Happy Birthday Claire!

Today Claire turns 3!

(Don't let this face fool you...she is one crazy girl!)

Claire has always been our spunky little girl.  She has a fiery personality to match the red hair.  She is non-stop action and entertainment and has never been bored in her life (as far as I've witnessed).  She can make fun anywhere she goes. 

Claire thinks she speaks a foreign language, I would say it's a combination of Tongan and Chinese.  The are are a lot of "hongy, tongy, noni, clicky, mocki, nani" type words.  She will follow me around speaking her language and laughing at herself, not even trying to get a response from me.

Claire is very sweet and tender - even though she is also fiery and adventerous.  She is the first to give people hugs and kisses and to apologize for anything and everything.

I asked Claire how to spell her name and she said, "E........R......6?"  Pretty close, right?  :)  She then changed her mind to, "C....M...R...E?"

Her Batman obsession has kept us all laughing and scratching our heads at the same time.  She insisted on a Batman cake "where Batman is holding a candle" from the moment I first mentioned her birthday.  As the day approached, however, she upped the ante by changing her request to a "Batman Princess Cake". 


Uh...come again?



But, I couldn't turn her down...plus I was up for a fun little challenge.

So I did my best to make a Batman Princess cake.

She thought that pink frosting was sufficient enough for the princess part and was THRILLED about the black Batman part.  You'll note that her toy Batman is standing next to the cake, I couldn't get him balanced on the top...however he IS holding a candle in his hand.  I was happy with how the Batman symbol turned out on top of the cake and would call it a success. 
(For the curious people...I found the Batman symbol online, enlarged it and printed it off.  Then I put it on the cake, and traced with a toothpick.  I then piped the outline in black frosting and filled it in with a star shaped frosting tip.)

And last but not least, here is a cute video of Claire.
(Maybe a little lengthy...but she is just so funny.  Marty has taught her all of the "what does ____ say".  I also particularly like the face she makes when me and Brielle sing her happy birthday...it's like she is pleased with her loyal servants attempt.)

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Happy Birthday!

Therapy is Now in Session...

Today's post is going to be a little out of the norm for this blog.  I like to think I keep the blog upbeat and fun for the most part.  Talk about the surface things (how great and cute everything in life is).  But today I am going to just let my fingers do the talking as I sit down for some keyboard therapy.

I will not be hurt or offended if you choose to skim or even skip this post.  It is for me to get the feelings out as they are fresh, so that someday - if I want to - I can remember this time in my life.

A couple days ago my husband came home for lunch - as he regularly does - and brought with him a stack of papers.  At first I ignored the papers because it's not that unusual that he have something in hand when he comes home.  After a few minutes my curiosity got the best of me and I walked over to the table where he had set them down.  As I looked down at them, I felt like I was punched in the stomach.  Across the top, in big bold letters was written, "STATEMENT FOR SINGLE SOLDIERS.....FORMS MUST BE COMPLETED PRIOR TO MY DEPARTURE FOR OVERSEAS...." Included was the processes he would need to go through and forms for him to begin his medical clearance for going overseas.   The worst question he has to answer is where it asks what his intentions for his family are. 

There it is, our entire future for a year put in a simple "check your answer" sentence.  The weight of that decision seems to be mocked by the fact that you simply place your X on the line and your life is changed forever.  How can something so important and life altering be squished in to one sentence? Like we are a disposable possession, does he want to send us somewhere else to be stored, or leave us here? (That's not really the wording...it's just how it sounds.)

It took all I had to not break down in tears at that moment.  We knew about the possibility of Korea for a while before this, but had put all our faith in the fact that Claire was put on a program to make sure we were somewhere with a pediatric eye specialist.  The program is SUPPOSED to make it so a soldier cannot be stationed somewhere without the necessary specialist for their family member...but apparently it isn't working out that way.  Instead, he will just have to go alone for 1 year as Claire will not be given clearance to go overseas.

I was sad, shocked and mad.  How had my iron clad faith not moved mountains like I had wanted?  How had all my prayers gone unanswered, my pleading and begging with the Lord to let my family stay together not been done?  How had his orders not been changed so he wouldn't have to go to Korea? 

Then a quote I heard somewhere at sometime popped in to my mind (I wish I could remember when or where or even who, but I don't).  It basically made the point that no matter how strong your faith is, it cannot change the will of the Lord. 

