A Quick World

Mmmmm Cake!

2012-01-09T20:21:00.000-08:00

So today Abbygael and Georgia turned 1. Oh! my goodness, we've made it through the first year!!! The girls are a true blessing to our family and bring great joy daily.

Abbygael is my laid back, easy going, cool as a cucumber kid. She loves music and will sing and dance to just about anything you play for her. She's very neat with the way she plays with her toys and eats her food. Everything is inspected by her right pointer finger first. She is always looking things over and checking them out before she takes any action(unlike her sister) and truly has a caring heart. She smiles from her souls and everyone who meets her will say the same thing! She has this presence as if she's been here before and is my angel sent from above!

Georgia is my feisty, firecracker, go 90 MPH kid. She loves to hang upside down and stand on her head and squeal at the top of her lungs. She dives into playing and eating with full force and loves getting messy! She is my little daredevil and tilts her head when you tell her No, No and then proceeds to shake her head no in return. Her desire and motivation for things around her will get her far in life and I can see the struggles for us as parents already starting! I've always heard that the little ones are always the feisty ones and I LOVE every bit of her personality.

These two girls are just amazing to watch on a daily basis, their bond and true caring for each other grows stronger everyday. If they have been playing in separate areas of the house one will always go find the other and they touch and hold hands for a few minutes before continuing with their play time. My heart is constantly melting just watching them!!!

2012-01-07T09:27:00.000-08:00

Where have we been?

2012-01-07T07:57:00.000-08:00

It's hard to believe that it's been almost a year since I last posted on the blog! This first year with the twins has been exhausting, challenging and rewarding all at the same time. Any parent with multiples that has made it through that first year knows exactly how we feel. This major feeling of accomplishment is very gratifying!

So what have we been up to this past year? Anything and everything you can imagine with a 4 year old boy and twin girls. We've made it through so many hurdles as parents and can finally say things are getting a little easier for us. Those first 6 months were extremely tough on us, me in particular and it seemed like once the twins were able to move around and actually go play with toys that things started to slow down a bit. Now the girls are into absolutely everything, and I mean EVERYTHING!! Georgia is cruising down furniture and walks all over the place with anything she can get behind and push. We've caught her standing in the middle of the room but once she notices she's not holding on to something she sits down. I am waiting for the day that she just lets go and starts walking and I know it's coming soon. Abbygael is a very laid back child and refused to crawl in the traditional sense and gets around the room buy scooting on her rear end, it's hysterical to watch!! with her lack of movement and at 11 months old still having her crib up at the highest level the pediatrician suggested we seek a little physical therapy just to make sure something else wasn't going on that was causing her to not roll over or crawl etc... Well 4 weeks later her crib is now all the way down and she will roll over if she needs to but being on her hands and knees in that crawl position is NOT her favorite. She has started to pull herself up to the coffee table or sofa and will cruise slowly down them but gets stuck at the end. We will continue therapy for her until she is walking without any limitations.

I can't believe these two beautiful gifts from God will be 1 year old on Monday!! We are going to have a big celebration with our military family here and will post pictures and updates soon.

Meet Abbygael and Georgia

2011-01-28T09:24:00.000-08:00

Georgia and Abbygeal 1st night at home

Abbygael

Well they are here............

Abbygael and Georgia were born on Jan 9th. Abbygael came first @ 2:02am weighing 4#14oz and 18in long. Georgis followed @ 2:25am weighing 3# 11.8oz and 17 1/2 in long. Labor was fast and furious with no time for pain intervention. I was happy to not have the c-section they told me I wold have due to georgia being breech but I would have liked a little pain relief! Abbygael was face up(causing the worst back labor ever) and Georgia came out by Breech extraction. The babies did great and were only in the NICU for 13 days, due to small for gestional age. They are now eating like champs and growing like weeds. We have been home for almost a week and are slowly getting into a routine with feedings every 3-4hrs and double the everything. Georgia still has to ride in what's called a Car Bed until she is 5# but she should be there before we know it. Big brother Benjamin is doing very well with our new crazy life and is such a big help with his sisters. He is constantly giving them kisses on the head and comforting them with either a pacifier or singing to them. He is such a pro you would think he's been a big brother before. We are hoping to get a few family pics in here soon, but for now here are some of the girls.

It's Girls!!!!

2010-09-12T18:19:00.000-07:00

So we found out last week that we were expecting twin girls. Adam has just been in total shock with the idea of so much pink. Benjamin had a rough time with the news when we told him he was going to have 2 sister, his only response was dropping to his knees and saying I don't want to be the only brother. Poor guy! since then he is now proud to say he is having 2 sisters whenever asked. We've had a little bit of toddler sass in the past week and think it must be due to all the baby talk going around and so much attention being put on 2 people who aren't even here yet. He and daddy are trying to spend quality "Boy Time" together to see if this helps with the issue. I am afraid if we are dealing with this now then how is it going to be when the babies arrive. Hopefully we'll have enough family in town to help when the time comes and he won't feel left out.

Belly Shot

2010-09-12T18:13:00.001-07:00

18wks 3days and boy have I grown!

Big Changes

2010-08-09T08:34:00.000-07:00

Baby "B"

Baby "A"

Both Baby "A"&"B"

So we have finally made it to New Mexico and are slowly getting settled. I am trying to get used to the place and hoping it will grow on me soon. Right before our big move we found out we were expecting and were super excited. After having my mom fly into LA to help with the move/driving and sleeping in a hotel for almost a month we found out that we are being blessed with twins. No wonder I have felt so bad and just totally wiped most of the time. My energy levels have improved but I am still fighting with the nausea and I hope it comes to an end soon. With the area we moved to lacking in decent medical care I have to drive 1hr 10min to see a good OB/GYN doc and then every 3-4 weeks we go to Albuquerque(3 1/2hrs away) to see the perinatologist. We had our first appointment there last week and left with a calm feeling knowing we are in good hands even if it's hrs away. We had a super ultrasound session measuring both babies and Benjamin and my mom both were able to stay in the room. Ben made the comment that the babies were "Boxing" each other. Our next appointment is Sept 3rd and since it's a holiday weekend we are gonna stay a few days and explore the area there and visit with good friends.

