Destination Destin

The kids and I had been sitting here in this house for 6 weeks and Ryan had been stuck at WOCS, so after graduation we all needed to get out of here. By out of here I mean completely off this post.... It was time to enjoy what the gulf coast had to offer. So we headed out Saturday morning and spent the day on the boardwalk in Destin Harbor. What a beautiful place! We have been to FL. beaches plenty of times between the two of us, Our kids have even been once...but always on vacation. So to just hop in the car and spend the day was a bit of a treat. It was a beautiful day too!

We had some ice cream ...obviously! We enjoyed plenty of music, and we peeked in a few stores. We admired the HUGE yachts, and we watched fish be brought off a boat from a recent fishing trip.

We decided we might as well bring the kids on a sunset dolphin cruise since we were there. It was so worth it! The kids described their day as "The best day ever" (yes they have said this before, when ever they have "soooooo much fun") But I love to hear them say that every time, and see the huge smiles and excitement on their faces. The fact that we drove to FL from our house in less than 24 hours was enough to make them beam!

Each of them got a chance to drive the boat!

Missa became best friends with Hulk Hogan.... O.K. not the real Hulk, but there is no denying the man has a twin!!! He was the sweetest man and adopted her for the boat ride, she was his official dolphin spotter.

It was a day well spent. We were all exhausted by the end of the day and we were blessed with a beautiful sunset! God is pretty darn Amazing! 

Quite possibly perfect

WOCS Graduation!!

I was going to write this sooner and get it up on the blog with the pics... but as you can see I'm just getting to it. We were busy having a fun filled family weekend!!

5 days ago, Ryan graduated WOCS and officially became and Officer. So proud. Graduation day was beautiful, the weather was perfect and the kids were so happy. Granted he had briefings for his next course right after graduating and couldn't come right home, but it was still good.

The ceremony was held in the Aviation Museum, it was very nice... they all looked so good in their dress blues, and the kids had fun getting dressed up to go watch. I was able to go up and pin him, so I brought Kale up with me. We had gone back and forth about bringing all of them up or me going up myself... however it was a bit tight up there and bringing them all up would have been a lil much. The big girls were doing really good sitting with our friend and Bryn after a minor freak out (yes she only had one freak out thankfully) had gone with another friend to the potty, so I decided to take the boy up with me. He was excited.

Very proud of my man... we have a long way to go, but at least for this next step he is home with us... kinda nice to have a "normal" schedule again for a bit. Honestly, it has been a long time since he has had both Saturday and Sunday off... so this is a little treat ;)

                                                   

Missa walking her daddy into his graduation

Time to take oath

I just loved all the helicopters hanging from the ceiling in the museum, made for a great setting. We really need to go back just to look around soon. It was pretty neat, the kids loved it.

                                               

Sitting very nice waiting to watch the pinning

                                     

Pinning my Officer

 These two met right before WOCS when they were getting ready to start....friends for life & he has a great family!

The first step in our journey here is complete but like I said, it's just the beginning.... we are in it for the haul, and with everything going on with our government, that haul might be a bit longer than we thought... but we will make the best of it and we are so thankful for the new friends we are making. Feeling pretty blessed.

PASS day!!

Ryans class had their Pass day today. They are not allowed to leave the post, go into neighborhood areas, or get in cars. At first, this was an annoying factor to the day... but really, in the big picture, it was nothing. We had a PERFECT day! We loved every second. Honestly, it didn't even feel like it flew right by. We walked (a lot) we went down some trails to a small lake and playground, we had snacks...

we walked again, to the bowling alley and bowled for 2 hours and had pizza for lunch there. It was the kids first time bowling and they had a blast! We will definitely be doing it more often. Two seconds from home, inexpensive and fun! Ryan and I used to go bowling with friends every weekend (just about) but that was before kids, actually I believe the last time I went bowling I was very pregnant with twins HAHA. So today was very, very fun!

We walked over to burger king after and the kids had some ice cream sundaes. It was a good day for sundaes... the morning was a lil cooler, but still warm, and by the time we left the bowling alley it was about 77*
We headed back to the WOCS barracks after that to finish up our afternoon. We met up there with a friend of Ryan's from class. He was really missing his family today so we kept him company for a bit. Such a nice guy, and the kids took to him very well as soon as Ryan brought him over to the house a few times before WOCS began. We are looking forward to meeting his family in a few days.

