Christmas in November

A few weeks ago, probably a month or so ago, Cpt came home from work full of surprises. The first surprise was homemade tamales made by the mother of one of his classmates. They were delicious and reminded me of one of the things I miss about El Paso at Christmas time! The kitchen staff at FBCep always sold tamales by the dozen in December and we would eat them for months at the house.

Then he had another surprise - - tickets to see Michael Buble' in OKC! We've talked many times about artists we would be willing to pay full price for tickets for and Michael has always been on the top our list.

For weeks I lived anticipating the night, but the reality of going to a concert and losing an evening at home less than a week before we were set to move almost ruined the day for me. Nevertheless, we pressed on, got in the car and had a fabulous evening with Michael! He puts on a great concert and even says that he knows his fans spent good money to come see him so he wants to just have a party during his performance and that he did. There were moments when things were a little PG-13, but his music and his stage presence were wonderful. His opening act, Naturally 7, were fabulous, as well. I hope we get to see him in concert again some time!

Catching Up!

I had the privilege of attending the Protestant Women of the Chapel International Conference in Dallas this past weekend. It really was a blessing and not something I ever anticipated that I would do. I didn't have a great PWOC experience at Fort Bliss. Some due to my own idealistic expectations. Some due to administrative issues I had with the program there and then ultimately because I started working and going to PWOC was just another morning to get the kids ready to go somewhere.

When we moved to Fort Sill, I decided I would give it another shot and I'm so glad that I did! I have met some wonderful ladies and truly been challenged when it comes to my spiritual neediness. One night when we were on our way to our Friday night Orange Leaf fix, I was telling Cpt that if we had to stay here I knew there were some women at PWOC that I would really love to get to know better and develop relationships with. Within an hour, I received an email saying there were spaces available for the conference. After I mulled it over a few minutes, I figured out that it was Veteran's Day weekend and Cpt would be off and could hold the fort and kids down for a few days. He gave me the go ahead and off I went! I know that the Lord had His hand in every one of those details!

Alas, conferences end and I've come home to face the music and laundry and dishes and squabbling preschoolers! I do have better perspective now and am working on being more patient in my responses to all of the little people issues that never seem to go away. It just seems like it's taking me a while to get back in the groove. I stayed up until Midnight last night trying to get caught up on my coupon clipping. I am happy to announce that so far today I have almost all the laundry washed, folded and put away and the dishwasher has run once! I feel somewhat accomplished!

There are other things starting to dangle over me, like our very fast approaching move, but I'm trying not to get too wrapped up in that one. Since I know Hood will be our final destination for a while, I'm looking forward to taking my time sorting through every box and being realistic about what to keep and what can go once we get there.

Wind Blown

It's been especially windy here in the great state's neighbor to the north! I'm not sure that especially windy is really the right description because it's windy here all the time, I think. It's also been frigid in the mornings so our walks to school have come to an end, much to F5's chagrin! To help keep him happy, I have promised him that on the not so cold days that we'll still walk home from school or scooter home from school. So that's what we did today!

After retrieving F5 from 'Parent Pick Up,' we proceeded to the school library for the book fair. One book for each boy, poor F1 just gets nothing these days, and then we would be back on our way to our lovely apartment complex. I took the check out of my zippered wallet keychain, a Vera Bradley, of course, that was hanging from a hook on the stroller and apparently didn't zip it back up. Major mistake - - - remember the wind!

We were almost to the mailbox where I would discover some free Green Mountain coffee that I had signed up for last week when I noticed small cards blowing all around me. I'm sure for a second I just froze and didn't move a bit. I had to first realize that these were coming from my wallet! Then I had to decide how on earth I was going to chase after them and try to retrieve them. If any apartment dwellers were hanging on their porches at the time, they got an interesting show. I quickly went after said flying cards hoping I could get them. I think F3 actually caught one of them for me. It was mostly insurance cards that went flying, but those are important. After I gathered what I could and was hopefully everything that had flown out, all I could think about was how much trouble replacing my military ID would be. Praise the Lord, that one stayed in its special pocket! I also had to count my credit cards to make sure they were all accounted for and my driver's license was accounted for as well.

