Week 18, Round 2

So last week was crazy to say the least.  Crazy in the sense that I was losing my mind not knowing what our future would hold.  My every thought was consumed by when we would get orders, when we would have to execute them, where we would go, if we would stay, how much money we would be losing a month with the reduced housing allowance, how I could make up the extra money, how much preschool would cost, how much we could rent the house for if we do move, etc.  In a nutshell, I was physically present but mentally gone. 

Thursday started out as normal with speech and then swimming lessons.  Lincoln can offically swim on his back by himself, but his feet still tend to sink a bit.  

After swimming we came home for lunch and then had a property management company come look at the house in case we have to rent it.  The good news is that he doubts it would ever sit empty because it is so nice and doesn't look like a rental.  The bad news is that just because it is a nice home doesn't mean that the general public has any extra money to spend--we still can't charge an arm and a leg to rent it out.  Bummer!

With the news on renting the house, 29 Palms was becoming more and more appealing.  However, it still meant that we would be taking a $900 a month pay cut.  So my mind began running wild on how to make extra money fast. 

Friday was pretty uneventful.  My time and energy went into job searches, toying with the idea of watching kids at our house, and selling handmade goodies on Etsy. 

Saturday morning Lincoln enjoyed his introduction to flag football.  He loves the idea that "tag" is incorporated into the game.  That kid could run for hours and hours and still have energy for more.

The only major problem with flag football is that Lincoln is skinny.  He flag falls off as he runs without anyone ever pulling on it.

We spent the rest of Saturday playing board games.  I enjoyed a game of Cootie Bug with my cutie Buggs. 

Then Corinne did a bit of modeling for me so I could get my Etsy shop up and running.

On Sunday, I was feeling the stress of working my tail off every night trying to figure out how to make ends meet and prepping for poverty.  Staying up until 2 am every night sewing, posting things for sale, and job searching was not really condusive to raising two kids at home by yourself.  I needed to take a break.  The kids and I decided we should try out another Family Fun expirament.  We cut out flowers in cardstock...

Then folded the petals down towards the center...

Dropped them in a shallow plate of water...

And watched them bloom!

On Monday evening we ate dinner and worked on some floor puzzles.

One hundred pieces later we had a pirate ship!

On Tuesday we met our friend Ann at the park with her 3 kids.  They already have orders to 29 Palms so I thought the two of us could get together and pick each other's brains on how to save money and make the two hour commute doable for our boys.  Brittany also met us there with her 2 rugrats.  Brittany lent me Ellie for an impromptu photo session for my Etsy tutus and hair accessories.  The kids had a blast, but left the park with itchy skin and tiny cuts all over themselves from rolling down the hill and playing in the grass.  I left the park still a little anxious on what was yet to come, but confident that we might be able to make 29 Palms work for our family.

I came home and ran upstairs to send Nathan an email on the latest news about 29 Palms.  What I found was an email from the monitor (the guy in charge of dishing out orders) saying, "We gave you orders to Yuma.  We need you there by July 15."  I literally lost my breath.  I was so shocked that I accidently responded to the monitor saying "Okay, call me please!"  It was meant for Nathan, but in my confusion I just hit respond instead of sending a new email to Nathan.  I was stunned.  I didn't even know Yuma, AZ was on the list and to be honest I sort of forgot that it existed all together.  I mean who gets stationed at Yuma?  Then I remembered that Warren had done a few years out there in his previous job field.  I tried to call Warren--no answer.  Who else would know anything about Yuma?  I'll tell you who else--no one.  No one knows anything else because no one ever gets stationed out there.  No one gets stationed out there because the base is smaller than my neighborhood if you don't count the air strip.  As my mind was running wild about the great unknown, I couldn't help but think about the old Watson's commercials that played all over Indy when I grew up.  Their marketing campaign must have been successful because here I am 20 years later still thinking in my head, "It's hot and you need a pool!"  That's right we are going to roast out there.