Each class has to decide on a "mascot" and they come up with a sign using their class color. 

Good job guys! 

So yeah, it is safe to say today really was perfect! Bryn and Kale are already out cold and the big girls are falling asleep standing up! Ryan enjoyed every second with us, and the feeling was 100% mutual! 

two more sleeps and Ryan and I will be attending the WOCS reception and the next day is graduation! WOOT WOOT!!

OK, I'm over it. It is what it is and there is nothing I can do about it (What else is new, haha) He starts his next class when they say and that's the way it rolls. It will be fine.

On another note, I have searched high and low for a dress to wear to the WOCS social. Just sit back and imagine for a moment...you live in some distant far off land and you know no one (other than a few WOCS wives and a neighbor) Who, don't get me wrong, are absolutely wonderful and I am so glad I have met them. BUT...back to the distant far off land... you need to find a dress to wear. You have 4 children, so taking them shopping, and trying on clothes.....well, let's face it, the 4 children are way more interested in who's in the next dressing room then what mom is trying on in the one we are all crammed into at the moment. After trying on 3 dresses I gave up... I wasn't finding anything and the kids had absolutely had it.

Needless to say I spent the next 90 hours searching the internet for a dress. Only to come to the conclusion that I hate dresses, and dresses hate me! After searching 400 pages of dresses on Amazon.com I ordered one. The next day I decided, I need another one, because I don't know how the first one is going to look/feel/fit!?!?! So I searched ..... again..... and I ordered another dress.

Got both the dresses yesterday and had a chance to try them on today. The first dress fit great and was very cute and I loved the color...how ever it had one strap that was about 5 miles to long. I don't know what they were thinking when they did that.... My mom is not here, and I don't sew... nope not even straps. OK, I could have maybe brought that one strap in, but I didn't bring my sewing machine, it is still in NH, and honestly... no I don't sew. Onto dress number 2.... it fits and I like how it looks, and it's comfortable. So this is probably the dress.

However, I managed to get a babysitter for the social and I asked her if she could watch the kids tonight too. She could (YIPPIE) so a new friend and I went dress shopping. In the end, neither of us bought a dress, because we both got one off of Amazon and decided to roll with those. A few things to go with the dress however, were needed.... Thankfully I had an accomplished night! AND a few hours to breath out with another adult. I love my children, but it's been 6 weeks of me and them and I needed a little break....and honestly...so did they!

So we get our family day this Sunday and we can't wait! We FINALLY get to SEE him, and spend the day with him. WOOHOO!!! Thankfully it is going to be a very nice, sunny weekend since they are not allowed to leave the post, go into the neighborhoods or houses, or get into cars. Then Tuesday night is the Social, and Wednesday is graduation day!!! So bring on the new week!!!!

piss me off!

Yep.... Not hiding my words right now, so I titled this blog post just the way I feel.
You know when things are just seeming too good to be true? Yeah...well I guess they were.
Things have been....over all....pretty good here so far. I mean really we moved very far from home, then we had a couple days of Ryan here with us in this new home and then he had to leave for 5 weeks with, lets face it....pretty much 0 communication. We smiled through it all and we have done great!
So here we are on the later end of that 5 weeks...getting excited to be re-united and welcome him back into our new home here. The kids have spring break from school at the end of March, and Ryan was told his next course session would start right after that. Nice, we can actually get some "us" time in...some family time...we can get to know this new home together for a lil bit. Of course he would have to report to formations and P.T. and such.... but he was putting in for some leave, it was looking like he could get a few days off completely with us. It's exciting.
Then you open up one e-mail and you want to scream. Really? Why....of course not! Ugggg. No it is by no means the end of the world... not even close. Nope, no one is dying. Really Sara... suck it up who cares... it is what it is. BUT... it upset me tonight. They changed his next start date. No leave time... really no breath time, because You Ryan, have to report to your next start date 2 days after you graduate now. Have fun...oh and tell your family to have fun too. GRRRRRR
Should I just be happy that we are jumping right into the next session....maybe.... but really as much as I miss NH, and can't wait to get back to home. I miss my husband more, and really just want to have a lil time... oh you know, more than 24 hours. So yea....it pissed me off. For the love of God, you could at least give them the remainder of the week off!
I don't usually blog like this... but sometimes you have to get things off your chest, and if I went to bed without doing that, I'd be even more mad. So for those of you who read it, thanks.....whether you think im flipping out over nothing or not... thanks for at least reading my vent tonight.
I will go back to planning what to do on our 8 hr pass this coming Sunday. You know the one where they can't come home, can't leave the post, and God forbid they get in a car... yeah that one. I will however enjoy every second of it....because he is my best friend and any time we get to spend together with our family is a blessing. (see I can still be positive) I know nothing is ever in stone in the Army, even when it's on paper... it doesn't matter. I know that, I learned that 12 years ago when I started dating him. No one has to remind me and tell me, "well you know things always change..." I know. I can still be be pissed though... and I am!

