Sledding

We headed to the local golf course for some sledding and snowball fights with another couple and their kids..it was so much fun!

Family Pictures

Bahama Cruise

We realized we needed a vacation and I took it upon myself to plan it, as a surprise for Jason and a vacation minus Hadley. We haven't been on vacation alone since our honeymoon..so it was needed! My choice..a 4 night cruise to the Bahamas!! It was amazing! I choose Norwegian Cruise Line and was lucky enough in the planning to get a free upgrade to a balcony (by the way..worth it..spend the extra money!!) Jason didn't find out until we were at the airport that morning!! So Hadley was tucked in nicely with parents for the week and we were off to an adult only vacation...words cannot say how nice it was!! I missed Hadley to pieces, but still, it was very nice to be alone!! We enjoyed the cruise part SO much we decided our next family vacation will be on a Disney Cruise..worth the money and SO much fun!
We spent the first day in the Grand Bahama Island. Our planned excursion for snorkeling got cancelled so we headed to a local beach and shopping at the Port Lucya Market. The second day we were in Nassau. We took an excursion to the Atlantis Resort. It was amazing there, the water slides and park were great! The resort is huge and we were not able to see most of it! Then we headed back to Senior Frogs for drinks and shopping in the main market. The third day we were planned to dock near the ship's private island but the water was too choppy so we spent a day on the ship..I think I was on the deck chair for 4 hours and just read (I finished 2 books on the trip!!)
Now I will say one thing..cruises..not so cheap! The cruise was decent priced..the excursions pricey..and the alcohol..well, let's just say we had quite a large bill!! So here are some pics of our vacation.

The main area on the cruise ship.

Atlantis Resort as we were pulling up to it

Towel animal we got each night!

The beach at Grand Bahamas Island

Our balcony with wine and strawberries on arrival!

The Quest game...this is an innocent picture compared to the game

Us on the grand staircase

There is Starbucks everywhere!!

What we don't know

Hadley has been sleeping with a mini flashlight at night, a few months ago she mentioned she was scared of the things in her room at night.."In the dark they look like other things and they are scary." Her exact words. So she turns on the mini flashlight and then turns it off when she is ready to sleep (the fear of the battery wearing out gets her to turn it off!).
So tonight I was putting her to bed and she called me back in and said "I can make a bunny" My response.."What?" Next thing I know I am being entertained by her shadow puppet show. She made me a bunny and dinosaur and then looked at me and said, "This is what I do while you are watching TV."
And this whole time I thought the mini flashlight was for the fear of the dark! At least she turns it off and goes to bed eventually!!

Sales Champ in the Making

Hadley is learning to read at school. She has learned the words: the, see, and my. So she practices writing them so she remembers them. The other morning she was writing the words on a sheet of paper:
H: I am going to write the words on lot of pieces and take them to my friends at school. If they don't know the words I can sell these to them for $50.
M: Wow, that is a lot of money.
H: Well, okay how about $7. But if they don't have it then it is $70.

Looks like Hadley will make her money selling homework!

Soccer Champ

Hadley started soccer in September (I know took me a long time to finally post about it) She is playing for the Iowa City Kickers! She loves it. The first practice she was a little shy but as soon as they started kicking the ball around she was off and running! She has had a few games and loves them! She is a bit aggressive. At one game she kept using her hand to push the other team away and one time she actually pushed a kid down (somehow the coach/ref's didn't see!) When I asked her later why she did that all she said was, "Mom..I wanted that ball." Needless to say she took after her Daddy in athletics and not Mommy. Here are some pics:

Iowa State Fair

Two hours of driving, but we made it to the Iowa State Fair in Des Moines!! We stayed for 6 hours and had to drag Hadley away!! It was a great time..very crowded. We spent a great deal of time in the carnival area and then saw all the animals..Hadley's favorite was the baby pigs that were born the day before! She also LOVED petting the horses and wanted to buy one! We snacked all day on the food..chicken on a stick, pork chop on a stick, smores on a stick, you name it and it was on a stick!! Here are some pics of the day...


Eating a pork chop on a stick!!

