Tea Parties and Quilts

This week I have been able to go to 2 Tea Parties. One I was the co-host for and the other I just got to be apart of. The Mad Hatter's Tea Party was with the Women's Bible Study from Chapel. It was based on Alice in Wonderland - it was so much fun. Molly was awake for a part of it but not the whole thing - that is why she is not in the group picture.

The ladies from Chapel
Molly wearing her hat for the tea party.

The second Tea Party I arrived in my t-ball cap and batting glove because I came late due to the Blue Dragons game. I looked a little out of place with nice china set out but they let me stay anyway. I have never been comfortable around breakable things and this was no different - I was sure I was going to break the very nice china with gold silverware (or goldware I guess). I almost did but I recovered and nothing broke. I know if I was at the Sealey's I would have broken something for sure - I always loved going to their house wondering what I was going to destroy next. I broke a pepper shaker, plate, cup and I am sure other things - I guess Lisa can be glad that in Alaska I can't destroy her nice things:) I am just thankful that my clumsiness seemed to have been isolated to their house.

Quilts!
My friend, Gloria, is getting ready to have baby #2 and asked us to make a friendship quilt for her. Terry who is putting it together gave us the instructions that it needs to be primary colors and 9.5x9.5. Let's just say quilting is not my fortee - I can not seem to get a square to measure 9.5 for the life of me. Here are my three attemptsThis one is 11 x11 - I got the template off the Internet and didn't even think to look what size it was going to be until after I finished.
My second try I decided I would just make squares - that should be easy enough - this one is 10.5 x 10.5.
Last but not least my third attempt which was 10 x 10. I modified the Internet one but was still off by 1/2 inch - argh!! Terry said she would work with it though. When it is all done in late June I will take a picture - I am pretty excited to see how she will take squares made by others and make them look like they belong together.

Combat Race and Blue Dragons

One great thing about the military is that the bases never lack in outdoor activities. This summer they are holding a Combat Challenge Course series. You have to run/walk the 4 courses with your ACU's (military outfit), combat boots and a 35lb rucksack. Some friends and I got a team together and we got a waiver on the ACU and combat boots b/c we would have to go and buy those. Yesterday we had participated in our first of the four part series. It was a 5k trail run around Otter Lake. We woke up to a rainy and cold morning and by 1pm it was still rainy and ugly out but that did not stop us! I put Molly's raincoat on and we drove out and met up with my teammates for a fun adventure. The trail was pretty muddy but was so much fun. Molly and Lars cheered at the start with Tina and then got to go to Tina's home since it was so ugly out. Here are some pictures from the event. Our next event is a 5k up and down a mountain!

Our competition

My team!

Ashley, Harriett, Valerie, Me, Dory, Lars, Melanie and Shawna

The bags on our backs weigh 35lbs. It is pretty funny to see what all you have to put in a bag to get it to that weight. For some it was weights and others is was a trip to the grocery store with canned goods and what not.

Pre-race instructions

Dory and I finishing!!
Brian got 2nd place. He is my co-teacher for Kids church.

His wife, Alicia, is going to do some of the future races with us but she had to pick her kids up from school - so sad! Alicia is the reason I can do kids church because she graciously watches Molly for me each week during church. I just can't put her in with 20 kids from 0-5 years old but one day I will.

T-ball!! We are now officially the Blue Dragons after having a team vote. One look at the Blue Dragons and you will wish you hadn't crossed us. Our first victim found that out the hard way - the Green ??. OK maybe not. In this league you get 6 strikes, the coach pitches and you go through the batting order before an inning is over. Even with all that there were still tears shed at the game. But the kids are learning the fundamentals of baseball and having a good time!

Blue Dragons on the field. This was a rare moment - everyone is standing with their gloves ready. Most of the game I was having to highly encourage one or two kids to get up off the ground, stop throwing dirt, let them know the glove goes on your hand not your head, etc.
Getting ready for the game to start!
Gilligan or the Blue Dragons number one cheerleader? You decide.
I got Molly her first sunhat so she won't get burned at all the softball and t-ball games in the next few months. Not my favorite but it is better than burning Molly.

Sunburn at 5pm??

Today I was out from 4-5pm with Molly in her carrier and she kept throwing her head back while sleeping so I just let her. At 5pm when I went in guess who had a sunburn? That 's right Molly did. The sun here in Alaska is mighty powerful is all I have to say - of course it is 10:20 right now and it is still out but finally in the setting stages so we are starting to hit dusk.

