Happy New Year!

I really don't think this year could be topped. Dave came home from Iraq. We moved to San Antonio, TX and bought our first house. I was able to furnish the house with brand new furniture, buy Dave a truck and still have money for a swimming pool.
This year we hope to finish with the decorating of the house. A computer station and organized play area upstairs. Dylan's room needs some paint. Painting the dinning room and turning our bedroom and bathroom into a spa. The vegetable garden, and tropical plants surrounding the pool area.
The biggest event happening right now is the process of opening our own business. This is an idea that Dave and I each had at separate times. In Hawaii there is a clothing boutique. I love their clothes so much I had Dave go on a shopping spree to fill up my closet before he left Hawaii. The clothes are famine, floral and flirty.
One night I had a dream that I owned a store. I woke up and thought how funny it was that I liked her clothes so much that I dream of them. A few days later Dave and I were in the car and the subject of the future came up. He then began to tell me he had a dream of us owning this store. I laughed and said I did too. We talked about it, but set the idea aside. In December we went to a little apple cider festival and as I walked passed a store front that was for rent. I thought to myself that it would make a good location for our store. A few seconds later as Dave walked passed the same store he yelled up to me that this was a good location for the boutique. With this happening again we decided to look further into this crazy idea. So here is the idea for our boutique...
It's a small women's and girls clothing boutique.It has a romantic, vintage, shabby chic feel. The smells in the air will be of roses, lilac, lavender and jasmine. The music playing in the back ground will be singers and standards. Frank Sinatra, Johnny Mathis, Michal Buble, Elle Fitzgerald etc. The wallpaper will be vintage floral. Pink and cream paint. Dark brown hard wood floors, white and cream shelves, armories and tables ,and crystal chandeliers. The clothes are soft flowing sun dresses and shirts. Capri pants and shorts. The extras will be handmade beaded jewelry, soaps, lotions, candles and my tote bags.
We are still in the planning stage. Dave will be calling the owner of the Hawaii store this month and with luck we will get an ok and either we will be owners of a franchise or buying their clothes wholesale. I will keep you posted on the progress and welcome your thoughts and suggestions.

Sorry it's been a while. We have finally finished on the big project for the house, the pool. I tell you it turned out just like we hoped it would. Now it's time to relax a bit and start saving up for the big spring project, the vegetable garden.

Things are running pretty smoothly here, the boys are still doing good in school. The babies are driving me crazy and Dave is doing his best at finding me a job with in his office. The thought of going back to work is exciting and scary. I'm scared only because it's been almost 3 years since I worked. I'm looking forward to the positives of working though, a little more income will help with the stress of having real bills now. The babies will get to interact with other kids at daycare and waste the crazy amount of energy they have. And then there is the fact that I'll actually have a reason to get fully dressed and out of my well worn yoga clothes.

The job has a bit of a change for me, I'm a little bit of a go to girl. I'll do some standard secretarial work and organizing. But what I'm most comfortable with is the travel needs that this group has. I've started putting together my resume with some other info then just travel agent jargin. Thankfully my computer has grammar and spell check, otherwise I'd be screwed.

Another job option that we've come up with is starting our own business. We have this grand idea based on my most favorite store in Hawaii. My only problem is I have no clue how to ask the designer if I can sell her clothes in my store. Do I say "Hi I really love your clothes and want to sell them in my store" Or do I say "Hi I want to open a store based on your store and would love to sell your clothes" Then lets just say she says "ok sure" then do I buy them from her and keep them in my garage until I find a place, or do I find the place first and hope she says yes.

The more I think about it, the more I'm just comfortable working for the government and getting a great paycheck. Then to put my house up as collateral and if the boutique fails not only will I be out of thousands of dollars, jobless, but now homeless.

Any thoughts? Suggestions?

So I sit here thinking of something interesting to write and I can't come up with much. The latest goings on in my life are centered around the children. The boys have finally started their sports. Brian is in fall baseball and Dylan in soccer. During the day they have school which leaves me at home with the babies who are creating work to keep me busy. We have practices though out the week and games on saturdays. The games I am sad to admit are poorly watched by me and Dave since at soccer we are trying to keep the babies from running onto the field to play with the ball. During the baseball games Im dealing with the babies and Dylan and the constant need to check out the concession stand or get stuck under the bleachers while Dave is on the field or in the dug out with Brian.
The days are still hot and muggy something I hope is not the norm. Thankfully the pool will be installed next week. I do hope it stays warm just enough for us to get in a few times before we have to close it for the winter.
All in all I can't complain. We are all together and finally into a routine. We still have a list of things to do around the house and no deadlines to meet. I put out a feeler on a job and to my surprise I was offered a position, unfortunately it was not the job I wanted. I was hoping for a position as an outside agent, but the offer was for an office agent. With the babies not in school I cant see the benefit in working so that my paycheck can pay for daycare. Maybe in time they will call me back and say they have the perfect situation for me.
I did get my hair done which was long past due. I spent 4 glorious hours at the spa drinking hot tea getting my head massaged and chatting it up with adults that I didn't need to yell at or repeat myself too. I will remember how that felt and try to go back in a month or two.
Until then I will continue to stay home cleaning up after everyone, trying to make a dinner that all four kids will eat and keeping myself busy with projects so I don't get bored.

