Favorites at Fort Leavenworth

Every place we move there are favorites. Those places you will never forget. The ones you only go to once, but made memories that'll last forever. The ones you go to over and over.

Here are my favorite places! (In no particular order)

Food:
1. Okie Joe's.
LOVE this place. Best BBQ we had while in Kansas. It is part of a gas station. The line will be out the door.
2. All Slabbed Up.
Best burnt ends, bottle caps(fried jalapenos), and sweet tea.
3. Retro Diner.
Super cheap, little hole in the wall. Get the pancakes.
4. The Depot.
They give you little complimentary donuts.
5. Bassa Prua.
They have AMAZING donuts and the brunch is delish...especially with a mimosa.
6. Pullman Place.
Cheap food, but good. There is a table in the front of the restaurant with a train IN the table. So cool for the kids to see.
7. El Porto Mexican Cafe.
Queso dip, chips, and salsa are given right away for the table.
8. DFAC.
The dining facility on post. It is cafeteria style, so many options, and delish dessert options for VERY cheap.
9. Baan Thai.
Pad Se Eew and the thai iced tea is on point.
10. Tacos El Gallo 
Legit. Street tacos. Jamaica. Tamales. Pan Dulce. Mexican market attached to it.

Coffee:
1. Harbor Lights.
Caramel blast latte. Egg, sausage, and pepperjack on a bagel. Homemade cheescake. O.M.G.
2. Meriwether's.
Lavender Moon latte. They also have local art displayed for purchase and antiques.

Kid Places:
1. Monkey Bizness.
Indoor small zipline, bounce house slide, swing set, toddler area and cafe all inside.
2. Karnes playground.
Amazing zipline and climbling stuff for kids. Not for the paranoid parent. Made for older kids or adults if they want a good unconventional workout.
3. Landing 4 theater.
Cheap movies. .50 cents on certain days.
4. Wonderscope.
Children's interactive museum. It was an old school turned museum and each old "classroom" is a different theme/activity.
5. On post activities.
So many awesome parks here. Plus a skate park, horse stables, a pool, bowling alley and gymnastics room.
6. T-Rex Cafe.
Restaurant, but definitely for the kids.
7. Wheel Thing.
Indoor roller rink. Like, old school roller skating.
8. Missouri River.
Just to walk around, skip rocks, enjoy the bridge view, small playground.
9. Kansas City Zoo.
Not huge, not small. Gorgeous scenery.

Shopping:
1. Zona Rosa.
2. Olathe.
3. Ikea.
4. Legends.
5. Bonner Springs Dollar Tree.

Jason just named this list the 4 Pillars of my life. I think that is pretty accurate.

Monkey Bizness.

Since my family is in town, we were trying to decide what to do with their days here in Kansas. It obviously needed to be kid Nate friendly. A friend told me about Monkey Bizness and it seemed different and fun.

This place was awesome! There was a huge blow up slides, air-hockey(Nate's favorite), swing sets, climbing toys, a zip line (best part, in my opinion) and a baby area. It also had food and coffee. Like...good coffee. Bonus for parents. 

We ordered pizzas and drinks. Decent prices for food and we went during a "power hour" which had discounted admission. Another bonus of parents...you only pay admission for the kids. 

I would definitely go again. It was clean and the kids had a blast! There are a few locations, 4 in Colorado, 1 in Texas, and 1 in Kansas. If you need a play to play and stay indoors, I would recommend it. We will for sure be going again.

**I did not get paid to write this post. This is my personal experience and not affliated with Monkey Bizness. **

Date Your Significant Other.

Making your marriage a priority is freaking hard. Especially after kids. And even more so when there are multiple kids and jobs and (fill in the blank) and (fill in the blank). 

Isn't it crazy how the person you CHOSE to love and most likely LIVE with is somehow the person you don't spend that much time with? Like real, quality time with?

So let's TRY to be better. Let's spend time with our significant other. Date him or her. Like fun, silly, little dates. Even if it's at home. That is what my husband and I do. We have a date night in every Friday. 

I will even give you some ideas. You don't even have to think! Jackpot! 

Date Night In Ideas

1. Watch a movie. 

If you both like the same type, perfect. If not, one week pick what you like, the next choose one he or she will like. 

2. Board games. 

Yahtzee, Rummikub, Life, Operation, The possibilities are endless. 

3. Card games

Go Fish, Slapjack, Spades, War.

4. Late Dinner.

Feed the kids, but save your appetite for later. Make dinner together then eat in on the floor, with candles, in bed. 

5. Dessert.

Make cookies, brownies, cake pops. Put on some music and dance while you bake. 

6. Have sex.

Will not go into this one.

7. Have a Q&A night.

Do 1, do them all. 

8. Massages.

Dual foot massages with your favorite TV show on or music is my personal favorite. 

9. Do a DIY project together.

10. Plan something.

Meals for the week, a weekend day with the kids, traditions you want to start, plan a fake dream vacation. 

Even though you may not be able to leave the house for whatever reason, you can still spend time and have fun dating your significant other. 

