Moving day has arrived

I can't believe it, Moving Day has arrived!!! It feels like foreversince we have moved. Well, it has only been three years, but this is the longest we have ever been stationed somewhere. I am excited but also sad to be leaving Fort Lewis. Our lives have changed drastically here.

We found our way to Fort Lewis because of Tobbie. Being born so early, she had to be transported Stateside for her health care (inpatient and outpatient), and since Michael's unit's headquarters is here, he was able to stay within his unit and just be placed in a different position. I love living here and enjoy all the fun things there are to do here in the Pacific Northwest, BUT I HATE the weather! It rains way too much here. I cannot stand the rain.

I am sad because Fort Lewis has been so life changing for us. I've brought two babies home from the hospital, survived a deployment,lost a friend to the war, celebrated our 5 year anniversary, and muddled thru the ups and downs of a marriage. I have met and made friends with some amazing strong women (De Refresho We Share). The summers here are amazing, minus it being too cold to go swimming and there aren't any outdoor swimming pools. Mt. Rainier is beautiful on a clear day (har, har, har) and the Puget Sound and its rocky beach is gorgeous for a picnic on a sunny day.

Ok, on to new adventures, Georgia (gnats, mosquitoes, hot humid weather, and SUNSHINE), here we come!

but tonight I must attend the 3rd Annual Fort Lewis Mock Dining In, First in Asia, First Across the Globe. We will rock in our Kimono's!

Irresponsible Pet Owners

I cannot stand our neighbors! No Trish, I am not speaking of you, we LOVE us some Trish! They just moved in during the month of October and I swear to you, I have never seen the parents in anything other than PJ's (well, except the husband in uniform). We even saw the husband in his PJ's at the shoppette one evening (around 6 or 7) buying beer in his PJ's. Their daughter that is in Kindergarten is always outside unattended, like no one EVER checks on her. Ok, they got the daughter a dog, a tea cup toy poodle. They leave that dog outside all night long. Not only do we have bears, mountain lions, racoons (like crazy), and big ass birds that we eat the little two pound pup, but it drops below freezing every night around here. Well, I went over at 5 this morning and was making the dog a bed out of old blankets and little toe warmers in a box when the dog went ape shit on me and they husband FINALLY woke up. I might make it to Georgia with 3 dogs instead of 2 (just what I really need, something else to take care of). It is just a sad situation, that little doggie deserves better. I've tried to call animal control here on post, but I either can't get them to answer the phone or they don't work on the weekends. The MP's won't do anything about it because that is animal control's duty. LOST CAUSE! Maybe I will end up with another dog after all.
Here is what the little doggie should look like, but he had frost all over him when I went out there this morning.

My weekend starts today

This is my last weekend here in Washington! I am excited, anxious, scared, just a lot going on in my head and a lot that I need to get done around the house. Michael has a four-day weekend this weekend and we are going to start prepping for the move. We have so much to do before the packers come on Tuesday. We have to prime the walls in the kitchen and in Tobbie's room because I painted them. We have to clean the fridge, stove, walls, carpet, everything! Plus, we have to pack and for the kids and I and then pack for Michael to drive cross-country with the dogs. On top of that, I have to take my car on Saturday to have it shipped. Just a lot to do. I love moving and it has been a long time since we have moved (3 whole years). I can't wait to get to our new house (so cute) and set up. I think Tobbie is going to love playing outside in the warm weather!

Sibling Love & Doctor's Appointments

Ok, I LOVED growing up with my older brother Chad (I love you too Corey, but this doesn't apply to you, we weren't little together). He was so mean to me and I bugged the crap out of him. But isn't that what siblings are suppossed to do? I remember he once stabbed me between the toes with a sharp pencil because I kept bothering him and his friend by knocking on the door. When he opened it, I went to kick him and he stabbed me in the foot. Did I deserve it, probably, but his friend was really cute and I just wanted to be around them!

Well, it has already started in our house between the kids. I guess I should say that Michael started it. I caught him last week playing with Tobbie and holding her hand and saying "why are you hitting yourself" while he proceeds to make her hit herself. Well, I have caught her hitting herself saying " I hit myself" and then I caught her doing it to her baby brother (look for yourself). Fun times

She does love him and it brings me so much joy to see them interact with each other.

Well, they both had checkups yesterday to get us prepared for our big move. Tobbie weighed in at 24 pounds and is 2'11", that puts her at the 3rd % for weight and 6th % for height. She is on the small side still, but at least she is on the charts. Yeah for Tobbie! Tristan, drum roll please, weighed in at 12 pounds and was 25", he is just over the 50th % for height and weight. He is so going to catch up and pass Tobbie in no time!

he is almost as big as she is


Tristan: please Tobbie, can I have some
Tobbie: ha,ha, you have no teeth


he looks like a deer in headlights or scared of what is to come


Why are you hitting yourself?

World's Cutest Baby

Seriously, I have the World's Cutest Baby! I cannot believe how much this little boy has stolen my heart. My dear friend Trish said it perfectly, "little boys are a badge of honor." Tristan is my little badge of honor (I am trying to convince Michael we need more "little badges of honor"). Don't get me wrong, I love Tobbie to pieces and we have a bond like no other, but this little boy, he is rocking my world right about now! And he started smiling last week which makes it even more pronounced!

Playing with rice is not a good idea...

One few words about where we live, "the weather here SUCKS!" Seriously, it makes it almost impossible to enjoy life here. I love everything about this area, but the weather can bite me!

My creative mind got to thinking and since Tobbie loves to play in the sand, I got out her shovels & buckets and such and made her a mini sand table out of rice (I was busy sewing and needing something to keep her occupied other than the television). Well, she loved it. But the mess that child made on the floor was out of this world! While I was vacuuming it all up, it sounded like a Mariachi band was in my dining room!

Take a look for yourself and see all the "fun" plus one of the cute little dresses I made for Tobbie...

Life

I don't even know where to begin. Well, it is all set for us to move. The kids and I will be flying out in a couple of weeks and Michael is going to drive with the dogs. We were just approved for our house and I am so excited. It is going to be a huge, HUGE change for us being so close to family, but it will be good. I am just glad we will have warmer weather. I am getting excited about the move, but I will be sad to leave all my SF sisters. Love you girls!