New Mexico

There are certain times of the year that I love coming to New Mexico and the fall is one of those times. We came back just for the weekend to pick up the stuff we left behind when we moved. The stuff that I should never have bought in the first place. But whatever its time to fully move out of my parents house, and this weekend was as good a time as any to do it.
Fall is my favorite time of the year in New Mexico. The weather cools down to a very comfortable degree and the smell of roasting green chili is in the air. My mom and I have been going to the Bernalillo Wine Fest every year that Im here and then theres the statefair, balloon fiesta and the Pumpkin Patch in Moriarty. These are the things that I miss other than the family, but with all that said I look forward to finding out what great local things San Antonio will have during its fall season? I have already figured out that football is a major part of Texas. The best part I have already figured out is that I don't have allergies there. so heres to finding and enjoying new things.

Whats new

Well things are off to a good start. The boys have started school which is a blessing to me. As much as I truly enjoy having my boys around I absolutely enjoy the peace and somewhat quite that comes with them not being around. The babies seem to be alot easier to manage and I think they like having the house to themselves. Its funny to me that I still call them the babies since they are 2 and not technically babies. I wonder when I'll stop?
Anyway where was I? Now is the time to start working on the yard. We have started the process on the pool installation which should be complete by october-ish. Then we start the fall plantings of trees and shrubs. The spring is the big planting time for us. Dave will be building some vegetable planter boxes and then I'll start the vegetables and other pretty plants for the yard. I think I'm most excited about this project because I know I won't have to dug it up when we move. (no more military houses) We have big plans for the back yard and look forward to many days and evenings spent outside. Hopefully next summer won't be such a scorcher as this one has, but at least we'll have a pool.
Im doing much better now that our family is back together and things are as they should be. I have my moments of irritated melt downs, and as Dylan says I need to take my chill pills. I still find myself asking Brian for help when Dave is sitting right there. I need to remember that Brian is a child and not "the man of the house" anymore. Dylan requires a bit more extra attention and I have gladly handed that job off to Dave since he has more patience and energy then I do. The babies are working on potty training which for some reason seems to be taking twice as long as it took Brian and Dylan to figure out.
Well, that about does it. I've updated you with the latest, not to much going on around here. Enjoying our house, our yard and new neighbors. So I guess until next time....

guests

We had our first dinner guests in the first week that we moved in. Now we just had our first out of town guests, my mom and nephew Ayden. They were here for a week and boy what a week it was. Lots of shopping, sea world, cave explorations, painting of rooms, margaritas at the river walk, and watching the Dallas Cowboys at training camp. Oh and the best part, mom's cooking. I love my mom's cooking. Its the best part of going home and the hardest part to leave. No matter how much I try my sopapillas don't pop open like hers, my tortillas aren't as round and my chili is not as flavorful. Oh and some how I burn my beans????? My excuse is/was that I didn't have a cast iron griddle and pot or a pressure cooker. Well now I'm out of excuses because I have them now. The best part is that I have a family that will eat my cooking and tell me it tastes like my moms even though my sopas are a little raw, my tortillas are more square then round and my beans are part refried and whole. I lie my excuse now is that I haven't had a life time of practice. So as they say practice makes perfect and bon appetite

Pictures of house

All moved in

Ok, we are all moved in, and we have already had a round of guests. I love it! The funny thing is even with all the new stuff combined with our old stuff this big house still looks empty. My problem is that I know I have the rest of my life to fill it up and decorate, but I want to do it all NOW. I've put my self on a 2 week spending freeze, so I can put together a room plan for each room instead of just buying "stuff". Ok yeah 2 week isn't going to happen, but at least I thought about it. Brian is just as crazy as I am. I told him once his bedding came in (army camo) we would paint his walls and buy other items for his room. Now its here and Im running out of excuses on why we can't go shopping today. Dylan could care less about decorations, he's just happy to have his own room with a TV. Nick has a basketball hoop in his room and this makes going to bed difficult. Ashley took to her pretty princess bed just fine, but she sleeps with a hotwheels car and one of nicks basket balls. All in due time as they say. Everything will fall into place and I'll be looking for projects to do. I have a list of things I want to do, but I need to remind myself that Im not moving anymore so there is no more time limits. Take my time and do it right.

Home Owners

Dave and I are now officially HOME OWNERS! It has been 15 years and 10 moves, but we've finally made it. I truly can't be more excited. I have no regrets about the location, or the style of house. Once we get the back yard under way it will be absolutely perfect for us.
We are going to "camp out" in the empty house tonight instead of spending anymore time in the small apartment. It will be loud and crazy, but we have no neighbors to worry about. The new furniture will be delivered tomorrow and our stuff from Hawaii will be delivered on Friday, so the ruffing it wont last long.
While I'm here at the apartment packing Dave is out buying the kids some bikes and other toys. It feels like a very good Christmas that has come early. New furniture, TVs, Toys and house decor galore.
I will post pictures in a few days. I truly hope that you will be able to make a visit to San Antonio, and now you have a place to stay.

waiting

Still waiting. The story of my life. We don't close on the house until July 15, but we are ready NOW. The bankers are ready, but the house is not quite finished yet. The paint needs touching up and the appliances need to be installed. All this waiting around is driving us all a little nuts. We are living in a 2 bedroom apartment without much to do, but we try and spend the day out and about, but even then....
On the bright side I've been on the funnest shopping spree ever. It took me 5 hours to spend what took me 5 years to save. All brand new furniture for the down stairs and all 5 bedrooms. I will be using our other furniture for the up stairs game room for now. I still need to decide on room decorating themes for the kids, but the rest of the house is a little Pottery Barn, mixed with Pier 1 and World Market. I hope it comes out as nice as it is in my head.
Dave is working on the master plan for the back yard. So far he has picked out the sitting area. He has a pool guy coming a week after we move in and the play ground people will set up a cool play set around September. He plans on an outdoor kitchen with dinning area and fireplace. All I ask for was a little corner to grow my vegetables and to have lots and lots of plants. This is another thing that I hope turns out as cool as it is in my head.