After the initial panic was over, I started to calm down a bit.  For one, at least we have an end in sight.  There was no more guessing.  We have orders, we have a must move by date, and we have a destination that is not on the East Coast---so we can't get stuck out there forever.  On the upside, Nathan has always wanted to live in Arizona (granted he had Phoenix or Tucson in mind), and this would be one more adventure that we never would have tackled on our own.  Part of me feels like the commute to 29 would have taken a major toll on our family life and at least we can all be together at Yuma (together out in the middle of nowhere, but at least we will be together).  To top it off we are only going to be 3.5 hours from our current home, so we can still meet up with the friends that we love for long weekends.  Plus the position is non-deployable.  This will also give me the chance to keep Lincoln home from school one more year so that he is at the top end of the age range for his class instead of being the youngest---a luxury that we would not have been able to afford had we stayed at our current home because I would have to go back to work and putting both kids in private preschool would have been out of the question. 

Jenn messaged me Tuesday night asking if the kids wanted to bounce tomorrow at Pump It Up.  I enthusiastically said yes, knowing that they could definitely use some active playtime since it was supposed to rain and that tired out kids would allow me to do more extensive research on what will be our new home. 

Here is the crazy gang during a fruit snack break.

Corinne took a few trips down the slide.

And we played tag in a circular bounce pin.

Lincoln was the winner in the obstacle course race.

Mabel was all smiles all morning.

And this is what 1.5 hours of constant bouncing does to a kid.

This week was a rollercoaster ride to say the least.  So many of the things I had on my "To Do" list could now be crossed out.  No reason to register Lincoln for school.  No need to look for jobs in Murrieta.  No need to call and schedule my next dentist appointment because in just a few weeks I will be collecting all of our medical records and prepping for our next adventure.  It's nice to check things off of my list, the downside is that my list just grew exponentially and the scramble is on to get our life back in line.  But at least we have a focus now.  I know we can have a good life out in Arizona.  Duty stations are always what you make of them, and I am bound and determined to make this one fun.  In the meantime I need to get over my fear of fresh water and dive into a love of lakes, rivers, and camping.  I suppose that this beach bum will slowly get used to the feeling of mud squishing between my toes instead of sand--well maybe not, but I can always buy a nice raft to push off from shore with until I am too deep to touch the bottom of the icky muck!  It's also about time for me to brush up on my Spanglish.  Hasta luego California.  Buenvenidos Arizona!

QUOTES OF THE WEEK

Quote 1:  After a huge sneeze that sent snot all over his hands and face.

Lincoln:  "I think I just had a bless you blast!"

Clever boy!

Quote 2:  While doing the United States map puzzle.

Lincoln:  "Louisianna!  That is where Aunt Terri wants to go for her birthday next year!"

later, after the puzzle was complete.

Lincoln:  "See this line right here.  This is where a long river runs from these lakes all the way down to the ocean.  It's a really long one you know!"  Points to where the Mississippi River would flow.

This kid remembers everything!  Their brains really are like sponges.

Quote 3:  After bouncing.

Corinne:  "I love you mom.  I had so much fun at Pump a Dump!"

I am sure all that bouncing does get the bowels moving.

Quote 4:  While talking to Nathan on the phone.

Nathan:  "Are you excited to move to Arizona?"

Lincoln:  "Yes, but I am not super-duper excited because they have rattle snakes there!"



Week 17, Round 2

Last week was draining to say the least.  We still managed to stay busy and squeeze in fun with friends, but the ever-looming orders seemed to hang over my head and enter my thoughts no matter how many times I tried to just forget about them.  It felt like I was constantly doing research, getting new information and input from a friend, waiting to relay the message to Nathan, thinking it over and weighing our options, then making a decision, then changing our minds!  Chaos as always I suppose.  What is most annoying is that we have yet to hear back from the guy in charge about when we might have to execute these orders.

Thursday night was our last night with the Booths in our house and Cary treated us to a dinner of cilantro chicken salad.  Lincoln wanted to help, and Cary lovingly obliged and put Lincoln in charge of ripping up the cilantro.  I think one of the main reasons he wanted to help was so he could sneak bites.  He ate a good deal of his dinner on the countertop that night.  It was yummy and I discovered one more meal Lincoln will readily chow down.  I was also happy to not cook!