Thank You Mom for staying so long and helping out. I couldn't have done it without you! I Love You

We're Moving Again

2010-04-12T20:47:00.000-07:00

Well it's been 4yr here at Edwards and it is time to say goodbye. We are heading to Hollomon AFB in Alamogordo, NM in less than 2 months. I am looking forward to the move even though we are moving to more desert. I have been told it a kinder more gentler desert :). So now the hunt for a place to live has started and we will be taking a family trip out that way in a few weeks to find our next home.
Google Alamogordo,NM to see where we are headed.

More Ball!

2010-03-30T15:49:00.000-07:00

Home Run!

2010-03-30T13:38:00.000-07:00

If you know our child then you know he LOVES all things sports related. I finally got around to taking some video of him playing ball. I can't believe how good he is at this age and wish they had T-ball for 2yr olds. He can also hit a pitched ball!

More Pictures

2010-03-26T15:06:00.000-07:00

1st trip to the Dentist
He was such a good boy

Found out he will be our Orthodontic Nightmare!

New Park

He asked for one of these after jumping a few minutes.

Busy Spring

2010-03-26T14:49:00.000-07:00

The new Park

Sitting with his cousins

Jumping with the Birthday Girl

He loves Alligators and the color green

Cousin Stephanie's B-day party

We've had a busy couple of weeks out here with birthday parties down in Orange county ,visiting friends we haven't seen in over a year, and waiting to find out when and where we will be moving to this summer. We found out this week we are moving to Holomon AFB in New Mexico, so we will be trading one desert life for another, but are still waiting to find out when we have to be there. . I am excited about the move and am ready to leave Edwards after a very long 4yrs here and have already started looking for a place to live(This is stressful). Benjamin is growing up so fast these days and has become such a little boy . He knows all his ABC's and can now count to 13 all on his own. He loves going to "His" Toddler University classes and if what he's wearing has pockets, then something has to be put in them ie: Rocks, bugs, and money if he's lucky. They finally finished all the new construction and built a beautiful big park right down from our house. Ben asks everyday to go to the new park and play either Tennis, Basketball, or Volleyball.

A while

2010-03-08T20:50:00.000-08:00

Sorry it has been a while since my last post. I am happy to report I am feeling just about 100% these days and am so happy to be walking upright like a normal person. My mother in law came in on a 1 way tick the end of January not knowing she would be here for 5 weeks and boy was it appreciated! We wouldn't have known what to do without her help. I'm pretty sure she didn't mind missing 5 weeks of Chicago winter, and had many a laughs at my expense from all the pain medication I was taking(Most of what I said made no sense). Benjamin loved having his G.G. here for that long and was very sad when she had to leave and even had his Thomas bag ready to go to the airport.

thank You Gail for coming out here for so long and all you did around here! We Love you!

What a week will bring

2010-01-19T13:49:00.000-08:00

Update: This past week has been a rough one around the Quick house. It all started Last Monday morning with me on the floor in the entry room wrenching and screaming in pain from my back down my left leg. Adam was in a meeting and so I called the clinic on base who informed me I had to call 911 or they'd call for me. So I called 911 and then called my neighbor to come get Benjamin. I have never felt so helpless in my entire life and no one wants their child to see them on the floor screaming in pain. Before I knew it help was here and I was getting happy drugs in the ambulance while on my way to AV Hospital. All AV did was give me more drugs and send me home with Tylenol #3. I had an MRI last Wednesday night which results now have me being sent to a Neurosurgeon down in Palmdale. Lucky for me they had some openings and called me this morning to see if I could come in tomorrow instead of next week. I am interested to hear what they have to say and hope to get off these pain meds soon and get some relief from treatments.

So with the above being said this past week has been interesting with a 2yr old. I've had to rely on friends and neighbors to come over early AM to get Benjamin out of bed, take him for the day, then return with him for nap time and lay him down for me, and then back again to get him up after his nap. So to make things a bit easier we decided Ben's crib had to be changed to a toddler bed. I hated doing it since he sleeps so well in his crib and has no desire to climb out of it, but we had no other choice given my back situation. Amazingly he has done just fine and sleeps his normal 12(+) hrs a night and 3 1/2hr naps in the afternoon. We are so glad this was an easy transition for him, now if he would just use the big boy potty :).

Thank You Amy for all you help this past week! I would know what to do without you!

more pics

2010-01-08T19:35:00.000-08:00

Here come the pictures!!

2010-01-07T19:53:00.000-08:00

And We're back!

2010-01-04T20:47:00.000-08:00

We had a great Christmas in Freezing Chicago and are now just trying to recover. Pictures to come soon :)

Sing-A-Longs

2009-11-25T15:45:00.000-08:00

Here is a little view into our car rides these days. If it has any type of music in it, Ben will attempt to sing it. :)

Benjamin is "2" Today!

2009-11-24T20:21:00.000-08:00

Listening to Nana & Papa sing to him this morning

Birthday Dinner @ Chili's, Mmmmmm... It was so good!

I was ready for some cake and Ice Cream

Helping mommy put up the Christmas Tree

~Where has the time gone? It seems like just yesterday I was pregnant and anticipating the arrival of our little man, and now he's 2! How can it be? We are enjoying the everyday adventures that come our way with a now 2yr old. Ben is such a happy kid and loves to sing and dance to all his favorite songs. He can count to 10 and can sing his ABC's. he knows most of his colors, but Blue is his favorite one right now. We had his birthday party last weekend at the Bowling Alley before all his friends left for Thanksgiving break and the kid has become a Pro. He loves all things sports related and is in heaven if you take him to Buffalo Wild Wings or BJ's where he can watch some sort of game on the walls of Televisions(This makes daddy very happy). He is talking more and more each day and I love listening to him watch a show in the car with the headphones on,it makes me remember stories my parents told of my brother and I singing way to loud.

You are growing into such a big boy, I cherish every minute of everyday and thank God for letting me be your Mommy.

