Fall 09

Yep, as usual I've been too busy to blog. But I've finally gone through the pics I've taken over the last month and I'm putting the best of them up. Things here are good, just really busy. We finished our soccer season (we won 5 out of 6 games!) but it's still been crazy.

THE PUMPKIN PATCH













Savannah got these flowers for free because the lady working at the pumpkin patch thought she was soooo cute.

PUMPKIN GUTS








COSTUMES

Anakin & Amidala




Aaron wanted to be a Jedi & Batman for Halloween this year. So he was Anakin for the church Trunk or Treat and Batman on Halloween.

That's all for this one. Hopefully I'll get a chance to post again right after Savannah's birthday in 2 weeks.

End of Summer Update

Holy Smokes! The summer is almost over! The kids are BOTH starting school AND soccer in just 2 weeks! AAAHHH! We have had a really great summer, which has kept me so busy that blog updates have become almost extinct! But since it's too hot to be out today (heat advisory is in effect) I figured I'd quit with the house cleaning and get a new post.

***TRAVELING BACK IN TIME***

July 4th -

We had a fun time at the on-post 4th of July party this year. My favorite part was that all 4 of us were actually together for the first time in 2 years! We hung out with our friends, the Tapias and were later joined by the Entrikins to watch the fireworks.


We brought bubbles to keep the kids entertained until it got dark.




The Tapia Fam (Matt actually went to high school with Joe, they even graduated together! One day Matt turned around to the pew behind us in church and there they were! Crazy!)


Aaron hated the canons they were shooting off during the flag ceremony. Matt gave him his ear plugs for a quick fix.


***More Time Traveling***

We had the wonderful opportunity to take a real family vacation down to Myrtle Beach, SC the weekend of July 17th. It was the BEST vacation we've had in at least 2 years and the VERY BEST part was that it was FREE. We literally did not spend 1 penny, except for the tank of gas to get down there and back. The Army paid for the hotel and food! It was for a marriage retreat, and the Army even paid for the kids' child care while Matt and I were in the seminars. Thankfully, the speaker at the seminars was very entertaining and kept the sessions brief, so we had lots of family time.

These are some pics I took of the view FROM OUR HOTEL ROOM! =D







The kids got their faces painted by the "Nannies" who ran the child care. They LOVED the child care room and couldn't wait to go back! (Aaron is Batman, Savannah is a princess)


Every spare second I had, I was out in the ocean. Matt was so sweet to spend so much time playing with the kids so I could get my fill of my salt water addiction. The kids were not as thrilled with the water as I was, but Aaron did enjoy playing in the waves a little. Savannah HATED the waves, even the small ones and was much happier to play in the tide pools and sand.











If you look closely, you can actually see Matt smiling! (As Aaron clings to him because a big wave almost knocked him over)







Our hotel also had a water park! (Which was also FREE for us)





Finally a few more random pics taken in our hotel room.

Aaron LOVES tractors, so when he saw this one on the beach he had me take a pic from our balcony.




That's all for this one, sorry it was so long.

Aaron Turned 4!

Yesterday was Aaron's 4th birthday. We had a pretty big party for him - 10 kids and 12 adults! It was really fun though and I'm thankful to all who attended! Here are some of the pics.


Aaron wanted a Star Wars birthday theme. I gave up making cakes about 2 years ago and just make cupcakes. I can usually find cardboard "confetti" pieces of which ever theme the kids want at Party City. Jenny helped me with the frosting.




Savannah gave Aaron a Nerf gun. He was really nice to his sister after that.


Grandma and Papa Niedringhaus got a Lego Batman shirt for him. He wore it all day today, and even asked if he can wear it to church tomorrow. (Which of course I said no, but I promised he can put it on after church)


Grandma and Papa Snider sent a new backpack for when Aaron starts school in the Fall. They could not have picked a better one!


Mommy and Daddy got Aaron a baseball glove and baseball. - You can see the pure joy on Matt's face, he just LOVES having his picture taken.


Aaron also got a new football from the LaFond family.


Star Wars toys from the Entrikin family. (Good quiet toys to play with during church! Thanks Jenny!)


As well as Star Wars books from the Tapia family (another great present he can bring to church! YAY!)


Aaron was thrilled to get his very own Wii game from the Williams family! It's pretty cool, I even got to play!


Aaron got the most spoiled from Matt's single buddies. Harmon gave him a Dinosaur racetrack, a pack of Hot Wheels cars, and a Transformers t-shirt.


Matt's other buddy, Beck, gave Aaron Optimus Prime (that's a Transformer) and a Transformer t-shirt too. (Beck is trying to get Aaron to love Transformers as much as he does - though he doesn't have to try very hard!)


The kids had a great time playing with the racetrack - even the BIG kid. (Harmon claimed he was just helping the kids)



Aaron was trying to figure out how to "transform" Optimus...


...Beck gave it a good try too. In the end it was Matt who finally got Optimus from robot to semi-truck.

I was just thrilled to finally have Matt home for a birthday! The last birthday he was home for of Aaron's was when Aaron turned 1!
Thanks again to everyone who helped us celebrate my baby boy turning 4!

