Happy 5th Birthday Tristyn!

Me and the birthday girl.

We decided to have Tristyn's birthday party a tad early this year.
We also decided to have it at Bellaboo's in Lake Station.
It is this amazing place for kids!
They have themed rooms for the kids to play in that are just awesome.
Tristyn's favorite room is the face painting room.
She likes to paint her face like a tiger.
She had a couple of friends from school come like Avery and Soleah.
Cousins Austin and Adian were able to come from Illinois.
Best buddies, Miles and Drew were there of course!
And our neighbors Jacob and Vivian came along too!
She had a great time and was so tired by the end of the night!

Jumping in the ball pitt with Miles.

Concentrating on her birthday shirt.

Face painting with cousin Austin.

Eating pizza!

Her special bunny that she reaaally wanted and named Kendra.

Squirt gun party favors.

Tired party goer.

"Ca-Caw! Ca-Caw!"

It's April 26 and I can't help but wonder when the heck it's going to warm up.
When the sun is out and it's not frigid
I never see Tristyn.
She is finally old enough to ride her bike down the block.
She even crosses the street in front of the house with a watchful eye.
She has made friends like Jacob and Vivian who live next to Josephine.
She even talks to the older girl who lives down the block and can ride a two-wheeler.

The other day she came home and said she met two little girls
She asked to ride her bike around the block with them.
One girl was 5 and the other was 7 so I wasn't too worried.
I said OK...I have to cut the cord sometime.
Two minutes later the doorbell rang and it was the 5 year old.
She said, "Don't worry ma'am, we'll protect your kid from the streets."
She made it sound like we lived in the ghetto!
She meant that she would help her cross the street if they needed to.

After about 40 minutes Tristyn finally returned home.
She was so happy and proud of herself for making friends.
When I took off her coat I noticed she had dirt all over her arm.

Here is the conversation that took place after that...
M: Why do you have dirt all over your arm?
T: Oh...I fell up a hill.

I think to myself...where in the heck is there a hill?

M: I thought you were going on a bike ride?
T: Well...we did, but we went to the park to play.
M: But...you were supposed to be riding your bike.
    What if I needed to find you?
    How would I know you were at the park?
T: Well you would walk by and see our pink bikes.
M: But where did the dirt come from?
T: We went on the tracks in the forest. And I fell up a hill.
M: WHAT?
     How would I know you were in the forest?!
T: Well you would see our bikes and then follow the girl tracks.
M: What if you got hurt in the forest?
     How would I know you were hurt or where to find you?
T: I would stay still and call out to you, "Ca-Caw! Ca-Caw!" and then you will come get me.
M: WHAT?!?!?!
     NO...you are not to go in the forest without me ever again! You could get hurt or lost!
     And on and on and on....

I think she got my drift.
Until we were discussing the situation again at grandma's house.
When I told her again that I didn't want her going in there she said to me,
"Well...if I go in there and then don't tell you about it...then you won't know!"

This is going to be a long journey raising this child.

Field Museum Trip

Spring Break was last week and I wanted to do something special with Tristyn.

She has never really been to Chicago and it was high time we go.

We planned on going to the Shedd Aquarium

Except there was a two hour wait just to get in to the place!

So I decided to head to the Field Museum.

Little tunnel.

Tristyn in front of the Field Museum.

She asked me what was at the Field and I told her dinosaur bones.
She was soooo excited!
I haven't been there since high school and a lot has changed.
We have been reading the Magic Treehouse Books...we are on #12.
Everything we saw at the museum related to what we had read!
Dinosaurs, saber toothed cats, mammoths, mummies and cave paintings...it was awesome!

Tristyn and Sue the T-Rex.

I had never seen Sue the dinosaur.
She was actually discovered by a woman named Sue who went to my high school!
Pretty neat huh?

Collecting corn in a pueblo.

3-D movie about mammoths.

We covered the entire museum and we were pooped!
Tristyn is like a sponge and soaked  up everything.
Her favorite part was Sue and the 3-D movie.
One highlight was when we came out of the cave paintings exhibit...
Tristyn found a $20 bill on the floor!
We asked around and Tristyn ended up keeping it!
She bought a stuffed horse to remember her trip.
She said that it reminded her of the horse that was sketched in the stone in the cave exhibit.

Grabbing a hot dog before the ride home.

About 2 minutes after this hot dog
Tristyn burst into tears.
She had to go potty.
And right then.
No bathrooms in the parking garage.
Museum was about to close.
We bolted across the street,
Up all the stairs,
Into the museum and to the nearest bathroom.
It closed 10 minutes before the museum closed.
Awesome.
Down the stairs we go and down a long hallway.
We throw everything on the floor and she flies on the toilet.
Nothing.
Awesome.
Then she hears the announcement about the museum being closed.
She freaks out because she thinks we are going to be locked inside.

We made it back to the car finally
And her little tummy was still upset.
I got on Lake Shore Drive and she was passed out.

