Wresting for the Scouts

Zach has found a new love--Wrestling! Every night after school Zach has been practicing with his team at Lewis and Clark Middle School for 2 hours. He was so excited when he came home with a team warm-up and uniform! Although I don't really understand the fun in wearing a Singlet, I think it is worse than wearing a speedo, Zach doesn't seem to mind! I also have a hard time watching someone besides his dad twist him into a little pretzel, so half the time I have to watch with my hands over my eyes. But Zach loves it and is having fun and we are proud of him for trying his hardest!

Just a little pre-match nerves!!

Oh, yes that is Zach stuck on his back getting chocked to death!

Father Daughter Dance

After 5 hard days of house hunting I made it back to Nebraska just in time to get Bay ready for her big night out with her Daddy. Every year the base has a Father/Daughter dance and we finally were able to get tickets!!! It is such a popular event it usually is sold out before I can get tickets--well not this year!! Daddy was at the ticket office before it opened to make sure he could take his little Princess for a night she will hopefully never forget!! This year the theme was Disco and I thought it would be cool for Bay to dress Disco, but she wanted to dress pretty instead!! Shocking to me since she usually chooses Zach's clothes over her own! I found 3 pretty dresses and she picked her favorite one ( I have to add it was on clearence for $7!!). Bay and Daddy looked to good!! I warned Bay about Tom's dancing--not so good! In the end they had a great night!!

Everyone needs Disco Glasses!!

Dallas Market

Purses, Jewelry, Shoes, Clothes, Friends and Good Food--All the things I love! Every January I get to go to Dallas with my friends Rhonda and Tina to work in Rhonda's wholesale booth. Rhonda and I met 20 years ago when I first moved to California. The first Sunday I went to church in California I sat by her and she must have felt sorry for me looking lost and confused. We hooked up and I was her sidekick, often asked if we are sister's because of our nappy hair. We have remained good friends even though we have been miles apart. Tina is Rhonda's Friend she grew up with in San Antonio and I have known for about 13 years now.

Rhonda and Tina picked me up at the airport and we hit the road to market to start the set up. After unloading the uhaul it usually takes us about 4 hours to build her booth. Every year it is fun to see what new items Rhonda has added to her line and every year her creativity pays off and draws many, many women to our booth to ooh, and ahh! This year it was Recaps. Rhonda made thousands of beer & pop caps into necklace charms and they were the hot item this year!

Don't mess with a girl holding needle nose pliers!!

Market starts bright and early Friday morning and goes until Monday. It is a long 4 days of standing on your feet but we always seem to have fun! I love meeting all the people and getting their stories. Retail is very competitive so there is usually a good fight somewhere between vendors that is exciting to watch and it is amusing to see how the women are dressed. Tina never fails to keep us laughing. This year Tina introduced me to Bon Qui Qui on Youtube. If you haven't seen Bon Qui Qui you need to visit her. It seems as if Tina has missed her calling, she either needs to be a comedian or work at Burger King with Bon Qui Qui.

Tina's Feet were hurting so she gave me her winer face!

Although it is fun to get away, by Monday I am ready to get home and see my family!! Tom and the kids welcomed me home with Mommas favorite treat "Twix Bars!!" Thanks Rhonda for letting me help you and as always I had a great time!

Sushi Anyone??

Ok, after all the cleaning got done and the house got listed on the market I was still snowed in our house. What's a girl to do?? After I had watched all the movies I could stand and broke up many wrestling matches, cleaned up a gallon of white paint dumped out on our living room carpet and vacuumed all the ceilings I decided to make sushi!! Rowdy and Jessica stopped by our house on the way home from California so I decided to have her teach me how to SUSHI baby! Lately I have gotten hooked on Sushi from the commissary but it is way too expensive so I was determined to make it myself. Jessica and I headed out to the Korean Market and bought all the ingredients, little did I know there were so many different kinds of rice. I have always bought Jasmine rice because that is what my sweet friend Lisa told me to buy, but sushi needs sticky rice so Jasmine wouldn't do. With all the ingredients in hand we rushed home and cleared the kitchen to start creating! I had a blast making the sushi rolls and with each one I made I got a little better at rolling them tight. I had even more fun eating them all!! Thanks Jessica for a fun night!