On Friday, we spent the day trying to clean up the house and get everything back in order after having house guests.  I also spent a huge chunk of time researching Cherry Point and Norfolk.  I decided to set the kids up with a project using their new markers from Easter.  This is what happens when I walk out of the room and leave my kids with markers in hand.  Corinne kept saying, "Look I'm bleeding.  I need a Band-Aid!"

After I cleaned them up, we had a relaxing evening together with some good, clean fun making princess mosaics!  Thank you Mimi and Grandpa Jinks!  I was really impressed that Lincoln helped Corinne get over her frustrations of the little pieces sticking to her fingers.  They were working as a team, and it is moments like these that make my heart so happy--reminding me that the stupid orders or an up-coming move are not really all that important.  What matters most is my wonderful family. 

Saturday morning, we were up at the crack of dawn for sports camp.  Lincoln really enjoyed baseball this time around, since he came with his own lefty glove. 

It finally warmed up towards the end of practice allowing Corinne to enjoy a few rolls down the hill.

After practice we headed home to clean up for Jenn's baptism into the Mormon faith.  The kids did quite well considering it was one of their first times sitting through an adult service.  Corinne kept wanting to go for a swim in the tub.  Afterwards I snapped a pic of Hunter with Lincoln and Corinne, knowing it was the last time the three of them would be together for awhile.

After the service we drove over to the temporary Booth residence on base to help with some unpacking.  I am not sure I bring much to the table as far as help these days since Thing 1 and Thing 2 bring their fair share of trouble along, but we had fun checking out the new place.  It as odd to finally see all of Cary and Jason's stuff in one spot since they too (even more so) have been carted all over the world in the past 10 years.  I left their place with a box of goodies for Lincoln--clothes, race tracks, and books--and a new big Keurig for myself!  What a wonderful surprise and we are all so very thankful!  Thank you Booth Family!

Monday afternoon we met Amber, Jenn, and Brittany at the park to play and feed the ducks as well as celebrate Amber and Jenn's birthday!  Happy Birthday Old Ladies!  Hope your 30th year is the best yet!

It was nice to finally enjoy some nice weather. 

We started out feeding the ducks in our safe spot from the rocks.  But the boys chased the ducks and scared them into the water.

So we moved down towards the edge--making me super nervous.  The kids still managed to have a blast despite my constant nagging to "Step back, away from the water!"

Linda came over Monday evening to watch the kids while I went to the dentist (I know what fun huh)?  Then she stayed and we finally got a chance to catch up and catch some HGTV after the kids were in bed.  I also finally returned the loaner Keurig to Linda.  Thank you Linda for introducing me to no-brainer coffee and saving my mornings!

Tuesday was a crazy day for us.  We started out with our usual trip to speech, then we headed home for lunch.  It was a beautiful day and it would have been awesome to spend it at the beach or the park, but I needed to make the drive out to 29 Palms to see how bad it really is from our house.  My neighbor Margie and her son CJ came with us.  Once again I was reminded what great friends we have.  Who in their right mind would volunteer to ride in the car with us out to the middle of nowhere?  So I packed up the kids, piled in the carseats (Turns out I can fit 3 carseats in the back of my Escape.  It must be done strategically, but it can be done!) and hit the road. 

We arrived just in time to have a little fun on a tiny patch of green space on base before leaving a little after the base traffic started to pile up to head out the main gate. I followed line of Marines out, then headed home. It took me exactly two hours. The good part is that there was almost no traffic and I was always moving at a good speed. The drive is actually kind of pretty, but the downside is that it still took a solid two hours.  I'm just not sure what kind of toll this long of a commute will take on Nathan.  I know that if he carpools it won't seem half as bad with someone to talk to along the way.

Not 15 minutes after pulling into the driveway, the Warrens and Booths pulled in as well.  We through together an impromptu "Going Away/Welcome" dinner for a part of the old Okinawa crew.  It didn't seem quite right without Nathan there, and we all chatted about how we hoped that we would all eventually end up in the same spot again.