Passed out before I even got on Lake Shore Drive.
 

By the time we got back to Hobart, she was ok.
We got our hair done for Easter and had Subway for dinner.
I had a great time hanging out together and I know she did too!
I can't wait to take her to the Science and Industry and the Shedd one day!

Happy Birthday Jesus Performance

I just had to share this video of Tristyn.
We were at my Mom's house this weekend
And she has this toy microphone which is pretty cool.
There are even foot pedals you can step on and people will clap or laugh.
Anyway, Tristyn just picked up the mic and started singing all serious.
She learned Happy Birthday Jesus! at her school last year around Christmas time.
They didn't have a Christmas show this year, but she still remembered all the words.
Just another reason why I love Caring Heart Open Arms in Hobart!

Justin Bieber Concert Here We Come!...in 2020 That Is.

Last night Tristyn and I were driving home from deadline night
And a Justin Bieber song came on the radio.
She got really excited.
She LOVES him!
Four years old and has posters of him in her bedroom.

"Mommy, can you take me to his concert when I'm older?"
"Well...how old do you think you have to be to go to a concert?"
"I don't know...tall?"
"Tall is not an age Tristyn."
"Ummm...how about 12?"
"That sounds like a good age for a concert.
So, if Justin is still around I will take you ok?"
"Ok...and I will bring my Justin map!"

You see...Aunt Jan heads to Stratford, Canada every August for the Shakespeare festival.
That is Justin Bieber's hometown.
He grew up singing outside of the Avon Theater there.
Who knows? I could have seen him there back in the day when I used to go with her!
It's a great little town and I hope to take Tristyn there someday.
This summer Aunt Jan sent Tristyn a map of Stratford with the "Justin's Favorite Places" on it.

"Yes! And then I will marry him and he will live with us at our house."
"Well, I think he has a little bit more money than us...
You know...he has all his music and his concerts...
So maybe he will let us move in with him!"
"Oooo...yeah! He probably has a pool.
Not one that blows up...a REAL one."

So, I wonder in 2020, when Tristyn is 12 years old...
Will Justin Bieber still be cool at 26 years old?

Exploding Heart

I know, I know...I haven't blogged in a loooong time.
I'm SORRY!
I have so much to write about, but Sarah said I had to write this story down NOW.

Yesterday we took the kids to the Shriner Circus in Hammond.
The show was a little awkward, but fun!
Tristyn and I went to Grandma's for dinner.
Tristyn didn't eat much...probably due to the large popcorn we shared.

On the way home, Tristyn asked if I could stop at Wendy's.
I told her, "No."
She had Wendy's a couple of times that week and should have eaten at Grandma's.

Cry, cry, cry.

We get into the house and she proceeds to tell me,
"You ruin everyday of my life!
I tried to be good and you ruined my day!
I asked nicely and  you said no!"

Keep in mind she is crying and yelling this at me.

"I said that we didn't have to go in to eat!
You EXPLODED my heart Mommy!"

I told her that what she was saying to me was hurting my feelings.
I was going to take a shower and she should calm down and think about what she said.

Cry. Cry. Cry.

In the end...we talked and hugged and apologized to one another.
I'm sure that was the first fight of many.

BUT I EXPLODED HER HEART!!!
All over denying her a small frosty.
Mother of the Year.

Kevin and Talia Got Married!



The wedding party.

My little brother got married!!

It's so hard to believe that little Buster walked down the aisle.

I'm so proud of him.

And so happy for him and Talia!

They are a perfect couple and I know they are going to have a great life together.

They love the Cubs, Gold Rush, food, Star Wars, Settlers of Catan...

What more could a guy ask for?

 

The wedding was a BLAST!

I was so excited to get all dolled up and look "hot."

Julie and I were bridesmaids.

Tristyn was the flower girl.

Julie and me.

Tristyn the flower girl.

It was a very busy weekend with Thanksgiving and all.

We celebrated near Julie and Brian's house at a hotel with her in-laws.

We all went out for dinner at Harry Carey's and it was yummy!

The best part was that no one had to stress over cooking and cleaning.

At the hotel we got to go swimming and play games.

 

The wedding program.

Back to the wedding...

I was so excited to see so many people there.

To have all of your family members and friends in one place at the same time was amazing.

They got married at the courthouse in Crown Point on the square.

The courtroom was on the 3rd floor and the reception hall was on the 2nd.

 

I was very impressed at how Tristyn listened and walked down the aisle like a princess.

She looked so beautiful!!

She was so good the entire weekend.

 

My favorite photo from the day.

Congratulations Kevin and Talia!!!

 

Here are a few more pictures from the exciting day:

 

Julie, Mom and me.

Tristyn and me after getting our makeup done.

 

Mom and Kevin before the ceremony.

 

Me and my girl.

 

 

Introducing Mr. and Mrs. Kevin Wadycki.

 

Siblings.

 

At the end of the night we had to clean up the ballroom. Poor Tristyn passed out and we just cleaned up around her!