Teenager in the House!!

Today was a big day for my sweet Zach!! He has now entered the teen world! This boy still melts my heart. His tenderheartedness and compassion for others are two qualities that make him special. We have started a new tradition in our house called Birthday week and Zach was the first recipient. I wanted to bring a cake to his school and he about died-"Mom, I don't want to be the center of attention!" I wanted to bring him to Texas Road house so they could put a hat on him and dance and sing to him-his response-"No Way!" So on Friday I brought him a Jimmy John sub sandwich and just so happened the secretary at the school granted me permission to interrupt class and deliver it to him. When the teacher opened the door Zach's face turned bright red and Zoe ran across the room and gave him a great big hug! His teacher made a big deal about Zach's birthday to embarrass him even more. That night we went shopping with Zach's birthday money and the sweet boy offered to buy his sister Nike Shox even after she was being a little turd to him. Generosity is another quality God instilled in Zach that I love. Sat. morning came and Zach had the entire day planned. BLT's for lunch, open presents then spend the entire day with only his HERO! The look on Zach's face when he opened his presents was to die for. He got new riding gear and you would have thought we bought him a new car. He immediately put it on and him and Tom hit the road to play in the dirt. You see we have 2 dirt bikes sitting in our garage left here by Matt and Jen and Zach's perfect day was riding in the woods, so off he and Tom went. ADVENTURE-another quality I love about this boy but scares the pants off of me! Zach, like his dad, has NO FEAR and loves to take risks. The day finished off with a Platter of Hot Wings at Buffalo Wild Wings and a window shopping trip to Cabella's. I must say I was a little jealous that his perfect day didn't include me, but love the fact that he has an awesome daddy to hang out with!

I am so thankful that God trusted us with this sweet boy and pray that God will bless him with many more happy years!

A Different Christmas Poem

It seems most times I want to have a pity party for myself, God sends me gentle little reminders in various ways. This time it was in an email from my dear friend Jodi that I grew up with in Iowa. Tom will be gone for Christmas this year and I was feeling a little down and in my email was this little reminder of what I have to be thankful for. So grab a tissue and enjoy the poem.

