Un-expected  Honeymoon

Day 122

August 31, 2013

Team Zybko

This bumpy summer of 2013 has been full of changes, unknowns and new beginnings. A wild ride. Front row seat wacky with no restraints, a roller coaster of emotional ups and downs. I don’t remember buying a ticket for this. I know me, I would have rather bought a ticket for a funnel cake. Oh well, so is life. Chances are though none of us will exclaim in the near future, “man oh man, I hope next year looks just like this one".  Every season has its purpose, I know that. Yet I still selfishly admit I hope God’s purpose for me is NOT to repeat a similar type turbulent few months any time soon. 

Of course there have been some high points and smooth spots that have kept the smiles and moral rolling along. Thank you Lord for sprinkling those in there too, you are so compassionate like that. A long weekend with my best friend tops that list of pure sugary blessings I am thankful for. Half a week with Baby Daddy and no little ones. Oh, yeah baby. Better than a circus trailer full of deep fried Oreos and ice cold Diet Dr. Pepper. Zero calories too.

The trip wasn’t booked as a honeymoon per say. No palm trees or drinks with umbrellas were in our future or large amounts of SPF stuffed into my carry on. The side by side frequent flyer mile tickets were bought to see Dylan, to celebrate his promotion from New Cadet to Cadet. If you aren’t familiar to the process let me explain. During the six weeks of boot camp New Cadets are considered pond scum but immediately following the Acceptance Day parade the rank for class of 2017 is now slightly above the scum line. No offense intended, I have never been either kind of Cadet, I respect both. So Dylan, if you read this, please don’t misunderstand, the weekend was about you, I swear. Shouldn’t you be studying, shining a low quarter or throwing a girl up in the air?
Let me start over, not over over, just a few sentences over. In between the special moments spent with our son, the couple time and togetherness was completely blissful. 

BD is the master of Hotwire deals and upgrades, a natural bargainer extraordinaire. When I attempt to haggle I somehow end up paying more than the sticker price, so I leave all the arrangements of travel in his capable hands. This time around his skills landed us a perfect, top notch room. Down feather bedding as soft as marshmallows, with out the sticky. I sleep 8 solid hours, not moving once. Waking up refreshed and hungry, cause that's what you do on a honeymoon. Rest and eat. The breakfast buffet had real shinny silver and those individual ketchup condiments in a miniature glass containers. I go gaga over those cute little guys. No, I don’t use ketchup on my personalized egg white omelet made especially for me by a serious voiced man in a tall white fancy hat…..but I took one anyway. 
Ya never know when you will need it later. 
The prison van is totally stocked for such needs. 
Also known as an ECK....emergency condiments for kids.

The cumulative minutes spent in airports, lazy strolls around a big city mall, movies, quiet meals and even waiting outside public restrooms for each other all added up. Adding up perfectly, turning our getaway into a honeymoon type trip, neither one of us wanting it to end. BD is my #1 draft pick always and forever. My personal choice, hands down, to take on a deserted island. The only one on the planet that knows me better than myself and he still loves me and hangs around. I love you to West Point and back honey! 

Bonding Moments During Home School

Day 121

August 30, 2013

Team Zybko

Ok, La La the letter M

Give me a word the starts with the letter M

{{crickets}}

You got this...you love a word that starts with M

(can't wait to hear my name, my job title, this will be so special)

{{crickets}}

This word is around ALL the time giving you endless happiness

Oh yeah yeah yeah....MAKE-UP!

{{crickets}}

 Uh, ok, that word does start with the letter M

Give me another one....remember the sound...mmmmmmmm.

 {{crickets}}

It takes care of ALL your needs, makes you smile 

when your feeling down.

{{crickets}}

At this point I will take mommy, ma, mumsie, mumma, madre any form of mother at all.....it's coming....wait for it.

Oh yeah yeah yeah I know....MALL!

NO, I mean YES but NO that is NOT the one

 I had in mind but good job.

Hey MOM......

YES?!

Mom......

YES YES YES...she got it.

I'm not trying to be mean but I can't really

 take your breathe any more.

{{crickets}}

Well way to go La LA, mean and more do start with M.

That is enough for right now.
{{crickets}}

Scripture Pictures

Day 120

August 30, 2013

Team Zybko

Inspired by God's Word

Loved by His promises

Amazed by the beauty He created 

In awe of the people He put in my life

Thankful to capture the small moments

James 1:17

Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows.

