40 is only a Number

(the party planners)

I can't believe we did it! But 4 of us gals were approached by a very sweet and doting husband to help him throw his wonderful wife a surprise 40^th birthday party. He started planning this months ago and to keep her off his scent he planned it 6 weeks prior to her actual day so she wouldn't be suspecting it.

(after seeing her horrifing teen picture all blown up)

We decided to go with the "death of her youth" theme. Every one in attendance wore black and our food was black and white. Her husband put together a slideshow of her youth complete with pictures of old flames just to embarass her more. It was so fun! I thought it turned out great.

 Best of all IT WORKED!!

She didn't suspect a thing.

(Our "Old Lady" friend)

(Our fun group!)

Is it SUMMER YET?

I think some little boys at my house are ready to hit the pool.

I have never seen a baby who actually wants to wear goggles.

He is constantly asking for them and giggles the entire time he is wearing them.

FUNNY FUNNY KID!

Valentines Day

Valentines Day started off rocky with sicky little Callan. Poor baby started throwing up the night before and continued every 20- 40 minutes until 6:30 am.

It was such an exhausting and terrifying night. I have never had a baby or a child for that matter throw up so much and often.

Luckily he slept a lot that morning so it allowed me to try to make

it special for the other two.

OUR BRUNCH 

 (it was supposed to be breakfast but obviously I was a few hours late pulling it off, but with no church for us that day due to little sicky boy it wasn't a big deal)

The REAL highlight was treating the boys to one of Cam's signature treasure hunts. I have been a recipient of such an event often, especially when we were dating. But as most wife's can attest those cutesy things done early on in a relationship usually die off over the years. So it's always fun when they surface again.

We started with Mackguire's clues

Hey buddy, I miss you                    Ha ha Tricked you!

To find your present,                 But I'm not being mean

you must play along...              and sorry for the quandry

Look in the palce where                   But look for me in the cupboards

         you find words for a church song.      behind where you put your dirty laundry

            

BAKUGAN! 

Then it was Creed's turn

Hey Buddy I miss you!                            Ha Ha Tricked you!

                   There is a present for you                 Well, this fun little game                   

but it must be found                                  could last for a week...

Maybe start with watching                        but, you better look in

     "The Fox and the Hound"                        "Grandma's room", in the closet

                                                                Think "Lil Bow Chic"

More BAKUGAN!

On to Callan's

Hey Buddy  I miss you!                          Ha! Ha! Tricked you

 I don't want this                                I know this game you

game to belabor your lunch...                 probably can't stand

so go look in the place                           So check "Grandma's room"

where you'd find a hole punch                start with the night stand

 Every boy spent a significant amount of time playing with Callan's present.

Who knew that little bug shaped cars would be such a hit??

So sorry there isn't a  picture because I had a hard time

prying them from all the little fingers.

Then it was my turn...for some reason I can't find my intial clue that led me to my

quilting bin to get this:

Okay so maybe this isn't so hot

You can take it back if

you think not.

Sorry for being such a slouch

Look behind and underneath the couch!

This is where I found this little piece of eye candy

I'm so sorry I can't be here with you

So, (HUBBA, HUBBA)...This will have to do.

Happy Valentines Day!

I Love You!

BAWHAHA!!

Cam thinks he is such a comedian. ☺☺

(I was secretly hoping that somehow he was able to get a hunky poster of himself.

Now that would be something worth lusting over!)

Really the funniest thing about this whole scavenger hunt was that

 I had already found my book twice (once while Cam was still home,

he re-hid it and had to write a new clue, the other time was after he left.) 

I found Creeds one day while making hats.

However, the prize goes to Callan we actually caught him one day playing with his on the floor. He kept finding his over and over.

 I would have to keep putting it back. He was too anxious to play with it.

Luckily though I never read the note in my book so my poster was a true surprise.

Love is in the air...

Look what I got today all the way from the Arabian Peninsula...

Apparently the bouquet is called "Passionate Kisses"  Whoaa..

too bad there wasn't a real KISS behind those flowers. ♥ ♥

SIDENOTE: It was 2 years ago when Cam was gone for 3 months that I sent him balloons for Valentines Day telling him I was pregnant with this little cutie...