The embers glowed softly, and in their dim light,>

I gazed round the room and I cherished the sight.>

My wife was asleep, her head on my chest,>

My daughter beside me, angelic in rest.>

Outside the snow fell, a blanket of white,>

Transforming the yard to a winter delight.>>>

The sparkling lights in the tree I believe,>

Completed the magic that was Christmas Eve.>

My eyelids were heavy, my breathing was deep,>

Secure and surrounded by love I would sleep.>

In perfect contentment, or so it would seem,>

So I slumbered, perhaps I started to dream.>>>

The sound wasn't loud, and it wasn't too near,>

But I opened my eyes when it tickled my ear.>

Perhaps just a cough, I didn't quite know, Then the>

sure sound of footsteps outside in the snow.>

My soul gave a tremble, I struggled to hear,>

And I crept to the door just to see who was near.>>>

Standing out in the cold and the dark of the night,>

A lone figure stood, his face weary and tight.>

A soldier, I puzzled, some twenty years old,>

Perhaps a Marine, huddled here in the cold.>

Alone in the dark, he looked up and smiled,>

Standing watch over me, and my wife and my child.>>>

'What are you doing?' I asked without fear,>

'Come in this moment, it's freezing out here!>

Put down your pack, brush the snow from your sleeve,>

You should be at home on a cold Christmas Eve!'>

For barely a moment I saw his eyes shift,>

Away from the cold and the snow blown in drifts.>>>

To the window that danced with a warm fire's light>

Then he sighed and he said 'Its really all right,>

I'm out here by choice. I'm here every night.'>

'It's my duty to stand at the front of the line,>

That separates you from the darkest of times.>>>

No one had to ask or beg or implore me,>

I'm proud to stand here like my fathers before me.>

My Gramps died at ' Pearl on a day in December,'>

Then he sighed, 'That's a Christmas 'Gram always remembers.'>

My dad stood his watch in the jungles of ' Nam ',>

And now it is my turn and so, here I am.>>>

I've not seen my own son in more than a while,>

But my wife sends me pictures, he's sure got her smile.>

Then he bent and he carefully pulled from his bag,>

The red, white, and blue... an American flag.>

I can live through the cold and the being alone,>

Away from my family, my house and my home.>>>

I can stand at my post through the rain and the sleet,>

I can sleep in a foxhole with little to eat.>

I can carry the weight of killing another,>

Or lay down my life with my sister and brother..>

Who stand at the front against any and all,>

To ensure for all time that this flag will not fall.'>>>

' So go back inside,' he said, 'harbor no fright,>

Your family is waiting and I'll be all right.'>

'But isn't there something I can do, at the least,>

'Give you money,' I asked, 'or prepare you a feast?>

It seems all too little for all that you've done,>

For being away from your wife and your son.'>>>

Then his eye welled a tear that held no regret,>

'Just tell us you love us, and never forget.>

To fight for our rights back at home while we're gone,>

To stand your own watch, no matter how long.>

For when we come home, either standing or dead,>

To know you remember we fought and we bled.>

Is payment enough, and with that we will trust,>

That we mattered to you as you mattered to us.'>>

LCDR Jeff Giles, SC, USN>

30th Naval Construction Regiment>

OIC, Logistics Cell One>

Al Taqqadum, Iraq

Christmas Lights 101

I had a wild hair to put my tree up and decorate for Christmas. Sounds pretty normal except for the fact I had to crawl up in the attic to get all the decorations, Tom was in the middle of doing homework and Zoe had to be picked up from school in 35 min. Did that stop me??? No way I climbed up in the attic and instantly my ADD kicked in and I decided I should organize the entire attic while searching for the Christmas boxes. After many screams "Honey" , "Honeyyy", Tom came to my rescue and we managed to get the Christmas tree down the ladder along with 8 plastic tubs. I was overwhelmed with the wad of lights that lay before my eyes in one huge tangled up ball, but determined to decorate I started to tackle the mess.

Tom's job has always been wrapping the tree with lights, but I was trying to avoid another Redneck Christmas. You see last year I left the house while Tom put the lights on the tree and when I returned home I wanted to die. He had thrown purple lights with white cords up on the tree and there was more white extension cords everywhere.

I am sure if I would have let him our tree this year would have looked like this:

I was determined to make my tree light up from the inside out and Tom's meathod was out the door. So I googled "How to decorate a Christmas tree." My search found me a little man saying:

#1 You need a tree

#2 You might need a step stool

#3 And you might just need some lights......

That is all I could take of the little man in the santa hat. I decided I would wrap the lights as I put the tree together. Fast forward...48 hours I finally got the entire tree up and wrapped with lights, 600 lights to be exact. I was so proud of myself and excited to plug it in and see my masterpiece. Only one BIG problem. I could not find an extension cord that would fit the plug. URRR. When Tom walked in the door I yelled "HELP" and he came to analyze the problem. Well, it seems as if I had wrapped the entire tree backwards!!! Tom said "you better start unwrapping!" Oh my Goodness!! All that time wasted--I had to walk away from the tree. In true Tom fashion he saw this as an opprutinity to play on my frustrations. When I walked back into the room my man had the tree lit up and it was Fabulous!! Once again in true Tom fashion--he rescued me from my failure. By now all the kids were home from school and the fun began with putting all the ornaments on the tree. Zoe hung about 10 ornaments on the same branch, but in the end it turned out great. It is so fun this year to watch Zoe get so excited about all of the lights! We have told her there is no santa, but she is sure there is a santa because daddy is his elf. So I guess we will just go with that!