Lovin Texas

So far I have not found a thing I don't like about this place. The shopping has all my favorite stores and now Im adding to the list. Everything is with in 5 miles from where we live so dealing with the freeways has turned out to be not so bad. There are 12 freeways by the way not 4 as I previously thought. We went the beach a few days ago and it only took 2 hours to get there. We are 40min to a lake for some camping trips. And only 10 minutes to both Seaworld and Six flaggs. There is so much to see and do its hard to be bored.

The house is in escrow and moving along. They are doing the final touch ups and cleaning. We should be closing on July 15.

The kids are having a ball. The boys are up for anything Seaworld or some thing adventurous. The babies are good as long as they have a cup of milk in their hands. They all love the pool even the babies don't want to get out of the water.

Thats all I've got for now. I'll post some pictures soon.

On the road again

Time to hit the road again. Tomorrow we head up to Dallas to pick up our Pilot. Its about a 4 hour trip so it's not too bad. After we pick up the car we are stopping by our old friends from Hawaii the Noye's. The best part of seeing them is that Brian's best friend is Michael and they get to catch up and goof of for a few hours.
Then to add to the road trip we are headed down to to Corpus Christi on Saturday which is only a 2 hour ride from here in San Antonio. Can you believe that? Not only am I in shopping paradise, but Im 2 hours from the ocean. I tell you San Antonio just gets better and better everyday. The only part that needs work is my navigation. In Hawaii there is 1 highway, in Albuquerque there are 2 and here in San Antonio there are at least 4 that go in each direction. Good thing I have a GPS, and the turn arounds help Dave because he doesnt listen to the GPS.
So until I get back good night.....

New House

We finally bought our very own house! I can't express how excited Dave and I are. We have been living on base housing or rental apartments for 15 years and now we have our own house. We finally get to paint the walls, plant flowers ,and buy good solid furniture. We got to San Antonio on Saturday and found the house on sunday. Since we thought it couldnt possibly be that easy we looked around for the next two days, but kept coming back to this house. It is the model that we have liked for the last 5 years and even though we didnt get to pick out the flooring or the cabinets, it has the same stuff we would've picked out if we had. It is a 5 bedroom 3 1/2 bath brick home on a corner lot. The back yard has room for pool, playground and my vegetable garden.

I have always said that things happen for reason and this just adds to my list. We were driving around an area that we had seen on the internet and decided to rule it out because it was too far from post. On our way back into town we decided to look at an area just for kicks, We asked the agent if they had any "regency" models. She said yes, two of them. As we pulled up to the house we both got excited. Just from the road it had already met some of our criteria. Its on an oversized cul de sac lot and red brick. When we walked in our jaws dropped the inside was perfect. The right color carpet, tiles and cabinets. The back yard is a crazy shape, but since we were planning on breaking up the yard into zones anyway it was perfect. Its really like the house was built for us and we didnt even need to ask.

We close on July 15th so we will excepting guests anytime after that.

Counting down

It's getting close. Moving day is just around the corner, and I couldn't get anymore excited! I cleaned out the house of all the stuff I wasn't supposed to buy while I was here and tried to sell it in a yard sale. I'm getting ready to pack up our rooms and start living like we were just here on vacation. These are the crazy moving days that most people dread, the purging and organizing. These are the days that I thrive on. Just keep the kids out of my way and I'll be done by dinner time.
5 days and counting.

trip

I just got back from a weekend trip to Hawaii, and let me tell you I needed the getaway. I went for the purpose of attending the military homecoming ball, but it turned out to be so much more. It turned out as a time for Dave and I to reconnect. A time for reflection on our lives and a time of peace and quite. As lovely as it was to be without the kids I can honestly say I missed them and all the craziness that goes along with 4 kids. I was packed within an hour since I didn't need to pack sippy cups and coloring books and other kid things. I was quick at the airport since I didn't need to walk slow for kids to catch up or stopping for diaper changes. Dinner was relaxing and I actually enjoyed a glass of wine. But the whole time I was thinking of kids. I was thinking how much the older boys would've enjoyed snorkeling again and how much the babies would've loved to play in the sand. I was thinking how funny it was that when going to a restaurant, dinner takes twice as long with the kids. The funniest part was that I had the perfect opportunity to sleep in and take naps and I couldn't do both. My body is wide awake at 7am and completely ready to shut down by 9pm. I came back tan, relaxed and ready for the final 2 weeks here at my parents.

The weekend started off with a ruff start. My flight from PHX to HNL had a mechanical problem so I ended up arriving 8 hours behind schedule. It ruined a whole day but at least I got there.
The next morning we had a memorial service for the two soldiers that were killed. That was harder then I thought it would be. I couldn't help but to think how easily it could've been me and my family sitting in the front row accepting condolences. That evening was the ball which is somewhat like a prom. It was nice to see the ladies dressed in fancy gowns and the guys dressed in their dress uniforms. After the military formalities we let loose and danced the night away until I got a blister on my toe. The next days were filled of sun and relaxation. I will post some pictures as soon as Dave emails them to me. All in all I had a great time and would do it all over again.

