Trying to be healthy...

Growing up, we had cattle.  I don't remember much about it other than they were in OK, the bull was named Horny (because he had horns), and there was another one named Boomerang ( I vaguely remember he ran away and always came back?).  We had returned from Australia, and my sister named them.

I do have fond memories of the ranch and visiting my grandparents.  One time we went fishing in a pond there, someone caught a fish, and I was having a meltdown (I was little), and the fish jumped back in the pond.  My grandfather said it was because of me.  Oh well.  I remember drinking goat milk, feeding chickens, collecting eggs (my grandmother would tell me I wasn't fast enough, and to quit being scared and grab those eggs!), and a visit to their auction barn (where I once made a fake leather wallet from some kit my mom gave me, and my grandfather taught me how to count money quickly while he was counting money in the snack bar they ran too).  I had an interesting childhood.

Anyway, we used to have tons of beef, wrapped in white paper, and stored in our garage freezer.  Fast forward, and I have been trying to go with organic and grass-fed beef, in order to keep the kids happy, and healthy.  We bought 1/4 of a cow, and our freezer is full of amazing meat, which is tasty.  My out-laws keep us supplied with duck eggs and chicken eggs from their brood.

During this time:

1.  Em decided she was going to be a vegetarian.
2.  Abs declared she only likes ground beef and ribs.
3.  Andrew NEVER eats meat.
4.  Gunner has decided that since we are eating healthier, it is beef that causes him to feel gross.

This leaves me.  I'm eating steaks, fajitas, and more steaks.

These children (and Gunner) are going to be the death of me!

Have we lost our minds???

We were planning to take the kids to Europe this summer.  I will be over there anyway, and so will Emily, so we figured it would be a great family trip.

Then my sister mentioned the road trip that she took last summer with her boys, and Gunner was on a mission.  Junior and Abs were on board, and apparently we are now taking a road trip......

Gunner wants to eat a lobster in Maine.

Abs wants to go to the most Eastern part of the US and see the sun rise.

Junior wants to go to NYC.

Em wants to stick with Europe, but agreed that she wants to visit all the ghost towns, etc.

I want to go to Salem, MA.

We found the website  Roadside America that will let us find all the oddities along the way.  Way back when, we visited Foamhenge.  Did you know there are over 50 different "henges" to see?  I think we need to see a few along the way, or eventually all 50.

To make this trip sound even more asinine amazing, Gunner decided we should CAMP the entire way.  So, we are going to travel halfway across the country, in the car, with three kiddos, while touring the US, and we will be camping.

This trip was made for blogging.  I'm excited, in a worried way.  Either we will make some amazing memories, or we will all hate each other at the end of this.

Em will be leaving for college the summer of 2016.  That's just around the corner.  God help me!  Maybe I will take thousands of pictures and put together four albums, so we can have one and each child.  You know, to remind us of the craziness that I am sure will occur.

We are already planning for this crazy BIG event.  Start praying for us now!

When Should I Panic????

We are closing in on the end.  In a week, we will be getting our second to last paycheck from the military.  (Thank goodness they never did away with once a month pay, but really, that was my biggest concern back then?  LOL)  Sure we have retirement coming in after that, but heck, that's squat--but don't get me wrong, it's a hard earned, much appreciated squat!

We got our first ever electricity bill.  What do you mean it isn't included in our rent and you won't pay me if I don't use it all????  Water?  That costs money?  Oh dear, the hot tub is heated with gas?

I'm thinking we should live by candlelight....or by lantern?  This whole settling into the civilian world is new to me.  We have never ever rented a house.  We've never had to take care of a pool and hot tub....I'm totally not complaining about those two perks though.  We never had to learn how to take care of sprinklers, or have such a huge lawn that I can't mow it with just a weedeater.

Did you know that they pick up trash more than one day a week in the civilian world?  I had no clue!  What's better is that I have no idea when they pick up the trash because, well, it's Gunner's job!

