Joe's Graduation

The Happy Graduate!

(Actually he was laughing at me b/c for some reason my camera was

 being slow and wouldn't take the picture!)

Last October Joe graduated with his CCAF degree. CCAF stands for Community College of the Air Force. This is an associates degree that the Air Force has to applies credits from military training to be put towards a college degree. This can also be transferred directly into a bachelors degree. Using a program called AU-ABC, Joe can take this associates degree and start as a junior in college (having his first 2 years complete). This is a great opportunity that I am grateful the Air Force provides for us. He has plans to continue his education, but is still indecisive as to what area. Depending on what happens career wise in the next year will determine what he will pursue....more on that later. I am so proud of Joe for this accomplishment. Congratulations Joe!

Just before he walked across the stage

Joe receiving his diploma

Halloween 2010

This was at Joe's work. They had trick-or-treating at the passenger terminal

Lauren passing out candy

Lauren a bit under-dressed...Nolan having a great time!

Nolan was walking too slow so we turned around and grabbed his scooter. We ...huthum...I mean they probably got twice as much candy using the scooter in between  houses!

Our baby lion was all tuckered out...sucker in hand and all!

Owen's First Haircut

Owen was way overdue for his first haircut. I never imagined I would be the one giving it, but one day I just got this grand idea that I was going to give him a haircut and so here you have it. Not the best haircut I've ever seen, but it still looked cute. He has since had a professional haircut and it turned out much better. I watched how they cut his hair and am thinking I may give it another try using their technique. The greatest part about boy haircuts is that the hair grows back within a few weeks!

Washing

Before

During

After

Letters to Santa

This year we made lists to Santa to mail.

Dear Santa, 

I want a big mean shark and it is going to be a stuffed animal. Can I have some big rollerblades please? Santa, I miss you and your reindeers. And, I want some make-up.

                                                    

                                                                                                                                                                
                                                     

Dear Santa,

I want trains and train tracks.

                                   

                                    

Dear Santa,

I really like cars a lot. Can you give me some? I would love it.
                                                                                                     

Lauren helped write Owen's list. Nolan was straight and to the point! Lauren got two of the 3 things she asked for. Santa wasn't so sure about a big mean shark stuffed animal though. I don't think they were making those this year ; ) Owen does love cars and go lots of them! But, with older brother's trains, he seems to have grown an interest in those as well! Christmas was wonderful this year. Our family is so amazing. I love the intimate times that this time of year allows us to have together.


                                              

3 Birthdays.... 3 months!

Happy Birthday Lauren

August 21, 2005

Lauren had a great year. She has grown so much in the last year. She is learning a lot too. She was lucky enough to begin Kindergarten this year and is already reading and spelling really well. She is our princess. She enjoys helping mommy around the house and is a really great big sister. She is our sweetheart!

Our beautiful birthday girl

The girls were given different poses to follow...they had fun!

Lauren had a good turn out for her birthday party

Joe and Lauren made the cake. Lots of love went into that cake that's for sure!

I will never forget this cake. It has quite the story!

Thank you Grandma and Grandpa Wilson!

Happy Birthday

Owen

September 8, 2009

Owen has crossed many milestones in the last year of course. He started walking the week of his birthday and has been into and on top of everything ever since. He is keeping us very busy that's for sure! Owen is still the happiest baby ever. He enjoys playing trains with Nolan now. He is good at connecting the tracks. What a big boy. It's amazing what can happen in such a short period of time!

Our happy boy loved his chocolate cake!

Lauren helping hang the birthday sign she and Nolan helped make for their brother

 The finished piece...Lauren and Nolan enjoyed adding their little

touches of creativity into each and every letter

My friend Jackie helped me make this. It turned out good!

The morning of Owen's birthday with Daddy!

Happy Birthday Nolan

October 24, 2007

Ever since we got to Turkey Nolan has been infatuated with trains. He was so excited to have a party. He is the last of the birthdays for the year and he could hardly stand it. He watched Lauren have her party, then Owen..and then he had to wait almost 2 months until it was his turn. It was a long 2 months, but he made it! He was so sweet on his birthday...everything he opened he was so happy to get! I can't belive this little guy is already 3. He accomplished a lot in the last year including learning how to ride his bike without training wheels! We're still working on that potty training thing, but we've got 3 more years until he starts kindergarten so we have some time! (I'm just kidding by the way!)

I found this fun train cake idea on howdini.com. It was fun to make and super easy!



Choo Choo!...



Thanks Grandma and Grandma Wilson for my train jammies!

