Green Acres is the Place to Be

So we had a great time this past weekend in Iowa City. We drove up on Friday morning..and after checking in what was the first thing we did...play on the LARGE playground right outside the hotel in the middle of "downtown" Iowa City!! I am sure we will be spending lots of time here. There was the play area, a water area, shops, food..all that you need!

Next we went and met Jason's new bosses and met up with them for dinner. They were very nice and helpful. After dinner they even drove us around a few areas and gave me all the lowdown on the schools!! I even found out about their duel career program (they help spouses find a job due to having to relocate).

Late that night..around 12:30am, my parents made it into town! I was so excited to see them!!!

Saturday we went out to the Amana Colonies and enjoyed the shops and got some great bakery items!! Of course Hadley left there with almost every toy and item she wanted..thanks to Grandma and Grandpa..okay..mainly Grandpa!!

After that we hit the outlets..who doesn't love outlets..Coach, Banana Republic, Polo! We then found a great BBQ place for dinner..we had to find one since Jason LOVES BBQ..as does Hadley!

Sunday we drove around to some of the areas to live and the schools. Sadly, we had to say good-bye to Grandma and Grandpa...but we are so excited that soon they will be so close!

Before we left town we drove to Cedar Rapids to see my friend Carolyn and her family. I was so excited to see her as it has been way too long! And I saw her adorable little baby Reid!! Hadley loved seeing him the most. She adored him!!!

So overall, our first trip to Iowa City just showed us that we are ready to move out of Chicago! We know we will love it and it will be great to be closer to friends and family!!

Disney Here We Come

Well..we have pushed our planned Disney Vacation from March 2009 to well..in 7 weeks!! I know: you are supposed to plan your disney trip several months in advance. But all has changed as things do in the Day Family! But since we are looking to move next June/July, we realized in March we will need to spend that time traveling to Iowa City to find a place to live and get Hadley's kindergarten lined up. So, here we are planning for our Disney Vacation in 7 weeks!

So I have already bought two books, read SEVERAL tip websites and priced the vacation on several sites. Surprisingly the Disney site so far has the best prices, (although I am waiting to hear from a travel agent too). I think as organized (and yes anally organized) as I am I think it will be okay. I do know I may miss out on some of the character meals as we are not planning the 180 days before as they recommend. But something tells me no matter what we get into this will be an amazing vacation.

So, here we go..off to Disney World! I think I am going to be more excited than Hadley!!

Sweet Dreams

Tonight my daughter touched my heart; yet again:

Me: Night Hadley, See you tomorning (a word Hadley started about a year ago)

Hadley: Night Mommy

**Hugs and Kisses***

H: Remember Mommy,
I love you forever,
I like you for always,
As long as I'm living,
My baby you'll be

M: Ahh..Hadley...the same to you my love!

One of my favorite books to read Hadley is, "I'll Love you Forever". By now I know it by heart! And I tell her this phrase ALL the time, and we also say it together, but to hear her say it to me out of the blue was too precious!!
I am just amazing by her..don't I say that a lot!! Oh well, I am amazed by her!!

Back to the Burbs

Jason finally got word on where we would be!! Here is the story this week (we have both been very stressed!) Jason got offered the fellowship position at Northwestern at beginning of week and was told he needed to decide by the 20th!! When he contacted Iowa to say, "Hey I need to know" they said their chairman was out of town until the 21st and they cannot make a final say without him. YIKES!! So after a few days of stress Northwestern told Jason they had no problem extending the offer to middle of next week. So we were prepared for a few more days of stress..after all neither of us want to stay in Chicago and Jason LOVES the Iowa program. So this morning he got a call from the Iowa team and they were able to talk with the chairman and offered him the fellowship!! Of course he said YES!!!
So now comes the stress of: having to sell the condo, find a place to live in Iowa, find a job for me, find a Kindergarten, get both our professional licence moved to another state (again) and oh yeah..did I mention sell the condo (this will be fun in this market, we will be calling our realtor this weekend!)
But it will all be worth only being 4 1/2 hours from family!! I am sure I will now see my mom every month (or as Jason says: "every weekend") MOM: you are more than welcome every weekend!!! And even better I can make it home easier to see all my family and friends who I have missed so much these last few years!! And my fellow Delta Gamma and friend Carolyn will only be 20 mintues away...I will actually know someone in the state I live!!!
We are very excited about learning a new town, new stores, new events, and new friends. We are though very sad to leave the beach (we love only being 1 1/2 blks away), the amazing things to do in Chicago, and the dear friends we have here.
So..the adventure begins..well next weekend as we make our first trip together to Iowa City to see the town, meet some of the other MD's and start deciding what areas we want to live!!

