Leading Up to Easter

Last year we didn't do much in the way of Easter Celebrations. This year is MUCH different. Last Saturday my BDE had their annual Easter Egg Hunt and Picnic - it was the first time the kids had ever hunted for eggs and they had a great time. Thor and Daddy split off together to hunt and Baleigh and I took another route. Each of us ended up with quite a few brightly colored plastic eggs filled with candy, trinkets and best of all Parachute Bunnies!

This weekend we had a couple of good friends over to help us color eggs. They brought lunch and we provided all trimmings for our egg-travaganza! The kids thought it was really cool and afterward we had a bubble party in the back yard. FUN!

We will be picking up Grandma Diane this afternoon and making an Easter Feast tomorrow. Yum!

 

Growing up so fast

This past week the kids have both seemed to be growing up so fast. Jake and I were both in the yard doing some spring cleaning. The kids were in and out since it was so hot out. When I came in to check and see what they were doing I found this scene. Thor had gotten out his little kid scissors and cut the end off of the bread bag, he then got out a butter knife and he and Bean were making buttered "toast" (it wasn't actually toasted). He told me that he and Baleigh were hungry so he was making a "little snack". Where did my chubby little babies go?

Summer Afternoon

This past weekend we broke out the backyard games instead of going out on the town. The kids had a ball playing croquet- even if they didn't quite get the whole concept. Thor was convinced that he beat everyone and Baleigh was  content to be second.

I remember playing this game when I was a kid and they are such good memories. I hope that some day they have some weekend time to kill with their kids and teach them something that they remember from their childhood.

Texas Blue Bonnets

This morning after a quick doughnut run we decided to make a stop at the park and take some pictures of the one beautiful thing in Texas - BLUE BONNETS! They started blooming last week and are out in full force this week. The kids also got the opportunity to try out their new boomerangs. Unfortunately for Baleigh Daddy's arm combined with a strong gust of wind  caused hers boomerang to get caught on the roof of a nearby building.

This was kind of a celebratory morning after the stress filled last week. Between uber long hours at work and the prospect of not getting paid next week due to the budget crisis it was rough. Lets hope things keep looking up and our government can get their act together.

Dinosaur Valley State Park

This past weekend we took a spur of the moment trip to Glen Rose, Texas. We were going about our quiet typical Saturday - then around 11 Jake and I started talking about taking the kids to the Dinosaur Valley State Park. By 11:35 we were packed for an overnight trip and in the car on our way.

Just outside the park is Dino World. IT is over 100 life sized models of dinosaurs. Aside from being a typical HOT Texas summer day it was awesome. The kids ran around being amazed at the sheer size of the creatures. We then went down the road to the State park where you can actually walk in the foot prints of a dinosaur. We splashed around in the Paloxey River and stood in the foot prints of two different types of dinosaurs. IT was pretty amazing.

WE had intended on continuing the weekend and going to the Dallas Zoo the next morning but we were exhausted from the heat and helping two toddlers rock climb (its not easy to get down to the river and back up again) all day. So we stopped for dinner at the Koffee Kup ( A Hico, Texas diner) and discovered a hidden gem in rural Texas. Ask Jake about the Pie one of these days. We decided to just head home and although the kids were dissapointed by not getting to go camping it was nice to wake up in our own beds and just kick around the house on the last day of an great weekend.

Oh, almost forgot- I found a dress to my sister Holly's wedding this weekend too. So excited I have something nice to wear again.

CPL Vata

Yesterday I had the privilege to attend the Memorial Service of a member of my Battalion. I had only met this individual once or twice so I can't say that I knew him well. During the ceremony I sat directly behind his mother and sister.  As his fellow soldiers and friends walked to the front and talked about what a wonderful person he was I began to wonder what would be said if I was the one who's picture was standing before this crowd.

As a mother this was one of the hardest things to watch. How can you even imagine what it is like to bury your child? He was about to become a father to a little girl. He was great at this job and he loved it. It sounded like he had a perfect life. Then 8 weeks ago he was diagnosed with terminal cancer. 8 weeks! He went home, spent time with his family and then he was gone. He'll never know what it feels like to hold his first child in his arms. To look into her eyes as he walks her down the aisle on her wedding day. Never be able to grow old with the woman he has loved since high school. His life was cut so short.

Even though I didn't know this man I was overcome with emotion at all of these thoughts. For the sake of professionalism I kept my composure. However, when his mother walked up for the last salute ( this is at the end of a military memorial where you walk up to the front of the alter at the chapel and there are a pair of boots, a rifle with your dog tags and a helmet). His mother fell down sobbing and kissed his boots. It was all I could do to keep it together. A mother should never have to bury her child.

This will be a reminder for some time to come that every day is precious - so love the ones around you and make the most of every opportunity. You never know when your last day is.

Rough Road to Recovery

I am so thankful every day that our kids are able to have a full time stay at home parent. Children who have multiple babysitters/go to day care catch so many illnesses. I see it every day with the people I work with every day. We have been exceptionally blessed by few illnesses in the last two years for both of our monsters. However, right after spring break both of our kids came down with fevers, HORRIBLE hacking coughs, and now runny/stuffy noses. Both kids had low grade fevers for 5 days straight before  broke down and made a Doctor's appointment. The only reason Baleigh has been to the DR since she was born was for shots earlier this year and a physical to get them approved for some Army activities. Thor has only been a handfull of times and they were all updating shots related.

The Doctor was super pleasant and the kids were really cooperative when she needed them to breathe a certain way or say "AAAGH". She explained that they both had viral bronchitis probably caught from another kid around them. She explained that antibiotics don't work for this kind of illness and that the kids would be contagious until their symptoms subsided in a couple of weeks.

Baleigh has been coughing so hard the past few days that she has vomited on a couple of occasions and Thor is walking around looking haggard due to the broken blood vessels in his eyes. He is so miserable and hates the taste of cough medicine so he won't take it.

Neither of them has been sleeping well and wake up coughing multiple times during the night. I  haven't had this much sleep deprivation since OCS (or when we had two babies) lol. The worse part of it is when I have to leave for work. We usually have a pleasant good bye thing going on- I tell them I have to go and they run to the door with at least one stuffed animal each and I give good bye hugs and kisses to everyone and am on my way. The last week has been full of crying and clinging to my leg and begging me not to go because they will "miss me" or they "need me" to stay home. It breaks my heart and reminds me how blessed we have been to have such healthy kids on a consistent basis.