Ok, so I don't really like the idea of New Year's Resolutions but as that time of year rolls around, I can't help thinking of all the things I'd like to do better on this year.
Last year at this time we were packing up to make the trip from Mom's house in Tennessee all the way out here to Fort Lewis, Washington. We knew Robert would be deploying, although we thought it would be summer instead of March. Since everything was all packed away and unknown, I only made a few promises to myself for the new year. One was to blog more and I did achieve that one - I doubled my posts from 2008. Another was to scrapbook more. Didn't do so well on that one. As in, not at all. As a compromise, I'm looking at ways to print my blog so I will at least have some record of the year.
Every year I think of all the half-finished projects around my house. Most of them are quilting projects in various stages of completion. Every year I say I'm going to finish those projects. Some years I do better than others. This year I managed to work on a couple of things, finish a couple of things and start and finish some other sewing projects. I love to sew and wish I did more of it.
When Robert left in March, I used that as another excuse to make some promises to myself. I didn't do as well on those. I was going to work out more - nope, not at all. I was going to take a picture of the day and send it to him. I lasted for about six months. I was going to learn to cook better. I have added some new things to the dishes I can make but it is really hard to get motivated to try new things with just the kids to feed. I was going to finish piecing that crazy Civil War quilt we started in 2003. I have done six more blocks on it and have only 5 more to go. It's possible I could still make this one.
So for 2010, here's what I am promising myself. I am going to do better at birthday cards. Hardly anyone got a card last year. Just didn't happen. I've already set up all the family birthdays with reminders to come to my e-mail and so far, I've mailed the first two cards (not exactly on time, but I have mailed them!) I'm going to keep sewing more, including finishing up at least one unfinished project. And I'm going to try to be more active. It will help to have Robert home on that one.
And the one promise made every year that I hope to keep making every year is to read and study the Bible more and become closer to God as each year passes.
What's 2010 going to bring us? March will bring us Robert coming home for a little while. Gabby will finish 1st grade and move up to 2nd. Sam will start preschool. But only God knows what is really in store for us!
Saturday, January 16, 2010
Sunday, January 10, 2010
Christmas
Waiting at the top of the stairs
Felicity
Mater
Showing Daddy something Santa broughtChristmas morning was fun. I think I slept the least of all of us, waking up every hour. I finally gave up about 6 and turned my light on to read. Finally I looked out to see about Gabby and she was awake but confused about what time I told her to get me so she was waiting till 7. We woke Sam up and got ready to go downstairs. Poor kids, they had to wait super long this year since I not only had to turn the tree on and take the pictures like normal, I also had to get Daddy up and running on the webcam. He had been waiting for us since our 6 am, too. They stayed patiently at the top of the stairs until I gave them the go ahead and then finally got to come down and see what Santa brought. Gabby entered the world of American Girl with a Felicity doll. Sam was happy, as always, with trains and cars.
Christmas Eve
Getting ready to bake our cake
Mount Rainier on Christmas Eve
After Christmas Eve Service
Gabby's gift to us
Gabby's new robe
Wishing Daddy a Merry Christmas!
Christmas Eve was a good day here. We started out making our traditional birthday cake for Jesus. We bake it on Christmas Eve and then Christmas Day is the only day of the year we can have cake for breakfast. We also spent the day tracking Santa. After doing that and playing and just generally being excited, Sam refused to nap.
We went to the Bakers' house that afternoon for supper and then to church for the Christmas Eve service. Sam was so tired he fell asleep on the way home. I put him on the couch thinking he would wake up while we did Christmas Eve presents but he slept through the whole thing. I finally gave in and put him in the bed with his clothes on.
Daddy called when he got up so he could see us open Christmas Eve presents (we do one each) and so we could wish him a Merry Christmas. We set the computer and webcam up so he could be in the middle of the action on Christmas morning. Then Gabby had to go to bed too. She was so tired from everything we did that day that she didn't complain and went right off to sleep with orders not to wake me up until 6. She was so tired when I gave the orders that on Christmas morning she couldn't remember if I said 6 or 7!
Saturday, January 9, 2010
Nine months (and counting)
We hit nine months just before Christmas and we were so busy. Then I was sick the week after Christmas. Then the night I tried to post this, blogger wasn't working right and it just didn't get posted. So we're really at about nine and a half by the time I have gotten this done.