"He's my Boooyfriend"

Anytime you see Hadley and ask her, "Who is Kian?", her response; "He's my booyfriend!" Kian is a boy at her school who she adores, and he adores her! For the last 2 years he has been her right hand man!! They are attatched to each other every minute! When we are at any school birthday party we are always with Kian and his parents, at school functions..we MUST sit by Kian's family..and every morning.."Is Kian here today?" (he only comes 3 days, and yes..I have learned what days!!) Kian is a sweetheart, he even brought her flowers to her birthday party...and according to his parents..they hear all the same about Hadley..he tells his mom.."I love Hadley" and if she isn't at school..."I missed Hadley today."

So my daughter's first "boyfriend" is a good one!!

Books Worth Reading

I still love to read..always have. And I admit one of my favorite reads is parenting magazines..Parenting, Parents, Cookies..but I have also found some great parenting books I thought I would share with everyone..esp. those moms reading my blog!

First One: I Was a Really Good Mom Before I Had Kids: Reinventing Modern Motherhood

by Trish Ashworth, Amy Nobile

This book is great!! It really touches on how to lose the "supermom" need and become the parent for today and in your own life. Granted I still try and be "supermom" everyday..but this book helped me feel justified for those times where it just didn't happen!

Second One: Raising a Daughter : Parents and the Awakening of a Healthy Woman, Revised

by Jeanne Elium, Don Elium

This is the book I am currently reading and I love it! It talks about everything from the importance of your role as a mother through all ages, the cultural influence, and goes from birth to adulthood! I feel this book gives you insight in what is to come and the important issues to start focusing on!

I'm A Big Girl Now

This is what Hadley has been feeling the last few days! We finally broke down and got her a big girl bike!! I know, she has been ready for a while, and again she is one of the last kids I know to get one, same with the booster..is it obvious I am not ready for her to grow up!!

So..after riding on her friend Alex's at the 4th bash, I realized she really is ready!! So Sunday we ventured to our favorite place: TARGET!! We got the greatest Princess bike, believe it or not a 16" (she is so tall) and a great princess helmet! She looks so cute and so big..definately not my little girl anymore!
She was so excited! At first she would push back on the peddles and it would break..but after a while she got the hang of it. We rode it to the park last night and again tonight..and she is now riding it very good!! She is even using the handle break! And she even instructed me that I need to get a bike and would show me how to ride. "See, Mommy, you push down like this..."

Here are some pictures..video will be coming soon!!

4th of July!!

We had a great time for the 4th, well with a little bump in the rode! We headed out to the suburbs for our friend Gina and Jim's BBQ. We were 3 minutes from their house on the highway and this is what happened:

Jason: What is that noise?

Me: I don't know..it wasn't there earlier.

J: Maybe a rabbit is caught under the car?

M: Why a rabbit? Why not a squirrel, or cat?

J: I don't know..I like a rabbit.

(POP)

M: Well, there went your rabbit!


Actually it was our tire!! So We spent an hour of our day changing a flat tire. We made the best of it..and luckily it was not hot out!! And finally we made it to the party!!

Hadley had a blast playing with their little girl Alex. They swam, rode bikes, played dress-up, and kept going until 9:30pm, and then we had to drag them apart!! Hadley was able to play with Spraklers for the first time, she really liked them!! And on the way home we were able to see a ton of firework displays from the highway!

Carnival Fun

We were so delighted to take Hadley to her first Carnival!!! We went out to the suburbs for Morton Grove Days (her day care is in Morton Grove so I had seen it advertised) We had so much fun! Hadley rode the rides..several times! Me and Hadley rode the spin dragon ride and it was quite an experience. When you sit in the middle you use the round spinner to spin it, well, Hadley didn't quite let go of the spinner! So as the ride was going around Hadley went around with it!! She fell underneath the spinner, scared me to death..but she got up and was fine! She was attached to me like glue the rest of the ride though!! And then Daddy and Hadley went up in the Ferris Wheel..she really liked being high up and looking out over the entire carnival!!

Then we played games! I was impressed that every player won a prize even if they didn't win, I wasn't as impressed with the prices per game! But Hadley loved them and she loved her prizes!

It was a long and fun night!! I think we get just as much excitement out of watching her do new things as she does doing them!

A Princess gets what a Princess wants...

...of so the princess thinks!! I love this picture of Hadley, she was in her "mood" or as Daddy puts it, "Just like mommy." She has only done this pose of laying on the floor maybe, 2-3 times, as she is learning, mommy and daddy just step over her! But being in her SnowWhite Princess dress I had to take the picture..it just speaks to what a princess she is trying to get all she wants!

Through the eyes of a child

This was the conversation in the car this morning as me and Hadley made our 30 minute commute to preschool:

Hadley: Mommy..

Mommy: Yes Hadley?

H: What a beautiful day.

M: Yes, It is beautiful out today.

H: Yes, a beautiful day.

If only we could look through those rose colored glasses everyday!