Traveling Family!

Joe and I just got home a couple weeks ago from a much needed vacation. We (without the kids) went to Florida for a week. We had so much fun...I forgot what it was like to have no kids. I missed them like crazy, but loved spending time alone with Joe again. My Mom and Dad took care of the kids and they loved it too. Next year we are planning a cruise with my sister and her husband...once again NO KIDS! So excited! I am currently arguing with Joe on how long we should cruise though...he wants to go on a 9 night cruise and I am okay with just a 5 night. If we were to go for 9 nights that would mean we would need more money and would have to be without the kids for at least 11 days. If we were to go on a 5 or 6 night cruise it will still be a 8 or 9 day vacation...which I think is still really long! I have realized lately that I am a big homebody. I am perfectly content staying in my house. If I do leave my house I hardly leave base. If I ever get to a base that is actually nice and has stuff to do on it, I'll never leave!



This weekend we are planning on going down to Texas once again for a training for Joe. He is deploying in about 3 weeks. We decided to drive so we could spend the driving time together and so that we could see Angie ( Joe's sister) again. We wish we lived closer to them. She is trying to talk us into moving near her...not like we could if we wanted to anyways! The military sort of owns us right now!.... Which is fine with me for now...without the military we would be paying for so much more. Yeah our actual paychecks arent great, but we have housing, cheap food, life/health insurance, and so many more benefits that we wouldnt have otherwise. Lately Joe has been talking about possibly separating from the military once his schooling is finished, but the more we think about it the more scary is seems to be out. We both hate deployments just b/c we miss out on family time. Joe misses out so much more though. This time Lauren is going to understand more that here daddy is gone and it is going to be more tough. Nolan is still carefree and could really care less as long has his needs are taken care of. I am so blessed to have a husband that is willing to support his family no matter what it takes. I am happy that he doesnt keep skipping around from job to job. He did some when we first got married, but that is normal when you have no education. I think it is so hard on families when their parents continue to change jobs and seem to have no stability. I know if Joe were to do that then I would feel so unstable. He does a good job though!






The kids are doing lots of fun things. Lauren is mimmicking everything we (Joe and I) do. She just tried to hit me (I think she was playing...she didnt like somthing that I told her) but she was trying to hit me and hit her arm on the desk...of course she cried and did I show her any remorse...None whatsoever! Call me mean, but she was trying to hit me! Some consequences follow immediately after an act its great! Nolan is a full time crawler now. He likes my plants which sucks! Lauren showed very little if any interest in my plants...I'll post the pic of little Noli yesterday when he dumped my plan. He's such a doll though....I love my little man! Lauren has been dressing herself for the last couple weeks. She is pretty funny...I will give her something and she will say " No, it doesnt match!" She is pretty good at matching things too! She hates me to do her hair, but if I dont, she looks horrid! It's summer again so she has been able to play with her next door buddy more. She and Jordyn are best buddies....they get along most of the time too...of course the occasional fight over dress up shoes and purses does happen, but they're pretty good! Nolan has been working on saying "Dada" He smiles everytime I try to teach him, and I can see his little lips attempt it, but nothing near it comes out! The other night I was holding him trying to put him to sleep and he would make a humming noise, and then I would make it back and then he would make it back....then I doubled it up and so did he...it was so stinkin cute! I enjoyed Lauren when she was a baby, but having him reminds me of why I want more kids. Joe says only one more, but God will be the judge of that! If it were up to me I wouldnt want to be pregnant again, but the babies are so much fun, which makes it all well worth the 9 months of hell! Okay the entire 9 months really isnt hell either...just the last 8-10 weeks!


It took Joe a long time to get used to having a boy, but I know he loves Nolan just as much as Lauren now....I think he always loved him, but he had a hard time excepting that he wasn't a girl. Joe wanted all girls...and I was okay with that, but now I dont care if we have another boy....Nolan is so special! I would love another little girl too though....so we'll have to see!


