Busy!

For most people this is already a really busy time of the year. For us this year, I think the busyness has tripled! We have so much going on. Christmas, new baby, toddler, and an overseas move. It's stressful to move period, but add a few thousand miles extra and it's even more stressful! There is so much involved in moving overseas. In order to move we have to have 2 inspections on our house before we move out. Passport photos, passport application, medical clearance, dental clearance, immunizations, briefings, car inspections, research, etc. There are laws over in Turkey that we have to prepare for. For example, Joe has to buy a new helmet because Europe doesn't recognize DOT certified helmets, they only recognize ECE certified. Joe just purchased his helmet too, so that's more money we get to fork out! We have been trying to weed out all our extra things we no longer need or use to help simplify things. The houses overseas are smaller we've heard, leaving less room for storage. Also before you move to Turkey you have to put all your valuables on a form called a bayename. This is to ensure that you leave with the items that you came with....even if it's broken and no longer works. If you are missing any items that were originally on your bayename, you will be fined a large amount by the Turkish government. We heard of a person that was missing his VCR and was charged $2500 for not having it. They don't mess around over there! So, for that reason we are also weeding out things we aren't sure will work for the next 2 years. Things like our living room tv. We know we want to replace that anyways and it weighs a lot, taking up precious poundage. We have a weight limit of I believe 6000 pounds. That has to include Joe's motorcycle! Lots to do and about 6 more weeks to get it all done! Can we say CrAzY!

Nolan is a really good boy, but is the typical toddler that makes mess after mess. We have gates, but he now knows how to climb over and take them down. Anything in this house he feels if free realm!...I including my shoes in my closet! I found him wearing high heels the other day! Thank goodness Lauren is in school everyday. She goes 4 half days every week. She absolutely loves going! Owen is the most perfect baby!...Seriously he is! Hardly ever cries! I needed him right now! He is making my life so much easier than it could be! Soon we will be traveling to Indiana one last time to visit all the family for Christmas. I know it will be bittersweet. Two years is not that long, but it is when you consider that you won't be seeing your family for that long. We may make it home 1 time, but I'm not even sure of that. It's tough, but I guess that's the price you pay when you have a husband serving in the military. We will enjoy our time over there. I know it!

Let's take a vote!

There has been some discussion on which kid Owen takes more after. I am leaving the decision to you! These are all pictures of my kids when they were 2 months old. One set each of smiling, sleeping, and bath time. I think they all resemble each other nicely, but they are of course siblings so that's no big surprise! Let us know what you think!

Sleeping.....

Owen

Nolan

Lauren

Smiling....

Owen

Nolan

Lauren

Bath time......

Owen

Nolan

Lauren

Happy Birthday Nolie!

Nolan you are already 2! I don't know where the 2 years went, but it flew by! You have brought me such joy! I never knew I would love having a little boy so much! You are my baby! You are by far more advendurous than your older sister ever was! You get into everything! You have the most radiant smile! It is so addicting! You love cars, trains, dinosaurs, Dora, coloring (on everything!), running, riding your tricycle, jumping on the bed with your sister, running around with only your diaper and occationally some Cars underwear over it. But most of all, you love to make messes! You are a pro! We have 2 gates up at the kitchen to keep you out! You have recently taken up the awesome skill of pushing a chair up to everything and climbing to get what you want. I even found you on the counter with the knives one day last week when I forgot to put up the gate. You probably can climb over the gate, but for some reason choose not to...thank you for that! You hate pajamas!...and all clothes for that matter! You are going to be a monkey for Halloween this year (I thought that was very fitting!) and Im still wondering if you will even let me put the costume on you. Both trials have been a fail already! You and your Daddy are buddies. You always give him high fives and then afterwards knuckles! You even try to give Owen who is now only 7 weeks old, knuckles! Owen will soon be old enough to return the favor! You two will be close friends! I hope all 3 of you are! I love watching you and Lauren play together. You and Lauren usually play well together, but there are moments when sharing is an issue! You get hurt often because you are so busy! I really don't know where you get all your bruises from. Right now you have a big bruise on the back of you leg and I have no clue where it came from. You must be a trooper because you never complain about any of them...you cry for a few seconds, but usually a quick mommy hug will make it better! I am sad you are growing up so fast. You bring me such joy!...so innocent and perfect. I am so blessed to be your mommy. Happy Birthday sweetheart!

