Friday, December 5, 2008

Chicago for Thanksgiving

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.




















Monday, November 24, 2008

Happy 1st Birthday Benjamin











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!

Thursday, November 20, 2008

The Switch




~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"

Tuesday, November 18, 2008

New Addition







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

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:)

Monday, November 17, 2008

Military wife

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!

Wednesday, November 5, 2008

Monday, November 3, 2008

1st Halloween











~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 :)

Wednesday, October 29, 2008

Watch me go!!

~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?







~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:)

Saturday, October 25, 2008

First Sitter

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!

Friday, October 24, 2008

Pumpkin Patch
















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 :)

Wednesday, October 22, 2008

Mmmmmmm....Potatoes!




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".

Friday, October 17, 2008

Moves

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 :)

Wednesday, October 15, 2008

Day at the park


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.

Saturday, October 11, 2008

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


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!!!!!!!!!!

Friday, October 10, 2008

My Wagon




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!!!

Thursday, October 9, 2008

Cousins



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!!!!

Wednesday, October 8, 2008

More Pictures!!!!







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.