The Stix Crew

Remembering Baylee....

2012-01-12T19:46:00.000-08:00

I write this with a very heavy heart. Our precious dog died the other night at the vet unexpectedly. Baylee got in to the trash and ended up with a severe case of pancreatitis. This has happened before and she came out of it fine, but this time her little heart couldn't take it. Those of you that know me well, know how close I was to this dog. I got her when I was dating David, almost 12 years ago. She was truly a special dog. She traveled the world with us on our military adventures, Germany, Arizona, Mississippi, Korea, and lastly Las Vegas. I never knew how hard it would be to lose a pet, actually a member of our family. They give an unconditional love like no other, and she will be truly missed. She has been my constant companion while David works crazy hours or nights. I'm so glad our family has been blessed by this sweet dog. We will miss you Baylee!!

Hiking

2012-01-10T18:39:00.001-08:00

We headed off to Mt. Charleston and decided to do some hiking. We even got Baylee in on the adventure! She slept for 2 days after we got home! Mt. Charleston is only about 40 min. from our house, so it's a nice place to get away and feel like you're not in Vegas! I know this will be a place we will go back to time and time again. The kids had a blast and we loved it too!

1st and 3rd Grader

2011-12-10T20:43:00.000-08:00

I can't believe that time has gone by so fast?? It truly does go faster than we want at times! I still remember the day I found out I was pregnant with Sydney, and now she's 8.5??!! The kids are starting a new school, 3rd new one for Luke, and 5th one for Sydney. The life of military brats!! They are attending school here in North Las Vegas. The 1st and 3rd graders have recess together, which I'm totally against, except for the fact that I can have Sydney look out for her little brother! We'll see how that goes!!

Luke turns 6

2011-10-17T09:52:00.001-07:00

We celebrated Luke's 6th birthday this August. I can't believe my baby is now 6? I know so many people that always say the same thing, where has the time gone? But, seriously, I don't know where it has gone? Sydney helped me with all the party decorations and getting everything ready to go that morning. She is quite the party planner! She was so excited for him to get out of bed that morning, she could hardly stand it! I had to get a picture of her and how anxious she was to get things started. Despite the fact we were knee deep in boxes from our move, we managed to surprise Luke and have a great day! Happy birthday my sweet little man!!

T-ball

2011-10-07T21:51:00.001-07:00

Looking at the birds....really, he is!! A flock of birds had just flown by, and the whole team stopped to look!! Typical T-ball!!!

Luke played on the EJRT team in Enid this year. This was his first T-ball season, and he absolutely loved it! We had so much fun watching him play this last spring. He was the most improved player on the team, by far! It was so fun to watch the kids count butterflies, birds, pick grass, and occasionally field a ball! I look forward to next spring when we get to see him play again!!

We have an "8" year old...

2011-09-09T20:23:00.000-07:00

Since my blog posts are a wee bit behind, we actually have an 8.5 year old in the house! We celebrated Sydney's 8th birthday in Oklahoma this year. No big parties or hoopla, just some cupcakes and eating out at Chilli's! I have to say, I had a little mom guilt that I didn't have a party for her, but it was really nice to just celebrate the day and enjoy my daughter and not put on a performance for other kids!! Plus, we just moved back from Korea and frankly we didn't know enough little girls to have a party. Sydney got a new bike for her birthday and some other fun things. Happy birthday my sweet girl! We love you soooo much!!!

Fini Flight and Gratitude!!

2011-08-19T22:48:00.001-07:00

In February 2010, David flew his last flight in the F-16. It was a very bittersweet day for him, and for us. He has been dreading the day, that all his hard work to become a fighter pilot has probably come to an end. I've never been more proud of my husband for the sacrifices he made for our family during his career. Most people don't know the sacrifice he made to care for me and our children during my back problems. Those back problems started way back in Columbus, MS, and continued through our time in Korea. David's priority was with his family, and I have more respect than ever for him. He is a humble, selfless, caring, and kind soul. His sacrifices probably won't ever be known to his fellow pilots, commanders, or friends, but I want to express my gratitude through my blog. He didn't have to put us first, he could have let his career engulf him and let our families care for me and the kids, but he didn't. He would never let that happen! He is a God loving and fearing man, and will always put God first, family, and then career.

I'm so proud of my husband and all that he has accomplished, but I'm more proud of the man and father he has become. I love him with all my heart and will forever be grateful for his sacrifices. God sent a special angel to me, and I get the honor of calling him my husband!

God bless you David!!

Spring soccer!

2011-08-17T21:37:00.001-07:00

I love the YMCA and what it stands for, and I love the Bible belt and that we stop and say a prayer before a game!!
Luke and Sydney got to play spring soccer at the Enid YMCA this year. The kids were on 2 great teams and had 2 great coaches. Their skills have greatly improved since we started several years ago! This is definitely Luke's sport, getting to run around a field non-stop and chase a ball!!

Oregon in March!

2011-08-15T21:34:00.000-07:00

Sydney working on her candy dish for grandma!!
Luke working very intently!!
Friends and family playing putt putt!!

Yaquina Head lighthouse in Oregon

Sydney and all the boy cousins!!!!!!!!

Newport Oregon!

We are officially home from Korea! Our first stop was David's home in Salem Oregon. We landed in Seattle and then drove to Salem. We hadn't been in Oregon for several years, so it was nice to go visit and see the family. The kids were so excited to read all the signs in English, and very excited to explore all the various restaurants that America has to offer!

Way back Wednesday....(or whatever day it is!)

2011-02-11T06:30:00.000-08:00

One of my favorites of Luke at the pumpkin patch in Caledonia, MS.
PRICELESS!!!!!
Hanging with my cousin Catherine!!!!!!!
Luke is less than enthused about his sister reading him a book!!!

I may not be consistent on my Way back Wednesday, but eventually I will get one out there! I'd like to give a big shout out to my sister-in-law (who DOES read my blog)!!!! What's up Cynthia!? I love these old pics when the kids are little! Have a good one!

Family Pictures 2010

2011-02-07T04:14:00.000-08:00

Way back Wednesday....

2011-01-26T02:20:00.001-08:00

I've been wanting to get more serious about keeping up with my blog. I used to do it pretty regularly, but then I was introduced to Facebook!! Anyway, I'm pretty sure I don't have many blog followers (or at least nobody leaves me any comments), but I'm determined to have some more fun with it and try to stay current on our lives and what's going on in the Rogers household.

I love my scrapbooks, and now I'm totally IN LOVE with Apple TV. I know that sounds really crazy (it's not just about recording your favorite shows), I have found it can be my ALL day scrapbook on my TV. I love that I can upload my photos and watch my precious children come across the screen.

All this to say, I've been digging out old photos and thought I would share a few of the kids when they were small. I just can't believe how fast the time has flown by and my babies are growing up on me! Enjoy!!

Baby Luke....one of my favorite pictures!!!!!

The Griswald's take Guam!!!!

2011-01-24T01:55:00.000-08:00

Daddy and Luke snorkeling on the beach outside our hotel. Luke did awesome!