Oh! and here's his stats

Height 3' 1"

Weight 27.5

At this rate he will be 6' 2" by age 18 :)

Happy Halloween

2009-10-31T15:21:00.000-07:00

We are all ready for Trick-or-Treating tonight and Benjamin is a Dragon this year and has been working on his ROAR!!!!! I decided to do things a little differently and instead of handing out candy to the kids I opted for Purple & Orange glow necklaces and fruit snacks. I did get some fun dips for the older kids. Hopefully they will enjoy it, I mean who doesn't like glow necklaces?! It is a gorgeous day here today with highs in the mid 80's so I took advantage of the weather and cut back all the shrubs in the front of the house and while doing so found me a new friend AKA....Mr. Tarantula crawling up the front of my house near Benjamin's window, of course he had to show up today of all days. How weird is that?

HAPPY HALLOWEEN YA'LL

Underwood Family Farm

2009-10-11T13:00:00.000-07:00

Yesterday we drove down to LA with friends to the Underwood farms http://www.underwoodfamilyfarms.com/. We got to see a tractor parade, animals shows, and even went on a tractor/hayride through the pumpkin patch. We left with a huge pumpkin that had to be rolled out in the stroller :) It was definately a great day for all and we couldn't of asked for better weather.

Growing up so fast!

2009-10-10T19:30:00.000-07:00

It's hard to beleive my baby is almost 2yrs old! Where has the time gone?

I Wanna Rock!

2009-10-04T09:49:00.000-07:00

These were the words coming out of my sons mouth Friday night, I Wanna Rock!. Ben is always playing with Adam Guitar hero and any other kind of guitar he finds in a store. I was lucky enough to find a plug and play guitar at a kids consignment sale Friday morning for $6.oo. It has been two days now and when you ask Ben if he wants to watch a show or do anything he says"I Wanna Rock". I guess we have a future rock star on our hands :)

Cool tub toy

2009-10-03T14:23:00.000-07:00

Thanks to Uncle Dave Aunt Jari and Mikayla and Adelyn for my new super cool tub toys. It has been a huge hit and was perfect to take on our trip to Disneyland.

Thank You!

SETP Conference

2009-10-03T14:03:00.000-07:00

We were very fortunate to have Nana out again this year for our SETP conference at Disney Land. We ventured out to the parks during the day while Adam was in the conference, Had dinner with our squadron(60+) and lots of fun watching the parades at night with daddy. It was a lot warmer this year than years past so we were all exhausted by the end of the 3 day trip and ready to head back home. It's sad to think this was our last SETP conference here at Disneyland, but we've sure had a great 3 yrs being able to go.

USS Midway

2009-09-06T14:53:00.000-07:00

We headed out to San Diego Friday morning to spend a little time with Auntie Berta. She was in for a conference and was able to duck out early so we could do some sight seeing. We had a great time and wished we could have seen her longer but know she had to head home.
Saturday morning we went over to the USS Midway to look at the ship and all the airplanes and helicopters on it. We had such a great time and Ben thought it was the coolest thing ever. Here is the picture they take right when you come aboard. I will post more of the air crafts later.

Poor Guy!

2009-09-03T16:37:00.000-07:00

Benjamin fell in the kitchen yesterday morning and once again busted his mouth. This one was a lot worse than the first one and it bled for 1 1/2 hrs. I thought about taking him into the doc for possible stitches but it finally stopped gushing and the day started to look brighter :) These are just a few pics I took last evening and a lot of the swelling had already gone down.

I know this isn't the last, and we will have many many more boy traumas to the face and body as he gets older.

Getting caught!

2009-08-29T14:32:00.000-07:00

The pictures speak for themselves!

Haircut

2009-08-29T14:19:00.000-07:00

Ben had another haircut yesterday at Kid castles in Lancaster. He likes being able to pick out which car he wants to sit in and has always been very still for the ladies cutting his hair. He gets so serious when they start cutting, and his facial expressions are a hoot!!

WildFires

2009-08-29T14:13:00.000-07:00

I never thought I would live somewhere that it would rain ash! It is really stinky and smokey outside right now from the current wildfires. I stepped outside for just a brief moment to snap a picture and had to come right back in because it was getting so thick. Our prayers are with all the firefighters working out there!

Potty

2009-08-21T21:09:00.000-07:00

He might have broken the cup!

We bought a potty for Benjamin last month when he started showing an interest in our bathroom breaks. This little potty has been sitting in his bathroom since with the occasional sit with clothes on until just recently when he now wants to take his diaper off and sit like a big buy. He seems to do this after he's already wet his diaper but we are encouraging it anyways. I know he will kill me one day for posting these photos but they are just so cute and shows that he's just not a baby anymore :(

Maybe having a best friend 9 months older is paying off !

Major Promotion

2009-08-03T16:54:00.000-07:00

We are so proud of Adam! Saturday was his change of rank day from Captain to Major and being the quiet guy he is he wanted to get by without a ceremony. Well his commander made sure he had one and made it happen during the morning meeting today. Benjamin wanted to be right beside his daddy while he took the oath( this was so cute!). Congratulations Adam! I love you so much and am so very proud of your accomplishments.

Toddler University Wk#2

2009-08-02T22:39:00.000-07:00

Here is just a little bit of toddler university.

I think He likes it!

2009-08-02T22:20:00.000-07:00

This Movie is sooooo goooood.......

Leaving the dealership

Daddy can I drive? Please!!!!!

Benjamin is just in Love with "HIS" new van. We are still trying to figure out all the cool stuff it does, but he learned real fast to put on his head phones if he wants a show.

Drum Roll Please.........

2009-08-01T15:41:00.000-07:00

After a whirlwind 48hrs we are finally the proud owners of a beautiful Honda Odyssey!!! This has been a long and very frustration journey for us and we are glad it is all over. We found a dealership that was honest and friendly and didn't try and give us a the bait and switch like Lancaster Honda did Thursday night.

Thank You Power Honda of Valencia for such fast, courteous and GREAT service!! We will pass the word onto our friends in the local area.

New family addition

2009-07-29T21:38:00.001-07:00

As most of you know I have been talking non-stop about getting a van. It has been a very long process but finally it is coming to an end. We will be adding a new member to the family tomorrow night if all goes well. Here is a temporary picture of her until I can get her first photos taken :)

I am sooo excited!!!!!!!

Swimming Lessons and summer fun!

