goodbye, Texas

goodbye Texas, originally uploaded by tommiea1.

Today was one of the hardest days about being a military wife. The moving part we have down to a fine art. Things have gone very smoothly despite being rear-ended the day the packers were here. But saying goodbye is never easy. This part is the part I can honestly say I never look forward to. This evening we got back into town from the beach. We picked up the final load of stuff that is going with me to my moms. Some neighborhood families met us at the hotel for a final dinner.

I did pretty good up until we all got up to leave. Then the tears started creeping out of my eyes. I must note, I am NOT a weepy person. Okay, maybe around that time of the month....okay, and maybe if I have had a wee bit too much to drink. BUT overall I am not a weepy person. I am a firm believer in 'deal with it, and quit moping around about it'.

But tonight faced with saying goodbye to two women who desperately helped me get through the hardest part of this last year, well ...wouldn't you know it. I got weepy AND I hugged them. This part never gets easy. No matter how often we have had to do this...five moves and counting in the last almost 11 years.

These women were there every Friday to order pizza and bit(h to if I needed. They were the glad recipients of Muffin Monday muffins. One shared many of glasses of wine with me. Their older kids babysat mine when I was in desperate need of some alone time. I could go on and on the things we shared during the 15 month deployment. We shared our lives in a time when we all needed each other. I guess what I am really trying to say is I am so thankful I have met some women, some real friends that make saying goodbye so hard.

I want to stop short before I start sounding too cliche, so I will close with this: "Don't be dismayed at goodbyes. A farewell is necessary before you can meet again. And meeting again, after moments or lifetime, is certain for those who are friends." ~Richard Bach

ps, I am officially boohooing again (and I am NOT even being a woman), so if there are typos...I get a bye!

Final day at the beach

Guess who likes to take feet pics as well??

I don't' know how this one stayed tilted...I'll fix it later **fixed it **. In the meantime, tilt your head to the right. This was the massive collection of shells.

If you can see the line of the shells, they are in a pattern of shell, rock, shell, rock. They also go up and down in a wavy line. She would walk along the shell/rock line singing some song like they were musical notes. It was very interesting!

These pelicans flew by all day long!

We spent our last day here just hanging out. Husband and Will surfed most of the day. Livi and I dug up shells, walked in the sand mostly avoiding crab holes and washed up jelly fish. Here are a few of the shots from the kids' camera. That shark boogey board made one little five year old a very happy surfin' dude!

Happy Tuesday, y'all. We are off this morning back to home...well, the city that used to be our home. We have to pick up Josie, have dinner with some friends we are leaving behind...I hate these things. I am sure I will cry! Note to self: pack tissue in my bag.

Happy Memorial Day '08

Memorial Day has always marked the beginning of summer for me. Back in the days when I was in college, my roomies and I threw a huge party every Memorial Day. We had a cool house on a corner lot very near campus. There was a huge ball field that we set up a volleyball net. Someone would grill/burn some burgers and hotdogs. Fun memories....

The first time I attended a Memorial Day celebration was when we lived in Alaska. We had driven down to Anchorage for the long weekend. Jets flew overhead during the ceremony. I remember feeling proud to be married to a soldier. So many have paid the ultimate sacrifice.

Like President Bush said in his speech today: "I am humbled by those who have made the ultimate sacrifice that allow a free civilization to endure and flourish," Bush said. "It only remains for us, the heirs of their legacy, to have the courage and the character to follow their lead and to preserve America as the greatest nation on Earth and the last, best hope for mankind."

A few shots of how we started our Memorial Day:

Waking up at 6:20 AM has its benefits...the sunlight is gorgeous at that time.

I really tried to get some of Will just being Will, but he mostly just wanted to do crazy shots!

So glad that Husband could join us this time for our visit to the beach.

a boy and his daddy....doesn't get much better than that.

The view from our porch...

Just to compare, here are some pics of our visit last August .

S'more please

Nothing says beach more than a s'more. I found those little collapsable roasting sticks in Target's dollar spot. We had to use the grill rather than a campfire...but the end result was still the same. What is it about a little browned marshmellow, some chocolate, all smooshed in between graham crackers? But it defintely says summer to me.

