Happy Halloween!

This year Tyler decided we would have a princess, a knight, and a dragon for Halloween. He loved to say, "I a knight! I fight the bad guys! Save the pincess! Baby our dagon!"
The Princess:
The Knight:
The (very mean and scary) Dragon:
I made Brynn and Tyler's costumes, but when I came across this adorable dragon while shopping one day, I decided it wasn't worth my time or money to try and do anything better. And so we were ready for the holiday.

We had picked our pumpkins earlier but had decided to wait until Grandma got here to decorate them. At Tyler's preschool they had the kids using toy hammers to nail golf tees into a big pumpkin. Tyler LOVED doing that so we decided to do that with ours at home, it was very manly and fun - only there aren't any pictures cause I lost them somehow. And then we added some monster faces...

We did Trunk or Treat at Church last night...

Then tonight we had our Spooky Dinner...

We left daddy at home to hand out candy while we went Trick or Treating...

Tyler was SO into it this year. He was on a mission. He would rapidly go from one house to the next saying, "Come on guys! Follow me! Trick or Treat. Thank you. Next house!" At one point some other people were in his way on the sidewalk so he seriously drew his sword and ordered them to "stop now"!

We felt very safe. Not just cause we had our knight, sword in hand, with us. But also because there were soldiers patroling the neighborhood which was cool. What was even cooler was that the pictures I was trying to take of them turned out all black - which they told me would be blank - but I can't figure out why that is.

All in all it was a great holiday and our little princess, knight, and dragon had a blast.

Brynn and Nathan sitting in a tree...

Each night at bedtime I take a moment to lay down with each of the kids. This gives us a few minutes, just to ourselves, where they can talk and tell me anything. Well a few nights ago Brynn told me something I didn't want to hear. Our conversation went a little something like this...

Brynn: I love Nathan. He's my boyfriend.

Me: Your what?! Who?!?

Brynn: Nathan at school. He's my boyfriend. I love him.

Me: (taking a few deep breaths) What does it mean that you love him?

Brynn: I don't know.

(In fairness to her, does any of us really understand yet what it means to love?)

Me: Well, I don't know that its a good idea to love just one person right now. Don't you think we should remember to like everyone and just try extra hard to be everyone's friend...instead of having a boyfriend. We don't want anyone to feel like they don't have a friend because you love someone more than them.

Brynn: Actually, Ethan is the cutest little boy. He's just so cute. I love him lots. But he is Ali's boyfriend. But I really think he's the cutest. But Nathan is my boyfriend.

Me: (Debating in my head...should we discuss how, if she really likes Ethan the most, she shouldn't settle on Nathan - she should go after and fight for what she really wants. A very important life lesson, but yes, I realize that is a topic to be saved for a later time.) Well, sweetie, lets just try to remember to make sure we are being friends with everyone because everyone has something cute about them.

Brynn: Ok mom. But Ethan is just so cute I can't stand it.

My little girl...

...growing up way too fast for me.

I'm pretty sure my first school crush was Christopher Kowalczic. I loved him from 5th grade to who knows when...its was years. But pretty sure he didn't know I was alive and so I settled on Ryan,Christophers bestfriend, to be my boyfriend for a while. I want more for my daughter than settling. Anyway...isn't it funny how I don't remember a lot of things but I can still tell you Christopher Kowalczic's name (even if the last part isn't spelled right). And that was in 5th grade! How does love start in Kindergarten now??

Obedience Bucks

The past 8 weeks PJ has had an intense schedule. Every 4 days he works a 30 hour shift and then the other two days he works 10 to 12 hours. And then that 4 day process repeats itself over and over. He averages one day off a week. So, this means he's been cranking out 80 hour work weeks. And when he is home he is often tired or napping. Nice huh?! In all actuality he and I don't mind it that much. He likes his work at the hospital and every 4th night when he is gone I am actually productive.

However, the kids are another story. Brynn and Tyler have been acting up lately - they have seriously been struggling with their obedience and their respect toward me. And since it can't possibly be my fault ;) I blame it on their fathers absense. But thankfully, starting this Monday he gets a more relaxed schedule for a while. We needed that. We need daddy's influence back. But I also felt we needed something more to help them learn about responsbility for their actions. So I thought through a few ideas I had heard of other people doing, modified according to my children's personalities, and came up with our new 'Obedience Bucks'.

At Family Home Evening we had a lesson on respecting our parents, obedience, and the blessings that come from making those good choices. We discussed how they could now earn Obedience Bucks by applying what we had talked about. And how they could also loose their Bucks by not making good choices. Then they could use their earned Bucks to recieve blessings - such as buying candy from their Halloween bags (yes I am mean like that), saving up for bigger treats like going to Play Places, dates with mommy and daddy, or even going to the store to pick out a prize. If all goes well I figured this could later turn into lessons about saving, budgeting, tithing etc. Here they are with their wallets that their Bucks will be kept in...

We are just starting our new idea but it seems like it will be fairly effective. Should I be worried that money and buying things is already what is motivating my little ones??!?

On another behavioral note, Dylan had his first time out. Tyler was nicely trying to play trains the other morning and Dylan kept destroying his tracks. He tried several times to teach him how to play trains the right way but Dylan wouldn't cooperate with him. So then Tyler matter-of-factly told me that Dylan needed to go to time out. What was I suppose to say?! So Dylan went to time out.