Brian

I'm sitting outside watching the kids play in the pool and hot tub while playing around on the computer, and I look up to see Nick pouring water over Brian's head. Brian is just smiling and letting his little brother have some fun. Then it hits me, Brian is a great big brother. He has patience and likes to take care of his younger brothers and sister, even Dylan. This reminds me of our road trip last summer to San Antonio, TX. Dave and I decided out of the blue to just hit the road at 5pm thinking the children would sleep for the whole 10 hours. As it turned out they slept for the first 4 hours and that was all we going to get out of them. Since Dave and I are now tired we pulled into a roadside motel hoping the babies would just cuddle up in on the bed and pass out. No such luck they were wide awake and made sure everyone knew it. Brian seeing our frustration and exhaustion offered to "take care" of the babies while Dave and I took a quick nap. He made a tent out of the blankets and table and used glow stick lights for entertainment. Unfortunately the babies lost interest and we soon found ourselves back on the road .
The other night we had a thunderstorm just as the babies had gone to bed. Nick and Brian share a room and when I went into their room to check on Nick I noticed Brian had Nick cuddled in his bed and was rubbing his head telling him everything was going to be ok. The thunder was just God bowling.
I can only hope that his willingness to take care of his siblings last for a lifetime.

next chapter

So I'm about 6mo to a year behind in the baby chapter, and I totally blame it on my parents. The babies will be 2 years old in 4 weeks, and they are still on the bottle. While brushing Ashley's teeth I noticed there was some decay, I took her to the dentist and she said take her off the bottle and the decay will stop. I never took her off the bottle because that's how they get to sleep, and my mom had to get up at 5am to go to work. Now a month later the decay has worsen and moved over to another tooth. I took her to the dentist who lays in on me and tells me Ashley and Nick should've been off the bottle since 9mo old, and off the sippy cup at 18mo old. Now Ashley needs caps and in order for the caps to stay on she can not be on the bottle. I came home and explained to my parents what was about to happen and that this was a good time because my mom is on leave from work for a few months so there is no more excuses. I told them that we have to let them cry themselves to sleep. It will take at least 3 days, but its something we have to do. The night started off just like I figured. Babies crying and the boys trying to talk to me over the crying, and my parents sitting outside so they don't have to hear their precious babies crying. Then comes the thunder and lighting and all hell breaks loose. The babies are now freaking out, the dogs are barking, the boys are running around excited and counting down until the next boom. So I did the only thing I could. I gave in. I put water in the bottles and calmed down the babies and fell asleep counting until the next boom.

Ashley

Ashley has been taking her clothes and diapers off lately so I decided to give potty training a whirl. After 5 days of misses she finally made pee pee in the potty! I jumped for joy and hooted and hollered. She looked at me as if Im crazy, but with a big proud smile on her face. I gave her a few gummy bears for a reward and now she sits on the potty chair for 10 min just waiting for something to happen. Im hopeful that she has figured it out. Nick on the other hand has no desire to give it a try. I'll keep you posted on her progress.

Mothers day

I am a day late. oops. My mothers day was nice. The morning started off with a wake up call at 630am. Then by a little fighting over who was going to bring me my cereal (fruit loops) then with a crash and bang as my mothers day breakfast spilled over the kitchen floor. I couldn't get mad because this was the boys attempt at making me breakfast. After I cleaned up the mess and thanked the boys for trying and for presenting me with the handmaid gifts from art class. I went to take a shower which was interrupted by Ashley knocking on the door saying "caca" She is potty training and enjoys sitting on the little potty chair. I thought I could get the kids ready to go to my Nana's house without any drama, but nope. It wouldn't be a proper Sunday if there wasn't any drama.
I did get a gift from my long distance husband. It is a mothers ring. It is a gold band with the birth stones of Dave and the children. I ware it proudly. Thank you D.

Facebook

Hello and Welcome Penny. Penny is an old friend from high school, and we have recently reconnected using facebook. Which brings me to today's topic. Facebook. If your not on it I highly recommend it. It is a website service that allows you to connect and stay connected to your friends and family. For me it has become sort of an online class reunion. I have found old friends that I lost contact with once I moved away from home. I have also found a cousin who was the closest thing I had to a sister when I was younger. Being military Dave and I have made many friends along the way, but when we move we all seem to loose contact. This facebook has slowly brought us all together again, and I can honestly say "I'm a Facebook addict" I check it 3 times a day, mourning, noon and night. Sometime more if I have a conversation going. The thing I like the best is seeing all my old friends and how well they have all done for themselves. So if you are reading this and your not on facebook, then please make a profile and add me as your friend so I can snoop on you for a while.
Oh and Penny Im always up for a walk. Just stop on by.

