Sunday, July 31, 2011

A Visit with Daddy!

Aaron's two week leave, also known as R&R, is in full swing. He came home last Tuesday and we have busy loving every day of it! Whether we are out and about or just relaxing at home, we are having a great time re-connecting with Aaron.

Kisses for Daddy

Daddy and his little man

Higher, Daddy, higher!!!!

There's no Daddy in this next picture, but I just HAD to share it! Look at those blue eyes, that wispy baby hair and that adorable smile! I could just eat it all up!


Off They Go!

Can you say spoiled? That is becoming the theme for the past week. First a new playhouse, next, a Princess truck. Daddy is taking full responsibility for the truck as it is something he has wanted to get Clara for quite a while. And now that he's home on R&R he decided he just couldn't wait any longer.

Spoiled or not, it is quite fun watching the kids have so much fun with their new toys. Clara is loving the freedom she's discovered driving her new truck and Colton seems just as thrilled to be her passenger.

Colton doesn't look so sure if he trusts Clara's driving.

Driving off into the sunset, well, the back yard, at least!

Playing House

Clara has been begging and begging for a playhouse. We finally broke down and got her one. Easy to justify when you see the look on her face when she went out on the porch and saw it for the first time...

Priceless!

One happy little girl!

Something they can both enjoy and have fun with.

Firsts

Here are a couple recent pictures of Colton as he experienced some "firsts" in his little life.

 His first black eye. He got it when he fell and hit his face on Clara's bed.

Enjoying his first Oreo cookie!

Monday, July 4, 2011

The Fourth and Friends

Happy Fourth of July! Happy Birthday, America! Thanks to all the Service Members, especially my dear hubby and all the Soldiers in the 2-2 Infantry Regiment for defending the freedoms and history we celebrate today. And, with that out of the way, July 4th means another blasted long weekend! We made the best of it and had some fun with friends Saturday and, again, today.

Being in the Army gives us opportunities to meet lots of new friends and develop special bonds with others that will last all our lives. I was fortunate to experience that when we were at Ft. Hood in Texas. Though I don't speak with those friends every day and don't get to see them, they will always hold a special place in my heart. Ft. Knox has proved to be just as great in the friend department. The friends we have made here, I'm certain, will stay in our hearts long past the time the Army takes us our separate ways. In the meantime, we are enjoying the time with them.

Sean, Gabe, Clara, Bella, and Vanessa

I know how much the friendships I have made mean to me, and I truly love watching the relationships between our children. In this picture they were all lined up waiting for bunnies to appear from within the fallen tree stump in our yard. They had set out carrots and were sitting so patiently. The moms didn't have the heart to tell them that there probably were not any bunnies inside. Their imaginations had devised this lovely idea and it was so sweet to observe the camaraderie.

Without our friends these days of deployment would drag painfully slow. It's our friends and the bonds we have forged with them that make the seemingly endless deployment manageable. If I didn't have the ears of my Army Wives to listen to me, their shoulders to cry on and their unwavering support and understanding I don't know what I would do. Family and friends are great and they know how very much they mean to me, but no one gets the life and emotions of an Army Wive except another Army Wife. For that I am forever thankful.