Field Trip Fun

John survived going along on the 1st grade field trip! They went to Deception Pass State Park and did a nature id hike! Hubby said it was pretty much organized chaos which i can only imagine with about 100 1st graders....CRAZY!! The kids all had lil id books the teachers made for them and they had to watch for different plants and objects along the way and check them off as they found them. Colby had a wonderful time and loved having his Daddy along for the fun! John had lots of comical stories to tell about the things the kids tried to get away with and things they did throughout the day! And he even managed to snap a few pictures....good job Daddy!! =)

Daddy & Colby heading out!

Colby & friends!

Playing on the beach!

John said they probably walked at least 3 miles by the end of the day and hubby was worn out!! The kids all loved it and had a great time which is what really matters! Although i'm a little jealous that i didn't get to go, i'm so very glad that Colby got to have this time with his Daddy. Hope everyone is having a GREAT weekend!!

Bliss

What an amazing week we have been having! Having John home has been such an incredible blessing and we have just been taking time to enjoy it!! For now the boys are both still sleeping and John had to go into work for a lil while so i thought i would post some pictures and a quick update!!

We've gone for walks......

Played at the park.......

Climbed rocks at the farmers market.....

Made pizza's for dinner......

And most importantly we've been TOGETHER as a FAMILY!!!! And lovin' every minute of it! Now i must get busy packin' lunches and snacks....John is going on Colby's field trip with him today! Hopefully he will be good about taking pictures and i will let everyone know how it goes! Take time today to stop, smile, and appreciate your family!

You don't choose your family. They are God's gift to you, as you are to them. ~Desmond Tutu

Together Again!

Yes yes....hubby is HOME!!!!! It was a tough 4 months but we are so blessed that he has made it home safely to us and are truly enjoying having him here!! =) And what a homecoming it was. (insert eyes rolling!) Hubby's plane was due to get in at midnight Monday night so i had a girlfriend coming over to stay at the house with the kids, i was going to pick him up and it was going to be a HUGE surprise tuesday morning when the kids woke up and Daddy was home!! However...God's plans were different than ours! I got to the air terminal on base around 11:45 to be told that the plane was delayed 2 hrs....YIKES....now he's not getting in until 2 in the morning. I honestly cannot remember the last time i was up at 2 in the morning unless it was with a sick child! So back to the house i go....i couldn't have my friend sitting at the house until 2am....what's a girl to do? Wake the boys up in the middle of the night of course and head back to the air terminal to wait....and wait.....and wait....oh the joys of military flights! =)

is he here yet???

watching Shrek and waiting....

Needless to say it was almost 3am by the time we got home and got the boys back to sleep! Although not ideal....i wouldn't trade his homecoming for the world!! Now we face re-integration which can be challenging. He's changed, i've changed, the boys have changed and we have to learn how to be a family again. Most definitely not easy but a challenge i cherish! For if i wasn't faced with this challenge it would mean he hadn't come home to us. We are so very blessed to face this next couple of weeks of learning and growing as a family again!

W L W

Thats right....its Weight Loss Wednesday!! The last week was crazy and busy and exciting....more about that later. But with being so busy and with the holiday weekend it was challenging to be careful about my eating and to not give in to the urge to just drive thru or order pizza but I'm happy to say that while i gave in a couple of times for the most part i fought it! One of the little things i did this past week was when i did give in and hit the drive thru i skipped the fries....very little step but huge for me! I LOVE french fries and it wasn't easy but i know it will pay off!

The gym was closed on Monday in honor of Memorial Day, so i only got 3 work outs in since last wed. Needless to say... i was a little apprehensive going in today and weighing myself! By the way...i weigh myself at the gym so that it is always on the same scale and i can rest assured that it is accurate! Now...with all that said.....I weighed in at 185 lbs!!!!!!! I have lost 3 pounds since last week!!! I weighed myself twice and then had a trainer come and weigh me just so i could be sure it was right! And it was!! 3 LBS!!!! I feel great and it sure helps give the motivation to keep it up! Here's to seeing another pound or two shed next week!

Happy Memorial Day

"And i'm proud to be an American, where atleast i know i'm free! And i won't forget the men who died, who gave that right to me and i proudly stand up....."

