I interrupt vacation updates with an important announcement...

I am anxious to update on the rest of our vacation travels and Kevin's leave time but first I had to share about our exciting day. Kevin was promoted to 1LT today! His mom, me and our girls were able to go to the hospital for his promotion and I was able to "pin" his new rank. No more butter bar!!!

Col Lomax, the head of nursing for the 86 CSH (Kevin's unit) came to do his promotion and said some really awesome things about Kevin. He bragged that Kevin functioned above his rank and had been very valuable for his military and nursing knowledge. He also shared that Kevin was one of a few nurses chosen to attend a special course last month and that they will be relying on him to teach and train the other nurses and medics while deployed.

We are so proud to be a military family and look forward to many more promotions in the years to come. Love you Kevin!!!!

After the promotion was over we were able to get a family picture. Poor Emma cried through most of it because she was afraid she was there to get a shot :)

Ripping off that butter bar and placing his 1LT rank

Vacation #1

Whew! We have been buys and going non-stop and I have been a blog slacker.

Kevin took almost an entire month of leave time and we made the most of it by taking 2 (much needed) vacations.

At the end of May, I dropped the girls off with my parents and Kevin and I headed to South Dakota for a week to see his brother Dave and wife Cortney (did I mention we went WITHOUT kids????) We had an absolutely amazing time. South Dakota is so beautiful and "un-touched". We spent a few days at Dave and Cort's and the rest of our time "Out West" seeing the sights. We stayed several days in Hot Springs in a fully furnished apartment.

I took so many photos but here are just a few highlights from the trip:

On our way out West we stopped and fed some prarie dogs. They would come right up to you and take peanuts from your hand :)

We visited the Black Hills and spent several hours exploring the different formations and climbing around. It was incredible!

It was so beautiful and breathtaking. I have never been so moved by beauty in nature before

There were lots of places like this showing different colors

Kev and I in front of Mt Rushmore. It is so amazing to see in person and walk through the park

Cort and I at Rushmore

One of the coolest things about visiting SD were all the animals. They were everywhere. Like, 3ft from your car, everywhere. We saw tons of buffalo, antelope, prarie dogs, deer, and longhorns. The buffalo were our favorite, especially the babies. They roam wild and cover the grasslands

My sweetie enjoying some wine with dinner#1 at Blue Vervain

Me and Cort having some coffee on our balcony before heading out for some retail/spa therapy complete with manicures, pedicures, massages and great shopping!

The guys hike Harney Peak. It's elevation is about 7200 ft and is the highest point between the Rockies and the Alps

Dinner #2 at the Blue Vervain (MOST.AMAZING.FOOD.EVER.)

Beautiful lake where we fished

Having lunch at a pub and sporting my new fantastic headband :)

Posing with one of the many statues at Wall Drug

It was hard to leave but we were missing the girls like crazy! I think they had a pretty good time and were easily distracted, though, being spoiled by Nana and Papa!

More to come on the rest of our vacation travels...

Last day of preschool

Thursday was Emma's last day of preschool for the year. She has loved it so much and I know she will miss her friends and teachers this summer

Showing Mama which seat is hers in the classroom

Giving hugs to her friend Kelsi

Up on the stage during the program. The 2's led everyone in the Pledge of Allegience and sang their ABC's

Having lunch during their party after the program



Emma with Ms. Becky. I am so blessed Emma was in her class. Ms. Becky is so kind and loving to the kids and Emma adores her

Next year both girls will be going two days a week. It is nice to give me time to run errands and do things around the house but I am really looking forward to having both girls home with me everyday this summer. We are getting in lots of quality family time before Kevin has to deploy in the Fall

Busy Week

There has been a lot going on this week!

On Friday, Kevin got home from a two week training at Ft. Rucker. We missed him sooo much while he was gone. I figured a date night was in order and wanted to do something different. I told him on Saturday that a sitter would be coming at 6 and he couldn't know any of the details of our date :) I had planned for us to do Great Date #1 of The Great Date Experiment. I don't want to spoil any details but it is a faith-based exercise for married couples and consists of a series of 6 dates. The dates are geared to be really funny, a little cheesy, and help you grow in your relationship. At the start of the date you print out your "instructions" and it tells you step by step what you are to do, where you are to go, and what you are to talk about on your date. We had SO much fun and will definitely be doing Date #2!



On Monday, we all went and ate supper at Joe and Jill's house. Joe and Kevin's mom was in town visiting and we all had a great time together. Emma and Hannah love digging out all of Auntie Jill's plastic utensils and "cooking" with her. They spent a long time lying in the kitchen floor eating brocolli :)

On Wednesday, we had a surprise birthday dinner in Nashville for our friend Lori. We ate at Pie in the Sky and had a cake from Publix. It was all so yummy and so fun. I love spending time with my girlfriends and am so glad we can bless each other. Yay to Karen for thinking up this great idea! (Lori is the brunette, front-left)

But...the best news of the week....

