Halloween 2010

Last year in Missouri we had a stellar Halloween and were looking forward to the same here in Texas. This year Thor decided he wanted to be a Puma. You would not believe how hard it is to find animal costumes for a 4 year old. We could find black cat like costumes that I could have altered for him but he had his heart set on looking like a mountain lion. We scoured the internet and all the local stores to no avail. In the end he changed his mind and decided he would be a leopard. We found one costume that fit that bill and it still needed to be altered to fit him. He loved it though.

Baleigh was SUPER easy to shop for. She walked into target looked at the costumes and decided right then and there she wanted to be a lion. So a lion she was. She wore that costume for three weeks solid before Halloween and for a couple weeks after.

We went trick or treating in the town just north of Killeen the night before Halloween since Halloween was on a Sunday this year and I was leaving for the field early on that following Monday.

The kids had a blast! Baleigh found a few places a little scary but Thor soldiered on and got candy for the two of them at those places. They both walked at least a mile before deciding they had had enough. I have never seen such a good haul.

The following night we handed out candy in our driveway. Apparently our neighborhood is notorious for giving out good candy because we got mobbed and were out of candy(we had 10 lbs) in less than an hour. The kids even ended up giving away a good bit of the candy they had gotten the night before. I think it was just as much fun for them to give it out as it was to go trick or treating. They are such generous kids.

Thor's Birthday

Its been forever since I last updated the blog so here goes.

For Thor's 4th Birthday we drove down to San Antonio to go to Sea World. Every part of it rocked his (and everyone else's) world. Seeing an Orca that close up is truly a wonder. The sheer size is enough to make you stop and gape, but to see them do flips and tricks with such ease is amazing.

The day we went was really perfect. It was starting too cool off and was on a weekday so the park was virtually empty. We stopped for a pancake birthday breakfast before hitting the park and then hit the ground running. We saw the dolphin show which features acrobats and is combined with an exotic bird show as well. Strangely enough Thor's favorite part of that was the part where the Macaw's flew right over our heads multiple times.

He had the opportunity to go shopping in Shamu's gift shop and came out with a 4 foot Orca who has slept with him every night since.

When we got home he helped me make and decorate a his cake with Orcas. IT was fun to have some time doing that together and he really liked the cake. We haven't quite made it to Cake Boss status yet but we are trying.

its been forever

Fall has arived....sort of...

It is finally cool enough to consider it fall in central Texas. It has taken its sweet time in getting here. It is now really nice in the morning when I get up to do PT and the kids can actually go outside with out spontaneously combusting.

This weekend we are headed to San Antonio for Thor's birthday weekend. We decided since family can't always be near us to have parties that we will make our own party. We are picking a theme and and running with it. Thor is still fascinated with whales and sharks and sea creatures of any kind so we are going to go to Sea World (neither Jake or I have ever been) and going to have a blast.

Baleigh has decided that she is a giant panda recently and so we are going to take a mini trip up to Memphis in November to visit one of the three zoo's in the US that have giant panda's. She has even picked out a set of panda cupcakes that she wants for her birthday.

SO looking forward to a nice long weekend....its almost like a mini vacation.

5 years and going strong!

On Friday we celebrated our 5th wedding anniversary to each other. Pretty amazing! When we went through out marriage counseling with the chaplain he told us something that I don't think I will ever forget. There are two things that will stress a marriage more than anything else, "finances and moving". Well we have dealt with more than our fair share of moves in the last 5 years. This last one brought our family up to 10 moves total - so far. WE have also dealt with being on the bottom rung of the financial ladder. We have been separated by miles and by years. We have driven 100,000 miles, most of that with at least one child and sometimes with only one parent. We have acquired and lost two dogs, and then the cat came along. We have slept on the floor and celebrated the purchase of the most amazing bed ever! We have lived in small apartments and huge old houses. We went from two babies in diapers to two independent kids. I wouldn't say it has been easy but we have done one heck of a good job getting to where we are. Some people may not agree that it is the best life for the Nielsen's but we wouldn't go back for one second. Happy anniversary Jake!

A Day For Reflecting

Today is a date that will forever live in my mind a a life changing day in many ways. I got up to go to class 9 years ago with very little on my mind. When I walked across the Library quad on EIU's campus I never for a second thought that our country was being attacked. Sitting in that classroom watching over the shoulder of a dozen different students to try and see what was happening as the second tower was hit. It was a moment that I will remember clearly for the rest of my life.