Things you did on your birthday:

You took a bath

Found your presents!

Helped put your presents together so you could play!

Licked the beater from your birthday cake!

Went swimming with your family and neighbors

Tested the waters on your own!

Went outside and rode on your tricycle

Daddy decorated your cake (quite awesomely I'll say!)

You blew out your candles, ate cake, and then opened more presents!

Sunday Hike

Last Sunday was such a nice day. Perfect hiking weather!...so that's exactly what we did! Right outside of base is Knob Noster State Park. We have gone hiking there several times. The trees were perfectly colorful! So gorgeous! The kids love to run on the trails. Nolan gets so excited he often forgets to look down at the rocks and tree roots under his feet!...Let's just say he did some tumbling! Nothing a few mommy kisses didn't fix! Lauren and Nolan love running ahead of us. This time Daddy got a surprise! The kids had already run ahead and I was behind Joe. He started jumping and freaking out....A snake had slithered across the trail right at his feet! I couldn't believe how well it blended in with the brush of the forest. I tried to get pictures, but it was too fast. The one's I did get you can hardly see it b/c it camouflaged so well. The trail we chose was pretty long. The kids started getting tired about 1/2way through so we decided to take a different route out of the woods. It really didn't save us much walking as we learned! We ended up holding kids the entire way back! I had Owen in tow the entire time, but couldn't bare to watch Nolan cry because he wanted held....so, being the superwoman that I am, picked him up and carried him for parts of the walk back. Holding two babies wasn't too bad. I normally walk on the treadmill holding Owen in his swaddler. He sleeps and I walk. I tell him, "you helped me put on this weight, and you are going to help me get it off!" It makes me work harder with an extra 10+ lbs hanging on me. With the two kids on the hike I think I was carrying and extra 35-40 extra lbs. Crazy what mama's will do for their babies! By the time we got back we were ready to get home and relax.

Genius Idea!

I stole this idea from a friend of mine, and I think she stole it from someone else, but it is genius! My kitchen floor is always disgusting in spite of the marble pattern that is supposed to hide dirt.....or in our case...food! I first put the kids socks on inside out with the rough side out! Then I filled a bucket with soap and warm water. The kids took turns stepping in and then back out to help mop the floor with their feet. Lauren did really well and actually helped out a lot! Nolan spent more time in the bucket trying to figure out why he wasn't getting into trouble for getting all wet! He mostly just walked on the floor instead of skate like you're supposed to do! It's okay. With more practice they will get better! I then had to take my regular mop and soak up all the excess water! Not much of a time saver for me right now, but a fun way the kids can feel like they helped me clean!

Who would have known?

This morning I got up at 6:16 to take care of hungry Owen. We were downstairs for about an hour when I started to hear footsteps upstairs. Getting a little hungry myself, I decided to go upstairs to see who it was. Lauren was already up with the TV on watching Peter Pan.

Looking in the fridge I spied the last two pieces of pizza from last night dinner. Lauren, never having cold pizza before, bit into it and said, "Daddy it's cold." I asked if she liked it, in which she replied, "UUhhhhh huh," reminding me a little of the Little Rascals Alfalfa character. So there we sat eating cold pizza watching Peter Pan, with Lauren giving me all of her pepperoni she thought were "hot." I thought it was fun and cute but didn't really think anything else of it.

