Blustery Desert Winter?

I guess when we considered the prospects of living in the deserts of the U.S., the idea of snow didn't occur to us?! The tumbleweeds and strong blowing wind off the mountains should have been familiar from time in Colorado, but surely the desert doesn't get snow? Wrong! So...lesson learned, have an ice scraper no matter the state, or at least something to throw the snow off the car, like some lil kids wanting to throw snowballs. When June arrives, I'm sure the complaint will be Hot, Hot, Hot, but right now temps below freezing are "uncool." Grateful for lots of sunshine, relatively little in terms of big storms (fingers crossed) and beautiful scenery, but would enjoy more Spring-like weather. Just sayin'.

Anticipation

The holidays have an almost magical appeal to them. Reunion offers sweet anticipation, long-lost familiarity, and a sense of Home! Being on the road, or away from family, friends, and friendly faces presents unique challenges--mental, spiritual, and even physical. The military life is not the only one that repeatedly asks its people to be away from those that they love. Strength through adversity should be a military family motto, however, as moms, kids, and dads all learn to deal with "new normals" at each change of station. It's important to remember that your time together is precious, that the ones you love are thinking about you, too, and that the sands in the hour glass will slowly, but surely, count down until you see each other again. This holiday season, take a few deep breaths of cold air together, and express your thanks and appreciation for the family members that make you strong! Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

Melissa has an eye for photography and a remarkable flair for life! If not a tie with Ty, I claim biggest fan status and request that this new year, 2013, be a renewal year for the Project 52! The whirlwinds of change, moving, life speeding up and the various trappings of day-to-day business kept her away from her passion for at least 20 of the weeks of 2010 and more in 2011. Please vote yes in the comments below if you, too, would like to see a year through the lens and eyes of my talented wife!

Joe here, I realized recently that I've been negligent in my posting duties. In fact, I've allowed years of these blogs to slip by without fully capturing the electronic medium of intro/extrospection. New word, TM. Mel does so much, and I've let her run the blog all this time without even posting? Tsk Tsk. That being said, let's take a look at all of the things that've happened in the last few months. July was a mixed bag, we were sad but ready to leave Okinawa. That island was a great place; we made a number of good friends and memories but to quote Frost:

...And both that morning equally lay

In leaves no step had trodden black.
Oh, I kept the first for another day!
Yet knowing how way leads on to way,
I doubted if I should ever come back...

Ty happily skampers, leading us down our new path, to a new and different world of palm trees and pumpkins. Fall weather worthy of jeans and sweaters, "real shopping" and more training. I'm excited to try something new, and my job is certainly providing new challenges, but that's what it's all about. This winter Ty turns 2, and the time doesn't seem to be slowing down any. Mel is proudly taking on the SAHM role, and I think they are both benefitting greatly. She gets to see the little day-to-day changes, and he's got his own pre-K/primary school teacher giving him a head start on learning. Some of his new spoken words include: elephant, circle, helicopter, and many more. He can recognize and point out animals, shapes, vehicles of every size and shape and so many other things. It's fascinating how technologically savvy he is, manipulating iPhones, iPads, TV remotes and the like with great ease. 

I look forward to completing a marathon season of TDY/trainings and spending time with my family soon! The holidays are quickly approaching and being in the US affords us the opportunity to meet up with friends, family, and attend parties and gatherings that were a stretch to get to from Okinawa!

 Time for a walk! Show us the way lil guy...

Captain Reunion

This past weekend was the highly anticipated reunion with my best girlfriends from college.  We all went out to Charleston, SC for my friend Jenny's wedding! The last time we had all been together was for my wedding, back in December '08.  Needless to say, we were all SO excited to get together again!

It was also my first time leaving Ty for longer than just a few hours. I knew I was going to be sad and miss him terribly, but knew he was in good hands (thanks Grammy & Poppy) and was going to enjoy having a little "mommy vacation" with the girls.

I flew out Wednesday and met my bestie, Caitie, in Charlotte and we flew into Charleston on the same flight. Beth made it to town and we got to spend a few nights together, and meet her adorable baby girl. We all had a blast together!

There's a quote: "True friendship isn't about being inseparable, it's being separated & nothing changes."
Being together, even though it'd been years, felt just like old times. We picked up right where we left off and nothing changed... except in a strange way, everything had changed in our lives, but our friendship hadn't.  I know that not matter how much time we spend apart, the next time we're together, it'll feel like it was just yesterday we last saw each other!

We had an amazing time in the short 5 days. The wedding was beautiful - simply classic, just like Jenny. The weather held out just in time for the ceremony, and poured rain as soon as we went inside for photos and the reception. I was honored to a part of her wedding, and was thrilled to spend so much time with the girls.  Jenny made a beautiful bride and the wedding was amazing.

Caitie and I exploring downtown Charleston - Princess St. :)

Me, Emily & Caitie before the rehearsal dinner.

Rehersal dinner - Beth, me, Caitie & Emily

Captains! Beth, Jenny, me and Caitie!

