It's over....

I took my test this morning and now I just have to wait 3-4 weeks for the results. Think positively!

We went and saw my nephew's science fair project at the regional science fair in Austin. It was jam packed with kids. He did a great job though and I am proud of him.

After the science fair we went to celebrate my sister's birthday at Souper Salad. Where else do you eat when you have 5 children with different tastes and me on WW? I absolutely love salad bars. I did have two pieces of their gingerbread though. How can you pass that up?

I schedules three massages over the next three months and now I have 3 more microderms at the spa that I need to get done. Can't wait!

Last deployment I slept because I was pregnant and Junior took everything out of me. This deployment I will get in shape and pamper myself, start a new career, take care of my three monkeys, hang out and knit with Erin, lose weight with Peggy, send packages to Gunner, and keep my sanity! I wonder which one will be the hardest to do.

Flat Daddy

We got our flat daddy the other day! It is free, but there is a huge backlog so it takes a while for them to get to you. The girls were really excited and Junior was puzzled.

We will mount him this weekend and he'll be ready to go! I'm very grateful for those that donated so that military families could receive one. Maybe I need to make a flat Em, Abs and Junior to travel to Iraq. Let me just add that to my list of one hundred million things that I need to do before he deploys.

Reminds me I need to get our taxes done!

Allowance

I don't really give an allowance, but I came up with this great idea of how the girls could earn money and help around the house (moreso than they already do). It sounded perfect and I was busily making lists of all the possibilities and ideas.

The girls came home and I proposed my idea. It got really quiet and Em said "A dollar? All that for a dollar? I can make more money by selling a book or stuff than I can doing a bunch of extra work."

Where did I go wrong??? When I was growing up we used to get our age multiplied by our grade. So in 2nd grade I was 7 years old and got 14 cents. We were paid once a year and then driven directly to the bank to deposit our "wealth". Once we figured out that we were getting ripped off, the allowance stopped.

In Em's defense, she does keep her room clean, help with Andrew, and help around the house as needed, so I guess I shouldn't try and fix a system that isn't too broken. I'll have to come up with a new plan.

Any ideas? How much allowance is too much? I just can't see a 6 and 10 year old getting $5 a week or more.

Camp

I am trying to decide what to do with the girls this summer while I am in school. They have daycamp on post which I will use the majority of the time. In the past they have gone to acting camp, but I think that might a little much for them since Em has her big trip this summer for most of July.

I usually send Em to Girl Scout resident camp for a week. She absolutely loves it. I tried sending her to one locally and it was not a great environment. The next year I sent her back to one of the camps I used to attend and she had the time of her life. Last year we made the 5 hour commute to take her to a camp I used to attend on Galveston Bay--Casa Mare--and she loved that one as well.

This year they have restructured the GS councils and we are in a new one. This means that that have new camps available for them to attend. I thought if I sent her to one locally that it would be easier on me since I can drop her off on Sunday and pick her up on Friday and we won't have the 5 hour commute, just an hour or so.

Then I thought that maybe Abs is ready for camp. Maybe I should rephrase that as in I am not sure if camp is ready for Abs! I pulled up the quiz they offer to see if your daughter is ready and here are some of the questions:

Do you enjoy outdoor activities like hikes, sports, and sleeping in a tent?
Can you survive without a radio, TV, video games, air conditioner, and a phone?
Can you see daddy long legs, bugs, or armadillos without running around shrieking?
Can you make your own bed and keep track of your own things?
Do you like to meet new people and do things with other girls, not just your best friends?
Do you enjoy sleeping outside and listening to the sounds of nature?
Do you like to help plan activities and the things you do?
Are you ready to sleep in a tent or cabin with other girls knowing your counselor is in a nearby cabin?
Are you willing to help with kapers (camp responsibilities) like sweeping, setting tables and picking up trash?

My favorite is the running around shrieking! They didn't ask if she likes to play in mud, create messes, or wreak havoc on everything around her, so maybe she is ready?

Egg Whites

Who knew it would become such a pain?

Junior is allergic to egg whites and now they are telling me that I need to enroll him in EFMP because of that. I explained that it is just plain eggs I don't want him eating, he can eat anything that is made with eggs.

So this means another doctor visit, another set of paperwork and another "hearing".

Are they seriously going to offer me 16 free hours of respite care for an egg white allergy? And they are offering it for Abs. Wonder what they will give me for Emily and her gimpy foot?

Wordless Wednesday

Collectible Car of the Year

NY Times recently had a contest to determine who owned the most collectible car this year. Over 558 contestants entered their cars ranging from muscle cars to Triumphs to in between and after 4500 votes, a black 1959 Triumph TR3A was declared the winner.

Most people my age probably haven't heard of a Triumph, but they hold a special place in my family's hearts.

My parents met on a blind date and had a whirlwind courtship which ended in a proposal a few weeks after meeting. My dad returned to California and made plans to come back in a few months and marry my mom. While he was back in CA, my dad went out and bought a white Triumph TR4 and then called to tell his future bride. (My dad was worried if he didn't get one then he might never get one!) My mom told him he could do what he wanted but she told me that inside she was screaming "Alright!!". That little Triumph provided hours of enjoyment as they attended rallies and motorcrosses throughout Southern California.

When my parents left to go overseas they reluctantly sold their cherished Triumph. Fast forward many years later and four kids, I remember my dad taking us to see a Triumph that was for sale. The woman uncovered a white 1959 TR3A and my dad smiled. Of course he couldn't let on how much he wanted that little car, so he insisted that my brother and little sister and I push it up and down the driveway while we tried to get it running. I don't think we ever did. My dad managed a fair price (after a quick lesson about how the owner made a poor financial decision and it was costing her the car she loved, so we should think carefully before we made every decision involving money) the car was my dad's.

My dad had it restored and painted a fiery red since during the resoration it was found that the original color of the car had been red. (Also my mom's favorite color) My dad joined the Texas Triumph Register where he became involved in many aspects of the car club, with rallies and road trips being his specialty. My Dad would spend hours planning trips with the car club across the United States to attend different car shows and events. He loved that car.

After my dad was diagnosed with renal cell carcinoma, my siblings and I tried to come up with the perfect Christmas present for him in 2003. After contemplating numerous items we came up with the idea that we should contact Triumph clubs around the world to see if we could buy tshirts or other memorabilia. Using the internet and all the free time I had since my husband was deployed, I set out to find a tshirt or two. I wrote several emails explaining the situation and what my siblings and I were trying to do. The response I got was not what I expected at all. Triumph car clubs around the world sent us tshirts, hats, fleece jackets, bumper stickers, awards, medallions, collectibles and memorabilia without hesitation and at no cost--Georgia, Canada, South Africa, Italy, England, Arizona, California, and many, many, many more. We carefully wrapped each piece individually and my father spent Christmas morning amazed at the gift these people had given him.