I know these things only happen to me. I'm just glad that I can add enjoyment to someone's day by my crazy antics. I know for sure that one of the complex maintenance men saw the ordeal. I hope he went and told all his coworkers and his family about the show he saw from that wacky woman and her 3 kids.

Final Fall Festival Experience

For the past 3 years, I was in charge of the Fall Festival at FBC El Paso and my children never even attended the event! Sad, I know, but true. This year, as a participant and chaperone to my children, I realized that being in charge of the whole event is much less stressful that guiding my own children through the chaos and crowds of a Fall Festival. I did this 2x this year and can honestly say I was never so glad to put those costumes on their hangers to stay!

The one highlight of the final Fall Festival we attended at our church was watching F1 use her own tactics for getting candy in her basket. She was so much more greedy than I imagined she would be, but the cutest greedy kid alive! We stopped to watch a game and let F5 jump in a bounce house for a few minutes so F1 was left to find something to occupy her time. She noticed the buckets of prizes at one of the games sitting on the ground, at her level and decided that was the perfect opportunity to score some loot! She just smiled and bent down close to the buckets and non-chalantly started putting handfuls of prizes and candy into her pumpkin bucket.

I was a little embarrassed, but the high school kids working the booth didn't seem bothered and there was plenty of candy and prizes to go around. She did come home with the fullest bucket. I joked later that I should've made her aware of which ones were the good candies and which weren't worth putting in her bucket.

Dress Up Time

This seems to be the "Fall Festival" season that keeps going and going and going!

On Thursday I was the bad mother who didn't dress my children in costume for their Fall Parties at Mother's Day Out. I felt much better at the end of the day when I picked F3 and F1 up and all the other kids had changed out of their costumes. I actually hoped that the teachers were grateful that they didn't have to change my 2 kiddos' clothes like they did the others.

So since that little glitch, I want to make sure we wear costumes to every other Fall Festivalish activity we attend.

Thursday night our apartment complex hosted a little party with cupcakes and pumpkin painting in the clubhouse. Here are our costumes of choice for that night. All the little tornadoes, except for F5, have multiple costumes to choose from.

I have made it out cheaply this year because the boys have both chosen to wear their costumes from last year. I guess they don't understand that we could get new ones!

F5's costume of choice = Thomas. I'm not sure we're ever going to rid our family of our Thomas and his friends!Here's our cutesy little ladybug and her brother the monkey! Aren't they the cutest?I couldn't resist this hand holding picture of the boys as they walked to the party.

More Tiger Soccer

Our first soccer season is well under way and it's been interesting to say the least. We have a new coach. We have scored very few goals and if we were keeping stats, I'm sure we've scored the least goals total of any team and are on the bottom of the ranking sheet. Thankfully, we don't keep score so that's not a big deal and there's no consoling upset children who didn't win. (I couldn't bring myself to call my children losers in that last sentence!)

A couple of weeks ago, we were playing the Gladiators and F5 scored 2 goals! It was unbelievable, really! After the Gladiators scored a goal, F5 was chosen to be the kickoff person. He kicked the ball right through the other team and straight into the goal. This is actually a shot of him scoring his first one. The second time was the exact same thing, but it wasn't supposed to be his turn. He was very proud of himself and will still remind us that he scored 2 goals that game!
This is a typical shot of F3. He is just goofy no matter what he's doing. He has a hard time staying focused on the game. I'm sure this was his halfhearted, being silly attempt at trying to keep up with what was happening on the field.
During one of the quarters when the boys weren't playing, they hung out with their daddy on the sideline watching their team play. Not sure if they were eating snacks yet, but I'm sure they were anticipating them!
All in all, I'm glad we ventured into soccer with the boys. It's been a good, light introduction into team sports with little pressure or expectation as far as their performance. I think both could be good little players if they had a little bit of instruction and experience.