Photohunt: Shoes

beach

sand castles

new surf board

having lots of fun

borrowing someone's wireless

mild sunburn

vacation

ps....so happy to see Shoes as the topic for Photohunt! Livi and I took this one just today. I am scared to move my laptop for fear of losing the signal!

we made it and a quiz

We made it down here with no problems...

Here is a little quiz of what do you think has happened?

a.) the AC froze up the within the first few hours.

b.) I locked us out the first morning?

c.) I got lost going into town to get some groceries.

d.) all of the above.



Ding ding ding , we have a winner...all of the above. Yes....but we are having a grand time.

More updates later...I am 'borrowing' someone's wireless.

PCS- Day 4.....what a day it was

PCS- Day 4.....what a day it was, originally uploaded by tommiea1.

The day started off with a bang....literally. A woman failed to stop at the light and banged into me this morning while I was taking the kids to school. Thank goodness no one was hurt. My part of my rear bumper is hanging on with a zip tie now, but it is still drivable. My first thought was, "You have got to be kidding me, you stupid (*&*&&." But then sanity set in and I am just thankful the airbags didn't deploy. That might have put a major damper on the drive to the beach.

On a good note, every single last solitaire item of our possessions is on a moving truck headed to KY. The kids went out to say goodbye to their toys one last time. The guys loading it on the truck were great. They filled 3/4 of that mongo Mayflower truck. Now it will go into storage until we find a house there. When this happens, it is like Christmas all over when you finally get your boxes. In the interim, I am always amazed at how few things we really need!

As for my After Action Review:

• keep out the hanging stacker from the kids' closet to keep this week's clothes in. The master bathroom got way too messy.
• make sure my insurance card is up to date for the car! (I have to print it out myself, and I always forget!)
• Start planning meals from pantry more than two weeks out. Thankfully they packed some of it, but I really had way too much food in there.
• Have more juice boxes for the movers and packers....who knew?

I think that is about it....overall this move has been very easy. Hopefully the finding the house part will be just as easy.

We head out to the beach tomorrow. Whew hoo, waves here we come.

Peace out

PCS-Day 3

PCS-Day 3, originally uploaded by tommiea1.

The only thing the packers did today was build crates for two oil paintings. They also stuck the numbered stickers on the boxes. How many boxes have the guys packed in two days??? Ding ding ding, the exact number is 196. They have left a few open for any misc stuff that is being still used like bedding. They have also left the mattresses on the bed. We will only have to sleep on the kinder mats and air mattress for one night.

A few Q&As from the comments:

Carrieb of Blah, blah, blog asked: Will you write a book someday to share these tips for sane living with the rest of us? Ha, I wish...unless you read this blog, this is the only time I will ever probably write this down. I do keep a "moving/vacation" file, since we do this so often.

When do you leave town? Friday, we are beach bound! Whew hoo!

Claudia of On a Limb: I wonder if Will could get a little big boy one? That black is a Stetson, so I am sure they make little kid's ones. When they were doing Western day at school, he didn't even want a hat, but he did get some little cowboy boots. Livi got some pink ones. They are already too small!

Dea Felis asked: How many pounds do you guys get, and how many do you use? First Dea Felis is the Lieutenant (now former Lieutenant) that took Chance, our kitty that couldn't make the trip to CA with us. For those of you unfamiliar with military moves. You are given a weight allowance of how many pounds you get free. For every pound you are over you are, you are charged. We get 18,000 pounds. I think we used 13,000 pounds on the last move. I pretty much get rid of one thing for every one thing I bring into the house. The only new things we have gotten for this house are that mongo art center in the office and a few decorative items. I kind of went a little crazy at some Southern Living at Home parties. We have never even gotten close to our limit. Since they haven't put it on the truck yet, I don't know the final weight. But I am sure it is close to the 13,000.

Kerry of More, more, more : I would be a mess right now - not you - calm and cool is my guess - right?! Calm and cool?? Fairly calm, starting to feel a wee bit of stress...but not too bad. I am already starting an "AAR" After Action Review (what I will do differently) in my head. A few things have gone wrong, but nothing major. So kind of calm and lukewarm.

Cynthia of : Springmont Cottage Could you send me the name or rental company for the beach house you are going to stay at near Galveston? It is a little town in between Houston and Galveston. The little A-frames as well as many others are managed by Columbia Property . This is our second time to stay with them. The prices are very reasonable. Plus, it is a private beach, so you don't have to fight tourists for a space. Granted it is not anywhere near much else...there is a Walmart about 20-25 minutes away. But to get away and just enjoy the beach, this is it!