Before Jenn and Warren took off on their next adventure I stole one last picture.  I hope their cross country trip is a memorable one and that the rest of their move goes smoothly!

Wednesday was awesome!  Nathan had called Jessica and requested that she arrange a spa day for me.  Apparently he knew I was in need of some serious relaxation.  The best thing about it was that I didn't know where we were going or what we were doing, just that I needed to wear a swimsuit.  Jessica is awesome and arranged for her mom to watch all four of our kiddos while we escaped for the day to Glen Ivy Hot Springs.  It was soooo nice to get away for some much-needed pampering.  We started our day off with a phenomenal massage.  Then we enjoyed a delicious lunch poolside.  Next we sipped a glass of sparkling wine while floating on a raft and soaking up some rays.  I realized it was the first time I have floated on a raft in a pool and was able to sunbathe since being pregnant with Lincoln--It was awesome!  After our tanning session we headed down to the Grotto for an aloe paint treatment to hydrate our skin.  I could have spent all day there, and I think someday soon I will try to go back and do just that.  There was so much more to do that we didn't have time to check out.  Before leaving we snapped this pic and the two of us decided that on our next spa day, we will take pictures before we get coated in oil and caked in mud and left to sweat! 

It was awesome.  I loved every minute of it, and I am so thankful they took me by surprise because I never would have made the time or wanted to spend the money to do this for myself.  It was the best!  I have the best husband and friends ever!  Thank you Nathan, Jessica, and Nancy for making my day of pampering possible!  I came back to two very exhausted kids that had a blast playing in the water in Jessica's back yard with some of their best buddies.

QUOTES OF THE WEEK

Quote 1:  Randomly while driving.
Lincoln:  "Am I going to have huge hairs on my belly one day when I get old?"
Me:  "Maybe--it is definitely a possibility."
Lincoln:  "Why because Daddy does?"
Me:  "Yep, it could happen to you too!"
What can I say, it's in his genes.

Quote 2:  Corinne is keeping herself busy while Cary shows me pictures from their house hunt.
Corinne:  "This is the girl.  She is a mom."
Notice the general face, arms, legs, and what appears to be hair--although it might be armpit hair.

Corinne flips the picture over.Corinne:  "This side is the Dad.  That is his weenie.  You can see it because he is in the shower."

Cary:  "Oh that's nice."  Tries to hold a straight face.

Corinne:  "You can have it.  I made this picture for you.  You can take it home and put it on your fridge.  It can go home with you."

I'm not sure what to think of my little artist.  Does she really think they come that big?  What about the Daddy's face?  Where is it?  Perhaps she is creating with a man's heart in mind, knowing that most men could care less about what you think of their face as long as you remember the good parts!  Cary left the picture at my house--seeing as it isn't really fridge appropiate.  This little gem is going in her baby book!

Week 16, Round 2

Sorry for the brief hiatus--explanation to follow. Wow, were we busy this past week!  The kids and I spent a few days at the beach with friends, celebrated Easter, then wrapped up the week with the Booth family arriving in Cali.  Fun, fun, fun!

We also got some exciting news that Nathan might be coming back this summer.  However, the excitement was a bit short lived, when we found out we might be moving sometime very soon.  The entire reason Nathan took on this last deployment was because we were "guaranteed" to be able to extend our stay at Pendleton until January 2013.  Ahhh, perhaps we should have known better because nothing is ever for sure in the Marine Corps.  When we found out we were up for orders, we asked for Miramar or another location at Pendleton, with our third and forth choices being Hawaii or back to Okinawa.  Staying at Pendleton and waiting for a spot to open up was not an option.  Instead we were slammed with the options of 29 Palms, CA; Lejeune, NC; or Cherry Point, NC--pretty much the bottom of the barrel as far as Marine Corps bases go.  After trying to pull a few strings we were offered another choice--Norfolk, VA.  Nathan and I lived there for a month when we were first married, and I can't say that either of us have a ton of great things to say about the area.  Lejeune has never been a favorite location for Nathan, so that choice is definitely out.