Unfortunately as my father fought a battle with cancer, his little Triumph was not driven as often nor as hard as it once had been. I had always wanted to drive it but had never been given the opportunity. One weekend my dad took me out and let me drive. We drove around his retirement community and he kept telling me "Go faster! It's made to drive. Make her go!". I told him after decades of waiting to drive it, I was nervous!! But with the top down and the sun up, my dad and I drove that little red sports car and every care in the world was forgotten.

When my father passed away, his friends showed up in their Triumphs to attend the service. A fitting tribute to my dad.

The legacy of the Triumph in our family lives on as Em plans to be delivered to her college dorm riding inside that little red sports car.

Deployment Freebies

We went this morning (Gunner had a 4 day weekend--I am loving them being off on Tuesday now instead of Friday!) to get Junior's daycare arranged at the center. While there I showed his deployment orders and they told me about all the free things we get starting now.

Junior gets a 20% discount on his full time daycare bill and this will carry over to the girls too when they need to go to the summer camp because I have class all summer. That saves me about $600 this summer! WOOHOO!

Each of the kids gets 16 free hours of daycare a month. They have Friday and Saturday getaways. This also applies for the girls for after school care, so I can use it when Abs starts her biofeedback and I was stressing about what to do with Em during that time.

Each child gets to play 2 sports a year for free. (It cost us $66+ to register the girls for soccer.)

They also get 4 free Skies Unlimited classes (up to 8 weeks long) for free.

Re-enrolling the kids will be free, so that's a $40 savings.

10 free hours of daycare per child during R&R.

There are also several emergency provisions in place, which I will hopefully never have to move and I do have my mom as a backup as well.

The lady who got me setup with all this stuff was great, but when I asked who was footing the bill for this, she said eventually it will come back to bite us. I'm sure it will as that is a huge source of revenue that is now being depleted. Apparently it is not the same at every installation, but since Fort Hood is the largest they are able to do this. I can't imagine that I will be using everything as I like to hang out with my children, but it is nice to know the options are there in case an emergency arises.

When does it get better?

Abs is going to be 7 next month. She has always been one of those kids that you have to watch almost constantly. Over the past year or so I thought she was improving and could be trusted. I guess at least the things she does now don't cause as much of a mess as they used to.

At our old house I had a brand new gallon of olive oil that I had purchased from Sam's. I lost it when I ran to the bathroom and she figured out how to open it and she emptied it on the kitchen floor. Then there was the Sam's size box of detergent she poured out. Thank goodness that was powder. She once decorated the white cabinets with a lime green sharpie, and there's always the story of how my husband left out the desitin and she painted herself white and the olive green couch while I took a shower for 5 minutes. Desitin doesn't come out of furniture, and it take a while to disappear from your hair too. (Mind you she did this about 10 minutes before we were to leave to go to a Thanksgiving feast at Em's school. Timing is everything.)

Abs then went through the lotion in the hair stage. She found a permanent green stamp pad and smeared it all over her body because she wanted to be a green smurf. She was banned from markers because she used to color her body with them. She's cut her own hair numerous times and even let one of her friends take a huge chunk out. When she was in diapers she used to smear poop all over her body, clothes and room during nap time. (Nap time was cancelled after a few times of that mess) She dumped out a bottle of shampoo into the carpet in housing. There was the time she managed to find a pen and make it explode and she smeared it all over herself, her bed and wrote her name on her antique dresser.

These are just the things I can think of off the top of my head that my cute darling daughter does in her spare time.

Today Gunner took Em and Junior to the commissary and I had just returned home from the gym and wanted to shower. I usually keep a few dinosaur movies on DVR to entertain her in cases like this so she started to watch one about the T-Rex Sue. I started my water and realized I had forgotten to get some towels so as I headed to the linen closet I heard Abbie in the kitchen. Knowing she was up to something I came racing down the hallway and Abbie was running back to the couch to resume her movie. This all happened in about 1 minute. I asked her what she had been up to and she told me "Nothing Mommy!". I went into the kitchen to find a HUGE pile of salt on the floor.

I went back into the living room and tried to talk to her.

Me: Abs, there's a pile of salt on the floor.

Abs: Really, how did that get there?

Me: Ummmmm......(at this point I am thinking that someone else might have actually had something to do with it, but then I face reality). Why did you do it?

Abs: I didn't do anything.

Me: Come on Abs, why did you do it.

Abs: Wasn't me.

(Heidi recommended a book a while back and I got it and actually remembered that there was something about asking questions in there, I really should finish reading it, but I at least got this part down.)

Me: What happened Abs? (yeah it was a simple change of words, but it worked)

Abs: Oh I spilt a little bit of water and I knew that salt would absorb it so I sprinkled a little on the water.

(There was no water on the floor that I saw)

Me: Thanks for letting me know, let's go clean it up.

So we cleaned up the mess together, and I was relieved that it wasn't olive oil or toothpaste (that was last week in the hallway when she was supposed to be sleeping).

I did get my shower without anymore trouble, but I will be reading that book again tonight!

Collections

I have collected several different things over the years. I usually tire of them and move on to something else. My schrank is full of things I have collected on our travels throughout the world.

Today I spent my morning in class--I can quit worrying about my post test as I made a 92!

This afternoon I spent helping my mom (minus the hour I was gone for microdermabrasion) clean out a few files in her computer room.

If anyone knows my family, we have a hoarding problem (my SIL was disappointed that they couldn't genetically screen for this during her pregnancy, lol). If there is a horizontal surface it will have a pile. Our family knows what is in those piles and can find anything in a moment's notice. Well sometimes.

While I was helping my mom organize (aka downsize) I realized what her true love is.

My mom collects three rings binders.

The bigger the better. Not just wimpy 1" or 2" binders, we are talking 5"+. They are all different colors, all different styles, all with a different story.

Not just one binder. Not just two binders. Over 30+ binders, all empty. I know that there are more in the house. I wonder what the final count will be.

New Blog

I met my friend Marcie when we worked a hellatious job together in Washington State.

Being the quiet, shy, reserved person that I am, I never really talked to her much.

Then we started hanging out and I realized I had met someone just like me. Kind of scary, I know.

When Gunner and I went to NYC, Marcie came down to visit. When we went to St. Louis for Christmas we ventured over to Illinois to hang out with her and her family. I miss her terribly and wished she lived closer--you know Marce, they have Air Force at Hood and I'm sure the kids would love the hustle and bustle of Central Texas living!

Check out her blog here.

Sleep

I am tired but couldn't sleep in this morning. This past Wednesday I had a post test for the class I am taking and we get the results back today. I had to improve in order to earn 15 points of my grade. I did pretty well the first time, and then they stuffed my head with all of this information and I am just hoping I didn't screw up. The real test is on the 23rd of February so I will spend all next week continuing to study.

Maybe I will go knit till I have to leave or until Junior wakes up.

We didn't get a phone call from the Girl Scout leader so I am assuming that Abs did okay last night. She was SO excited and tried to carry her things to the tent but all the big kids came over and carried them so she tried to help her sister. Em forgot the bags to put over her boot so I hope it doesn't get filthy before Gunner gets out there today.

The daycare provider that flaked on my yesterday morning left me a message last night that she wanted to take Junior for me. You've got to be kidding me. I'm leaving him in the center.

