August 18 2019 = Duty Day

Zachary's on duty today.  He was supposed to leave on Friday for a month and then it got pushed to Saturday and then it got pushed to Tuesday.  He has duty today (Sunday) but we got a bonus Saturday with him and we'll see him tomorrow night before he heads out.  I'm a bit nervous about this underway because it's been a while since I've been alone with the kids for this long- and let's just say I think it would be easier if school were back in session... I'd have just Kayleigh from 7:30-2:30 and we'd have a much more established routine buttttttttt alas we have two weeks left of summer.  So I'm going to focus on enjoying this time with my soon to be first grader and kindergartener!

Here is the one picture I've taken today:

I slept in a little this morning and when I finally emerged, the kids were giving their stuffed animals a concert with Liam's new microphone stand he got in his little pre-birthday party last night... that post coming soon.  I have a new strategy with the blog... I'm going to focus on the present and then do extra from the big gaping hole between this one and the previous one.  It's hard to see in this picture but each stuffed animal had it's own bow placed perfectly in her hair- except the elephant who had one on it's tail.

August 4 = OneRepublic Concert

So Liam's dream came true today- Zachary bought tickets for the two of them to go see OneRepublic a while back and today was finally the day!  They set out in the truck... Liam had a calendar with lots of pieces in it so that kept him occupied for the ride.

They had lunch at a Chinese restaurant- I'm a bit jealous.

Here they are at the concert- James Arthur and Fitz & the Tantrums opened for OneRepublic- Liam now has another favorite singer and another favorite band although I'm pretty sure OneRepublic will always be his most favorite.

Zachary doesn't get on facebook very often but he did post some pictures and a video from their fun night out- he posted those with the following:

"Took my little man to see OneRepublic last night! Most don't know, but he was diagnosed with Autism a few weeks back and over the past 3+ years as he has faced the challenges associated with that, OneRepublic has always been a source of peace and calm for him and has also helped him learn to talk. While at the concert he asked for my phone when they started playing. With every song they sang, he immediately searched through Spotify and was able to immediately find the song and CD from which they were singing."

March 19 = Back Home Day

We got back yesterday from NC.  It's always nice to see family and it's always nice to be home.  We got right back to potty training... Malia added some gymnastics.

And Liam added a coat...

Also, we were treated to a concert:

June 10 = Joshua Radin Concert Day

Well today was one of my favorite days ever.  I'm going to start at the beginning.  This was the first time the kids and Zachary had been to my parents new house- here it is!  How cute!

Liam was loving going for walks with Dad- here are some pictures Zachary got.

Zachary went to the gym and my friend Alexandra came to visit us.  We took the kids to a nearby park:

And later, my mom had gotten the kids a sprinkler toy so we brought that out and got them in their bathing suits- Malia had a blast... Liam wasn't so sure.

Also here's a video- it's kind of long- of Malia talking to a garden gnome.  I wish I knew what she was saying!

 

Then later it was time for the whole reason we came down to NC... the Joshua Radin concert.  Joshua Radin is my favorite singer.  Ever.  My friend, Jaimie, introduced me to his music in college and I loved his voice- I loved the acoustic guitar- I loved all of it.  I would get on the elliptical at the Student Rec center for an hour and read James Patterson books- all of the Alex Cross series- and at the time he only had one album out so any time I hear one of the songs from his first album, I immediately picture the characters from this series of books in my head- it's so crazy.  Anyway.  Back in 2011 when Zachary went on deployment, he bought me tickets to see Joshua Radin in Raleigh- he bought two so I could take a friend with me- I chose Jaimie because she introduced me to him in the first place.  We got to meet him after the show and I got him to sign my navy blue chucks that I was wearing- I assured him they were brand new.  So anyways- I was super excited to go and even more excited that Zachary was going with me and my brother and Grace were going to!  We ate at McAlisters before the show- yummmm.

I left my ID in the car so I was branded as underage.

The show was amazing.  We were in the front row... I got to sit in the seat closest to him- I was so so excited.  

 Here's Matt and Grace in the nice blue lights:

During the show, Zachary was trying to get a picture of me with Joshua Radin in the background and a girl behind us asked if he wanted her to get a picture of the two of us- I love it!

 
Zachary had a bit to drink but nothing compared to the people sitting across the aisle from us.  I had to get a picture of them to remember.  Since Zachary was intoxicated he struck up a conversation with them which presented the perfect opportunity for me to snap a picture!

Before the concert started, I bought two t-shirts.  I couldn't pick between the two so I just got both.  I still wear the one I bought from his 2011 concert all the time so... it's fine.  Also, I was kind of hoping they'd give me a wristband like they did in 2011 when I bought two shirts (that time one for me and one for Jaimie) but they didn't.  Sad.  But in the middle of the show, Zachary bought me this awesome lyric book and when he bought that, they gave him a wristband!  He came back with the book and the wristband and I about started crying.  It was such a great experience.  He got to hear these songs that he's heard before as background music but really listened to the words this time.  And when he heard this one song, Belong, he got emotional thinking of Liam and his struggles.  So I decided when I got to meet him, I'd ask him to write out part of the song for Liam.  So when I got up to him, I told him a little about Liam and said that he loves his music so much- when he comes on, Liam says "It's Josh!  It's Josh!"  He seemed so touched and wrote out "You hear it say 'Be Strong.'" It was such a great night- one I'll never forget!