Enjoy each other! 

Things We Did While on Oahu (Toddler Included)

Our PCS move is creeping up on us...4 weeks away until we move off island. Sad face. As Jason and I sit in our "home" we have made for the past year and a half, while we have no TV and no couch, I decided to write a blog of all the fun places we did, specifically with Nate in tow.

Before we moved here, I joined FB groups and did research on "kid-friendly" activities to do on Oahu. Let me just say, "kid-friendly" is a vague description. It really covers a wide range of ages. Wondering if a toddler was considered in the category for each activity, we asked around or just tried it on our own.

So this list is a compilation of "toddler-friendly" activities we did with Nate from ages 1-2 1/2 years old. If you are visiting, moving, or live here already with a toddler or just want a list that is all together, here ya go! If not, it is basically a list of memories that I got to experience with my son.

I'll break it up into groups.

INDOOR ACTIVITIES: Despite the amazing weather, it does rain here or it is too hot to be outdoors for a long period of time. Here are a few inside places we went to.
1. 808 Bounce Basically a huge area with a bunch of inflatables to bounce on. $10 everyday except Tuesdays which are "Toddler Tuesdays" for $5. Only have to pay for the kid, huge plus for me.
2. Windward Mall Train ride that goes through the mall, indoor play area, arcade, and a pet store.
3. Chuck E. Cheese. Self-explanatory.
4. Discovery Center Three stories of entertainment. A tad on the expensive side, in my opinion, especially because everyone has to pay over 1.
5. McDonalds. Not a great activity, I know. But some days, you want to get out of the house and let them climb and burn some energy. Or have some mom-time to talk with other moms.

OUTDOOR ACTIVITIES:
1. Beaches. This may seem obvious. I list the beach first because a "toddler-friendly" beach is hard to find, meaning...small waves. and it's Hawaii. Beaches are a must.
a. Hickam (you need military access)
b. Bellows
c. Ko'olina lagoons
d. Kailua  (biggest waves out of the four mentioned)
2. Parks. They are everywhere. Drive around, find one, stop, and play.
3. Zoo Small, but cheap and has a playground.
4. Waikiki Aquarium  Also small, but still fun. Pack a picnic to eat there or walk to the beach across the street.
5. Dole Plantation
6. Sea Life park A super small Sea World type of place. Perfect for little ones and has a playground.
7. Botanical Gardens Walk, have a picnic, feed a ton of birds and coy fish.
8. Hawaiian Railway 90 minute train ride around some of Oahu. Long ride, but you can bring your own food and drinks.

HIKES: This is a difficult one because I can't tell you how in shape you are. I also babywear so doing hikes while carrying Nate in a SSC(Soft-structured carrier) is often how I accomplished them when he was smaller. At 2 1/2, I still bring a carrier, but he can walk most of the way on all of these. On all of them I  bring water, hat, sunscreen, extra clothes(leave in car) and a small snack. None are stroller friendly, except Pali Highway and even that one is iffy with a stroller. Do these at your own risk and there are more hikes people say are kid-friendly. These are just ones I have personally done and feel comfortable wearing a toddler or letting them walk on.
1. Diamond Head
2. Moana Falls
3. Makapuu Lighthouse
4. Aiea Loop
5. Friendship Hike
6. Pali Highway Lookout

MILITARY SPECIFIC: These are things/places/activities to do on base and require a military ID.
1. ASYMCA Playgroups on different bases Monday-Thursday. Different bases have different times and days. $2/playgroup per kid.
2. Splash pads. Schofield and Hickam are my favorite 2.
3. Camping at Bellows AFB
4. Hickam beach and/or Dog Beach
5. Parks. Drive around a military base, there is a park around every corner.

We did so many things! Hawaii will hold a special place in my heart. We were able to do a lot here without a toddler being a "burden" on living an active and fun lifestyle.

Bump Brief #27

Bump Brief #27: 35 weeks

Nate and I were in our little pool by 9am today so I took a few pictures in my bathing suit. Then got back in pajamas. 

How far along? 35 weeks, baby is the size of a...baby humpback whale. See above pictures.

Total weight gain/loss: 165 today. Up 18lbs from pre-pregnancy weight and 3lbs alone this week. I feel every single pound. 
Stretch marks? No
Sleep: Nate has been a task for sleeping this week so pretty much everyone has been tired. Nate's sleep has been so bad that I went to the library and checked out 2 books on sleeping and started reading articles. Once he is asleep, Morgan keeps me up a lot of the night. I wore Jason's fit bit one night to track my sleep and within 7 hours, I woke up 13 times. Last night I actually slept decent for the first time in awhile. Nate slept through the night! 
Best moment this week: A lot of fun days this week! Sea Life Park and a Baby Expo to name two. We have limited time here in Hawaii so I'm trying to stay active and enjoy it here while we still can. 