Daycare III

The daycare dilemna is over. Finally.

I called the FCC office this morning...again. They told me that someone just came in and was going through her USDA training and lived in my neighborhood, was brand new and had an infant slot and would take Junior. The FCC provider would call me as soon as she got home. I was relieved.

It can't be that easy can it? Nope. She came home and called me to tell me that she got home and there was a voicemail that said someone wanted that spot and so if they didn't follow through she would call me back and let me know. I wouldn't want that spot if she couldn't keep her word. So I called the FCC office again to tell them the girl flaked and I needed more choices. They gave me a few more, I left a few messages and heard nothing all day.

I called back to central registration and they told me about the CD homes. So I called one and she said I had to get a referral from the waiting list lady. So I called the WL lady for about the 20th time this week. Left a message. She never calls back as usual. So I called back and explained the situation. She agreed that it was absolutely ridiculous so she found Junior a spot at the center. So he starts on Wednesday and I feel relieved.

We still have paperwork to do on Tuesday as well as the orientation.

I won't post on my daycare woes anymore, I promise. I'm sure I'll have new issues next week, lol.

And darn spellcheck still isn't working so no idea how many mistakes are in here.

Camping Forecast

Junior and Gunner are opting out and just going to drop them off tonight and go back tomorrow during the day. Can't blame them.


Now through 12:00 PM CST February 15, 2008

Isolated showers or sprinkles can be expected this morning across north Texas ahead and behind of a cold front. Rainfall accumulations will be less than 1/10 of an inch with any activity. At 10 AM...the cold front extends along a line from Gatesville to Hillsboro to Sulphur Springs. The cold front will continue to move slowly to the south throughout the morning. Rain chances will increase across north Texas this afternoon and tonight.
This Afternoon

Cloudy with a chance of showers and isolated thunderstorms. Highs in the lower 60s...with slow falling afternoon temperatures. Northeast winds 10 to 15 mph. Chance of rain 50 percent.
Tonight

Rain and thunderstorms. Lows in the mid 50s. Northeast winds 10 to 15 mph. Chance of rain 80 percent.
Saturday

Thunderstorms and showers. Some thunderstorms may be severe with heavy rainfall. Highs in the lower 60s. East winds 10 to 15 mph shifting to the southeast in the afternoon. Chance of rain near 100 percent.
Saturday Night

Showers and thunderstorms in the evening...then partly cloudy with a chance of light rain and isolated thunderstorms after midnight. Colder. Lows in the lower 40s. West winds 10 to 15 mph. Chance of rain 80 percent.
Sunday

Mostly sunny. Highs in the upper 50s. Northwest winds 10 to 20 mph with gusts to around 30 mph.

At least it should be nice by the time we pick them up.

Daycare Part II

So the FCC provider just called me to tell me that her infant slots were full and she can't take Junior. Apparently she thought she could have two in addition to her one, but she can only have two total. Now I am back to square one.

I swanee. About ready to say screw it all and drop them off with my Mom every day. LOL Just kidding mom!

Daycare, Bulgogi and Passports

I am on the waiting list for daycare on post. I have finally agreed that I will try a FCC provider. I've just talked to her on the phone and will meet with her tomorrow and let Andrew get a feel for the place as well. She seems really sweet and I am sure he will be immersed in Spanish, which in Texas is not a bad thing at all. I'll try her out for a while and see how he does, but they are pretty monitored so I feel pretty good about this. I'm sure it has to be more fun than hanging out with me all day!

Gunner and I were supposed to go get Em's passport today and I met him at the post office with all the paperwork and no Em. I didn't know I had to take her along! So now we have to wait till tomorrow to do it. Hopefully we can get it completed tomorrow and mailed off and it will be one less thing to worry about.

Since we couldn't get the passport Gunner and Junior and I ran over and had bulgogi for lunch. Junior was devouring the side dishes, so the waitress kept bringing him more and more. We went to the doctor after that and he had packed on some weight since he was there two days ago. Junior got the all clear on his ears which is good and he prescribed something new to try on the cradle crap that we are still battling off and on.

Tonight the VLA theatre is putting on Dream Girls and my friend Amanda and I are going to since it is free for military spouses. Gunner has no interest in going. Even after 13 years I am still working on him.

Deployment is looming over our heads and our To Do list keeps growing every day as I think of more things that we need to take care of before he leaves. Hopefully it will all get completed and we can kick back and spend the last few days relaxing. Time is going by way too fast.

Happy Valentine's Day!

Andrea over at Sgt and Mrs Hub is having a Valentine's Day Love Fest. You are supposed to write a story about how you met the love of your life....or your husband. Just kidding Gunner!

I was in college, my senior year and wasn't dating anyone in particular, just having a good time and trying to get out of school in 4 years! I was in a sorority, thanks to my friend Catherine (who always leaves such nice comments!). My "big sis" was a little girl named Michelle--she must have been about 4'10" tops. She was a great friend and she introduced me to Gunner at a party. She wanted me to meet him, but I saw him before she introduced us and I knew I wanted to meet this guy. He had on a white tshirt, black jeans, black boots and was kind of scruffy on the face and had a high and tight. I'm still a sucker when he gets a high and tight. Not a very exciting story at all.

We met, and he asked me if he could call me the next day. I said sure, but told him if he couldn't say my name correctly when he called I'd hang up. Not very nice I know, but I figured if I was important enough he could learn to say my name correctly. He asked me when I got out of class and I told him I would I had to stop and get lunch from the cafeteria, walk across campus, etc. and gave him a time to call. He smiled and said okay. I left thinking I would never hear from him again.

After class the next day I ran to get lunch and then to my apartment on the off chance that he might actually call. He called--exactly on the dot, a man after my heart from the start--and slowly pronounced my name....correctly. We talked for a bit and he asked me out.

I didn't know much about the army. Gunner was from California but had grown up as an Air Force Brat. He had been in the reserves but finally went active duty. Lucky for me.

Gunner showed up wearing a brand new shirt and I had gotten all dressed up for him. The next day he showed up again (he lived on post, which was an hour from me) in another brand new shirt. Finally after a few dates I broke the news--I told Gunner that I was an umbros and tshirt girl and an all you can eat buffet. Hey, I was on a budget in college so we loved buffets plus my metabolism was much higher than it was today. It was at that time that Gunner admitted that he didn't have very many clothes so he was showering after work and running to JC Penney's to buy a new shirt before he came over or met me somewhere. Poor guy!

Sometimes my friends would want to go dancing at one of the country places so Gunner would meet us halfway. When I met him he and his roommate were each taking dancing lessons--not as a couple though, lol. We weren't that bad together and I guess he gave up on the lessons.

I wanted to take Gunner home to meet the family for Thanksgiving, but my dad figured I would have a new guy by Christmas so he said no. Gunner was still around for Christmas so my dad agreed that he could sleep on the couch but that they weren't going to buy him anything big, just one small present. He then wanted to know what he drove--an Isuzu pickup with no air conditioning, in Texas. (Told you he needed me in his life!) My dad was relieved he didn't drive an American car.