So here we are weighing our options.  I can't stress how much sleep we have lost doing research on the various bases--trying to find a nice area to live, a good school system, a general grasp on the lifestyle and cost of living, etc.  We have made tons of phone calls and talked to just about everyone that we know to figure out what will be best for our family.  All that we have ever wanted is a nice home in a safe area with good school systems.  We have all of those things here.  A move across country to Cherry Point would mean uprooting our family and leaving friends, a community, and home that we love.  It would also mean facing the fear of renting our our house.  A stint at 29 Palms would mean leaving the kids and I behind, while Nathan travels back and forth on weekends.  It's not an ideal lifestyle, but we could do it if we had to.  I am not sure what kind of toll this set up would have on our life.  Of course both options come with their fair share of pluses and minuses.  I know that whatever we decide, we will make the most of it--it is the deciding part that has us really troubled.  The stress that comes with these choices does make us rethink our life in the military.  It is hard to get over the initial bitterness that a guarantee means nothing, we might have to move this summer, and that we have to make this huge decision while we are half a world apart with seriously limited communication.  And while I sit here stressed to the max, I am also forced to fake it and put on a happy face for the kids-- trying to convince both them and myself that everything will be fine and that life is always an adventure and what we make of it.  While that might be very true, I can't help but feel that the Marine Corps has suddenly pressed the "pause" button on us.  (I was just about to do my spring planting and research schooling options for Lincoln, but now I don't really see the point.) 

As we struggle through the decision process please pray that we will figure out what the best option is for our family, that we have the strength and courage to face what is next to come, and that somewhere in the process we both find time to sleep and be at peace with our decision. 

After swimming lessons on Thursday we took off to the Del Mar Beach Cottages to celebrate Jessica's birthday and enjoy a little fun in the sand and sun.  I thought we were arriving late enough in the day to convince the kids to keep their clothes on, but the swimsuits came out nonetheless.  Here is a shot of our crazy brood on day one.

Don't worry Heath (Ava's dad), Lincoln is not trying to "cop a feel".  He is just holding on tight so they don't fall off the wall.

We took a little stroll down to the playground before it got too dark. 

It was a bit windy and Jessica, Lisa (Jess's friend from VA), and I had a little bit of trouble starting the coals for the grill, but we enjoyed hamburgers and hot dogs before it got dark.  Then we wrapped up the evening with some yummy roasted marshmallows.

A windy night + a campfire = smoke in the eyes...

And marshmallows on your face.

After a good scrub down I got the kids in bed early.  The main problem with these awesome cottages is that they are all one bedroom.  They have a couch, but it isn't a pullout.  Later in the evening I somehow managed to squeeze in between these two rugrats into the sand filled sheets.

We woke up the next morning and did a bit of sunbathing. 

The ocean was way too cold to wade into, so the kids turned on the rinse off station outside of the cottage and made their own little river and lake.

The original plan was to build a spa where they could all sit and relax.

Corinne called it the "milky milk" pool for her and Ava.  If you ask me it was more like a "grossy-gross" pool. 

Jenn, Warren, and Hunter even joined us for a little beach fun while taking a break from watching Chomper (Thank you!).   One more shower later and we were all cleaned up for a night of festivities.

With all the fun in the sun, my kids were in bed and asleep by 1830--leaving me the freedom to party it up by the campfire with good food and drinks and of course, wonderful company.  Happy Birthday Jess!

On Saturday, we woke up and ate breakfast, then packed up our stuff for home.  It was another one of those times when I really could have used my husband to help pack, load, drive, unload, clean, etc.  I was desperate for a nap, but not that lucky.  I did however, completely unload, get all of the laundry done and everything put away in a matter of hours.  We came home to an Easter box from Mimi and Grandpa Jinks.  Lincoln was pretty excited about his Rice Krispie Treat Bunny.

Corinne had her eyes on a Reese's Peanut Butter Egg.

With these faces and her love a Reese's there is no doubt that she is Nathan's daughter.

Yummm!

The kids woke up Sunday morning to their baskets.  They got new helmets, markers, and a soccer ball and a few candy treats.