Pity Party

Okay, no more pity party. Its time for everyone to go home. Looking back at the last few entries Ive noticed a reoccurring theme, and I don't like it. I don't even know why you keep coming back to read this blog. This blog was not meant to be so depressing, but it was intended to be my voice and what I was thinking at the time. I think now that Ive wasted allot of time on the negative I will focus more on the positive then I will be a happier person. So I wiped away the last tears and put on a smile. Since the stories that make the happiest are the ones about the children I will tell you a little story.
We all know that Dave and I are trying to save our money so we can invest it into the decor of our new house. We told the boys that the more money we save the bigger their rooms will be. To this Dylan has handed over all of his $5.00 tooth fairy and Easter egg hunt money. He also suggested that we save our money and when we go to McDonald's for his happy meals I should just use the credit card. So I guess its a good thing that we just got a credit increase on the credit card.

me

There is an "idea" of the person I want to be and the actual person that I am. I think by my little journal writing I will find myself somewhere in between the two.
I want to be healthy. I do pilates and yoga most of the time, but I still end up eating McDonalds.
I want to be wealthy. I'm very nit picky on what I spend money on, but when I really want something I don't care if it makes my account balance go into the negatives.
I want to be happy. I try very hard at something that should be so easy.
I want to be a great mom. I listen to my children. I read and do homework. I cook and clean, but I don't always get down on the ground and roll around with them.
I want to be the best wife. I believe I already am. I'm supportive, loving, and kind.
I want to be crafty. I can do a bang up job on a craft, but making it a hobby? I soon loose momentum. Like my journal scrapbooks. Brian and Dylan's are pretty much up to date, but the babies are still blank pages.
I want to be a good cook. I love making creative dishes like whats in the Pampered Chef books, but ask me to do it more then twice a week and I'm out of ideas.
There is more, but I'm being paged by some 2 year olds who seem to drain me of all my energy.

I guess looking at things a little more closely, I'm not so bad.

just thoughts

I couldn't think of a title for this entry because its just some thoughts. I was talking to Dave last night on the phone and he worries about me and my sanity. I have to agree and disagree with him. He worries because I have been letting the littlest things bother me. He knows that this is not my "normal" behavior. So what if the laundry is piled high on my bed, so what if the boys didn't eat every single piece of food on their plate, so what if the noise level is a little high? Well I guess these are all problems here at my parent house, and I'm stuck in the middle. I'm trying to keep my calm and relaxed parenting methods, while obeying the rules of the house that I grew up with, and truth be told I'm going a little crazy. I keep looking towards the future of when we will be leaving and back to our own routine that I am ignoring all the moments that are happening now. I need to figure out a way to get back into the moment and not let the small things bother me so much, but my question is how? How do I make my mom understand that I really don't care if the babies stayed in their pajamas all day if we had no plans to go anywhere. How do I get my dad to understand that the boys ate most of their food, and that's better then not eating at all. How do I get the boys to accept that my answer is no and stop pestering me? I was reading Carrie's blog and she basically wrote how looking around her house she saw signs of her children everywhere. Shoes all over the floor, books and homework spread around. The thing is she didn't see a mess, she saw a family and a home. When I look at the same thing here in my house I see a mess, and that brings me to tears. I want to see my family, my house. Most people wish time would slow down and I want it to go faster. I know it will come. I know time will slow down and for now I must have patience and enjoy the time I have left here with my parents, but how?

early mornings

I remember the times when one of my kids would wake up in the middle of the night just needing to be comforted. Last night it seemed that all 4 woke up at the same time. First Brian came into my room saying he needed to use the bathroom. Ok I told him and walked him to the bathroom only to realize he was still asleep and peed in his bed. Oops accidents happen I tell him. About an hour later Dylan comes in to tell me that Ashley is crying and that makes him not able to sleep so can he watch cartoons? I tell him that there are no cartoons on at 2am. I go to check on Ashley who is sound asleep. At 3am I hear Nick knocking on the door because he needs a refill on his milk. As Im walking dreamily back to my bed I hear Ashley call out. It is 330am and Im wondering what plan is going on between these two babies. Do they have twin osmosis? They are talking and laughing even though they are in separate rooms. I decide that the best thing is to bring them into my room before they wake up the boys and my parents. I try to sing them to sleep, but apparently Im not the next american idol. Ashley puts her little hand over my mouth and Nick yells NO! I cant help but to laugh which of course gets them laughing. Now falling back to sleep is pretty much out of the question. At 430am I turn on cartoons. I fall asleep while Nick talks to the tv and Ashley plays with my hair. Finally at 630am I look to see that both of them have fallen asleep. I close my eyes and in what seemed like only a moment I hear the older boys fighting over who's turn it is in the bathroom. I look at the clock and its 745am. I get up to settle the fight and make breakfast and some very strong coffee. At 820am I send the boys out to the bus stop. I sit on my bed looking at my sweet sleeping babies and ponder do I lay back down, or do I wake them up so I can take a nap in the afternoon when they do. I decide to wake them up, because I know that as soon as I fall asleep they will wake up and never want to take that nap. I take the kids outside to play and drink my strong coffee. Now it is nap time and I cant sleep.
There is nothing more in the world that I enjoy more than being a mother.

Dave has moved on yet again. His visit with was us was short, but well worth it. Not only because we took a much needed family vacation, but because we got a little bit of the feeling back of what our lives are when we are together. The boys didn't get yelled at for every little thing. The babies got to know their dad outside of the computer and I got to sleep in and not worry over every little thing. The best part for me was seeing the boys actually happy and enjoyed every bit of the attention their dad gave them. I'm not sure what my problem is, but here at my parents house I am not the same mom. I find myself more moody and irritated. I think its a little bit because I'm such a laid back parent and my parents are a little strict, so I fill pulled to be both. I'm also under the same roof that I grew up under and find myself being talked to like I was 17, and I don't like it. One thing is for sure we need a BIG house. The bigger the better. Having 4 adults and 4 kids running around this house has made me a little feel a little cramped. Then we had a dinner party and had 12 adults and 10 kids running around and I couldn't even think straight. I now know what my brother feels like when he comes over for a visit. All this aside I still love the fact that I always have a home to come back too.

