The Husband is finally home!

Does this look like the child of who is sleeping soundly ??? Yeah, didn't think so. Will fell asleep on the floor yesterday afternoon during his quiet time. So at 8:00 when I was leaving to go get Mike, I decided on a whim to take Will. I told him I was "running a night time" errand. He seemed okay with that. When we got to the airport, I was taking pics of him. He loves to take pictures now, so he asked to take a picture of a soldier...there were plenty arriving at the same time. I told him he could only take a picture of a soldier he knew.....one would come down the little area and he would say, " I don't know that soldier.." Finally he saw Mike, I said, "Do you know that soldier??" He didn't recognize him at first, but jumped in his arms as soon as he did. He didn't quit smiling the entire time! I was surprised he even got to sleep last night!

This morning Livi was hollaring from her crib, "I'm awake!" Mike went in and said, "Can your daddy get you up?" She jumped into his arms and didn't let go for about 15 minutes. She even left her bunny in her crib...something that NEVER happens!

Only have a few minutes, so the WBW is in this post as well.....Way Back Wednesday: Stripper Style...

Not so sure I am up to par for stripper style, but how about some nakey babies....

My kids never seem to have clothes on....ever! This pic was taken when we lived in Leavenworth, see that lovely-Army-housing issue linolium??
I hurt my back when Livi was little enough to still fit in the sink, so wallaaahh no more bending over some dinky little tub!

Did you play? Let The Kept Woman know: http://pinktangerine2.blogspot.com/

He's coming home......tonight

Mike just called....he is in Atlanta.....

so four days and four planes later, he is back in the USofA!! He will be in the Lone Star state tonight! Whew hoo!!

Hurry up and Wait.....

Still waiting for Husband to get home......He called last night (Sun) around 9:45. He was finally in Kuwait. At least he is out of Baghdad and on the way here. I finished up most of the things I needed to do. I do need to run by Target and get a couple more things.

Neighbor S offered to have Livi over to play with her little girl. I decided to go get a pedicure during that time. I would post a pic of my oh so cutie patootie toes, but I can't find my memory card....oh well, maybe I'll add it later.

I got some Weed and Feed for Mike to do while he is home. I do have to admit his Honey Do list is getting a bit long. I know he will want tp relax. His most recent letter he said that he "wanted to get started on it....you never realize how much you miss the mundane like cooking and honey do's when you don't HAVE to do them" ....

Well, I have a list.....weed and feed, change filters, hang the rest of that thing in the garage just to name a few.

I am so excited, I don't know that I will be able to sleep tonight!

just one more thing:

Guess who Mike saw at the mess hall....oops, dining facility?

the Husband is coming home!! Whew hoo

Even if it is just midtour leave...I am so excited. It seems like so long ago that I dropped him off at some gym on post.

From an email he sent me:
I thought I would be able to suprise you and get home early. We got a call to go over the airport and get on a plane at 6 PM. I went over and actually sat on a plane for an hour. Then they shut it down, said it was broken and told us to get off. There were no other flights so I have to go back at 4 AM. I guess its good they found out it was broken before we took off.I am going to go get a shower, go to midnight chow and watch a movie. I will be really tired but I will definately be able to sleep on the plane. I tried calling but couldn't get through. I will try again right before I leave.

Uhhhmmmm, yeah glad they found a problem BEFORE you were in the air.....I feel all fluttery (is that a word) like when we were dating....is he really going to be excited to see me?

I wonder how the kids will feel. Livi seems to think he is just a picture but she loves to talk to him. Even when she is supposed to be in bed she will talk to him ..."Mommy told me to go to sleep, Dad....but I just want to play...Do you want to play? I can only play with my bunny because 'toys don't belong in bed' (something I tell her daily!!!) Are you cold, Daddy? I can cover you up, are you nice and warm now?" Somehow she manages to get a picture from her nightstand next to her crib. She covers it up to make sure it is warm. She is so funny.

Will just wants to build with his dad....he wonders where his tools are (remember I rotate his toys, I guess I need to get the tools out again!)

I think we will all fall back into our same ole same ole with him.

Just a few more days!

