Graduation

 

Russ became a “real” soldier on September 30, 2010. By real I mean, he finally had all the training necessary to do a job in the military. The picture at the top was at his company’s award ceremony the night before graduation, at which Russ received several awards, including the GAFB (pronounced “gaff-bee” – weird, I know... military... go figure) – the German Armed Forces Badge – basically you qualify by doing really well on the APFT (the physical fitness test) and by shooting a bunch of stuff, and by in general being a good soldier.

These two pictures are at the actual graduation. It was short and sweet, just the way I like it. Vincente played Monkey Preschool Lunchbox most of the time (man I love my iPhone...) and Joseline mostly just sat around. The cutie.  We are so proud of our Papai! He is such a great soldier and has done a lot of good stuff! And we are sooo happy he is done with all of his initial entry training! 

What Has Been

I was getting all my photos off of my iPhone in preparation for an update (which I still haven’t been able to get to work... darn iTunes...) and I realized that I haven’t been blogging in a while, but life has still been going on.

I want to post all of the pictures all at once, but that would be a blog post with too many pictures. So, I’m going to give you some highlights, and then tomorrow after church while the kids are napping (cross your fingers) I’ll try to wade through everything... whoa. It’s a LOT of stuff....

some sewing of aprons 

playing in buckets full of water

this sweet face (and another one just like it)

a lot of free play

  outside free play!

and so much of this

it makes me want to lay down and do nothing right this minute

But you’ll get it all in blogged form with nice layouts and full narratives starting tomorrow. I’ll probably “program” them to post for my Tues/Thurs “this life” posts so you don’t get overwhelmed.

Also, Wednesday Wanderings comes back this week with a review of the Sierra Vista Public Library! (story time on Tuesday mornings! Hooah! And I also found out that the post has a Family Fitness Center – so we’ll be checking that out on Monday – and it will probably make an appearance on the blog next Wednesday).

It’s good to be back in full swing – getting used to another new normal (it feels like my normal changes each day... of course, the only constant thing is change, so that makes sense!)

PofE – Try, Try Again

So, Goal #1 was a total fail.

It’s been a long week.

Full of emotion and stuff. Probably the perfect time to be journaling. But, you know... I’d rather be talking to my hubby.

In order to make Goal #1 not a complete failure (and to redeem myself), I will repeat Goal #1 this week. Even if my life is horrible and the sky is falling, I will write in my journal this week. Will will will.

And start my personal history.

 

The prologue will start like this:

“There was a mother who felt like a complete and utter failure. Every day of her life.”

Hopefully the ending will be happy.

 

PS – Remember to enter the GIVEAWAY!!

PPS – I love when you comment on my blog. Really. Feel free to comment whenever you like!

I read all of them, and try to respond most of the time!!

So please, tell me what you think of me – and don’t sugar coat it ;)

Oh, and Russ called and emailed

My sweetheart called last night! In the middle of the night, as usual. Stupid time difference. I think either we should all not do daylight savings time, or we all should do daylight savings time. None of this each-state-chooses-for-itself.

That’s just downright annoying.

Anyway, we only talked for about 20 minutes (he was using a friend’s phone – thanks Dan and Michelle!!) and mostly it was stressful and not a good conversation.

I’m the kind of person who tells Russ everything.

Really. No really, everything. I like to tell him about how I got bit by mosquitoes, how I am now my parents’ official cook, how I won 3rd place in the Dino Dash in my age division, how I had strep, but got over it. I think maybe there’s stuff he doesn’t really want to know, but he’s my hubby, so his job is to care about every detail of my life – even if it’s gross or stupid or ridiculous.

He does a really good job caring, by the way.

So I had written him a gazillion emails before the phone call. And then after the phone call I wrote him another gazillion emails.

And while he was up on fireguard, he wrote me back. Several really cute, really short, really perfect, really sweet emails that made my life.

So now I know he read my emails, he knows what’s going on in my head, and that’s what is important to me.

Now if only I could get in his head… mysterious Russ :)

Keeping Busy

We’ve got a full summer ahead of us! Which is great.

This Saturday is the Museum of Discovery’s Discovery Fest and DinoDash! (a 5K/1K to raise money for the museum). Then next week is Riverfest (Yay!) and the community pool opens! I just bought our pool pass/fitness club pass today. It was actually pretty cheap, since it’s just me – the kids are free at the pool. I’m also going to pay for the fitness classes. And I signed Vincente up for swim lessons!

So, we’ve got the DinoDash, Riverfest, then we’re doing a neighborhood yardsale on the 5th, then I’m going to go with my BFF to take bridal portraits (yay, Meg!) and then we go to UT for Christy’s wedding, then we come back for a few weeks, then we go to AZ for 4th of July festivities, then we come back, then Vince takes swim lessons, then Meg gets married at the end of July, then August, then September, then RUSS! Still got to figure out how to fill up August and September. I’m sure I’ll figure something out.

In the mean time, my weekly activities will involve running (gotta get ready for the 20K in Sept!), going to the gym (yoga from my old seminary teacher, then I’m going to try out some other random fitness classes to find a few I like) then going to the pool ALL the time (we’re basically going to live at the pool). At some point I’m going to get my hair cut. And I’m going to learn Bach's Partita No 3 on the violin and play it at a recital in the fall before we leave. Oh yeah, and don’t forget the Children’s Theater! That’s going to be a good chunk of the first half of the summer, too.

And hopefully I’ll start tutoring again some next week. I just need to feel settled in. And having some contact from Russ would help. I’m starting to just treat it like Basic. Maybe he’ll call, maybe he won’t, and if he does, it’s only once a week. I’m sure he’s super busy. Plus, Russ is the kind of guy that doesn’t always call. Not because he’s no thinking of us. He’s just not a “calling on the phone” kind of guy. He’s praying for us and thinking of us constantly, I know. It’s just nice to get that phone call every now and then.

Well, I promised Vincente that I would take him shopping to buy goggles for his swim lessons. He’s pretty excited. Maybe we’ll go tomorrow.

I also have to go to Savers and see if I can find a rock and roll t-shirt to wear in the “Rock-n-Stroll” 5K next weekend at Riverfest. Since I don’t want to dress up like a rock star (can you see me looking like Bon Jovi? Wow)

I’ll try to remember to keep batteries in my camera so I can capture all our fun events over the next few months. And chronicle them here on my blog. And eventually try to use Photoshop and scrapbook a little 8-o

Ha – that’s what I’ll do in August and September – scrapbook! Play Catch up. Maybe get some books printed. Sweet.