Nine months - the time it takes to grow a baby. That's the first thing that pops into my head when I think about nine months. Our first week of the ninth month was the second week of R&R. Then Robert left and Sam was sick for a week. Another lovely mystery virus that shoots up a super high fever in my baby that can't be pinpointed or anything done about but get through it. Sam sure knows how to have a fever. And he doesn't go halfway with it, either. He goes all the way to high heat.
By the time he was well, we were in the last week of school before Christmas and up to my eyeballs in trying to make Christmas happen - parties and gifts and boxes to mail and cards to do and so on and so forth. I was not as well organized as I wanted to be and lots got left undone. Cards didn't get mailed until Christmas Eve. I worked harder the week leading up to Christmas than I meant to but we managed to get through to nine months down, three to go.
All I could think of at nine months was that I am tired. Tired of always being on call. Tired from getting up, breakfast, dog out, getting dressed, teeth, hair, coats, shoes, in the car, drop off, errands, lunch, nap, pickup, snack, homework, activities, supper, laundry, dishes, baths, bedtime, taking care of the family business, housework, yard work, cars, mail, dog, decisions. Each and every day. They joke over there that each day is like Groundhog Day, the movie (which Robert and I saw on our first date). Each day here feels a lot like Groundhog Day, too. Sure, we do get to do things that are a bit more varied but the workload never really changes and we don't really get a break.
I don't want to sound like I am whining. Maybe I am a little. But I don't mean it that way. It's just that feeling some days where you wake up and say, "I am tired of doing all the things I do every day. Today I wish I could do none of them." And I know we all do that. But at nine months, I'm just feeling tired. Kind of like when you have a baby...
Nine months - the time it takes to grow a baby. That's the first thing that pops into my head when I think about nine months. Our first week of the ninth month was the second week of R&R. Then Robert left and Sam was sick for a week. Another lovely mystery virus that shoots up a super high fever in my baby that can't be pinpointed or anything done about but get through it. Sam sure knows how to have a fever. And he doesn't go halfway with it, either. He goes all the way to high heat.
By the time he was well, we were in the last week of school before Christmas and up to my eyeballs in trying to make Christmas happen - parties and gifts and boxes to mail and cards to do and so on and so forth. I was not as well organized as I wanted to be and lots got left undone. Cards didn't get mailed until Christmas Eve. I worked harder the week leading up to Christmas than I meant to but we managed to get through to nine months down, three to go.
All I could think of at nine months was that I am tired. Tired of always being on call. Tired from getting up, breakfast, dog out, getting dressed, teeth, hair, coats, shoes, in the car, drop off, errands, lunch, nap, pickup, snack, homework, activities, supper, laundry, dishes, baths, bedtime, taking care of the family business, housework, yard work, cars, mail, dog, decisions. Each and every day. They joke over there that each day is like Groundhog Day, the movie (which Robert and I saw on our first date). Each day here feels a lot like Groundhog Day, too. Sure, we do get to do things that are a bit more varied but the workload never really changes and we don't really get a break.
I don't want to sound like I am whining. Maybe I am a little. But I don't mean it that way. It's just that feeling some days where you wake up and say, "I am tired of doing all the things I do every day. Today I wish I could do none of them." And I know we all do that. But at nine months, I'm just feeling tired. Kind of like when you have a baby...
Saturday, January 2, 2010
More fun with Daddy on R&R
Putting up the Christmas tree
Playing games
Hop on Pop
Sam was ready for Disney World
First time to see Gabby ride her bike without training wheels
Also the first time to see Sam ride the tricycle by himselfWe didn't JUST go to Disney World on R&R. We also had some time for some fun at home. Daddy helped us put up the Christmas tree (wish he were here to help take it down), played games, played Hop on Pop, and saw the kids ride their bikes.
We told the kids a couple of days before we left for Disney World. The night before we left I was gathering all the Sammy things we would need - his travel car seat and being sure the stroller would hold the bags we wanted it to. As soon as Sam saw the stroller he crawled in it and said "I want to go to Disney World". He was not happy when we took him out and put him to bed. He was happy when we left for Disney World. He still asks to go back!
