April comes to a close....

Sometimes I wonder where the weeks go, and other times I wonder when the heck he is coming home already......this was a FAST week, so it seemed.

Mike's been on a port call all week, so we've skyped a few times. Actually today I let Abby do "quiet time" upstairs using the computer so she could play her games......low and behold Mike skyped her and they chatted unbeknownst to me (downstairs eating my lunch...) She loved it. She answered the skype session on her own and talked away, telling him all about her day.

I never knew it happened til an hour later.......Technology and kids.......

But tonight I read this on Facebook and it made me laugh....pretty much sums up the last (near) year of him being gone. This has been a VERY busy tour for us, and these signs have become my daily norm! I didn't think they were so odd until someone put it in a list like this!!

Ten Signs Your Spouse Is Deployed

April 24, 2013

By Purple Momma

1. Your wine purchases have doubled.
2. The kids want pizza again? Sure.
3. Your fantasies involve the bath and the bed, for bathing and sleeping. And that’s it.
4. Every American flag makes you a bit weepy.
5. When your kid’s playdate is leaving at 4, you desperately ask the parent if they want to stay for dinner. And then maybe a sleepover.
6. You consider joining a single parent support group. (Especially if your spouse is an IA or you’re not in a spouses club.)
7. Suddenly your Reserve weekends seem a lot more fun.
8. You stay at Chick-Fil-A for three hours. Or more. And you don’t always eat.
9. You go to bed at least two hours later than usual. And stay up too late watching TV. Probably Law and Order. But SVU or original, not Criminal Intent.
10. When laundry piles up, you just buy more underwear.

MY GIRLS!!!!

They started out Saturday in their PJ's like this.........then ended up in dresses and headbands....

Like this..........All coordinated by Abby!

 Sometimes I just don't have words for how cute, special, and loving these girls are.

And how happy seeing their shining faces can make me on one of those off days!!

Creative Abigail

 Somehow when we move, and down size our house 50%, I'm going to HAVE to find a spot to make as a craft corner for the girls. Abby is just so creative and loves going off on her own upstairs to create something. Over this last year she has mastered many talents/skills (drawing in the lines, cutting, etc), and the other day she created this block-letter style version of her name that blew me away! I've never showed her how to do letters like that!!

And of course a nice rainbow to brighten my day!!!

She's a KEEPER!!!!!!

CIRCUS Fun!!!!

My friend Janel suggested at the last minute on Saturday that we look into taking the kids to the circus that was in town. Sunday, today, was the last day of the event.

Tickets were surprisingly cheap , so off we went!

 The kids had a BLAST! And we lucked out with great seats over the walkway to the tier of seating, so the kids got to stand at the rail the entire show and not bother anyone behind us!

 So far their favorite part was the woman being blasted out of a cannon!!

 Maddy was my snuggle bug of course! So I stole a self portrait!

Its so NICE that she smiles and poses now! 3-1/2 is proving to be a very fun age with her.

 The kids made it to intermission (and only asked 100+ times when it was....) because we promised them a snack! So Abby got a clown head souvenier cup snow cone (YAY!!!! More crap to pack.....somehow this cup might go missing over the next few weeks!!! Shhhhhh) And the kids shared a box of popcorn. All in all I was only out $15 in concessions! Not bad!!

 Abby and Jack are like two peas in a pod. They never argue when they are together, they are all GIGGLES!! They have technically been friends since they were both less than a year old when we lived in Mugu.......it will be harder to say goodbye this time around!!

This was a cute photo of them, Jack blinked....but its still cute!

 Hope everyone had a great Sunday!

These kids enjoyed their special Circus treat!!

Abby's Class Fieldtrip

Abby's PreK class had an off-site field trip this past week.

I went with them! It was to a fun pet/reptile store "Animal Jungle".

 It was very hands on.....here they are touching the hairless rat!!!

ICK!!!!! Before that they saw a hedgehog and a bunny.

 The birds were a hit. This is an African Grey....and below the parrot!

Maddy @ The Dentist

Maddy had her 6 month dental checkup last week!

Went great!! No tears, and she had the hygienists and the doctor laughing with the things she said!

Clean bill of health!

BEACH!!! Yes, I said Beach!

It is hard to keep me away from the beach on a warm sunny day, even if it is the middle of April!

