it's here it's here it's here!!!!!

I am so excited!!! Today is the start of Tyrone's block leave!!! He does not have to go to work for TWENTY FIVE WHOLE DAYS!!! We have nothing to do except the things that we want to do!!! I have been waiting for this for a year and a half!!!

We have big plans, too! Tomorrow morning, early (like, 2am early) we're leaving for Long Island to see Tyrone's mom, 2 of his sisters, and our nephew. We'll be back up here late Sunday night. We're going to hang around for Christmas (the kids are getting AWESOME stuff....I can't wait...plus, I'm really excited about what I got for Tyrone, but he comes around and reads this sometimes, so you'll have to wait until after Christmas!)

Then, we are leaving here bright and early on the 26th for GA!! I soooo can't wait! We will get to spend time with Mom and Jeanie (and that nephew of mine who is getting so big!) We're going to get to go to church so that everyone who was praying for Tyrone and sending him letters can finally meet him, I'm going to go shopping with Melissa for baby stuff for Peyton (IT'S A BOY!!), I think that Salina and I are going to try to work in a play date for the girls, and so that she and Jon can meet Tyrone....It's going to be great!

Then, we will be back up here on the 3rd, b/c the boys have to be back in school on the 5th....and then we're going to have a little over a week of just being here, enjoying each others company! Sooo....I'm sure I'll put up pics and stuff, but if I'm absent for semi-long periods of time, this is why!

Christmas party

Tyrone's troop Christmas party was tonight, and we had alot of fun. It was in one of the community centers on post, so there was even an indoor playground for the kids. It was really nice to finally get to meet alot of the guys Tyrone works with!

Our kids!

Finally, a pic of all 5 of us!

me and the hubby!



The boys weren't interested in pictures anymore, so Tyrone took some of us girls :)

k's Christmas concert

Last night was the Christmas concert for Kaleb's school. All of the kids did a really great job, and were so cute dressed up for Christmas! Kaleb even had a special part and didn't even tell me!! He practiced his songs with me at home but did not let me know that he was the chef and would be chasing the "turkeys". It was to cute. Unfortunately that video didn't come out at all....I should have taken the camcorder.

Shiloh was K's biggest fan. She stood in front of us, peeking over the seats, and dancing for all she was worth. It was really funny....she had the people sitting next to us cracking up.

You can't see to much in this video, but at least you can hear their song. Doesn't it just put you in a Christmas kind of mood?!

k's party!

Kaleb had a great party yesterday! We ended up with a really good turn out, and K told me it was "the best party ever." You can't beat that!!!

One of the cakes

The birthday boy!

This is how a Shiloh eats ice cream!

Gabe, post cake

The birthday boy, post cake

Present time!





Race cars from Ms. Tosha!

Tosha, Tim, T.J., and Nevaeh

Admaris, Christopher, Matthew, Shiloh, Kaleb, and Gabe

Sheena and Hun showing Shiloh their puppy, Zoe....with K trying out some new spy gear!

It was a great party, and we had a good time with awesome friends. After everyone else went home, we grilled out with Sheena and Hun (okay, well, Tyrone and Hun grilled out....I stayed in with Sheena and the kids....there's snow out there!!) Anyway, except for Shiloh spiking a fever of 103.8 later last night, it was a really good day!

7 years old

Impossible as it is to believe, our K is 7 years old today. I'm not sure how time flew so fast, but my long, lean baby boy has grown into a kind, handsome, intelligent young man. Kaleb doesn't have a mean bone in his body....even when his Daddy and I aren't around to keep an eye on him. The only bad thing that his teachers have ever had to say is that he loves to talk to everyone around him. It could be alot worse! :)

Kaleb loves his little brother and sister so much....he's always looking out for Shiloh and can frequently be found playing with her by choice. Normally he and Gabe have a pretty normal brotherly relationship....friends, but rivals, too. But when Gabe was crying on the bus b/c he wanted me, Kaleb took charge, explaining to the bus driver that this was his little brother and could he please sit with him.

I can't wait to see what the future brings for Kaleb....I know God has great things in store for our son! We will have his party tomorrow, and I will be sure to post pictures! For now...

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, KALEB!!!

what can i say, we're feeling Christmas-y!

snow days, yuck! ***updated***

Gabe finally started pre-k yesterday, see?



He had alot of fun, he goes in the afternoons (the bus picks him up at about 11:20), and he rides the same bus as Kaleb in the afternoons. He was all excited, looking foward to today, as was I (I have some Christmas stuff to do!) So, on a day when both of the boys should be in school, why are they doing this??



Because of this!!! YUCK YUCK YUCK!!



Okay...this one was taken at about 8am.....

and this one was taken at 1pm, during a brief break from the snow fall....we've already hit about 2 1/2 inches today

and this one is out back at 8am......

and out back at 1pm...

It's even worse then it looks. It snowed all day yesterday, and we ended up with between 3 and 4 inches on the ground. Then, it rained all night, which turned the snow into a slushy, icy, frozen disaster. And now, it's snowing again (as you can see in the pics) and covering up all that ickiness underneath. They are predicting another 2 to 3 inches of accumulation for today. This is just not good!!!

I have kids that wanted to go to school, and now can't even go outside. They are bored, and all the presents I wrapped yesterday and put under the tree are proving to be difficult to resist for them, so I have to guard them all-day-long. Is it time for Tyrone to get home from work yet?!?!