We had planned on making it to church on Saturday night, but we were dragging from our time at the beach.  We had no time to spare on Easter morning.  I had a pie and fruit salad to make, so we packed up and headed to base to spend Easter with Brittany, Ethan, and Ellie.  Brittany made a delicous meal and the kids had a blast playing outside in the nice weather.  Our egg hunt had to be postponed because there were too many neighborhood kids on the prowl in order to get the eggs hidden and protected for our kids to get a chance to find them.  We had a low-key, relaxing day and the kids fell asleep on the way home=success!

The next morning Lincoln tried out his new glow in the dark markers.  They are pretty cool, but only glow for about four hours.  Lincoln wanted to make one to send to Nathan, so I had to convince him to wait and show him in person because the magic wouldn't last.

On Monday afternoon we headed over to Jenn's for a playdate with Mabel, Luke, Colton, and Weston.  Amber's kids must be the bright ones--they are busy snatching the last of the cookies while the other kiddos are preoccupied smiling for the camera!

When we got home, Corinne took a nap and Lincoln played pirates.  During that time the Easter Bunny paid us a visit.  The kids came downstairs, and then had a blast searching for eggs.

(What is a lid doing in my garden you might ask?  It is to hold beer for the snails and slugs to eat and then die.  Thanks Dad!  It worked--my lilies are a picture of health these days.)

I sort of thought I was nuts for doing two egg kits this year, like maybe I was going a little overboard.  But it turns out having two totally seperate sets of eggs makes for a very fair and even egg hunt.  I loved that the kids helped each other find "their" eggs instead of pushing each other out of the way to see who gets the most--well worth the extra $5. 

Success!

We found all 12 pirates and all 12 princesses!

Now what to do with all these eggs???

Throw the kids on the countertop...

(I love it when they work as a team).

And make egg salad!

This time I decided to let the kids eat as much as they would like out of the bowl while we made it. 

Here is Lincoln, convincing Corinne that it tastes good.

On Tuesday the kids anxiously waited for their long lost friend to arrive!

And by early afternoon Caden and the rest of the Booth clan were here!

They could not have been more excited to see their buddy.

Caden did a great job putting up with my little leeches.  They were practically glued to his side.  On Wednesday we had lots of rain, so the kids did a Harry Potter marathon while I went to Target by myself!  Thank you Gladys for watching the rugrats!

We were also thrilled to see Grandma Gladys (Jason's mom) and Moe and Zeek (their two puppies).  It feels great to have Cary and Jason out here in Cali--I just wish we were staying for sure.

I can honestly say that as Wednesday drew to a close I found myself stressing about what was next to come for our family.  At the same time I can't help but feel incredibly blessed by all the friends we have in our lives--both right here in California and everywhere. 

QUOTES OF THE WEEK

Quote 1:  While we were walking out the door.

Me:  "Did you put Chompy in the crate?"

Lincoln:  "Yes mom.  I also shut the door to that thing in your room (armoire) so that if someone walks in they don't have to look at your undies and stuff just sitting there."

Me:  "Thanks kiddo."

Glad he's got my back--apparently I am a bit of a slob.  I wouldn't want a robber to see my unmentionables!

Quote 2:  While trying to get Corinne to taste the egg salad as a finished product.

Lincoln:  "Wanna bite?  It tastes delicious.  It doesn't taste like old meat.  You will like it, it is just like hot dogs."

Glad he cleared that up because old meat is on the menu fairly often around here.  Compare anything to hot dogs or Cheerios and my girl will try it!

Quote 3:  On our way to Easter at Brittany's.

Corinne:  "Is Daddy going to come?"

Me:  "No, sorry Bugg.  Your Daddy is fighting the bad guys."

Corinne:  "Yeah, my Daddy is fighting the bad guys and he toots all the time.  Yeah, he toots in my face and I just spank his butt!"

Hmmm, there might be some truth to that statement.

Quote 4:  While watching Harry Potter.

Corinne:  "Look there is Mouth Boy!"

Me:  "You mean Draco Malfoy."

Corinne:  "Yeah, that's Mouth Boy.  There he is.  He is mean!"

Close enough.