Happy father's day, Husband

Happy Father's day, Husband. Keeping things simple with a little interview with the kids.

I really love it when my dad:
Will: tickles me.
Olivia: tickles me and snuggles me.....Oh, and makes good food.

My dad likes to:
W: fly planes.
O: love on me.

My dad always tells me to:
W: strip my bed on Sundays.
O: Go to bed because I don't like to go to bed. He is a good daddy, the most good Dad.

The best thing he does is:
W: let me scare him when he gets home from work.
O: make is famous cheesy pasta.

It makes him happy when I:
W: try to make him laugh.
O: help him clean the kitchen.

My dad loves to:
W: hug me and Stister, and you. **tommie note: Will still calls Livi his Stister even though he can say sister!**
O: read. And I like to read too.

I like it when:
W: he cuddles me.
O: he tickles and snuggles me.

The best thing he cooks is:
W: his famous cheesy pasta.,.....Oh and pizza!.....pizza pizza, I love pizza.
O: cheesy pasta.

When my dad shops he likes to buy:
W: Daddy chips (sour cream and cheddar ruffles potato chips)
O: strawberries and blueberries so they can be mixed in ice cream.

My dad's favorite household chore is:
W: Can we just take this one out?
O: to clean the tables.

My dad's favorite TV show is:
W: Mythbusters
O: dangerous shows, NOT our kid shows. But sometimes we watch kid shows together. I do not come in here when Daddy is watching mean shows.

At the hotel he likes to:
W: swim.
O: snuggle me.

If he could go on a trip he would go to:
W: Disneyworld
O: Disneyworld.

Photostory Friday: Giving up Bunny

Livi is a thumb sucker. She has always been a thumb sucker. I think I even have a sonogram of her sucking her thumb. Trust me, I tried to get her to take a "binky"....but no, she has always wanted her thumb. Along with the thumb, she wants her bunny. My brother calls her a "secret sucker". She holds one ear of her bunny in her thumb sucking had, while rubbing the other ear with her other hand. Over the years she has rubbed a hole in that ear.

One year went by then another....

Six days before her second birthday, her Daddy deployed for 15 months. This shot appearred in the Austin paper. It was also one of my first blog entries: Stuff Portrait Friday: Freedom. Probably not the best time to try to take the bunny to stop the thumb sucking....(the only time she sucks is when she has the bunny.)

Fifteen months later in Dec '07, Bunny is the one thing she wanted to bring to the welcome home ceremony. She was worried her Daddy forgot Bunny. Again, not a good time to take Bunny away.

That summer we moved......remember the chaos of that summer:
Went to the beach '08 for a week
We SOLD a house.
Lived in Oklahoma for almost a month....most of it without Husband
Lived in Ohio for three weeks
Bought a house in KY and painted every square inch of it

By now Livi is three and a half years old. She still has Bunny

Last night, on her own free will, she announced she was ready to give up Bunny. We have had a tiny gold ring in a princess Limoge box. We promised her when she was ready to put Bunny away for good, she could have the princess box and the ring. Going to sleep was a bit rough, there were a few tears., but she did it. All by herself! First thing this morning...Thursday, May 28, 2009, she earned that golden ring!

Hosted by Cecily and MamaGeek

Manic Monday

Just another Manic Monday…

Describe to me your favorite lounging clothes. Believe it or not, the t-shirt pajama pants from Old Navy are super soft. They are too long for me, of course. So I usually just cut them off. They just roll up a bit and do not fray. Now, the flannel ones I do have to hem...

PS, you know it has been a good weekend, when most of the laundry on Monday morning is pajamas and outside play clothes! Let's just say, it was a good Monday today!

If you promised to never lie again in your lifetime, in what area would it be hardest to uphold the promise? I am a people pleaser, so this is a hard one. Probably along the lines of making an excuse to do something that I really don't have to do.