Well today is Joe's 27th birthday (he's an old fart!) Not quite actually! He is at work all day today, but has tomorrow off so we will probably celebrate as a family tonight and spend the day together tomorrow. I love spending time with the family...it is probably my most favorite thing to do. Lauren has been begging me to make Daddy's birthday cake so I better get so I can help her with that.

Leaving : (

The weather is finally starting to warm up here....finally! It has been really chilly here for this time of the year. At least we arent getting snow like some other places are though! Needless to say, Im ready for some warmer weather! I love to go outdoors and walk and play with the kids and work in the yard. I'm sure once it gets really hot this summer I'll be wishin for some cooler weather!...it happens every year!

The kids are doing great...Lauren is talking my ear off and is putting new sentences together really well...She might even be doing better if she would get rid of the dumb binky! I try to take it from her, but she always finds it! She has been doing better. I have been telling her that on her 3rd birthday, Cinderella's mice are going to take it away b/c she will be a big girl and wont need it anymore! She seems okay with the idea so we'll see! Nolan is trying ever so hard to get on all fours to crawl. He gets very frustrated, as do all kids, when he can't do it! Poor guy, he'll get it soon enough though. He is a huge little man. He is not quite 6 months old and is ready to get into 12 month clothes. This is another reason why summer needs to get here b/c I dont have any more warm clothes for him...so sleepers it is until it gets warm! I do have a couple pair of pants, but they are getting short on him! I have been trying to get him to say, "Dada" for awhile now...he isnt saying anything yet, but I have 8 more weeks to get him to say it before his daddy leaves for 6 months.

So yes, I did say 8 weeks! : ( I hate the thought of it, but we have to do it. I hate it that Joe has to miss out on the kids for 1/2 a year. They change so much when they are this young. It is hard for me when he's gone, but harder for him I think. We can do it though. It does make us stronger. The place he is going is in Quatar and isnt a dangerous place. Im sure it could be since it is out in the middle east, but that is not where all the roadside bombs and shootings are happening. Im glad for that. I wish there was an easier way to earn a living, but unfortunately, for us, this is the best way. We will be together all the time someday when he retires. All this sacrifice will be rewarding I know it! We have been super busy getting things done before he goes. Here in a few weeks we will be going to Florida for out 5 year anniversary. Our anniversary is July 1st, but he will be gone then. Family and couple vacations are really important to both of us. We really enjoy the memories we have when we take them. Next year we are going on a cruise and last year we went to Alaska. Im excited to get some alone time with him before he goes. Mom and Dad are watching Nolan and Lauren for 5 days while we go. It will be so nice for us! It will feel like we're dating all over again! Fun fun...well we're still here hangin in there. Hopefully this year can go by quickly so we can get out Joe back!

What a month!

This month as been such a challenging month.  As I explained in the last post, the dreaded flu hit our house about 3 weeks ago. We are feeling so much better now though.  The kids have been doing great.  Nolan is babbling so much and is growing too quick.  Lauren is so smart.  I know she's my kid, but she really is learning things a lot quicker than all her little 2 year old friends! Well...not all of them, but a lot of them.  Joe is finally coming home in 2 days.  This last month has been even crazier since he has been missing.  He lucked out I guess!...Im sure he would have much rather been  here helping than away from us.  He is really homesick now.  He called me this morning and woke me up excited that he is finally coming home.  They are a day ahead of us so he said he only has one more day! We really learn to appreciate one another when we are apart.  It isnt fun at the time, but it does strenthen our marriage.  We have really been blessed to be in the miliary even though it is hard at times.  

Fun Times...Not really!