The house seems huge to us, and I actually don't have enough/right size/right color curtains to cover the windows regardless of the 10 houses we have lived in previously.  I am thinking I am going to create re-adjustable curtains for military families.

We have a two car garage.  Do you know how much stuff you can fit in that?  (I'm blaming it on the fact that we haven't had time to unpack, not on anything else, I repeat, not on anything else.)

We are back in the land of mexican food.  Heaven.

I joined the "Biggest Loser" at work.  I am probably way too competitive for this.  I have to win, as there is money involved.  I told my crossfit coach I joined.  He's as competitive as I am.  He rides me, and questions everything I eat.  I love it.  Count on me to win, win, win and my clothes to fit, fit, fit!

So while I settle into civilian life, I am starting to mourn the military life.  No deployments?  (That's good, but also bad, because let's be honest, those homecomings ROCK!)   My kids will no longer be able to wear "My dad fights for freedom, what does your dad do?" tshirts.  Of course there is always the me factor, in that for over 10 years, we have never lived together longer an about 15 months.  Yikes!

I have friends that are getting ready to PCS now, and I am totally jealous, but of course while we were doing our first PCS to Germany, they were probably in junior high, or as my children remind me daily, it's called middle school.

I'm thinking early bedtime tonight so I can work tomorrow, then lounge in the pool the rest of the weekend.  I think now would have been the ideal time for me to be a SAHM!

P.S.  Gunner has been home for 5 months.  Amazing!

Coming Up for a Breath

One of the hard things about starting a new job is that you have a learning curve.  Every school is different.  Every grade is different.  Every child is different.  I spend 6 days a week at school, and sometimes over 12 hours a day.  It's starting to wear me down, so I am trying to be more productive with my time and crank out my work quickly.  I haven't been as regular at crossfit as I would like, but I am determined to make a priority.  Crossfit=happy mom=happy kids

We are loving the pool at our new house, and after the kids are tucked into bed, Gunner and I are enjoying the hot tub.

Now if I could just find more time at home, then maybe we would finally get unpacked!

So far my beloved son has spent less than a week at school full time.

We've been in school for just over 3 weeks now.  The 5 days he spent in school, was probably spent in ISS. Yes, my son, was the one who was suspended on the first day of school......for sliding out of his seat at lunch and barking like a dog.  I didn't know that was a crime, but you could imagine that it only got worse from there.

I won't get into details, but it's been a stressful situation.

Abs is actually doing really well this year, and Em is hanging in there.  They both miss their school in Colorado.  I miss Colorado.  Everything happens for a reason.  Everything happens for a reason.  Everything happens for a reason.  That's my new battle cry.

My leg is still in the healing process.  It got infected and I was put on a super high dose of antibiotics.  I had to stay on them for 24 hours and then they went in, re-opened the wound, cleaned it out, and sewed it back up. Eventually it stopped swelling up to massive sizes, and I was able to walk on it....and most importantly work out with again.

So we are getting settled in, I will come up for a breath every once in a while, and I think making crossfit a priority will help some.  Maybe some wine too.  That helps right?

If anyone has a great decision on how to make my life easier, please let me know!

In the meantime, here's a shot from some mini spring rolls that I had when I went out with my friend Abbey.....

Really, these things were almost as big around as a coke can.  Mini spring rolls?

Oh, and bedtime is a battle with Junior.  What's up with that?

Hard to believe...

It is FRIDAY!!!  Do you understand what that means????  It means my darling Abs has survived her first week of camp!  I can hardly wait to hear the stories and see what she has to say about everything.  When I sent Em off for the first time, I had no worries.  Abs was a different story, not too many people understand her or have the patience for her.  Heck, half the time I lose it!

I hit the gym this morning and am trying to figure out how to get one more day of mexican food in before I leave Texas in less than 48 hours.  I'm sad that I am leaving, but ready to get back to a cooler climate, at least for a few days.  I looked at the weather in Utah, and it will be over 100 degrees every day.  I am buying extra deodorant for everyone.