SPF: Lists

It's Friday and that means I don't have to think about my own fluff to blog about because Kristine is back. This week we were supposed to show you our "To Do Lists."

All of my lists are in my handy dandy control journal. It is broken up into different sections of things I need to make my little world function. I pretty much do the same thing every day, so it really made since to me. I am a born organized person, but this helped me to realize that you can't organize clutter. Slowly but surely I am not living in CHAOS (Can't Have Any One Over Syndrome). My home is not always completely picked up....I have two toddlers! But it is never more than 15 minutes from clean. The kids are learning simple routines and that things have a home. A babysitter can ask them where the dinosaurs go, and both could show you where they go.

The MORNING ROUTINE helps get us out the door by 8AM.

The AFTERNOON ROUTINE is actually pretty much tying up loose ends of things I started in the morning.
Finally the BEFORE BED ROUTINE is the most important one of all to me! I do as much I can after the kids are in bed so that I can push that snooze button if I really want to!! Finally, I do a daily TO DO list of the things that aren't on my routines. Today's to do list consists mainly of stuff I need to do to get ready for Husband to come home! Whew hoo, just a few more days!! I need to stock up on real food vs kid food. I don't think mac and cheese, hotdogs, peanut butter and jelly are going to cut it for someone who hasn't had a home cooked meal since Oct!

happy Friday, y'all!!

More fluff on a Thursday

Okay, you know you are the neat freak of the neighborhood when you get this on your front step. No one bothered to ring the doorbell either....but then again, most are scared to ring it from 12-3....nap time/quiet time for the kids....far be it someone wake Livi up! Okay, back to the Swiffer pads.....I know I am a card carrying http://flylady.net/ member, but still. Do I need to start carrying a sign? Neat freak of the neighborhood.....yep, that's me.

I bought this at a craft fair this past fall...it has been sitting in various areas of the house. Now that it has been in the 80's the past two days, I am ready to plant something fun in it. I want to line it with that mossy stuff and put some colorful flowers in it. When Husband gets home, I need him to mount it out front. So ready for some fun flowers in the house.

Okay, now Grey's is on...whew hoo...

Today's ABCs

I couldn’t decide what to write about tonight because I am so excited that Husband is coming home on his midtour leave! So, here’s a different format...



The ABC’s of what’s on my mind today!


A cute little finch family has found our bird feeder, there is a male cardinal there too. The squirells have not realized I filled it again.

Been cleaning like a mad woman...all that yucky stuff like wiping all the dust off the wood blinds...ugh!


Cute dishwashing gloves from Target's' dollar spot. You know how I love a shiny sink.

Dollar spot....speaking of it, they just restocked it with some great fun stuff....I got Livi that little mini muffin pan for her kitchen. She plays "muffin Monday" in her room now.

Eyebrow waxing... I've been doing my own, but I think I need to go get them reshaped. I miss my guy from Lawton that did them...why does it have to be so hard to find a new eyebrow guy? I am not brave enough to experiment with something that big and hairy on my face!!

For TV watchers, Thursday night is the night I camp out in front of the tv....need my Grey's Anatomy fix.

Grandparents arrive on the first!

HEB...or Itchy B as Livi calls it......went there this morning to get some good steaks and salmon. Stocked up on some adult beverages as well.

I love that new diffuser my friend gave me.

Just about done with this.....

Kids' Museum and Papadeaux's....one thing we will do while Mike is home.

Livi is napping, or supposed to be napping...I still hear her talking to herself.


Mike....so excited he will be home in a few days, even if it is just for two weeks!

Note to self: GET A PEDICURE....sandal season is about to start here in the Lone Star state.

Peeps! I saw some at the store today! Did you know that you should eat Peeps head first so that they can’t see you eating the rest of them?

Quiet....I love a quiet house. It is not very often that it is like this. Well, not too quiet....I can hear Will growling in the office.

Real Simple Magazine. The best magazine on the market.

So ready to plant some flowers out front. I love to do those little baskets of different things.

Tick tock..the clock in the kitchen is loud....and I just realized it needs a new battery! It says it is 10.

U was the hardest letter for me in this entry today.

Very lovely weather here....mid 80s!!

