The stomach virus, nothing exciting and ready to know...

This week didn't start out too well. I woke up with the stomach virus! UGH!!! It was not fun. I had to take off work of course, did I mention Aaron had it for 2 days last week? I'm hoping it's done! We didn't really do much this week other than work and school. We know that we are most likely moving back to the United States sometime between August and October. Not knowing where we are going stresses me out! I think of all the places "I hope we might go", but ultimately know we will go where we are needed.

On another note, we had a meeting with Ace's teacher. He had a really rough week last week. The meeting was great. She let us know that Ace's academic level is 2nd grade 4-5 months in. He's in 1st grade though. He's so smart! The biggest challenge has been maturity. He is one of the youngest in the class. But, I know that will come full circle in the next few years. For now I will be one proud Momma to have a smart boy! Aaron had a sleepover birthday party to go to. I know he had fun, but I really missed him. Yes, I'm that Mom that misses her boys when they go for sleepovers...I admit it! I will never be the Mom to say I can't wait till they are gone. I dream of having my family live within a few miles of me with their families. I love my family to pieces :)! I know this isn't the most exciting blog post, but I'm really trying to do at least one post a week! ;)

Summer Ends, School Begins!

Well, we have had a relaxing summer! I truely love summer. I love not having to get up so early. I love being able to hangout in our PJ's all day if we want. I love going to the pool, even if is Germany that means I might see a little more than I want, I mean do I really have to see a lady in her ealr 20's without a top to her suit and her skin still in place where it should be... No sagging! HA!! And as an American we are not use to being so comfortable with our bodies so we stare in disbelief. The boys seemed to not notice too much.

We managed to see a few local sites. Germany is so beautiful!! Every time we get in the car, I look at the window and say "Wow, it's so pretty here!" It really is that beautiful and it really amazes me everytime. This summer was sooooo HOT!! Apparently, it was the hottest summer in a long time. We made it to almost 100 a few days and with no AC, it was almost unbearable. But as I sit here now it is maybe 60 outside and raining, so I'm pretty sure summer is over :(.

Aaron starts school tomorrow. I'm still unsure how he became a 4th grader. Where does time go???? Ace will start Kindergarten next Wednesday. That's a whole issue in itself. I've cried nearly daily the past week. It seems like yesterday he was just a baby. He's so excited to start school and I'm excited for him! We met his teacher and her helper and they seem really nice. He seemed to like them and I think that they are a good match for him.

So with the kids going back to school, it is my new mission, to try and keep up on my Blog!!

Swimming 101

Although it is the middle of winter here in Germany, we are so blessed to be at a base that has an awesome Indoor Swimming Pool! Last month I signed the boys up for swimming lessons. They both love to swim and are really good swimmers, but to me swimming is such a life skill. So for the past 3-4 summers I have signed Aaron up. Really, I signed them up here so that they would have something to do on the weekend, I mean it did feel a little weird to signup for swim lessons right in the middle of a snow storm. Any whoooo....

Our first few lessons went great! Aaron was doing great and his instructor said he would be right on target within the next 2 lessons! Great!! Music to Mom's ears! Ace is a really good swimmer for his age. I attribute this to Keyona , dragging always inviting us to join her and Lael at the pool. With that said, the swim lessons were set up much different here. So I went with a level that I thought Ace would do just fine in. Not too hard, but not too easy. RIGHT!!! After this last lesson....in which I sorda pretended that he was not my child. Yes I did say that. He was a maniac!! Jumping all over the place, spashing water, I suppose normal "pool stuff", but he was suppose to be learning how to swim. As I sat there, I really thought I was going to pass out when he threw a diving ring and it nearly knocked a lady out. I smiled and almost turned my head, ya know like I was looking around for "that kids" Mom. But, I didn't I smiled and apologized. I have to say she didn't look too amused. After the class I approached the instructor and apologized for Ace's "wildness" and to my surprise she says "Oh, no Ace is a great swimmer! He needs to be moved up a few levels, I think he's just bored." Oh, music to Mom's ears, music to Mom's ears!

I'm a Cowboy Baby!

Yes, quiet often I allow my child to run around outside in rain boots and his underwear~~~well anyone who knows me would know that is so far from the truth! But, when Mr. Nelle (my friend Janelle), as Ace calls her, stopped by to pick up a jacket I thought I could quickly run it out to her. Well, before we knew it Ace decided to come out too! He ran outside in his dinosaur underwear and dinosaur rain boots (at least they matched) and said "Don't you fink I look like a cowboy?" We laughed so hard! And of course our response to him was "Yes we do, yes we do Ace!"