So Im not sure why we planned our children the way we did, but we have all 3 of their birthdays each one month after another. Lauren's birthday is August 21st, Owen's is a couple weeks after on September 8th, and Nolan's is the following month on October 24th. In our minds I think we were set on having each of our children 2 years apart. We were happy that each of our kids have their own "birthday month," meaning they didn't have to share it with either of their siblings. But, it didn't take long to realize that having 3 birthdays right in a row can be very stressful! Next year it's going to be a big combined party at the community center...it's already decided!

Our Amazing Kiddos!

So to be honest, nothing great has been going on lately. I wish there were more going on as far as fun trips and exciting adventures, but so far, none of that! We are struggling to find trips that are affordable for all of us to go on. We would love to go some places, but with 3 young kids, it makes it a little bit more challenging. We WILL go!!! We are saving up for some really fun things coming up next year, but this year we are going to try to go on a few little trips. Im looking forward to what fun adventures our near future holds. So, until then I am posting random pictures of the kids to show how awesome they are! They are such great kids and we are so blessed for that. I realize everyday how much they are growing and it kills me! I want them to grow up for some obvious reasons, but it's also sad to know that they will never be this young again!

July 2010

So it appears that I am a little behind on my blog entries. So, Im cutting my losses and starting from this month. Nothing great has really happened in the past couple months anyways. The kids are doing great and growing up way too fast. I started a job about 3 months ago and am enjoying the time out of the house. I work Mon-Fri from 7:30-1:00 at the education center here on base. Joe works a lot of long hours, but gets 3 day weekends every week. It's nice to have that extra day to get away if we need to. Both Joe and I are in school for the summer semester leaving very little "extra" time....whatever that is! We are getting by, but don't think we will put ourselves through this again! Joe is going to take a break after this summer and I will only enroll in 1 course at a time from now on! I used to be able to do 3 or 4 at a time, but extra kids do make a difference! I think I only had Lauren when I would do that! Slowly but surely we will get there!

Our 4th (Really the 3rd) of July Get-A-Way

Karatas

We made it! (It's only a 40 min. drive)

The view coming in

What a beautiful view

Nolan conked out on the way to the beach

Lauren brought her friend Abby

Enjoying the perfect weather

Owen and Daddy

We stopped by a yummy restaurant on the way back

 

Independence Day 2010

Ooooo....ahhhh!

They got really dirty that night!

Nolan and Lauren have been sleeping together lately. I think it's so sweet!

Easter 2010

This year our Easter was downplayed a bit! Since we didn't have our household goods yet, we didn't have easter baskets, eggs to hide the candy in, or anything for that matter! None of that was available at our BX either! Our BX is lame! But, we still managed to figure something out to keep it fun for the kids!

Lauren enjoying her Rice Krispies bird nest

This was part of our FHE activity. Joe and I made up a game last second that turned out to be pretty funny! We took this bowl of m&ms and had everyone take a turn at taking one out without looking. The person that could find the "black" m&m was the winner! But, um...there were no black m&ms! A few min. before the game was over when I could see the m&ms were almost out I took one of mine that I hadn't eaten yet and colored it black with a dry erase marker we had setting out. Lauren ended up getting the last one (that was planned!). She loves being the winner! We don't always let her win, but this time she did!

Lauren and her bestie Lauren! She came over on Easter and had an Easter Egg Hunt with us!

Owen wanted to eat that so bad!

Our messy Nolan!

Lauren and Nolan both got their faces painted at the squadron Easter Egg Hunt.

The First Man to Ever Set Foot on the Moon

This isn't a great picture, but we were aways back so this is the best one we got! I could have gotten one from the net, but thought one that we actually took would be more cool!

I know this was awhile back, but I still wanted to write a bit about it. A few months ago we had the opportunity to meet Neil Armstrong and several other Aeronautical Legends. Most of them are "old" men, but they had some really interesting stories to tell; stories that aren't in the history books. I really hadn't heard of most of the men there, but I just thought it was so cool to be able to say that I saw Neil Armstrong in person. I never dreamed I would live here in Turkey and certainly never thought I would meet a legend such as the first man to walk on the moon! I am so grateful for all the amazing opportunities we are getting out here!

Owen Baby- 7 Months Old

Yep, they even have a McDonalds here!

Just crawling around!

Sink Bath!

Owen is still my perfect little baby. He is almost always happy. Every time we go out anywhere we stop traffic...especially here in Turkey! They love babies! Some even want to hold him and take pictures! So far Owen has mastered the military crawl and is occasionally crawling with his knees. He is always filthy when he is crawling because our floors are all tile! It's nearly impossible to keep tile clean! He is sitting up on his own and doing it very well. He has 2 bottom teeth. He has his first runny nose right now. He hates it when I wipe it! Today he fell asleep at dinner with a pancake in his mouth! He's so precious!