Proverb 18:10

The name of the LORD is a fortified tower; the righteous run to it and are safe.

Genesis 1:26

Then God said, “Let us make mankind in our image, in our likeness, so that they may rule over the fish in the sea and the birds in the sky, over the livestock and all the wild animals, and over all the creatures that move along the ground.”

Luke 12:22-23

Then Jesus said to his disciples: “Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat; or about your body, what you will wear.For life is more than food, and the body more than clothes.

 Psalm 118:24

This is the day the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad.

Proverbs 11:11

The LORD detests dishonest scales, but accurate weights find favor with him.

Romans 5:5

And hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured out into our hearts through the Holy Spirit, who has been given to us.

Deuteronomy 6:5

Love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength.

Isaiah 43:2

When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and when you pass through the rivers, they will not sweep over you. When you walk through the fire, you will not be burned; the flames will not set you ablaze.

Psalm 25:4-5

Show me the way, O Lord, teach me your paths;

Guide me in your strung and teach me,

for you are God my Savior, and my hope is in you all day long.

1 Chronicles 15:58

Therefore, my brothers, stand firm. Let nothing move you. Always give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord, because you know that your labor in the Lord is not in vain.

Mark 1:8

I baptize you with water but he will baptize you with 

the Holy Spirit

3 John 1:4

 I have no greater joy than to hear that my children are walking in the truth.

Ephesians 6:2

Honor your father and mother-which is the first commandment with a promise.

Job 14:2 
They spring up like flowers and wither away; like fleeting shadows, they do not endure.

Deuteronomy 11:19
Teach them to your children, talking about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up.

 Happy Drool

Day 119

August 29, 2013

Team Zybko

Are you a squeezer or a waster of time? 

Little man Drex is a squeezer. 24/7/365 Juicing every minute of the day, using each 60 second increment to climb, jump, run and play. That's what squeezers do, non stop. So the other day the idea of 10 minutes sitting in a muggy van during car line didn't make any sense to him, he asked to get out. I guess so. Why sit still when you have grass, a ball, free space and the possibility of loving it all so much it creates happy drool.

Yes, happy drool, that is what I can call it. 

Happy Drool burns extra calories and generates a kinda fullness of life we should all experience at least once a day. My thought today is for you to challenge your inner squeezer and may all your drool be happy drool.

Drex, get off the roof, that will surely embarrass your sister. 

Road Side Produce

Day 117

August 27th, 2013 

Team Zybko

The impromptu stop to a road side produce stand started off normal enough. 3 minutes in I regretted not grabbing my camera from the car. I tell the kids to stay put as I jog the 40 yards across the parking lot to retrieve it. Delilah cried as if I was torturing her, I decide to not give into to the whining and make a run for it. 45 seconds 2 minutes later I return, they obeyed and stayed put but only because an "attack chicken" was on the loose. She is my kid who gets frighted by a sleeping puppy. Luckily big brother was there to protect her. I love big brothers. 

La La reaches up to the scale positioned higher than her head. She proudly places the bag of grapes she has picked out for her big sister......upside down, open pointed south. A pound and a half of fresh green grapes hit the dirt floor with a thump. Fruit balls roll and scatter everywhere. No worries, still a good trip. We turn the corner to find boiled peanuts, she loves weird nuts. Not my words people, this is what she calls them. I'm from the north, I call them a waste of a good peanut or why would you do that to a peanut?

The colors of healthy eating are beautiful! 

Sweet potatoes the size of cave man clubs and egg plant smart phones will soon be the new rage.

  

 This is Brenda, she owned the joint. She never stopped working, as she took serious pride in her business.

Something different, something you don't see at Walmart everyday. 

I did NOT get any of these. The name kinda freaked me out a bit.

I have eaten Elk and a dried cricket this year. 

Let's not push it people.

Drexel planted something while we waited to be rung up. He says we should come back to check it out later. Ok bud, sure, I will put that as a reminder on my phone for sure. 

How about a 2 week interval? 

The check out lady was NOT one of La La's people. No make up, non fancy, working woman's hair and dirt under her unpainted finger nails. I knew why she was starring and looking a bit horrified. I turned it around like a champ on the spot in a hushed whisper, making a learning moment out of it. Explaining softly like a Mrs. Cleaver talk in a Leave it Beaver episode about accepting and loving all people. She was cool with that. The lack of bra under her white wife beater on the other could NOT be explained out of her memory bank, or Drexel's. That's ok, yummy seedless water melon can help with that.