Preggo Problems: My stomach is huge! It gets in the way of everything now! I have gained 3lbs this week so maybe I have also gained in inches!? Seriously. I have whacked Nate in the head multiple times, almost burn myself on the stove while cooking, run into door knobs, and become the Hunchback of Notre Dame while doing the dishes. 

Movement: Yes. she still feels really high, but I can tell she is getting lower. I won't go into detail how I know she is low. Think about it. I get kicked in the ribs pretty frequently still. She might be a soccer player. 
Food cravings: Cherries. I didn't know this was a craving until 3 days ago when we went to Costco. Cherries were an amazing price so we grabbed a 2lb box. They are gone already and if we would've gotten 2 boxes, that second box would be gone too. I was carless today or else I probably would have driven there and bought more. 

Interesting facts about baby (according to pregnancy app): 

1. Hearing is fully developed and may respond to high-pitched noises.

2.She is taking all of my calcium to help harden her bones. 

3.35 days until EDD! 

Gender: Girl!! And her name is.....

Labor Signs: No and yes. I guess now that I can actually feel the braxton hicks and I have them so frequently, it is a sign. Not really of labor, but that my body is prepping for what is about to go down. Literally. 

Belly Button in or out? Out. It is very rare she is in a position where it goes back in now. It's pretty creepy looking. 
Wedding rings on or off? On. We'll see how long it lasts. They still aren't re-dipped, but I missed them.
Mood: Tired! And excited. And overwhelmed. My list of things to do is growing. I know we will get it all done, but I feel like I'm avoiding doing some tasks because I don't even know where to begin or what is priority. Sleep. Sleep is priority right now. The unknown of when Morgan will be born is nerve-wracking, too. Not really any bad things going on, just a lot of changes mixed with emotions. 

Rice Sensory Table

I finally did it. I made a rice sensory table for Nate. I'm pretty sure it has been pinned to my Pinterest board since I found out I was pregnant with him. Sensory tables are common in daycare and preschool settings which is where I was first introduced to them. I never thought to have one of my own until Pinterest came out.

If you have met Nate, you know he is a tad bit crazy, so actually making a sensory table with rice was less than ideal. I mean, yes, he would be getting the benefits of it and have fun, but I would be the one to clean up the mess. I wasn't ready for that. He has a ton of toys as it is. I was on a Pinterest binge these past 2 weeks so I decided to muster up the strength, energy, and motivation to make him one. He has a water table so I knew I was going to use that. We found the water table on the side of the road during a bulk trash day so no cost there! You can get them almost anywhere, but they are a pretty penny for something that just holds water. There is this one from Amazon, which is what Nate has or you can make a DIY one.

Since I already had the table, I just needed rice and whatever objects I wanted him to play with and explore. I got a 10lb bag (around $5) and some gems ($1.11 each, 2 colors). That's all I bought.

Nate knew we were going to make this rice table. I had been talking about it and while we were shopping I told him what the gems were for and he sat in the back of the cart wanting to tear open the 10lb bag of rice. When we got home, he helped me clean the water table and pour the rice and the gems in. We used beach toys, cars, cups, dinosaurs, spoons, etc. as this first trial run. Basically toys he already had that are considered "outside toys".

Patience is a trait we are CONSTANTLY working on so we used this moment to work on that...

He had to wait until I got my camera to take a before picture. He did well. We also had to discuss the "rules" of the rice table. I couldn't just let him go for it or rice would have been everywhere in 2 seconds. 

RULES:

1. Rice stays IN rice table (as much as possible). I didn't fill the table all the way up for this reason. If there was more rice I was pretty much setting him up for failure. With only about an inch of rice he can play and scoop and sift, etc., with enough room. 

*rice will still come out* I laid a towel under for those moments. 

2. Rice has to stay in the bottom area and the unused toys are at the top. The top part is very shallow and I wanted some type of separation between the rice area and toy area.

3. Only use the toys that are in the toy area. He wasn't allowed to go get another toy he thought would be fun or he wanted. There was enough to play with and I plan on switching them out and doing themes, colors, etc., later. 

4. No throwing rice. He can scoop, he can fill, he can drive the car, dump, shovel, spoon and pour, but NO throwing. and yes, I use the word No. 

5. Have fun.

After I took my pictures and went over the rules it was time to play. It was like Christmas day to this kid. He had a blast. I let him explore for almost 30 minutes by himself, and then I took the opportunity to have a little lesson. I emphasized the word "only". We played a game that we could "only" scoop up clear gems, then "only" brown gems, then "only" rice". We did this for 15 minutes or so. It was a sorting game and introducing new vocabulary. 

I am glad I waited until he was 2 to do this type of sensory table. I think it could have gone very bad if I did it at a younger age. If your kid is mature enough, go for it. There are so many options and ideas for sensory tables! Colors, edible, water, animals, letters, magnets, shaving cream, bubbles, straws, shredded paper, rocks, sand. Here is a Valentine's Day theme one if you are up for making one this week!

I'm going to keep this the way it is for at least a month. Next month I will probably do a green theme for St. Patrick's Day. He is loving it right now and it cost me less than $10!