2009-07-29T14:08:00.000-07:00

We have been super busy these last few weeks with swim lessons every morning and birthday parties. Now that swiming is over we are starting Toddler University on Thursday's and are having such a great time. Benjamin's buddy Warren came back from his 2 month vacation to Ohio so we had lunch with them yesterday and they were so excited to see each other :) School starts back here on August 10th so we are getting ready for another EOSC year to start and for me to be super busy. Hopefully this last year here will fly by us and it will be moving day :) I can only wish right!

Amazing Skyline

2009-07-29T13:55:00.000-07:00

It has been so hot here lately that the skies at night are just beautiful. This was just before the heat lightning started.

Fun times

2009-07-08T22:17:00.000-07:00

My parents came in for Ben's surgery and a little family vacation and boy did we have fun. The 3 weeks were filled with trips to UCLA, Papa working on Adam's truck so it's in top shape for the trade in when we get our van(Yippeee!) and lots and lots of playtime. Papa bought Ben his first kite and it is super cool and really really big! We were sad to see them go but know they had to get back to work and the rest of the family. Hopefully we'll get to see everyone real soon!

thanks Nana and Papa for making the trip all the way out here to see us!! We had a blast!

Surgery Day

2009-06-20T21:20:00.000-07:00

Trying to wake him up so we could get him dressed, IV out and start heading home

after 30 min of screaming post- operation he finally fell back asleep in daddy's arms

Pre-operation and he was hungry, thirsty, tired and NOT happy

Benjamin had his surgery yesterday at UCLA and is on the road to recovery. Everything went well and I was able to go into the OR with him until he was put to sleep. they gave him a spinal block so he was numb from the bellybutton down for 12 hrs afterwards. It was nice that they blocked the pain but very hard on our part because he wanted to walk 1 hr after and wasn't able to, would get extremely frustrated and have a melt down. The block wore off about 7hrs after and he was almost running by then with the occasional stumble. We go back for a post operation check on July 6th. Hopefully we will have the all clear and can sign up for swim lessons soon.

Thanks to everyone who said those extra prayers for him and for Adam and I during this whole thing. It really meant a lot!

More Vacation........

2009-06-08T21:43:00.001-07:00

more........

2009-06-08T21:27:00.000-07:00

more vacation

2009-06-08T21:06:00.001-07:00

Family Vacation 2009

2009-06-08T20:45:00.000-07:00

We had such a great time with Gail and Mac this past week. Benjamin doesn't know what to do now that it's just boring mom all day long. We started our trip out in San Francisco for 4 days then headed to Monterrey, Ca for some beach and gorgeous scenery and then ended the trip with 2 days at Disneyland before heading home. we gave Gail and Mac about 24hrs before they had to catch a flight back to Chicago.

Thanks G.G and Grandpa for making the trip out here! We had such a blast!!!

Oh! How I love living here!

2009-05-28T13:48:00.000-07:00

Can I move away now? I've had enough!

This is the 3rd Black Widow I've killed this size since Monday !

Loves the camera!

2009-05-20T21:14:00.000-07:00

I heard from UCLA today with the date for benjamin's surgery. Looks like he will have his Hernia repair on June 19th. We have to wait and call the day before to find out what time we have to be down there. Hopefullt it will be as fast of a procedure and they say and we will be back home shortly after surgery. Now we just have to wait until then!

On a different note I took some new pictures of benjamin out in the backyard playing ball a few nights ago.

Christy's Baby shower

2009-05-20T18:22:00.000-07:00

Saturday afternoon us girls threw Christy her baby shower. She isn't due until mid June but we think baby Abigail is going to make an early entrance. We all had such a wonderful time and can't wait to meet that little girl!

And now an update.....

2009-05-08T15:57:00.000-07:00

As most of you have already heard Benjamin was diagnosed with a Hernia this past week and will be having surgery in the next few weeks to repair it. We are still waiting on Tricare to process the referral so we can see the Pediatric surgeon down at UCLA. Hopefully we will hear from them by the beginning of next week and be on our way to getting this fixed. Thanks to everyone who has been praying for me to have peace with this whole situation. Of all of this I am more worried about the general anaesthesia than the actual surgery itself.

Thanks again, I'll be updating as soon as we hear something. :)

more pics of old street

2009-05-08T15:36:00.001-07:00

Our old place is right across from the red bulldozer. Man how things change in a year!

Old Neighborhood

2009-05-08T15:25:00.000-07:00

Ben and I have ventured over to our old neighborhood to the park until they finish our new one. We recently found out the old park will stay as they tear down the old houses. It's a great park and the kids love it but it is very sad to see all the house being demolished :( Even with the park remaining it just won't be the same. We had so many memories made there!

A toast!

2009-04-29T15:41:00.000-07:00

Ahhh....those were the days! I stumbled upon this picture yesterday while looking through an old Nursing book for a friend and man did this bring back some memories! Before Husbands and children :) I think this was Tiffany's Beach wedding.

Bert we were HOT back then!

I wouldn't change anything for what I have now, but I have come to realize I will never look like this again :) Here's to all those crazy nights out on the town!

Poppy Festival

2009-04-27T14:02:00.000-07:00

Here are a few pics from the Festival. this was the first year we've gone and we had such a nice time with friends! We had to leave a little early because Benjamin was completely worn out :) and passed out in the stroller. Sorry you missed all the animals in the petting zoo!

Future Astronaut

2009-04-27T13:55:00.001-07:00

We ventured out to the Poppy Festival In Lancaster over the weekend with some good friends and stumbled upon the NASA tent. We couldn't pass up this photo opportunity!

Look Out NASA! Here comes trouble.

Yummo?

2009-04-21T22:32:00.000-07:00

Why does my 17 month old still like to chew his feet/ shoes? It was fine when the kid wasn't walking but now it's just gross. Maybe it will end when he gets all his teeth? Who knows maybe he'll always be known as the kid who eats shoes! UGH!!!!!!!!!!