As i sat in church this morning listening to Colby along with his sunday school friends sing this song my eyes filled with tears. What an amazing honor to be an American citizen....to be blessed with the freedoms that we are. There are so many things that i could say.....as a matter of fact there are alot of things i want to say but i just can't seem to find the right words. My heart swells with pride every time i see my husband's uniforms hanging in our closet. Marrying a man in the United States Military has brought a whole new appreciation for the sacrifice that so many men, women, and families make every single day so that each of us can live and enjoy living in the land of the free. I could go on and on but i will end by saying that I am honored and i feel it a privilege to serve alongside my husband as the wife of a US Navy Sailor! I will gladly stand watch on the home front every single time duty calls and i will NEVER forget the ultimate sacrifice that so many men and women have made. Each and every life lost weighs heavy in my heart and i pray daily for the families left behind. It is my prayer that as we all enjoy this holiday weekend that we take time to reflect on the many lives lost....lives lost in the name of freedom.....lives lost for you and me. God Bless each one of their families and give them peace. I will never forget.......

HAPPY MEMORIAL DAY!

Weight Loss Wednesday

Well ladies and gents.....its time for me to come out of the closet and create a lil bit of accountability for myself! So here it goes.....i have made up my mind that i am going to lose this weight! A little over a month ago i joined Curves and have been working out since! Now....i wasn't as good as i wanted to be or should have been my first month...at all. But i have decided that Wednesday's here at Miculka Madness will be Weight Loss Wednesday.....i will post struggles and triumphs and my weight loss/gain for the previous week. And i know that i DO NOT want to have to tell you all that i gained weight so this accountability will help me to stay focused! And i've included a few pictures from the past......they are all taken at the size i want to get back to!

John & Me....engagement photo

Our Wedding Day!!

So here is a brief story of my weight battle....where i was and where i am now and where i want to be! Warning....i am actually going to tell you how much i weigh which is going to be incredibly difficult for me to admit but if i want to lose this weight i need to accept where i am and move forward!

On the Honeymoon

Another Honeymoon shot!

When John and I met i weighed 125lbs.....i was way tooooo skinny! By the time we got married i had gained about 30lbs and was at 155. I actually thought i was fat.....what a joke!!! Looking back now i realize that 155 was a great place for me to be....i looked fantastic! And now...GULP....i am at 188 lbs. Gosh...how did this happen???? What happened to the days of eating like a cow and not gaining an ounce??? Those days are long gone! One of my biggest struggles is portion size....i have let my eating get out of control and this is a huge focus point for me! I was very skeptical of Curves....but my girlfriend convinced me to give it a try and i have loved it! I had my first weight/measurement check yesterday and here are the results......

*I gained .5 lbs (not great but could be worse)

*I gained .5 in. in my bust(if i'm gonna gain inches i suppose this is the place to do it!!!)

*I lost 2.5 in. my waist (WHOO HOOOOO...now we're talkin)

*I lost .5 in. in my abdomen(this is my biggest problem area...i was glad to have atleast lost a lil)

*My hip measurement was the same

*I lost .25 in. in each thigh

*My calf measurement was the same

*I lost .5 in. in each arm(nice....another problem area for me!)

*I lost 1% body fat (very NICE....not gonna complain)

*I worked out 13 times in my first month at Curves


So there it is....thats where i am today! My goal is to work out closer to 20 times this next month and to see a loss on every measurement next check! Now....please DO comment....tell me of your struggles or triumphs with weight.....good snack/meal ideas......anything you think will be helpful! And please do expect a weight loss wed. post EVERY week and if it isn't there than comment on the most recent post asking for it......PLEASE! I'm excited about this weight loss journey (and anxious, scared, etc, etc) and can't wait to share this journey with all of you...my bloggy friends! =)

Awana Awards!

Brayden and I were blessed to be able to attend Colby's Awana awards party on tuesday evening! Colby finished his Skipper book this year and is currently working hard on his Hiker book! He received his blue 1st book ribbon on stage tuesday night and i couldn't be prouder of him! The amount of determination he has shown in memorizing and learning his verses is inspirational to me!! Congratulations Colby on finishing your Skipper book and building your defenses against Satan by having God's word in your heart and mind! It is my prayer that you will always find the word of our Lord as joyful and exciting as you do now!