Love these ladies!

Pi Phi dropouts. 

:( End of the Captain reunion. Until Vegas!

Whirlwind of change!

We've been through so much within the last few weeks, it's hard to keep track of it all!

 July 16th our house was packed up and we stayed in our empty house (with exception of the first night, sweet friends let us stay with them since we didn't have any government furniture yet) for 4 days.  Then we headed to temporary lodging on base. It was tiny since we had 6 bags, carry-ons, baby furniture, etc. stuffed in every corner possible.

Ty and I spent most of our time trying to stay busy. Taking him to different parks, the pool, playdates with friends, running errands, etc. Joe was busy running around taking care of tying up all the out processing to-do's, getting the house squared away for our final inspection, and still going in to work when he wasn't busy taking care of all said before.

July 25th we flew to Hawaii. We had a 3-hour flight to Tokyo, with a 3-hour layover. Ty got pretty restless during our layover, which conveniently turned into a 4-hour layover. He had lots of fun running around, and tuckered himself out and slept the majority of the flight to Hawaii!

We arrived in Hawaii around 9am and made it to the hotel by 10am. At that point we had been traveling for I think over 15 hours, and just wanted showers, clean clothes, and a nap. But, we couldn't check-in to our hotel until 3pm. They stored our luggage and we went off walking for some lunch and shopping. We spent the majority of our days sight seeing, getting sun at the pools/beach, and even got to catch up with friends who were on island.  Hawaii was amazing and I hope to go back one day! Ty was a trooper and seemed to love the beach and rediscovered his love for fresh pineapple!

We had two flights out of Hawaii - first stop was in Houston, TX and it was a pretty quick layover. It was nice not having to go through customs! Then we headed off to Huntsville, AL. We're staying with my parents and it's great to be back stateside and with family. Ty is having some trouble adjusting to the time difference and has been quite whiny lately. Hopefully he'll adjust soon and be back to his normal self.

We have spent the first few days trying to get reconnected to the world again. We got setup with cell phones, and bought a new (used) car for me - and since my birthday is tomorrow, happy birthday to me!  Later this week we have to drive to Atlanta to pick up our car we had in storage.

Joe will head to Maxwell next week for SOS. Ty and I plan to stay busy and next month is the kick off of our weddings marathon! I cannot wait to see my girlfriends from college, and we are equally excited to go to the other three weddings as well.

This move has been smooth so far, and fingers crossed for it to continue to do so!

17 months

I realized I didn't blog about 16 months. Life's been pretty busy lately!  I've gotten to enjoy almost a full month of being a SAHM... and I am absolutely loving it! I realized how much precious time I was missing out on.  My sweet little guy is making up for it and I get so many hugs each day... I think he enjoys having me home full-time, too.

At 17 months...

-I think he's weighing in around 30lbs... maybe a bit more!
-He's tall... I haven't measured him, but I'll try to do that before we pack up his growth chart - he is growing like a weed!
-He's in 18 month clothes, size 4 diapers still
-Sleeps 11-13 hours a night, with a 2-3 hour afternoon nap right after lunch
-Working on tooth #13 & 14 (I think... he won't exactly let me see).
-Favorite foods are Goldfish, craisins, fruit snacks, chicken nuggets, scrambled eggs, mandarain oranges, apple juice, popsicles... pretty much anything!!! :)
-completely obsessed with wheels! He loves to turn his stroller upside down and spin the wheels for what seems like hours. Anything that spins will win his heart!
-We have a climber. This little guy loves to climb all over furniture. He climbs onto the couches, plops down on the cushion, pulls down a blanket, and makes himself cozy in front of the TV. He's sneaky, and will climb into the toy chest (aka-otterman, chairs, and well just about anything else his height.)  Thankfully he hasn't tried climbing out of his crib... yet!
-Can say a few words, but mainly babbles in his own language. He goes through stages of his favorite word. Last month it was "car".
-Imitating a lot. He likes to imitates different syllables/sounds. He's working on animal sounds and his little "roarrrr" is too cute!
-He learned how to stack blocks but it didn't seem to hold his interest long. He'd rather play with wheels.
-Learning how to point to different body parts. He knows head, nose... still working on tummy, feet, ears, etc.
-He can wave "bye-bye" when he's in the mood. Sometimes he seems shy in front of strangers and does it when they're not looking.
-Finally likes the water. The first few times we tried putting him in a baby pool, he climbed right out. Now he's starting to enjoy it much more!
-Learning how to go up stairs like a big boy with his feet and not climb

A few days before he turned 17 months.

We look a bit goofy, but I can't get enough of his hugs!

My little guy is becoming such a world traveler! After school let out, we were lucky enough to catch a Space-A hop to Guam with Joe for a typhoon evacuation. It was a lot of work, but I can't complain since it was free, and it was a beautiful place to visit!  In 2 weeks we will travel to Hawaii, then all over the states. We're looking forward to being back home closer to family and friends!


