some randomness now that i have a laptop again!

Friday, April 30, 2010

Emmeline is starting to show similarities to Gabe Gabe! Do you see it? She still has those blue eyes, and his are a gorgeous hazel, but other than that, they have many of the same features, are long and lean, and both of them have my hands :)

I love this pic! Just too bad Gabe wasn't down there with them....although it looks like I surprised poor Emmeline!

This is what Emmeline and I look like when we are going somewhere and it is too chilly for her not to be covered up!


This is my friend A's daughter, Elizabeth. We didn't even know this until 2 days ago, but they are only 24 hours apart in age! Isn't that amazing? Look at the size difference! Shiloh is a tall little girl! She is officially wearing 4T sizes!



no pics post

Wednesday, April 28, 2010

Because of my pretty pink mini laptop taking a hard crash, I am temporarily unable to upload any pics. I am on Tyrone's desktop, but it doesn't have a card reader and I don't have a USB cable for my camera. All of this should be remedied by next week (by which time I'll have a TON of pics to overload you with!)

In the meantime, I figured I'd do a little update post on what we've been up to!

The boys have been having a GREAT week at school, so awesome to get those notes home! We've also started doing a bible study at night with, would you believe what I found, a children's study Bible complete with study guide that Grandma and Grandpa gave Jeanie in July of 1986! Isn't that neat?!

Shiloh continues to test her boundaries, but I think we are making headway. She has learned that Mommy will create a time out spot no matter where we are, and that I mean business, and she is responding appropriately. I just love her too much to let her act ugly, and when she is a delight, which is most of the time, she lights up our lives.

Emmeline's 4 month post will come this weekend, so I'll save her update!

We are making good friends, and I am so excited by that! Two girls on my street and I are all walking together every day that it is nice enough, and I discovered today that my friend A's daughter is exactly one day older than Shiloh, which is pretty cool. Vinnie, H's son, is only about a month and a half older than her, so they are quite the group! Poor A walks with a double stroller with her 2 and 3 year olds, but she does it!

We also have a standing playdate now every Friday night with my old friend S and new friend M! Very fun, and nice to have something to look forward to at the end of the week! Also, we are becoming more active with the FRG and have bowling coming up soon! It's at 5pm on a Thurs. night, so may the force be with us, but we're going to try!

Other than that, Tyrone is okay and is at his final destination (can't remember if I already said that or not). He said it's mostly hot and sometimes rainy. We have been fortunate enough to be able to communicate in one way or another every day this week. The kids even all got to speak to him briefly on the phone. Phone calls are few and far between, though, because min. are expensive and the cell signal over there is unreliable at best.

So, all in all, we are all just hanging in there and crossing another day off of our calendar! Hopefully I'll be back in a few days with pictures!

Emmeline can roll!

Monday, April 26, 2010

We went to a playdate with some friends today and, while we were there, Emmeline rolled over! I was so excited! I had the camera, and so this video is the 3rd time she rolled. Interestingly, Shiloh also rolled over the week before she turned 4 months!

canned fun

Saturday, April 24, 2010

This was one of Tyrone and Shiloh's games, but for now a Mommy substitute will have to do.

a pretty friday evening

Friday, April 23, 2010
















success!!


here & there

Wednesday, April 21, 2010

We've had a pretty good week so far! Tyrone is still not at his final destination, which is frustrating for him, but at least we are started on our countdown! He's doing as well as can be expected, and I'm hoping that my letters and packages start getting there soon!

Here's silly Gabe, around the house! He's been getting scared some at night, I'm guessing that's from Tyrone being gone, but other than that, he's doing well and is his normal Gabe self! He is learning so much, he can spell a lot of words now and is even reading some! I think the beginning reading stages are so fun, it's one of my favorite things! I love seeing his energy for learning and doing, it makes me smile, which is good, because it also makes me tired!



Are they sisters? Why, yes, I think I see a resemblance! lol

Sunny really likes to cuddle on the couch with a swaddled Emmeline!


Mr. Kaleb, what can I say?! He's been running from my camera with an exasperated "MOM!", so this is the best pic I've gotten of him lately, sad, huh? Kaleb has SUCH a kind heart, he tries to take care of all of the little kids at the bus stop and often asks what he can do to help me, and he knocks out his chores without so much as a single complaint. He is a delight to his Mommy's heart! He's on a bowling field trip today...I hope he has lots of fun!



Our little Emmeline Lily, so smiley




My friend Heather and I have walked every day this week so far 2 1/2 miles everyday! I am so proud of us! We also have been stopping at the playground when we are done to let Shiloh and her son get some energy out, too!











And, as always, Emmeline is along for the ride!

daddy and emme rewind

Monday, April 19, 2010




baby love

Sunday, April 18, 2010


we are

Saturday, April 17, 2010

okay. And that's all that we can really hope for at this point.

