The Toy Box Years: Thanksgiving

The Creators of the Toy Box Years

The creators of the Toy Box Years are my two beautiful daughters and wonderful, handsome soldier husband.

"Nani" (our oldest) is a 11 year old 6th grader who loves Taylor Swift, ballet, books, fashion designing and sewing. Ask her what she wants to be when she grows up and it changes daily to anything from "an artist" to "a teacher" to "a singer/dancer". Nani is also currently fighting a battle against brain cancer -- recently diagnosed in June 2016.

"Nudgie" (our youngest) is a very smiley, very happy, very giggly, very spirited 8 year old 3rd Grader who's favorite toys are anything that gives mommy an anxiety attack - ladders, stepstools, the climbing wall at the playground. Like her sister, she has a love of reading and coloring, loves gymnastics and still provides mommy lots of snuggle time!

"My Marine" is my high school sweetheart. We've been married over 20 years and met when we were 17. (You do the math....) His favorite toys are Blackhawk helicopters, the lawnmower, our steam cleaner, and microbrew beer bottles. My husband is also my hero in that he proudly serves his country as a Blackhawk crew chief (hence his favorite toy!). And need I say that there is nothing hotter than my man in uniform!

All About Me......

Once upon a time I had a career and worked in the corporate world. Once upon a time, I dreamed about leaving that all behind to follow my true calling -- being a wife and mommy.

The first part of my calling was fulfilled in 1995 when I married my Marine (now soldier) and my love. Little did I know that being a military wife would change me in so many ways and that because of that, I would have an extended family all over the world from Japan, to California, to North Carolina.

The second part of my calling took a little doing, but I finally achieved that dream in 2004 with the birth of our first child, followed 4 years later by her baby sister.

So now, when someone asks me what I do for a living - I simply smile and say proudly that I'm following my calling - I'm a mommy and a wife -- and I couldn't be HAPPIER -- I'm living in the Toy Box Years!!

I know this is a little late....ok, a lot late...but I just wasn't in much of a blogging mood over the holidays. But lately, the bug has bitten and I have some posts to catch up on.

So with the holidays almost over, I can proudly say that I made it through the holidays....and I made it through Thanksgiving without My Marine......and my kids are still alive!

We kicked off the holiday weekend on Tuesday with "Grandparents Day" at Nani's school. I know I am not a grandparent, but I still got to go and represent! Nani was so thrilled that I was able to join her for lunch. As we were standing in line, she was giving me the low-down on how to go through the lunchline:

"First you need to use the clean-hand stuff....then you get to pick your milk. Here mommy, have strawberry milk because that's my favorite. Then you get to pick your lunch. Oooohhh!! Spaghetti!! Do you want a salad mommy? Here's where we can pick the extra stuff, but I don't do that because I have to pay extra. Now we get to pick dessert.....do you want grapes or peaches mommy? I like grapes so you can have the peaches! I can put my lunch number in all by myself! See!"

My head was spinning before I could even sit down! (And the strawberry milk was pretty damn good!)

Starting on Wednesday, we dressed in pj's and sweats all weekend long and barely left the house.

On Wednesday, Nudgie helped me make our pies. Nani was "tired" so she was "resting" in her room -- which involved watching multiple episodes of iCarly on my Kindle. It seems that Nudgie couldn't wait to eat the pie and had to check to make sure 1) it was done and 2) that it was edible.

Caught you!!!

Sorry Mommy!

Thanksgiving Day brought much of the same. We stayed in jammies all day. I made some homemade cinnamon rolls with cream cheese frosting and we cuddled on the couch and watched the parade. I made dinner at home -- just a small turkey with stuffing, mashed potatoes, corn and gravy. We even put our Flat Daddy at the table and set a place for him.

But....I swear, my kitchen knew that My Marine was gone because everything just didn't taste the same. A little after dinner, we went to my good friend's house for dessert. Her husband is deployed with mine and she stayed home with her kids too.

Friday, Saturday and Sunday brought more hanging out in jammies, finishing decorating, eating leftovers, movie-watching, and crafting.

Overall, it was a pretty good weekend.....in spite of......

And I can't believe I'm saying this....but I'm sad that the girls had to go back to school!