I absolutely love this stage and having a toddler is a lot of fun!  He's starting to enjoy play dates with other kids his age.  He is a bundle of fun and I love this little guy so much!

Schoooooool's out for-EVER!

Okay, not FOREVER, but for the unforeseeable future!  Today was the last day with the kids (half day) and I gotta admit, it's bittersweet!  My kids/parents showered me with sweet gifts, cards & flowers and I got too many hugs too count.

I can't believe I survived this week with no major hiccups!  Most people thought I was crazy to have be putting on a big awards ceremony and then doing a carnival the last few days of school when I'm trying to pack up my classroom. It was a stretch and I barely was able to do it all, but I'm proud of myself for pushing myself to make it extra special for my students and parents.

I have to admit, I got lucky and had AMAZING parent support this year! I gave 12 parent volunteers tokens of my appreciation.  Several of them came to help me decorate and prepare for the big events. The room looked amazing, such a transformation (pictures soon).  It was decked out with a Hollywood theme, and the kids came dressed up like little movie stars! Some were in suits and the girls were cute as ever in their pretty dresses.  I called each student, they got to walk down the red carpet aisle (parents were seated on both sides of the carpet) and I awarded them with their individualized awards. They loved it!  I showed the slideshow. I was nervous something would go wrong, but thankfully I was able to get it to play and it worked! That dang slideshow stressed me out so much!  It was nearly 11 minutes, and that was after a lot of editing. I apparently took a ton of pictures this year and had like 30 minutes worth of pictures. Cutting it down to 11 was hard! I figured the kids wouldn't mind it being so long because it was pictures of themselves and their friends. I was right, they absolutely loved watching it. The parents loved it, some even cried (okay, I admit, I put a sappy song at the end - "Let Them Be Little" by Billie Dean) and it makes me tear up too.  They liked it so much, I got talked into burning them all copies to send home so they could enjoy it over, and over, and over. Not like I have anything else going on... but I obliged and was flattered they all liked it that much.

I got a really nice farewell gift from the staff, my teammates also got me a super cute gift, and then I spent the rest of the day packing/cleaning and running around getting my clearance checklist completed. Tomorrow is a teacher work day and I still have soooo much to do.  Reading folders, cleaning out all the closets/cabinets, inventory checklists, yada yada yada.  I'll be running around like a chicken with their head cut off all.day.long.

I had my final appointment with the principal.  She had all good things to say, and I asked if she had any feedback of areas where I could grow in, reminding her I'm still a newbie and she looked at me puzzled and asked how long had I been teaching, and I answered her saying, "This is just my 2nd year" and she was stunned.  She said she would had never known it was only my 2nd year and she's going to miss having the "Bisson touch" around the school when I leave. That made me feel great.

Anyway, it's all said and done and I'm proud I pulled it all off... but I'm exhausted.  As one door closes, another opens, and now I begin my new full-time job of being a stay at home mommy to the sweetest little boy ever - I am SO excited!  Everyone keeps asking when I plan to teach again, and I honestly don't know what the future holds. School's out for me, not just for the summer, but for quite some time... and I'm okay with that! :)

Time is flying!

How is it already June? Where did the month of May go? I feel like it came and went and didn't even say good-bye. Geeze. Reality is setting in. We have less than 2 months until we leave Oki. We have thoroughly enjoyed our time on the island, but we are anxious and ready to move on to our next adventure.

With that being said, 2 months feels like it's going to go by very quickly and we haven't barely started to get anything done/ready in preparation for the move. I have 2 long weeks of school left. I can do it. I can make it without losing my sanity. I think. I have yet to pack one single box. The good news is that TMO will actually pack my entire classroom up and crate it - same day. Probably why I'm completely procrastinating on getting started. I have a lot of cleaning out to do. How is it I've only been teaching for two years, but I have accumulated so much junk useful educational materials? Mind boggling.

I'll probably put my 21 Tasmanian devils to work the next few weeks and help me sort/clean/recycle/throw-junk-away. I need to get started on my 2 page clearance checklist. Hmmph.

Three days after school lets out our unaccompanied baggage shipment is scheduled. I need to pull out everything we want sent (it'll hopefully be there when we get to AL).  With a normal move, you'd send the necessities you'd want right away while you wait for the rest of your household goods arrive. You know, sheets, towels, kitchen items (plates, pots/pans, plates, silverware, etc.), some toys for kids, maybe a small TV. Well for us, this stuff is going to be what we will have (aside from whatever we pack in our suitcases) for 3-6 months until we find a house and move to Vegas.  Of course Ty and I will be staying with my parents so we will have everything (and more) that we'll need, but it's hard to choose what things you will need for 3 different seasons.  I thought moving just with Joe and I here was difficult. Throw a toddler into the mix and it's a whole new ball game.

I need to pull fall/winter clothes, send some of Ty's favorite toys so we don't have to lug them in our suitcases, a stroller, his pack-n-play, and some other essentials to help us make it through this long transition. I didn't know where to really start. I just looked in our closets and pulled what I thought we might need. *sigh*.