As you can see he was really upset about it :)

HeartLink

Not long after we moved here I attened a program called Happy Landings (which was an orientation to the base). It was very helpful and assited me in getting acquainted with the Base and the surrounding cities and everything they had to offer. However, it also taught me that I knew nothing about military life (who am I kidding myself...as if I didn't already realize that). I sat there in that meeting and had no clue what they were talking about half the time because of all the acronyms and wierd language they were speaking. So I was promptly given a big red heart on my name tag (about the time I didn't even know the answer to 'what unit does your sponsor belong to?') to indicate I was new to the military. They took good care of me the rest of the day but also refered me to another program called HeartLink (which was an orientation to the military). I finally had that today and it was also extremely helpful.
Lessons I learned:

• While on base with my man in uniform there is to be NO PDA.
• I am to walk on his left side so that he can salute as necessary and I won't get in the way.
• It really is a mystery how much you are suppose to tip the baggers at the commissary.
• BMW isn't just a kind of car, its also a reminder for formal place settings - left to right - bread, meal, water.
• There is indeed a nice little man in the legal office that can help me file a claim against the worst moving company EVER who won't take responsibility for their actions!
• I now kind of understand how to read my husbands LES (Leave and Earning Statement).
• So yes, I am getting a few acronyms down - like POA, not to be confused with POC or POV or TMO, NCO, OIC and DOS...TDY, PCS,DITY, TMO...should I go on...
• I understand that PJ is part of the MDOSquadron, which is part of the Medical Group, under the Air Mobility Wing.
• He is a captain now which means there are only 7 more promotions until he can become a General :) You can do it honey!
• I was told (but thankfully already knew) that when parking spots are labeled "general commander", that doesn't mean any commander in the general population...it means THE general commander...and you are not to take his spot.
• The First Sergeant is suppose to be like my really helpful big brother who will do anything for me (and the rest of the unit) at anytime. Memorize his number.
• There is an amazing comradary among military members...and I love that!

I also had the chance to rub elbows with some big wigs. Here I am with Colonel Goldstone, the Air Mobility Commander, and Chief Master Sergeant Suttles, the Air Mobility Command Chief (they are the head honcho's here).

They 'coined' me. And while I learned a lot today I'm still not exactly sure what that means, although it is steeped in tradition.

If nothing else, I learned that I am very lucky my husband is not deployable these next three years. But after that, if and when it is his turn, I will be OK.

Walk, please...

Not that you are suppose to compare kids or anything...
...but Brynn and Tyler both started walking the week they turned one. And Dylan is 13, going on 14 months and we aren't even close. A few weeks ago I gave him his new goal of walking by Halloween so he could go around and get candy. We are down to 6 days and I don't think he's going to make it.

I saw this walking-teacher-helper-thingy on somebody's blog that is suppose to be better for babies than holding their hands. The next thing you know my sweet sister Katy made me one and sent it in the mail. Its pretty funny to watch/help him in it.

Come on Dylan I know you can do this! As cute as you are, you are breaking my back!!

Pumpkin Picking

Our Fall Festivities have started! And while I have been anxious to enjoy a 'real' fall again and have that crisp clean feeling in the air...its been unusally cold for this time of the year. So I guess we're just jumping right back into the seasons, no easy transition for us out here.

Our fun started Friday when we took the kids to the Fall Festival at the YMCA. They each 'picked' pumpkins out of a field of hay and had lots of fun with the cake walk.


And yesterday we had to head over to Eckerts for a little tractor ride, pumpkin picking, and custard.

The kids loved running through the pumpkin patch and checking out all the different pumpkins that there were! It took us quite a while to settle on one to bring home.

Then today I got to go on a field trip with Tyler's class to a different farm...

We went on a hay ride, fed the goats, played on the slides...

And he got to 'pick' a pumpkin from the piles collected on the hay bails...

I do love this time of the year!...and bus rides with my buddy...

The Ringling Brothers

On Thursday we took the kids to their very first circus. I thought it would go over pretty well. But just as we were entering the arena Brynn stopped walking and wouldn't move - she said 'those things' were making her feel very worried. So as the pre-show excitement was happening down there...
My kids were sitting up here...
OK, really Tyler went down and walked around with me for a few minutes but he was too short to the ground to see over the adults so it wasn't too exciting for him.
When the show started Dylan was either camped out with all his gear, or standing up dancing and clapping.
Brynn mostly didn't enjoy it and spent the night informing us she was bored and wanted to go home.
Tyler liked some of it but it was a little long, and a little late. PJ and I enjoyed ourselves but all in all I'd have to say we probably won't be going back for a few years.

Day Out With Thomas

We have been SO excited about our tickets for a Day Out with Thomas! And the long awaited weekend was finally here. Gramma Peper, Uncle Clay, Aunt Katy, Jack and Brody came to join in the fun.

And what was suppose to be a fun-filled DAY out with Thomas actually turned out to be a not-worth-the-money HOUR that didn't include much of Thomas at all.

Tyler has been so anxious to go to the 'station', have the train slow down (he's always watching them zoom by on the tracks around here), so he can give them his ticket and get on for a ride. And that part was fine and wonderful and everything he dreamed it would be - complete with a two story train.

He just sat there looking out the window of the moving train the whole time.

But from an adult stand point that is where the fun ended (if it ever really began).

The rest of the activities where worthless (or so poorly put together you couldn't enjoy them). And that made me very sad for the kids.

But honestly I don't know that they knew the difference...