Give a one word answer to the question “why is life worth living”. Absolutely easy peasy one....one of the happiest days of my life: Husband coming home from his deployment

Happy Easter

taken Easter 2005-Livi

Thursday 13, the letter Z

My final ABC Thursday 13.....the letter Z

1 zucchini- favorite bread to make into a muffin!! Will doesn't think the same!

2. zoo: From the Columbus, OH zoo: Oh yeah, I still laugh when I look at this pic ....that is truly a face only a mother could love.

3. zone clean: I zone clean ....a Flylady thing. Basically the house is divided into five zones (entrance/dining room, kitchen, bathrooms/kids' room, master bedroom, living room)....I focus on a certain zone each week. Ideally, during one month the entire house gets a thorough cleaning. The key word here is ideally. Before kids I would have stressed to the nth degree if it my house wasn't immaculate....now a general clean is okay. Though the dust on the baseboards still wear me out!

4. Zip code: Every time we move, it takes me forever to learn my new zip code! Forever! We have been here since the summer and I still confuse the last digit!

5. zapped: I have been zapped by a cow prod. It left a little dent in my shin bone. Lovely high school memories.

6. zeal: I like to think I have a zeal for life. I try to make the best of wherever we are, wherever we live. No sense whining for several years!

7. Fort Worth Zoo.....Fort Worth Zoo We had a great time there on spring break. We went there and to Six Flags. It was the first vacation after Husband got back from deployment.

8. zebra: In TX we went to a drive through zoo ....a zebra followed our car right at Livi's eye level. She did not like that one bit!

9. zero: tattoos on my body. I have always wanted one...but have a pain tolerance of ZERO.

10. zest: anytime we make muffins with fresh lemon or lime juice, I use the zest in the muffin batter. It makes it so much more flavorful and moist.

11. zip: I am totally not one to gripe...but people who zip through traffic (especially when the temps are hovering between 30-35) scare the bejesus out of me!

12. zodiac = cancer = crab......traits makes you wonder if the stars know something I don't!

13. Zoomboomafoo- if you know what this is, you must have kids!

This ABC Thursday 13 has been fun and challenging! I am not sure what I will do next.....any suggestions??

Happy Thursday, y'all!

Friday Fill In

Friday fill in courtesy of the talented Janet.....thinking of her and her dad

1. Snow is what the kids are looking forward to the most.

2. I'm looking forward to watching the laugh and play on the sled. This small hill is the first time the kids rode their cute little LL Bean sled. They were barely one and two at the time. They would go down this tiny slope time and time again! We have lugged that sled from KS to TX to here....hopefully we can use it again finally!

3. Husband is the best husband ever! He picked up Papa Murphy's on his way home from work. I love me some Papa Murphy's pizza!

4. One of my favorite old tv shows is so many come to mind: Brady Bunch, Welcome Back Kotter, Dynasty, Love Boat....should I go on??.

5. I'm done with my Christmas shopping. I do need to find some ornaments...but I have to go into Louisville to get those.

6. The most enjoyable thing around the holidays is being with family.

7. And as for the weekend, tonight I'm looking forward to Papa Murphy's chicken and veggie pizza, tomorrow my plans include finding those ornaments (we'll probably make it a girl day) and Sunday, I want to see the kids perform the songs they have been practicing at school!

Thursday 13, the letter X

In keeping with the ABC theme, I give you the letter X.....

1. X-ray- I turned the magic age to have to go have my "girls" x-rayed... poked, prodded, stretched and squished. Yeah me!

2. XM Radio- Both Husband and I received an XM radio a few years ago. With the Ipod now, we never renewed the subscription.....besides who am I kidding? The kids are usually watching a movie if we are on a long trip!


3. X- Kind of reaching here, X is the 24th letter.....when I was 24 years old, I was teaching in big Ltown, America. It was my first year to teach there. I loved it, even if it was junior high!


4. Xerox- is that what those copied papers were when I was in elementary school (late 70's)...you know, they smelled GOOD and were cool to the touch! Oh yeah, fond memories....or does that mean most of first grade I was high off copy fumes?? Makes me wonder??

