Kids and Great Grandparents

I very vaguely remember my great grandparents. I think most of my memories are actually just pictures and home videos that I remember.

I remember MaPrewitt the most. I remember MaBettie bringing me to the Nursing home almost every day when I would come to visit. MaBettie would make one of us (the grandchildren) go with her, and since I was the youngest at the time, I was elected to go.
I remember being so scared of that hallway. MaPrewitt was at the end of a very long hallway and always in the bed. But there were a lot of other people who sat outside their rooms and tried to reach at me and talk to me. I didn't understand (at 5 or 6 years old) that they were just longing for human touch, and never saw young children in there.

I remember eating a green snocone right before we went to the nursing home one day and having an asthma attack when we got there. I remember MaBettie setting me in front of the swamp cooler and telling me to breathe in that cold air and to calm down and I would be fine.

Those are the only real memories I have of my great grandparents. I know the home video of us being at Ma and PaBurchfield's house. I watched it over and over again as a little girl. And I know the hundreds of stories Mama told me about them. My favorite was always the story about my mom and her sisters playing dress up with big floppy hats and then trying to get in a crate behind the mule. Their hats spooked the mule and he jumped the fence and PaBurchfield had to chase after him.

I have countless good memories of spending time with MaBettie and Grandad. So it's only natural to want my kids to have the same. I was so glad that we were able to stop and spend some time with them on our way through to Florida.



Vivi and Grandad





Vivi and MaBettie



Mom's Survival Kit in 2010

In every house we've lived in, I collect my to-do things on the corner of our bar. It's a place I pass by often, and things that need to be left out for a particular reason stay there until I deal with them, then I put them away.
On this particular day, I found my leave out pile rather interesting.

I'll send a prize to the person who can come up with the best story for why I needed all of these at the same time. Items are as follows:

a sippy cup
empty box of yogurt raisins
Pottery Barn Halloween Magazine
cocktail recipe book
utility knife
pair of poopy bloomer pants

You've got 3 days :)

Carter's New School

Carter started preschool today. He was sad to leave his friends and teachers at the CDC at Edwards, and I was really nervous about starting all over with the crying and sulking for two weeks again, but since we've been here for about 2 weeks, it's time for him to go back to school.
Cory was able to go with me and tour some schools last week.
We decided on a place called Montessori Children's House.
It's a very cute, red little school house outside the city limits.
There are 3 teachers and 24 kids in his class. They are separated into groups of two, and switch classes once per day.
They work on letters and numbers and writing and recognizing words. They have directed work time, and free time and are taught to be self reliant. He'll go Monday, Wednesday and Friday from 8:45-3.
And while I was nervous for him to go today, the teacher said he did wonderful and made friends and didn't cry at all!
In fact they have a drive-thru system at drop off and pickup (ohmygosh, it's my dream come TRUE!) And this morning, he just hopped out and walked right in! No tears, no anxiety. He was ready!

I am so proud of him and can't wait to see all the fascinating things he'll learn.

What he's not showing you is his Star Wars lunch box that he was so excited about.
He was holding it behind his back back to surprise everyone at lunch time.

Our friend Jenna took our family portraits. I've been trying to get family pictures for almost 2 years now. I wanted something that wasn't in a studio. My kids CAN'T SIT STILL in a studio. I wanted someone who would be patient, someone who was creative. Someone who didn't mind that my 2 ambulatory children can simultaneously run in 4 different directions.




I also wanted someone who didn't charge me $1,000.




I had a friend who took pictures in Korea. I was stoked to finally get some, and the morning we were getting ready, one of my best friends called to tell me she was in the hospital because her water broke...13 weeks early.

Needless to say, that day was spent making phone calls and getting to Seoul. Not taking pictures.




We called the shoot off 2 different times that day. It was raining and bitter cold. I was so upset because we were destined to not have good family pictures! It was our only shot (since she was booked solid until after we were to PCS) and I told her unless it was physically raining, I wanted them. Alas, the sun came out! It was still very cold, and we did all the pictures in 30 minutes. But I didn't care. I finally got my pictures, and they're great! Don't you think?

Christmas Morning 2010

I was thrilled that I got to spend Christmas with my parents AND my brother and sister in law. I haven't spent Christmas with all of them since sometime in high school I think. The last time I spent Christmas with my parents was right before Cory and I were married 5 years ago.

We all crammed into my parents house. It was crazy, and the house was a DISASTER with all the kids, and eating, and cooking, and presents...but definitely a memory that will last a lifetime. I hope it's not 8+ years before we do it again.

Santa brought a kitchen!

Clay loves to makes something and shout out, "Dinner's Ready!"

Vivi got a maraca in her stocking. Perfect.

If you look closely, you can see Clay's smile as he sees that it's Jesse the Cowgirl

The same thing here. Carter was stoked to get Slinky Dog

Clay loooooooves him some basketball.

And, he's great at it.

TPS Gradution

I still think that December of 2009 was the craziest, busiest year OF MY LIFE. So I'm just going to apologize that blogging wasn't in the forefront of my life during the 4 weeks that we were in charge of TPS graduation (That's equivalent to throwing a wedding for 400+ people, just so you know), hosted guests, moved out of our house, painted said house eleventy times to pass our final housing inspection, drove half way across the country, lived in a 1200 sq ft house with 10 people (whom I love and appreciate dearly) had husband recover from an emergency appendectomy, tried to go out and celebrate our 5th year anniversary all the while knowing that the baby is screaming at home because she is insulted that my mother would dare GIVE HER A BOTTLE, drive the rest of the way across the country with 3 kids and a dog and a spider that fell into my lap somewhere around Pensacola, FL. paint new house, move into new house, unpack 13,000 lbs of goods, contract for a fence, find a preschool, and then pass out every night at midnight with my mouth still hanging open....probably hatching baby spider eggs that are still hiding on me somewhere. I can feel it.


However, at the beginning of all that madness, Cory graduated from Test Pilot School!
How awesome is that? He's a real life test pilot! And I'm married to him? I don't know how to do a lot of things, but I CAN pick a darn good husband.

He won most studly Test Pilot...(okay just kidding, but in my contest he did)

Us and my parents

Cory getting his 2nd Masters Degree...jerk

Bob Hoover was our speaker! Way cool!

My best buds, Oh, I miss you Amber!

The Spouses of TPS class 10A

And...all the students

Cory and me in front of the MiG 15 - and yes, Cory flew it!

In front of the flight line at Edwards for the last time (well, for about 3 years anyway)

Father teaching son how to fly an F16.

I think he'll need a phone book.

Carter getting his 'diploma' from TPS.

Clayton

A handful of the kiddos getting antsy during the Commandants speech

...the patch...