Joe and Jill's twin baby boys were born on Tuesday night!!!!! It was a little earlier that expected but Mama and both boys, Carter Joel and Owen Thomas, are doing fantastic! I haven't snapped very many great pictures yet (I was too busy staring at them and holding them!) but they are just precious and perfect in every way! I am so excited to have nephews and can not wait to watch these guys grow up. Auntie Mandy loves you!!!

Sweet Carter, 7 lb 3 oz

Mama and Owen, 5 lb 12 oz

They call me Mommy

I can't believe that I am so blessed to have two precious girls to call me Mommy.

Welcome Emma Elizabeth! After bedrest, 2 hospitalizations and rising blood pressures the doctor said she needed to come a little early, at 37 weeks. My induction did not go well and our 1st sweetheart was born by emergency c-section on 9/19/07. 5lb 14oz 19.5 "

When Emma was just 6 months old we decided to try for another :) Hannah Sue was scheduled to be born on Jan 27 but rising blood pressures again led us to a c-section on 1/22/09. 6lb 9oz 22"

Our first picture as a family of 4


Today, my sweet Hannah is almost 16 months old. She is fiesty and brave, cuddly and sweet. She loves following after big sister and is a total Mama's girl

My precious Emma is almost 3! She is funny and polite, smart and beautiful. She makes us so proud and is a wonderful big sister. Although she is a Daddy's girl, she lights up my life

Happy Mother's Day!!

Hand-Me-Down

I like to think of myself as a deal-finder and fairly saavy with my shopping. This is especially true with things we buy for the girls (okay, minus their outrageous crib and dresser...). Since I was pregnant with Emma I have been a fan of buying used things. Almost all of my maternity clothes were either borrowed or bought off of Ebay. I also bought huge lots of baby clothes, shoes and supplies from Ebay and resale shops. I have always figured that a lot of baby gear is used for such a short time that you can find "used" stuff that is like new.


Kevin and I got into a discussion related to this the other day. We started listing off all the used items that have been given to us from people we know. The list is HUGE. I had never taken the time to pause and realize just how blessed and lucky we have been with so many essential items being handed off to us from friends and family that could have sold them and made a buck back. This list does not even include all the wonderful NEW things people have bought and given to us, which is also very long.


I wanted to document it here so that I can look back on it often and remind myself how truly blessed and loved we are. Also, it really leads me to want to hand these items down to others who could use them instead of consigning them. Pay it forward, right?

Exersaucer that both girls played in

Eddie Bauer wodden booster seat

Bath towels. EVERY SINGLE bath towel both our girls have ever used are hand-me-downs

Graco high chair. Both of our girls used this chair.

Bath tub- both of our girls used this as well

Over-the-door jumper. Possibly Emma's favorite thing ever

The list doesn't even include the massive amount of clothes, shoes and bibs from multiple people, boxes and boxes of toys, coats, baby blankets, diapers that were found in a closet :) etc.

It is very humbling to read through this list in my mind.

It soon will be my turn.

Great day for a picnic

We ate al fresco today.

The girls have both become quite fond of having picnics. We have done a bunch over the last year. Kevin and I always crack up because we will usually bring 3 small bags of chips and they will all end up on Emma's lap because she hoards them :)

Today it was just me and my girls and no chips but it was still heavenly. What is it that makes eating turkey and cheese on a blanket outside so much better than having it at the table? Is it that fresh air can boost our appetite? Or maybe all the running and sliding and swinging expends are energy? Or maybe just the glory of doing something "special" and different. Sitting in the open air with those we love and enjoying all God's beauty. It is peaceful on that blanket in the shade with birds and the wind providing the ambience.

I think we'll do it again tomorrow.

Simple Pleasures

The warmer weather means we have been spending lots of time outside. Emma loves to play in the grass and rocks. She will pick leaves off bushes, flowers, trees, etc and carry them around in her pockets. Hannah is fairly convinced that dirt is tastey. Walks through the neighborhood in the stroller have become a lot more interesting because we will let Emma get out and walk beside us. She will try to wander through neighbors' yards, play with their yard ornaments, attempt to pick their flowers, etc. She is exercising a lot of independence these days and frequently needs reminding to stay by the stroller, stay by the sidewalk, hold a hand when crossing the street and so on. She's getting it.

Hannah is content to practice her new walking skills. Outside terrain presents a challenge so she is still mostly crawling when out and isn't sure what to think of the grass or concrete under her hands. A lot of the time she just finds a comfy spot and will sit and just watch what is happening. She smiles when the sun is in her eyes and loves feeling the breeze. But the temptation of whatever big Sissy is doing usually takes over and then she's off.