Will has been doing great in school....no phone calls home lately!

eXpress yourself. You never know when it will be the last chance we have to tell someone we love them, so do it often.

You’re probably glad that this entry is almost done.

Zoo...Waco zoo or Austin zoo....is there even a zoo in Austin???

Way Back Wednesday: It's a mad, mad, mad, mad world...

Okay, this picture totally cracks me up every time I see it. We had just moved to Leavenworth at the time. It was just a little walk around the ball park to a little duck pond that was on the golf course.


We thought it would be fun to use some stale hamburger buns to feed the ducks. We stopped on the dock to watch some kids fish, then walked around to the other side to see the ducks. Husband pulled the first bun out of the baggie and tossed a piece to the ducks (thinking Will would do the same). Will flipped out! In his best whiney two year old voice, he hollared, "MY bread!" He was ready to go dive into the water to get his bread back. I was lucky enough to catch this Kodak moment.


Needless to say, we didn't feed the ducks any more of HIS bread. He ate the rest of it on the walk back to the house. It took a few more trips to watch the ducks before he would feed them.



So, did you play....let the kept woman know.....The Kept Woman

New friends.....

I went to lunch with a new friend today. I think that is the hardest thing about moving.....having to find, make, and keep friends. This mom has a daughter that goes to Will's school. I have volunteered with her for a few events. Her little girl is always dressed so cute. I mentioned to her that she should sell her daughter's stuff on Ebay. So one afternoon she came over and I showed her how. She suggested we go to lunch sometimes. Since my babysitter comes over on Tuesdays, I suggested a little hole in the wall Thai place I had been wanting to try.

Well, I am so glad I did. We had the greatest time. She brought me this diffuser from Pier 1 called Ember. I was hesitant to even open because I am very picky about smells. I am not a fruity sweet type....this has rich scents of oranges, clove, cinnamon and more. Place the reeds in the glass bottle filled with fragrance and allow it to gently waft through the room. I am so impressed she noticed the couple of candles I had were very fall-ish...if that is a word.

I wanted to take my camera and take a picture of my Thai tea...but with the making-new-friends thing, I wasn't hesitant to bust out the camera and start snapping. Don't want to run her off too quickly. We had such a good lunch. It was 3:30 before any one noticed the time. (We met at 1.) We have already made plans for our next girls lunch at another place.

So here is to new friends.....I have definitely made a lifelong friends at each and every place we have lived.....from big Lawton America to Alaska, out to the beautiful bay of California, to the cornfields of Kansas...So now it is time to do the same here. I am trying to keep a positive outlook about this and things are looking up.

For muffin Monday this week, we made cinnamon raspberry muffins. I didn't take any pics either....oh well.

happy tuesday y'all.

Elmo in Austin

Yesterday I drove down to the metroplex of Austin for a few hours of kid nirvana....otherwise known as Elmo. The kids throughly enjoyed it despite sitting behind the tallest woman in Texas! The whole thing was about making music even if you don't have instruments. So now they think they can bang on my pans because "Big Bird did it." Uuuhhmm, nope, not happening in your little world kids. Go bang on Livi's pans in her kitchen.

The show is actually very entertaining and enjoyable. I am glad I took them. Though Saturday morning I was ready to give the tickets to anyone who wanted them. It is very daunting to take two toddlers an hour away, take them to the bathroom, find your seat, keep the snacks coming, and the countless other details ALL BY YOURSELF. We have taken the kids to several of these types of shows, but Mike was always home. We went with neighbors and another family in the neighborhood, so it was a little easier. They are still talking about it, so it was worth it.

I never really watched Sesame Street as a child. I was more into Captain Kangeroo and Mr. Greenjeans. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Captain_Kangaroo

On the way to the car the kids got a little ahead of us, so I told them to put their hands on the tree at the end of the path and wait for us. I wish the lighting was better, but I do like the picture!

Have a great weekend y'all....