Tomorrow all of our stuff goes on the truck. Since we don't even have a house in KY yet, it is going into storage. It is one of the few things I am worrying about. That means it will be handled four times: putting it on the truck here, unloading it into storage in KY, putting it back on a truck once we get a house in KY, then unloading it into our new house (once we find one) there. I don't have warm fuzzy feelings about that. Again, it only reinforces the need to be kind to the packers: feed them lunch, provide a cooler of water bottles....treat them with kindness, they are in control of your entire life belongings!

We will have wireless for one more night, after that who knows what is on the beach??

Happy Wednesday. y'all

PCS Day 2-all boxed up and a little redneck hat

PCS Day 2-all boxed up, originally uploaded by tommiea1.

Everything is all boxed up. The poor guy that had the office was in there all day. I really have that space in there maximized to the hilt. We used to have a craft room, a sun room and a play area....all of that was combined into one space here. At least he got to work in the cool house. It got up to 101 degrees today. Yes, that is not a typo...ONE HUNDRED ONE degrees.

I tell you, I will not miss this heat!

Once the kids got home from school, we did a bit of quiet time. As much quiet time as you can surrounded by boxes. Our little adventure out this afternoon was just to the grocery store to buy the ingredients for our dinner tonight. Hey, it killed an hour that would have been spent cooped up in the house. While we were there, Will saw this hat. They have a field day tomorrow and will be outside all morning. Even with sunscreen he will burn if he is not covered. I tried to get him to get a cute little bucket hat. That was not happening. "I am five now, I want a big boy hat!" I guess big boys wear redneck looking hats with seashells along the trim!

While the guys were out in the garage, Will had to drag his tricycle one more time. I couldn't resist taking a few shots.

Will was very interested in where the guys were getting all the boxes ....he wanted to crawl into the back of this truck so bad! That little redneck hat would have had so much fun jumping around back there.

That's all folks, Day 2 is over. So far, so good. The only thing I can't find in our "don't pack" area (also known as the master bathroom) are Will's flip flop Crocs. He was going to wear them for his field day tomorrow. Oh well, at least he has that red neck hat....another thing to remember Texas.

PCS (permanent change of station): Day 1

PCS- Day 1, originally uploaded by tommiea1.

I am so thankful the kids still are in school for half the day. The packers got here bright and early this morning. By the time they got back from school after lunch, the guys had finished Will's room, most of the kitchen, and half of Livi's room.

I actually made time to go get a mani and have lunch with a friend. She had to work last night, but woke after just a few hours of sleep to say goodbye. It never ceases to amaze me that I did manage to make a great friend that I will really miss. My neighbors and J are lifelong friends that I won't soon forget.

Texas has been very hard to make feel like home. I grew up in Oklahoma, went to school at OU, so there has always been that Red River rivalry. Secondly, Husband was only here a few months before he deployed. Then the twelve month deployment turned into fifteen months. Now just a short five months after being home, we are moving. So, even though I made my house a home, Texas has never felt like home.

One thing I do love about Texas is their never-ending patriotism and true pride in their state. Texans are sure proud to be from here. Heck, I even have a big a$$ star to hang above my mantle. On the way to lunch with my friend, I passed not one but two funeral processionals. The first was was right by my house. As I pulled onto the road, cars were pulled over. The ones in the funeral were escorted by a police motorcade. Cars were all pulled over to the side of the road. Uniformed soldiers got out of their cars, stood by the doors and saluted. This was lunch time, crazy as ever time to get anywhere here. People were come to a complete stop to show this family some respect. Cue the tears, I got all weepy.....way too many emotions going on now.

Then just as Iwas almost to the restaurant and heard this loud rumble of a group of Harley Davidson bikes. This group turned out to be about 50 members of the Patriot guard I blogged about here. Again, unwavering pride and respect for all......those weepy tears I had held in check just started to fall.

Though I don't think I can ever say I love Texas, I am glad we came here.

Pics from Day one of packing:

Happy birthday Will and a whole lotta packing

Busy busy weekend around here.