This was our view off our balcony! What a great way to wake up every morning!

Scuba Luke!!!!!!
Ever since we landed in Korea, Feb 1st 2009, our family had not taken a family vacation. The timing never seemed to work out with David's schedule, or my back problems interfered, or we just couldn't afford it at the time. Finally we saw an opportunity to go over Thanksgiving 2010, so we jumped on it!! We took 8 full wonderful days, packed our bags and headed to warmer weather. It was so cold here in Korea when we left, so heading to a tropical place was a luxury!!

We stayed at the Pacific Islands Club at Guam. It's an all-inclusive place, and most importantly they have a Kids club for the kids to go to so mommy and daddy could take a break!

I would like to report we did some amazing, exciting thing while we were there, but this trip was all about relaxing.....and we did JUST that! We were either by the pool, on the beach, shopping, or eating! It was so nice after 2 years of being in Korea to go spend time as a family and not have an alarm clock or an agenda! Guam was a beautiful island and I will treasure this time we had as a family!

P.S. Did I forget to mention that my husband left my camera and video camera at home, bought another camera in the airport, and then got the charger and box stolen from the new camera in the airport......That's why this would be titled, "The Griswald's take Guam"! :)

China 2010

2011-01-16T17:28:00.000-08:00

In November 2010, I had the great opportunity to go to China with some awesome ladies. Ever since we had orders to Korea, my sights were set on seeing China. We had an amazing and fast 4 day trip!

Father/Daughter Dance

2010-12-11T01:57:00.000-08:00

Daddy got to escort the sweetest little lady to the Girl Scout Father/Daughter dance this year.

It was a close call that daddy was able to attend since he was TDY that week. There was one happy little girl that night her daddy showed up on the doorstep! These pictures melt my heart!

DMZ

2010-12-10T21:55:00.000-08:00

David and I finally had a chance to sneak off for the day and head to the DMZ. After seeing everyones pictures, it's nice to actually see it for yourself. It's a very uneasy feeling that across that border there are North Koreans that do not like you and would probably kill you! I'm so glad we got to see the DMZ while we were stationed at Osan.

Fall Soccer...yes, I'm behind!!

2010-12-03T18:40:00.000-08:00

Fall soccer has come and gone. I'm so behind on my blogging!! It may take me awhile to catch up, but I will eventually get it all posted! We have been a very busy family with lots of activities going on for the kiddos! Soccer was so fun this fall. Sydney has finally figured it out, so it's very fun to watch her grow and learn. Luke is rather comical to watch at this age! He's such a busy boy, so soccer is such a great sport to let him release all his boyish energy!!

Sydney's first day of 2nd grade!

2010-10-03T19:48:00.000-07:00

Sydney was a little apprehensive of her 2nd grade year, but once she got there, she was fine! Mrs. Louder is her teacher, and she has several friends from last year that are in her class. We will have one more year (hopefully), of going to more than one school in a year. We are hoping to eventually get on the summer cycle so my kids can finish an entire school year in one place! The adventure of the Air Force is wonderful, but we are really ready to settle down!

Luke's first day of Kindergarten and mommy's not doing so well!!

2010-09-06T18:59:00.000-07:00

Luke....You will never know how much I love you, and I can only hope someday that maybe you can understand how painful this day has been for me. I've watched you grow from a tiny baby to a sweet little boy. We've had our ups and downs through your toddler years, but we all survived! Now, I have to let you go off into the big world and explore and grow. I just want you to know how much I love you, and how much Jesus loves you. You are the greatest gift that God could have given us, and maybe that's why mommy is just a little sad today. I know you are going to do great things, and I KNOW you are going to LOVE Kindergarten! I will just have to get used to my "little buddy" not being with me all day, but I will be so excited when 2:30 rolls around and I can come pick you up! We love you so much Lukey! :)

Basketball Camp!!

2010-08-30T20:47:00.000-07:00

For those of you that know me, I don't need to say a word!!! In no way do I want my daughter to follow in my footsteps, it would be nice, but not necessary! We had a B-ball camp here on base for 6 days over a 2 week period, so we thought it would be fun to have her try. After all, this is the "trying to find our thing phase", right? Sydney really ended up enjoying her time in the gym, and I have a feeling she will be trying it again in the near future. I can't tell you how many memories it brought back for me, and how much it made me appreciate my dad more than ever!! Love you Dad!

Luke turns "5"

2010-08-17T05:55:00.001-07:00

Our poor second child finally had a "real" birthday party, with friends included! We always seem to be at home when Luke has his birthday, so we usually have a family get together. That's one disadvantage that Sydney doesn't get, since we are usually away from family during April. So, this year David and I decide to throw this boy a party, complete with a cake, friends, bowling, and lots of presents! I've never seen somebody so excited for his big day!! When we first arrived at the bowling alley, he just went in the room and sat down to wait for his guests to arrive, it was so cute!! He was thrilled to death that everyone was actually singing to HIM!!

For the next 2-3 days, he kept telling David and I, "happy birthday!" It truly was worth every penny and effort spent to make his day so special! We love you baby Luke! :)

Military children!!

2010-08-16T05:43:00.000-07:00

Sydney and Luke love to dress up in daddy's flight suit and parade around. They even get the huge boots on and try to walk around the room in them. I treasure these memories so much, because I know time is passing so quickly. They are growing up too fast, and it's hard to bear sometimes! Sydney can go from playing with dolls, barbies, and anything girly, to putting on a flight suit, wearing weapons, and playing with all the boys. I love the top picture in her "fancy skirt", as she would call it, standing beside a 2,000 pound precision guided bomb at our last fini-flight. Daddy's very proud of this picture by the way!!

Watching daddy at work...

2010-07-22T04:04:00.000-07:00

What a great day that we got to watch daddy so close as he took off!!!!!!

HARRUMPH!!!!!!!!!!

HARRUMPH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

This is one of my favorites of this day. It almost looks like he's saluting!

We don't often get a chance to always see daddy at work, but this particular day we knew exact take off times, positioning, and were able to get very close to get some awesome pictures. The kids were thrilled and David's mom actually got to be there to watch all this too. I was just very thankful for security forces not telling us to move our car and get out of there! HARRUMPH!!!!!

Time in Oklahoma....

2010-07-19T08:54:00.001-07:00

2 Happy kids after not seeing daddy for almost 4 months!!!

Didn't think it was going to be so hard to teach the slip-n slide???

Finally catching on to the action!!

Love this pic of PaPa with 4 of his grandkids....guess Syd was not having fun!

MiMi and her Lukester!!

Sydney playing Soccer for the YMCA in Enid

His coaches finally got him to stay in the goalie box!!!! :)

We got to see an OSU basketball game while we were home!!

I know I'm quite a bit behind on my blogging lately. I hope to change that and keep up on it better since we are all back home and things have returned to normal! We were in Oklahoma from Feb. 19th till the 1st part of June. It was a long time to be away from Daddy, and we are so glad to all be home together again, even though it's in Korea!!