As the thought entered my mind it was like the Lord saying, "I know you have all the faith you possibly can, but I know what is best for you, do not worry over things you can't control.  Things will work out, your prayers are heard, your faith is acknowledged."  

That doesn't mean I'm not still devastated by the idea of being away from my husband for a year.  It doesn't make me less sad knowing all the milestones he will miss of our children.  Birthday's, starting kindergarten, starting preschool, crawling, walking, talking...LIFE!  What it does mean, though, is that I know (well, at least THINK) that things will be okay.  We will be watched over, we will be taken care of.  We can do this!

We still don't know for 100% certainty that things won't change...I mean we are in the Army.  They could change his orders the day of his graduation if they wanted to.

But for now we will prepare for the worst.  I will figure out a place to live near family for me and my girls, we will get everything in order for them to go to preschool and kindergarten.  And when everything is in place, we will wait and continue to quietly hope in the back of our minds and in our hearts that Claire's program will do as we were lead to believe and change Marty's orders.

My new motto of life:  Hope for the best...Plan for the worst.

It's a crappy motto though.

A Lazy Weekend in Pictures

We enjoyed a near perfect weekend. 

Just the right amount of lazy mixed with just the right amount of fun.

So, I give you our lazy/fun weekend - in pictures.

Dragonfly whistles from the Nature Center

"Daddy, read me a story from your mind!"

Creating masterpieces

Devouring brownies

Watering flowers

Homemade Chicken Pot Pie

Puzzling

Story of my life

Sweet nectar

Mommy's toes done by Brielle

Brielle's fingernails done by Mommy

Gaming

Watching

What do you say we do it all again next weekend?

Six AMAZINGLY Happy Years!

(Oh to be young and skinny again....)

This may come as a bit of a surprise to people, but me and Marty are not known for being mushy gushy with each other in front of other people.   

But I would like to take a minute...just sitting right there....to tell you how I became the prince of a town called Bel Air...oh, wrong story.

I'm sorry, I just can't help myself sometimes.

Anyway, back to me and Marty.  While I don't write love notes on the mirror out of the steam while he's showering (in my defense, he showers at a CRAZY early time in the morning...and I like my sleep), or leave love notes in his pocket or plan elaborate dates and surprises for him, I do love him...VERY much. 

One time I put a couple dollars in his pocket so he could get a Gatorade at school...I mean really, does it GET more romantic??

Sometimes I actually think to myself, "I sure hope everyone is this in love with their spouse". It's just that we normally keep it between us.

(Have you ever seen a more attractive couple?  I wanted to embarrass Marty today...but decided I'd embarrass me as well...now that's true love!)

But today I think Marty deserves to be publicly recognized (or humiliated...however you want to look at it).  Not a day goes by that Marty doesn't have me laughing. He is the glue that holds me together! He has never gotten mad at me, never raised his voice at me, never put me down, never argued with me (except about driving), never made me feel inadequate or incapable.  He shows the same respect to our girls and I can only hope that some day they will find a man half as amazing as their daddy.

We've never really taken the easy route in life.  In our 6 years together we have:

- Had 3 children

- Moved 6 times (7th coming in a couple months)

- Had 8 different cars

- Marty has had 6 different jobs (8 if you count part time night jobs)

- Joined the Army

- Left the comfort of "home"

The list really could go on and on...but I won't bore anyone anymore. 

I love you Marty!  Thank you for loving me - Come What May!

Summer Legs and Rolling Over

There are a few things that do not seem to go together in this house. 

Fair skin

Easy bruisers

Clumsy climbers

Warm weather

Going to the park

Behold, what I like to call my children's "Summer Legs". 

Nope, those are NOT bug bites. Those are bruises. 

Poor children inherited my incredible ability to bruise on command.  The mere thought of bumping in to something makes my skin involuntarily bruise. 

Sometimes I think my kids have all the luck!

On a completely unrelated subject {insert witty and clever segue} Addison has started rolling over!

Well, technically she started rolling over last week some time, but she has a 6th sense about the camera, so I have been unable to capture this on film...until today.  I put my super spy skills to good use and snuck up behind her while Claire was entertaining her.  And what do you know, I caught it!