Saturday we celebrated Will's 5th birthday (a wee bit early since we are moving before June 3). We had neighbors and friends over for a party in the backyard. We had the pool, sprinkle ball and a slip-n-slide. The kids had a blast!

A blast from the past four birthdays. I can't believe you are one whole hand now!

This is my favorite pic of him from this year. It shows his personality. He is always trying to sneak up on me or hide from me when I bring out the camera.

After all the party goers left, it was down to business. The kids helped bring down all the stuff from the attic: seasonal stuff, misc curtain rods that didn't get used in this house, a car seat that Will outgrew this year, old teaching materials.....all that stuff that does get used on a daily basis but you still need.

I also keep all the original packaging for most of our breakable and small kitchen appliances. Packed in their original packaging, they are less likely to get broken. We have had excellent moves the last five times (knock on wood)....with no more than a broken glass here or there. We feed our packers, provide a cooler of water, and keep the house cool. I truly think it helps to keep them happy and comfortable!

I also got all of the kids stuff packed. We have things seperated out for the beach, for the time at my mom's, toys for the road, favorite toys to play with until we get all of our stuff.

We got so much done today:

• confirmation for hotels/doggie spas printed out and put into a folder
• directions for each leg of the trip printed
• kitchen stuff we will need immediately
• gargage stuff they won't pack
• things taken off the walls
• all things going with us put into the master bathroom (Note to self: make a "Do Not Pack" sign for that door
• drain the propane tanks
• mowed and cleaned the mower
• clean the grill
• put all the outdoor kid stuff on the porch

I still need to pack my clothes, but that is it. The people that put all the stuff into boxes will be here by 8 AM! I don't know how often I will be able to post after that....but you know I will be checking whose wireless is unsecured!

Happy week y'all.

Photohunt::candy

I can see the tummyache coming...., originally uploaded by tommiea1.

I could totally see his "I am going to have a tummy ache tomorrow"-look.....but it is good!

next week : shoes
From a visit to the duck pond recently

Friday Fill in

Friday fill in courtesy of the talented Janet



Questions courtesy of Jennifer this week, thanks!!! I'd love to feature your questions, if you'd like to leave some for future use!

1. There is absolutely NO way you can get me to jump out of a plane!

2. The 95+ degree weather, as well as all the thunderstorms remind me that summer is almost here!

3. I cannot live without my laptop.

4. Spin class and bread baking class are two things I'd like to try.

5. When life hands you lemons, make sure they are washed before you put them in your water!

6. Playing with all my cousins at my grandparent's house is my favorite childhood memory.

7. And as for the weekend, tonight I'm looking forward to picking out some pics for a birthday post for Will, tomorrow my plans include Will's (early) 5th birthday party and Sunday, I want to get all the original packaging boxes from the attic! The packers get here on Monday!

The hectic time of another move is upon us. This afternoon I finalized the places Josie is going to stay while we are in transit. One night in KY we might have to sneak her into our hotel if it takes more than one day to find a house.

We do most of the work before we even get there, so it is possible to find one in a day. We usually just visit 10 or so that we have found online or through our realtor. Look all morning, then by lunchtime we are writing a contract!

Thursday 13- letter T

In keeping with the ABC of 2008, the letter T:

1. Texas: we are leaving Texas in 13 days.
2. Target: easily my favorite store to waste time in
3. Thoughtful: I do think that I am....most of the time anyway.
4. Taco Bell: burritos with no sour cream or onions, yummi-licious
5. Tea-not a big tea drinker, but I do like a cardamon cinnamon one.
6. Timeline: our moving timeline is moving right along, I booked the hotels for the different legs of the trip. The hotels all had outrageous fees for Josie. So I googled 'pet boarding'....here is where she will spend the first night of our trip: Chenal Pet Palace. I found another one similiar for the second leg!
   
7. TJMaxx: love this place, but I really have to be in the mood to dig and shop. I usually come out with something great for super cheap.
   
8. Thank you notes: big stickler for them, though at Christmas this last year we never got them out. Husband had just gotten home, and well, they didn't get sent out.
   
9. Teacher: taught special ed for 12 years before kids.
   
10. TV: rarely watch 'live' TV, it is usually a DVR'd show so I can speed through the commercials
    
11. iTunes: tell me your favorite song you have gotten from there...looking for something good for my new Ipod.
    