I haven't even begun to think about what things to pack in our suitcases and how we will look ridiculous with our stuff at check-in. It's look like 2 rolling duffel bags each for Joe and I, one for Ty's things, umbrella stroller, 2 backpacks for carry on (laptops, iPads, DVD player for Ty, snacks/drinks/toys/clothes), diaper bag/purse, small backpack for Ty, and not to mention Ty's humungo carseat that we bought little wheels for it to become a traveling "stroller" while we wheel through the airports. The thought of dragging all of that and hoping none of it gets lost makes my stomach turn. At least we don't have to worry about the dogs traveling with us too. Now that would be a nightmare.

We're looking forward to what the rest of the year holds for us.  Weddings, reunions with old friends, quality time with family, traveling, buying our first time, and settling down in Vegas is all so exciting. We're trying to keep plans flexible and we're hoping for the best.

For the first time the other day, I got a little sad thinking about how I won't have my own class next year. Sure, they're little rascals at times and I've had the most challenging class this year, but in the end I'll miss them and I'll miss teaching. I really want to share my talents with Tyler and teach him all the things he needs to know and spend that quality time with him that I know I can never get back. Who knows when I'll return back to the classroom. By the time we settle in, we'll probably try for baby #2 and then that'll add another few years until I am ready to go back. And you know what, I think I'm okay with that. My best friend and I have been contemplating the pro's and con's about being a SAHM vs. working. It's such a hard choice and it's different for everyone. I've done the working side, and now I want a hand at being a SAHM. I can't guarantee that it'll be for me. I might feel like I'm missing out and itch to go back, but I'd like to try both so I can know for sure.  Going back to work after Tyler was born was the hardest choice I had to make. I missed him terribly and felt like the few precious hours I got to spend with him while he was awake when I got home, just wasn't enough.  Pushing through and working this year was tough, but we were able to save a good amount of money to help us when we move and will be beneficial to Tyler in the long run.

When we settle in at Vegas, we'll have a lot of adjusting to do.  Financially, we'll be fine. Joe makes more than enough money for our family, but the luxury of buying all the things we want will take a cut and we will just have to budget better. In my mind I have all of these visions of how great it will be to stay at home. All the things I'll be able to do that I haven't been able to do while working. My house will be clean (maybe cleaner?), I'll be able to stay on top of errands, I will have time to do things for myself (this is a huge bonus since I never have time for anything other than grade papers, get assessment data completed, make lesson plans, prepare work and events, etc.), and have that quality time with Tyler at this fascinating and fun age he is at.

So this is one of those long rambling posts with no pictures. Boring. Sorry. Goes back to not having time to do anything for myself. Although the last few days I have been reading on my new iPad and I forgot how much I enjoy reading. I haven' read a single book for myself this school year until now!

Anyway, all in all, we're excited for everything. I just hope everything goes smoothly and we make it to Vegas in one piece. Only time will tell...

Reflection

"And then the day came when the risk to remain tight in a bud was greater than the risk it took to bloom."

Someone quoted this on Facebook with the caption as how it is a reminder as to why we challenge ourselves today to be better than we were yesterday.

Reflecting back on this school year, I feel I have pushed myself, challenged myself (along with my students and even co-workers), and really found inspiration to motivate myself to go the extra mile.

It hasn't been easy but I've never been one of those people to take the easy route. This year I have successfully created new hands-on centers EACH week for my students to do.  They were actively engaged and learning... in a fun way! I changed my bulletin board monthly... trying to think of creative and catchy slogans and visually appealing ways to display student work.  I created and sent a parents newsletter each week.  I created my own weekly homework packets.  I published the students {differentiated} spelling lists online for them to study in a fun and interactive way on the computer.  I bought an online reading program and shared their accounts with their parents to use at home.  I leveled my classroom library (consisting of probably 1,000+ books) and labeled each basket and corresponding books.  I handmade and created a lot of materials used in my classroom (clip charts, buckets for bucket filling, garland decor, hand-painted bedazzled author's chair, student mailboxes, etc.  Implementing a math fact program that involves a lot more work than the proposed math fact program the school implements as an intervention... but it wasn't working, so I needed something else. I constantly was changing out their work I displayed in the classroom. I sacrificed extra sleep so I could get to work by 6:30am every single day (school doesn't start until 8:00)... one of the first people there each day, so that I could work hard before school so I could go home to Tyler as soon as possible. A lot of work, sweat, and tears went into this school year.

I took the time to e-mail parents throughout the year to also commemorate the kids who do an outstanding job and how much I appreciate their hard work raising a great kid, instead of only emailing about negative things.

I've spent countless hours scouring the Internet for more motivational ideas, grading papers, running copies, creating my own work on the computer, spending too much money on supplies, lots of time laminating and cutting, way too much in traffic commuting across the island, and I should probably take stock in paper since I have used/bought so much this year to do all the fun things I want to do. Tears were shed, stress were at all time highs, and there were times when I doubted myself... if I could keep doing it, if it was worth it, if I was making a difference or not.

