Life with Dylan

Month: July 2011

  • Dylan’s Lego Birthday – Part 1

    Last week was Dylan’s 8th birthday and the festivities seemed to go on forever. Maybe that is why I kept putting off writing this blog post. Or maybe it is because I was hoping for something a little more exciting to write about. So much time and preparation went into planning Dylan’s LEGO Birthday party. Everything he wanted, I somehow managed to make happen. The only thing I couldn’t do was make people show up!

    Yes, I said it, people didn’t show up to his party. I wonder what posses a parent to RSVP with a yes and confirm via email only days before the party and then not show up. No call, no email, no text … nothing. Only three kids showed up and two of them were twins, so that doesn’t really count. So basically, two people showed up out of the seven who said they would be here. Well, we made the best of it and still had fun!

    The living room was transformed into a Lego-wonderland and the kids had time to build whatever they wanted. Some of the creations were great! We even had a jar filled with Lego’s and the person who guessed the closest to how many Lego’s were in it won a prize. I knew there was a good reason for Dylan to own so many Lego’s.

    Next we played Lego Bingo with a great template I found  from Amy at LivingLocurto.com The kids loved this game so much that we played three times! Since all the kids didn’t show up, I had extra prizes to give away … see I found one positive already!



    Using Lego mini kits we also had races to see who could build the kit the fastest. However, I was so busy watching the kids that I forgot to take pictures of this. Oops!

    Mini Corn Dogs, Cheese Balls, and Fresh Fruit
    Cake designed by Dylan – Made by Mom

    All in all, the kids had a good time. The birthday kit from the Lego Store was huge hit with kids too!

    I guess the mom in me just feels bad that my son couldn’t have had a better party. The party that he had dreamed about.

    Is there something wrong with home birthday parties? Do parents only want to go if the party is at a pool or a bounce house like Jump ‘n Jammin? Do I need to pay hundreds of dollars on a game truck and invite 30 people to get kids to come to my son’s birthday party? A birthday party is not a place to drop off all your kids (siblings included) so you can have the day to yourself. A birthday party is for the birthday child and his or her friends.

    I would love to hear your thoughts on this!

  • He’s at it Again!

    Rocks, Minerals, and Geodes – oh my! The boy is at it again. After getting a few rocks and crystals at Cub Scout Day Camp, Dylan became fascinated with a new found hobby. Then during his first week at the Environmental Nature Center Summer Camp he received 2 more rocks. It wasn’t long before he had to buy a little book and his very own geode to crack open.

    What a fun way to spend the afternoon with him. We had the hammer, the newspaper, the geode, and of course the camera ready to go. It took us about 10 minutes to crack this little rock, but what we found inside was beautiful.

    The crystals shimmered in the sun and what appear to be little snowballs to the naked eye are actually small crystals when you look under a magnifying glass.

    Knowing how much Dylan loves to do research on the internet, we found a great site where he could look up other types of rocks and crystals to add to his collection.

    Do you have a child interested in rocks and crystals? If so, check out The Kids Corner at Rock Crystals site.

  • Totally Random Friday

    Sometimes totally random thoughts are the best!

    1. I am a (morning, evening, middle of the day person) … definitely an evening person! Although I enjoy my laid back mornings with my cup of coffee and newspaper, while Dylan watches TV – evenings are my favorite. I seem to get so much more done late at night when the house is quiet. Someone once told me that the time of day/night your are born determines whether you will be a night owl or an early bird. Considering both Dylan and I were born just a few minutes after midnight, this might explain why we both enjoy being night owls!
    2. My favorite Pandora stations are … I don’t really listen to Pandora 😦
    3. 3 of my “must-have” songs for a road trip playlist are … wow, just 3? This is a tough one. I don’t know that I can name exact songs I must have, but for sure certain artists. If it’s a summer road trip, I must have the Beach Boys playing. Other must haves for road trips are Kenny Chesney, anything from the 80’s, and of course if Dylan is along for the ride we would have to have some Disney channel songs. his current favorite is I Love You Like a Love Song by Selena Gomez.
    4. My favorite pattern is … anything Hawaiian. I love all Hawaiian prints, but nothing too bright. 
    5. My favorite perfume is … ok, don’t laugh. As much as I love the expensive perfumes, I always go back to my $12.00 bottle of Forever Florals in Plumeria I first bought this in Hawaii many years ago and have loved it ever since. My way of bringing the islands with me wherever I go.
    6. Rules are … meant to be broken?
    7. My most overused phrase or punctuation is … Seriously? or Are you serious? tend to come out of my mouth more often then they should.
    Share your random thoughts in the comments below or over at

  • Big Changes + momAgenda = Happiness

    So you may have noticed that the web address has changed. We can now be found at LifewithDylan.com and that’s just the first step. There are some exciting things in the works, but we can’t say just yet.

    Besides taking this mom blog to a whole new level, I am up to my eyeballs with Shel Cosmetics. Don’t get me wrong, I love staying busy and the business is doing great. Busy Mom means the company is successful! Needless to say, I am spending more time on the computer than I did when I was in school.