The Master Bedroom

This is a long overdue post with pictures of our bedroom. We got new bedroom furniture in April or May, I can't remember exactly when. I do remember sleeping on an air mattress for a week in the time between us selling our old bed at a yard sale and the new stuff being delivered. Our timing wasn't great. Buying bedroom furniture was a decision we had mulled over for a while and had considered waiting until we got to wherever we go next, but the opportunity to sell our old furniture during the postwide yard sale couldn't be passed up.

We love our new furniture. I remember it being a little overwhelmed at how large all the pieces were when they started bringing them into the house. I guess on the showroom floor, they didn't seem so large. In a small bedroom, they seem 'gigantula' (to quote my little kindergartener's word for all big things).


Buying bedding was a challenge as well. I like so many different styles of things and really wanted a comforter that was machine washable. The man of the house said he didn't care if it was machine washable so we ended up buying beautiful bedding that the children are not often allowed on!

Enjoy the pics and you'll get an idea of how small the master bedroom in our apartment really is!

And before I forget, yesterday was our 7th wedding anniversary. No major celebrations or anything. Just an impromptu trip to our favorite local yogurt place.

Next Generation Anglers

Since moving to Oklahoma, the boys and their father have set their sights on becoming professional anglers. Not quite, but there've been lots of trips to Walmart for worms! I've always said that I didn't like to fish and that's because I've always felt like fishing was the equivalent of watching paint dry! I guess I've never had good, exciting experiences where fish just jump on your hook one after another.

There's a little pond on the property where our apartment is so it's ultra convenient for the boys to get their fishing poles and go fish for a few minutes and then come back home. Their attention span is about like mine. Maverick is alot more patient than Bailey is when it comes to just holding his pole and waiting for the bobber to go under.

They've caught quite a few fish in their time as fishermen. They're mostly small fish just looking for a snack and accidentally biting too far up on the hook when snagging the worms. It's enough to keep the children excited for a few minutes.

Here are a few photos from their first fishing experience.

This is the average size fish they catch off the bank of the pond. Supposedly there are bigger fish in there, but they're not coming near us.This is what Jenna Beth thinks of fishing! I think this was before one of the bored fishermen came and knocked the stoller over and almost sent her down the hill into the pond, causing her mother to go into an extreme panic. That little fisherman apologized for 2 days about pushing over the stroller. Truth be told, I've actually enjoyed a couple of the fishing excursions. I have even put a few worms on hooks to throw out and give a snack to the little fish. I will not, however, remove the little fish from the hook. I touched one once and its wiggling, slimy body and sharp fin gave me the willies so I just hold onto them until the man of the house can take it off for me.

Offended by Ignorance

Yesterday I had to take Jenna Beth to get her 15 month shots - 4 of them! While we were hanging out in the waiting room for the nurse to get ready and get an empty room to do them in, I overheard a statement that has greatly bothered me.

A lady with 4 kids finished her appointment and walked through the waiting room. As she did, a man seated across from me said "That's why we're going to have to start paying for Tricare - All these people having a bunch of kids." He then rationalized their 2 kids because both he and his wife are soldiers and they only have one child per servicemember.

Those of you not familiar with military families may not realize that many military families have multiple kids - like 3 to 5 and there are others with more than that. I would venture to say that many of us with large families incur less healthcare costs than some families who only have 1 child. To make such a broad statement is just a sign of his ignorance.

The entire time we were at Fort Bliss, Maverick had one doctor's appointment and that was to get shots! Bailey went to the emergency room once and that was with a broken arm. The only time I ever went to the doctor at Fort Bliss was when I was pregnant. As a matter of fact, since 1997, the only time I have ever been to the doctor was pregnancy related or for an annual exam. My mom taught us at a young age to just suck it up and I've been doing that all my life!

I don't doubt that there'll be a day when we have to pay out of pocket for some of our Tricare benefits, but it's not because people have too many children who require coverage. I can think of many reasons why the cost of military healthcare has increased.