12. tommie: duh.....I do like my name, not too many girl tommie's out there.
    

13. Tag Heuer Aquaracer: my dream watch....seriously thinking about getting this watch for my big 4-0 in July.

six days until the packers come, make that five days....where did I lose a day?

pink wildflower, originally uploaded by tommiea1.

Another busy day of trying to get all things taken care of before the move. We have moved five times. After each move, I do an AAR (After Action Report)...I write down what went well, what we should have done, what we didn't need to do.

For example, when we get ready for the packers to come and put stuff in boxes, I put the remote to an item in a baggie. I tape that baggie to say the TV. TV and remote together, it's a good thing. This last move the packers gathered all those remotes and put them in one box. It was one of the LAST boxes we opened. It was labeled "garage stuff"......I guess that packer had a TV in his garage, who knows
.
So, into the AAR moving file: pack remotes in stuff to take with us! We usually block off one bathroom. Anything that is going in the car with us goes in that room. The kids get to take one tub of toys. We take a handful of kitchen supplies, one set of sheets, towels, etc.
It really has become a fine art. We move through the motions fairly smoothly. This is not to say that it goes off flawlessly, but we have gotten much better.

Mary Alice, a fellow military wife, of From the Front Lines recently told me: Leaving friends is bittersweet. Without the moves we would never had met them in the first place. There are new people that we will share laughter and tears with at the next post. We don't even know their names yet...but they will share our lives. It's kind of great really.

So, like this wildflower gracefully hanging over the edge of the pool, I am going to embrace the simplicity of life, just hang around, and see where it takes us.

so, what would be your best moving tip?

It's a sad sad day.....

(picture of Livi watching a movie Husband sent her from Iraq on her birthday....the only pic I could find of my laptop- taken October 16, 2007)


Yes, it is true....how sad for me. My little laptop has posted its last post, typed its last words, surfed for the last time. Yesterday I guess I worked it too hard putting music on my Ipod. The first time my laptop died.....so so sad! Last spring the monitor went out and had to be replaced. So I guess it has lived a full life. It is four years old. I kid you not, it is about one month past its extended warranty.

This morning it was pokey and slow, finally a little screen that didn't look very promising came on.

Depending how long I can tolerate the stinky dog toots, I will blog from the office. But, dang Josie can pass some gas that will make your toes curl! Maybe I will get some of all that stuff I mentioned yesterday done now.

weekend recap and a little manic monday

Wow, this weekend just flew by quickly. I think I am starting to realize the fact that the packers will be here in one week! In one week, I will have to have things sorted out to

• 
  
  take to the beach




• 
  
  return from the beach to a hotel for one night




• 
  
  take to my mom's for three weeks




• 
  
  go to Kentucky to find a house




• 
  
  Write a contract on a house




• 
  
  Go to OH to inlaws for fourth of July




• 
  
  Go back to KY and hopefully be able to move into said home

I really need to make a moving notebook. I'll whip out my label maker and make some labels. That should bring some much needed peace into my life.

On a lighter note, Mother's day was wonderful. The kids and Husband surprised me with my own Ipod. Every night I snag Husband's ipod to listen to my "sleep music". He then forgets it in the morning on his commute to work. So now, whew hoo...I have my own. I never thought a little piece of metal would make me so happy.

We spent the Sunday with friends. Two other neighbor couples that survived the deployment with me. There was much food, fun, laughter, and swimming.

At the end of the day, it is good to know that once again I have made a connection with two women at yet another duty station. We will be leaving in about ten days, leaving behind another house we made a home, friends that are truly lifelong friends. I think this is the saddest thing about being a military spouse.

If the statement, 'You are what you eat' was true, I would be a chunk of cheese.

If you had to have one piece of music (softly) playing in your mind for the rest of your life, what would you want it to be? Nickelback, "If Everyone Cared"...

What is the most important thing in any relationship? trust

Photohunt: Truly my favorite thing these days, a SOLD sign in our frontyard

this week: share ANY photo
next week: candy

My creation, originally uploaded by tommiea1.

so so happy to have this sign in our front yard......Kentucky here we come!

But if I were to pick favorite shots of the kids...this one of Livi captures her happy-go-lucky self!

This shot of Will and husband was mere minutes after he got home from a 15 month deployment . It is still one of my all time favorite shots!