So we went home for Christmas and on the way Gunner's fuel filter cratered and we chugged all the way home. As soon as we arrived my dad and my brother took Gunner to the auto repair shop, bought the part and then installed it for him. No telling what other ideas they installed in his head! A few days later, by the time Christmas rolled around, my parents had put a few more presents under the tree and my sister added one to the mix. It was probably the most presents he had seen in years. We left and my parents told him he was always welcome there, even without me. Thanks Mom!

A few months later, he proposed. He did ask my dad's permission which my dad loved. Score one for Gunner.

In the meantime I graduated from college and set out to enter the work force. Gunner was going to get out of the army, but I got a wild idea that I wanted to go to Germany and with very little convincing he reenlisted and I moved to Temple to be closer to him. We had a wedding date set in March 1995, but had to move it up with the introduction of orders. We got married December 17th, 1994, in Houston, Texas. I was 22 and he was 24. We were young, naive and in love.

Now 13 years later, 3 year long deployments and another one coming sooner rather than later, we are still here. We have three cute, energetic, spirited children--Em, Abs and Junior. Still happy albeit a lot more tired than we used to be.

Happy Valentine's Day! Now what's your story?

Wordless Wednesday

I want to hold your hand.....
Junior and Spider Monkey at the zoo. The monkey looks puzzled in the last one.

Good People

I was at a meeting today and one of the ladies has a son who is a firefighter. He is also in the reserves, and shortly after moving to town, buying a house and starting his new job his unit was activated to deploy to Iraq. His wife is a teacher and without the new income of his job and the decrease in his pay, it would have been extremely hard on them financially.

His fellow firefighters took every single one of his shifts during his deployment and his wife continued to receive his paycheck.

There are good people in this world.

Weekends

Gunner's weekends are limited so he is trying to make the most of them. I spend Saturday in class and then on Sunday I usually try to study. This gives Gunner Sundays to plan something special to do with the kids since I am in and out on Saturday. Em, Abs and Junior really look forward to these times. Armed with three children, a camera and a picnic lunch they set off on their "big adventures".

Last week it was the drive through animal park and this week it was the zoo. Always exciting stuff to a 10 year old, 6 year old and 19 month old.

Here are pictures from the zoo. This weekend he is going camping with the girls' GS troop and taking Junior along for the ride. I'm sure that there will be something to blog about from that trip!

An Open letter to the lady who sighs too much...

I heard you today.

I heard the first sigh, the second sigh, the third sigh, the 10,000th sigh.

We were stuck in a medium sized waiting room. Our doctor was running late. The same doctor that your husband was seeing. Because my daughter had this appointment, my son had to miss his nap and only caught a short 30 minute one on the drive over. He was tired. My daughter did not sleep last night and was tired. I was tired.

There was enough room for my daughter to push my son in the stroller around in a square pattern. It wasn't hurting anyone. I could have let them sit in the chair next to you and scream instead. Trust me, I was tempted.

Each time as they passed you (remember you chose to sit next to me out of all the seats that were vacant), my son would say "Beep, "Beep". You would sigh. The next time you would sigh louder. I was glad to hear him repeating words since he hadn't said much before the last two weeks. Abs would say "Hi Mommy!" and that would also cause you to sigh. I know she can be kind of loud, and I did remind her each time to use her inside voice. I bet you didn't know that when she was born she didn't respond to any sounds at all. We took her to the pediatrician and they got no response. We had extensive tests run on her ears and brain to finally learn that she was okay. I'm glad she can talk. (Well most days)

When we sang twinkle twinkle 3 dozen times, including hand motions, your sighs could have at least kept time with the beat of the music. It's my son's favorite song and before my husband leaves for 15 months I plan on taping him singing that song with his son. It will be a memory for both of them.

When I brought out the snack of Scooby Doo graham crackers in the shapes of bones, I thought your "sigher" was going to overload and break. No such luck. Yes, my daughter did give a little bark each time she put a bone into her mouth. Yes, my son copied her. They are lucky that they have a sibling with which to go through life. Not to mention they could have been screaming if I had forgotten to take a snack.

When Junior threw his binky down on the floor and it landed near your feet you really started sighing again. That binky was a lifesaver for me when my husband was gone and my son had colic and would scream. It would help calm him down. That binky is my best friend.

So my kids talked, they sang, they played, they ate and they tried to determine if the lady sitting on the other end was a lunch lady at Ab's school. They were children. They were pretty well behaved. I wasn't a horrible mother.

You were only next to us for about 30 minutes. Next time move or keep your sighs to yourself.

No Bodystep

I was pumped and ready to hit the gym this morning for Body Step. I misread the calendar and it is tomorrow while I am in class. So I ran.

I am sure that me running is not a pretty sight, so I hang out in the cinema where it is dark and no one can see me. The only drawback is that I can't watch the news. I actually started running years ago after Abbie was born because of the news. I was trying to lose the weight from being pregnant and I would hit the gym after the kids were in bed. I started walking and watching the news. But I kept getting mad at the tv. I didn't feel like making a scene and yelling about how idiotic people were, so I just kept increasing my speed....and increasing....and increasing. I am still not a very fast runner, but I do love the way I feel after I am done.

I thought about the whole political system and how everything works. There is no doubt I will support the Republican nomination. I remember when I was in junior high and high school there was a girl named Amy Anderson and she was going to run for President in 2008. She'd probably be too liberal for my tastes as well.

Junior has discovered Little People so I am able to sneak a shower in now while he is awake. Thankfully with my curly hair I don't have to worry about styling....

I wonder if she found one

We have a for sale list in the local area.

This was posted today.

Looking to buy a tame ferret and cage for my hubby!!! I have lil ones so i am
looking for one that is tame around kids....if u have one u are looking to sale
please email me pics and price and info about the ferret thanks

I died laughing when I read it and since the girls were up I asked Em to look it over. She read it, looked at me and said "Why would she buy a cage for her husband?".

Don't even get me started on the way they used the word "sale".

No, oh no

Woe is me.

Wordless Wednesday

I wish I remembered the park where this was taken. My parents came over to visit while we were stationed in Germany and Em was about 7 months old. In our little hooptie we sped all over the autobahns taking in the sites. This was a park in Salzburg that we came across, probably after eating since our family seems to plan our trips around meals!

Em fit so nicely in the basket, we couldn't help but plop her in. I wonder if it would contain Junior for 15 seconds?

Today

Today I was a reading teacher. I loved it. Tomorrow it is first grade...wish my luck, lol. I am hoping since it is the 100th day of school that there will be plenty to keep them busy.

Em saw the ortho doctor today and she has to stay in her boot for the next month, on crutches for a while, and then she can walk more on it with very little pressure. I sure hope this heals and is not a problem for her big trip this summer with my mom!

Gunner took Em to the doctor and he said that the doctor was a jerk! He was really nice to Em and to him, but to his staff he was yelling and barking orders. One of the nurses came in and said "I hate mondays." The doctor told her to get a job at the hospital (he's in the clinics). Sad to think that people put up with this or have to. I had a horrible boss once and it made life miserable. Not to be confused with the great boss I have now. Hi Mom!