Disney Trip

We made it back! Taking 4 kids to Disney is not cheap, but it sure is fun. We spent 6 nights at the Nickelodeon Hotel and spent 1 day just at the hotel playing in the pool, going down water slides, playing basketball and miniature golf. The rest of the time was spent at the Disney parks. Animal Kingdom by far is our favorite. The kids love the animals and the rides are perfect for Their young ages. Magic Kingdom was mostly for the rides which Dave and I took turns taking the boys on the big rides. The highlight of that day was seeing Jack Sparrow ( the Pirate) Dylan signed up to be a pirate with Cpt Jack Sparrow, but it wasn't until later that he understood what he did and started crying that he didn't want to be a pirate when he grew up. Ashley was so happy to see a store full of Mickey Mouse stuffed animals I thought she would pass out from excitement. Seeing the "real" Mickey Mouse was not as exciting and she couldn't get away from him fast enough. Nick was a handful to try to keep in the stroller. Now I know why some people have leashes for their kids. Brian was the photographer for the trip so we have pictures of everything from a bird in a tree to family pictures all missing Brian. It was great to reconnect as a family and for the babies to see dad outside of the computer. The plane rides weren't as bad as I thought they would be. The babies slept for a while and the boys talked our ears off. Time to do all the laundry...enjoy the pictures

Add to the list

So now that we've decided to hold off on buying a house until we actually get there we have added more things to the wish list. If you read a few months ago that I've gone organic then my latest idea will make perfect sense. I was thinking how great it would be to have a fruit orchard and a vegetable garden. I would like at least 1 apple, peach and pear trees. A full garden with tomatoes, carrots and peppers, herbs etc. Then I thought how much better to have 2 chickens for eggs. I would get 2 chickens because I don't want just the 1 to get lonely. I would get them as chicks that way they aren't scared of us. I think I could turn a dog house into a nice chicken Coop. I ran this wild idea passed Dave and to my total amazement he agreed, and is totally on bored. So now our house is not only a 5 bedroom 3 1/2 bath it is now on a 1 acre lot that is out in the country, but still close to the city. It is a ranch/farm land but in a family oriented neighborhood. As out there as this list seems I am confident that we will find it.

picture update

house

The excitement of buying our first house has been put on hold. After hours of discussion we decided that the smartest thing for us to do is to rent a house and get to know the area first. So we are taking the kids to Disney World Fl instead. As much as I was really hoping to buy a house the thought of buying a great house on the wrong side of town changed my mind. Its not like we could return it. The idea of going to Disney came because we ( the kids and I ) need to get out of here. At least for a little while anyway. We are all getting on each others nerves, my parents need a break from the craziness. Disney and Sea world are offering a great military special so we took them up on it. The boys are already trying to pack and Dylan made me promise not to forget his swim trunks.

What is love?

OK so I posted the Bible passage on Valentines. But I just wanted to add some of my thoughts.
True love to me comes naturally. You shouldn't have to work for it or beg for it. The most important aspect for me is trust. Without trust there is no true love. Honesty is the best policy. Be honest with yourself and with your mate. Compassion give it when it is needed and receive it when it is given. Selfish. Don't be. Not everything is about you.
Dave and I have been together for 15 almost 16 years. These I believe are the foundation that keep us happy and in love. We give to each other and we receive from each other. We are lost when we are apart and we fill complete when we are together. There is nothing we cant handle as long as we work together. We compliment each other both the good and the bad. I can't say we are perfect and that we don't argue, but at the end of the day we have each other. We have the same dreams and goals for the future. Our children are the most important things to us and the best gifts we have given each other.
I don't just think or feel this way because Dave was gone. I feel this way always. I just notice it allot more when we are apart. Being separated is not a relief or is it something I look forward too, but I do appreciate him allot more when he comes home.

The Pampered Chef

It has been brought to my attention that I have not told you about my side job. I have been writing this blog for almost a year and it has never occurred to me. So here it goes.
I am a Pampered Chef sales consultant. I have been for 5ish years. I started selling Pampered Chef products because it was cheaper for me to sell it then buying it every time I went to a show. I love to cook "different" kinds of meals. Like you, I get tired of eating the same ol things all the time. There is only so much spaghetti, tacos and meat loaf one can take. I really like all the recipes and of coarse the products. I sell it now for the money, since I have all the tools. Which of coarse are in storage, but my mom is pretty well stocked. This job is as easy as it gets. What other job will pay you an average of $150.00 for 2 hours of work. I also get products for free and can earn a well deserved paid family vacation. This year its a trip to Disney World! So if you would like to help me earn that vacation or just want to order some really great kitchen gadgets please let me know. I also started my very own Pampered Chef web site. Check it every now and then. Once I get the hang of it I will be posting weekly recipes. You don't NEED the products to make these recipes, but it would sure be allot funner. Of coarse what kind of consultant would I be if I didn't bring up hosting a show or becoming a consultant yourselves. So if you would like to host or join the team please let me know.
www.pamperedchef.biz/kristydougherty

End

Yahoo! This deployment is coming to an end. I can not explain how happy I am to know that Dave is on his way home. Sure we will still be separated until June, but the relief of knowing he won't be out on missions is a wonderful feeling. Now I can just call him. I don't have to send an email and wait for a response. He will be in Hawaii by next week sometime. There are not actual dates until he is actually on Island. He will be here with us at the end of March for some vacation time, but will have to return back to Hawaii to finish out the duty time. Because we would be PCS-ing in June we decided to just stay here in NM so the boys can finish school in May. It sucks, but at this point whats a few more months anyway.