Stuff Portrait Friday - FREE

When I got the assignment, for lack of a better word, from Kristine at. random and odd I wondered what I could do....free can mean lots of things. Free like all the couponing my friend Traci does.....free, like Will running around buck naked. I swear I can't keep clothes on the child. But then I got all sappy and changed free to freedom.

btw, I think I am going to officially make it Sappy Friday....I have done that three weeks in a row now!! Orange looks sappy, (shout out to all those year-round-Halloween lovers like the Barto) oops, just saw it was Tuesdays that I am sappy....sorry Barto! but Orange still looks sappy!

Okay now where was I, oh yeah...changing free to freedom.

That brought me to this photo. It has become my favorite photo of the two of them.

This picture of Husband and Livi was in the Austin paper just before he left. It was taken at the casing ceremony for First Cav. But looking at it now, it reminds me of the Tuesday update I sent the day after Mike left.....so in lieu of retyping it all, here it is....I still get all weepy and teary-eyed reading this again....four months later!


from October 9, 2006:
Hey there all....I dropped Husband last night. They flew out early this morning...I only that I have to take each day hour by hour at this point. Husband left me as prepared as I can be....I have a great home in a wonderful neighborhood, a super safe car, and two kids that will help pass the time! I know soon we will slip into our routines....and this year will fly by!

I am not the sappy kind, but I really did like this email that was sent by the chaplain of the First Cavalry division....it does sum up all the feelings I am having. As I dropped him off, there were many families doing the same thing we were.....saying goodbyes, I love yous, and all the tears that goes along with that! I know he is a soldier and is doing what he is trained to do! I am very proud of him and all that has led us up to this point. With two kids under three, my life is never dull or boring....everyone says times flies when you are having fun....I can only hope it flies this year!

From Chaplain Brewer:

I want to take this opportunity to share with you the pride I felt this past week as I witnessed the courage and strength of the First Team during our many manifest operations at Larkin Terminal in support of the deployment. The best way for me to share this with you is to tell you what I saw when I looked at our great Soldiers in their eyes and sensed the meaning of what it is to be part of America's First Team. I saw eyes filled with determination,

anticipation,

dedication,

devotion,

fearlessness,

anxiousness,

sadness in leaving loved ones and yet, each one seeming to grow more resolute in their actions as they stood shoulder to shoulder, back to back, heart to heart, Soldier to Soldier locking eyes with Battle Buddies affirming their decision to serve our nation and to watch out for one another. I believe I saw the very heart of America through their eyes and I saw a heart beating strong and resolute. I took strength from this resoluteness to fulfill the tasks assigned to me in caring for each of you and encouraging you to look inside your own heart to find the same determination,

anticipation,

dedication,

devotion,

fearlessness,

anxiousness,

sadness in knowing such sacrifices are required today in this war against terrorism and for the freedoms we cherish and hold so dear for ourselves and our loved ones. There is a passage in a book written long ago that shares a similar word to all of us in such times as we find ourselves battling against those who oppose the freedoms we cherish and seek to destroy our way of life. This passage provides a word for us today as we wage this war against terrorism to not be afraid but to keep watch and work to fulfill our assigned tasks. I want to encourage each of you to keep watch,

stay alert,

pay attention,

be on your guard,

against all who would seek to disrupt our pursuit of life,

liberty and

happiness.

God bless you all and thank you for your service to our nation, our Army, and to the First Team. KEEP WATCH!

Honor and Blessings to the First Team,

Your Chaplain,

CH (COL) Brewer

Way back Wednesday.....a day late, again

This pic of Will totally cracks me up. I can totally hear what he would have been saying if he had words..."I DON"T WANT MY PICTURE TAKEN"....I used to constantly haul him around the house searching for good lighting. Too bad I found this squished up face just adorable. He was 9 months old here

For Livi's very first Way back.....just two years ago at Valentines day....So hard to believe she is two....

Happy Thursday y'all....

5 things....just because I am bored and the kids are sleep

In my refrigerator:

1. diet Dr Pepper, lot of it....it keeps me sane

2. leftover grilled chicken and rice

3. sushi for Livi and I to have a nice little girl's lunch while Will is at school tomorrow

4. milk....gallons and gallons...well maybe just two...and the appropriate chocolate and strawberry syrup

5. meat thawing to grill tomorrow



In my closet:

1. clothes hung according to the color wheel

2. cute bags

3. cute shoes

4. wood hangers...or is it hangars??? which one hang clothes and not planes??