My back surgery was a success, and we are so pleased to finally get this past us! I know I am! I still have some soreness in the mornings, but everything was a success and I feel 100% better than I did. It's been a very difficult year for us with my health, starting last August in 09'. It's been a long year, and hopefully the light is at the end of this tunnel! God has strengthened my patience, strength, and resiliency in this road block in my life. I certainly know he did not give me more than I could handle!!

The kids did remarkable in picking them up from their home here, taking them out of school, moving them across the world, putting them in a new school, and leaving their daddy. They are such resilient beautiful children, and David and I are so blessed to have such great kids! They have the added benefit of being military brats, so that helps with all these moves!

We hope you stop by and check us out and what's going on in Korea. Leave us a note, we'd love to hear from you. You can post a comment after each post (this if for my family that is computer illiterate!!) We'd love to hear from you!!

We should know where we are going for our next assignment by October, so we will keep you all posted! Until then, God bless!!

Cousin Pictures....

2010-05-05T21:06:00.001-07:00

We finally got a chance to get all 6 grandchildren together for my parents and get some pictures done. Time passes by so fast, and it's so nice that we could get these kids together while we were all in the same state at the same time, or in our case, the same continent!! It's funny how on our side of the family that Luke is the only little boy, he's our little prince! On David's side of the family, Sydney is the only little princess out of 6 grandchildren. These kids are growing up so fast and I hope they always remain to stay close cousins!!

Sledding fun at Osan!

2010-02-12T21:21:00.000-08:00

Losing teeth!!

2010-02-02T22:19:00.000-08:00

Sydney is so excited she has finally caught up with her friends and is losing her teeth now! She got so excited she got to show Fred, since it was December and he was hanging out at our house! I'm not sure if I'm excited about this tooth losing process, since she is her mothers daughter! She doesn't like pain, and she really thinks that blood is associated with pain, so you can guess what it's like around here!!!

Life in Korea....

2010-02-01T04:36:00.000-08:00

I finally took some pictures of our house, and what our life is like in tower living!! I still have some more pics to take, but here's just a brief look into how we live on the 10th floor!!

Luke....

2009-11-24T05:18:00.001-08:00

These are Luke's pictures from Columbus that Amber did. I loved the ones in his rainboots! Sydney's pictures are on the next post....

Sydney...

2009-11-24T04:56:00.000-08:00

These are some pictures we took in Columbus before we left last October. Amber from Caledonia took these for us. She does such an amazing job! We will miss being able to have her take all our family photos!

OAES Halloween parade....

2009-10-30T18:55:00.000-07:00

The Osan elementary school had their annual Halloween parade Friday afternoon. Sydney was Belle this year, and Luke was a race car driver. Sydney's costume required a fancy updo, that was not easy!! She did look like a princess though! Luke was so thrilled to be in the parade, and was so excited to see me, he ran over to me on the side of the street! It was so cute! Sydney was her normal social butterfly self, and was yelling "trick or treat", all the way down the street! She may have thought people were going to throw candy at her or something??

PTO family fun night...

2009-10-30T18:38:00.000-07:00

Tuesday night, the OAES PTO had their Halloween family fun night. The kids had a great time! Lots of games, arts & crafts, and lots of candy!! Luke didn't quite understand the ring toss around the pumpkins, he thought you could just walk up and set them down on the pumpkin. It was really cute!

Fall pictures at the arboreteum....

2009-10-24T06:24:00.001-07:00

Today we went out to the arboreteum near base and took some fall pictures. It was such a gorgeous day. I have always loved the fall, and this was a really neat place to see all the leaves changing.

The kids....

2009-10-18T04:43:00.000-07:00

I just realized that I haven't been doing a very good job of keeping up the stats with both of the kiddos. I know that as new moms early on, we record their first steps, first cereal, first bath, and on and on!! But, as time goes by, our sweet little babies grow up and then we just get busy and sometimes forget to do it. I guess I'm guilty of falling behind on all this, so I thought I would share some neat things that have been going on in our world.

Luke Davin: 4 years old

Oh Luke.....What am I going to do with this boy?? I've never met another complex creature who tests and challenges me on most every front. He can be such a sweetie one minute, and then the next minute he can turn into one of the holy terrors found on Supernanny. When he's sweet, he can be soooo sweet, but when he's bad, boy, look out!!! He his, as my dad would say, "spirited!" I guess that's the nice way of putting it!! I'm always surprised if the Sunday school/pre-school teacher, or anybody watching out for him, tells me he was good that day, that's usually not the norm!! I thought of finding a nice sweet picture to put up for this post, but that would not be typical for Luke!! We are so thankful for this little boy, and he certainly keeps us on our toes. Here's some cute Lukeism's:

"you happy?" I'm usually stressed out with him, so he says this alot!!!!

"I wix it." (fix)

"you play trains with me??" he says this most every day, 20 times a day!!

"you lay down with me?" he always wants somebody to lay down with him at night.

"I ride my cooter?" (scooter) and it's a pink scooter ta boot

Luke is attending a pre-school program on the base at the Elementary school 4 days a week. He loves trains, cars, and things that go! There's never a dull moment with Luke!!!

Sydney MaLee : 6 years old

Sydney is growing into very sweet little girl. She is in the 1st grade here at Osan, and is learning to read. She loves this new found hobby, and it's so neat to sit down and have her actually read to us! She is a very sweet friend to everybody and enjoys her time here at Osan. She is currently doing ballet and awanas, and is also doing the choir club at school. She's pretty busy! I never thought that entering the 1st grade would mean that I've in some ways lost my baby, but in some ways I guess I have. She's become very independent, and sometimes a litte too smart, if you know what I mean!! Sydney is a little too old for the cute sayings, but she has had some cute things that I just couldn't forget to add. One night she was going to the movie with some friends, and she came and told me that she wanted to dress like a "rock star" tonight! And believe you me, she looked like a star! She has her daddy wrapped around her finger for sure!!

The F-16 community has been hit very hard lately. It's such a small community, and even though you might not know the person directly, you certainly know somebody who does. We've lost 2 wives of F-16 pilots, one to cancer, and one to complications during labor after her baby was born. We also have lost a pilot at Shaw AFB. Please pray for these families after you read this post, pray that God will lift up their families and give them peace at this difficult time. I know that I'm going to give each of my kids an extra special hug and kiss tonight and let them know how very much they are loved. God bless you all!

Korean Folk Village

2009-10-13T06:09:00.000-07:00

Sydney and Luke on the Stepping Stones.

Sydney grinding some oats.

On the flogging board.

My little Korean military officer???

Luke getting to ride a horse with one of the stunt riders from the show.

All of us getting ready for the horse show and dancers.

Korean girl dressed in traditional Hanbok, giving the peace sign????

We had a great day at the Korean Folk village. It's located about 20 minutes north of the base in Suwon. It's a place kind of like Colonial Williamsburg, but in true Korean fashion. We got to see how Koreans lived hundreds of years ago, and how they farmed and made a living. It was such a great place for the kids to run around and be hands on with everything. The Korean dancers were amazing, along with the tight rope walker and the horse show. The weather was amazing, a gorgeous fall day! We definitely plan on going back before we leave here.