But in the end I realize I've gotten so many smiles, seen so many "ah ha" moments, received compliments from students/parents/teachers/admin, special "thank yous" from students/parents, tons of hugs/hand holding, and seeing the end of year assessment scores just reinforce all my hard work did not go to waste... it worked! It really did.

I implemented and created/helped plan a lot of big units: beginning of the year activities, apples, pumpkins (life cycle), penguins, 50th Day, the sun and moon, weather, rocks, ice cream, clouds, 101st Day of School, Dr. Seuss rotations, multi-cultural day, family math game night, pirate day, and maybe a few others that are slipping my mind.

It's been a whirlwind of a year. Changing schools at the very.last.minute was extremely hectic and stressful. With big thanks to some great friends, I was able to pack up, haul, unpack, and set up my classroom in just a few short days. I was nervous about learning another new curriculum (I was in 2nd last year and switched to 1st) and adjusting to new teammates. Although we haven't seen eye to eye on things throughout the year, or have the same teaching styles, we've been able to work hard and pull off a lot of great events and produce a lot of great work from our students.

The kids might grow up and look back and think I was crazy... I may not be their favorite teacher they had... but I tried my hardest to give them the best education they could have and deserve!

I'm happy to have had such a great year before I take a break and become a stay-at-home-mommy to Ty.  I can only imagine what great ideas will be out there when I return to the classroom... all the more ideas to give me the inspiration to start all over again!

15 months

Yes, another month of no blogging. There's only 1 more month of school and I hope to have more time on my hands after we move!

At 15 months Ty...

-is around 27 lbs I think
-still in size 4 diaper
-sporting 18 month clothing/size 5 shoes
-sleeping on average 12 hours a night! He is such a big boy now and doesn't fuss at all. We say "goodnight", put him in his crib, and he goes straight to sleep. PTL!
-most days taking 1 long afternoon nap (2-3 hours)
-shakes his head "no", claps his hands, waves
-loves pushing buttons on remotes/phones and anything with wheels
-goes straight to sleep
-is sitting front facing in his big boy car seat
-loves fruit! New favorite discoveries include quesadillas, corn dogs, chicken, gold fish, fig newtons, dried fruit, sorbet... pretty much anything mommy and daddy are eating
-not a huge fan of pools
-loves to carry around his big blankets
-loves to play "chase me" around the living room
-first set of top molars are almost all the way in
-learning how to interact with other kids/babies/share

15 months old - hanging out in the backyard munching on Goldfish!

*Sigh* when did he get so big?!

Loves to cuddle!

I'm having SO much fun with Ty at this age. He's so happy and giggly and I can't get enough of his hugs - they're the BEST! I have 1 month left of school and I can't wait to become a stay at home mommy!

He's turning into such a big boy and as much as I hate seeing him grow up so quickly, I am enjoying every new stage and how much more interactive he is becoming! Mommy and Daddy love you so much, Ty!

In other news, we're quickly realizing how quickly this move is approaching.  We have so much left to still do! We're excited for all of the new adventures that await us. I'm already trying to build up my list of things I'd like to do while we stay with my parents over the summer/fall, and places to take Ty!

Hope to catch up when school is out and I have a hot second to sit down and unwind! Until then...

14 months & recap

My little man is 14 months old - holy cow, time surely is flying!  We've been SO busy lately, I've neglected to blog.

At 14 months Ty...

-is around 24-25 lbs?
-is in 12-18 month clothing
-is wearing size 4 diapers
-is drinking Lactaid whole milk 3x a day, and watered down juice
-LOVES fruit, bread, chicken nuggets... and anything that Mommy & Daddy are eating
-walks like a pro!
-can push to stand from a sitting position
-enjoys reading books
-claps his hands with excitement when he is proud of himself
-is very mechanical - loves anything with wheels and inspecting them to figure out how everything works
-is good with puzzles - can switch out the letters on his Leap Frog phonics player on the fridge by himself, and stack the wooden puzzle pieces on the pegs that are meant for 2+ year olds!
-enjoys rides in his wagon
-will do simple commands - jump, shake, come here, hugs (those are the best!)
-will on most days will take 2 naps, but some days it's just 1
-will pull down blankets onto the floor and cuddle up on them when he gets sleepy
-has 10 teeth but are currently working on the bottom molars
-loves to play peek-a-boo, patty cake, and tickle monster

Love those cheeks!

Loves to read!

14 months 

He is such a happy little guy with a great personality. He is learning so many new things and is looking more and more like a toddler (especially with his new hair-cut).  I am really looking forward to finishing out the school year and staying home with him! :)

We love you!

This last month has been a whirlwind (as always).  We were really busy figuring everything out with the dogs. We had my brother fly out and stay with us for a bit. It was nice to see him and catchup, show him around Oki, and let him spend some time with Ty.  He took the pups back to my parents and they'll be there until we fly out in August.   Thankfully, everything worked out smoothly and they're enjoying my parents' big backyard!

