friday facts: waiting for big news

We're waiting for big news.  Big news like where we will be moving in as little as a month, or perhaps in 6 months.  If you're an army spouse (or in the military) you're probably nodding your head.  Yep, yep, yep.  That's the military.  Hurry up and wait for news.  It doesn't matter how much Brian calls to find out where we will be sent, it's going to take as long as it's going to take. 

Four years ago, Brian got out of the army.  After being stop-lossed for a year long deployment, we felt really done.  The fact of the matter was that we wanted to have a family and have Brian spend time with his own children and it looked like the deployments were going to be never ending at that point.  And that last deployment for Brian was a TOUGH one.  It's not my story to tell, but let me say that Brian endured situations and events that I cannot fathom.  How he is still a whole human being at this point is beyond me.  Anyway, we felt done.  Really done.  But after 2 years working a corporate position in the airline industry, Brian went practically screaming back into the arms of the military.  For the past 2 years now, he's worked this quasi-army position with the National Guard that allowed us to stay in our Chicago suburbs house.  Very happily stay in our house.  We love our house.  It was built in 1865, but completely renovated 5 years ago.  It has the charm of an old house with a beautiful new kitchen.  Can't beat that!  It's is also our first house, and the house where both our children were born into.  This little house has sheltered most of the happiest moments in our lives.  And now we will be saying goodbye.

 Brian's position has run its course and we had to make a solid decision for his working future.  We made the decision to stay in the military and take all the good and bad that comes with it.  The good AND bad is moving.  To places yet unknown.  With the branch Brian is going back into it could literally be anywhere there is an army base or embassy in this world.  So my question to you is: will you come visit us even if we are in Korea?  or Germany?  or Texas?  or North Carolina?  We are sad to leave our house and community, but we are excited to see where this chapter in our lives will be set. 

We'll miss you, our lovely little house.

You Capture: spring

Spring?  Ha!  I scoff at the word Spring.  Because it just doesn't exist in my part o' the country.  Let me explain.  Two weeks ago we had a day above 80 degrees.  Monday it snowed.  I jest not.  I have a picture to prove it!  But that was the theme over at You Capture.  Which probably jinxed us.  Thanks a lot, Beth!  Just kidding, I'm sure it's not Beth's fault.  It's Mother Nature's fault.  It's probably because I called her a bitch.  But I calls it like I sees it.

Here we go!

{getting ready for April showers.  this is how we feel about April showers.}

{a little start of spring}

{back when it was warmer...}

{our deck Monday morning.  see?  I wasn't lying}

Ok, so that last one doesn't LOOK like Spring, but that's what Spring can look like here.  It is pouring and thunderstorming as I write this, but I'm sure tomorrow will be 90 degrees.  Or it will hail, or it will be below zero. 





June Afternoons

Do you like babies?  Do you like lovely photography?  Well then I have an etsy shop for you!  The host of You Capture (which I participate in weekly) opened this shop to help a cause near and dear to her heart.

Beth's words:

June Afternoons is an Etsy shop that, until May 31, 2011, will be donating all of the proceeds from the sale of each print, gallery wrap or book to the March for Babies, March of Dimes in honor our sons, James and Jake. 

So check it out!  The prints really are amazingly beautiful.  And the kicker is that ALL the proceeds will go toward such a wonderful charity.  Don't you feel extra charitable this nice Easter week? 

weekend update, aka pictures of my kids

We had a big weekend.  It was Brian's birthday, as you all know, we had company, and we had to use a groupon to the Children's Museum that was going to expire.  Because we like to wait til the last minute here.  Keeps us on our toes!  So not too many words, but words with pictures if you will. 

First, I will share with you all the cupcakes I made for Brian's birthday.  His favorite candy is Reese's Peanut Butter cups, so I was trying to figure out a cake for this.  I found a recipe, but everything was from scratch.  And I didn't have from scratch time.  I had from a box time.  But I still wanted it speeeciaaal.  So here's what I did.  I gathered a box cake mix, the pb cups, icing and peanut butter.  I used chocolate cake mix and vanilla icing, but you could probably use whatever and it would taste good.

Mix cake mix according to instructions.  Duh.  Pour into cupcake pans about half way.  Plop one pb cup into each one, pressing down slightly.

Then cover up to about 2/3 full.  Make sure you cover them!  Also make sure you drip the batter across the pan so it gets all smokey and burny when you bake it.  Just cause.

Bake according to mix instructions.  Duh.  Whilst they are baking, mix together icing of your choice with peanut butter.  I used a 2 to 1 formula for icing to peanut butter.  It was very scientific. 

When cupcakes are completely cool, ice away!  And then decorate if you are so inclined.  I was so inclined for a few.