Family photos by the jet

2009-10-05T02:43:00.000-07:00

Party Suits and First Fridays...

2009-10-04T06:26:00.000-07:00

We had a VERY long Friday this past weekend. We started the day off with family photos by the jet, a first Friday, a hail and farewell, and then ended the day with 2 "shows". It was a fun day, but boy was it long! I'll post our family photos later, but wanted to share our pics in our party suits since they were on my camera. HARRUMPH!!!!!!!!

My little "Rock star"!!!

2009-10-04T06:18:00.000-07:00

We had a free movie night for all the kids here at Osan. I was planning on just sending Sydney in her school clothes she had on that day, but she had something else in mind!!! When it came time to get her ready, she told me she wanted to dress like a "rock star" tonight!!! So, we proceeded to go to her room and find the closest thing I could come up with. This little line from Gymboree this year has some guitars and rock star sayings on it, so it worked out perfect. Before she headed out the door, I was also given instructions to take her picture too! She's my little fashionista these days!!

Disneyland

2009-09-24T06:14:00.000-07:00

I know I'm really behind on my blog, but I didn't realize that I hadn't posted pictures of our trip to Disneyland in January 2009. When we moved from Phoenix and were enroute to Korea, we decided to have a little fun before heading overseas. David's parents came to Phoenix to see us, and then we all drove to LA to go to Disneyland. We did 3 full days, and the kids had a blast. I think the parents even had a good time too!! :)

Ballet

2009-09-21T06:24:00.000-07:00

We have started ballet here at the youth center. Sydney loves it when it's Tuesdays, so she can get dressed up and go prance around. She actually asked me to get the camera and take pictures of her before we left. Can you tell this child has had a camera in her face since birth???

Luke would LOVE to go to ballet, but it's not gonna happen!

Baylee even got into the action and got in her costume!!

Seoul Tower

2009-09-17T06:05:00.000-07:00

We're feeling a very long way from home!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I wanted to get a picture of the city and how large it is, but this picture doesn't really do it justice. Seoul is a city of about 10 million people and is one of the world's largest cities. In the U.S., we can get around fairly easy with/without the help of a GPS, but in this city it is very easy to get lost even with a GPS. How would I know this???? Well, we got lost going to Seoul and coming home. My sweet husband borrowed a GPS from a friend and we took off for our Saturday adventure. Needless to say, it's a complicated city. Even the locals have a GPS in their cars and can't get around without one. It's funny though, sometimes you pass by them and they are watching some game show or soap opera while they are driving down the road. Scares me to death!!!!

Putting our lock on the fence. It's said to be good luck!!

A little toooooo close for me!!!!!!

I love this picture!

Sydney in front of some Kimchi pots.

VBS at Enid Mennonite Church

2009-09-14T05:56:00.000-07:00

Luke is on the front row, navy shorts, plaid shirt to the right of the white circle.Sydney and Catherine are directly behind him. They were singing, "This little light of mine." I got the video of him on our camera, but actually caught him at home singing it for me. I put the video below. Precious!

4th of July

2009-09-12T07:06:00.000-07:00

There's nothing like the 4th of July, but there's nothing like being in America on the 4th of July! We were so glad to spend this holiday in America this year! We had a full day of swimming, picnic, fireworks in the driveway (illegal of course), and then the big display at Meadowlake. We sure missed daddy not being there.

Having fun with cousins!

2009-09-12T06:51:00.000-07:00

One of the things we got to do this summer, was spend alot of time with our cousins. The kids rarely get a chance to see each other, so it was nice we got to see them several times this summer. Catherine had a birthday while we were home, and Luke and Lauren also had their birthday in August. It was nice to be around some family while we celebrated Luke's birthday this year!

Meadow Lake Park

2009-09-11T07:14:00.000-07:00

One of our favorite spots this summer was Meadow Lake Park. Both Sydney and Luke have been going there since they were old enough to walk. This year was so fun to watch Luke since he is soooo crazy about trains! Our routine is, ride the train, planes, cars, and then the carousel is last. Then PaPa takes them to get a "no-cone", or "sno-cone" as we would call it! I love to watch how excited the kids get when we get there! These are memories that my kids will remember forever with their PaPa and Suz!

Heading to Oklahoma....

2009-09-09T05:42:00.000-07:00

Happy to be in hot Oklahoma!!!!!!!!

On the plane looking forward to our 14 hour ride!

I have been neglecting our blog since June, and for good reason. The kids and I decided to head to Oklahoma and see our wonderful family. We took off in late June after school was out. I can honestly say I did not dread the trip home at all, even the long 27 + hour bus, plane, and car ride to get there. We were all so excited to be back in Oklahoma and be with our loved ones! I think I could have even gotten on a boat at that point and sailed back home. It may take me awhile to upload pictures from our 2 month adventure, but I will get it done eventually. I will have to put my daughters 1st grade homework at the top of the to do list (crazy, huh?), but I will get around to posting it all! Hope you all had a great summer! God bless!

Living it up in America....but missing Stix!!!

2009-07-28T14:35:00.000-07:00

Our time is almost up in America, and to say we've had a blast, is an understatement!!! We miss daddy terribly, but have thoroughly enjoyed family and friends, and shopping, TV, DVR capabilities, driving in the US (more than 25 mph), the smell of fresh air, watching the sunset, I could go on and on!!! Anyway, the kids and I will be heading back to Osan on the 19th of August and will be reuniting with our "main man", and one very spoiled and mad dog!!

When I get back I will share all our adventures on here! We've done everything from swimming lessons, train rides, VBS (3 to be exact), lots of park time (and not just one, lots of them)! PaPa, MiMi, and Suz have spoiled these kids rotten!! We will be going through some detox after arriving in country, and not just sleep deprivation, grandparent detox!! I wouldn't have it any other way! ;)

Living overseas has always given us a much better appreciation for the blessings and freedoms we have in America. We live in such a wonderful country, and I'm so proud to be an American!!!!

Blogging vacation!!

2009-06-21T02:14:00.000-07:00

The kids and I are heading to Oklahoma tomorrow for the summer. We will be traveling for almost 24 hours by bus, plane, and car. Please keep us in your prayers! (Especially patience for mommy)!!! I will be taking lots of pictures while we're at home, so I will have plenty to blog about when we get back.

Everyone have a great summer!!!!!!

We're coming to America!!!!!!!!!!!!! (and a fini flight)

2009-06-11T05:56:00.000-07:00

Okay, these pictures don't have anything to do with going home, but I thought I would share them anyway! I am BEYOND excited to go home and get off the ROK for awhile! The kids and I will be leaving the end of this month till the middle of August. David will be gone for 5 weeks to Alaska, so it's a good time for us to go soak up the U.S and spend time with family. The pictures are from David's boss's fini flight today. The kids thought the plane taxiing in was pretty cool, and when Houdini got sprayed down with the hose. Sydney didn't want to wear her ear plugs, she told me she wanted to hear the engine????? I told her I already ruined her ears once at Spangdahlem for her daddy's fini-flight, so I wasn't going to let it happen again!! We hope we get a chance to see everybody back in the States!!!! HARRUMPH!!!