3 Months Down, 3 To Go and a School Dance

Well, we have made it to the half way point! It really has gone by fast. Mike and I get to talk, email or chat daily and that is such a lifesaver! The boys have adjusted pretty well. Rouge looks forward to video chat Sunday's, whoever thought a dog would like that!!

Mike sent us this picture~~
He looks really busy to me! Actually, it is one of the very few down times he has had. Now on to a few random things. We went to a school dance this past Friday~~~Ace had tons of fun and well Aaron as he says "is just not the dancing type"!!

Ace was so exhausted after the dance. Sometimes I look at him and think~~if I only had 1% of the energy he had. Aaron just watched and enjoyed some pizza. Well, that is until I forced him to dance. Maybe one day he'll be the "dancing type"!

White House Easter Egg Roll 2009

Let's Go Play!

PRICELESS~!

Spring is here Spring is here it's the best time of the year...

Here are a few things we did today...

We stopped to smell the flowers.

We had fun swinging from trees.

We walked hand in hand.

We played hide n' seek.

We reached for the sky.

We had a wonderful day!

Tickets to the Easter Egg Roll

Well, after all day of trying~~~we got tickets. We actually got tickets the the White House Easter Egg Roll!! WOW! It was the last batch! I am so excited that the boys will get to experience this! I am so excited that they will be part of a tradition that dates back to 1878. For us this is a once in a life time opportunity...I am not the person who would go back every year. Getting 3 tickets literally took me all day (I started checking @ midnight)! I am truly so thankful!

Question of the Day~?

Ace~~"Mom, can you do me a FLAVOR?" Ahhhh, priceless, to cute too correct!

1 Goat, 1 Dog Sweater, 1 Dog Toy and Hershey's Chocolate Heart???

Well, Mike has been deployed for almost 2 weeks now. I think this evening I finally realized that it would be late summer before we saw him again. In an attempt to give us all a "pick us up", I took the boys to dinner and then we had to run to Target. Well, we were in Target hmmm a little over an hour. All was great~~Ace was sitting in the buggy quietly and Aaron and I had the best conversation. We got to the register to check out, Ace hands our stuff to the cashier, meanwhile Aaron and I are still talking, I move down and she says $62.17~~hmmmm I only came for 4 things. I look at the line 4 people had gathered behind us. I dig out the cash, still confused on how it cost that much. I think I'll just check once we get in the car. I sit in the drivers seat and look at the receipt~~1 goat, 1 dog toy, 1 dog sweater and a large heart filled with chocolate!! What!?? So this is why Ace was a sweet little angel, he too enjoyed himself shopping! So off to Target I go tomorrow to return Ace's "impulse buys!"

And Finally SNOW!!!

Well, finally we have snow! First of all let me thank Mr. Weatherman for getting it right! The boys were so excited and it was a major "pick us up" since we were all down in the dumps with Mike leaving. Aaron was released early from school so after picking him up, home we headed to get geared up for our first snowball fight! Aaron couldn't wait to get the first throw in! We walked all around the base~~we wanted to be the first to step in the fresh snow~it was GREAT! Since Mike was unable to be here, we took Daddy Doll out to play too. He also enjoyed playing in the snow!

Are you Styling?

Ace is completely "potty trained!" With that came the big boy underwear. He loves them~they have "dinosaurs on his booty". He likes to walk around in just them and a top and says "Mom look at me~~I'm Styling!"

Rouge is sick!!!

Ace came in our room today and informed us that Rouge was sick. For those of you who don't know Rouge is our dog. So I asked what was wrong "He needs to go to the doctor, Mom Rouge has Chicken POPS!" What a laugh I got out of this--poor Ace was so serious. He almost looked annoyed that I was laughing at him.

Ace saying Grace...

This is Ace saying his prayer before he eats, well actually in the middle of his meal, it is too cute. We say grace at each meal, Ace says his a little different. He doesn't say God he says Bod. He loves to be the person to say grace. It is priceless!

Where does time go?

Ace has started Pre-School. I must say I was so nervous about this. He is the most loving little boy and at the same time can be the wildest monkey in the ZOO! He has gone 3 weeks now. By the 2nd week I had talked to the teacher about Ace, she said he was still in his "transition" period. As a parent all I heard was he is not getting the routine. I thought great, my child is that one the one that the other parents look at funny as he approaches the class. Well, by the end of the 3rd week the teacher said Ace's "transition" was going much better--umm he is not as bad?? On Friday when I went to pick him up I got the briefing from the teacher. As I am listening to her, my eyes fill with tears. I look at her and tell her I am going through a "transition"! Honestly, she must have thought I needed medication, but all of the sudden I realized that Ace was at school and loved it. I was so sad and yet so happy. I suppose I wanted him to scream and cry when I dropped him off. Instead the "Big Boy" he is said " Bye Mommy I love you, have a good day." I can't believe that he is already 3!