    So along with scheduling appointments, vacations, shipping out orders, getting Dylan to and from summer day camps, and preparing for the Fall marketing campaigns I am glad that there is one thing that can keep me sane.

    My beloved momAgenda

    I have always used the Personal Portfolio with a spiral refill and love the soft leather with pockets and snap closure to make sure all my papers stay inside, but I might change things up this year. The new Faux Crocodile momAgenda Desktop in Teal Blue seems to be calling my name every time I see it.

    image from momAgenda.com

    For those of you who are not familiar with momAgenda, this amazing product was created by a mom … for moms! Every detail and every event you can possibly imagine is part of this organizational system. Vacations, gift guides, favorite places, holidays, mom-friendly web address listings, just about anything is here at your fingertips! And they makes it so simple for you …

    image from momAgenda.com

    Thank you momAgenda for making my crazy, chaotic life a happy one!

  • Wordless Wednesday – Controller of the Remote, Always!

  • A Mother’s Love

    Eight years ago today, at 12:10 am, I gave birth to the most beautiful 8 lb. 6 oz. 20 1/2 inches long baby boy.

    When I heard your first cry, when I held you in my arms, when I saw your face …
    Nothing else mattered.

    “It was the middle of the night and I had been awake for over 24 hours … but we were finally alone … just me and my son. All I could do was gaze at you in pure amazement. So this is the little guy who has been kicking me and pushing on my bladder. For months now I have imagined you smiling your Mommy’s smile, gazing at me with eyes like mine. As I held you in my arms I saw that you were more perfect than anything I had ever imagined! I want to be the one to nourish you, protect you, comfort you. I want to make your world a beautiful place just like you have for me.” – from Dylan’s Baby Book

    Nothing can break the bond of a Mother’s love … it only gets stronger with each passing day.

    Happy Birthday my sweet boy. You have given me the best 8 years of my life.

    I love you.

  • The Coveted Boba Fett Slave I

    Yes, another Lego posting. But this one is different … the biggest one yet that Dylan built entirely on his own. He has been eyeing this particular Lego (Boba Fett’s Slave I) for some time now and he finally had enough money saved up to buy it. Well, ok … almost enough money. I pitched in $25 as an early birthday present and he had the other $40. The remaining $15 was paid with Lego VIP points and an additional 10% discount for showing our Legoland pass when we made the purchase at the Lego Store.

    After opening the box and sorting out all the bags he prepared himself by taking a deep breath and letting me know that he would need to be left alone so that he could concentrate.

    With bag 1 opened and sorted onto paper plates he began what would be a 5 hour Lego project.

    I thought it would be fun to capture a picture every 30 minutes to watch his progress.

    30 minutes 

    1 hour 

    1:30 hours 

    2 hours

    It’s now 9:30 pm. Time for bed, but he will start again as soon as he wakes up in the morning.

    Bag #2 opened and ready to go

    3 hours

    Bag #3 ready to go – 3:30 hours

    4 hours

    4:30 hours – almost done!

    5 hours and it’s finally done

    Dylan was so proud of himself after building this Boba Fett Slave I. He kept reminding me that it had 573 pieces and was for ages 9-14


    Life is so much better with LEGO’s

  • The Zoo … Again?

    What, you want to go to the San Diego Zoo again?

    But we were just there. Oh wait, that was 6 weeks ago.

    Yes, it must be time for another visit. Besides, this time was different because our friend Paul was coming down from Big Bear and going with us. Boy, if I had only known what I was in for with these two goofballs!

    Anything and everything from insulting Mom, to water-spitting fights, to jumping out and scary each other, to attempting to ‘read’ the map and get us around the zoo with the least amount of back tracking, while still seeing everything!

    So much for a relaxing day at the zoo … geesh!

    As usual, we started at the reptiles and insects. Only this time Dylan got to have a first hand look at a stick bug. Thankfully it was only a stick bug and not one of the many other creatures they could have pulled out like the Hissing Madagascar Cockroach or the giant Bird-eating Tarantula!

    Well, now that we’ve seen the creepy crawlies it’s time for a trek to see all the other animals. 

    Time to stop for some lunch at Dylan’s favorite spot high above the trees and monkeys. This is where the two decided to plan out our route … scary. Little did I know this was going to be a full 8 hour day walk through the zoo!

    Although Dylan doesn’t remember, these bronze gorilla sculptures were another one of his favorite places to stop and play when he was a toddler. This is where his love of animals all started.

    Now on to some other primates. Paul and Dylan seemed to enjoy these furry friends the most.

    Getting up close and personal. Male bonding at its best …

    This orangutan was hilarious. At the bottom of the glass was a piece of black rubber, like a piece of weather stripping or something. A small piece was missing and this big guy proceeded to pick up a leaf of some sort and start digging away.