Happy Valentines Day

Love is patient, love is kind.It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud.It is not rude, it is not self-seeking.It is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs.Love does not delight in evil, but rejoices with the truth.It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.Love never fails.I Corinthians 13:4-8

Fight, Fight, Fight

On a good day my boys get along just great. They play with each other and help each other make forts and car ramps. On this particular day they had just had enough of each other. Dylan making little whistle sounds finally got on Brian's nerves, so he pushed him away. Dylan started to yell at him. I told Dylan to hit his brother back since I too have had enough of the fighting. I had told Brian on many occasions to stop getting physical with Dylan. So I gave Dylan the go ahead to push back. Little did I know they had so much pent up anger that the push turned into a punch and then another and then some kicking and screaming. I was in such shock that I just stood there and watched this fight in what seemed like slow motion. It was just like the movies I could see each move and which ones made contact and which ones missed. Finally I snapped out of my trans and jumped in between to stop them. Once they were separated Dylan doubled over to vomit. I guess Brian got him good in the stomach. I asked them if they felt better? Did they get it out of their system? Both looked at me with tears in their eyes and laughed. I told them to separate from each other for a while, but I wanted them to think about what it would be like not to have each other to play with. An hour later they were playing cars and laughing.
I don't condone violence, but I think I will invest in some boxing gloves because that was entertaining.

My David

Some of you don't know Dave like I do. Oh sure you know him, you play golf together or we all meet for dinner, but that's just what you see. This is what you get and don't even know it.
Dave is the most generous person. He will do anything to help out. He will help you move into your house, help you fix your car, lend you maybe even give you a set of his extra golf clubs. If you asked him where he got his shoes he would take them off and give them to you. Yesterday I asked him what he planned on doing with our old laptop. I explained that my 19 year old cousin has begun college and needed a laptop for school. He came back with the response of "go buy him one" I was shocked. Not to many people would be so generous, but then I realized this is "Dave" I should've expected that answer in the first place. Needless to say I stay amazed by him and my heart fills with even more love for him.
I only hope he this generous with me when it comes time to buying a house.hehehe.

House Cleaning

Why is that when I'm a working mother my house is always clean? Is it because no one is home during the day to mess it up? Probably.

I noticed that recently I cant seem to keep up with this house. Now mind you I am still living at my parents house in NM, but with 2 extra adults you would think the chores would be minimal. I seem to be cleaning the dang bathroom every 2 days because the boys can't seem to pee in the dang water. The babies play with everything except for the toys in the play room and laundry seems to always need folding. I remember a time when I only cleaned house on Saturday morning. I can also go back further in time and remember not having a dirty house at all. That was before the kids, and Dave and I both worked and ate out a lot.

I think first off I'm going to start putting cheerios back in the toilet to retrain the 8 and 6 year olds. Then if that doesn't work they are going to have to clean the bathroom themselves. oh and whats up with half of the toothpaste being all over the sink. Shouldn't it be on their toothbrushes? Second I think I'm going to donate all the toys to a shelter and give the babies card board boxes instead. Besides they play with the boxes the toys came in more then the actual toy anyway. And third I'm giving the boys 3 pairs of pants and 4 shirts. That should cut down on the laundry. Or maybe I should just say F*** it and just be happy I have something to keep me busy during the day.

horoscope

I have read my horoscope everyday since the 1st and Im so surprised its hit everyday right on the nose. I just find that fascinating.
Sorry I don't have much to tell at the moment. Nothing exciting has happened in the last few weeks. The boys go to school and the babies drive me crazy at home. The house is constantly messy. Just when I finish a load of laundry I turn and theres another one waiting. I can't think of anything to make for dinner any more, and Im sick and tired of the cold weather I want to play outside.
On the good side. Dave is in the final stages of his deployment. They have been really busy keeping the peace during the Iraqi elections. Now they will start preparing for the replacement brigade to take over and for their trip home. We are on the down hill slope from here. Thank goodness because I have definitely had enough of this separation thing. I may be independent, but I hate being forced to do things on my own. I want my buddy back.

Ski trip

I went skiing!!!! The last time I was on a pair of skis was 15 years ago with my dear friend Bernadette. Thankfully I remembered everything she taught me and made it down the mountain with no broken bones.

