to make the mouth move and match up with the words!<br />
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Everything is more fun at Aunt Jessica's house!Jonihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00802543096647270631noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23612474.post-54002968733997674552011-10-26T21:28:00.002-04:002011-10-27T10:57:55.830-04:00Atlanta Trip 3: Family FunOn this trip, we went to the Atlanta area, where my sister and her family have lived for a couple years, but I've never made it down to visit. So we just decided to create our own fall break and go for a visit! (Unfortunately, it wasn't a real fall break, so Justin couldn't take that much time off work... He had to enjoy the visit vicariously through our nightly Skype chats.) Since all her children and grandsons were going to be at the same place at the same time, Mom didn't want to miss a minute of it, so she drove down from Kentucky to be with us. Then, Dad flew down for the last couple days of our time together. It was really a special little reunion! We did our best to make fun memories together.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/--mNysEI6Vy4/Tqixot45g-I/AAAAAAAACkg/cB2IKyK-L9w/s1600/chickfila+e.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/--mNysEI6Vy4/Tqixot45g-I/AAAAAAAACkg/cB2IKyK-L9w/s320/chickfila+e.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">We ate at the <a href="http://www.cfarestaurant.com/hapevilledwarfhouse/home">Chick-Fil-A Dwarf House</a> in Hapeville, GA - the very first Chick-Fil-A restaurant!</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-ThNJI9BdZnI/TqixqeZRQHI/AAAAAAAACkw/kBIbLBHrvBc/s1600/picnic+e.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-ThNJI9BdZnI/TqixqeZRQHI/AAAAAAAACkw/kBIbLBHrvBc/s320/picnic+e.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">We picnicked in the back of Grandma's car... A special request by Azlan.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-sJyorMWDfsc/Tqixp2ya6PI/AAAAAAAACko/u7htzeHcGSY/s1600/on+swings+e.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-sJyorMWDfsc/Tqixp2ya6PI/AAAAAAAACko/u7htzeHcGSY/s320/on+swings+e.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">We played at the park.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-6Z3fa5c-J7Y/Tqix1rpdvtI/AAAAAAAACk4/Zix9MKQzcWA/s1600/SDC12109ce.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-6Z3fa5c-J7Y/Tqix1rpdvtI/AAAAAAAACk4/Zix9MKQzcWA/s320/SDC12109ce.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Grandma & Grandpa bought the boys matchie pajamas. Grandpa (a bass guitar player) picked them out - they have guitars on them and say "Rocking World Tour: It's gonna get loud!" We all thought that was appropriate.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-PHBicCDKg3w/Tqix2RNzB9I/AAAAAAAAClA/M3lm0N3MpQY/s1600/big+wheel+1ce.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-PHBicCDKg3w/Tqix2RNzB9I/AAAAAAAAClA/M3lm0N3MpQY/s320/big+wheel+1ce.jpg" width="238" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Grandma took all three boys bike riding. Azlan was kind enough to let Elias borrow his old big wheel. There were only minor injuries. :) Major props to Grandma for getting Elias to wear a helmet!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>Jonihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00802543096647270631noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23612474.post-52043504399696637792011-10-26T21:08:00.001-04:002011-10-27T10:57:45.902-04:00Atlanta Trip 2: Country Mouse in the CityThis belongs as part of the traveling post I published yesterday, but the story is so good that I thought I'd rather give it its own post. Now, I'm not uninitiated when it comes to travel - I've been around the block a time or two! But it's been several years since I've flown through a large airport, and in that time I've gotten really used to small town life. So Elias and I were both just completely stunned to descend through the clouds into the Atlanta airport, which is HUGE!!! SO MANY airplanes going every direction. Honestly, I was overwhelmed; Elias was just impressed.<br />
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So then we got off the airplane and the number of people in the terminal was just unbelievable. (This was 5pm on a weekday, so peak travel time for businesspeople, I'd guess.) We followed the crowd and the signs that pointed us toward baggage claim. I didn't even realize that there were concourses and we'd have to take a TRAIN through 4 concourses just to get to the exit! Elias was, of course, thrilled that not only was there an airplane, but there was also going to be a train!<br />
