Getting Older=New Found Love....

of appliances...

Seriously.

Today I ordered a KitchenAid Stand Mixer. It's Green Apple colored. I got an awesome deal that included a free glass bowl and a free flex mixer attachment. So.Freakin.Excited.

Dear Army, We need to talk about Christmas...

Thing 1 came home in almost tears today because, and I quote, "ALL of my friends and people in my class dad's are home now because it's Christmas and our dad isn't and it's not fair".
*Gulp*

They just get it...

Today I needed a day to myself. A full day of just me time. My DVR was over 60% full. It begged me to sit and have a Grey's Anatomy Marathon. My computer told me to just not even bother turning it on today. My dishes were already clean. And the dryer has an AWESOME "wrinkle free" setting, so I could just deal with it later. However, the one thing I couldn't deal with later was the kiddos. They had expectations--food, water, an occasional diaper change. And they were awake at 0615 to let me know that they had said expectations. On Veteran's Day. The one day a year that the whole country says "Thanks guys/families for what you do!" and my kids wake up early. You're welcome.

Fall Break (noun): An Event to Drive Parents to the Brink of Insanity...

I really enjoy kiddos starting school the beginning of August. Scratch that. I LOVE LOVE LOVE that my kids start school the beginning of August. Yah, I'm one of those mommies. I enjoy our summers together but by August we're all bored and cranky and ready for a change. Anywho, the downside of starting school the beginning of August is they get more days off during the school year. Basically every federal holiday and a couple of random "hmmm, this looks like a good day not to be in school" days. While Army Guy is home it's awesome that both he and kiddos have the same days off. However, when Army Guy is not home, it's just random days when I have kiddos under feet.

Then comes October.

A Day In The Life of Me...

Started morning at 0530. Not pleasant.

Helpful Words...

Sometimes Dreaded D's can feel completely overwhelming. The overwhelmingness tends to come on at the most randomness of times for me too. It's like when I'm driving in the car and I turn to tell Army Guy about how I want to paint the entryway and I realize, ummm, he's not there. And even though I did email him a bunch of pictures explaining my grand plan for painting (which he still poo-poo'd...boo), it's those "well crap" moments that make me feel like Dreaded D just snuck up and smacked me upside the head. Soooo for times like those, I keep a list of random scripture, encouraging words, or just funnies for reference.

‎"Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding" Proverbs 3:5  (Current Dreaded D's "Go To" Scripture)

Things 3rd Child has Taught Me...

1. Don't assume that the just diaper wearing toddler in her mother's arms outside waiting for the bus has a lazy mother. In fact, her mother is BRILLIANT. She's doing her part to save the world. She knows the blowout #4 is just around the corner and has given up clothing the child in a desperate attempt to not have to do yet another load of laundry.

2. They are in fact just kids...they aren't really out to get me.

Life: College Education Not Required

After high school, I really struggled with what to do with my life. The majority of friends were headed off to college and while I felt like I needed to also go to college, I didn't know what I wanted to be when I decided to grow up. So, I spent some time in community college trying to figure that out and really didn't have much luck.

Then life happened.

My Deep Dark Secret...

Sometimes I'm glad Army Guy isn't here.

*GASP* 

Yes, I just vocalized that I'm glad my husband isn't at home. Now, pick up your jaws and let me clarify--I'm NOT glad he's gone. I'm NOT glad he's gone for a year at a time. I'm NOT glad that he's THOUSANDS of miles away. I'm REALLY NOT glad he's in a flippin war zone. But, tonight as I did my "YES! I got everything to fit in the dishwasher!!!!" dance, it was really nice to not have to explain WHY that warrants such an extravagant display of happiness. Don't get me wrong, I'd much rather have to explain it, but sometimes it's just nice to not have to do it.

With Love...

A friend and I were chatting about a child who had visited her home and had a grand old time with a crayon and her TV. Friend called me for advice about how to remove crayon because she knows I have a child that just recently understands that crayon is meant for paper, not EVERYTHING else. The conversation made me sit and ponder all of the Life Lessons she has given me...

Soooo Tired of "Great Opportunity"

"Great Opportunity" translates to "new and fun way for us to eff with you, your career, and/or your family" in Army land. 

Some history.... Army Guy's current group is a significantly different experience for him from our last group. While my initial experience was on the better side, his was on the worse. To say it was frustrating, would be a huge understatement. While I was out making connections and feeling all warm fuzzy about it all, he was struggling to not go postal on his "peers". So I did the only thing that I know to do in hopeless situations...I prayed. I prayed for him to get some better understanding of what his command team was wanted (other then that whole long walk, short pier scenario), I prayed for clarity, I prayed for compassion, I prayed for understanding and most importantly, I prayed that all of this would get resolved before the Dreaded D. Mental note--when praying be prepared for left field responses.

Dear Army...We Need to Talk...

While I've come to terms with the Dreaded D and the AWFUL job that Army Guy is currently suffering through, I think I need to let Army know that beginning a Dreaded D in May with school age kiddos is just SICK AND WRONG. My Army Kids who thrive on schedules and routine (which in completely ironic in Army land, but that's another rant) were thrown completely off kilter for the Dreaded D. Thing 1's last day of school was the Monday after Army Guy left. So in addition to losing our normal family routine, we were losing the routine we'd had for the last 10 months...all at one time.This is just not right people. Army needs to start all deployments in September or October.
        
     Dear Secretary Gates and Admiral Mullen--I NEED you to rearrange all war plans based on my kiddos school schedule, because I figure I let you take my husband away for a year at a time the least you can do is NOT leave me at home with a bunch of kids for the summer while we're all adjusting to the Dreaded D. Thanks. 
         Yah, I'm sure that'll work.

Goodbyes...

Army Guy left for his latest Action Adventure Destination Vacation (aka Deployment) about about week ago. And I have so many things to say about it that I literally don't know where to start. :) Kids handled the event fairly well. Thing 1 was very concerned that saying goodbye to Army Guy would make him late to his End of School class party. Thing 2 just couldn't (and still can't) wrap her brain around what was going down. I'm eternally grateful for that. Sam-I-Am was just hanging out as well. So after a few hours of gathering weapons and just standing around trying to figure out what to say to the man who is your bestest friend, who is half of you, and who gave you the 3 best gifts EVER, it was time to say goodbye.

Comfort in Surprising Packages

So true to form time before the Dreaded D always gets busy with just life stuff. Army Guy has been off training for the last few weeks, so it's been a good trial run thus far for the hoodlums and I. I felt a twinge of guilt when it was 15 days into Army Guy being gone before I heard the first genuine "I miss Daddy". I'd heard it before, but it was right after someone had been in trouble, so I don't really count that. :) I've had some concerns about how they are going to handle this upcoming Dreaded D just because it's going to be so different then the last Dreaded D.

Reason #4,937 that Deployments Suck...

I can't be mad at him without feeling INSANELY guilty about it. Seriously. Every time I get mad and then consequently blow up, I instantaneously feel guilty about it...like "what happens if something bad happens and all we did was fuss the last few months he was home", what if "and all I did was criticize his handling of the kids, what if "and all I did was make him feel like he couldn't do anything right". Ugh ugh ugh....deployments suck.