Made A Wish

MARCH 14, 2013

The countdown has begun!

Daddy IS home!

And Ashley's MAKE-A-WISH Trip to Disney World in Florida . . . . WE ARE LEAVING AT 2:30 A.M.!

And Ashley 7th Birthday is TOMORROW!

     We are packed and ready.  We are excited for the arrival of our Limo Ride to the airport!  So bright and early and a little before 2:30 on March 14, 2013 the Limo arrived.  Ashley's wish has begun and with Daddy our first step has begun to bring her closer to meeting Princess Aurora at Disney World in Florida.  This is a trip that we as a family have always wanted to take by never thought it would be possible.  It is hard enough to get the five of us in one state at one time (yes that is the truth).  And so it begins with the fun in the LIMO!

ON OUR WAY!

THE FUN BEGINS IN THE LIMO!

SO EXCITED!

JUST HAVE TO SIT BY DADDY

THE IPODS STILL HAVE TO COME OUT!

AT THE AIRPORT

     OK. . . . .This is where I break down.  I hate going thru security at the airport.  I am typically not the one flying. . . . I am the one picking/dropping Jamie up from airport.  But it always happens that I am the one that has the extra security procedures done.  Last time just dropping Jamie off at the airport, and I am not flying, I had to go thru the Full Body Scan machine!  Ok so this time I am thinking nothing is going to happen right. . . NOPE I WAS WRONG.  I should start by saying all of us are wearing our Make-A-Wish shirts.  Due to Ashley feeding machine and bag and the fact that they could and had no means to test the formula inside I had to be patted down and tested for bombs.  So I had three TSA officials surrounding me while my kids are asking what is wrong with Mom and why are they doing that.  So Jamie is to the side (he had no problems going thru security) . . . . and while he is home he does the feedings and meds as much as he can . . . I get a break. . . So I had no contact with the formula or meds!  So I am upset and just want it to be over with and the TSA officials are attempting to explain why they have to do this, which I just don't want to hear.  I want to know if they see a baby bottle with formula do they do a pat down on the Mom?  And why is it always the Mom?  I think it is ridiculous.  I am tired of being treated badly because of my daughter condition.  And this is just another example.  

     OK. . . . . past TSA now onto the vacation?

WAITING FOR THE FIGHT

ONBOARD.  THEY SAT ACROSS FROM US.

ASHLEY'S FIRST PLANE RIDE THAT
SHE WILL REMEMBER.

LANDED IN FLORIDA!

ARRIVED AT GIVE KIDS THE WORLD

     Arrived at Give Kids The World!  It is a wonderful place.  We are all checked in and have been given the key to our house for our stay.  

THIS IS OUR HOME!

CHECKED IN AT GIVE KIDS THE WORLD IN FLORIDA!

     Ok there are lizards every where!  But they are cute and I like it.  We had a full day of exploring the village.  We rode a train, played golf, Jamie and Kyle got Tattoos, had lunch and dinner with ice cream,  explored the Castle of Miracles and the Sleeping Tree, played at Matthew's Boundless Playground, and finished the day with Santa, Mayor Clayton and Ms. Merry at Winter Wonderland.  Full day for the kids and we where all tired.  Golfing did not go very well.  At first the dinosaurs where very cute but the further you got in the course the more the dinosaurs moved when the ball made it in the hole.  And there was one hole in which the room was dark and Ashley did not want any part of that.  Well she called it quits after a ball went in the hole and a dinosaur made a loud noise and sprayed water.  While Jamie and the kids where at Winter Wonderland I went to orientation and received all of our tickets and information needed to visit Disney, Universal, and Sea World.  We have a lot of places to go and so little time!

WINTER WONDERLAND!

MAYOR CLAYTON!
THE MAYOR OF GIVE KIDS THE WORLD.

MS. MERRY, KYLE, AND ASHLEY

FAMILY SANTA PICTURES

OUR LAST STOP

     Our last stop before going home for the night was to watch the Castle of Miracles Fairy.  She is the fairy that puts all of the visiting Make-A-Wish children's stars on the castle's ceiling.  This way when the child or child's family returns they can see that their child still has a place at Give Kids the World.  Once a child has been at Give Kids the World they are always welcome back to visit and their star will always be part of the castle.  Ashley will be sending her star to the fairy tomorrow!  While waiting we waved goodnight to Mayor Clayton and Ms. Merry who where off to do their Tucks In's.  Tomorrow is the big day.  The day of Ashley's Wish and her 7th Birthday.  

