I've Moved!
I've taken the plunge to my own domain name.

Please visit: DykstraDash.com

Don't Worry - everything is there.

Why are you still coming here?

I've updated a new post at my new site DykstraDash.com.  If you are still visiting this old site, you are missing out. Bookmark DykstraDash.com today.  :)

You're a Grand Old Flag

Happy Flag Day!

You're a grand old flag, You're a high flying flag
And forever in peace may you wave.
You're the emblem of The land I love.
The home of the free and the brave.

Ev'ry heart beats true 'neath the Red, White and Blue,
Where there's never a boast or brag.
Should auld acquaintance be forgot,
Keep your eye on the grand old flag.

Lyrics by George M. Cohan, Sung by Andrew on May 12, 2010

A Grand Weekend! Part I

A few weekends ago, I was blessed once again, to be able to attend a Winsome Women retreat with one of my great friends, Jill, at the Grand Hotel on Mackinaw Island. (How’s that for some prepositional phrases).

My dad was wonderful and came up to help Marc watch the boys and get Andrew to and from school, so I could head up north.

After brunch, the four of us, boarded the ferry and arrive on the island to do a little shopping before making our way up to the hotel.

This is such a wonderful, relaxing retreat!  It’s at a beautiful location, with great ladies,  and a-maz-ing food (like unbelievable 5 course meals for breakfast, lunch, and dinner)!  Oh, that you can attend session and assemblies with Godly speaker and musicians while we’re there is like icing on the cake.

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It’s hard to believe we are only there for a mere 24 hours as it truly feels like a mini vacation. I confess it’s a little stressful getting there, trying to get each of our households and jobs ready for our absence, but once there it’s easy to get caught up in seemingly time warp of the Grand Hotel.

And since the retreat is over a Thursday/Friday, we get to come back to a full weekend ahead of us, which for me was the just start of my Grand weekend.

Things I love Thursday: Rocket Freezer Pop Molds

While shopping at Art of the Table earlier this year, I found these Tovolo Blue Rocket Pop Molds.  I bought them and tucked them away for a special occasion.
Last week we celebrated the fact that it was Thursday and I pulled them out to surprise the boys.  They watched me chop up fresh pineapple (will hardly touch the stuff), fresh strawberries (too seedy for them to eat), a banana (Andrew despises) and threw it all into the blender. 

The set came with a stand that holds the rocket molds upright really securely. And because of the unique shape, these puppies freeze fast.  Like 2-3 hours fast…which is a huge plus when you have two boys asking you literally every 4 minutes, “Are they ready yet”?

They have clever handles that help catch the drips, although they are still no match for my four year old’s mess making abilities.

Plus, a couple nights ago, I was enjoying a fruit popsicle when one the boys woke up needing me (scary dream). I was able to place my pop back into it’s sleeve, shove in the freezer, then pick back up where I left off once appropriate hugs and drinks of water were doled out. Did I mention they are dishwasher safe (top rack, I guess) and BPA free?

Once frozen, you can easily pop these out of the stand and shove them wherever you have freezer space since they are self contained.  You can also mix and match the flavors too.  We did three chocolate pudding pops and three OJ pops at the same time.  And because I know what I put into them, last Saturday I let the boys each have a popsicle made of OJ for breakfast and then turned around and let them eat another one made of Strawberries, Pineapple and Banana.  (Something I would never be able to get them to eat.) Yes, they ate two popsicles for breakfast.
And that made me the coolest mom ever.
For more Things to Love check out The Diaper Diaries.

And So It Begins…

Remember how we are Dykstra Dash-ing through this summer.  Last night, it all began.

It was Andrew’s first TBall practice (AJ’s PeeWee TBall starts next month). He’s got two practices this week and next, then once a week games for the next six weeks.

He Loved it! He was one of the oldest/biggest on the team which means he hit the furthest and threw the hardest by default. Even to the point where I came home and double checked to make sure we had him in the right age group.  We do… he’s just big.

 

This Summer will Truly be a Dykstra Dash!

Wowser – this summer is going to be nutty.  Isn’t this time of year supposed be relaxing? A time to kick back, enjoy the weather, and spend time with the family?

Oh we will be doing that – enjoying the weather and spending time as a family… via T-ball and Football.  For both boys.  Who are in separate age groups and therefore separate practice and game days/times.  Yikes!

It looks like at least 2 evenings a week we are going to be committed to some activity for most of the summer, with a few weeks of August being “off”. But, wait, there’s more! Throw a family vacation in there and a possible football camp, plus the usual childcare the I do 2-3 days a week and my daily PT job, plus the “homework” that my boys will be completing over the summer and…. I’m tired before it even really gets started.

But the boys are super excited about all the activities. And so is Marc. Okay, I am too.  At least, I am now - when I’m not in the throws of a crazy busy week wondering why, oh why, did we subjected ourselves to the madness that is our local Parks and Rec. Dept?

I’M MOVING!

I’ve been absent for quite a while and I have somewhat of a good excuse.  I’m moving.  Not to a new city or even a new neighborhood… but to a new URL.   From now on, you can find me and all my random rants and writings at:

DykstraDash.com

I’ve taken the plunge.  I’ve got my own domain name and Wordpress site. And don’t worry, I’ve done my best to move everything over there.  It looks a little different, a little cleaner in my opinion, and gives me a little more to offer. 

However, bear with me as it is still new and I don’t have quite the familiarity with it as I do with Blogger.

So please, click around the new site and see what you think. I’d love to hear what you think about it… the good and the bad (not that I can promise anything.)  And thank you to those that have stuck  with my ramblings and absences all these years.  I’ve truly enjoyed it and appreciate my readers. 

Start your engines…and blast off!

A few weekends ago, I hit a local rummage sale our Parks and Rec. Dept puts on each year.  I ran across a GREAT find!  For only $3 each, my boys are instantly transformed. AJ into a Nascar Driver complete with Bass Pro Shops patch.

And Andrew is an astronaut with real patches, pockets, and buckets everywhere.

Dear Neglected Blog,

I have so much to share with you, yet no time to do it in.  Between school, work, being a mom, wife, friend, housekeeper, frugal shopper and Lost follower; I'm so sorry to say you've been on the back burner.  It's not my choice, really, but I must sleep sometime in there, too. 

Don't feel too bad, Dykstra Blog, my reading has been hit hard by our schedule, too.  I don't even have a book going right now. And it's not your fault.  I tell myself I will get you all caught up... but I know you well enough to know you understand and are willing to pick back up whenever I can. 

Here's hoping to reconnect with you soon.  Love, Kelli.