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The best part of the story comes, though, before we get to the train. To reach the platform, we had to take an escalator down, and as we're lining up to get on it, I realize that Elias has probably never been on one before and wouldn't know what to do. There are no escalators in our small town, that's for sure! So I was explaining to him that it was stairs that moved us down, and he just needed to step on and stand still. HE. LOVED. IT. Seriously, the awe on his face was priceless. There were so many people and I was juggling a preschooler and two backpacks, so no way I could've gotten a photo. It was so great, though, that we were drawing attention from the masses around us, and people were cracking up when they realized that this child has never seen an escalator before! It was a classic case of country mouse coming to the big city!!!<br />
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We of course enjoyed the train, and then got to take another escalator back up to baggage claim, and many people were once again entertained by how much my child loved the escalator. He, in fact, asked to do it again, but that just wasn't gonna happen.<br />
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Who knew, though, that in all our exciting travels that day, the part my 3-year-old would love the most was the escalator?!!?!<br />
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The next day, we visited a mall that had escalators, so Grandma took the opportunity to snap a photo of Elias on his new obsession:<br />
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We took every opportunity we could find on our trip to ride an escalator, sometimes just over and over again. To this day, his eyes light up when he hears the word "escalator." Ah, it's the simple pleasures in life. :)Jonihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00802543096647270631noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23612474.post-56910099709239125432011-10-25T22:29:00.000-04:002011-10-27T10:57:18.021-04:00Atlanta Trip 1: Flying in the Sky!In preparing Elias for our trip to Atlanta to visit family, I told him that he and I were going to be flying on an airplane to get there, and from that moment he was SOLD. He asked me every day for two weeks before we left, "Do we fly in the sky in an airplane today???" Um, not yet, buddy. But finally, the day arrived, and of course he LOVED it! I was very thankful that one of the cheaper airlines that flies out of our area had a direct flight to Atlanta. So we drove about 1.5 hours to get to the airport, then only had a 1.5 hour flight until we were there! I am so thankful that my little buddy is such a great traveler, though, because he really made it easy on this mama. We had FUN flying together!!!<br />
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It just so happens that the Branson Airport IS a Bass Pro Shop, so there were certainly entertaining things to look at too! They had a waterfall with a water wheel, and a bridge going over the little river to a cafe. Elias' favorite part was the koi in the fish pond, though! He stared at them for a LONG time! <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-XW5exWiv7rs/TqdtlV67NrI/AAAAAAAACjw/_R2VnpAAXzE/s1600/SDC12075e.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-XW5exWiv7rs/TqdtlV67NrI/AAAAAAAACjw/_R2VnpAAXzE/s320/SDC12075e.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Admiring the fishies</td></tr>
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Then we got on the plane and he loved absolutely every minute. So proud of my high-flier!</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-BBoWKRyiKFQ/TqdtujeuYXI/AAAAAAAACj4/K0bPd8pwK4s/s1600/SDC12078e.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-BBoWKRyiKFQ/TqdtujeuYXI/AAAAAAAACj4/K0bPd8pwK4s/s320/SDC12078e.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">He of course brought along his trusty companions, Mrs. B and Buster, whose presence kept him at ease the whole time.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-zgDcL04LxE0/TqduBkHuFJI/AAAAAAAACkQ/-JDUl3PKnec/s1600/Snapshot+1+%252810-25-2011+9-08+PM%2529.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-zgDcL04LxE0/TqduBkHuFJI/AAAAAAAACkQ/-JDUl3PKnec/s320/Snapshot+1+%252810-25-2011+9-08+PM%2529.png" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">He was excited when the flight attendant gave him a pair of wings to wear! He wore them the whole time and wouldn't take them off until we got to Aunt Jessica's house!</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-pTuncBM4iPI/TqduAVHImKI/AAAAAAAACkI/BDzQBPYuqhE/s1600/SDC12082e.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-pTuncBM4iPI/TqduAVHImKI/AAAAAAAACkI/BDzQBPYuqhE/s320/SDC12082e.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Playing with trains on the tray table was a favorite activity while flying. The only problem came when we started our descent and had to put all tray tables in a locked and upright position!</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-y6hSkPe5pBI/Tqdt3mAYeQI/AAAAAAAACkA/v2uc6VZktmc/s1600/SDC12081e.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-y6hSkPe5pBI/Tqdt3mAYeQI/AAAAAAAACkA/v2uc6VZktmc/s320/SDC12081e.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Daddy had sent along his iPod Touch for entertainment purposes while traveling, and Elias was glad for that! I wasn't sure how he'd do since he had never worn headphones before, but he didn't flinch at all. I guess he'd do whatever it takes to watch a little Thomas...</td></tr>