5. husbands clothes....we share like that



In my purse:



this cute thing is what I pretty much carry most days

1. red Kate Spade wallet...I doubt it is real, I got it at a garage sale in Leavenworth

2. the obvious....diapers
3. favorite Bobbi Brown lipstick.
4. favorite Bobbi Brown powder compact
5. Baby wipes


In my car:
1. cute Kate Spade Maclaren stroller
2. Sarah Maclachland cds
3. more baby wipes
4. spare diaper bag of change of clothes for the kids
5. umbrellas...pink for Livi and red for Will

Happy Valentine's Day

Happy Valentine's Day

Livi wanted to send her daddy a kiss. I told her she would have to blow it all the way there. She sat down and started blowing......that was 20 minutes ago. She is still blowing. So, husband, I hope you got it.
I told her to do a nice pic....this is what I got.
Will had to take a treat to his school for his party today. So while Livi napped, we made rice krispie treats. Will got to cut them out with the cookie cutter. After two or three though he got bored. Now I think I have a permanent indentation of a heart on my palm.
Note to self: next year buy some valentines....or better yet, start the week before. The afternoon before you need 24 valentines is not the time to start. Will did put the puffy heart sticker on them, but MAN, this was alot of work! But aren't they oh so cute!

I'll add a pic of Will later when he gets home from school.

Okay, want to see what a cupcake, a cookie and a sucker does to a three year?? He is literally rolling on the floor. He was on the bed, but fell off....cackling like the evil witch in The Wizard of Oz!

When I laid Livi down for her nap, I had told her she could have a sucker when she got up....welll, in her little two year old interpretation of that, I said..."Stay awake and play in your bed, and in an hour you can have a sucker!" So much for naps today. I guess that means an early bedtime.

Happy Wednesday y'all,

Muffin Monday...peanut butter and jelly muffins

Pint-sized Peanut butter and jelly muffins...how can you not love these?? recipe at the end Livi took a late nap, so Will and I got to cook together. I totally don't remember one kid being so easy, but let me tell you ....Cooking with two toddlers is much more difficult. He did most of the measuring..though I do have to get the flour out of my new canisters. The opening is just barely big enough for the measuring cup. He even made the well in the dry ingredients before we added the wet stuff. I do have to say, I was very impressed. Which leads me to wonder why am I so impatient when the two of them are both helping.....I can only guess is that I don't want a big mess. But I guess a big mess can be cleaned up! My new word of the month is going to be RELAX!


Even though she slept through the prep work, she throughly enjoyed the muffins.....but only the ones that didn't have jelly peaking out of them. Some didn't get covered as well as the others.

Edited to add: said late napper above is STILL awake at 8:40 PM.....(those who aren't aware, the kids are in bed by 7:30-at the latest 8 MOST nights).....I thought I heard something....yes, paranoid wife-whose-husband-is-deployed....I get to be paranoid. I muted the DVR'd The Apprentice I am watching. But the only thing I hear is Livi ....talking to her bunny I presume...."Do I need to get your daddy?? You are being a naughty little booger!" Okay....first, I am not one to threaten with the dad thing....heck he is gone for a year, not much he can do in Iraq? Second, I know I have never called her a booger. Where does she get this?

okay, back to the regular blog....said paranoid wife-whose-husband-is-deployed.....paranoia over.


After we delivered the muffins, it was so nice that we played outside for a bit before dinner....of what else but peanut butter and jelly sandwiches....

happy Monday y'all!

recipe:

1 c. all purpose flour

1 t. baking powder

1/2 t. baking soda

1/2 c. firmly packed brown sugar

1/2 c. vanilla low-fat yogurt

1 t. vegetable oil

2 T. creamy peanut butter

2 egg whites

cooking spray

2 T strawberry or grape jelly

Combine these four ingredients, make a well in the center of the mixture. Combine sugar and next 4 ingredients. Add to dry indredients; stir just until moistened. Spoon batter into 24 miniature muffin cups coated with cooking spray, filling half full. Top each with 1/4 t. jelly, and top with remaining batter. Bake at 400 degrees for 12 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Remove from pans immediately; let cool on wire rack.