A tissue please

So today was Hadley's first day of kindergarten. We had been preparing for this, talking about it, reading a few books on kindergarten. We headed out to the ice cream social very excited to meet her new teacher, who turns out is Mrs. Jepson. Hadley saw her classroom, played on the playground and we very excited for school to start. Last night we got all her stuff out, her school bag, supplies, outfit and Hadley let me know what she wanted in her lunch bag.
Made our way to school this morning, she was very excited and ready to go. She was happy to find her hook and placed her bag on it, put her lunch bag where it goes, placed her water bottle on her table, and was happy. Then, Mommy told her I had to go..Hadley was not so happy! She gave me a big hug, clinging to my neck. I got her back to her table and said I would wait until another kid came to her table. Within 3 minutes two other kdis came that were at her table. Second attempt to leave, Hadley's face got sad and she said that she wanted Mommy to stay. This is where Mommy's heart started to break. I held back the emotions and got her playing with the other kids at the table and Jason looked at me and said, "We just need to leave." So I told her I would be there to pick her up after school, blew her a big kiss and walked off. She didn't get up this time, so I think she is okay. That is the worst part, you leave them there, thinking (and knowing) they are okay. I made it to the car before some tears fell..and then was okay. Once I walked in the door at home I realized...my Hadley wasn't her with me anymore. My buddy who I have done everything with the last 6 weeks is at school. I knew being home with her this summer would make it harder, but I wouldn't change the time we had together. So here are the many pics...
Here are some pics of Hadley at the ice cream social:
Standing by her name on the door, she made this..

hanging around outside....


And here are the pics of her today:
With Daddy:

With Mommy:

Proud of her Ariel Backpack and Lunch Tote:

My big girl...


The shot all Mom's dread..

Her name on her desk:

Very happy once we got there...


The shot that broke my heart..her sad when I told her we were leaving..

Iowa City Happenings

You would think that I would be posting like crazy since I have been home with Hadley, not working, and just playing..well..and cleaning, laundry, etc! But I have been so busy that I haven't even thought about it. These last 6 weeks have gone so fast! We have gotten "settled" here in Iowa City. We all miss Chicago and our condo more than we thought we would, and all agree the small town life is a little too small for us. At least the small town college life. We have found some great new restaurants, love the outlets..coach outlet and gymboree outlet only 30 minutes away is going to be dangerous! The mall is good; there is the Children't Museum, indoor ice skating, and good indoor play area. But there is no Disney Store. And anyone who knows my daughter, she is all about the Disney Store (and her mother too!)The closest Disney Store is Kansas or the Mall of America!! So we had to get all Hadley's school things when we were home in Kansas! The parks, well, they are okay. We will never find parks like the ones in Chicago, and we will never have 4 parks within walking distance. The closest park here is about half a mile walk, which we do often!
But the town has some nice benefits. It is a very nice town, people are very helpful and talkative. Jason loves his fellowship and is learning a ton, which is great since he starts practicing on his own in July 2010!! And we have met some great people for me and Hadley to hang around thanks to a program the residency/fellowship has. And I love that my old college friend Carolyn is only 35 minutes away..we have really enjoyed catching back up!
So overall the city has been fun, and I have been busy with Hadley and have been very blessed to be home with her. I think it has done great for her too. Yes we do still have her attitude at times, but she has been so much easier than she was 6 weeks ago.
So, in the end Iowa City will be a nice place for the next year, but really, starting in 6 months, I will be getting us ready to find a house and move to Kansas!!

More reunion pics..

I know there is a lot of pics from the reunion..but these are the last!! These are some adorable ones of us and Hadley with DeeDee!

Professional Pics from Reunion

Here are some of the professional pics from the Wilson Family Reunion that took place in June. They turned out wonderful!! It was great to have these done..but it was VERY hot that morning..and it took a few hours due to having so many people! The photographer did great and we got a total of 90 pictures of all the families!!
The entire group of 38:

Group from Kansas/Illinois:

Group from Colorado:

Group from Branson:

Group from Maryland:

My family of Three:

With my parents and brother:

The kids in my family:

My brother's family:

Iowa Children's Museum

I was so glad to see a Children's Museum close to us. As soon as we got back from KS for the 4th of July we checked it out. I have to say I was impressed with how elaborate the rooms are made up, but it is quite a bit smaller than the one in Chicago. I wasn't as impressed with it as I was hoping to be. That being said, Hadley played there for almost 3hours!! So I guess it was a hit. I think we will be making a few trips there before school starts!!
Here are some pics of the day!