Kaleb has been drawing pictures and writing poems that we have been mailing off to Daddy, which really seems to help him. He also is finding comfort in keeping the promises he made to him (take out the trash, help mom). He is being a very big boy and a very big help.

Gabe has been okay in general, although his hyper-ness seems to have picked up some. We talk about Dad helping kids like him, and that seems to mean something to him, and bring him some understanding. It's hard for a child like Gabe who needs routine, because they are on Spring Break this week. I'm hoping that getting back into the structure of school on Monday will help bring him back onto an even keel.

Shiloh is hard, because she doesn't really understand. She keeps running to the window to look outside. Yesterday she tried her hardest to get me to say that Daddy would be right back, but of course I can't say that. She has been rather fussy, and I can't say I blame her. But, we've been looking at lots of pictures of Daddy and just talking about him in general.

Emmeline is happily oblivious, of course. Lucky her :)

I am doing okay, too. I've gotten to talk to Tyrone once on the phone and twice on the computer, which is nice. They have not reached their final destination yet, but they are close. All of the volcanic ash is posing a travel complication. I asked Tyrone how it was over there and he said "Hot. Hot and crowded. And hot." lol :) I have sent several of you his mailing address. If you wanted it and I did not send it to you, let me know and I will get on it.

We've been doing lots of spring cleaning, and lots of playing. We did all have to go to Walmart on Thursday, no getting around it, and I cried at the checkout. The kids were decently behaved, so it wasn't that. I called my mom in tears from the parking lot and she asked me what specifically was upsetting. I didn't have a great answer at the time, but I've thought a lot about it since then. It's that this is reality, I think. I'm not sitting at home, cleaning and playing, and waiting on Tyrone to come home to help me with the everyday stuff. This is it, this is on me. Need to go to the store? On me. The kids aren't in school? Still on me to go to the store. The debit card isn't working right? STILL on me. Baby is crying while I need to put cold groceries up? Me. Gabe and Shiloh are going at it, the dog needs to go out, the baby is still crying, the cat just ran out the front door, the back door of the truck is still open? Me, me, me. Yup. So I think that's what it was. Is. Whatever. I'll adjust, but identifying what those feelings are is a good first step. So, there they are. :)

In other news, not everything is so depressing. I found a picnic table for the kids on Craigslist for $10 yesterday! Awesome deal. And I went to Starbucks courtesy of Suzanne & Judy :D. I also got an awesome package from Judy and cookies from my Mom. Nice to feel so loved....what a pick-me-up to find nice surprises in your mailbox!

Also, Emmeline has found her feet and is starting to think she can sleep without me constantly holding her. The first is adorable and the second is simply fabulous. Anyway, we are making it and I know that your prayers are pulling us through....I've never felt them so completely as now. Thank you!

jump

Friday, April 16, 2010


After Gabe saw Kaleb's pic jumping off the swing, he INSISTED that I take one of him jumping, too. So, here it is :)

funnies {e}

Thursday, April 15, 2010

pic of the day

Wednesday, April 14, 2010


pics by the squadron photographer

Tuesday, April 13, 2010












Family time at the cp

Something was going on with my camera, I don't know what. So, these pics aren't great, but they are what I have, so I love them.









The kids got to check out Daddy's weapon, which they thought was so cool








Last minute goofing around with friends





Repacking someone's assault pack for them b/c it wasn't right






just "see ya later"

Monday, April 12, 2010

Tyrone is off to Afghanistan now. We love him much and miss him more than I can say. Here he is at his final formation, he's in the front with the guidon. I will post more pics from the last couple of days later.



time together

Sunday, April 4, 2010

We cooked out and then took a walk down to the community center to play at the outside playground there. It was positively wonderful.

















Easter

Last night, we dyed Easter eggs, which is always fun and ended with a lot of dyed hands along with dyed eggs! I boiled about 30 eggs and only ended up getting to dye 2 myself, lol!


Daddy and Emmeline watching the egg dyeing (don't let Tyrone fool you, he dyed his fair share!)


Dirty face Shiloh totally got into it this year!

Kaleb was mixing colors, very creative!


The were very excited to be doing their eggs.



Shiloh thought this was too much fun!




Gabe, surprisingly, was patient and let his eggs soak for a long time for the most vibrant colors!





My (big) little family :)


This morning we got up early to go to the sunrise service at the chapel on post, which was really nice. Although there was no child care, all 4 of the kids were really well behaved. While we were at church, the Easter Bunny visited our house. We got baskets and then hunted Easter eggs in the front yard!



Emmeline, watching the action....she can't wait until next year when she can help!






Daddy helped Shiloh a little, but she was really able to hold her own for the first time on an egg hunt!




Gabe inspecting his eggs as he finds them!






Kaleb, trying to figure out where the last couple of eggs are...



Now we are having a rest time, and then more playing this afternoon. This has been a really great weekend....I just wish it didn't have to end.