This is Molly at 10pm 5 hours after the sunburn- her cheeks are so rosy. I am going to have to be a better mom and start making sure she get no sun!!
My friend Beth's little girl in her summer stroller. Yes is is a radio flyer but they are using it as her new stroller. We have walked to bible study the past few weeks and it is so fun. Watch out this will be Molly next year.

Happy Mother's Day

Me, Molly and my mom

Let me just start with saying I have the best mom in the whole world! She has always been there for me even through those fun years were I told her I hated her for making me a girl - why couldn't I just be a boy like my brothers. She didn't make me pay back two years of college even though I went against the one thing they asked me not to do and got a tattoo. She has dropped everything in her life to come help us move, come for major celebrations and most recently stayed 6 weeks to make sure I was not lonely or going crazy with a newborn when Jon deployed. I know not all moms are able to be that flexible but I am so thankful that she is able and is willing (thanks dad for working so hard so mom can come and work harder). My mom is the most giving person I know - she is always first to volunteer and gives it her all be it time, effort or money if needed. I am thankful for the many years I have had with her and can't wait for the next few decades as I get watch her more and more and become a better person because God gave the most amazing mom to apprentice under. I love you mom.

Now onto Molly and me.
I celebrated my first Mother's Day with Molly today. We had quite the day. It started with a late night were I was afraid that Molly would want to spend every moment of mother's day with me - luckily that only lasted for less than and hour but it was one rough hour! She woke up this morning in all grins. After a brief conversation with Jon and a pre-church nap Molly and I decided to get up and face the world. We went to chapel were all the children gave their mom and other moms in the congregation roses. My friend Alicia's husband Brian took Molly and helped her get my rose. She looked really cute giving it to me. After chapel we had a lunch date at the Bolin's house. It was great fun and crazy entertainment. They have machine gun like nerf guns that shoot 16 bullets in just a few seconds - one for everyone in the family!! I want those! They also have these foam swords that looked like so much fun - at least all the kids had a blast with them. When I got home there was a flower arrangment waiting for me on the deck - it was from Jon and Molly.
Molly and I ended the day with church and an Applebee's dinner that is not sitting too well in my stomach:( Tomorrow we are going to take our belated Mother's Day nap since we don't have to leave the house until 1pm.

Molly and me
The pink flower arrangement from Molly and Jon. I will have to let Molly know for future reference even though I dress her in pink all the time it is not my favorite color - but they are beautiful.

Molly and the rose she gave me at chapel

Molly AKA Pebbles Flinstone

Today was the first day I attempted to put a rubber band in Molly's hair for a ponytail. Since her hair already sticks up in the back I figured I might as well make it look like we wanted it to right??

The ever talented Molly McP!!! She is able to accomplish so much at such a young age - or maybe she is a tad predictable.

We are still working on the blinking but 4 out of 5 isn't too shabby.

What a day

Yesterday I decided that Jon needs to quite the Army, come home and never be deployed again. Since that is not going to happen I did the next best thing and hung out with a bunch of friends all day long.
I was practicing softball with a neighbor friend Kate yesterday for a few hours. We found a nice open area behind our housing area (not in the bear invested woods - just near it) and hit the ball and threw around for awhile.
Ashley and the Lewis clan came out a little later and we had a quesadilla night and then went out for some more softball. Walking to the field we picked up a few more kids so it was adults 4 kids 6. We all took turns playing the field and hitting with moderated base running (those who wanted to could:) )
Never tell Ashley to just let loose - swing your heart out because by the end she will! I hit Tina in the leg and Ashley hit me in the chest/hand with a hard hit ball. Needless to say I now have a softball tattoo - can't wait until that is gone.
Then we came back to my house and had my version of Applebee's cookie dessert. Gloria, Will, Judith, Dory and her clan joined us for this. It was so fun . We had ice cream, cookies, brown bites, fudge sauce, magic shell and cool whip and everyone made their own.
With so many people to hang out with the day flew and today I will allow Jon to stay in the Army.

Beautiful weather!!