Now for the rest, I am having to use "ex-" I even consulted my dictionary...there are only TWO pages of X definitions in the whole dictionary. I don't even take xanax, so I couldn't even use that one.


So.....


5. exact- I know pretty much the exact location of any item in my pantry, because you know they are in properly labeled baskets by theme.

6. example- I am not creative, but I can copy an example I see of pretty much anything....a flower container garden, a scrapbook page, a room in a magazine.

7. exceptional- I like to think I am an exceptional cook...bread baker -definitely not....but pretty much anything else.

8. expert- I can pretty much organize anything....does that make me an expert or just anal? I prefer expert, I call it like I see it!

9. explore- I am finally learning my way around town to my favorite places....so now I am ready to explore shortcuts and fun little places.

10. extra- ALWAYS buy extra toilet paper.....Never running out of toilet paper is just a little "I love you enough to have paper to wipe your hiney."

11. extraordinary- I believe I live an extraordinary life....extra ordinary....I am just a stay at home mom with two preschool age kids and a wonderful husband who just so happens to be in the military. We survived a deployment.....but so many other wives. I find that to be extraordinary.

12. excited- I am very excited for the holidays...from Thanksgiving to Christmas! I love this time of year.

13. expressive- I think the kids have the most expressive faces...

Will can make those little eyebrows do some unnatural things....but they definitely convey his mood.

Livi can make her cheeks, forehead, and eyebrows do those same moves as Will's....in this pic, a duck had lunged at her at the duck pond. Rather than the normal mom reaction, I had to capture the Kodak moment. Trust me, no ducks or child was harmed in the process!

Photohunt: family

The kids are so ex-cite-tic (Livi speak for excited) to have Grandma and Grandpa here this weekend for her birthday. Husband arranged to have the day off....so we headed over to the pumpkin patch.

This is a little local patch. The kids' preschool went there on Wed. I didn't want to make the kids stray from their class to get pics, so I knew I wanted to come back.

Livi found this little baby pumpkin ....just a peek into her jibber jabber: "Oh, little orange punkin you are the cutest sweetest little thing. You won't be a decoration, no sirreee, you will sit right here and I will show you love. Love...what is love? Love is not having to be a punkin muffin, Love is just sitting here and being cute!" Yes, she is only four...kind of scary how much she talks...and the rambling she does!

Will headed straight for the hale bale maze. He would try to confuse himself and go ways that didn't make sense. When Grandpa tried to move a bale, he was like, "uuuggghhhh, Grandpa it doesn't go there!" Just a little note: it was maybe 60ish degrees when we left the house this morning....when Will puts on his hat. In Will-world....if you put on the hat when you leave the house.....it stays on the entire time. EVEN if it gets up to warmer temps....

This is my little family trip to the punkin patch....happy hunting y'all!

If you’d like to play, here’s TNChick’s link!

Next week: scary

Photostory Friday- have a little cupcake

Hosted by Cecily and MamaGeek

Happy Birthday to my little princess. When I asked her what she wanted for her birthday, all she said was chocolate cake. We usually make this as a bundt cake, but we had them as cupcakes at my surprise party this summer. This has been a favorite of our family for as long as we have been married.

Trust me, this is a cupcake you want to know. It is a chocolate chocolate chip cupcake.



1 box devil's food cake mix

1 box of large pudding (the cook and serve kind)

1 cup sour cream

4 eggs

1/2 c. oil

1/2 c. water

12 oz. chocolate chips

Mix all until thoroughly mixed. Just stir in the powder of the pudding mix (don't prepare it like the box says). Add in the chocolate chips after everything is mixed. For a cake, bake at 350 degrees for one hour. I made these as big muffins and it took almost 35 minutes. Mini muffins only take ten minutes.

edited to add: the cream cheese frosting is simple: one brick of softened cream cheese, a splash of milk (probably 2T or so)....then just keep adding powdered sugar until stiff enough to pipe through a bag. I used probably 2 1/2 c. , but could have used more. Mine was a little soft. Mix until combined. To pipe it on the top, I put it in a ziplock bag. Snip off the corner. Pipe in concentric circles on the top. Enjoy!

