ick ick ick

I just thought that I would let everyone know that my internet is not in proper working order, hence the lack of blogging lately. I did get a really cute video of Shiloh last night that I wanted to put up, but of course I forgot to upload it onto the computer. Right now, K is at music camp at church, and Gabe, Shiloh, and I are at Burger King, terrorizing their indoor playground while I desperately attempt to catch up with everyone on here before we have worn out our welcome and Shiloh insists on going home from a nap. Wish me luck, that I will be back soon!

Oatland Island

Mom accompanied us out to Oatland Island today. We had a blast looking at alligators, foxes, bob cats, cougars, eagles, hawks, sheep, cows, owls, turkeys, etc. There is a nature trail about a mile long that we took, winding through the woods and the marsh. It was a great "adventure" (Gabe's term for the day) for a Sat. afternoon!

tofu: she will eat it in a house, she will eat it with a mouse...

Shiloh is not huge on eating meats. She loves all kinds of things, but won't hardly look at beef, and poultry is kind of hit or miss. So, in the interest of finding her a good protein source, we've been experimenting with tofu. She can't get enough! She will eat it just diced up with wheat germ sprinkled on, she will eat it sauteed in olive oil with various spices, she will eat it blended up with fruit!

On other food related things, Shiloh's favorite foods are finger foods...she will sometimes tolerate me feeding her with a spoon, but she would MUCH rather do it herself. Since I'm always running in at least 3 different directions, I try to accommodate that! Mom gave me a steamer, which is now my best baby food friend. I steam and dice all fruits (that aren't soft enough raw) and veggies, and she just goes to town.

Shiloh's fav foods right now include: sweet potatoes, carrots, nectarines, banana slices coated in pancake batter and cooked, cottage cheese, yogurt, shredded cheese, and the all important tofu!!!

pics of iraq

Tyrone sent me these pics of the desert from a recent mission he went on. That is a TON of sand!

They encountered nomads with donkeys literally just wandering through the desert.

I think it would be better with an ocean....

in addition to my thought for the day the other day...

300 days of deployment as of today.

because it was amusing

Kaleb and Gabe talking on their play phones

Kaleb: How are you?

Gabe: Terriffic!

Kaleb: What did you have for breakfast?

Gabe: Nothing

Kaleb, putting down his phone in disgust: GABE, pretend!

Gabe: Oh. I already ate breakfast.

Kaleb, picking his phone back up: Ok, I'll call you back.

ring ring

Kaleb: Are you done?

Gabe: With what?

K puts down his phone again with a big sigh: GABE, your PRETEND breakfast!

Gabe: Oh, yeah. I'm done!

Kaleb puts down his phone and walks away, shaking his head.

thought for the day

bathing beauty

the bad guys better watch out!

Because Kaleb, Gabe, and Shiloh's Daddy is big and bad!!!!

Happy Birthday, my sweetheart

Make a Smilebox slideshow

in awe

I just finished reading the latest CNN report on the attack on a coalition base in Afghanistan that killed 9 of our troops and wounded others. I am overcome. I am closer to what is going on then alot of other people, but even so, I stand in awe. Heroic fighting. Fighting. Fight for your life, do or die kind of fighting. This is so far from what our reality is here in the United States!

My husband, his battle buddies, and thousands (upon thousands!) of other men and women are there in the Middle East, and this is their reality. I am humbled and amazed by their sacrifice. Bravery and courage....when it would be so much easier to turn away and say "someone else's problem."

I may sound like a broken record here, and in fact, may be a little too overcome to accurately convey the emotions running through me, but these are heros. Heros that we are privileged to call ours! Every last one of them, and can you believe that I am lucky enough to be married to one of them?! Proud doesn't even begin to cover it.

Thank you. Thank you all.

boys...

Shiloh was standing beside the couch (holding on to it, of course) and I was sitting beside her on the floor. Kaleb was lounging on the couch, and Gabe was in the rocking chair. Shiloh was repetitively "patting" Kaleb, pretty roughly for her, really. He was indulging her and not complaining.

I say, "Hey, Shiloh, that looks like fun, let's beat on your brother!" I start to "help" Shiloh, and Kaleb starts laughing. Suddenly Gabe materializes beside his brother and puts his arms around him and says, quite indignantly, "Quit beating on my brother!" Then, a confused look comes over his face. He seems dumbfounded that he, generally the chief tormenter of Kaleb, has defended him! And, to add insult to injury, he was seen by me doing it!

I start smiling (a Cheshire cat smile, really, for I realized his chagrin.) Gabe, in a decisive effort to save face, says, "You don't want to beat on him, he STINKS!", and then he walks away.

out to play

We went to Hull Park today and met Salina and April there. Later, Melissa, Kearstin, Landon, and a friend joined in the fun! As always, we had a blast! I even got to see April walk (she's about 6 weeks older than Shiloh), and that was too cool!

Kaleb

Kearstin

Landon

Shiloh

My Three!

April

The little girls...how far they have come since Salina and I met and they were wobbly little sitters!

Gabe

Gabe, contemplating life?? :)

shiloh is 10 months old!

Unbelievable as it is, Shiloh is now 10 months old. Her biggest new accomplishment is pulling to stand up! The first time she did it, it was immediately followed by her climbing onto the small rubbermade tote that she had pulled up on. So, we accomplished standing and climbing all in one!! Now we stand (or try to) everywhere....in the play pen, in the crib, at the dining room table, in the bath.....she stands when she should be laying down and doesn't seem to know how to NOT get up, because she can. Bedtime is interesting right now :)

On another note, little missy can sign "all done" AND "baby". The "baby" sign is soooo clear, it's crazy. Kaleb taught her that one, and she'll repeat it for him pretty much whenever he wants her too. Lucky girl with the great brothers :)

Peek-a-boo!!

skidaway state park

I decided to take the kids and do something fun this morning! So, we went out to Skidaway State Park. We spent a little over an hour on the nature trail and then about another hour playing on the playground and with the kids "baseball bats". We had a ton of fun and saw all manner of fiddler crabs, lizards, squirrels, snails, and lots of other cool stuff.

(kaleb took this one)

baseball on the volleyball court....oh, well. we were the only one's there :)

YES!!!

I am currently sleep deprived, but ecstatic nonetheless!!! I received an e-mail a little while ago from our family readiness group that they forwarded from the Col. in charge of Tyrone's brigade. While I cannot give the date they said, he is giving an approximate homecoming date "with great confidence." These guys have no problem telling us nothing at all, so when they say something like that, you listen!!! I am thrilled beyond belief. And, no, it's not *soon*, but since I know someone whose husband's deployment just got extended to an unimaginable 18 months, I will take it! Call me or Mom, we will be fabulously happy to tell you when :)

**UPDATE**

Tyrone has now received the same information over there as I have received over here! Same stuff across the board! HOW AWESOME!!!

night night

happy 4th of july

Jeanie and Glenn, my sister and brother in law, invited us out to their house to swim in their new pool and grill out for the 4th! We had so much fun! We had a blast, as you can see in the pics, and it is 7:45 and all of the kids are already asleep....we wore them out!

my red, white, and blue kids!

Gabe, chillin' as only he knows how!!

Shiloh had a great time!

Tyler, happily launched by his Daddy!

hitching a ride on Mommy!

Brothers!

Splash!!! Tyler is REALLY good at splashing!!

Gabe, mid jump (GREAT pic, mom!!)

My mommy and my sister

three super cool boys!

all wore out!!