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Our plane was small enough that we were the only two seats on our side of the aisle, and that was great because I could put him at the window and then keep him corralled! He wasn't wild, though, and was content to just play in his seat the whole time. He loved looking out the window, especially during takeoff and landing, and it was neat for me to see it through his new eyes too! So thankful for the opportunity to do this with him and make the trip to visit family.</div>Jonihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00802543096647270631noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23612474.post-81453975600513919332011-10-25T10:00:00.000-04:002011-10-25T10:00:06.295-04:00Pinday: Crockpot Orange ChickenAlrighty, here's another Pinterest recipe that I loved and my guys didn't. I guess I don't do a good job of picking out recipes for the whole family's taste buds instead of just my own! The issue is, though, that neither of my guys like the texture of chicken cooked in the crockpot. So next time I'll try the same recipe cooked on the stovetop, and I bet they'll like it better. For those of you whose families like crockpot meals, though, I highly recommend this. The flavor was fantastic, and it was pretty simple. :) Pin <a href="http://pinterest.com/pin/256276047/">here</a>, recipe <a href="http://team-t-adventures.blogspot.com/2010/03/crock-pot-orange-chicken.html">here</a>. Below is my photo and the original recipe.<br />
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<b>Crockpot Orange Chicken</b><br />
Ingredients:<br />
• boneless chicken breasts, chopped into small chunks<br />
• 1/3 cup flour<br />
• olive oil<br />
• 1/2 T salt<br />
• 1 teaspoon balsamic vinegar<br />
• 3 T ketchup<br />
• 6 oz. frozen orange juice concentrate (thaw or throw it in the microwave for 45 seconds)<br />
• 4 T brown sugar<br />
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In a bowl, mix the orange juice, brown sugar, vinegar, salt, and ketchup. Pour the flour in a small bowl. Cover the chicken breast chunks in flour and shake off the excess. Pour a small amount of olive oil in a skillet and brown the flour-covered chicken. The chicken doesn't need to be fully cooked since it's going in the crock pot. After the chicken is done cooking, pour the pieces into the crock pot. Then cover the chicken with your sauce mixture and give the pot a stir.<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_Vq-8JYmBhD8/S3ia1u2q0wI/AAAAAAAABjY/2gjF24N52ME/s1600-h/DSC00487.JPG"></a> Cook on low for 5-6 hours or on high for 2-3.Serve over rice and even add veggies if you want a healthier meal. Enjoy!</div>
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It's a little irritating that the recipe doesn't tell you how much chicken to use! I used 6 chicken breasts, and I thought the sauce-meat ratio was good. It would've been fine with less chicken, though, for those of you who don't want a lot of leftovers! Since I used that much chicken, I actually had some trouble browning it because the pan I used was too small. So make sure to use a large enough saute pan to brown your chicken, or do it in batches - I think it would've been better if I had been able to more thoroughly brown the chicken.<br />
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I don't think this was very much like Panda Express Orange Chicken, which is of course fabulous. However, that chicken is deep fried, which I'm sure is why it's so good! My much healthier orange chicken was just different, but also very tasty. It was definitely very orange-y and very sweet. Not a hint of spice in it.<br />
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I served it with jasmine rice lightly flavored with garlic and ginger, and a freezer bag of stir fry vegetables lightly seasoned with soy sauce. The salty vegetables were a nice contrast with the sweet chicken. Let me know if you try this!
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<center><a href="http://twothingsincommon.blogspot.com/search/label/Pinday%20%7BPinterest%7D"><img border="0" src="http://i1083.photobucket.com/albums/j388/angiejoywright/Pinday-small-1.png" /></a></center>Jonihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00802543096647270631noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23612474.post-1079583897085136302011-10-22T11:57:00.003-04:002011-10-22T11:57:55.375-04:00Family FrenzyIf you follow me on Twitter or Facebook, you'll know that I haven't been posting on my blog because we've been traveling! Elias and I spent a week in Atlanta visiting my family, and as soon as we got back, Justin's parents came for a visit! So I'll have lots and lots of great pictures and stories to post soon... Stay tuned!Jonihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00802543096647270631noreply@blogger.com0