Well,
Joe left for Guam just over a week ago. He seems to be enjoying the warm 80 degree weather, snorkling, shopping, and 5 star hotel he is staying in.  It sure beats what we are going through out here in old Missouri!  
Over a week ago I had pink eye and went to the doctor.  Days later my pink eye was not gone and I found myself making a trip to the ER with eyes swollen shut.  The doctor in the ER 
explained that the drops I was given are very harmful for my eyes and that nobody should have
ever prescribed them to me... or anyone at that. I was extremely overwhelmed with Lauren and 
asked my mom to come out and help. Ever since my mom has shown up, Lauren is the perfect
child.  She is able to spend lots of time with me...which is what she wanted to whole time we
figured out.  She has not acted up one time since my mom got here 6 days ago.  I was basically just
neglecting her and didnt realize it with my sickness and school work.  The time she normally has
with Joe was gone and I was the only thing she had.  I feel like crap thinking about how she must have felt. :( She is the sweetest child and I hurt her.  I know I shouldn't beat myself up too bad
about it, but it hurts to know that I was hurting my own child.  

So my eyes are almost 100% again...I still have some burns on the outside, but for the most part am better...and looking much better than before.  But of course now we have the flu.  My mom came perfectly healthy and I had no sypmtoms, but somehow we both got the bug.  So far the kids are not sick...but only time will tell if they will get it.  I hope not b/c that would just be
absolutley horrifying.  We are doing our best to take our vitamins, drink our fluid and get our rest.  We probably arent getting as much rest as we need with kids around though.  I just want
my husband back.  How did  he luck out on missing the flu and being on a tropical island at the same time...luck I guess.  These times make us stronger and help us to appreciate the good health we enjoy everyday.  So ....its my birthday today and Im afraid it will not be as enjoyable 
as I would have hoped for.  Birthdays really arent that interesting anymore anyways though!  I
never understood why my parents didn't get excited for their birthdays...now I do!  Its really
just another day ...especially without my hubby here!  Im sure by this time next week I will be feeling great! I think I am going to start working on my homework since Im up with a stuffy nose.  I really should go back to bed...but I am having a hard time breathing with my stuffy nose.
Fun times!  Betcha wish it was you huh!  Okay...Im done complaining for now!  Now it's out of my system!

Just a few thoughts on my mind

Lauren has found a new love!.... Her first actually!  She met a little boy named Shelby Ross at church last week and has been talking about him ever since!  I love it because I can get her to do anything because all I have to do is briber her with Shelby playtime and whatever I want gets done!  Im up for anything that works even if Iam a bad parent for bribing! Lauren is finally potty trained for sure.  She has done some teasing in the past, but Im pretty sure this time it's for real.  She's even doing number 2 in the potty!  Yeah for us...less spending on diapers!  Next month it's Nolan's turn! ...haha..j/k...Im not one of those moms that says "Oh I had so and so potty trained when he was 6 months old..."  Bull crap...when they say that they really mean that they trained themselves to know when it was time to go put their child on the toilet!...SOME MOMS I TELL YA!....over achievers! Nolan is such a sweet little boy.  He really is my angel.  I tell him that all the time.  I used to tell Lauren that too...then she turned in to a monkey!  But Nolan is so happy all the time and he never cries unless he is hungry or poopy.  I really needed a child like him so I didnt go psycho!  At times even with a good baby I dont see how I could handle anymore!  Joe says he's good with two, but I would like to have at least one more and maybe two.  I will have to have the 4th by "surprise" b/c Joe forbids it!  I just really enjoy having lots of siblings.  It is so fun to get together for the holidays.  I could live with 3, but am not going to decide officially until it's time.  

Getting back to school

January always goes by so fast!! It seems like it was just Christmas. The new year is turning out well, so far. Camara and I are beginning classes again. We haven't taken classes for a couple of months b/c of the new baby and vacations. Camara is taking an English class and Intro to Business. I'm in a PC components class, one of two classes needed to get my A+ certification. We are already feeling the additional pressure of more to do. Camara is having a hard time deciding what to major in, so for now her major is general studies. I am almost finished with my AA in Logistics and will soon begin work on my BS. I am hoping to expand my career into a computer science degree. We are both very happy that we are able to go to school. Lauren is still just as beautiful and cheery as always. Often times she will come up to me and in a real sweet voice say "I love you so much." Nolan is beginning to be fun. He smiles a lot like Lauren did. I think that he will be just as much fun as Lauren was/is. We love being parents. This year is going to be a little harder as I will be deployed from June-December. This will be my second rotation. We've known that it was coming so at least we can be prepared. I will be going to Qatar. It shouldn't be too bad. They have dorms instead of tents and they don't ever get attacked. I feel privileged to be able to serve in the military. Like they say, "Freedom isn't free." Camara is awesome though. Last rotation she kept busy by taking classes. She is very supportive. I am also going to Guam in February. I will be very busy but should have some time to go scuba diving. So there you go most of out year is already planned. Crazy stuff! We have a big vacation planned for next year so that should help us get through it all.

