Merry Christmas!

Merry Christmas everyone........ We're going to Disney World!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Excited... YEP! We all are....just a lil' bit ;) 

We have been planning this for months! OK.... so like a year....pretty much since we knew we would be here in the south and we wouldn't have Christmas at home with all our family. It started as...me with an idea ;) ..... and it developed into, my plan actually falling into place and both of our parents meeting us in Orlando for a week of Disney fun for Christmas! It helps when your parent's have a time share in Orlando ;) and you save a little here and there for a year to cover tickets. (And Grandparent's help out A LOT as Christmas gifts!)   HUGE shout out to our parent's for everything!

Santa took it easy on the gifts this year knowing what we were planning! The focus was obviously the over sized box in front of the tree! Talk about feeling like a kid at Christmas! We made our own cover for this box out of random cardboard we found, the wrapped the top and bottom separate, so they could just lift the cover off. I made the over sized gift tag to hang on it, and of course it had to have a big bow! We bought balloons as late as we possibly could on Christmas eve and hid them. As soon as the kids were in bed we staged it all... We had found the note on line and printed it off to tie to the balloons.

We had about 6 balloons to begin with, but we did a practice run...taking the cover off the box and BAM... nothing happens (haha) the balloons are all stuck in the box... so we pop one...try again... NOTHING. Uggg come on balloons...just POP UP!! We ended up cutting 2 more balloons off and tying them all tighter...we finally got it. Now we hope they stay full till morning and don't shrivel up in the box :) 

It worked... the balloons came up, they didn't get to high, because the kids grabbed them...HA... but that was the point! To get them excited! Oh they were... so excited that they got a box full of BALLOONS!!!!  EPIC.... haha... was hoping for screams of "HEY, we are going to Disney!!!!" got... "Balloons....hahaha...we got balloons! " Ohhhh kids! ;) 

Quick lil video of the big reveal.... 

https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?v=10203179518237071&set=vb.1481303161&type=2&theater

They were little unsure at first... like, ummmm, really?? Is this really, for real mom and dad!? of course after the camera was off, they began bouncing all over and about 40 minutes later they finally asked..."WHEN ARE WE GOING!?!?!" haha! That might be an important piece of information ;) 

 We had a great day! A little more laid back them usual... but great. Playing with toys and watching movies and ending with a chinese food dinner. Nice and easy :) and of course....a little packing ;) 

some pics from Christmas...

 Christmas Eve

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 Barbies!

 Doc. McStuffin's..... in a box of course

 Spy goggles! 

The aftermath 

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 Dinner 

Christmas Blessings to you all 

A Spelunking we will go....

Ryan is officially "FREE". Signed out of  B Company until Jan 3rd, so he woke up with an itch to "get the hell outta here, and do something fun!" So, we headed to Marianna FL to do some spelunking. (such a fun word...haha)
We went to http://www.stateparks.com/florida_caverns.html . It was pretty neat!

The formations were nothing less than amazing! You can't touch them because of the oils on your skin, which would pretty much kill them, and stop them from growing anymore. Except for one certain formation, they let you since it is right on the walking path and bound to be touched anyway...but also to get a real feel for what they are like. This one has water running down it, or at least it feels like it. It is so slow to flow down since it's pretty much condensation but the entire formation is covered in it. 

There were seashells in the limestone in the ceilings and everywhere. So cool to think that it used to be under water, and all of this is left here for all of us to discover and admire. There was a shark tooth coming out of the ceiling in one spot. Cool right!? I didn't get a picture of that, but I did get some shells and if you look close you can see the cracked egg in the middle...now tell me that's not cool!

There were pools of water in some spots....

And deeper more shallow areas filled with lot's of formations in other "rooms" ......

The tour was about 45 minutes total. You went from "room" to "room". Each one had it's own name, based on what the formations looked like. Like the "wedding" room because they say it looks like a wedding cake. Apparently they actually have about 2 weddings a year in there.

Some areas....rooms...... were quite "roomy". Others were tighter and lower and you had to duck. Well, the kids didn't have to. Never had to crawl though ;) It was really interesting and I would recommend it.  Here are a few more of our pictures...

Little bat's were napping in a hole towards the end of the caves (at least these were the only ones we noticed) There are two, but one is in the shadow so you can't see it in this pic. 

We did a little hiking around outside the caves too....

 A rock "tunnel" in the woods

The Suck Factor

When we packed up to leave NH and come here...it was hard to say goodbye to family and friends. However it wasn't goodbye really, it was see you later.
We have been here for almost a year now (hard to believe!) We have had to say goodbye to a few friends since being here. Obviously, that is just the way Military life goes....you meet new people from everywhere, and then you and they move on. This is the "suck factor". We will be going back home to our family and friends since we are national guard....however we will not cross paths with most of the people we have met here again :(
Our girls are at the age where they make friends and get attached. It is hard to explain to them that people are moving and they have to say goodbye.

Our neighbors here are moving in two days, they have 4 beautiful little girls, and their oldest has been attached at the hip with our big girls. Playing together almost every single day for the past 11 months! They have formed such a sweet friendship. I know there are some people who will come in and out of our lives, we will move on and loose touch....however, I just don't see that happening here.

My girls are determined to keep in touch.....good ol' fashioned letters, skype/facetime....whatever they can make happen they will!

Tonight they had their lil friend over to watch some Christmas shows, and have dinner with them, and of course....play barbies! This was their "last horrah"

Tonight was tough for my girls....especially Isabella. Emma held herself together, I think she is hanging onto the fact that she will see her friend tomorrow before we have to head to dance class, and she will give her, her 'last' hug then. Miss Bella was a train wreck, she lost it before her friend even left, but tried to blame her tears on other things. :( 

It took her a while to calm down, we talked about how special they are, and how lucky they all are to be able to have this experience and make friends from all over the U.S. and that had we never moved here, they never would have met her.....This has been a great experience for all of us, but of course it's hard for them to understand these sorts of things. Hard for them to see how lucky they are when they have to say goodbye to such a good friend. They will see though, that they are truly blessed to have met her, and had the time to form this bond, and with their will, it will last. (and trust me, my girls have that will!) They already have plans to write her a letter, and send her a copy of one of the many pictures we took, and they are planning on picking out a special frame for her too. 

Of course my talk with Bella brought me to tears. My heart was breaking for her. I know that my girls will always remember their time and their friends here, and look back and smile. And with any luck, the most important friendships to them will last a lifetime....if even through writing simple letters. 

~~Friends~~Memories~~

Oh Christmas Tree

FOOF it has been a busy month! Really since before Thanksgiving, with sickness in the house, going between kids....and Christmas shopping & packing up gifts for friends/family and mailing them out.

Anyway.... we got our tree on black Friday. (I think we got ripped off though...there were no deals on trees that day!) I must say though....Daddy, Kale man and Missa picked out a mighty nice tree! We typically all go out together to get our tree.....but let's face it...there is nothing typical about this holiday season! So we got it set in the stand and let the branches relax a bit.

 It is the biggest tree we have ever had. Between our 1st apartment and our house back home, we usually have a smaller one....even a real short one up in our bay window a few times.
Later we trimmed it with pretty white lights, and left it like that for the night, Of course we love the ornaments but really the lights are what make it. I could stare at it forever! Which is what i did the first night it was up since I had a sick little boy sleeping on the couch.

And of course....the finished product..... (hard to see in the picture...but it is covered in ornaments)

Our Elf "Christmas Charlie" made his yearly debut (This being his 2nd yr. w/the Washburn gang) on that Friday, with a special gift and note for the kids.

His first few nights here, he kept it kinda simple....

 Hanging around

 Giving Santa hugs

 Admiring Christmas lights 

Chillin' under the tree watching Netflix on one of the kids Nabi's

And of course trying to stay healthy w/all the sickness around our house.

He has slowly gotten a bit more entertaining since then.... but I will blog about that next time ;) Until then...it's time to sit and admire our beautiful lit up Christmas tree! 

Giving Thanks

Thanksgiving plans were all over the place this year. In general it was obviously going to be different, not being at home (in N.H.) with all our family celebrating together. The craziness of the day to start the holiday season off. Thanksgiving is my favorite holiday...let's face it, it's fun to pig out on all that delicious food. Watching the parade is a MUST! Of course dessert too.... it's just a good holiday!

Originally we were going to just take off...get out of here, go check out someplace else for a few days. The plan was Nashville. Welp...that went out the window when my husband missed the cut off to put in for his pass..MEN! Not totally his fault, he didn't realize the cut off would be so far in advance from the actual holiday. In the end, it made sense to save the money anyway... blah! (for the record, I still want to make it there!) 

Then we decided, well...we can't leave here...BUT there is no pass needed for family to come to us. So we decided to see if his parents would be up for a road trip. They talked about it, and the next day they gave us the good news...they were going to do it! They were going to pack up the car and make the 24 hour drive (WAY cheaper than flying since there would be 3 of them coming, including his sister)  and of course, they could just bunk here with us. WELP... a few days later that plan went down the drain because a storm system making it's way through pretty much everywhere...it had plans of it's own...and it wasn't planning on making traveling very pleasant. :( It just wouldn't be smart for them to attempt a 24 hour drive and get stuck in sleet, freezing rain, or snow when they only had a few days here anyway. They were very bummed...but thankfully, we didn't tell the kids, so it didn't end up ruining anything for them.

In the end, we had a quiet Thanksgiving day here with us. It was perfect too ;) We took our time cooking, A LOT of food....we have TONS of leftovers...but there is nothing wrong with that!! We enjoyed dinner together, and the kids loved it. After dinner we sat around with full bellies for a bit, and then we had some friends (also a flight school family living here on post)  come over and join us for dessert and drinks. It was a good time, with lot's a laughs and playing. So nice to have made some good friends here!

started the day with homemade cinnamon rolls..yummy

 we prepped

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 Mmmmmmm!

 We Enjoyed!!! 

And then we lounged.....with those full, happy bellies....

AND then of course the dessert and playing! 

 She loves her little friend! Talks about her all the time, and was so happy to show "cute baby" her toys! :)

All in all...despite being so far from our families, we really have so much to be thankful for. It was about one year ago that we found out we would be picking up and moving here...big changes... but awesome opportunities. Honestly, we have had some pretty fun family time while here, and even though my husband can't wait to be done with school...I wouldn't change a second of it! It's been a great adventure so far! 

OH!!! And of course "Christmas Charlie" made his yearly debut that night with a gift for the kids. They were pretty excited the next morning!