Busted Lip

2009-04-20T22:20:00.000-07:00

So I knew it would eventually happen and Sunday morning it did. Benjamin fell in the kitchen while running and trying to take his jacket off at the same time and landed on his face. I knew by the sound that it was going to be bad and man o man was it! The blood was gushing everywhere and he was screaming his head off for what seemed like an eternity. We finally got him calmed down 45min later and things were a little better with 3 blankies, a boo boo buddy, and a grape popsicle that was followed by his Paci. We felt so bad for the guy and knew he was in a lot of pain. The whole situation made him absolutely exhausted and he wound up taking a 4 1/2 hr nap to recover from the incident.

Don't tell anyone that mommy took a little snooze also! :)

Toddler Tantrums

2009-04-19T20:46:00.000-07:00

These seem to happen frequently these days and so I grabbed the camera and started snapping away only to find out it just made the situation worse. Oh it's so tough to be a toddler!

Isn't he cute!!

2009-04-14T21:10:00.000-07:00

I think the title says it all!

2009-04-14T21:00:00.000-07:00

As you can tell my new camera came this week and I've been having a blast with it! Enjoy all the cute picts to come.

New Toy

2009-04-06T09:30:00.000-07:00

I have been sucked into the SLR Camera family. I would not have been able to buy one of these awesome cameras if I had not known about a cool site called http://www.slickdeals.net/. They run daily deals on just about everything and we have gotten som great deals from the site. I can't wait for thee camera to get here, and hopefully by easter so I can take some pics of Ben :)

Been a while!

2009-04-04T17:35:00.000-07:00

Sorry it's been a while since I last posted. things have been super crazy around here with memorial services for Dave Cooley, the F-22 pilot we lost on March 25th. We also had a friend of ours from TPS come back from his 7 month deployment today so we got a limo and loaded up 15 of us and headed down to LAX this morning to welcome him home. It was so great to see Doug back here safe and sound, and I know his wife is so excited to have her Man back :). We have a few busy weeks ahead of us with appointments and Easter parties, trips to the zoo and Transportation Town. I will get new pictures of Ben up here soon I promise!!!

Please pray for Whoever this is!

2009-03-25T13:11:00.000-07:00

I feel absolutely sick to my stomach right now! We still don't know who the pilot is and if he is ok. The base is eerily quiet right now and we are all just waiting! Please pray for the pilot and their family!

From Mike Mount CNN Pentagon Producer

WASHINGTON (CNN) -- An Air Force F-22A fighter jet crashed Wednesday near Edwards Air Force Base in California, Air Force officials said.

An F-22A fighter jet similar to this one crashed Wednesday during a test mission in California.

The single-seater crashed about 10:30 a.m. for unknown reasons, the officials said.
The status of the pilot was unknown.
At $150 million apiece, the F-22A is the most expensive Air Force jet.
The fighter was on a test mission when it crashed about 35 miles northeast of Edwards AFB, where it was stationed, the Air Force said in a news release.
In 2004, an F-22 Raptor crashed on a training mission in the Nevada desert. The pilot ejected and was not hurt, though the jet was destroyed.
The plane was designed in the 1980s to provide a stealthy method to enter Soviet air space and strike Soviet bombers if the USSR attempted a nuclear strike.
Once the Cold War ended, the Air Force found a new mission for the F-22 as a long-range fighter with a sophisticated stealth design and state-of-the-art equipment that no other plane could rival.
However, the rising cost of the plane and numerous design and software problems threatened the program, which was almost killed by Congress.
In the end, the aircraft survived, and most of the problems were fixed, except for the price tag, which forced the Air Force to buy fewer aircraft

School days, School days.......

2009-03-18T10:39:00.000-07:00

Benjamin has been going to an In home provider on Tuesdays and Thursdays for about a month now and really enjoys it. Ms. Carol is so sweet and even takes pictures during time he is there.

thanks Carol for making my little guy so comfortable!

Fun times at the park

2009-03-14T18:12:00.001-07:00

~We took advantage of the gorgeous day today and headed out the door with the stroller for lunch and Ice Cream. After that we walked to one of the parks and Benjamin had a blast! He is such a big boy now and wants to do things all by himself. Nothing like giving mommy heart failure!

Latest Fashion Statement

2009-02-27T14:05:00.000-08:00

~So what do you get when you want to snuggle with your 65 lb lab mix, she doesn't help you grab her, your hand slips and yanks your thumb back so far that it pops? You get a torn tendon and I small fracture that's what you get!

It's a good thing she's so cute!!

15 Months

2009-02-25T21:32:00.000-08:00

It's hard to believe Ben is 15 months already, where has the time gone. We are embracing "Toddler hood" one day at a time and loving every minute of it. We went for his check up today and he is growing like a weed. He weighed in at 22lbs 5 oz and is 33 3/4 in tall. This puts him at 25th percentile for weight and above the 95th percentile for height. The Dr was a little concerned that he has lost weight since his 12 month check and told us to offer him more snacks. This kid already eats all the time and I don't know what else to do. I am trying not to worry about it all to much and just see how things go the next few months. Hopefully bu his 18month check he will have gained a few pounds.

His vocabulary is growing daily and says things like Dog, Darla, Jay Jay(for Jasmine) thank you, please, this, and many more. He loves to jump, dance and kick the soccer ball and is running around the house all day long. He is starting to take just one nap a day now which makes running errands a little easier. We go play at the new jungle Zone every Mon,Wed, and Fri for open play and he loves every minute of it. tomorrow is his first day at Ms. Carol's house, she is one of the in-home providers and Ben just loves her and the other kids there. He will be going every Tuesday and Thursday for just a few hrs to have some interaction with other kids. It's also a perk that she teaches Preschool so he'll be learning lots of new things while there and I can get a few things done around here.

Griffith Park and "Travel Town"

2009-02-16T16:33:00.000-08:00

We took advantage of the nice day before the rain headed our way and drove down to LA on Sunday. I wanted to get fitted for new shoes and Griffith park just happened to be across the street so after new shoes we headed off to explore the park. It was such a nice day out and we had no idea they had so much to do inside. We stopped for a map and rode a small train( no pics from that one sorry) then headed up the mountain to "Travel Town" This is a free site where old commuter/coal burning trains are restored. they are no longer in working order but you can climb aboard most of them. We also went on a little train ride around the park which Ben LOVED! they had lots of Birthday parties and just Fun, Fun, Fun!!!!