    His hands and fingers were so human-like. Especially the way he used his fingernails (if that’s what you call them) to pick the piece of rubber out and break it off. After all this work, he put the rubber strip in his mouth and decided it didn’t taste too good.

    And what would a trip to the zoo be without Rhinos and Giraffes?

    My personal favorite … the reason I go to the San Diego Zoo … Koalas!

    Now, the last few times Dylan and I have gone to the zoo he has begged me to let him go on the bungee bounce contraptions they have recently added. Just another way to get you to spend money right? This area use to be a nice grass resting spot where Dylan would run around and play, but now it is where he wants to bungee … and this trip I let him! Thankfully Paul was there to help get him going higher and higher.

    Just as I stopped recording, Dylan actually did a back flip. The look on his face was priceless. He wasn’t sure if he wanted to laugh or cry. I think it surprised him as much as it surprised us!

    We had a great day and made more memories of Dylan’s favorite place to spend the day. His home away from home with all of the animals that he loves so much … and his ‘rock’

  • Summer Friday’s Are the Best!

    I’ve missed my Friday’s with Lauren … her random thoughts are a great way to end the week!
    1. My plans this summer include … spending quality time with my son. This will be the first summer in over 2 years that I will not have homework or papers to write. We will spend lazy days by the pool, at the beach, visiting Disneyland, Sea World, the zoo and many other fun activities. I also plan to laugh … a lot!!
    2. The best summer I ever had was … the summer of 2009 when I got to spend time in my favorite place of all with Dylan … Maui. Taking him on the Gemini for a day of sailing and snorkeling was something I will never forget.
    3. Summer is … my absolute favorite time of year! Anytime I can feel the sun on my face and smell the warmth of a sunny day at the beach is pure bliss for me.
    4. My favorite summer food is … strawberries. I can eat them by the basket. BBQ corn on the cob is pretty great too
    5. The best way to quench a summer thirst is with … an ice cold glass of water or ice tea. I especially enjoy water flavored with cucumbers or citrus fruit.
    6. My summer uniform consists of … long skirts and tank tops. I also love a cute Hawaiian maxi dress and always flip flops or even better barefoot in the sand!
    7. The best thing about summer is … the long days and warm nights. Oh, and summer means my birthday and Dylan’s birthday!
    Share your random thoughts in the comments below or over at

  • Missing My Grandpa

    Not really sure what brought his on. Maybe it was Dylan bringing home the worm farm from Cub Scouts or maybe it is because of all the talk about BBQ’s. Either way, both make me think of my Grandpa. He was not the typical Grandpa who gave hugs, but rather the one who showed his affection by putting me in playful headlock. He taught me how to fish and I remember playing with his big old bucket of earthworms when I was a small child. This would make my Grandma so mad. He taught me how to build the perfect BBQ with charcoal, newspaper, and small pieces of wood … layers were the key according to Grandpa. Oh how I loved watching him BBQ. He made the best BBQ chicken ever!

    Growing up without a father in my life I guess I clung to my Grandpa for the male figure I needed so much as child. Like me and Dylan, my Mom was a single mother who worked full-time and I went to my Grandma’s house every day after school. My grandparents meant the world to me. Funny how when I think about, life has come full circle with my parents and Dylan.

    When my Mom re-married, I was 10 years old … but never lost that connection with my Grandpa. His funeral was the hardest thing I have ever had to do and sad to say, I have not been back to visit him often enough. I guess it’s just too hard for me.

    As I write this, I can feel the tears welling up in my eyes. Being the first grandchild of many, I have always felt a special connection to my grandparents. I so wanted my Grandpa to see his first great-grandson. I am thankful that he was able to attend my wedding and in an odd sort of way, thankful that he was ailing when I went through my divorce. This way, he did not need to see the pain I went through. I remember when I was pregnant thinking if only Grandpa were here.

    Sad to say, I have no pictures of me with my Grandpa. I will have to ask my Mom if she has any. If she does, they are probably very old. He was not one for taking pictures, just as he was not one for showing his emotions or saying I Love You. I remember seeing him in the hospital during his final days and I leaned down to give him a kiss. He hugged me and said, “I Love You Michelle.” Wow, this coming from the man who only gave playful headlocks with a ‘hey you, glad you could make it.’

    This is the only picture I could find of my Grandpa. It was taking at my grandparents 50th wedding anniversary in May 1996. My grandfather passed in September 2001.

    Friends, take those pictures … no matter how much others say no or I didn’t do my hair. Take those pictures. Because one day, a picture is all that you will have left with your memories of earthworms and BBQ’s.

    This picture of Grandpa’s burial site was taking in 2005, the last time I went to visit. Before that I went one time when I was pregnant to talk to him and introduce my unborn child to him. I think it’s time Dylan and I took a trip to see my Grandpa. It’s time Dylan starts learning some of things his great-grandpa would have enjoyed teaching him and telling him some of the stories about me and my Grandpa.

    Maybe, just maybe the earthworms coming home with Dylan was my Grandpa’s way of saying ‘hey, glad you could make it’ …