3 Kindergartens in one year!!!

2009-06-10T03:21:00.000-07:00

Mrs. Loden....Joe Cooke Elementary
Columbus, MS....1st day, Aug. 08

Mrs. Sullivan....Luke Elementary

Phoenix, AZ.....1st day, Oct. 08

Mrs. Stapleford....Osan Elementary

Osan AB, South Korea....1st day, Feb. 09

WOW!!! We survived it! Sydney was a big trooper this year. I knew this might be a tough year for us, but we got through it! We couldn't have asked for 3 better teachers than what we got. These women deserve a huge pat on the back for being such amazing teachers! I'm kind of fond of teachers, since that's my background, but I've never had more respect than for these wonderful Kindergarten teachers. I hope they enjoy the summer, that they VERY much deserve!!! We're so excited that Sydney will get to stay for her entire 1st grade year here at Osan, unless the Air Force has something to say about that!!! :)

Bam Bam!!!!!!

2009-06-03T05:39:00.000-07:00

I am bleeding profusely here!!!

It's all fun and games now!!

The takedown!!!

I've been waiting for a few friends to upload some pictures of our naming so I could get this posted to the blog, since I so stupidly deleted all of mine!! I still have a few more coming in that I will share when they get them done. Our entertainment was Sumo wrestling for the Fiendettes. We had so much fun and laughed SO hard, all until the last two wrestlers. My friend Danicka and I (the namees), were the last two to go. As you can see from the above picture, never turn your back on your opponent, or they can just easily knock you over. I landed on "JUST" my nose, I heard a pop when I landed, and then the blood came a gushing (like a faucet). Our squadron commanders wife wanted me to go to the ER just to make sure it wasn't broken, so me and 2 other wives (all in our party suits) head to the ER. The male nurse didn't think we were too funny, but the doctor on the other hand, thought we were just hilarious! I insisted that they didn't call David because I didn't want to go home. I wanted to go back and get named!!!! So, the ER doc releases me to go, and this is what my dismissal sheet read:

1). Stop falling on your face.

2). Sumo wrestle at your own risk.

3). Consider a really good name dealing with Sumo Wrestling.

(true story)

Anyway, I made it back to the naming to receive the name of "Bam Bam"!!! The girl who knocked me out, they named her "Pebbles"!! Ahhhhhhh, good times! This is honestly the hardest I've laughed in a long time.

Field Day!

2009-05-18T07:09:00.000-07:00

I didn't get to make it to field day to take some pictures of Sydney. But a good friend happened to take some pictures of her boys, and Sydney just happened to be his partner. I'm so glad she got these cute pictures!

More t-ball....

2009-05-15T17:21:00.000-07:00

Not really interested in the game right now!!

Can you really see the ball Sydney?????

Did a ball go by me????

It seems like most of our time lately is devoted to T-ball, but we love it! These little kids are so cute, and we're always sure to get a laugh every practice and game. One of Sydney's cute little things she does is, no matter where she is on the field, she will go track the ball down and throw it to first. Now, that means even if she's in outfield and the ball just made it to the pitchers mound, she will go get it and fight for it. At least she's tenacious, right????

Party Suits....

2009-05-12T05:34:00.001-07:00

O my goodness!! I didn't think I was going to blog about our lovely party suits, but I think there's some curious folks back at home that wanted to see what they looked like. I had an earlier blog that showed David's lovely red jump suit, so this is mine to match!! This is a die hard fighter squadron, rich in history. I'm not sure how many years the party suits go back, but the Fiends and Fiendettes are one crazy group. The Fiendettes have a naming just like the guys, well, maybe not quite as crazy as the Fiends, but lots of fun. My naming was last Friday, so, one crazy story and more pictures to follow....

Dr. Fish & Sydney...

2009-04-30T05:48:00.001-07:00

I had forgotten to post these pictures of Sydney with Dr. Fish. Before we went to Saipan, we got to go down to Escape and get a pedicure and put our feet in a tank of fish, that so grossly chew the dead skin cells off of your feet. Sydney was so hilarious as she squealed with laughter when she first dropped her feet down. Once she got used to the tickling, she did not want to go get her toes done. That's all she talks about now, going to the fish place where they tickle your feet!!

Songtan shopping trip

2009-04-30T03:11:00.001-07:00

Nothing exciting, just another trip down to Songtan shopping mall. I say nothing exciting, but there's usually something every trip downtown that we get a good laugh out of! Let's just say, it's always good to have a camera on hand for the unexpected!!!!!

Sydney turns "6"

2009-04-19T06:02:00.000-07:00

We had Sydney's birthday party today. We decided to do something different this year and just have a little girly fu fu party. It was called a Bella Bea workshop, and the theme was "truth". They talked about telling the truth, showing the truth, and everything out of their mouth should be kind words and honesty. It was a great little party. They got to walk the red carpet after the workshop, so you know my Sydney strutted her stuff like a fashion model. She finally got her skates she had been asking for, so hopefully I won't be blogging about an ER trip anytime soon!!

Chilli's after party!!

2009-04-19T05:58:00.000-07:00

You know you're in Korea wheeeennnn....you're daughter asks to go to Chilli's so they can sing the birthday song to her! BIRTHDAY! (tambourine) BIRTHDAY! (tambourine) BIRTHDAY! (tambourine)!! I think she told the waitress 4 different times that it was her birthday. We had a great day and we are so proud of our sweet little girl. We love you Sydney!

T-ball time!!!

2009-04-14T08:31:00.000-07:00

Happy Easter!!!

2009-04-12T05:25:00.000-07:00

Saipan Beach pictures

2009-04-10T23:56:00.000-07:00

I finally had the chance to take my

beach pictures that I had wanted

since last October. I got them both

dressed up in their white and snapped

away.

Saipan!!!!

2009-04-10T22:30:00.000-07:00

Sydney doing water aerobics!!

Luke: age 3....already hitting on the ladies!!

This would be a NON-ALCOHOLIC drink people!!!

Suicide cliff

One of the last Japanese bunkers on Saipan

Standing on a torpedo

This is the grotto, beautiful!! You can dive or snorkel here too.

Sydney and mommy after walking down 106 steps to get to the grotto.

Sydney in Kalebera cave.

At bird island

All the mommies hanging out and having some drinks!

Luke and mommy

Another non-alcoholic drink! I guess I need to get some umbrellas and put them IN and ON everything, the kids loved them!!

Sydney had her spring break this last week, and me and the kids got invited to go to Saipan for 5 days. I have to be honest and say that I had no idea where Saipan was, but I sure know now!! We had a wonderful time and it was much more than I ever expected it to be. Add the fact, that there is some history there too, and it was even more of a bonus! So I got to celebrate my birthday, watch the sun set over the horizon over the water, while my kids played on the beach. I could not have asked for more. We stayed at the PIC resort, which was wonderful and I highly recommend to anybody. I feel that we will at some point during our tour over here, return to Saipan or head to Guam with David next time. We had 8 mommies, 2 kids apiece, and one brave wife with no kids go. We had a great time and it went way to fast!!