I went to body pump and body step tonight. I might not be able to move tomorrow. Maybe the class can count the 100 bones that creak when I try to move about the classroom.

He was so young...

This is Gunner when we were stationed at Kirch-Goens. He must have been 25 in the picture and he was headed out to Bosnia for 12 months. I remember them telling us how Clinton was only going to have troops there for a year--ummmm, yeah, we see how that worked out. His chain of command told us they would never have to deploy for a year again, not even to Korea (it was supposed to count as a one year hardship tour). Ha!

He left two days before our first anniversary and one day before his Opa was buried there in Germany. They got to Hungary (they were the first ones down there--1995) and camped out in the snow next to a hotel that was full of reporters. The CO got twelve 3' Christmas trees and handed one to each group with directions to decorate them so they could increase morale. Mandatory Fun. What's a Soldier to do? They made ornaments out of duct tape and then hung pictures of their family all over them. His group came in 3rd. I wish he had kept an ornament to add to our tree here at home as a reminder of that Christmas.

At one point during that tour they handed out Olympic tshirts to everyone, put them in a huge room and told them to scream and be happy. Apparently they had arranged to show how morale was so high during that time and the guys were having a good time. Bonus points for Clinton I guess.

Anyway, I miss the old BDU's and boy was Gunner young....

Soldiers

Em wrote this for school:



Soldiers are brave, helpful, admirable, honorable, kind, true and loyal.

These heroes protect our country and keep the United States of America safe.

So we should appreciate what they do for us.

They let us have freedom to go to school and be proud of who we are and where we live, in the USA. These special people are only normal people who live in the world where they make a difference.



By: Em H.



Thinking back, I really had no clue about the military when I was her age. I remember I used to have nightmares about the Russians invading us and WWIII, but with everything that was going on, that's probably not too surprising. I remember when the first Gulf War started I was a freshman in college at Baylor. My best friend Catherine, whose dad was in the Army, called me to let me know that the war had begun. My roommate and I watched for a while and then went to dinner with my friend. I still remember how directly it affected her, but I couldn't even think of someone that I knew personally, that was serving at the time. Fast forward 18 years (geez, I am old) and I am about to send my husband off for the third time to Iraq. I have spent more time stationed in Texas than he has. Looking back I was so clueless about what was going on in the world even in college, and now I'm not.



When 9/11 happened (I found out because my friend Peggy called me and told me what was going on) we were stationed at Fort Lewis, WA. My husband was in the field and was on standby and not getting very much information about what was going on. I went on into work (groceries had to be bought, and there could be a nuclear war and my company at the time would have insisted that it was still okay to get in there and work). After I picked up the girls, I had to travel from North Fort on to Main Post and Em wasn't even phased about the new security system that they had in place. There were Soldiers everywhere with their weapons, and a plethora of other security features everywhere. Her military daycare had increased security as well and nothing seemed out of the ordinary to her. I had talked to Em about what was going on in 4 year old language and she said something to the effect of "my Daddy will go get those bad guys and make sure they don't hurt Americans". Her dad was and still is her Hero. Even then she knew that he had an important job and she was proud of him.


From that time, Em has grown in her understanding of what is going on in Iraq and other places throughout the world and why. I can't say that she would know or understand this much if she wasn't the daughter of an American Soldier, but I would like to think that I would have taught her. Abs is not far behind in her understanding of the War in Iraq and how she also plays a role in this because of her love for her dad.


Since Gunner is a lifer, and the girls are at an impressionable age, the choice he has made to serve in the Army will continue to have an effect on them and shape their thoughts and views of the world around them as they grow.

My sock

I would post a picture of it, but it is a sad state of affairs.

Sunday while Erin was holed up in the hospital with her son, I went over for sock knitting lesson #1. I think I need another hundred. I usually knit at home while I watch tv or in the car while we are on a road trip, but now I had 4 needles in front of me. I did okay, not great, and finally had to go home, back to reality. I pulled it out the next day and Junior came along after I set it down and rippedit apart. My fault, but it was a mess.

Luckily you can start all over again with knitting and I remembered how to get the initial part done but I screwed up on the joining. I looked at books, websites and tried to create my own way. I have proven that there is more than one way to join, and my way did not work. I am going to continue on though and at least get done, because a little practice never hurt anyone.

I think I might need to start with socks for Junior instead of me but since the yarn is pink (although it would match the cowboy boots and hat in the previous picture) I will get it done. I love a challenge.....

EFMP saga continues

My conversation with the EFMP losers:

Her: We want to schedule your EFMP hearing for the 19th of March.
Me: That's Spring Break. I'll have all three children with me.
Her: That's fine.
Me: Well I really don't think that they need to be involved in the hearing because I have a lot of questions and I think it is kind of ridiculous that I have to go in the first place.
Her: You can't leave them unattended.
Me: Okay, so do you have some suggestions.
Her: Hourly care is available for a fee.
Me: I am not interested in paying for care during a hearing that I don't think is necessary. I'd like to reschedule.
Her: Ummm.....well.....we don't have anymore appointments available right now for hearings.
Me: That's okay, I am in no rush. You can call me back.
Her: The 19th is all I have.
Me: Okay, but that won't work for me.
Her: But it's all we have available.
Me: (in my still nice voice) That's okay, you can call me back when you have a new schedule.
Her: But we have an opening.
Me: Ummm....yeah I heard that. Thanks for offering me that date, but I explained to you why it won't work.
Her: So you are not coming on the 19th.
Me: No.
Her: So I have to call back.
Me: Yes.
Her: Is there a way you can make the 19th work.
Me: Nope. But you are welcome to call me back when you have the new schedule and maybe then we can find a day that will be convenient for me.
Her: It will only take 15 minutes.
Me: That's great! I'll be happy to schedule those 15 minutes with you once you have a date that works for me. Thanks so much for calling.
Her: You are welcome. (still in disbelief)

They will give me 40 hours of respite care a month but won't help me find a way to have someone help me out for 15 minutes?

I think I will start preparing my list of questions for the "hearing".

Wordless Wednesday

My son found his sister's dressup clothes.

Bad Mom

Saturday I had class, so I left my children under the watchful eye of my mom while Gunner worked. I came home from lunch to find Em hobbling around. I didn't think much of it since she often hurts herself and usually hobbles around till she forgets about it or until it is bedtime when her injuries will suddenly start hurting again. She said she was skipping in her sister's room and she twisted her foot and heard a loud pop.

Anyway, she hobbled around Saturday, then Sunday and today after school I took her to the er. The er was packed so we put or names down and found a non-sick looking pair of people to sit next to. It turned out the mother had taken her 9 year old daughter in for the same loud pop in her right foot (and she later left in a boot with crutches with a broken foot). People were hacking away and I cringed with every sneeze and cough. Sanitizer was my best friend in there.