super hero's need dinner too

Sometimes things get a little wild and crazy around here.... sometimes I repeat myself over and over and over............and over, before certain little people begin to make their way to the dinner table.
Tonight I began boiling water for pasta...YES that's right folks, I made spaghetti tonight, and it wasn't mush!!!! WOOT! (If you haven't read my post about cooking pasta on a gas range, then either read it, or disregard that, because yes I can cook...especially pasta..haha ) But anyway....I'm pretty sure it was a good 45 minutes before I even got the pasta in the pot between reciting the "clean up" song over and over, grabbing random children as they attempt to flee from the house into the backyard and even further out the gate to the playground....yeah, guess who that was.... Missa? No.... couldn't be.... HAHAHA! So glad i called maintenance the other day and had them come install chain locks on my front and garage door and a pin chain on my slider...utilized that tonight!
I usually don't allow the kids to wear their dress up clothes to the dinner table, for obvious reasons... like I don't want Cinderella covered in marinara sauce. Tonight they arrived dressed as a variety of different characters, I had to send them off to change before we could sit and eat. Well, they Kinda changed.... and really...whatever...pick your battles. So we sat to eat.... however....someone was missing. Where on Earth did that girl go now? Then we hear it....singing....as she comes bouncing down the hallway "Super hero....save the day....MEEEEEEE super hero...need dinner....YEA" That was her little ditty. Then she appeared, and climbed up into her chair...and belted out her tune again...

Thats right...she was a super hero tonight, and she continued to sing all about it through out dinner! She finally got thirsty and needed to refresh her singing voice & we talked her into taking a few bites of her dinner.

 (Yes the rest of the gang thought she was absolutely hilarious...and of course...she ate it right up!!! She is such a HAM! Not sure she actually ate too much tonight, but she sang her little heart out and even broke out some moves every now and then. She continues to explain to us through out her show, that she was a super hero....such a cheese ball!

So super hero's "need" dinner... but whether they actually eat it all is a whole other song.....

it's friday night...

YEP it's friday night. We were all in our jammies at 6:30 watching "The cat in the hat" because it's Dr. Suess's birthday of course! We enjoyed our movie night. (we always do)
Now the kids are snug in bed...all sound asleep. I'm sitting here listening to helicopters. That's all good, I love listening to them. I didn't eat dinner tonight...well, at dinner time. I made the kids mac n' cheese and some ham. An easy night, laid back..so we could get down to more important business, like our movie and popcorn.
So once they were in bed, I needed some dinner...decided on a lean cuisine. Yes I like them! The one I had tonight however....not so much. It was gross to be honest. The wine I had with it though was quite good ;) Yeah...so "said lean cuisine" went into the garbage. I continued sipping the delicious wine and scrolled facebook. Hows that for a fantasticly fun Friday night!? Hey whatever, I'd rather be home in my jammies then out anyways. Does that mean I'm...dun-dun-dun....OLD!?!?! Nope..... back to the wine and FB.
OK..done with the wine... now I need ice cream. Yes, I know I don't "NEED" ice cream.... but I "need" ice cream. Come on people, you know me better than that! I do my work out insanity/P90X sessions just for the sake of eating ice cream after the kids are in bed! And so I don't weigh 300lbs....but mostly for the ice cream.
I'm looking forward to a friday when Ryan's home...so we can cuddle up on the couch and watch a movie. Or fall asleep...oh really who cares...as long as we are together! That's what counts. I'm so glad after almost 10 years, that's really all that matters to us. :) more like 14 years if we are going back before marriage. I love him!
The kids are looking forward to having him back, they have so much to tell him. Missa has been randomly giving me the pouty lip saying "My daddy come home now??" Awww soon.....very soon! Every time she see's a helicopter...which around here is about every 2 seconds..she asks "Is that my daddy?" again I say...Soon....Very soon!