One being that we're a nation at war and have soldiers who are incurring life changing physical and emotional injuries. Many of these will require lifelong medication, therapy and many other services due them based on their military service and healthcare benefits. These are the men and women who are defending our freedom and aiding in providing freedom for families around the world. I'd be glad to pay a portion of my Tricare premium to make sure they receive proper medical care.

Another reason our healthcare costs are rising is because people live longer. Years and years ago when the government decided that people can serve full time in the military for 20 years and then retire with pay and healthcare benefits until they die, they had no idea that we'd be paying these benefits to these retirees for 40 or 50 years! People live longer now than the government ever imagined. As it is now, retirees do pay a portion of their Tricare premiums out of pocket. These are men and women who fought wars that have secured our freedom. I'd pay part of my premium for their benefit, too.

To Mr. E6 in the waiting room of the pediatric clinic at Reynolds Army Community Hospital, get your facts straight before you start saying stereotypical and slandering statements toward families who choose to have multiple children. Trust me, you're not paying for our contraceptives, so we're already saving you money!

Black Listed

After my first encounter with the office staff of Bailey's elementary school, I'm positive that I've been black listed or that there are huge skull and crossbones drawn on the top of his enrollment forms.

You see, I'm administratively gifted. That's not a brag on myself. It's how God made me. I can see right through processes that don't work or are inefficient. Enrolling Bailey in kindergarten has been one of those processes that has some glaring flaws and could be so much more efficient!

I'm not sure how other school districts do this whole process, but in Lawton I had to go to Central Registration to get the enrollment process started. I actually went there twice because the first time I was told that Bailey needed a couple of shots that apparently aren't required in Texas for kids his age. I had to wait about 10 minutes standing at the counter that a lady had called me to as her next person while she walked around helping others with their forms that arrived much later than I did to get that little bit of bad news! So after we completed the shots, which was a surprisingly easy process, I had to go back to Central Registration to actually get him enrolled. I had to have proof of residency and shot records there. Once I completed all their paperwork, which was different than the paperwork you can print off on their website, they gave me a copy of one of the forms and a little half sheet form to take to the school for the actual registration day at Bailey's school.

Fast forward to 8am this morning! I was determined to be one of the first people at the school because I wasn't sure what kind of line would form and I had all 3 children in tow. I was about the 5th person there, but was the 1st person finished!

As we sat waiting for our turn, I noticed one particular registration lady sent 2 people home because they didn't have proof of residency or their shot records. When it was my turn, I mentioned to her that I noticed she sent them home and told her that I didn't have any of that either. She told me that I needed to get all of that information. I proceeded to tell her that this was a dumb process for us to need to do the exact same thing in 2 different places. What was the point of going to their Central Registration if I'm going to have to fill out the exact same stuff at the school. I guess I said everything loud enough that another of the registration ladies heard me and said that I didn't need all of that because they had copies from Central Registration.

I had to verify the information on the forms someone had input into their system from my original enrollment forms. They were a mess! CMC's name never showed up on their form and my friend, who should've been the emergency contact was listed as the 2nd parent/guardian. Another lady who was registering her 2 kids had to completely refill out that form because there were so many entry errors on hers. They must've hired the incoming kindergarteners for data entry.

I did/do feel badly that I had to be a butt this morning. It really wasn't the lady's fault that she didn't know what I needed, but someone should've sat down with them beforehand and trained them on what to expect and what to do when parents come to register. I'm not sure why one of those first people she sent home didn't cause a stink. I guess I'm no longer the pushover that I used to be!

Oh and did I mention that registration started at 8am, but they weren't ready until about 8:15am?

I'm sure the next time I walk into the school I'll see the office staff whispering warnings of Psycho Mom's presence in the building to each other.