Organizing tips from Tommie #4...winter clothes

finished pool, originally uploaded by tommiea1.

Since we are supposed to hit 90+ degrees this weekend, I figured it was finally time to deal with the winter clothes. So here is another "tommie tips:"

I'll start with how I do the kids' clothes. Starting with the obvious, wash all jackets and coats. If it is something I think either can wear next year, it goes onto the far left of the closet on a different colored hanger. Livi has pink and white hangers, Will has blue and white. This was I can see at a glance if there are clothes I need to fill in on the next size (totally taking advantage of all the winter clearance sales going on now).

If it is already getting too small or snug, after washing, it goes into a trash bag lined Rubbermaid tub on the floor of the closet. These are passed along to cousins or the clothes closet at school. Livi has even gotten to where if she tries on something and it doesn't fit, she will put it in the tub for baby E.

In homes I have lived in that didn't have closets big enough to leave them on the left, I have stored them in clear flat Rubbermaid tubs. I fold sweaters with a white piece of tissue paper to prevent creases. Now get that handy dandy label maker out and label it sweaters, wool pants, wool skirts, etc.

While my feng shui side says not to store stuff under the bed, I have read that it is okay to store soft and cuddly stuff if you are lacking storage space/basement/attic. I have stored those thin bins under sofas even! You can get creative if you have to. Now to not forget where this stuff is stored, go mark you calendar in Sept or Oct (or whenever it gets chilly where you live): "winter clothes stored in ______ (fill in the blank with where you stashed them).

Throw in some of those little ceder chips in a sachet. Whew hoo, another year done.

Do you remember the big diggers for the pool next door ? Well, here it is finished. It is amazing. There is an outdoor kitchen, a hot tub, waterfalls, gorgeous landscaping.

Thursday 13.....#39....the letter S

In keeping with the ABC theme for 2008....the letter S:

1. Scott Kelby book: attempting to work my way through this.
2. Surfside City: the Beach house we are taking the kids to in a couple of weeks.
3. Shot at Love with Tila Tequila: <----guiltily raising my hand and admitting I watch it
4. SLR- well, digital SLR....favorite birthday gift last year
5. Shrimp and Grits: one of my all time favorite meals ever.
6. Sooner born and Sooner bred, when I die, I'll be Sooner dead, Go Oklahoma, OKU
7. Survived a 15 month deployment (but lost my sanity on a few of those days)
8. Swiss Army watch was a gift from Husband when we got married.
9. Summer: this summer (Which starts May 23 for us) will be hectic with a vacation, a move, living with my mom for three weeks, going to see the in-laws, buying a house, unpacking a house, painting a house, and finding a preschool....all before the end of July!
10. Simplify: I am really trying to simplify my life.
11. Second: My second grade teacher, Mrs. Odom, was one of my favorite teachers.
12. Six: I graduated with six of my cousins. There were only 46 in the entire class!
13. Senior: Finally Laski Gal from From the Cheap Seats asked to see our Senior Prom pics since it is prom season.......ask and you shall receive:
    

Just a few little thoughts about this picture. Oh me, oh my.....why would any one leave the house with white hose?? Not only white hose, but those white dyeable shoes? It was 1986.....but dang, didn't I have friends? Friends don't let friends wear white hose.

Next, why does it look like I am seven months pregnant? I promise I wasn't. I probably weighed all of a buck ten. One of my cousins was pregnant at our senior prom though!

I was the shortest girl in my class. I am barely 5'3". My date was the tallest guy in our class....at 6'4". ..... wouldn't you think that little streamer background would be taller??

Look at my mullet-sporting jock? Oh, young love... In fact my eyes are shut in my senior prom pic...I must have been dreaming about my man!

Finally, can you see the mongo ring on my forefinger. I spent hours dying waxed dental floss pink to wrap around the bottom since it would match my flowers! Yeah, lots of time spent color coordinating my flowers to the floss!

Just for grins and giggles...here is a prom I went to my junior year. I was going out with a senior, so I got to go to his prom. I think he was the shortest guy in his class. I think I wore ballet flats so I wouldn't be taller than him. That dress had to be taken apart at the waist to be hemmed. I think it is still hanging at a closet at my mom's house!

I dare you, no I double dog dare you to post your senior prom pics!