Fab Friday: May 12

Whether you scoop it, paddle it, dollop it or spoon it, ice cream is a delicious little treat, and happens to be a favorite dessert in our household.

We eat it no matter the season, weather or temperature.

We all have varying favorites.

Mine are Mint Chocolate Chip or Cherry Garcia.

Big Daddy leans towards Rocky Road.

Big Sis loves plain Vanilla, but will occasionally delve into a bite of Strawberry.

And Big J? He loves whatever he's fed.

Despite our diverse favorites, the one thing that unites us in our ice cream delight is the Zyliss ice cream scoop.

I bought this sherbet-tinted beauty about a year ago, and it makes ice cream scooping a dream. Substantial in the hand, you know this scoop means business. If you plan on eating ice cream this summer - and who doesn't? - I recommend you spend the $9.99 and pick one up. I found mine at Dahl's, but Amazon carries them too.

10 Things I Will Not Miss About Apartment Living

1. A furnace with the air intake vent in the second bedroom. It is LOUD.
2. That the floor of the bathtubs is so creaky it sounds like you're going to fall through the neighbor's ceiling.
3. Facing a busy street.
4. An iced-over parking lot from November until March.
5. Mirrored closet doors. My child has been mesmerized by her own reflection. But it was amusing to see her throw a fit and watch herself at the same time.
6. Rental home carpet. Yuck.
7. Downstairs neighbors who like to slam the front door. ALL THE TIME.
8. Communal living. Not so great when you can't find a parking space on a Friday night & the neighbors decide to take up smoking just when I start leaving my windows open all evening.
9. A weird layout in the living room. There was no way to set it up to enjoy the fireplace, use the TV, and have room to walk.
10. Zero insulation in the walls. A good excuse to not do the dishes after 7 pm (baby bedtime), but really not conducive to family living.

Vacation Plans

Summer has crept up on me, and I can hardly believe the first week of June has come and gone. We are 3.5 weeks away from the big move, 5.5 weeks away from family coming to visit, and 9 weeks away from Big Daddy starting rotations.

With passports in hand, and a few short weeks of free time after we move, we started talking about taking a trip. Due to the scheduling of rotations, interviews in year 4 and the prospect of little free time between graduation and moving for residency, we decided it was now - or 2 1/2 to 3 years from now. We began by discussing a long weekend in Canada. This quickly evolved into day dreaming about more elaborate plans involving Disney World, Paris, or Mexico. Airfares are all over the place right now, but with the help of Kayak, we began to get serious.

On Tuesday I did a little more investigating and within a few hours I had plane tickets booked and inquiries in for several hotels. By Friday afternoon I had the big stuff taken care of.

WE'RE GOING TO BELIZE!

Belize is a small country in Central America, south of Mexico, east of Guatemala, and snugged up on the Caribbean Sea. It was a British Colony, so it's an English-speaking country. Belize is primarily known for being a scuba-diving mecca, but also offers Mayan ruins, caving, mountain biking, bird watching, jungle tours, and more.

I've wanted to go to Belize since before we got married, and this is the first chance we've had to realistically make it happen. I was able to use airline miles to buy 2 of the 3 tickets we needed. We're going during the low season (HOT and HUMID), so everything is a little less expensive, and I was able to find good deals on our hotels.

We'll spend 3 days on the beach at Mata Rocks Resort on Ambergris Caye, then 4 days at Chaa Creek Jungle Lodge near the Maya Mountains.

I'm looking forward to hanging out here:

Doing some of this:

Trekking through this:

And seeing this:

6 weeks and 2 days to go! (not that I am counting down or anything....) And yes, the kids are coming with us!

The end of Spring Soccer

Today was the last day of Spring Soccer. Although Big Sis was never overly-enthusiastic about playing, I think she did enjoy it. Memories of this season include:

• Wild weather. From cold, windy and rainy to sunny and nearly perfect, those Purple Lollipops played through all kinds of weather.
• Missing socks. I don't know why, but we had the worst time maintaining the whereabouts of her soccer socks. This resulted in a weekly shakedown of the house, which rarely resulted in victory.
• A real-life experience with "sideline sports rage". We had just finished a game, and a parent from the opposing team laid into that week's coach (from their own team). He was being rude & aggressive, and Big Daddy stepped in to defend her. This enraged the parent in question, who proceeded to actually go nose-to-nose with Big Daddy and tell him that he wanted to "Go". In the end, the situation was diffused and no punches were thrown, but it was a tense few minutes.
• A realization that soccer can be fun! Not sure she'll willingly sign up for the Fall season, but I think we can talk her into it again - especially after she scored 3 goals in the last game!

Fab Friday: June 5

One of our favorite summer time destinations in Des Moines is Snookie's Malt Shop. Located at 1810 Beaver Ave. (Beaver & 41st), near Drake University, Snookies is our go-to spot for after dinner treats. It's been around for about 30 years, and one visit will tell you why.