I'm on Spring Break and tomorrow is already Friday and I'm scratching my head wondering where the week went.  Joe took leave, originally thinking we would plan a trip but we decided to stay local.  We haven't gotten much done or gone anywhere, but it's been great to sit back, relax, spend quality time with Ty, and just hang out.  We've gotten some cleaning done (not nearly as much as I hoped), ran lots of errands, spent time with friends, and today we spent the entire day TV shopping.

This morning the TV made a loud POP sound and the screen went black. The bulb died, and Joe was telling me something about since it's an older DLP (I have no.idea what any of this tv talk lingo means) that he didn't even know if they sold the replacement bulb we needed. Anyway, he was excited and wanted to shop for a new TV. We originally planned to get a new one when we moved, but alas,  timing would have it that we needed one now. We don't generally watch too much regular TV, but we do watch a lot of movies.

We had a 46" tv, and we were thinking of wanting a 50" or 55" but none of the BX/PXs here had any. They had either 46" or 60" which is a huge jump.  Joe debated all.day.long.  I told him it was up to him. He went and bought a 46" top of the line Sony TV and it's ah-mazing!




So there you have it. Less than 3 month of school left and we leave Oki end of July! Time keeps on flying and we're hoping to enjoy the rest of our time here in Okinawa!

New Stress

Joe and I were out walking Ty and the pups, and we were chatting more about our upcoming move.  We'e been trying to plan how to get the dogs back to the states. It's quite a headache.  Most airlines implement a heat restriction policy when trying to fly pets back during the summer.  If temps are over 85 degrees, they won't fly your pet. Well, we're flying out in July and it will be well above 85 degrees in Okinawa by then. So we need to send them back early.

We didn't think much about what we would do after we left AL (we're going there for SOS) and I'll be staying with my parents a few hours away. So Joe has about 1 week inbetween SOS and reporting to training in NM. We had planned to go to a wedding. That cuts out 2 days. So 5 days to drive from AL to NM with two dogs and an 18 month old. Yikes, cutting it close. Okay, we could handle that. THEN what we do when we get to NM? Check into a TLF? Joe will be in training all day long during the week. Just how am I supposed to juggle two hyper dogs and an 18 month old? Won't happen. They need a yard so I don't get yanked around when they're on their leashes (and walking them with a stroller is impossible).

My original plan was to travel to see my best friend who is a few hours away. Well scratch that, can't do that with two dogs in tow. I also wanted to head to Las Vegas to house hunt. Well, what do I do with two dogs?  If Joe was with me and wasn't in training, we could easily do it.

What to do? I suppose I could always stay with my parents while Joe is in training. It would be a lot easier. But they went from having an empty nest, then to having both kids at home, a grandbaby, and two extra dogs. Talk about a full house and big changes!

I posted an ad to see if we could find any good homes for our dogs. It's heartbreaking, but I figure I don't have to commit to anyone if we decide to keep them. Is it fair to them to be bounced around with no home for 6 months? Will we be able to juggle them, the baby, and flying across the world, and then driving across country?

Time will tell... and now just a whole new can of worms to handle!

13 months

Another month has gone by and Ty is really a toddler now, not a baby. :(

At 13 months Ty is still a happy go lucky kid. He's been having some difficulty switching from formula to whole milk.  He was running fevers and having awful diarrhea (TMI I know), so the docs had me switch to soy. He was still having trouble with soy, so I switched him to Lactaid whole milk. He seems to be doing well with this and even enjoys drinking it cold.

He's been enjoying lots of new foods - he had his first tastes of peanut butter, scrambled eggs, grilled cheese sandwiches, and tangerines and can't get enough of them!  He is such a good eater and I always serve him some type of fruit or veggie with his meals and he eats those up too!

He's so active. He decided to take his first little steps this last weekend! Joe had just gotten back from being gone for almost a month, and he must have been very excited to see his Dada and took a few steps toward him. He can crawl SO fast and can furniture cruise almost at a jogging speed!

He's constantly learning new skills and it's so much fun to see him interacting on a deeper level. We have fun at night before he gets really sleepy, he loves to cuddle and roll on his belly and get tickled. He gives the BEST hugs and when you pick him up to carry him, he latches on so tight! I love it!

He's working on several new teeth. He has one top molar poking through and his bottom incisors are poking through too. Poor guy, 3-4 new teeth at one time can't be much fun! But he is still in pretty good spirits. Waking up a few times during the night though due to that darn teething monster. We can't wait for the day he goes away!

Lately, it's been a big struggle leaving him. All I want to do is stay at home with him all day long and play and cuddle. I keep telling myself I only have 3 months left and I get to be a stay at home mommy until I decide to go back to work. It's going to be the longest 3 months ever I think!

He is a bundle of joy and I love every moment I spend with him. He's learning so many new things and I am excited for all the fun things we can do together. I love my big boy SO much!

13 months old - furniture cruising like a champ!

Walking around with Dada!

Playing in his pop-up tent! "Hi!"