Apartment Sweet Apartment

For quite a few years I've said that I never wanted to live in an apartment ever again! When I was single, after college, my best friend and I lived in a 4th floor apartment in Fairfax, VA. It took my entire first paycheck of the month to pay my portion of the rent. I really didn't mind apartment living then, but certainly never thought we'd resort to living in an apartment with 3 kids! I don't recommend it. Some times I just have to fantasize and pretend that we're just renting a condo at the beach or something to make it feel somewhat enjoyable. I also have to remind myself that this is just for 6 short months and then we'll be back in a house with a yard. I'm hoping it's a house we own so I can paint a wall or two or ten!

I've tried to do my best to get settled in and make this 1300 sqft feel like home for all of us. Here are a few pictures to let you know what 1300 sqft of Wade stuff looks like! Jenna Beth's room was the easiest to do so I did hers first.

She has these 3 cute little windows that if we were to stay here longer I would work on some cutesy curtain or covering for, but for 6 months, I thought her initial letters would hang perfectly on them! I have some pink flower hooks that must be in a random box that the letters normally hang on, but until I start digging through boxes that didn't get opened a nail will have to do.Her curtain that matches the bedding and the very versatile window seat bench that both of the boys used in their rooms. My mom and I recovered it with a different sheet a few months ago so that it would better match JB's stuff. She even wanted to make sure she got in the picture!This is the quilt that goes with her bedding. I bought the little flower hooks that are holding it up from someone on Etsy a year or so ago.And her blah bed! I didn't put the bumper back in it when we got here. The other night we heard this weird banging sound and couldn't figure out where it was coming from. We opened her door and found her banging this metal flower against the wall! She was not ready to go to bed and wanted to make sure we all knew. I think Maverick was vacuuming the floor for her.

I have pretty much every other room except for the boys as decorated as they're going to get. More pictures of those to come!

Jiminy Cricket

We've lived in Oklahoma for a week now and these little black crickets are our nemesis! They are everywhere. Almost every day we find one in the strangest places. I found one in a box of things that I was giving to Goodwill and it crawled out into the back of the van. I hope it was a male and hasn't reproduced in there! CMC found one in a shoe that he picked up today. He felt it tickling his hand.

Last night I was walking back from the workout room at our apartment complex and was greeted by about 6 of them at our front door. As I got closer to the door, they started jumping at the door. I swatted at them with my towel to attempt a cricket invasion into our apartment. Thankfully only one got in through the crack at the hinge of the door. I was able to end its life fairly quickly. I'm sorry if it offends you that I killed the cricket. Trust me, there are plenty of them and they are in no way endangered by extinction!

I grew up in Central Texas where the climate is very similar to that of Southwestern Oklahoma and I don't remember crickets like this! I remember june bugs swarming around outdoor lights, but not these crazy crickets. When the moon comes out, we'll be sure and have our cricket defenses ready because they're out to get us!

OOOOOOOOOOKlahoma!

We're here! The boys and I made it to Oklahoma last Wednesday and CMC and baby girl made it here on Thursday. We had to adjust our travel plans slightly so that we could meet the movers here. If we weren't able to get here quickly, we were going to have to wait a week or two before someone locally could deliver our belongings.

The movers got here around 7pm Wednesday night and were here until after midnight unloading the truck and assembling our beds and tables. You really have no idea how much stuff you have until you see it in boxes sitting on the ground. I kept looking at it all wondering how on earth we were going to get them all inside the apartment. We downsized about 700 sq ft from our house in El Paso to the apartment here in Oklahoma. Thankfully our apartment complex has garages that we can pay extra for and use for storage. We have ours filled up! Other than furniture, I think we have more stuff in the garage than we do in the apartment.

We've unpacked just about all the boxes inside and even have a few things hung on the walls. The living room still has to be rearranged because I was tired when the movers were here and told them to put the couch and tv stand on the wrong walls. We do have a couple of things missing so far. It's likely that they're in one of the boxes in the garage that we didn't even open. I'm hoping I don't have to buy new curtain rods because I can't find the brackets to hang them with! Oh the perils of moving. I even made an effort to keep the brackets separated, but didn't follow through and make sure I knew where they would be packed!

At some point I'll post pictures, but things pretty much look the same - - just less space in between!