T-Ball

2009-03-31T06:35:00.001-07:00

Sydney had her first practice tonight for the 5-6 year old T-ball team. All the little girls had their pink/purple ball glove (the only one the BX had to offer). This should be one interesting season!! Sydney's more interested in socializing with the players than practicing!! ; ) They open their season on the 11th of April, so more pictures to come!!

Yongsan...our second home!!

2009-03-31T06:02:00.001-07:00

We finally have our car now. We are official to drive in Korea after having passed our drivers test. I'm not really sure why they make us take a test, since we are clearly better drivers than the average Korean!! We had to drive to Seoul again and get our car, so we decided to stay at the Dragon Hill and have a little fun. Sydney seems to think we need to live here since it's such a special place. I have to agree with her, it IS a special place!! We will probably be frequenting the hotel and making it our little getaway while we're here. I'd like to say that we looked at maps and drove ourselves back to Osan, but we had the help of a GPS!! I had to take some pictures of our way back home and just laugh.

The kids in front of Dragon Hill. Sydney has decided she wants to live here and this should be our home while we are in Korea?? She calls it the "special place"!!

Don't have a clue what this might mean???

We do know that we are on the right highway, as long as it says #1, we're good to go!!

Ahhhhh, an Osan sign!!

Even better, Osan Airbase! We are almost home!We made it!!
Luke must be tired from our very eventful drive from Seoul, must have been trying to read the signs or something???

Our little Korean princess!

Fiendettes...Crud Champions!!!

2009-03-20T19:45:00.001-07:00

Friday night we had the ladies crud tournament at the O club. Apparantly the fiendettes are very good, and are very serious about winning....I just went to go have some fun?? That's why I was put on the "B" team!! :) And most importantly because I had never played before!! The "B" team played for the loser championship, and we lost. We had a great time though, and in the end, the Fiendettes still ended up taking home the trophy (thanks to the "A" team!). Being the competitive athlete that I am, I see myself only getting better, and eventually making the "A" team!! Sooo, watch out!!!!

Trip to Seoul and the Lockes!

2009-03-20T19:11:00.001-07:00

Jessie and Luke

Carson, Sydney, Jessica, and Luke

We had to take Luke to the ENT up at Yongsan Army Garrison in Seoul on Friday for an ear checkup. We thought we were also going to pick up our car, but our drivers license were not done, so we will have to go get it another day. We took the bus from Osan, and then Erin and the kids picked us up at the bus station. We went to eat lunch at The Oasis in the Dragon Hill. I think I have died and gone to sweet tea heaven!!! They serve mexican food, and my favorite, sweet tea!!! I haven't had good sweet tea since we left Mississippi, but it ranked right up there with The Backdoor in Columbus! It was nice to see Erin, Joe, and the kids. When we were at Spangdahlem together our kids were babies, and yesterday they were playing ring a round the rosy together. My, how time flies!! It was a good day!

The random pictures of the tall buildings are just some I took on the bus trip down.

Trains and therapy!!

2009-03-18T05:20:00.000-07:00

Luke and I have gotten to spend a lot of quality time at home together since we've been here. I never thought that putting a train set together could be so therapeutic, but boy was I wrong! We had so much fun putting his set together and playing all afternoon. It literally takes up the entire floor, so lots of fun!! I couldn't resist the picture of him sleeping with several of his trains!

Just a few pics..

2009-03-17T04:54:00.000-07:00

Sydney has now been attending Osan Elementary school for 2 weeks now. She claims she hates school now, but i'm sure it's just adjusting to yet ANOTHER school. This has been the 3rd in one year. I know she's making lots of friends since everybody knows her name on the walk home!! She's my social butterfly and I know she's going to be just fine. The far picture is our tower, and we are on the VERY top!! You don't see a stop sign in America like this, huh???

The Show and party suits!!!

2009-03-17T04:39:00.001-07:00

We have been inducted into the 36th Fighter Squadron (The Fiends & Fiendettes), by attending our first "SHOW". A Show is a monthly event where the pilots put on their red party suits, sing songs (not church songs), tell stories about each other, and name new pilots. David was a fly on the wall this time, since he is the "FNG". He will get to be an active participant next month when he gets his name. The wives also have a party suit that is a little bit cuter than the blazing red flight suits. I will also get named, but in a much more friendly female environment! We had a great time and look forward to our tour with the Fiends!!! Harrumph!!!

Our first little Korean home...

2009-03-08T04:37:00.000-07:00

Our first home in Korea was at Life Apartments. We lived here for about 10 days and then was picked up for sponsorship. The funny white looking thing in the corner is an air conditioner. All the beds are like laying on a flat piece of rock.

This Storm...

2009-03-04T05:29:00.001-08:00

Many of you have complimented me on my music I have for our blog, thank you for that. I purposely went and rearranged my songs so that the first song would be, 'Praise you in this storm'. Our life has been one big storm since we arrived at Osan. Thank you to all who have been praying for us constantly, we have felt your prayers. It would take a novel to explain what all we've endured, but God has been faithful and we believe he has finally brought some peace in our life. I will give the short version, many of you have already heard it, but I know some have asked, so I will give the modified version. We initially asked to be command sponsored (2 year gig with family), but were turned down. So we decided to come non-sponsored and live off base (not a good choice), but better than being away from each other. We lived at Turimi Lodge for for 10 days, ran out of our time there and were told by SQ. commander that it would be 3-4 months before we could get sponsored. My friend Cammy hooked us up with a landlord and we quickly accepted an apartment off base (thanks Cammy). We quickly set up shop and tried to make it a home, lived there 7 days and had not signed a lease. The day we went to go sign the lease, SQ. commander calls and says they have a CSP billet for us if we want it. So, after hours of discussing if we wanted to live on the ROK for 2 years versus one, we accept. (One year would be plenty for me over here!!) We then have to let the landlord know we are moving on base, get out of the lease, pay a ton of money, and then happily move on base to "Little America". So, we again grab our stuff and go set up shop on base. So, in the last 2 months we have set up shop in 5 different locations! UGH! Makes me tired reliving it again!! The pictures of the kids are at Turimi hanging out in our tiny hotel room (trying not to kill each other, and me not killing them!)
The picture of Luke in the suitcase, priceless! I want to go home too buddy! All this to say, we are finally settled in our 5th place, Hallasan Towers 10th floor. We're living in the penthouse!! More pictures to come....

Flight over...

2009-03-04T04:36:00.000-08:00

I really had plans to take some pictures of our craziness while we were traveling, but the only pics I did happen to get were of the kids on the plane (asleep). I thought it might be funny to show our 9 suitcases (large), 8 carry-ons (including one spoiled dog), and the kids pinging at LAX. But hey, it was 10PM at night and I was a little stressed about uprooting my kids to a foreign country, so pictures were the last thing on my mind. Sydney got a kick out of the goody bag Korean air gave us, she insisted on wearing the eye mask most of the trip!! :) I'm still trying to figure out why they gave us a pair of wool socks, but I guess I didn't know I was going to the land of the not quite right!!!