My brother Jason is a snow border and goes up every chance he gets and this time I got to tag along. Only I can't even skate bored so I chose to ski instead. We went to Santa Fe since I am nowhere ready for the big dog mountains of Colorado. My first mishap was right out of the shoot at the top of the bunny hill. I wasn't prepared for the chair lift to literally push me off so I lost my balance and fell. That was ok because after picking out rental equipment in a room that felt and smelled like a sauna. I was already sweating, so the snow up my coat sleeve felt nice. Once I got myself back up on my feet and stopped laughing I put my brain in high gear and turned my feet inward to point my skis like an arrow and down I went. VERY SLOWLY. Once I made it down I plowed straight into a snow bored chick who was taking her foot out of the binding. My brother says it was her fault for stopping the the middle of the run. Once I collected my cool and apologized profusely we got back on the chair lift for a second crack at it. This time I was ready for the push and away I went all the way down the bunny slope. I took my time and even looked at some of the adults in ski school and thought to myself I'm a pro. Once Jason and I thought I had gotten the hang of it we decided to go up to the TOP of the mountain. I say TOP because it was literally the TOP. There was nowhere else to go. This is were the real fun begins. As we get on the chair lift to take us to the TOP one of my polls gets stuck in the grate and I drop it. Jason yells back and tells the chair lift guy that we will back to get it. Then he turns to me and asks if I can ski with only one poll. I look at him and say "I guess we'll fine out" As we are going up and up and up I just cant help to notice all of the runs are pretty steep, but Jason assures me that we will go on the switch back runs that wont be so steep. When we get off the 1 hour chair lift ride (that was a joke it wasn't really 1 hour just making the point that it was really high) I grab my one poll and turned to make my way down when it hits me I'm looking STRAIGHT DOWN!!! I'm not looking at a nice little slope I'm looking at the bottom of the entire mountain. I take a breath and pray and look at my brother and "what the hell Jay? How am I going to make it down?" to which he says very slowly and good luck! I take one step forward and fall flat on my butt were I continue to slide for at least 100 feet not knowing if I should be screaming or laughing because I am doing both. Once I get up and get my barrings straight I realize I'm still at the TOP. I really hadn't gone as far as I hoped. I'm scared because off to the right is the cliff. I know its the cliff because there is a nylon rope with a sign hanging from it that's says CLIFF. and off to the left is another sign that says Black Diamond Run. (the black diamond is for PROFESSIONALS) Needless to say 1 1/2 hours at least 30 falls including one straight on my face later I make it down to the club house. Were we stop to order a hot chocolate with a shot of courage to help me make it down the rest of the mountain. I tell my brother to go ahead without me. I'm staying on my bunny slope for the rest of the day.

I had so much fun I really cant explain. I will definitely be going back, but this time I'm not going to the TOP. I would like to thank a few people for making this awesome day for me.

First Thanks be to God for creating such a wonder. I may have a sore hip, but the peace and beauty of that mountain was so worth it.

Thank you to Brandi for letting me borrow her ski jacket. It really was warm and I will have the hole repaired from the tree branch that grabbed a hold of me. JK.

Thank you to the hippie chair lift dude that said I looked hot coming down the bunny slope.

Thanks to Bernadette who 15 years ago pushed me down the bunny slope and taught me how to ski in the first place.

And most importantly THANK YOU Jason for sticking by me and not letting me fall off the cliff. I had such an wonderful day and I owe it all to you. Since it was your idea to go up to the TOP.

Mamma's Tool Box

Get your head out of the gutter on that title....About a month ago the boys asked me if they could take down their bunk beds, and so I did. About a week later Brian's bed started to wiggle. I noticed that the screws that hold the frame together had become loose and tried to tighten them with my fingers. It didn't work very well, but it did stop the wiggle. Yesterday as I was trying to put clean sheets on the bed the bed fell apart and I was laughed at. Later while the boys were outside playing and the babies were down for a nap I decided it was time to fix that bed once and for all. So I went and got the tool box and tightened all the screws and bolts. Last night Brian got into bed and told me thank you for fixing his bed. He thought he was going to have to wait until dad came home before it got fixed. He didn't think I knew how to use tools. I told him that of course I know how to use tools who do you think taught me? Daddy.

Time for a change

I've noticed that this year is going to be the year for change. I like the idea that if your not happy with your life then change it. Look in the mirror if you see someone you don't like, than change. If you feel like you have to be drunk to enjoy a night out with your friends and you don't like that, then change. I'm sure your friends don't like you like that anyway. If your not happy with yourself then change things so that you will be happy. Even if its new hair style or change in wardrobe. Just do it.
I have six months left here with my parents and I'm not happy, but I decided that I will make the change in trying to control my parents house. I think if I just give in I will be happier and enjoy this last bit of time here with them. These are my kids, but this is my parents house so if they choose to let the children eat cookies at 10pm then so be it. I will just send them back to daddy boot camp when we move away. The change for me will not be in my appearance. I'm very happy with the way I look. I'm still hot. hehehe, but my change will be in my attitude. So if you hear me humming a little tune or smiling a lot more please don't think I'm falling off the deep end. I'm just trying to find my happiness in a time when I'm not so happy.

school

Yippee Yahoo school is back in session!!! I think I was more excited then the boys were. As exciting as it is I'm still not kicking back in a nice peaceful house because the babies are sick. Yes both of them at the same time. I try not to give them any medication until they really need it so unfortunately we all suffer for a while until the meds kick in, but now they are just doped up and restless. In fact they are asleep now as I should be, but I know just as I fall asleep one of them will wake up. so I'll wash vomit blankets and vegetate in front of the t.v until I am summoned. oops see that didn't take long. Gotta go.

Happy New Year!

Happy New Year! I sure hope this year is better then the last. Since I dont have any vices like smoking or drinking to try and stop for my resolution. I think this year I will just try to be happier and spend my time better with my children. Whats yours?