Loves to play!!!

Precious. I love him SO much!

Proud

My friend posted this quote on Facebook and it got me thinking:

"Look back at yourself five years ago. Where were you? What were you doing? And did you think you'd be where you are today? Imagine what another 5 years will be.  Life is full of the unknown and that's what makes it beautiful."

Five years ago brings me back to 2007. I was graduating college, newly married, and just moved to Columbus, MS with Joe while he was going through pilot training. After a year and a half there, we were off to Okinawa, Japan.

Now our tour here in Okinawa is coming to an end (4 months left), I look back to where we started when we first got here, and am really proud of our little family!

When we came to Okinawa, Joe was a 1st Lt., we were living pay check to pay check and had a few measly hundred dollars in our savings account {that we more than often dipped into}, two student loans, a credit card bill, and a car to still pay off.  We weren't necessarily struggling, but we were the typically newly married and fresh out of college couple still trying to get the house set up and things in order.

Three quick years later, we're so proud for having no credit card debt, one small student loan still left to pay off {we could easily pay it off, but it's considered "good debt" for now}, all cars are paid for, and an entire year of pay saved up in our savings account.  It's refreshing not living paycheck to paycheck, and ultimately we feel very blessed and secure knowing we can make all the purchases {and then some} we need to in order to provide for ourselves, Tyler, and two dogs.  We feel guilty when holidays like Christmas and birthdays roll around and people ask what we want, and we really have nothing major on our wishlists. We are fortunate enough to buy the things we want and can easily afford them.

Hard work pays off and we can live comfortably and have saved {and will continue to do so} for things in our upcoming future like a nice house, new car, and furniture for the house.  We plan to have another baby sometime in the future and want to continue to save for our children's college funds.

We've come a long way from 2009, and I can't wait to see what the future has in store for us!

A little bit of pampering goes a long way!

As mentioned, I scheduled a pedi and it was glorious.  The sitter came to watch Ty, and I went to the BX to pick up a few things, and then got my pedi.  I'm pretty sure it's my favorite design in the 3 years I've been here! Ty loves them too. He keeps petting my toes and trying to chase me around. It's pretty cute!

I fully enjoyed the hour and a half.  I fell asleep while they gave me my massage and did the painting!

Anyway, took a day off tomorrow since I have a doctor's appointment.  Normally I only take a 1/2 day, but I need to use up my leave before the end of the year since it's not like I can trade it in or anything.  I'm looking forward to sleeping in a bit and spending more time with Ty! :)

Today was Joe's birthday but he's still TDY. We'll have to celebrate when he gets back! Can't wait!

My pretty toes!

Autopilot

Joe's been gone for a little over two weeks and I'm definitely running on autopilot.  My daily routine is different, yet the same.

-I wake up at 5:15am, quietly get ready as to not wake Ty
-Speed drive to work to beat the crazy Okinawa traffic to get there by 6:30am
-Get my room cleaned up and ready for the day
-Juggle 21 6/7 year olds for 7 1/2 hours (while 5 out of 6 school days I get a prep period and then shovel food during my 40 minute lunch break which is more like 35 minutes by the time I walk my kids through the lunch line and walk back to class, which really is only like 5 minutes because I'm too busy grading papers or getting things prepped for something else)
-When 2:20 strikes and I walk my kids out the door (and I don't have any kids lingering behind with behavior problems or scheduled meetings (that we have far too many of in my opinion), I clean up and get  a few things ready for the next day and try to leave by 2:45 (when teachers are allowed to leave for the day)
-Drive home in terrible traffic where I deal with people who drive like incompetent morons 99% of the time
-Depending on how long it takes me to weave in and out of traffic on the way home, I try to stop by the post office to pick up the mail
-Get home, see if Ty is awake or asleep (if he's asleep - yay, a few minutes of peace and quiet time to myself - oh wait, I usually end up cleaning dishes, take out the trash, put away the never ending piles of junk, etc. - if he's awake - it's play time)
-Play, play, play - try to get dinner ready, change diapers, feed Ty dinner, inhale my dinner, play a bit more before bed
-Bath time/struggle to get Ty into a diaper and PJs
-Bedtime bottle and put him to bed - if all goes well he goes down for the entire night - but of course, luck would have it that he's teething again while Joe's gone - so it's not uncommon for him to wake up hysterical in the middle of the night, or 45 minutes before my alarm is set to go off... meaning I lose 45 minutes of precious, glorious sleep
-When he's finally settled in for the night, I tackle the kitchen (that's Joe's usual routine - he actually enjoys it!)
-Prep all of Ty's food for the next day
-Clean up all of Ty's toys that have taken over the living room
-Take a shower
-Collapse into bed - I haven't managed to make it to bed before 10pm while he's been gone (except for last night - I made it and fell asleep around 9:30... on a Friday!)

*Not to mention this last week was Dr. Seuss week which involved a lot of extra activities complete with a Dr. Seuss costume birthday celebration on Friday. I've had a little too much Seuss in my life the last few months!