Happy New Year!

Happy New Year Everyone!

Capel updates!

This past month and 1/2 has been so crazy! Oct. 24th I had Nolan. He is so sweet. He is 6 weeks old and is growing like a weed! He likes to eat a lot! Well...actually he is on a really good schedule but he eats a lot when it is time to eat. Lauren, the big sister is doing a fine job at big sistering! She likes to hold him and put is pacifier in his mouth. She also likes to play in all his toys like the bouncer (which she has already broken once) and his swing. We are trying to keep her off them as much as we can b/c they will eventually break. She somehow has learned the phrase "shut up" and so when Nolan cries she tells him to shut up! It might be cute to you but its not quite so funny when it's your child saying those things!

Last week we got home from a 2 week trip out west to Utah. We had a good time visiting with family but are so glad to be home. I am finally getting my house back in order after the trip and we put our Christmas stuff up last night. Christmas decorating is starting to feel more and more like another chore on my list. I never understood why my mom wasnt excited to put Christmas decorations up and now Im realizing that it's not really that fun! ...especially when it's time to take them down! I somehow have to talk Joe into finishing the outside lights today since it is a nice day.

I have lots of things to do this week such as various appointments and house/mom stuff. Then this weekend it is off to Texas for another week. Joe has a duty assignment for work and so I am going to go down to stay with his sister. I want to go, but was really looking forward to getting things back to normal here at home. Poor Nolan has been away from home longer than he has here. Oh well...I guess I am young and should have energy for this chaos!

I cant believe Christmas is just a few weeks away. It comes back so fast each year. My sister and her husband are coming out right before Christmas and then my mom and dad are coming out right after. Maybe after the holidays we can be normal again and not be so busy. I want to do everything on our list but am anxious to get to the gym and have a normal schedule. But then Joe leaves at the end of January for another TDY and then we are leaving to celebrate our 5 year anniversary (early b/c he is deploying in May which means we wont be together on July 1st on our actual anniversary). Then the chaos begins again since I will have to be a "single mom". Oh well...life goes on...I really am alright though...I havent had a breakdown yet! Well I best be getting back to my life....

We're back home!

We're home at last!!! After spending over 2 weeks away from home in Utah we made it back. We had a good time but it is always nice to get things back to normal. Lauren and Nolan did perfect on the car ride out there and back (17 hours one way). Lauren watched her dvd player most of the way and Nolan ate every 3 hours and slept the whole way. Joe and I are now tired of eating IHop and McDonalds since those are the only 2 places we ate on the way out and back! I told Joe "no more McDonalds" at one point on the way home! For some reason he loves McDonalds and I dont! We have lots of new pictures of our trip and you should be seeing them on here soon. Everything is good here at home...just some leaves to rake and Christmas decorations to put up...and of course lots of unpacking as always! Christmas is right around the corner (26 days) and we are now having to hide Lauren's presents we bought on black Friday. If we would leave them out she would help herself to playing with them! Nolan could care less as long as he is fed and his diapers are dry! Gotta love babies! Keep an eye out for new additions to our blog.
Joe and Camara

Go Colts!!

Welcome!

Welcome to our new family site! Enjoy!








Lauren's new baby doll, she named him Nolan.

WE DID IT!!

We finally created a blog. Now you can all come and read about our exciting life! This seems like a great way to keep in touch as-well-as have some sort of family journal. Camara and I are excited to share our life with you.