Notes: I used the smallest scoop from Pampered Chef, and it was still a little too much for the first layer of batter. So don't fill the scoop all the way. Do not use a heaping 1/4t of jelly, or they leak.

Yields :24 muffins (serving size 2 muffins) calories 121

Counting down

10 Firsts

1. First best friend: Judy.
2. First car: Plymouth TC3.
3. First love: My first real crush...Alan K in junior high.
4. First vacation: Colorado, red rock with a youth group
5. First job: Fast food worker at Eagle Park
6. First piercing: Ears
7. First concert: Randy Travis
8. First record/cd bought: probably Reba McIntyre
.9. First real love: My husband.
10. First screen name: tommie in ak

9 Latest

1. Latest alcoholic beverage: sauvignon blanc
2. Latest car ride: To post to do a VTC (video teleconference) with husband
3. Latest movie watched: Cinderalla....I have toddlers
4. Latest phone call made: husband
5. Latest jacuzzi bath: ..last week with the kids
6. Latest played CD: some kid nursery rhymes
7. Latest time you cried: today when we were leaving the VTC...
8. Latest meal: pancakes
9. Latest curse: ???

8 Have You Ever

1. Dated one of your best friends: no
2. Been arrested: No.
3. Fallen in love at first sight: Not really.
4. Been in a TV program: No.
5. Had your heart broken: Yes.
6. Said you love someone without meaning it: No.
7. Made a prank phone call: Yes.
8. Shoplifted anything: No.

7 Things You Wear

1. cute clothes
2. wedding ring
3. earrings
4. makeup
5. clean underwear
6. good bras, gotta support the girls
7. polish on my toes..love a good pedi anyday!

6 Things You’ve Done Today

1. talked to husband on a VTC
2. washed car
3. cleaned
4. blogged
5. had people over for dinner
6. gone to the commissary


5 Favorite Things (not people)

1. wine
2. cooking good food
3. My laptop
4. my car
5. shopping

4 People I Can Tell Anything

1. My husband
2. Traci
3. Gina
4. most army wives I consider friends!

3 Choices

1. Black or white? white
2. Summer or winter? neither ...fall
3. Chocolate or chips? Chocolate

2 Things to do Before You Die
1. swim with the dolphins
2. Disney cruise with the kids

1 Thing You Regret
1. If you know me, you know this one...

Stuff Portrait Friday - Something RED.

This is the red wall in our home. The wall to the right in the dining area of the kitchen is also red as well as the wall through those french doors in the office. We have used this color in at least two homes...It is Kilz Casual color one coat paint. It really does only take one coat, maybe two if you have textured walls. It is called Cornelian Red. It is more terra cotta than red. When Mike first painted it (when we lived in Leavenworth), we used it in the dining room. I wasn't too sure if I liked it. I was wanting more of that deep cranberry red. But now I really do like this color. Here it is the entire south walls of the house.

Can you see the big A Texas star that is between the glass panels of our front door. That is one of the things we had the builder change when we were looking in this neighborhood. It originally had just a normal door. But we loved this house, so they switched out the doors for us! I guess if we are going to be in Texas, we might as well get on the bandwagon with all the star stuff.

One more red....this is how the Willster is most days....running from me so I can't get a cute candid pic....and he is wearing red. Can you see how big his cheeks are scrunched up? He loves to be chased!

happy Saturday y'all!

Did you play? If so, be sure you visit Kristine and tell her too!

celebrity look-a-like

I thought this was funny....funny enough to post here! I don't see the resemblance to any of these...but this was what I got.



This picture originally had Mike in it and his celebrity look-a-like is Carson Daly! The pic of Carson they showed did kind of look like Mike! Before this I never would have thought that he looked like him.

Gotta love Texas weather!