Gunner is having a great time in Michigan with his buddy from the Army, and I have only spent a few hours watching Sammy on the peek-a-pooch at doggy daycare.  He seems to be happy.  He was playing and going down the slide.  I still think that they should have artificial grass.

I went to Ikea yesterday and only walked out with towels.  Then I read a blog about making your own hooded towels, and I want to go back for handtowels to complete the ensemble.  I need more hooded towels, right?  I couldn't pass up the towels though, as they were $2.49.  They had these cool bins for shoes, some stuff I need for the bathroom to put crap in, and cute, cute, cute comforter sets for Em.  I could have used a couple of rugs, and some bookcases, but if I show up with a car full of kids and Ikea, I think Gunner might flip!

I'm still dreaming of enchiladas....

Why I love Sammy

While I didn't love this picture of him, I have yet another reason that I love this dog.....

HE DOES NOT SHED!!!!

I spent a few hours with my inlaws this afternoon, and was covered in dog hair.  Covered.  I itch just thinking about it.  I know they try, but I just wouldn't be able to handle having fur everywhere.

Abs asked for prayers for Sammy at church on Sunday because he was missing her.  I'm surprised she didn't tell them about the 911 call or something.

It's Wednesday and still no contact for camp, I think we might make it through the week!!!!!  I'm already thinking about next year!!!!

Gunner is flying out early tomorrow morning for Michigan to attend a wedding of the guy who was best man at our wedding 15 years ago.  He boarded Sammy, and I am thinking about logging in already to view him on the webcam!

Dinner and a bike ride coming up....

Still here....

For some reason I cannot access my mom's wireless, so I have to sit on the floor and plug directly into her modem.  I'm too old to be on the floor.  My feet fall asleep.  My legs start to hurt.  Hence the reason I am not blogging as often.

We have been busy!  Read about some adventures here.  (The first two posts--yes, my daughter called 911, before she ate ice cream on my mom's couch, but after she painted herself with tar)

Abs and Em are off at camp, and I am glad to say that we have successfully made it 24 hours without a phone call.  I almost think it is easier to keep her (Abs) with me, because I can deal with her antics, and I don't worry about her as much.  This is supposed to be a stress-free time, but I am worried about her!  

Junior went to spend two nights with the outlaws.  They needed some time, and he thinks he is at Camp Oma.  They took him to DQ tonight and he had a gigantic milkshake, and I can imagine it was followed by a giant ice cream sundae.  I hinted that he needed to be potty trained to, and if she could potty train 4 boys, surely she can potty train one Junior.  We'll see.

I've had mexican food twice.  I went to visit my friend Abbey.   Junior luckily didn't break a window, did wet his pants, and we met the new neighbor when Abs threw noodles over the fence and I dragged her over there to clean them up.  Noodles.  Seriously.  She told me she was testing the power of her fork to fling food. I assured her that she could test it on her own forks after she had a college degree.  For someone so smart.....

Gunner and Sammy are holding down the homefront, and Gunner is not liking it.  He's lonely.  It's no fun cooking for one.  He has no one to go do anything with when he isn't at work.  Hmmmm....sounds similar to what I go through sometimes.  We'll be home soon enough though, and I can't wait to get back to the coolness of Colorado!  The heat here is unbearable.

I was at the gym today and even inside, I was sweating buckets.  

We went to see Ab's old teacher, and they both were excited.  It takes a special teacher to have had Abs for two years, and still see all the positive things about her.  I think I should nominate her for sainthood!

I visited my old school.  I miss my job.  I loved my school.  I loved my students.  I did see the ones who were still there, and they've gotten so big!  

Tomorrow I am meeting a friend to see some old stomping grounds.  Sic 'em bears!

We've seen bugs galore and even a gigantic tarantula walking across my mom's yard.  (picture from my sister)

Spiders don't get my goat, but roaches are a whole other thing.  Luckily we just worry about scorpions here.

I've worked out, swam, ridden bikes, shopped, read about 5 books, and eaten.  I'm going to miss Texas, but not this heat.