We made it!!

2009-02-17T21:17:00.001-08:00

We finally made it to Osan AB. Life has been just a bit crazy to say the least, I will update the chaos and some pictures when life gets back to some type of normalcy (is there such a thing, not in Korea anyway!!) Things should slow down a bit and I will get back to posting better than I have been in the past few months! Keep us in your prayers!!

309th Squadron Christmas Party

2008-12-14T17:27:00.000-08:00

We went to the squadron Christmas party this last Saturday, and actually got to see Santa in a jet??? Sydney argued with me all the way to the party and said he would be arriving by sled. I had to tell her that sometimes he makes special appearances before the big day! The kids had a great time, you can tell by Luke's face, that says it all! Sydney is starting to get a little suspicious about the whole Santa thing, but Luke is still in the wonderment stage!!!!

Kindergarten Snow Show

2008-12-14T17:20:00.000-08:00

Sydney had her little Christmas program at school this last week. They were so cute singing their songs, and Luke was equally as cute cheering his big sister on in the crowd! He was extremely loud with his clapping and cheering for her, everyone could hear him!

Christmas picture outtakes!

2008-12-10T18:01:00.000-08:00

Every year I stress about getting that "just right" picture for our Christmas card. Anyone with kids knows how stressful it is! This year, I just tried to keep it low key and it actually didn't go half bad. The winner for the card (if you didn't get a card from us), was the top picture. Sydney was in quite the posing mood that day, and Luke was just being himself!!!

Luke, pre-school, and the bus!!!

2008-12-10T17:48:00.000-08:00

Luke is now attending pre-school here in Arizona. Fortunately for us, they start pre-school at 3 here in the public schools. The best part, it's free!!! He loves it, but I think his favorite part is riding the bus everyday! I never in a million years would have thought, that I would put my 3 year old on a bus?? Of course with Sydney, it was an absolute "no!" But, with both schools starting at 9:00AM, and the opposite end of town, it really made sense for me to do it. He rides by himself on the way to school, and has a few other pre-schoolers on the way home. There's an aide on the bus, as well as the driver, and they have seat belts. So, Luke rides the bus! Just to see him jump up and down every morning and smile from ear to ear, is worth it!

A Pink Tree???????

2008-12-10T17:42:00.000-08:00

Okay people, this is not really what I expected to get for our tree this year, but when you're TDY, you do what you gotta do! I really wanted the white one, but only the pink ones were on sale, of course! So, I figure Sydney will get to have her pink tree in her room every year. Ugh!!

Fred made it to Arizona!!!!

2008-12-10T17:25:00.000-08:00

We are so glad that Fred found his way to Arizona this year! Sydney always gets a little worried when we travel, so she always draws us a little map of where we are going. This year since we traveled so far and she was worried Fred wouldn't find her, she started in Texas, then Oklahoma, Arizona, and she even drew Korea on there too. Kinda even looks like the shape of Korea if you look close?? Anyway, our tradition continues with Fred the elf in Arizona! I'm so glad that mommy and daddy didn't forget to pack Fred for the trip!!

We are Thankful!!!!

2008-11-26T19:44:00.000-08:00

I just wanted to share a few more pics of the kids for the family, and my friends that take the time to read my crazy blog! The picture of Luke on the toilet, can I just say, "Like father, like son!" Enough said! Sydney is growing like a weed, and talking like a teenager??!!! She just recently was released from speech services at her school out here. She seems to be doing so well according to her teacher, that she now corrects the other students in her class?? UGH!!! We must have a future teacher on our hands!!

We've been talking about all the things we're thankful for this week. Sydney: toys, school, and her friends. Luke: trains, and he would probably say doughnuts or french fries!!!

David and I are just thankful we have 2 healthy beautiful children, and that we get to be together this Thanksgiving and Christmas. We have a cute little apartment to reside while he's training, and we are so thankful for our family and friends. We wish we could be with our families this year, but you are in our thoughts and prayers! Happy Thanksgiving everybody!!! Love and miss you all!!!

The sound of Freedom!!!

2008-11-24T19:28:00.000-08:00

Justin and Jamie came down from Oregon a few weeks ago to see us. It just so happened that David was going to be flying when they came in, so they got to see him take off. We lucked out and had some really nice crew chief let us go right down by the plane while he was parked before take-off. We finally go to meet baby David, that was named after David. He is such a cutie!
David would kill me if he knew I posted these pictures, but I knew Justin and my brother would be dying to see them!!!

Happy Halloween!

2008-11-24T18:48:00.000-08:00

Sydney is into Tinkerbell and fairies, and Luke is crazy about trains. The costumes worked out great this year. We took the kids to get their candy stash for the year. I swear it seems that candy lasts forever!!!

Visiting the Gross'

2008-11-24T18:34:00.000-08:00

After we left Gulf Shores, we headed to the Woodlands to see our great friends Dan and Tiffany. We had such an amazing time, it went way too fast. If there is any place I would like to settle down and raise my family, it would be here. We got to go out on the lake in their boat. Who can say they went water skiing in October?? David can now! Luke was dying to get in the water the whole day, as the picture below shows. So, we stripped him down, put a life jacket on him and let him in the water finally. I have some very incriminating photos to show him someday, that he may kill me someday for. But it's payback for all the grief I get from him now, right???
Sorry about the picture Tiffany, I know you hated it, but it was the only one we took that weekend! Miss ya!

1st stop after Columbus...Gulf Shores

2008-11-24T18:21:00.000-08:00

After we packed out and left Columbus, we decided to stop in Gulf Shores and let the kids play on the beach. We probably won't get to see many white beaches in Korea! Gulf Shores was nice, but I have to admit I like Destin just a little bit better. For my family that has seen the dreaded pictures of David riding the dragon at Destin a few years back, I'm happy to say I did not have to get any incriminating photos this year!!

Sydney and her buddy Keion!

2008-11-24T18:09:00.000-08:00

Per request, I'm posting the other pictures I have of Keion and Sydney. This was her little buddy. I'm so glad that Sydney had the opportunity to experience the things she did while at Cooke. She still talks about her Kindergarten class in Mississippi and misses her teachers, I do too!

Sydney's ballet class!

2008-11-24T17:58:00.000-08:00

This was Sydney's little ballet class in Columbus. Ms. Leigh is such a wonderful teacher, and such a great Christian influence on these little girls. Stephanie, I know you read my blog, so I wanted to put this cute picture of Sophie on here for you to see. I thought it was really cute. By the way, Sydney still talks about "snophie" !!! She still wants to come to her house. I've tried to explain, but it just hasn't sunk in that we will not be going back to Columbus. Miss you guys!