When we finally got back to a room all the hacking people were back there getting prescriptions for cough syrup and were balking at their diagnosis of a cold after being in there for 6+ hours. Come on people it's cold and flu season. After 6 1/2 hours of waiting and finally getting seen.....the doctor took one look and declared it broken. They did xrays to confirm it. They booted it and gave her crutches and we have to follow up with an orthopedic doctor to make sure that she doesn't need a cast. The girl never complained that it hurt. Even on the pain scale she didn't rate her pain very high, and she is not known for having a high tolerance or anything. I feel horrible.

Geez....guess I'm not in the running for "Mom of the Year" and it's only January.

Someone else thinks like Gunner

I was over at The Displaced Dutchican and she posted about a guy who left his wife to go to the airport to pick up his mother. Several people expressed what they thought of this guy....and it wasn't nice, lol.

I confess. Gunner did the same thing. I was overdue with our first child, my water broke and we went to the hospital. I was admitted. My mom was arriving into Frankfurt that morning and my husband left me at the hospital to go get her. At the time I wasn't happy, but he didn't want to leave her there since we didn't know how long it would take. We were about 45 minutes from the hospital and it was all autobahn, so he took off and I stayed there...in pain.

He returned with my mom and later that night our daughter Em was born. Looking back on it now I laugh and laugh. I wasn't amused at the time, but I was glad that my mom was there and found her to be a lot more helpful than Gunner was--of course I was still a little pissed at him at the time, but it was short lived.

Anyway he has redeemed himself.

I did just ask Gunner again and he said if we were in Germany that he would make the same choice, but if we were in the States she would have to find her own way.

Here's my mom's account that she wrote a few weeks ago when she opened a memory from the box referring to the incident.

Military Mail Story

I was over at SpouseBuzz and saw this blog about military mail. It reminded me of something that happened during Gunner's first deployment to Iraq.

My friend Peggy always makes sure to flood Chris' inbox while in the desert, with letters, cards, packages, etc. (Thank goodness for friends and my family that do this!) She also makes sure to send him things like birthday cards for the kids, for me, anniversary cards to send home to me, Valentine's Day cards....everything, so he doesn't have to try and hunt it down. (For my birthday she told me that she had to search and search for cards for him to mail to me that didn't start out "When I look into your eyes every morning..." or "I love to spend every day with you...")

Peggy also sent him games to help pass the time. About 5 months or so into the first deployment she told me that she had gotten off a package containing numerous board games. She kept worrying that he wasn't going to get it. She kept asking me and I kept asking Gunner. No package. Mail was pretty slow at that time so that didn't help matters. She kept bugging me and I assured her she was worrying for nothing. Still no package on Gunner's end.

Then there was a fire. I don't remember all the details but a mail truck burned and thousands of letters and packages were lost. Peggy *knew* her package was on that truck. Still no package.

Gunner finally called a few weeks later and told me he had received the strangest package from Peggy. I asked him about it and he said it was a box full of games but there was scorch marks all over the outside of the box!

I call it Peggy's law.

It's a boy!

I just got home from visiting Erin and her husband and new baby boy, Tucker, tonight!

He is beautiful.

So tiny. So perfect. So much hair!

Erin and Scout are happy and content.

I couldn't be happier for them.

The time has come.

We have a date.

Fred is out

Read here.

My FIL was just asking last week if I wanted a bumper sticker for the car. (About the only thing we agree on is politics) I did turn down the bumper sticker but for the sole reason that I don't want stickers on my car--he didn't get that, but oh well.

Dentist

I had my appointment today with the new dentist and I think this guy is the one. He was so patient, not rushed, and was super relaxed and easy going with Abs. She had to get a cavity filled and they needed to numb the area and he managed to do it and she hugged him at the end still. A far cry from the last guy that she saw that was a pediatric dentist but had the beside manner of a roach.

I am subbing tomorrow at the girls' school. Wish me luck. I'll need it.

Studied all day Sunday, hit the gym today and am about to hit the books tonight after all my stuff finishes printing on our new printer with cheap ink!

Points

Does eating Hungarian Goulash over cabbage instead of rice alleviate the points from drinking wine?

Hat

I finished my first hat (instead of studying, but that's on the agenda for today). It's not perfect since I didn't use the correct yarn and couldn't finish it off like I wanted, but at least I have one down....many more to go. My MIL will be happy I made something else and my mom said "Now the heads on the warm necks can be covered....".

The girls think it is great and have put in their requests.

Erin said she could teach me how to make socks so I can tell you what everyone is getting this Christmas, lol. For Em, the crazier the better.

Thank goodness for naps

Every day before Gunner gets home for lunch, I feed Junior and then play with him till his dad gets home. Then Gunner has the chance to cuddle with him a bit before he puts him down for a nap. Junior was especially crabby today, but I kept him amused while we played on his blanket in the middle of the living room. Gunner came home, put Junior down for a nap right away since he was crying and came back to look over my shoulder while I shopped for running shoes. Not even 5 minutes later the heavy glass light fixture the army installed a few years ago came crashing down where Junior and I had been playing. The glass was so heavy I don't even want to think about what it would have done to him. We've vacuumed, roombaed (sp?) and run our hands over the carpet, furniture and toys to try and find the glass before the kids did. So far they have escaped injury, so I am hoping we got it all. Scary.

Keeping Your Shoes Tied

I usually buy Abs a pair of shoes that can slip on. She can tie her shoes, but she hates to do it over and over again. Yesterday I tied them for her in a way that they shouldn't have come undone. When I picked her up I asked her how it worked out and she told me "not so good, but I came up with a new way and they never came untied!". It took me a while this morning to undo all her knots and loops and then when I came home from dropping her off I found her new shoes in the corner and she had worn her old slip ons.

Guess I'll try some of these tomorrow.

Tanker Boots

From this morning while Gunner was getting ready for work.

No Choice

I talked to two different people today and I have no choice but to enroll Abs in EFMP in order for her to attend daycare on post this summer while I am in school. I told the lady it sounded like a trial by jury and I hoped I didn't get hung when it was all said and done.

I don't know what to do yet.

On the bright side of things, I am registered to take my test on the 23rd of February so I hope I can pass! I was going to sub today but they didn't have any openings for just the morning when I was on last night and I needed to plan for Junior's daycare ahead of time. I'll just wait till Tuesday when Gunner should be off.

And thank goodness for moms! My mom is coming to watch all three kids again while I go to class since Gunner has to work and get the conexes (sp?) shipped out on Saturday.

I don't understand

I cannot for the life of me figure out how the army works. My daughter takes a certain medication so in order to do hourly care after school in case of an emergency and have her covered for daycare this summer while I am back in school, I had to get extra medical forms filled out. I got the forms filled out, took them into CYS and they told me I had to go to Darnell to the first floor and have EFMP sign off on it. I told them she wasn't enrolled and they said that was okay, but it had to be done. Gunner took them in there and they said he had to have Abs enrolled in EFMP in order to go to CYS. They said that in 30 days a community health nurse will call and there needs to be a paneled discussion done and I will enroll her and get her the helps she needs. SHE DOESN'T NEED ANY HELP!!!! They told me that I would be entitled to 40 hours of respite care. Well if they aren't taking all three, then I don't need it! I called and talked to the EFMP and she told me it had to be done. I argued with her and told her why I wouldn't do it and how I didn't need any help. She said she would call back before 1:30 after she did some research. It's after 2 and I still haven't heard from her.