ASLEEP FOR TODAY.
THE FUN TIMES START AT DISNEY TOMORROW!

ALBUMS OF PICTURES:  (BECAUSE I JUST TOOK MORE THEN I COULD POST)

ON OUR WAY TO DISNEY 3/14/13

FIRST DAY AT GIVE KIDS THE WORLD 3/14/2013

SANTA AT GIVE KIDS THE WORLD 3/14/13

Our Final Day of School

MARCH 13, 2013

The countdown has begun!

Daddy IS home!

And Ashley's MAKE-A-WISH Trip to Disney World in Florida is in 1 days!

And Ashley 7th Birthday is 2 days!

     This is it.   We just have to get thru today and then we are leaving at 2:30 a.m. for the airport for our Make-A-Wish trip!  Our last day of School!  We can do it.  

SMILING AT DADDY

SMILE. . . .And say CHESSE!

MARCH 12, 2013

The countdown has begun!

Daddy IS home!

And Ashley's MAKE-A-WISH Trip to Disney World in Florida is in 2 days!

And Ashley 7th Birthday is 3 days!

     Today is Picture Day.  Glad we timed our haircuts when we did.  We are set and ready in our Daddy approved outfits.  And sense Mommy has delay the posting of this blog below are the completed pictures.  Mommy is patting herself on the back for that.  The kids are just full of smiles now that Daddy is home!

HAPPY DADDY IS HOME

1ST GRADE

5TH GRADE

4TH GRADE

Daddy is HOME!

MARCH 11, 2013

The countdown has begun!

Daddy will be home TONIGHT!

And Ashley's MAKE-A-WISH Trip to Disney World in Florida is in 3 days!

And Ashley 7th Birthday is 4 days!

     You would think today would be a good morning.  A busy one but good.  We are going to pick up Daddy right after school today.  But first thing first. . . . .  SCHOOL!  My kids have missed to much due to medical trips already.  We really need this!

NOT A GOOD MORNING

ONE HOUR DELAY ON DADDY FLIGHT

     Now that we are finally home from school and rushed to the airport, after a quick dress fitting for Ashley and yes a dress fitting.  She needed a pettiskirt to go under her upcycle dresses for her trip.  We have a one hour delay on the flight which seemed like forever.  So the electronic devices come out.  The kindle and the Ipods.  I thought we would only be in the airport for about 5 to 10 mins.  I really hate airports!  They are not typically a place for us going away for vacations, our Make-A-Wish trip will be our first family vacation!  Airports our our family's spot for saying goodbye to my husband and to my kids Daddy.  So we really don't like the airport.  :(

ASHLEY IS VERY ANXIOUS

AND FINALLY.....

DADDY'S HOME

   Well let's see what kind of trouble we can get into now. . . . . . . .

The Countdown!

MARCH 4, 2013

     NO SCHOOL!  I can't even tell you what holiday it is I just know that they have no school which is crazy because they have a half day on Wednesday.  Their Dad is letting up a little on the grounding and the boys are allowed to go downstairs and continue to play with their Lego's.  So they brought out their big book of Lego instructions.  Hopefully it keeps them busy and not fighting for a while.  Ashley on the other hand is perfectly find in her room with her Ipod and her TV.  

     Tonight we had a very special quest which was part of a group which raised money for Make-A-Wish and made Ashley's wish possible came over to meet with Ashley.  We thank every one that was part of the 2013 Penguin Plunge out of Ottawa IL!

BACK TO LEGOS

WATCHING BARNEY

ALL DRESSED UP FOR HER SPECIAL GUEST

ALL THREE 

MARCH 5, 2013

     Tyler lucked out.  Snow Day for and no school today.  The first and probably the only snow day of the year and it happened to fall on his birthday and made the long weekend even longer.  And bonus delayed ISAT testing.  And when they go to school tomorrow they have a half day!

     Tyler did not get a lot for his birthday.  His wants where extremely expensive this year and nothing that he needed!  But he still received some things that he wanted and some surprises but I think he was ok with everything.  We did brave the snow storm (if you call it that) and went out and bought Wreck It Ralph, which was on his list.  Happy Birthday Tyler.  Hopefully the 10 year old comes out in you.

SNOW DAY AND A 10TH BIRTHDAY!