Caledonia Pumpkin Patch

2008-11-24T17:50:00.000-08:00

I realize I may be repeating myself on some of the pictures, but I have some family that want to see more. This was one of our favorite things to do every fall in Columbus. This was a big year out there, and I'm glad we had the chance to go one more time before we moved.

Updates!

2008-11-18T21:11:00.000-08:00

Sydney and precious Keion!

Caledonia pumpkin patch

Sydney standing beside our "1700" pounds that will go to Korea!!

Sydney's Kindergarten class at Joe Cooke.

Sydney's last day at ballet!

Hello family and friends! After much travel and house hunting, we are finally in one spot for at least 2.5 more months! We have many pictures to share with you and I will be posting them slowly. We have lots to share with our travels from Mississippi to Arizona! Sydney is attending a Kindergarten near the base, David is busy flying and back in his element, and Luke and I are hanging out and enjoying the warm weather out here! We've been swimming in November!!! I'll be posting more pics soon, so stop back by!!

Heading West!

2008-10-19T09:35:00.001-07:00

The craziness has started!!! The movers started coming on the 6th of October, and were at our house for 4 days. We had a 1700 pound shipment that went to Korea, and then we packed our stuff that we will need for the next 4 months for Phoenix in our car. The movers took the rest of our stuff and packed it away, till who knows when! To add to the drama of moving, everyone in our family was sick the entire week! Good times!

Sydney said goodbye to her friends and teachers, and will begin kindergarten once we reach Phoenix. Saying goodbye to her little friend Keion was probably the hardest thing we both had to do. I know several of you have asked for pictures of Keion, so I will post some once we reach Phoenix and I have a little more time!

We headed down to Gulf Shores and spent some time on the beach, the kids had a blast! Then we were back in the car heading to Houston to see Dan and Tiffany. We are in Houston right now having a blast with our friends! We went out on their boat, shopped in The Woodlands, and are having too much fun! We are heading to Oklahoma on Tuesday and spending time with my family, so I will be in touch when we can update again!

Bible presentation

2008-09-27T20:34:00.000-07:00

Sydney was presented her first bible from Ms. Carla, the Director of Children's Ministry at Fairview Baptist this evening. Ms. Carla wanted Sydney to have her bible before we left. They normally present the 1st graders these bibles, but since we are leaving, she wanted Sydney to have hers early. Sydney thinks this is just the coolest thing to have her big kid bible, she carries it around everywhere! Now she's asking for a pink bible cover with polk-a-dots??? We are truly going to miss our Fairview family and feel so blessed that our children have attended this church the last 3 years.

Mother Goose time!

2008-09-27T19:10:00.000-07:00

I took Luke down to the Library for Mother goose reading time. For all of my Columbus friends, I don't need to explain how animated and in character she is, but for my family and friends that don't , OH MY!! She is such a hoot! Laaaaaadies!!! Can I get a witness out there????

Thomas and Luke!

2008-09-27T18:59:00.000-07:00

Luke is nuts about Thomas and friends right now. He has set his hot wheels aside for now, and is crazy about trains. He has a book with all the trains listed, and reads it every night. He knows all their names by heart, and always has a train in hand everywhere he goes. We hope to take him to the Day out with Thomas while we are in Phoenix. A big thanks to Grandpa Rogers for making this train table, it has gotten much use!!

Reading time!

2008-09-27T18:50:00.000-07:00

Sydney is reading her first little readers now. She is so proud of herself for being able to finish an entire book. Of course the book is only 4 pages and there are only 2 words per page, but hey, it's big time for her!

Boys will be boys!!!!

2008-09-27T18:40:00.000-07:00

I know it's been awhile since I posted, but this post may explain why. I went to take a quick shower, and I do mean quick. I thought it was just a bit too quiet in the living room, where Luke was supposed to be watching his movie. I made my way to the kitchen to find this mess on my Turkish carpet and kitchen, a big 64 oz. bowl of quick oats. Luke had apparently wanted a snack (or oatmeal), and proceeded to climb on my cabinets to get his snack of choice. Now, the funny part about this is, he just didn't spill the oatmeal, he proceeded to take his hot wheels and trains and run through the oatmeal. Ahhhh, never a dull moment with a boy!!!

Recent pictures

2008-09-06T18:00:00.001-07:00

Just wanted to share some recent pics of the kids with the family. I think Luke is going to be an underwear model!!! ;) Sydney was selected Cook Cool kid this week for outstanding conduct for showing responsibility and being courteous to other students. Sydney has befriended a little boy in her class that is in a wheelchair. She has been such a sweet little girl to this boy and helps him out daily. She talks about Keon everyday and prays for him at night as well. I'm so very proud to think at the age of 5 , she could be so thoughtful and considerate to someone that others might be uncomfortable with. I don't like to get on here and ramble on and on about my kids, but I just had to share this sweet story. It has been such a learning experience for her and our family as well. Remember the old book "Everything I needed to know, I learned in Kindergarten"? Well, I think I just learned my biggest lesson FROM a kindergartner!!!

The top "7"!

2008-09-04T08:38:00.000-07:00

Happy 7th anniversary babe! I know you secretly read my blog sometimes, so enjoy! There are a million reasons I love you, but since we're on the lucky number 7, I thought I would give you the top "7" reasons I love you so much!

I love for the last 7 years going to bed at night and hearing you say, "goodnight sweetie."

I love that you have changed just as many diapers as I have!! (Not too many guys that can say that!!)

I love how supportive you are of my scrapbooking time, stamp clubs on Friday nights, and just about anything to do with my hobby!

I love watching you play tickle monster with the kids (everyday)!!

I love that you pray for me and the kids everyday, because I know you do without fail!

I love how we watch Office reruns all the time, and still laugh hysterically!!

Last but not least, I have loved every bit of this crazy adventure called "marriage", we've been on for the last 7 years. It truly does get better every day, and I love that I get to spend every day with my best friend! I can't wait to see what God has in store for the rest of our lives! I'm sure there won't ever be a dull moment!!! Love you babe!

Back to Ballet!!!!

2008-08-26T19:10:00.000-07:00

Sydney started her ballet classes today. We know we are not going to be here for all the recitals, but she really wanted to go for as long as we could. We'll at least get to go for 7 more weeks. She loves to get there early and prance around in front of the mirror....she's a true Aries for sure!!! :)

Our next chef!!!

2008-08-22T19:24:00.000-07:00

Sydney got this great kids cookbook from her Aunt Susan, and has been dying to make something from it. Of course I picked the least messiest thing since we were on our way out the door for Wednesday night church. The little mini pizzas turned out great and she had a blast doing it. Who knows what we'll be cookin' up next??

Trying to enjoy another hot day in Mississippi!!!!

2008-08-22T19:19:00.000-07:00

First day of Kindergarten!!!

2008-08-06T06:56:00.001-07:00

Okay, this was a fun day for her, but I cried like a baby all the way home! She got a great teacher, Misty Loden, and Miss Julia is her assistant. Sydney jumped right in and seems like she's going to love it here. I can't believe how fast she's growing, it certainly goes way too fast for me!!!