We told the kids a couple of days before we left for Disney World. The night before we left I was gathering all the Sammy things we would need - his travel car seat and being sure the stroller would hold the bags we wanted it to. As soon as Sam saw the stroller he crawled in it and said "I want to go to Disney World". He was not happy when we took him out and put him to bed. He was happy when we left for Disney World. He still asks to go back!
Thursday, December 31, 2009
Happy New Year!
E-mail from Robert:
"Last time I was here is was the 30 rounds of 120mm mortar illumination rounds that 2-70 AR shot just 75 yards from our building that nearly gave us all collective heart attacks....yeah, they didn't tell us about it beforehand. Took about 15 rounds before we realized they weren't shooting AT us.
This year it was the 2 x F-16s that flew over at midnight at what felt like breaking the sound barrier at 500 feet."
Last time he was there, I enjoyed the Music City Bowl in Nashville with some Auburn friends while my dad and grandparents kept baby Gabby. We went to a bar near the stadium after the game for something to eat and a beer and toasted "Happy New Year" on Baghdad time (3pm in Nashville). Then I went back to my grandparents and was very asleep at midnight. No staying awake when there is a baby to take care of.
This year, it's not yet midnight in Washington and I hope to be sleeping by midnight since I have to be up by 8 for the Auburn game. And I will probably be up earlier. We wished Daddy a Happy New Year at 1 PM and had dinner with our neighbors. I missed seeing the ball drop (9 PM here) because I was putting the kids to bed. Hoping for no F-16s flying over at midnight here.
Since everyone else is talking about what they were doing at the beginning of the decade, I will add that for good measure. Robert and I rang in 2000 dancing at a resort in Tunisia in North Africa. We didn't worry too much that the computers would go nuts and we wouldn't be able to fly back to Germany. We spent a week there relaxing and seeing the Sahara Desert, Atlas Mountains, and Rommel's old territory. Maybe I'll dig up a picture...
Anyway, hope everyone has a Happy New Year. I'm counting on 2010 being better than 2009.
"Last time I was here is was the 30 rounds of 120mm mortar illumination rounds that 2-70 AR shot just 75 yards from our building that nearly gave us all collective heart attacks....yeah, they didn't tell us about it beforehand. Took about 15 rounds before we realized they weren't shooting AT us.
This year it was the 2 x F-16s that flew over at midnight at what felt like breaking the sound barrier at 500 feet."
Last time he was there, I enjoyed the Music City Bowl in Nashville with some Auburn friends while my dad and grandparents kept baby Gabby. We went to a bar near the stadium after the game for something to eat and a beer and toasted "Happy New Year" on Baghdad time (3pm in Nashville). Then I went back to my grandparents and was very asleep at midnight. No staying awake when there is a baby to take care of.
This year, it's not yet midnight in Washington and I hope to be sleeping by midnight since I have to be up by 8 for the Auburn game. And I will probably be up earlier. We wished Daddy a Happy New Year at 1 PM and had dinner with our neighbors. I missed seeing the ball drop (9 PM here) because I was putting the kids to bed. Hoping for no F-16s flying over at midnight here.
Since everyone else is talking about what they were doing at the beginning of the decade, I will add that for good measure. Robert and I rang in 2000 dancing at a resort in Tunisia in North Africa. We didn't worry too much that the computers would go nuts and we wouldn't be able to fly back to Germany. We spent a week there relaxing and seeing the Sahara Desert, Atlas Mountains, and Rommel's old territory. Maybe I'll dig up a picture...
Anyway, hope everyone has a Happy New Year. I'm counting on 2010 being better than 2009.
Sunday, December 27, 2009
Well, one more day
Wilderness Lodge
Pooh
Sam did love Tigger
Mary Poppins
And Alice
Sam and GranddaddyWe had one more day at Disney, just not in the parks. Our flight didn't leave until 6 that night so we had a few things planned for that day. Robert's folks drove down and met us for the day. We did some pictures at the Grand Floridian and then had brunch at 1900 Park Faire with Alice in Wonderland and friends. We then went to Downtown Disney for shopping and playing in the fountain. Then we did finally have to head to the airport and catch our plane. We didn't get rained on the whole trip. It started raining as we were boarding our plane.
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