My Epiphany

Since yesterday was Father's Day I was ever so happy to finish the dishes that Matt had started doing on Saturday, but never finished. I was excited to get up and make breakfast for him. I was more than happy to take on any extra chore to let him relax just a little bit more. It dawned on me last night when I was saying my prayers that if I lived EVERY day with the same happy attitude and loving mentality that I had towards Matt on Father's Day, our home would be all that much nicer to be in.

On special occasion days I tend to treat my family better than normal. I'm more patient, I complain less, and to be honest I'm not as selfish. So, from now on, I will do my best to treat my husband and my children like EVERY day is a special day for them. Why NOT? Every day I am blessed to have them in my life and though they always come first - I haven't always been in the "happy to serve" mode while I'm doing stuff for them. Service doesn't count as service if you gripe about it before, during, or after the job. I hate to think how many times I have wasted the opportunity to serve my own family - the people who mean more to me than anyone in the world - with a cheerful heart because of my own selfishness and immaturity.

This blog entry is more of a journal entry for me so that as often as I check my blog I will be reminded of my epiphany and keep myself in check on HOW I am serving those whom I love.

Happy Father's Day!

This was the first time in 2 years that Matthew has been home for Father's Day. I tried to make it extra special - but since it's always on Sunday I'm obviously limited to what I can do. However, Savannah and I picked out some cards for him a few days ago, and I got him advanced tickets to opening night of the new Transformers movie that comes out this Wednesday. I made waffles for breakfast and the kids "made" him a candy bar in Sunday School. We had a nice evening just watching movies together as a family and I made him Southwestern Chicken and rice for dinner. I don't presume to speak for Matt, but I honestly think that the best part of his Father's Day was just getting to be with his kids (and super fantastic wife). The proof is in the picture ;)

Matt is such an AMAZING Dad! He is great with the kids, he always has been. I know one the reasons I married him is because he is so terrific with children. Great dads seem to becoming fewer and fewer in this world and I'm blessed that the father of my children is so outstanding in the Daddy Department. On top of all his strengths as a father, he is stronger still to be able to be separated from his children for such long periods of time while he earns the money that provides for our family, and does the job that provides the freedom for our country. He truly is my HERO.
Happy Father's Day to all the terrific Dad's I know!

Half Way Through June

Wow, I guess it's been over a month since my last post. I would say that I don't know where the time goes, but actually, I have a pretty good idea of where my time goes. Since the last week of May I've started getting up at 4:30 AM to swim laps at the indoor pool every other morning. I have to go early, before Matt has to leave for PT. So instead of staying up late to catch up on everything like I used to, I'm usually in bed by 10 or 11 PM these days.

Soccer ended a few weeks ago, but we've still been just as busy with everything else we have going on. Just keeping up with the kids, the pets, and the housework (and the new exercise routine) has me busy all day.

But things have been really good. In between the massive rain storms we get here I have managed to take the kids swimming a few times and still walk the dogs for a few miles almost every day.

I'll post more soon - probably after Aaron's birthday next week!

Mother's Day - The Break Down

For the past 5 1/2 years I have been a mom.
I have changed hundreds if not thousands of dirty diapers. I've been pooped on, peed on, puked on, dozens of times. I've wiped snotty noses, cleaned up vomit in the middle of the night, and gone for more than 2 consecutive days without showering more times than I can count.
I have been woken up after only being asleep for 30 minutes to chase away nightmares so many times that I have literally lost years worth of sleep.
I won't even get into the fact that I'm an Army Wife and did not have help from Daddy for the past 2 years.
I have pushed strollers, carried kids, washed stains out of clothes, picked up toys, watched WAY TOO MANY kid's movies, and have gotten soaking wet while the kids stay dry under the umbrella.
I've had to leave entire baskets of groceries in the middle of the store when the kids start having a tantrum (they each only pulled this once and learned REAL fast that I would NOT tolerate bratty kids in the store.)
I have sewn clothes, fixed toys, patched holes, unclogged toilets (not a pretty sight), cleaned cuts, eaten carrots (I HATE carrots), and made hundreds of PB&J sandwiches.
I have several children's books memorized including, but not limited to "Green Eggs And Ham", "The Best Little Monkeys In The World", "If You Give A Mouse A Cookie", and "Goodnight Moon".
I know exactly where my kids' shot records, dental records, and even their favorite coloring books are.
I get to buy 1 maybe 2 new articles of clothing a year for myself, the kids get new wardrobes every 6 months. Don't bother asking the last time I got new shoes for myself, but Savannah and Aaron both got a new pair about 2 months ago. I know their favorite foods, colors, and the names of their imaginary friends.

So in return for the aforementioned services I received a homemade card, and extra hugs and kisses on my "day off". My darling husband also fixed every meal and cleaned up all messes today. I couldn't ask for a better Mother's Day gift!

All of the above is exactly the way it should be. My life is next to perfect, even when it's a mess, even when I'm exhausted, and even when I want to hide in a closet for a few hours. I wake up each morning to 2 little pillow thieves snuggling next to me and I thank God for every bit of it. I wanted to be a mom more than anything in the world, and I would never trade any of it for anything. My children are my life and I can't begin to describe the joy that comes from that.

HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY!