Daddy is home!

As you know by now, Daddy is home.  But before we could go to the airport to pick him up the girls wanted a mini-fashion show of their patriotic line.

I have to admit they are cute, oh and I like the shirts too.

This is in the airport and as you see the girls do not following instructions well.  Nothing will come between them and their Daddy.

The gentleman from the USO was nice enough to take a family photo for us.

These bears were given to the girls by the USO.  What an amazing organization.  I hope to contribute more of my time to it one day.

Earlier in the day my neighbor, Mrs. Sue Ann Bassett, told me to check out our local Chick-fil-A sign on our way home from the airport.  I know it is just a local fast food place; but to see my husband name on the sign and announcing to everyone that he is one was AWESOME!

My neighbor also had balloons our our mailbox and her to announce Rusty's homecoming.  She later told me that they were donated by Party City here in Newnan, Georgia.  I know Rusty is not much one for over the top fanfare; but I also know he felt loved and glad to be home.

Mom was barely allowed to kiss the girls goodnight.  It was all about DADDY!

Weekend projects

Here are the projects the girls and I did this weekend.  Jack Eggar wrote another amazing children's book called, "Sparky Frees the Flea" and in the back of the book it had the directions on how to make the the dirty worm dessert.  Even though I knew how to make it, you just can not remember all the cool mom tricks.  So thanks to Dona for sending the book and super thanks to Jack for writing it .

The project below is a bag I just threw together.  I was checking out the Vera Bradley website and all I was looking for was a very lightweight bag to through my keys, cell phone and maybe sunglasses in.  So this is what I designed.  I will use it this week at the zoo; but I think it will be perfect.

Another update.

So as you see we have a crazy month coming up and it is only a prelude to what is to come for the summer.

The last couple of days have been getting harder and harder for the girls.  Ashley can't sleep because she is afraid that if she sleeps I will leave.  So she requested a mommy doll to accompany her daddy doll.  There was no way I was printing a picture of me and making it into a shapely voodoo doll for her later to use in her teen years.  So I surprised them with pillowcases, they were just as thrilled.

Here are the girls enjoying the unseasonably warm weather.

Growing up

It is hard growing up and a little more harder for children with a parent that is always deployed.  Instead of stressing myself out with timeouts and spankings, I figured out how punishing the girls (only when the deserve it) can help the family.  Ashley and Alison has been exposed to some older kids with a not-so-nice attitude.  I understand that kids will pick up habits, good and bad; but as the mom I have to figure out how to tweek their habits to make them a productive and loving person in society.  That brings us to the chores around the house.  As I was preparing lunch yesterday and doing all the things that mommies have to do during mealtime, I told the girls I was going to feed the cat and clean her box and dishes while they are eating.  Ashley and Alison both replied with "ha, ha, you have to do chores!"  I stopped in my tracks and took a breath and had an aha moment.  I looked sternly at the girls and said, "now I don't but you do!"  Ashley cleaned the cat box in the garage and the wet cat food dish and Alison cleaned the inside cat box.  Needless to say, their attitudes today at lunch have much improved.

Ashley cleaning the cat box.

Ashley cleaning the cat food dish.

Alison cleaning the other cat box.

I think the animals were thinking, "ha, ha you have chores!"

But on a more positive note, we received another awesome book from Oma and Opa Eggar.  The second book in the Sparky series.  The girls were so excited that Erin, Emma and Eric's grandpa wrote a book and sent it to them.  (Thanks Dona for mailing it to us!)  They could not wait to sit on the couch and check it out.

"Sparky Frees the Flea"

by Jack Eggar

Some random pictures for Daddy.

The girls and I just hanging outside.

The girls dressed up and getting ready to walk to church.  That's right ~ walk, the joy of living on a county road.

Ashley, Alison and Carolle (that is how Ally spells the doll's name).

The Dogwood tree.

The Dogwood blossom.

Jesus loves me.

Here are the girls singing Jesus loves me at church today.

The Sears' theater.

Here are the girls singing their ABC's.  I picked up a new Point and Shoot camera today that allows video.

Easter 2010 at the church.

Here are the kids at church singing "Jesus loves me."

I am so proud of the girls, they knew all the words.

"Mom, that was the biggest egg EVER!"

"That's my egg!"

Ashley and Ally's little buddy Alex.

Aaron helping Ally find some eggs on the church playground.

Easter 2010

We started the day with a friendly egg hunt in the house.  The girls really enjoyed themselves.

Alison found her basket.

And she really loved the Easter Bunny left temporary tattoos.

Ashley and her basket.

She found her first egg.

Looking for my yummy eggs.

Checking out the loot.  They were especially shocked when I said that they could have one piece of chocolate BEFORE breakfast.

Ashley's chocolate bunny.

Alison's chocolate bunny.

Alison devouring her bunny.

Tattoo, chocolate and nudity ~ fun!

They were getting sick.