Yesterday it was an absolutely beautiful weather. It was in the mid-70s with a light breeze. It actually reminded me of summers in Alaska! The kids and I filled the bird feeder with new food. Within a few hours a little family had found its way there. What a better way to spend a nice afternoon than doing sidewalk art? Will thought it was great fun to draw a line from the garage all the way to the end of the driveway. He and the little girl neighbor E were having a contest as to see whose was the longest. They finally decided they were both "super duper long".
Just had to note the super fuzzy "flappers" Livi has on. She calls them her "princess flappers". Okay, now on to today.....barely 50 degrees and pretty chilly. I thought it was going to be another super nice day. I sent Will to school in a short sleeve tshirt and basically a windbreaker! Yeah, fill out that mother of the year nomination right now!

So what's a mom to do when there is no more nice weather to do sidewalk chalk??

Buy a bucket of these little foam shapes with holes in them. This was good for an afternoon of entertainment. We sorted them by color, shape, made patterns, and finally threaded them on the cake tester thingy from Pampered Chef!! Whew hoo, lots of fun.

See the little short sleeved shirt I sent Will in today? He had a special assembly at school today called the Zoo show. They brought in a bunch of animals from the Austin zoo. This shirt has a rhino on it, so he wanted to wear it. I thought it would be warm enough. Oh well, welcome to Texas...ice last week, spring like weather this week.....no ice, but certainly not short sleeve worthy!

happy Thursday y'all!

Way back Wednesday....kind of.....a day late

Okay, the Kept Woman is on vacation so I am doing my own version of Way Back Wed. I know I am a day late and probably a dollar short. But I have time to blog on Thursday while I watch Grey's Anatomy and Men in Trees.

Tuesday Update started when Will was born. After getting the hang of a newborn, I started to email friends and family on Tuesdays with pics of the little man. Just imagine getting a Christmas-like letter ONCE a week! I finally joined the world of blogging, so here we are.

I don't have a scanner, but I do have pics on my computer from June of 2003....so to kind of bring in the old Tuesday updates....my own Way Back Wednesday.

This is from Will's 8 week well baby check. It was amazing how fat he had gotten. He was so scrawny when he was born. Mike is so great at making all the appointments even if it meant coming in uniform. Looking at this picture it is hard to believe that little baby is going to be 4 in a few months!

so, act like it is Wednesday, just so I can say.....

happy Wednesday y'all!

More sappy thoughts

Wasn't it last Tuesday when I was sappy??

This afternoon I was going back to Will's school to finish up my volunteer hours. There is a church right on the corner just outside our neighborhood. I saw a bunch of protesters. I wondered what was going on....it is also right by the highschool, so I just thought it was a bunch of kids fighting or something. Then out of the blue, I heard that familiar rumble of very loud Harley Davidson motorcycles. These guys formed a barrier the entire length in front of the people protesting. About four guys on their bikes with the biggest American flags that they could support lead the way. A hearse soon pulled out followed by all the people attending the funeral. Finally the rest of the Harley riders brought up the rear. There were probably 20 bikes or so. It was such an act of humble compassion. I was in tears as I waited on the side of the road for all of the cars and bikes to pass.

this is a link to the Harley riders: http://www.patriotguard.org/

If you click on the photo gallery on the left of their page, you can see pics of just how awesome this looked. It really was amazing!

At first I was angry that protesters would even come out at such a private personal time in some young soldier's familiy's time of grief. But then I was so proud that there are people who are willing to come and support that family and shield them in their time of grief. The last thing they need to see is someone toting a sign.

As I sat there in tears, I was thankful that my husband is in as safe as a place as he can be in a warzone. My mind never wants to go there ..the what if this was my husband. But it did, and I sat there and cried for that soldier and his family.

So if your loved ones are near, hug them a little tighter tonight.

Okay, sappy stuff over....

happy tuesday y'all...

Sunday dinner, cute toesies, big grins

Yesterday the weather was so nice. It is hard to believe it was an icy mess here not too long ago. Livi had to dress herself. These are her favorite "flappers"...I think she blends flip flops and slippers to get Livi speak ...flappers. I never realized how much her toes look like mine....big ole long skinny toes and bony feet. Yes, those are linen pants....yes, she is playing in the sandbox....She actually did pretty good not getting too dirty.