I wouldn't say I was particularly patriotic. I was a pretty typical 21 year old. I thought about what I was going to wear, who I was going out with that weekend and how teachers were just mean for giving us homework to do over long weekends.

9 years late,r as an active duty member of the military and the wife of an OIF Vet, I am a very patriotic individual. I wear my uniform every day with pride, and fly my flag so that if there was any doubt about where my allegiance lies, it is with this country. When someone at a parade doesn't feel the need to stand and acknowledge our nations flag I am disappointed and sometimes angered that they don't realize the disrespect it is to someone like my husband - he lost friends to the war we are in, defending the one thing that we should all hold dear - Freedom. So the next time you go to the local parade for Memorial Day, 4th of July or whatever it is. When those individuals march by bearing our flag, stand up and take your hat off, hold your hand over your heart and take ten seconds to remember the men and women who have given their lives, as well as the ones who have sacrificed their time away from their loved ones so you can sit and enjoy a day with your family with no fear.

I am off to enjoy the day with my family. Tell yours how much you love them.

What a Week!

The week leading up to Labor Day Weekend was nothing short of awful. Monday my computer was still in the shop so I had to jump on other people's every time they were out for a minute. Then when I got the computer back my ID card (that you need to log into the computer) fried. So I had to go get a new one. The new picture is so BAAAAAD! lol. After my non secret computer got fixed, my Secret computer crashed. Taking 6 months of work with it that I have to replicate before next Friday. Talk about fun!

Then at PT on Tuesday my boss got frustrated that I was ahead of him on the circuit we were doing and started nit picking on my form and it was just an unpleasant way to start the day (when usually i seriously love water jug pt). He did later tell me he is just a sore looser and that he was just giving me a hard time. He also said that I was making huge improvements in my PT and it shows. That almost made up for the hazing.

Later the same day one of the XO's that I had given an assignment too called me out in a meeting saying I had given a different suspense date for the assignment. I calmly told him no he was wrong and when he though he was going to try and embarrass me in front of my boss I let the frustration get the better of me and pulled out the big guns - he won't ever pull that one again. : P Maj Soliz said you could see on my face when the playing stopped and I became all business. He said he didn't know I had it in me.

Wednesday was all about the turning in of a bunch of equipment and finishing my USR. Nothing huge happened. Thursday is when it all fell apart.

Thursday morning I locked my keys in the car when I went to PT. Thank you USAA for sending a guy out with in an hour. Then I was told that the proof for my t shirt project wouldn't' be done til later in the day (Thursday's are family day so we get off at 3PM). I worked through lunch because I had to take the kid's to their first Dr appointment in almost 3 years. When I left I had set everything up to run smoothly for my equipment turn in - my NCO was in charge of putting on the finishing touches. He called to say it was good about 15 minutes before I walked into the Dr office. While in the Dr office I got a call from Maj Soliz asking if I knew what was up with the turn in fiasco? He told me that 4 of the 7 batteries had not taken them off their property books and that they needed to get to the supply office 5 minutes ago and get the paperwork taken care of. Thankfully Jake was there so I could run outside and make a few phone calls. I was furious that the battery xo's had done such a poor job that it was affecting my day.

Baleigh had to get 5 shots and Thor had to get 3. Long story about why so many -for another time. They were both great during their check ups and are right where they need to be - Baleigh is a little ahead of the curve in fact. When it came to shots Thor was in the chute first and the nurse was less than nice about it. She kind of pushed him on his back on the table and told me to hold him down. He got a shot in his right arm and both legs. He actually had bruises on one leg from how hard the nurse grabbed him. I told him he had to be brave and after the second shot he started screaming that he was not brave anymore and he wanted to get down. Poor kid.

Baleigh watched the whole thing and she told Jake that she was going to be brave. And was she ever. I held her arm still while she got two shots and then one in each leg and a 5th in the other arm. She cried a little but as soon as it was over she stopped and just wanted me to hold her. I don't know what is worse. Getting them shots as babies or doing it now. Jake and I were both very emotionally drained after that. It was the first time I just wanted to punch someone for hurting my babies. That nurse was horrible. At least that was the end of my horrible, awful, no good week. I need a few days off.