Repeat the next day, give or take a few changes. Weekends consist of trying to sleep in as long as Ty and the dogs will let me. Relaxing in PJs all morning until Ty takes his morning nap and then get ready and run errands - commissary/BX are the normal places we go and sometimes go out to eat with a friend. I occasionally have time/energy to sit down and watch a movie or tv show.  Such a simple pleasure is now a luxury.  We hardly get to watch anything except Baby Einstein. It's sick how much Ty loves those videos and how Joe and I have them memorized. We limit his screen time to about 1 show a day, but with Joe being gone, sometimes those shows are the only way I can entertain him so I can cook a meal or fold the laundry.  He's getting to where he has to be by someone all the time or he cries - separation anxiety?! Not sure, but I hope he grows out of it, fast!

I have no idea when he's scheduled to get back, but I hope it's soon. I'm beyond exhausted and could really use some help.  Thankfully, our old nanny is coming to watch him for a few hours tomorrow while I run a few errands and get my pedicure (Christmas gift from Joe which is about to expire so I needed to squeeze it in).  I can't wait to have a few hours of me time! :)

News!

This week we finally got word on our upcoming assignment! We're headed to Creech AFB near Vegas, Nevada!  We are so very excited! This was Joe's first choice and we are so thankful his commander was able to get what he wanted!

Before we actually make it to our final destination, we will have many pit stops along the way. We are planning to do some circuitous traveling and possibly stopping in Thailand and Hawaii on the way back to the states. Joe will also be going to SOS (squadron officer school) en route for 8 weeks in Alabama. Thankfully, it's only a few hours away from my parents so I'll be staying with them. I also have two girlfriends going at the same time so it'll be fun to hang out together (out of Oki)! I also am in my friend's wedding which will be in SC in September.  We also have 3 other weddings this fall that we are hoping to make!

Then after SOS, he will have 4 months of training in New Mexico.  I'm excited since my best friend lives in NM and I'll be able to see her!!!  My plan is to do some house hunting and get settled in while Joe's in training and visit on weekends. I am SO excited to look for a house! I did a quick search and they seem to have really new and nice houses at decent listings. Not sure if we'll buy or rent yet though.

We have big plans coming up! I can't wait! Some of the big things include:

-Buy a new {used} car
-Get a house
-Get new phones
-Buy new couches
-Buy a new big screen TV
-Buy a new king sized bed

I am so excited and can't wait to get back to the states!  I have enjoyed our time here in Oki, but I am definitely ready for a change!  It's crazy to think we could have already moved but extended the 6 months to finish out the school year {was that a mistake?! Hmmmm...}.  July will be here before we know it and I JUST CAN'T WAIT!!! :)

It was a stay-at-home-all-day type of day!

Joe left for a month long TDY the other day.. boo. But, it's a 3-day weekend (hip hip hooray!). Ty and I stayed home all day. It was pretty yuck outside... dreary, cold... decided against bundling up and going anywhere [mind you when I say cold, it was probably low 60s, and here in Oki, that means winter jackets}.  We had lots of fun playing with all new his toys and I got some much needed cleaning done while he was napping.

One of the funny things Ty did was this:

Poor Ducky undergoing leg surgery... with a saw!

Joe thought it was pretty ingenious.  This kid amazes me more and more each day! It was fun to spend all day together and I got lots and lots of hugs from him... pretty much the best.thing.ever!!!

I hope everyone enjoys the long weekend! :)

My love bug and Valentine Goodies

I finally was able to get a picture of Ty standing up all by himself! He's been doing it a lot more lately and for longer periods of time.  Mainly, when he has something in his hands and is distracted.  When I took this picture, he was probably standing there for about 15 seconds all by himself!  I can't wait for him to start taking little steps!!!

Big boy standing all by himself!

Ty also got a present from his Auntie Caitie.  She got him an adorable monogrammed airplane lunchbox! I had visions of him on his first day of school carrying a lunch box. I still can't believe how quickly his first year went by!

He loves his lunch box! 

In other news, I got some Valentine's goodies from the hubby.  My watch battery died and I could not find a new battery anywhere on island.  So instead of just ordering a new battery, he treated me to a brand new watch!  Downside is that it's too big and I need to take it to a watch repair shop to make it smaller. It's fancy and I love it!

Oooo, something shiny!

He also got me a Silhouette Cameo! I am SO dang excited to do some serious crafting with that beast!  I'd been playing around with my girlfriends Cricut's over the summer and really liked it! The Silhouette is even better because it connects to your computer and you can use any font from your computer {which I have tons of cute ones downloaded already} and can purchase single images instead of an entire cartridge where you might only want to use a few images.  It can do all sorts of neat things, even fabric and vinyl cutting!  I have so many ideas! I also am going to be making some goodies for my friend's upcoming wedding events as well with it! Yay!

Silhouette Cameo!

Alright, time to get some cleaning done and get to bed! Tomorrow is already Thursday, and next week is a short week - yay for Presidents' Day! :)