Soft-serve ice cream is the menu's staple, and all creations are built on your choice of chocolate or vanilla. You can get all the basics here - a soft serve cone (cake cone only) served plain, dipped, or rolled, and always topped with an animal cracker. They also have the usual malt shop fare: banana splits, shakes, malts, and even a hot dog or two.

We mostly go for the atmosphere. On a balmy summer evening, the neighborhood comes out in force - kids & dogs in tow. It's a great place to meet & greet or just enjoy the last rays of evening sun. It also doesn't hurt that a kid's cone is just a dollar!

It's nothing special, or fancy, it's just Snookies. Go get a little bit of Des Moines tonight.

PS - Just don't try to go in the winter. Snookie's is only open from mid-April to mid-September.

A list of 10 for Young Marrieds (without Children)

1. Travel. It doesn’t matter if you like day trips, long weekends away, or months abroad. If you have the travel bug, indulge in it now when you can pack light and get a running start. Yes, Europe/ South America/ Alaska will still be there after you have kids and they are old enough to travel far. But it’s not going to be any cheaper or easier than right now. And PS - Disney World/ Disneyland DOES NOT count as “travel” when you are a young married. You are not 12 anymore.
   
   
2. Get Cable. I know, there’s 600 channels and nothing on, but the channel surfing is so much more fun when you have more than six choices. Your budget may be tight, but it’s cheaper than going to the movies every weekend.
   
   
3. Expand your Horizons. Take a class, join a book club, begin a hobby. Your SO may be your “whole world” but the world - and you - become a lot more interesting when you open your eyes a bit and take a look around.
   
   
4. Get to Know Where You Live. You may be homesick, lonely, or shy, but getting to know your (new) hometown can be fun! Explore the parks, check out the Farmer’s Market, drive the freeways and travel down the back roads, and see what you find. Grab a travel book or do an online search – you might be surprised by the cool stuff that surrounds you.
   
   
5. Be Impulsive. Book a weekend in a hotel and order every dessert on the menu from room service. Go out for a midnight supper. Buy that amazing dress you saw in the window. Skinny dip. Watch the sun rise from the top of Mt. Haleakala. Take the left fork instead of the right.
   
   
6. Learn to Cook. No, you don’t need to attend Le Cordon Bleu, but you DO need to be able to whip together a decent meal once in a while. Ramen noodles do not count. One easy menu: Roasted chicken, creamy mashed potatoes, and steamed broccoli. For dessert, make some brownies (from a box) & top them with vanilla ice cream. So easy – and good - even your mother-in-law might be impressed.
   
   
7. Find Your Style. Personal style doesn’t have to be expensive or time consuming. Whether you like to decorate your house, paint, or adorn yourself in denim and diamonds, style is personal and speaks volumes about you. Take the time to be introspective and be brutally honest about what does and doesn’t work for you. Magazines and the internet are two quick and easy ways to start getting a sense of your likes & dislikes. Once you get a feeling for your style, look around at how to make it work for you. IKEA, Target, Old Navy, H & M, TJ Maxx, Marshall’s and the sale rack at your favorite store are all great places to find style and value. One caveat: Just because it is a “good deal” doesn’t make it right for you.
   
   
8. Invest in your 401K. Retirement seems like a million years away, but putting your money to work now is the smartest thing you can do for yourself. You may think that you have no room in your budget, but start with just $5 a check. You – and your retirement villa in Italy - will appreciate it later.
   
   
9. Take Care of Yourself. Floss. Take a walk once in a while. And wear sunscreen! You will thank me in about 15 years.
   
   
10. Be Happy Right Where You Are. “Happiness is a journey, not a destination. For a long time it seemed to me that life was about to begin – real life. But there was always some obstacle in the way, something to be gotten through first, some unfinished business, time still to be served, a debt to be paid. At last it dawned on me that these obstacles were my life. This perspective has helped me to see there is no way to happiness. Happiness is the way. So treasure every moment you have and remember that time waits for no one.” ~Souza

Big J in May

Big Boy Haircut. Where did my Baby go??

Yes, I know it is June, but I shall still give you the May update.

He's eating & gaining weight. His last weight check had him up about a pound and a half, and that boy is feeling like a sack of bricks, so something is working. Still on the platinum formula, and both prescriptions. We discovered he loves cherries, mango, and fried rice, so now those are a regular part of his diet. He enjoys drinking through a straw, and has been known to imbibe chocolate milk, strawberry smoothie, and our signature lemonade/sprite mix.

He is cruising along the furniture, and will turn and walk from furniture to a person if you hold his hands. He has discovered that he can crawl and rub his head on the floor. I think this behavior is genetic (on his father's side of the family).

He is vocalizing more, and saying specific 'baby' words for what he wants. He is using his signing more regularly and spontaneously. He gives great hugs & kisses, is becoming more possessive of his toys, shows his anger if he doesn't get what he wants, and is an all around expressive kid. He is not tremendously outgoing, but is very engaging when he's in familiar surroundings. He is all boy, with a tremendous attraction to balls, trucks, and anything that makes a loud noise.