Hey hey, back away from the cupcakes. I am still trying to get a good shot! Boy, yeah, you...get your little mitts away from my princess sprinkles.

PS, why is it every time I say bundt I think of My Big Fat Greek Wedding? I love that movie!

First day of preschool

We started preschool today. Will is in the PreK program. Livi is in the 'fours' class. She is only three, but turns four in Oct. Since she has already had a year of preschool, they let her go. So now she will get to go three days instead of two.

They walked in like they owned the place. We had gone to an open house last week to do a meet and greet with their teachers.

Each kid did their evening routine: laying out clothes and backpack for the next day. Livi was so excited to wear 'the pretty dress with all the colors'. Will was excited to see if there would be a new Nicholas <----his little friend he misses so much in Texas. As we walked in, they immediately gave me kisses and reminded me to bring their milk.

Unlike last year I didn't have tears. I got back in my car (the freakin' rental car at that: mine is still being fixed where that woman rear-ended me). I don't even know where a Starbucks is, so I couldn't even go get a coffee! But I did go run some kid-free errands for a few hours.

Here is the token crazy silly face they love to do for their daddy. The silly faces started during the deployment, the continue just because who doesn't love to have their pic taken with a tongue hanging out?

I guess my babies are growing up!

Now for a little here's Manic Monday, hosted by Lisa

How would your friend describe you to someone who has never seen you? Pretty much like my "About me"....creative, organized, photographer

Do you trust anyone to protect you? Who, and why? Trust is something I struggle with....but I do trust Husband. He has never let me down. I can count on him to be there....emotionally if not physically.

If you died or went missing, who would miss you? Husband, the kids....I mean who would get them dressed and drive them to school. My family. I would think a great many people would miss me!

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 .

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!

Bye bye butterflies

Bye bye butterflies, originally uploaded by tommiea1.

We have had a blast raising the butterflies. This morning the fifth butterfly came out of the chrysalis. The other four are now two days old. The little bit of sugar water, fresh flowers, and orange slices were enough for them for now. Since they were banging around into their little net house, we thought it was time to let them go.

This evening we carefully unzipped the little hut.........waiting patiently the first one flew out. It flitted around and flew into the tree in our front yard. I wasn't going to include this blurry pic of Livi, but it totally showed how excited she was. If you look closely, (or click on it, it takes you to the big one on Flickr), she kind of looks like she is three degrees of crazy.....not that that isn't too far from the truth!

One landed in the flower beds, long enough to snap a few pics. I think this was the one that was only a day old.

All in all, it was a great project. We will definitely do it again. It was almost two weeks to the day that we got five tiny, barely an inch long caterpillars and watched them turn in to beautiful Painted Lady butterflies.

weekly winners, April 27- May 3, 2008

Thanks to Lotus at sarcastic mom for hosting this fun way to see all those extra pics that I didn't blog about this week.

These are all from the Change of command we went to this week....apparently I didn't get my camera out much more than this! The caterpillars are still just hanging in the chrysalis stage, so no need to take their pics!

Will, just as the horses were charging across the parade field. The guys were shooting guns and hootin' and hollarin'....he loved it!

This shot just cracks me up, but it is totally all Livi. She was trying to imitate the band members as they walked in front of us. In no way, shape or form were they shrugging their shoulders....but in her little Liv-a-licious mind, they were.

I have come to love "the blur" so much, I have a set in my Flickr labeled just that.

I think these are donkeys.....but are the ones that pulled the schooner across the field.

We sat under this tree on a picnic blanket. It was a bit away from the crowded grand stands where the kids might be expected to be quiet for the entire ceremony!

A wheel from the schooner....

My favorite shot of the day, (well besides the one with the kids and Husband)....I swear this horse stuck her tongue at me just as I was taking her picture!