Snagged from another Blog

2009-02-09T09:01:00.000-08:00

One of the many blogs I read is "Crumbs in my Couch" and she posted a video found on the internet that i just had to share. I looks pretty boring but hang in there until the end, It's worth it!!!! http://video.yahoo.com/watch/3190068/9026734

Where's my Beer?

2009-01-22T18:13:00.000-08:00

I think this picture speaks for itself :P

It all started with a Mouse

2009-01-22T18:02:00.000-08:00

Ben has a new love for all things Mickey Mouse so we decided to change his room a bit. I made him a not so little quilt and changed out his lamp and now we are just waiting on the wall boarder. Every time he goes into his room he squeals like a little girl and points to all the Mickey's. My little boy is growing up so fast and everyday he shows us that he is not a baby anymore and so wants to be a big kid!

What I want to be when I grow up

2009-01-22T15:20:00.000-08:00

After a long trip to Chicago and Florida I just knew someone was going to get sick and it just happened to be Ben and I. After 10 days of fighting the fevers and cough we headed to the Ped's clinic on Wednesday and then over to Flight Medicine Thursday, back again Friday and after the long weekend had me back in Tuesday. While waiting Friday for a breathing treatment Ben discovered the stirrups on the table and that he could pull then out and open them up. He of course thought this was super cool, but I wasn't so sure about this new found toy. I quickly grabbed the camera from the diaper bag and asked him what he was doing. The expression on his face is so cute and innocent. when Adam got home I told him about the picture and that his son was going to be a Gynecologist when he grew up :) Ben is going to kill me for this picture when he's a teenager!!

What time is it?

2009-01-18T20:14:00.000-08:00

So now when you tell Ben it's "Tubby Time" this is what happens in our house. He's even tried to get his tubbies a little early by taking the diaper off and running around the house. He wanted a tubby so bad the other night that he wouldn't keep his diaper on so we just let him walk around naked.

Helping someone in need

2009-01-17T20:53:00.001-08:00

The military has funny ways of connecting individuals. Sometimes you meet them directly, through friends or sometimes not at all and just know each other from mutual friends and develop a friendship even if it's miles and miles apart. Carrie has a friend Shelley she met while stationed here at Edwards the 1st time and they are in the process of expanding their family and adopting a little girl from Korea. This situation has truly touched my heart because you never know how God is going to bless you. Please go check out http://www.asisterforthebean.blogspot.com/. Their amazing story will touch your heart!

Nora Caitlin Holloway

2009-01-08T21:35:00.000-08:00

It seems like Christmas and New Years was the time to have babies. Roberta and Lenny added another little one to there clan on Dec 23rd. Nora is absolutely beautiful and I am so glad I made it home in time for her arrival.

New Cousin

2009-01-08T21:24:00.000-08:00

Ben had a new cousin born on New years Eve.

Sienna Rose was born December 31st 10:32pm

6 pounds 3.5 ounces

19.5 inches long

Ben loves being surrounded by all these girls!!! They are so much fun to play with :)

Welcome to the family Sienna and we can't wait to meet you!

Christmas in Florida

2009-01-08T20:56:00.000-08:00

Riding with Ade

I see another alligator over there!

Lets Go!

Glenda cleaning up the back of my head and i'm sweaping up the mess.

Big boy in the chair :)

Kids night at the mall and the kids ride for free

Playtime with Mikayla and Ade

Oooooooo.........Cars!! I love cars!!!!

does this bow make my head look big?

We had an absolute blast in Florida over Christmas break. We were able to be there for my friend Roberta to deliver her second baby a little girl named Nora Caitlin. We spent Christmas Eve with the Marlins out in Destin Commons letting the kids see Santa and then play on the playground. Ben went to see Ms. Glenda for his first haircut. He was such a big boy sitting in that chair and we were all amazed at how still he sat for her. We had tons of fun with my brother and his family and Ben really enjoyed playing with his cousins Mikayla and Adelyn and loved riding the carousel on Tuesday nights at the mall. It was sad to say goodbye to everyone but we know we'll see them soon.

thanks for a wonderful Christmas!!!

I'll post soon!

2009-01-07T20:47:00.000-08:00

Sorry for the lack of posts lately but with the long holiday trips and getting back into our routine here I just haven't had time to load all the pictures from Christmas with my folks. We had a wonderful time and hated to leave everyone and hope to make it back soon or have a family trip out to Cali :)

Pictures to come soon, I promise!!

Squadron Christmas Party

2008-12-19T20:17:00.000-08:00

~Due to the 6 " of snow the Annual 416Th children's Christmas party was moved to this afternoon. Ben had a blast running around the hanger waiting for Santa to arrive on the F-16 with Rudolph as his pilot. Once he arrived he quickly ran out with the other kids to greet him and followed him to his seat by the tree. After waiting in a very long line it was finally Ben's turn to sit on Santa's lap for a great picture opportunity. Well my child all the sudden freaked and turned bright red and started screaming and arching his back. The photographer took the photo anyways and I am glad he did. I think this is the best picture ever!! How many moms out there have a picture like this with one of there own :)

Merry Christmas!

P.S. Benjamin wants Santa to know he is super sorry he freaked out and hopes he is still on the nice list?

Blizzard In The Desert

2008-12-17T20:41:00.000-08:00

~Well wouldn't you know after 10 days in Chicago thinking it would be the only snow Benjamin would see the sky decides to open up and lay a huge blanket of snow onto the Antelope Valley. What started as just a little wet/flurries this morning turned into the largest snow storm this area has seen in year! Ben and I were in Palmdale running errands before our trip to Florida next week and things went from just wet to down right aweful! Thank heavens we made it home safe and sound and took Ben out for a little funtime in the snow. As you can tell from the pictures he had a lot of fun :)

1st Birthdays

2008-12-07T12:56:00.000-08:00

Ooooo!!! Slides and swings!!!

This leaf feels funny!!

Kathleen and Caden with their cupcakes. Caden cried when he got the icing on his hands :)

Benjamin went to another 1st birthday party yesterday. His girlfriend Kathleen who will be 1 yr on December 20th and Caden who turned 1 on November 27th. The party was on base at the clinic park and he and daddy had a blast on the swings and slide.