Mother's Day

I had an absolutely perfect day! The entire day was about everything that truly matters and i couldn't have asked for more.

The boys were incredibly sweet all day! Colby came running into my room first thing in the morning with a flower he had made me at school and to be honest, i'm not sure which is the better gift....the actual flower or the smile it brings to my face to see the pride in his eyes and the love that went into making the flower! And just to make sure Brayden didn't feel left out since he didn't have a gift to give, Colby whispered in his ear that he could give me big hugs and that would be a good gift! So stinkin sweet! We then all 3 cuddled in my bed and i was showered with hugs, kisses, and "happy mother's day mama"!!!!

After indulging in some cuddle time we were off to church where our pastor's message was about the sabbath day and how important it is that we take time to rest so that we can be all that God has intended us to be. Oh how easy it is for me to forget this and even to feel guilty sometimes when i feel like i just need a break.......but this is just another trap the enemy uses. The message couldn't have been more appropriate for most Mom's as well as most people and more importantly for ME!

After church we enjoyed brunch with a friend and then came home for nap time! And this incredibly unusual thing happened in our home....i actually lounged on the couch and watched P.S. I love you.....and it was amazingly refreshing. I loved the movie and truly enjoyed just laying there and watching it...without a thought of "maybe i should do the dishes" or "i really should get up and start a load of laundry".....i just allowed myself to enjoy the movie!

We went to Ashley's house so the boys could play with Hal'e and us Mom's could watch them enjoy being outside and then i was spoiled with a steak dinner at our neighbor's house!! Did you catch that......I didn't even have to cook dinner or clean up after it!!! What a great gift!!

And finally i have to share how amazing John was this year for Mother's Day! Not only did he find time to order flowers for me but he also sent a card for me and one to Colby that the boys both signed secretly and gave to me yesterday! What an amazing man....you see....alot of thought had to go into getting all of that accomplished from so far away. John....I love you more than words can begin to say and i am so blessed to have you to share this life with. You will never know just how much it means to me that you went to such great lengths to make sure i know how much you cherish my role as our sons' Mother. Thank you for your love, your support and the inspiration that you are to me! I can't wait have you home with us again!!

This mother's day was amazing....it was everything i could have wanted and more! Thank you so much to everyone who sent a card or email or comment to wish me a Happy Mother's Day! I just can't say it enough.....i am so incredibly blessed! I hope every Mommy out there was showered with love and truly enjoyed her day as much as I did!

I'm in love......

with this......


I've been eye-balling this handbag for a while now and i was blessed to be able to get it today!!! =) I *heart* purses.......and this will make such a cute spring/summer companion!!! Just had to share my excitement!! I pray each of you mother's out there have a wonderful Mother's Day full of relaxation, love and happiness! Since the chances of me posting tomorrow are slim i'll wish everyone a HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY now!!

If you're Happy and you know it.....

Then your face will surely show it!!

Today has been a great day! Don't you just love days when everything goes right......when you just have a GREAT day??? Today was my day!

A couple weeks ago my girlfriend Sarah and I threw a baby shower for our dear friend Crystal. Being the complete sweetheart that she is, Crystal got us gift certificates for pedicures to thank us!! So a BIG thank you to Crystal! Sarah and I took some time today for a little relaxation and pampering and got our pedicures done!! It was much needed and very much appreciated!! And a peek at my newly painted and pampered piggies......

Then when I got home from my pedicure and picking up the kiddos there was flowers waiting for me on the front porch!! John sent flowers for Mothers Day!!! It isn't easy for him to get access to regular internet on the boat so it means that much more that he carved out the time to order them!! I love this man more than words could ever begin to say and CANNOT wait to have him home with us! Here are a few of my fave flowers from the bunch!

And to top it all off the boys were just so sweet and wanted to help in any way they could! I love these little guys! Here they are bringing the trash can back up to the house....such big helpers!

I am so very blessed! Today has left me feeling loved, adored, pampered, special and just plain fabulous!

What's been keeping me busy?!?

Well actually....ALOT has been keeping me busy! But I can honestly say there are some fun things keeping me occupied lately as well!! I am knee deep in planning the boys' birthday party and I am loving it!!! I heart planning parties and this one is no exception. I am making the invitations which is the big to-do item on my list right now!