An hour later Camara and I were talking. After asking her if she had eaten b-fast yet, I told her about my experience of introducing cold pizza to Lauren. Camara said, "Lauren told me already. She said that you and her had a "home date." Lauren thought that we had gone on a daddy/daughter date. Apparently what I thought of as just a simple morning of cold pizza, was really, to my little girl Lauren, a date with her father. I was kinda blown away. Things like that make you remember that it is the little things that count.

I was happy to see that my daughter felt special this morning because I took 10 minutes and shared a cold piece of pizza and watch Peter Pan with her.

Lauren and Daddy

(Taken the other day sometime before bedtime)

The New Addition...and it isn't a baby!

Well Joe finally got his motorcycle! Earlier this summer he was down because he wanted one. He would see our neighbors go out together and I think he was jealous in a way. We talked about it and decided it wasn't an expense we needed at the time. When we got orders to Turkey we decided that it was a good idea to sell our 2nd car and get a motorcycle. My dad happened to be selling his, which was perfect because it is the only bike that actually fit's Joe's height without the handle bars knocking into his knees when he turns. When you PCS overseas you can only take one car. If you own a motorcycle you can take it as your housing goods. We looked up the weather in Turkey and it seems like it is comparable to California's weather. Chilly in the winter, but that's as harsh as it gets. We thought this would be great because then we could have 2 forms of transportation once we got there. Right now he is using it when the weather is nice to go to and from work. It seems like the days are depleting very quickly for nice comfortable riding weather. Today is is storming and very chilly.... Not a biking day! When we first moved here we only had one car and it wasn't a problem. We will manage. It's not that bad...I don't go anywhere!

Oh and one more thing I must make clear. I do have a little fear with the new addition. Motorcycles are dangerous and scary! Even with a good helmet and protective gear, they are still dangerous. People don't see motorcyclist as well as cars. It's freaky! The good thing is, Joe shares those same fears as I do. He understands the risk. He is in a way fearful of the power of the bike. I like that!...he won't be doing stupid stuff when he's out. The base requires reflective vests with contrasting colors, safety gloves, helmet (of course), long sleeves, long pants and boots. Not that it completely relieves the fear, but it will help me to know that he has taken every precaution he can to protect himself. I even told him that he is not allowed to even move the bike without his helmet on. We aren't taking any chances.

Tummy Time 1 Month Old

Owen is already 1 month old! The past month has flown by. I know that is how the next year will go as well! I am taking in all that I can with this baby. Each time I change a diaper, or hear him cry or change his clothes for the 3rd time in a row because he has spit up on them, I just take it all in. I know that I will miss it when it's all over with. I love my calling as a mother. I have the best job ever. I couldn't ask for a better blessing than a wonderful husband, and 3 healthy children. I love them all!

The "Younger" Older Sibling

Every parent wonders how a new baby will effect the older siblings...especially the "younger" older sibling. I must say that I really have been surprised with how Nolan has welcomed Owen. At first he really didn't pay much attention. Actually he still really doesn't. He continues on with his life as if Owen is not in it! Not that he doesn't occasionally show interest in him. There have been a few times when I have caught him poking his eyes and pointing to all his body parts as if he is his personal "body part" model! Owen usually is quick to let me know when he is being poked and prodded at! Nolan is actually very loving when he is taking care of Owen. He lets me know when it is his turn to be held and played with, but normally after about 10-15 min. of attention, his cup is full and he goes on with his day. He is such a sweetie. I am so happy with my boys. I'm of course just as happy that I have a darling little girl as well. Lauren and Nolan play so well together. I'm so excited to see Nolan and Owen play too! They are close in age so hopefully they will have a close bond. I hope all my kids are close. It is so much more fun that way!

Checkin out his new brother

Nolan is infatuated with all these new toys we have!

Lauren wanted a turn too!

Well, Lauren broke our last bouncer when Nolan was a baby, so here goes another one!

Lovin on his brother

Nolan being soft

And Nolan being not so soft giving his brother knuckles! Nolan and his daddy have this thing where they give each other high five and then knuckles afterwards! It's really cute!