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{Insert clever and witty ending to this post.}

Futile Attempt at Easter Pictures

Do you ever attempt to be a good parent and take pictures of your kids in hopes that one day you will look back on the pictures fondly and remember them as the young, innocent children they are? 

Do you then grumble under your breath as you're attempting to do that because kid 1 won't stop picking their nose, kid 2 won't look at the camera and kid 3 won't open their eyes? 

Do you then take 100 pictures HOPING for at least one where all your kids are looking and smiling only to find that you weren't successful?

Do you then sit down in defeat and drink a Diet Pepsi and eat chocolate and feel frustrated?

No?  It's just me?

Well, enjoy the fruits of my labor.

Claire and Brielle in their beautiful Easter dresses.

Brielle - the standard "hug a tree" pose.

Claire in the same pose.

(Strange how when she isn't distracted by her sisters she can pose for a nice picture.)

Addison  (Daddy thought she should be by the tree as well...she looks very happy about it.)

Best Friends (sometimes)

Happy Faces...well, 2 out of 3 isn't bad.

Another attempt at looking up...not sure what Brielle is looking at or thinking about.

Our 3 girls

Brielle, Addison, Claire

(No, Addison is not sitting up on her own...we have disguised her Bumbo seat under the sheet and her dress.  Aren't we tricky?)

Now, wasn't that FUN?!

Where's that Pepsi??

Happy Birthday Brielle!

Today Brielle turns 5!

My favorite things she said in the first 20 minutes of being awake:

"Wakey, Wakey! I'm 5!!"

"Mom, aren't you forgetting to sing me happy birthday?"


"Mom, aren't you forgetting about my cake?"


"Do you know why the house is decorated like this? It's because today I'm 5! It's my birthday!!"


"Daddy is NOT supposed to work on my birthday!"


"Today's my birthday, so I get to do ANYTHING I want! Can I even choose what I get to drink with breakfast?"

I'm pretty sure she's not at all excited.

I made her cake yesterday and today. It's SUPPOSED to be a princess castle, but it turned out a little topsy turvey. However, Brielle LOVES it and couldn't be more excited. So, that's all that matters, right?

I regretted questioning her request for a "square chocolate cake with white frosting" right away as she quickly changed her mind to a "castle". Seeing as I'm a sucker for making a big deal out of birthday's, and we're away from home where a party would have happened, I just couldn't say no.

Happy Birthday Brielle!

WE LOVE YOU!

(This is a little "interview" I did when she first woke up this morning about being 5 years old. Please excuse 1. My stuffy nose voice, my allergies are terrible. 2. Her crazy hair - she just woke up. 3. The red juice mustache, that is leftover from yesterday even AFTER scrubbing. 4. Claire trying to get in on the shot and sing the ABC's. She's such an attention hog.)

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Disney on Ice

Last night - as an "early birthday present" to both Brielle and Claire I took them to Disney on Ice.

Have you ever tried to explain to a 4 (almost 5) year old that something is an early birthday present? She was VERY confused and kept saying, "But today isn't my birthday. How can this be a present for my birthday if today isn't even my birthday?" "You mean even though today isn't my birthday you're letting me have this as a present?"

I didn't even attempt to explain it to Claire.

The night was magical for Brielle. She clapped, laughed, yelled and screamed the whole way through the show, talking to the characters, warning Mickey of the spooky ghosts behind him, telling Tiana (Princess and the Frog) not to leave because she wanted a hug and just completely being enthralled in every part of it. We got a few giggles and looks from people around us, and normally I would have been embarrassed, but I just couldn't stop my sweet girl from enjoying every single aspect of the show.

Claire on the other hand sat in silence most of the show. She is overwhelmed easily by new situations, big crowds and chaos. Uh..hello, have you been to Disney on Ice? It is all of the above. Her eyes did light up as she saw the characters she recognized and she did get upset when Tiana started to leave. But she didn't start gushing about it and talking about it until we were home and it was over. Then the girl went in to full detail telling Marty all about who she saw.

I am SO glad I decided to splurge on this and take the girls. It was a fun night, and so much fun to be able to spend it with my two big girls.

(A HUGE thanks to Marty who stayed home with the baby and put her to bed!!)

Here are a couple pictures and a little video of the girls right before the show started.

(I particularly like the "Woot, Woot" from Brielle.)

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