I am also frantically trying to get Mother's Day cards done and in the mail with the hope that maybe they will make it to everyone by Sunday!! Why is it that Mother's day happens the same time every year and yet here i am.......rushing at the last second to get it all done. Maybe next year right?

Hope everyone is having a blessed week and that you all have lots of joyful things to keep you busy!!

Sicky boy.....=(

As many of you know....asthma and allergies are an unfortunate regular battle in our home. Colby has been through the ringer with his and seems to be "growing out of it" which we are incredibly thankful for. But Brayden's seems to be in full swing and he is having a nasty flare up right now. Bless his little heart.......he is so very tired but can't get any decent sleep cause he coughs and coughs and coughs because he can't breathe. So off to the doc we went today and he is now on a daily inhaler and we are doing breathing treatments at home.....and this is in addition to the 2 controller meds he takes on a daily basis already. He has been such a lil trooper and I am just praying at this point that we are able to keep it under control. We would love any prayers you can spare for healing for Brayden and strength for me as we push through this little bump in the road!

Miculka Men in the Spotlight!!

Just had to share that my lil men received perfect attendance awards for sunday school at church on sunday!! They were both very excited and I am pretty stoked myself! Let me tell ya...it isn't always easy to get up, get all of us fed and all dolled up and out the door by myself to get there each week but the payoff is beyond measure!!




Colby and Brayden....i surely do not tell you enough how proud of you i am and how it melts my heart to see your lil relationships with the Lord growing. May you always remember the loving and ever faithful friend that you have in our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. I look forward to watching the two of you develop into the men that He would have you be!!

My Lil' Picasso

I am incredibly tardy in posting this but I am telling myself that what matters is that I am doing it now! During Holland Happening every year all of the businesses downtown display chosen artwork from the various elementary schools and Colby had a drawing chosen this year!!! I am so proud of him.....he doesn't do a whole lot of drawing at home(not sure why) but I was amazed when he brought home his art portfolio from school yesterday and there was some AMAZING stuff in there! So....here is a picture of Colby with his work that was displayed downtown in the "wild thing" category!

A lil Mishap...

I sometimes wish i could figure out how in the world kids manage to do some of the things they do!! Brayden was happily playing with his spiderman motorcycle(as he calls it) one minute and then next he is crying. It took me a minute to figure out what was going on but somehow he got his hair all tangled up in the wheel on the bottom of the toy. I tried and tried to get it out without cutting his hair because I couldn't really tell how much you would be able to tell if I had to cut it....but in the end I had to cut it. Luckily you can't really tell but crazy kid.....how do they get themselves into these types of situations???



And because I am the sweet loving Mom that I am I snapped a picture before I cut him free!! The look on his face says all that needs to be said about how he felt about the picture.....

Where did spring go???

The weather today is far from spring like! =( Last weekend we were in short sleeves and sunglasses and this weekend it is jackets and umbrella's.....not so fun! But we made the best of it and headed out this morning to the monthly home depot kids workshop. As usual the boys had a good time and we were joined today by our good friends Ashley and baby Hal'e!!

Silly boys!

Hal'e was content to just play w/ a piece of wood!

Brayden taking a whack at it!

Me and my main men!

Smokey the Bear payed a visit!!

From there we were off to Colby's soccer game!!! It was the second game for the team but the first for Colby(as he missed last week because of the parade)!!! It was cold, wet and just plain miserable but the team did a great job. I was very proud of Colby for not complaining and doing his best even though the conditions were less than favorable!!

Go Blue Lightening....we heart # 7!!!




Colby's numero uno fan!



Colby in action!
Ashley & Hal'e braved the weather to cheer Colby on!



Me and Brayden


Brayden & his buddy Troy!

And one last bit of news from the Miculka homefront.......

We are in the final stretch of this deployment and while you would think it would be exciting....it can sometimes be the hardest part. Homecoming is so close yet so far away and most days feel like a week! God has been so incredibly good and I know he will continue to provide in every way we need but any prayers for continued strength for all of us and patience for me with the boys would be greatly appreciated. We can't wait to have John home with us again!!