(thanks Creed for being a great photographer!)

YOU ARE STRONG!

The day after Cam left I recieved this email from our Squadron Commanders Spouse. It really spoke to me and have continued to speak to me. I will probably be posting similar items that inspire me, throughout the next few months. These are things that I want to remember when I look back years from now. So indulge me...

Over the years I've talked a lot about military spouses... how special they are and the price they pay for freedom too. The funny thing about it... most military spouses don't consider themselves different from other spouses.


They do what they have to do; bound together not by blood or merely friendship, but with a shared spirit whose origin is in the very essence of what love truly is. Is there truly a difference, I think there is! You have to decide for yourself.

Other spouses get married and look forward to building equity in a home and putting down family roots. Military spouses get married and know they'll live in base housing or rent, and their roots must be short so they can be transplanted frequently.

Other spouses decorate a home with flair and personality that will last a lifetime. Military spouses decorate a home with flare, tempered with the knowledge that no two base houses have the same size windows or same size rooms. Curtains have to be flexible and multiple sets are a plus. Furniture must fit like puzzle pieces.

Other spouses having living rooms that are immaculate and seldom used. Military spouses have immaculate living room/dining room combos that are frequently used and the furniture is battered from being moved so many times.

Other spouses say goodbye to their spouse for a business trip and know they won't see them for a week. They are lonely but they survive. Military spouses say goodbye to their spouses and know they won't see them for months or even a year. They are lonely but they must survive.

Other spouses, when a washer hose blows off, call the repairman and write a check for getting the hose reconnected. Military spouses will cut the water off and fix the hose themselves.

Other spouses get used to saying "hello" to friends they see all the time. Military spouses get used to saying "goodbye" to friends they made the last two years.

Other spouses worry about whether their child will be class president next year. Military spouses worry about whether their child will be accepted in yet another new school next year and whether that school will be the worst in the city... again.


Other spouses can count on spouse participation in special events... birthday, anniversaries, concerts, football games, graduation or even the birth of a child. Military spouses only count on each other because they realize that the Flag has to come first if freedom is to survive... it has to be that way.


Other spouses put up yellow ribbons when the troops are imperiled across the globe and take them down when the troops come home. Military spouses wear yellow ribbons around their hearts and they never go away.


Other spouses worry about being late for mom's Thanksgiving dinner. Military spouses worry about getting back from overseas to attend dad's funeral.

And other spouses are touched by the television program showing an elderly lady putting a card down in front of a long, black wall that has names on it. The card simply says, "Happy Birthday Sweetheart, you would have been seventy today." A military spouse IS the lady with the card and that wall is the Vietnam Memorial.


I would never say that military spouses are better or worse than other spouses. But I will say there is a difference. And I will say that our country asks more of military spouses than is asked of other spouses. And I will say, without hesitation, that military spouses pay just as high a price for freedom as do their active duty husbands or wives. Perhaps the price is even higher. Dying in service to our country isn't near as hard as loving someone who has died in service to our country, and having to live without them.


God bless our military spouses for all they freely give. And God bless America!

packing with Dad

While Cam was packing up his gear the boys found his helmet and face mask and thought that was just too cool! I mean it looked just like the one on thier star wars guy who flies the death star.

What little boy wouldn't love that?!?

The boys all wanted to be together as much as possible. Even if it meant watching football with Dad, and not something on Cartoon Network. Its all about SACRIFICES people. We try to train them young...

My Real Life American Hero!

We had Cam's party the day before he left. I loved that when I asked the boys what kind of cake we should make Dad they both said "soldier cake". I guess his deployment was on their minds too.

I sure tried to do a camo cake but I have no skills when it comes to cake decorating.

But for some reason I love to try. I also forgot to get candles so we had to be creative on the 35. OOPS!

Today is my man's birthday!

Yesterday he left for a 6 month deployment.

the day before that we celebrated.

Today I am not as sad as yesterday or even the day before, but I know tomorrow and the days to follow will get easier in some ways and harder in others.

One day down is another day without him

BUT it is also another day closer to when he comes home.

I love you Cam and Happy birthday to my personal American Hero.