Happy 1st Birthday guys!!!

Squadron Christmas Party

2008-12-06T17:44:00.000-08:00

Last night was the 416th Holiday party so we got a sitter and headed into Lancaster for a night of food music and an open bar. Enjoy the little video I took of the Lt's doing an 80's free style. Good thing they were all liquored up and don't remember any of it :)

Chicago for Thanksgiving

2008-12-05T11:32:00.000-08:00

Brrrrrrrrrrrr..............

The new siding!! I love the Green!!!

Mmmmm...Chocolate Cupcakes!!

I can't put my arms down!!

Swinging with Grandpa

1st Birthdays for Autumn and Benjamin

Shed Aquarium downtown Chicago

Inside the aquarium with Ben's friend Emma Grace

Red Robin for my 1st Birthday dinner.

Toys R Us on my birthday

We had a wonderful time in Chicago with the Quick clan. Ben met his cousins Lilly and Autumn and had tons of fun playing with them. He really took to Lilly and by the weekend was snuggling on the floor with her watching a movie.

We got a little bit of snow while there and Ben wasn't quite sure what to make of it. He looked so funny all bundled up in his snow jacket, hat and gloves! Just picture the little brother in a Christmas Story with the "I can't put my arms down" scene.

Ben had his 1st birthday while there and it was celebrated multiple times. We took him to Red Robin Monday night to see his reaction to strangers singing to him. Then Tuesday we headed to downtown Chicago to the Shed Aquarium http://www.sheddaquarium.org/ with some friends from Edwards who were in town visiting family also. we celebrated again when the Minnesota Quick's arrived since Autumn and Ben are only 10 days apart.

This was a great trip and we were glad to spend so much time with family, but bummed that aunt Heather couldn't make it from Boston :( Hopefully we'll get to see her soon.

Happy 1st Birthday Benjamin

2008-11-24T08:05:00.000-08:00

2 weeks

2 months

6 months

4Months

Birthday Boy

It is so hard for us to believe that our baby is 1yr already. this first year has gone by so fast and everyday I see changes in my little boy. He is becoming less and less of a baby and more of a little man. Here is a look back at Ben's 1st year!!

We love you so much and can't remember what we did before you, God has truly blessed us!

Happy Birthday!

The Switch

2008-11-20T07:40:00.001-08:00

~We have officially made the switch to cloth diapers and I have to say my little boys tush looks so cute in his new Bum Genius 3.0 :) I am super excited about this switch and will keep everyone up to date on how things are going.

~We are flying to Chicago on Saturday to spend Thanksgiving with G.G and Pop Pop and Ben will meet two cousins for the first time. We are super excited and are looking forward to some cooler weather. I'll have tons of pics to post when we get back!

Wish us luck on our new "Adventures in Cloth Diapering"

New Addition

2008-11-18T16:51:00.001-08:00

We had a new addition to the family arrive today and boy are we happy!!! Not only is it leather but it also reclines! hello nap time for mommy :P

Little Helper

2008-11-18T14:36:00.000-08:00

Ben has taken after the Marlin kids(Jacob especially) and has this obsession with the broom and vacuum cleaner. Today I was cleaning the floors getting ready for our new Couch and Love seat and as I am vacuuming Ben is sweeping the floors. Gotta love a good little helper:)

Military wife

2008-11-17T14:30:00.000-08:00

I think a couple of us received this Via email and have posted it on our blogs because it sums up all that we feel and go through on a daily basis. To all my friends who serve with their husbands, I love ya! We have the toughest job!

What is a MILITARY Wife?

~A Military wife can be tough to describe. She is a southern belle, a northeastern Mets fan, a California 3rd generation recycler, a Pacific Islander. She is short or tall, a tomboy, a fashion diva, a physician's assistant, a Republican, a Democrat. A Military Wife is a career gal, a home-schooler, a scrap-booker, an accomplished cellist, an auto mechanic.

What IS a Military Wife? WHAT is a Military Wife? What is a MILITARY Wife?

~They may look different and each is wonderfully unique. But, this they have in common. They have THIS IN COMMON! Lots of moving---moving, moving, moving! Moving far from home, moving two cars, three kids and one dog----all riding with HER, of course. Moving sofas to basements because they won't go in THIS house. Moving curtains that won't fit. Moving jobs and certifications and professional development hours. Moving away from friends moving toward new friends. Moving her most important luggage; her trunk full of memories. Often waiting---waiting, waiting,waiting! Waiting for housing; waiting for orders;waiting for deployment; waiting for reunion; waiting for phones calls; waiting for the new curtains to arrive; waiting for him to come home for dinner----AGAIN!
They call her "military dependent", but she knows better. She can balance a checkbook, handle the yard work, fix a noisy toilet. She is intimately familiar with drywall, anchors, and toggle bolts. She can file the taxes, sell a house, buy a car, or set up a move, ---all with ONE Power of Attorney. She welcomes neighbors that don't welcome her. Reinvents her career with every PCS; locates a house in the desert, the arctic, or the deep south and learns to call them all "home". She MAKES them all home. She is fiercely IN-dependent!
Military Wives are somewhat hasty. They leap into decorating, leadership, volunteering, career alternatives, churches and friendships. They don't have 15 years to get to know people. Their roots are short but flexible. They plant annuals for themselves and perennials for those who come after them. Military Wives quickly learn to value each other. They connect over coffee, rely on the spouse-network and accept offers of friendship and favors and record addresses in pencil.

~Military Wives have a common bond. The Military Wife has a husband unlike other husbands - his commitment is unique. He doesn't have a job, he has "mission" - he can't just decide to quit. He's on-call for his country 24/7, but for you, he's the most unreliable guy in town! His language is foreign ---TDY, PCS, OPR, ACC, BDU. And so, a Military Wife is a translator for her family and his. She is the long-distance link to keep them informed - the glue that holds them together.