Assemble the troops to sing Happy Birthday! 

 

Next up, the Children's Museum!  What fun!  The kids loooooved it.  Especially Fletcher.  But they did have a baby room that Rowan also thoroughly enjoyed.

If there is a button, switch, or lever, Fletcher will find it and push it, switch it, or crank it. 

This was part of a series of tubes that would suck various toys all around and then spit them back out.  Oooo, sucky! 

Rowan found a ducky in the water area.  She kept putting it in her mouth.  Along with everything else she came into contact with.  We're just waiting for the next wave of sickness to arrive. 

Playing with Papa in the baby room.



Just for the record, Fletcher is pressing his forehead against a pane of Plexiglas.  He doesn't really have a flat forehead.  That would be weird. 

Shadows!  In color!!

My favorite part was this installation.  It was like a giant Lite Brite!!  We all played with it for a while.

The black light made us feel extra grooovy.  On the way out was a hall of mirrors area.  Trippy.



Getting tired.  We stayed til closing.

And then we did this on the way home.  Well, I didn't.  I was driving.  That would be dangerous.

We kept the celebrating going all weekend with cookouts and visits from family.  See?  Here's Rowan having a good time.

She apparently cannot hold her liquids because shortly after this, she took off all her clothes and went streaking through the house.



Just kidding, friends.  Don't call CPS.  My baby did NOT drink any beer or alcohol.  That would be irresponsible.  She did, however, streak.  But that's legal when you're 11 months old. 

friday facts: it's Brian's birthday!

{no, this isn't Fletcher, it's Brian circa 1970-something}

Hello there all my dozen readers.  Or so.  Let's take a break from exposing embarrassing facts about Ruthie and talk about Brian!  It is, in fact, his birthday today.  Uh, Brian is my husband for those of you who don't know.  But you should probably know that by now. 

I got lucky with this one.  He's a pretty awesome guy.  He takes really good care of all of us, and since he's in the army, he takes good care of you, too.  He does.  You just can't tell, but he does.  We can tell around here.  If he weren't around, who would do all this?

1.  Give horsey rides.  Mama don't give horsey rides.  Period.  Only Papa can do it.



2. Take out the trash.  Mama don't take out the trash.  Period.

3. Build stuff.  Build and fix lots of stuff.  Mama don't... ok, you get the point.  Wanna see what he builds?  Go here.

4. He makes the weekend fancy breakfasts.  Pancakes?  Omelets?  Waffles?  Yeah, he does all that.

5.  He takes the kids the minute he comes home so I can be "alone" for a little bit.  A walk to the park, play outside, a trip to the store, or just horsey rides in the livingroom so that Mama can make dinner and collect herself.  And not be pulled on, drooled on, whined to, cried to... I could go on forever here, people.

6.  Lawn mowing, snow blowing, leaf blowing... Ok, I know that some of this is falling under gender roles, but seriously?  I don't like to do these things.  And he does it.

7. There is coffee in the pot when I wake up every. single. morning.  This is perhaps most important of all.  God bless you, Brian, for your coffee making skillz.  Anyone else's coffee tastes like yuck compared to yours.

8. He does bath time.  Alright, I sometimes help out, but it's really his field of expertise, really.  And I can just sit back and watch, or maybe blow a bubble or two.  Oh, and speaking of baths, when I take my biannual bath (ha- I take showers, don't worry) he'll bring me a glass of wine.  But not the kids.  They don't get wine with their baths. 

9. Makes us all laugh.  Even when we feel like crying.  Right Rowan and Fletcher?  They say right.

10.  He's super handsome.  Ok, that's not really something he does, but it works for me.



Happy Birthday, Brian.  I love you!

You Capture: smile

So, let the sun shine in, face it with a grin
Smilers never lose and frowners never win
So, let the sun shine in, face it with a grin
Open up your heart and let the sun shine in
~Stuart Hamblen

I sing this every morning when I wake up the littles.  They love it.  Sometimes.

This week over at You Capture we have the theme "smile."  We do have lots of smiles around here, so this wasn't too hard, thank goodness!  Of course I probably would have more if the theme had been "cry," but whatever.  We've been having more smiles thanks to the nice weather!  Lots of time outdoors with playtime, walks and cuddling in the hammock.  Fun!

{"I see the moon!!!"  Fletcher wanted to sleep outside last night.  so did Papa.}

{big smile from the girl!}

{playing outside with the car.  the static made his hair do that.  it made us giggle.}

{Rowan is wearing vintage.  my own sweater and cap from when I was a baby!  she's way cuter in it.}

If the weather holds, I bet there'll be tons more smiles around here.  My kids are nature junkies.  I have to practically drag them back indoors when it's dinner time.