After a bit, the kids heard the neighbors playing out front. Will has his helmet on because he was on his scooter. He thinks he can keep up with the big boys. I love our neighborhood. It is full of kids. A couple of them are near the kids' ages. People are friendly. I know names and phone numbers. About half of them have deployed husbands, so we have to stick together. Anyhow...I love this picture of Will. As usual, I was carting around the camera trying to get a natural unposed pic of the little man. He is cracking up laughing running as fast as he can to get away from me. He thought it was a hoot his mom was chasing him with a camera, saying "smile".

He had a much better day at school today. Last Friday I got a phone call from his teacher. She put him on the phone and I talked to him. He said he didn't want to work but that he wanted to play with Blaze....With a name like Blaze, I can only imagine the havoc they were causing. His Montessori classroom is muli-age...(3-5 or maybe 6)...most of the time this works to his benefit. I really do wonder if the full moon last week was bringing out the crazy in him!

Finally, each Sunday we have what Livi calls a "candle dinner"...When Mike was home we ate on china, but now I am afraid that since they are at the kid table, they might break it. When they eat at the big table, they are belted into their boosters!

By the way...we are making apple ginger muffins for Muffin Monday ....the fresh ginger smells wonderful.

happy Monday y'all!

Star muffin and a bug covered boy

This morning the husband called me super early to see how Will did with the sleeping probs...he came crawling in our bed at5:45 AM!! I get up at 6 anyway, but man that is early. Because he got up so early, he took a nap this afternoon. So it is now 9:30 at night and this is what I found sitting in front of our bedroom door. He is wide-eyed and pretty perky for it being so late for him. So after a couple more "twinkles" and and snuggles, I think he is sleep.






While the husband talked to Livi, he told her to tell me to take her to get a Star muffin <---kid #2 speak for a muffin from Starbucks. After we dropped Will off at school, she remembered the muffin....so we drove over there. The drive thru line was wrapped around the building, so we went in. I saw some of the cutest mugs! I am more of a covered cup kind of girl, and those weren't nearly as cute. Livi had her token low fat bluberry muffin and I indulged in a white chocolate mocha latte. When I say it, it always wants to come out as "mocha choca loca latte"....and I can never remember what their medium is called...tall, grande, venti...??? Once I got the large and I was on a caffeine high ALL DAY! Note to self: look at the sign! Or better just say medium.






Then Livi and I went to Target...this cheese slicer is what I was looking for. We had one exactly like it but the wire on it finally gave out. With the amount of cheese we go through in this house, you would think I was feeding a small country of mice....but no, it is just two toddlers! Well, they didn't have this one, but I got one similiar with a couple of replacable wires.



I think I hear kid #1 calling....so happy Friday, y'all!

Way Back Wednesday: Kool-Aidstache, cool, man...

Okay, I want to play, but don't have any old pics of me...but I do have this one of Livi from April 06...that would be way back for her..

Way Back Wednesday: Kool-Aidstache, cool, man...

So this week we're highlighting the country's most frequently seen accessory in small children during the 70s and 80s...the Kool-Aidstache

I am sure this is a popsicle rather than koolaide...but still the same outcome. When she was teeting we would give her popsicles to ease some of the pain. So here is my way back, Wednesday....a day late...par for the course after my week!

So what has been so bad this week.....is it the full moon? Does that really affect people? I certainly thought it did when I was teaching a room full of junior high kids! Does it affect toddlers? Does the lack of sunlight around here lately affect him? I don't know but the last couple of days he hasn't wanted to go to school. He usually loves it. His teacher, Mrs. C, had to coax him into the room today. Will had a really bad day. The only thing he would say was that he wanted to be home with me. It's not like Livi and I do anything extraordinary at home. We go to playgroup, library, music, shop....he does all this at school. Well, he doesn't shop, but he does the rest. So this leads me to the bigger problem...

I am having some problems with Will wanting to sleep in my bed. Since the husband is deployed, he just crawls right in. So do I walk him back to his room or let him sleep with me? Most nights I do walk him back to his room. Some nights he goes right to sleep, other nights he is up for several hours. I am afraid to let him cry because I think it will wake Livi up. Then we will have three cranky sleep deprived people in the house. What's a woman to do??

happy Thursday, y'all!