I'm just pissed. I jumped through the hoops that they wanted me to and it still wasn't good enough. They must get a certain amount of money from the government for every family member they enroll in EFMP.

Wordless Wednesday

I got my mother's hair! More pictures here.

The man from Mars

Em had an eye doctor appointment this morning at 8:45. The girls didn't have school, but I had to wake them up early, feed them and then hit the road. We made a pit stop at the school to get her glasses that she left there over the weekend and then we were on our way. We drove the 40 minutes to the doctor's office, unpacked all three kids to find out that they didn't change the appointments but instead had cancelled them. I was mad. We left. Then I called Tricare who said I had to just choose someone from the phone book, so we went back and took the appointment at 10:30 this morning and we set off to find a way to amuse three children for two hours.

Target. We scoured the aisles for good deals and managed to find a few along the way. After we had looked at (and the girls had touched) everything in the store at least once we went back to the eye doctor.

Junior was all over the place after sitting nicely in the car and a guy who was wandering around while waiting on his wife told me he was from Mars and had experiences with martians. I didn't even know what to say. He had his pants tucked into socks so they looked like knickers. A tall distinguished looking gentleman asked him why he wore knickers and he said they were regular pants but he wore them like that because when he went to the bathroom in public places he didn't want to get his pants dirty. The second reason was because one time a spider climbed up his pants and got on his parts.

So the older gentleman and the Mars guy talked for a little while. The Mars guy was off the wall. He was from India, looked and spoke with a Slavic accent and kept talking to us about totally random things. He asked me what my husband did and I told him he was in the army. Mars guy asked what he did and I told him Gunner was a tanker. He commented on how it was an important job and the older guy pointed out how my job was important and equally as hard. The Mars guy started to say something negative and before he could get it out the older gentleman made a point of saying "You better watch what you say to her cause I won't let anyone speak to a military spouse like that". Mars guy kept quiet.

We finished up there and had enough time to run home, eat lunch that Gunner had prepared, talk to my MIL briefly as she took over watching Junior and we hit the road again. We tried a new dentist and I really liked him. I made an appointment for me to go on Monday to see him and Abs has to go back for a cavity. Poor kid. I don't know how they managed to get Ab's teeth clean as she talked the ENTIRE time she was back there. By the time she left she was hugging the dentist and telling him she would see him on Monday. Let's hope she keeps that attitude!

We finished up there and ran home to drop Em off with MIL and Abs and I headed out to her PT appointment. Met a girl there who spent two years in Korea with her husband and kids. I'd love to do that! I'd pretty much go anywhere.

Abs got done with PT and was worn out from all the activity. We made it home to find MIL had taught Em to knit and she is now addicted. I told MIL it's time to teach me how to do something else besides knit a scarf cause my family is running out of necks.

I was waiting for Gunner to bring home some ground turkey so we could have turkey burgers tonight but they are stuck at work. A 5 ton got stranded outside of the motorpool so they have to tow it back in. We have nothing to eat but gizzards and french fries. Not exactly a WW meal so I might have to resort to grilled cheese if he doesn't hurry home.

I'm tired but still hoping I can make it to the gym and workout.

Things

Junior had an appointment today for his 18 month old well baby and I absolutely loved his doctor. There's really only one other doctor there that really listens, so to have two to choose from now is great! My little boy is doing great besides the fluid in one ear and the hand, foot and mouth disease that he got again. Poor guy. It explains why he has been cranky and not wanting to eat as much though. Hopefully tomorrow will be better and I am not putting him in daycare--especially after my run in with one of their front desk clerks this morning. I later called to complain to the director and she told me she was aware that there was a problem and that they were going to a customer service class next week. They needed it about 6 months ago!

Abs was doing really well in school, but apparently the honeymoon is over and she is back to her old ways of not being able to sit still. She retains everything that she hears though, but I am sure she is quite the distraction. Imagine that. Just think if she didn't have to wear a uniform, her clothing choices alone would be a distraction. Luckily her teacher loves her. They have a reward system using tickets and so far Abs is negative. She hasn't actually ever been on the positive side of the tickets. Like my mom said, if she did have tickets she would probably hand them out to everyone and still be happy.

Em is really practicing being a pre-teen or a tween or whatever they call them now. She can be so sweet and loving too. The calm before the storm? I'm sure she will be a sweet and loving teenager like I was. Practically perfect in every way.

Gunner is still in the field. I thought for sure they would have another shower run by now. I really could have used a short break today, but it's all good. Tomorrow I will hit the gym for a run and that always puts things in perspective and gives me time to think.

I was so proud of myself for making all of those appointments a few days ago. All the ones for me I made for Monday so I could get them out of the way. That day when the girls got home from school I got notice that they didn't have school on Monday. Today I called and had all my appointments switched over to them and I now need to reschedule all of mine. They need haircuts too. Does it ever slow down?

I start class on Saturday. Wish me luck, I will need it.

Wordless Wednesday

Taken in St. Louis. My daughter Abs.....and here is the rest of the story.....

Need some ink

Deployment Journal for Kids.

The Year of Me

I am focusing on myself this year. I'm going back to school. I'll lose the weight. I'll get organized (quit snickering guys, this time I mean it!).

I started with making all the appointments that I need to have done, like the dentist (trying a new one since I absolutely love to go to the dentist and still haven't found one that I love here locally). Of course then I had to make the girls appointments.

I know I need to get new glasses, so I made the appointment. Well the girls need to go to, and that means Abs needs a referral, so I had to make an appointment for that too. Which reminded me that she needed to see the urologist, so I made that appointment around her PT appts.

Needing a break from all the appointments I made one more for Junior for a day at the hourly daycare that he loves on post. He needs his shots, which required an appointment for him.

Maybe this will be the year of me....and Em....and Abs....and Junior.....and Gunner. Definitely in 17 years when Junior heads off to college I will focus on me. Just me. I'm in no rush though.

Gunner's Law

Who else can wash and dry their clothes with a pen in the pocket, have the ENTIRE dryer covered in ink and their clothes come out without a spot?

Oh yeah, and then remind me when I call him in the field to ask him if he made any other messes besides the dishes, the bathroom and the living room. Good thing I love this guy...probably a good thing he was only home 7 hours today or no telling if the house would be standing.

Field Time

In Germany, Gunner would go to the field all the time. At Fort Lewis, he went about twice a year and it was for about 2-3 weeks, sometimes longer. At Hood, he has been deployed most of the time. He did leave today to go out to the field so they can play war. He wanted to be a bad guy so he didn't have to shave--he hates to shave. Shoot, he only has to shave his face, not his legs or his armpits. He's getting off easy without having to get a bikini wax or his eyebrows done.

