Thursday, January 27, 2011

AK Quotes

Just a couple recent ones I want to remember...

AK: Mommy, I'm the "pay for" lady and you're at the grocery. (She calls the cashier the "pay for" lady.)
Mommy: OK
AK: What would you like to buy?
Mommy: Some peace and quiet, please.
AK: We don't sell that here. Peace and quiet is for grown-ups.
...

AK: (comes out of her room where she's playing with Avery) Mommy, something's wrong with Avery.
Mommy: What is it?
AK: She's got some ear whack in her ear.
Mommy: (Smiling and trying not to laugh) Some what?
AK: (Loudly and slowly pronouncing again) EAR WHACK!!!

Tuesday, January 25, 2011

Looks Warm Over There

Mike just sent me this picture of him landing (or taking off, maybe??) on the USS Kearsarge. I actually don't know where he is "over there," but he's somewhere warmer, I know that!

Monday, January 24, 2011

Fifty-seven Percent There!

We are over halfway there.  I've tried to stay positive thus far, but there are definitely some very lonely days.  Mostly lonely nights, I guess.  When the girls go to bed - after I've done all that has to be done - and it's just me.  The times when I stop, when I run out of things to occupy my mind and my time... that's when I just miss him.  I miss him waking me up in the middle of the night just to talk to me.  I miss weekends working in the yard.  Seeing him pull into the driveway after work and the girls so excited that Daddy's home.  Seeing the girls jump all over him and wrestle on the floor.  I miss our family walks around the neighborhood.  Watching our favorite shows together on the couch.  I miss getting ready together in our bathroom with the girls playing at our feet. I miss being able to hear his voice and seeing his smiling face.

But the time continues to tick down with every passing day and I am so thankful for THAT!!  The girls are happy and healthy and there is much to be joyful about every day.  It turns out deployment is a great diet too.  After church the other day I noticed my dress pants were unusually baggy.  I realized I could slide them right off without even unbuttoning them.  I guess Mike took my appetite along with my heart. :)

Oh, how I miss him!!

Tuesday, January 11, 2011

Forgive Me!

I know it's been so long since I posted!  And here I thought I'd be posting so much more frequently during Mike's absence.  God has blessed us with a full schedule since the day he left and it has truly made this so much easier.

So to catch up, here are a few pictures from the past few weeks.

 AK's Thanksgiving preschool feast.

 Random shot taken after Mommy's Tuesday morning Bible study.

  I got a REALLY good laugh out of this.  I could not stop laughing.  And neither could "Santa," which made it even more funny.  Dad found his Santa suit and treated the grandkids to a home visit from Santa! He covered his face almost completely with the beard and wig so they wouldn't guess.  The first thing out of AK's mouth: Why does Santa sound like Pawpaw?! No fooling that girl!

  Then Santa came after me!

AK was happy to put Mimi's star on top this year!

  Our first attempt at rollerskating.  It wasn't Mommy's first time, but it may as well have been! AK did much better than I expected. She loved it and was so brave!! And by the end, I was racing my big bro around the rink. He beat me. Not much has changed! haha

  AK and William after seeing Tangled at Tinseltown in Louisville. Rapunzel is AK's new favorite princess now. She wants to grow her hair down past her feet. :) Don't see how that's going to happen when I can't even complete one stroke with the brush without her saying "OWWWW, Mommy!!!!" and then tears.

  My college friend and sorority sister, Ellen, invited us over one night. So many girls!!!  It was great to watch them play and to catch up with old friends.

  Pawpaw and Mimi gave AK these princess dolls for Christmas.  Don't think I've ever seen her more excited!
 
  Avery's new hat from Aunt Carrie and Uncle Brian. Love it!!

 We traveled to TX for Christmas where Grandma and Grandpa Wallace took us to ride on the Polar Express! So much fun!! Here, we are waiting to board the train. The girls wore matching owl pjs. Avery was all over the place. I think she would walk for miles if we didn't stop her!
 

  Train arrived!!

 After hot chocolate and a little trek down the tracks, AK met the "real Santa" at the North Pole. He gave her a Jingle Bell from one of his reindeer.

 Lil' punkin', doing what she does best - looking cute, but not sitting still. :)
 
  Christmas Eve, just before church.  I can't lie, this night was really hard for me. Being in TX with Mike's family was great, but it was also a constant reminder that he wasn't there with us. Seeing Abby Kate cling to her Uncle Bill was bittersweet... I know it was because he looks so much like her Daddy. We got to talk to Daddy on the phone a couple of times. It was so great to hear his voice. Still haven't been able to Skype or anything like that.

  This picture is always a struggle with all the kids! We needed to hire a clown or someone to stand behind the camera!

   Congrats to the new Mr and Mrs. Wallace! We are so happy for you, Bill and Holly, and we wish you the very best!

Cheers!

So this concludes my holiday rewind! I'll be posting more frequently now that we're back in NC and settling back into our routine.  I am thankful that we continue to stay busy as the months pass. We are a little over halfway there!