The kids had a blast.....and three hours later I was dragging them out of there against their will!

 Maddy on my new picnic/beach blanket!! Basking!

 So with the cold water I was assured the kids wouldn't venture to the water to even put their toes in.......OH NO!!! They were both soaked up to their bums! I didn't even put Maddy in her bathing suit because I assumed (like previous beach years) that she would avoid the water. She was soaked in the first half hour. OOPS!

Afternoon Sprinkler FUN!

Too Cool!!!

Chilling outside in their playhouse on a sunny day!

Oh Madelyn

Maddy had an odd.....and rough week :(

ODD:.....well I shouldn't be surprised, its Maddy afterall.....but this is what she chose to do with the strip of stickers the Trader Joe's checkout woman gave her......creative I guess :)

 

 NEW: Trying the splits between the doorway!! "MOM, WATCH THIS"

ROUGH: This is what my cute little girl looks like at 3am when she's up with the stomach bug and crawls in bed with mommy.

It was a rough two nights with LOTS of laundry! First time I've had to deal with that illness......not the last I'm sure. So far Abby and I have survived........so far.......After 48 hours, she's finally back to herself and eating again! And the food stays down!!!!

Disney Dance!

Its a blurry video.....but you will see how cute it is nonetheless!

LETS DANCE!

Spring Break was LOOOONG!!!!

The kids stayed busy indoors playing a new Wii game I got for them.

It's one of those dance games, with Disney songs they know and love!

Let me tell you, I did one song with Abby, and I was winded and my arms were sore......

I'm not sure how she did it day after day, but they both LOVE it!

Its just cute to see them enjoy something on the same level, doing it together!

Zoo!

Last week my friend Janel and I took the kids to the Zoo!

My little BOWLERS!

 We meet the other strike group families monthly to go bowling at the base.

Yesterday it was the culmination of a LONG spring break!

Its nice because the girls are finally at an age to bowl by themselves. Maddy loves carrying the ball to the lane and pushing it down the kiddie ramp!

Maddy EATS!

Maddy has surpassed my expectations with her eating habits over the last 45+ days since Mike has been gone.....If this picky kid can overcome food hesitations.....ANY kid can! But it did take a lot of screaming on her part, and I'm sure a few new grey hairs on my part......but I think our overly picky eating days are behind us! Now I have to introduce her to veggies.....

I now believe she can eat anything reasonable that I offer her, anything at a restaurant beyond chicken fingers and pizza, and anything at someones house for a meal.

In February....she was a TRUE toddler eater. Now, she eats 99.9% of everything I offer her for dinner without a frown or complaint. Recent discoveries and meals have been:

*Ham! For Easter at a friends house, she devoured 3 helpings!!

*Her first cheeseburger

*Corned beef.....again she asked for multiple helpings

*Hot dog

*Cheese ravioli/tortellini; normally when I've offered her these she flips out and throws a fit, tonight, she chowed them down without hesitation! 

*Cheese quesadilla

*Breaded shrimp....granted she called it chicken, she devoured every piece I gave her....I told her when she was done that it was shrimp. I think she impressed herself :)

*Fruit as a side with most meals (new for her......her favorites being bananas and pears

* Teriyaki chicken, even homemade!! 

*Sweet & Sour Pork! HER FAVORITE! Abby requested we do takeout one night, and they both inhaled these!! Couldn't believe Maddy didn't even ask what it was!! Abby couldn't be more opposite of Maddy.....she LOVES food. Weird foods too! She loves those little baby corns you get in the seafood chinese takeout dishes. She requests them constantly. Of course I bought a can of those baby corn at the store......she says they don't taste the same. Go figure! She likes the expensive seafood chinese dishes, their corn qualify!!

NEW RULE: You eat what is on your plate.....

and if its a veggie, you at least try one itsy bitsy teenie weenie piece! 

I just had to publish it here, so down the road when things are normal, I can look back and appreciate where we started!

Life at Sea......the final chapters (for 2013......)

Well, Mike got to fly with the Admiral again yesterday.....

.....its a rough job!! At sea no less off the carrier.......

Looks like it was a nice sunny day too!

We MISS this guy!!!

Saturday Morning.....Breakfast!

They helped make breakfast! Stirred the pancakes and eggs!!

Happy Saturday!!