We had beautiful weather here in Alaska the past few days so Molly and I took full advantage of it. Friday we had our 5k Fun Run/Walk. It was so nice - I got a little sunburned and Molly's cheeks were definitely much more pink after an hour in the sun. There was a contest for the dirtiest shoes at the 5k - when we had finished and I noticed no one entered their shoes I threw my leg up on the table (I did not take off my shoe I really just threw my leg up on the ballot sheet) and voted for myself and got a few of my friends to vote for me. I tied with another lady in our group we each got 3 votes so they declared a tie and we each won! We got one adult ticket to H2Oasis and indoor water park around here. Who knows when I will go but at least I now have a free admission right?
Saturday we spent the whole day outside. It started out with softball practice at 10am which Molly slept through and then we went with my friend Katherine to play tennis. Let me tell you the internet can be deciving at times. I typed tennis court Anchorage, AK to find some closer than the ones Jon and I played on last summer. The courts I found sounded so nice. Well I took Katherine to the GHETTO! You know it is the ghetto when the tennis court net is a chain link fence! I am not joking it really was a chain link fence. Needless to say we were watching each others backs and Molly who was sitting by the fence (fence around the courts not the net). And that night my neighbor who I share a drive way with was having a bar-b-que which she invited me to so Molly and I were out for that also. Who would have thought you can get sun burned in Alaska but you can! More like Molly could - I just broke out in a rash since my body doesn't always like the sun. The back of my legs and arms looked really cute!! Luckily the hives are gone.
Sunday Molly and I went shopping for a hat for her but I could not find one I liked so I will be out again because I don't want to be the mom that burns her child. We saw a bear on our way to the store right outside our neighborhood. One of the things I am love about Alaska is the random wild life that you run into at the most unsusal place - like bear in my neighborhood.
Tonight I had my first softball game (which was AWFUL!!) I didn't pack a hat and the wind was a little more than I thought it would be so she did get a little wind blown until we covered her up with a blanket. She survived. Why was the game awful you ask - well I was the picther and let's just say it was ugly. The 6-12 foot arch didn't happen like it was supposed to and when it did the ball was not near the plate - oh boy!
I SAVED THE BEST FOR LAST THOUGH!! I know you are really wanting the pictures of Molly but one more quick story and then what you really want.
I learned tonight why you put a child in the highchair and not the car seat on the floor. After my game I went to Denny's with some friends and put Molly on the floor. Right before our food was to come out I got Molly out of her car seat so she wouldn't fuss to much and because Tina and Ashley help her get her human touch time in. She likes variety and I am just not enough for the child who loves everyone. Tina and Ashley were taking turns holding her and when our food came out the waitress dropped one of the plates on the floor and it shattered. One large chunk went right where Molly's head would have been in her car seat and a lot of little pieces flew in there also. Let's just say I am thankful that I had pulled her out because that would have been really bad.
Now what you really want pictures!
Molly smiling in the outfit cousin AnneMarie got her
The full view of her German outfit
Some of the ladies I walked with at the 5K
When I was at the Lewis' the other day Mason got a few good pictures of Molly. Isn't she the cutest!!!
She is starting to smile a lot more - it is so fun. I just wish you didn't have to talk like an idiot to get a grin out of her.
I just love overalls and what could be better for a girl than an overall skirt. Since cousin Taryn gave us hers I had to put Molly in them even though they don't fit quite yet and really it was so she could wear the shoes on Sunday - mini converse with lacey laces!


Random video for the grandparents!

31 Cent Scoop night at Baskin Robbins

Tonight in honor of America's firefighters Baskin Robbins had 31cent scoop night. I really appreciate the firefighters (and the fact that I got cheap ice cream because of them)!! Molly and I met up with some friends at the local BR to celebrate and eat - it was so much fun.
The group!
Olivia, Tina, Hunter, me, Mason, Lars, Dory and Molly.
You could get up to 3 scoops per person for the low cost of .31 (or a total of 96 cents per person). We did not each get 3 but between us all we had 12 scoops and it was only $3.72 - what a deal!!!
Molly with her ice cream. One scoop of Mint Chocolate Chip in honor of her mom's favorite and one scoop of Rocky Road in honor of her dad's favorite.

Molly eating her ice cream
Can you believe it - Molly did not sleep through this - she knows how great ice cream really is! She is truly my daughter!
Tina and Olivia waiting patiently in line - we got there before it got to crazy!

Mason, Lars, Hunter, Dory and Molly waiting in line to get ice cream
Tina chowing down.

For those of you who think I would actually give Molly ice cream please know that I am not that crazy. The spoon was licked clean by me multiple times before it entered her mouth - I don't want to introduce new foods quite yet and I don't think mint chocolate chip will be the first thing she gets when I do.
I love living close to friends and having the ability to meet up for ice cream!!


Funny story from my walk today. While Tina and I were walking our 1.5 mile loop which is in a residential area and near a guard shack the MP (military police) pulled over to warn us that a momma bear and her two cubs were spotted on our trail. Needless to say we kinda hurried and finished the walk since we didn't have bear spray or really go prepared to see bears. I will be bringing bear spray on walks from now on I guess. No need to become dinner!

Molly Update: We went to the doctor for her 2 month appointment - she now weighs 10 pounds. She is in the 75% for height and 50% for weight.