TYLER CAN'T WAIT TO OPEN THEM

TYLER IS NOW 10

ENJOYING HIS BIRTHDAY TACO DINNER

MARCH 6, 2013

     First full school day this week and they and I need it.  

1 2 3 SMILE

MARCH 7, 2013

     My kids need more sleep.  They have a bed time but something is just not working out for them.  But it is lately mostly Ashley.  She has a little attitude that is mostly grunts and moans and I have to keep telling her to use her words which is just responded with a grunt or a moan.  Hopefully this is her late 6 attitude kicking in and her 7 attitude will replace that one!

     This is taken directly from my facebook status

"My day just got busier....

Stepped out of the gym with a phone call from the school nurse to come and get Kyle. Kyle may have a concussion. So I need to take him to the Doctor. Well can't until Ashley gets home a little after 2:30 and then have to wait until Tyler gets home at 3:45 and then we will be on our way to the ER. We stopped at our family Doctor and she said he may need a CT scan. So we will be spending our night at the ER. Fun Thursday for the Shipe Household. The Life of a Single Parent because the military thinks that my husband needs to be in CA manning a desk and a phone."

     Just how I was feeling and just how the day was going.  Being a military wife is not easy.  Especially when you have no local support and no military support and all you are being told is that people are tying to get your husband home but I have been told that and promised that over and over again and no body in the military follows thru.  Been with out my husband for two and a half years and it looks like it will be another two and a half years before the military finds a way for my husband can be home.  And that is with my husband retiring after 20 years! So having two expectational family members in one family and one the primary and only care taker of the other is of no concern of the military.  I am so not a happy military wife.

    On another note........ Had a visitor from Make-A-Wish come to our house today and drop off our final paper work for our Make-A-Wish Trip.  Ashley of course received more gifts!

The countdown has begun!

Daddy will be home on the 11th in 4 days!

                                   And Ashley's MAKE-A-WISH Trip to 

Disney World in Florida is in 7 days!

And Ashley 7th Birthday is 8 days!

She has come a long way. We where told at 15 months that she would not live past four years and would not likely leave the hospital alive! Ashley is a true miracle!

1 2 3 CRAB

ASHLEY'S GIFTS FROM MAKE-A-WISH

OUR SHIRTS AND BUTTONS

MAKE-A-WISH BARBIE!

MARCH 8, 2013

Off to school they go...

The countdown has begun!

Daddy will be home on the 11th in 3 days!

And Ashley's MAKE-A-WISH Trip to Disney World in Florida is in 6 days!

And Ashley 7th Birthday is 7 days ONE WEEK!

LITTLE MISS TOOK 20 MINUTES IN THE BATHROOM
AND ALMOST MISSED THE BUS!  OH IT IS STARTING
WAY TO EARLY!

MARCH 9, 2013

The countdown has begun!

Daddy will be home on the 11th in 2 days!
And Ashley's MAKE-A-WISH Trip to Disney World in Florida is in 5 days!

And Ashley 7th Birthday is 6 days!

While this is one count down it also brings up another one. As soon as Daddy is here we will have to start the count down of the day he has to return to CA and continue another 2 and and half years living with out Daddy home. :(

MARCH 10, 2013

The countdown has begun!

Daddy will be home on the 11th in 1 days!

And Ashley's MAKE-A-WISH Trip to Disney World in Florida is in 4 days!

And Ashley 7th Birthday is 5 days!

TIME TO GET RID OF THE CRAZY HAIR! HAIRCUTS!

ASHLEY'S TURN FIRST

     My attempt for Ashley to get bangs failed.  She basically just had a trim.  Maybe one day she will have a style.  Have to keep it some what long to be able to pull it up for school but may just have to chop it all off.  But then we would be very limited in our bow wearing!  Not sure what to do.  Any suggestions? 

BEFORE

ALL DONE!

TYLER

     Just short and easy for Tyler.  Nothing fancy.  But at first he did want a mohawk!  Guess we will have to grow it out during the summer!

BEFORE

AFTER

KYLE

     Kyle wants his hair long with bangs.  Good luck with that Kyle.  Short and easy for now.  

BEFORE

AFTER

ALL THREE!

     Tomorrow is going to be a busy day.  The kids are going to school and right after we are going to pick Daddy up from the airport.  The time spent with Daddy and on our trip is going to go quickly and hopefully we can enjoy it.  I just wish it did not have to end and we could be a family that actually lived together.  Well time to lax for the rest of the day.