But it's cold. Having him go to the field is just another reminder of what is around the corner for us. Em told me the other day that when he goes to Iraq she will miss him, but she is getting used to him being gone. How sad is that. She will be getting ready to go into Junior High when he returns and she is only in 4th grade now.

When he deploys, I do tell him about all the milestones they reach, funny stories about the kids and he talks to them when he is able to call. There are still so many things that he misses out on. When he came home last time, he carried Junior in and the girls were right by his side. It brought tears to my eyes when he asked the girls if he could sit up....he didn't know his own son. He told me once while he was gone that he loved him even though he didn't know him. How heartbreaking is that? Gunner has more than made up for the missed time when he returns, but the thought of having him miss out again...sigh....no words to describe it.

Priceless...

Today I worked and left Gunner in charge of all three kiddos. I came home and Junior was still in his pajamas, Abs was wearing black and white checked pants with an orange shirt and Em, ever the fashion diva, was color coordinated down to the hoodie that she has to be wearing at all times (Thanks Uncle David!). He got some things accomplished, but his mom also had to make two trips over to help him out. The guy cracks me up--he can go to war, but three little kids are overwhelming!

After two weeks off of work I had a lot to catch up on. I finally got it all done and then my mom and I met my sister and her boys for mexican food at our favorite restaurant. Enchilada Wednesday! After missing a week of our mexican fix, the food was exceptionally good today.

Then we ran by a few stores to pick up a few things that we needed. My mom needed medicine from walmart and ummmmm.......I think that was it. After 6 hours (and three stores) we ended up with this (minus the bag in my hand and the two bags in the backseat). The time we spent together collecting crap we didn't need was priceless!

At least we didn't stock up on wrapping paper this year! I better get busy using all these things I bought though...

Wordless Wednesday

Our Christmas card this year.

Shoes

I usually buy the girls shoes online at shoebuy.com. I will go to the store to get their feet sized and then use ebates and deals to get the shoes down to a reasonable cost....until Em's feet grew. My daughter is only 10, but can no longer wear a children's size as she needs a 7.5. I don't think my feet were that big till college!!!!

The girls were nestled into bed...not sleeping....and I started to peruse the website looking for the perfect shoes. Since they were awake I thought I would allow them to choose the color of the shoes. Big mistake. Abs insisted that they have no pink on them at all. Try finding a size 1.5 girl shoe that has no pink and is not entirely white. It can't be too much blue or it is a "boy's shoe". Then she decided she wanted red, white and blue. I had to pull her out of bed so that we could look at several styles till we found one that we both agreed on--purple and white.

Then Em needed to have her input as well, so she came running out of bed for her turn. She was insistent that she wanted gold shoes. Gold???? Is her middle name Michael Johnson? Then there was the added problem that I was not going to pay a hundred dollars for a pair of tennis shoes for a 10 year old. I told her gold shoes were out since they would clash with her school uniform and no shoes over $75 (which is still absolutely ridiculous if you ask me, but I still hear my dad's voice telling me that you don't skimp on shoes!). We finally found something that we both agreed on and was under budget.

Whew...thank goodness for the internet so that we didn't have to go through all of this in the stores and could take care of it at home and set the search parameters! I wonder how long I can keep on doing this!

Happy New Year!

I cooked ham, black eyed peas and collards today. My sister brought her baked mac & cheese, my mom brought cornbread and the inlaws showed up with wine, german potato salad and german cookies. I'm bound to have good luck this year!

We still had Christmas presents to open, so we got that out of the way before we celebrated the new year. It doesn't take much to make my kids happy!

If you checkout my mom's blog you will see a pic of Gunner's brother and niece who just returned home from Iraq. Very touching photos.

After two weeks off I am back to work tomorrow. My boss is such a slaver driver! (See you tomorrow mom! tap tap tap)

We had a new year's eve dinner last night with the inlaws and feasted on german food.

School starts in 13 days, so I guess I better get busy and start reading all the stuff that I need to get done. I wanted to put Junior in daycare on Thursday but because he turned 18 months on the 26th of December and I haven't gotten him his shots, they won't take him. They didn't even have any appointments till the 10th of January. I have a meeting on Monday, so my MIL is coming to save the day. Since Gunner will be in the field soon, my mom and MIL have to help with the babysitting of all these children on the nights/Saturdays that I have school. I do realize how fortunate I am to have the help and assistance of both of them. Thank goodness this session is just 6 weeks or so.

Gunner got me an ipod for our anniversary and I have been downloading podcasts like crazy so I can listen to them when I hit the gym. Thursday I will start going again....my mom and I had good intentions over Christmas at the hotel gym, but instead we dragged our workout gear up there and it took up space in the luggage for nothing. Next time for sure!!!

I've already started shopping for Christmas next year.

Abs has a birthday in March and I think I have most of what I want to give her ready. I am searching for a dinosaur alarm clock that roars though, that is shaped like a dinosaur. I am starting to think that they don't make them. I thought I saw one before.....

May your 2008 be bright, happy, hopeful and prosperous in every way imagineable. Remember the Soldiers/Airmen/Marines/Sailors deployed throughout the world at the time. Our thoughts and prayers are with them.

The trip home

We finally made it home. We left Joplin after breakfast and hit the turnpike. We stopped and got gas, and then about every 45-60 minutes after that we had to stop for Em to go to the bathroom. I told my mom that she must be drinking in the car ( I rode with my mom on the way back)--which we don't allow. I checked later and found an empty sprite bottle. I asked Gunner if he knew that she had one and he said yes, but she was not drinking it in the car. It was empty.

One of the MANY bathroom stops that we made was at a McDonald's where we all tossed back a cheeseburger and were back on the road. Junior slept through it poor kid.

In Oklahoma we stopped at a gas station that had a casino attached to it. We pottied and then since I didn't have my purse, I asked my husband for some money to try my luck. So while my husband stood outside the gas station feeding the children chocolate chip cookies my mom and I ducked in the casino. I tripled my money! My mom lost. I walked out and my husband asked me if I lost it all and I handed him back $6. Yeah, we aren't big gamblers, I started with $2.

We finally hit Texas and got within 30 minutes of home, so we pulled over so Em could potty....again....and Abs and I switched back to our car so my mom could head on home in peace and quiet. (Miss us yet mom?) Junior had pooped and spilled water all over himself when he opened his sippy cup, so I took him inside to change him. I always change Junior in the car or before I leave home or in the stroller. I'm not a big fan of public bathrooms or changing tables, especially in gas stations, but he was a mess and the car was packed. I put him on the changing table and he freaked out! I quickly changed his diaper and couldn't even attempt to change his clothes, so I took him outside to change him standing up. It was so strange for him to throw such a fit like that, that I mentioned it to Gunner. He told me that Junior doesn't like changing tables and he always does that. I laughed and laughed--not that he was scared, but that I had not had to change him while out in public the entire trip till the end, so I didn't even know this.

Okay Gunner, I think you have paid your dues, you win "Father of the Year" but I still hold the longest running title to "Employee of the Month!".