~The Military Wife has her moments. She wants to wring his neck, dye his uniform pink, and refuse to move to Siberia . But she pulls herself together. Give her a few days, a travel brochure, a long hot bath, a pledge to the flag, and a wedding picture. And she goes. She packs. She moves. She follows. Why? What for? How come? You may think it is because she has lost her mind. But actually it is because she has lost her heart.It was stolen from her by a man, who puts duty first, who longs to deploy, who salutes the flag and whose boots in the doorway remind her that as long as he is her military husband, she will remain his military wife.

Being a Military wife is hard at times but I wouldn't change it for anything! I am very proud of my hubby and all he has accomplished!

More Walking

2008-11-05T16:42:00.000-08:00

And He's Off!!!

2008-11-05T12:36:00.000-08:00

Go Baby Go!!!

1st Halloween

2008-11-03T21:25:00.000-08:00

~Benjamin had a great time Trick or Treating. He started his day with a costume party/contest at the children's library where he won most original! I was very surprised but think they liked his skull Vans with his "Little Devil" costume. Friday night we went trick or treating to a few houses before heading back home to pass out candy to all the kids. He was very upset when all the kids would just walk up get the candy and then turn around and walk away, he cried almost every time :( it was so sad . We had to leave the bowl outside and close the door early so he could calm down and go to sleep :) That's my crazy boy!

Thanks again Nana for my early birthday gift! As you can see it was great for holding my treat bag :)

Watch me go!!

2008-10-29T14:30:00.000-07:00

~Ben is getting great at the walking thing so Adam and I have been trying our hardest to get some decent footage for everyone. Sorry it's a little dark :( but I thought it was a cute video! we'll get more soon with some better lighting and hopefully he'll take those 8-9 steps he's been doing.

Who's turn?

2008-10-29T14:19:00.000-07:00

~Benjamin has been interested in the dog door for months now and we knew it was only a matter of time before he started sticking himself out of it like the dogs do. well.......That day has finally come. Over the weekend it got very quite and I looked over the back of the couch to find my son half way out the dog door with his little tush sticking out! It was so cute! I know the day is coming when he will put his whole body out it. hopefully when he does he doesn't go landing on his head:)

First Sitter

2008-10-25T17:37:00.000-07:00

Benjamin has his first babysitter tonight while Adam and I go to a Halloween party up in California City. Her name is Brooke and she is 16yrs old, home schooled and has a 9yr old sister and a 6 month old sister. Wish me luck that we have a good time and not worry about the boy the whole night. I'll post tomorrow to let everyone know how it went!

Pumpkin Patch

2008-10-24T20:32:00.001-07:00

Thursday's playgroup ventured out to the pumpkin patch. We had our 9 car caravan all loaded up and ready to go and were off to the Patch in Rosamond. When we arrived we were told they had reached mass capacity of 150 kids(6 school buses showed up at the same time we did) so back into the cars, and down to the Patch in Lancaster. This one was much bigger and the kids had a blast! they had a giant slide that Aislin decided she didn't want to go down once she got all the way up to the top. She finally came down after Camden, with Ms Janice and Ella. they had swings, spinning tubs and even a petting zoo. Ben wasn't sure about the animals at first and kept making funny noises at them. We found a few little pumpkins and took a picture with a "BIG ONE" that was as big as Ben and then went to have lunch. We told daddy we would have to go back this weekend and maybe they could go down the slide together :)

Mmmmmmm....Potatoes!

2008-10-22T18:07:00.000-07:00

We have always know Ben likes food, but I think this says it all. I totally had a flash of A Christmas Story and automatically said "How do little piggies eat".

Moves

2008-10-17T21:03:00.000-07:00

So Ben might be a Red headed white boy but I think he's got some serious moves!! Look out ladies, he'll be hitting the club scene soon :)

Day at the park

2008-10-15T14:33:00.000-07:00

Over the holiday weekend we took Ben for a ride in his new wagon and headed to the park. It was just beautiful outside and we had a great time.

AHHHHHHH!!!!!!! Now I feel better

2008-10-11T21:31:00.000-07:00

So what if I started doing Saturday confessions? Actually I just need to vent where no one can interrupt me!!

As most of you know I mistakenly decided to join the OSC board(Officers Spouses Club) and my friend Beth and I took on the job as Welcoming/Membership. You wouldn't think it would be that tough of a job and pleasing people would be easy? WRONG! after our last board meeting where I felt like I was in the middle of the "Running with the bulls" I started to question the actions of the organization and those who are running it here. well to top it all off a member of Adams Squadron lost his wife unexpectedly and they have 4 small children. We were trying to pull meals together but with a lot of our guys deployed right now we just don't have that many to supply enough for this family. So I had this great idea!! Why not have the OSC members supply some meals also, so last week I asked the women who sends out all the invites to send a little email to members and if they would like to provide a meal that would be great.

A week later I get a not so nice email from one of the executive board members that the OSC no longing provides a helping hands organization and that to bad for this man who lost his wife and now has to raise 4 children alone but an email shouldn't have been sent out without contacting the President first.

This kinda was the icing on the cake and I sent an email back saying I was done!! Know knowing that our Vice was the one mad about it and asked the person who sent the mail to do it not knowing the whole truth(typical I know) and are now begging us to stay. Our current president stepped down as of this month, if that tells you anything, and we should be getting someone new in to straighten things out. So I guess for now I am going to ignore ignorant people, rise above it and see if the situation improves with the new blood coming in.

If not I'M DONE!!!!!!!!!!

My Wagon

2008-10-10T10:35:00.000-07:00

Thanks Nana for getting my Birthday gift early and letting me use it :) I was a big help while daddy put it together. I can't wait to go for a ride in it!!!

Cousins

2008-10-09T12:19:00.000-07:00

Ben is very excited to be meeting his two other cousin next month. We are all heading to Illinois for Thanksgiving/1st Birthdays/Christmas all in one week Phew!!! Ben and Autumn will both be turning 1yr and I can't wait to see then chasing each other.

See you guys soon!!!!

More Pictures!!!!

2008-10-08T19:41:00.001-07:00

It took two mornings of breakfast with the characters for Ben to finally warm up to Stich. By day two Stitch was crawling around on the floor after him trying to warm up to Ben. As you can see it worked. Thank You to the staff/ characters at the Paradise Pier Restaurant for taking it slow with our little man.