Today was a roller coaster. (Really though, what day isn't a roller coaster?) Let us start off with the ups. Girls got to school on time. M and I had a nice walk around the park. Met another Mom that was walking her kids. Turned out we know a lot of the same people! My day at the PHC was quiet and I was able to get a little work done. :) A did really well on her spelling test today and was super excited to find out her teacher is expecting.
Now for the lows. Before getting the girls to school on time, H threw a tantrum in the kitchen. Why? I don't know. She stopped when I said I was going to keep her home from school. I wouldn't actually do that, but she doesn't need to know that.
Willow and M have decided to pick on everyone else, including each other. Willow has been attacking the other pets. She likes to surprise attack Kitty. Kitty -surprise!- does not like the attacks and fights back. This upsets Hans who starts whining and tries to get between them. Then the cats turn on him. Poor guy. M has been picking on H every since we got home. Correction, every since we got in the car on our way home. After the attacks, both Willow and M get the same look on their faces that clearly says, "na-na, na-na boo-boo". It is like I have 2 three year olds!
After we got home, M decided to throw a tantrum. It was a doozie, but once it was done she was back to normal. Apparently, all three of my girls are having trouble with their hearing today. :)
Brian's day was quiet considering. No PT. He had a spelling/ knowledge test. He was one of the few who passed it. Yesterday the senior class got their assignments for after graduation, which is pretty cool. The sad thing is, seven of those cadets failed out today. :( I don't think "bummer" covers it. It definitely adds a little stress.
I am happy tomorrow is Friday and Brian will be home tomorrow night. This week has seemed long, but tomorrow ends week four. :)
Hope everyone has a nice holiday weekend!
Blessings,
~Cara
Thursday, August 30, 2012
CHP Academy Day 24/187
Wednesday! Less than 48 hours until Brian will be home for the weekend! Today was good! After dropping the girls off at school, M and I headed to the park for my run. Still not great, but there was improvement from last week! I didn't feel like I was dying, so there is that. :) My legs were not happy on the second half, but I told them to "shut it" and finished. :) After the run, I let M play on the playground again. That girl is like a little monkey! I need to get her into gymnastics before she loses her braveness. She hangs from the bars, pulls her feet up, and hangs upside down! I have to watch her every second. :)
I did do some cleaning. A quick clean of the girls room and a good deep clean of the upstairs bathroom. I would have done more, but half way through I got a package from Amazon and I was too excited to continue. :) Four new books! You might be thinking "wow, four is a lot!", but I have twenty-five more on my wish list. Two of them are not even released yet. I had only planned on getting one, but shipping would have been the same price as the book! I needed the other three to get the total up to $25 so I could get free shipping. :) To me, this makes total sense.
We also had soccer practice today. It went better than Monday's practice, but there was still a few time outs. This time I fed them dinner before going and brought a bag of popcorn for the girls to share. I also had them bring one toy each. H got her's taken away when she used it as a weapon against M. Overall, though, it was better than last time. Now we have a full week off of soccer due to the holiday weekend. It is a welcomed break. I love soccer and love watching A play, but it is difficult with H and M.
When I talked to Brian he sounded exhausted, but excited. He said it had been a long day that started with PT and ended with restriction. While we were talking he was shining his boots, so his day was not over yet. He was excited because they started to schedule cadets for EVOC out on the course. The first group goes tomorrow. Brian is not scheduled for this week, but he is still ready for it! I think he just wants to get going on it just so it won't be as big of deal anymore. It is a big deal, but it is easier to deal with something once you are in motion. A lot of cadets fail out on EVOC. I really think Brian will be okay, but still, it is something that he will need prayer over. Today he got the card that the girls sent him, tomorrow he will get the funny one I sent. Smoking monkey on the front, it would have been funnier if it was wearing a tux, but I guess every card can't be prefect. :) He says the cards help. I don't know if they actually do, or if he is just saying that to make me feel better. Either way he will be receiving a lot of cards! Got to keep visiting my friends at Hallmark! ;)
So tomorrow is Thursday which usually means growth group, PHC, and movie night. Not this week. This week it is only PHC. Growth group is on break until mid September, and movie night has been canceled this week. I still have a huge stack of pictures that need a home in a scrapbook before next week. :) So maybe I will watch a movie while I work on that project. :) Hope you all have great day!
Blessings,
~Cara
I did do some cleaning. A quick clean of the girls room and a good deep clean of the upstairs bathroom. I would have done more, but half way through I got a package from Amazon and I was too excited to continue. :) Four new books! You might be thinking "wow, four is a lot!", but I have twenty-five more on my wish list. Two of them are not even released yet. I had only planned on getting one, but shipping would have been the same price as the book! I needed the other three to get the total up to $25 so I could get free shipping. :) To me, this makes total sense.
We also had soccer practice today. It went better than Monday's practice, but there was still a few time outs. This time I fed them dinner before going and brought a bag of popcorn for the girls to share. I also had them bring one toy each. H got her's taken away when she used it as a weapon against M. Overall, though, it was better than last time. Now we have a full week off of soccer due to the holiday weekend. It is a welcomed break. I love soccer and love watching A play, but it is difficult with H and M.
When I talked to Brian he sounded exhausted, but excited. He said it had been a long day that started with PT and ended with restriction. While we were talking he was shining his boots, so his day was not over yet. He was excited because they started to schedule cadets for EVOC out on the course. The first group goes tomorrow. Brian is not scheduled for this week, but he is still ready for it! I think he just wants to get going on it just so it won't be as big of deal anymore. It is a big deal, but it is easier to deal with something once you are in motion. A lot of cadets fail out on EVOC. I really think Brian will be okay, but still, it is something that he will need prayer over. Today he got the card that the girls sent him, tomorrow he will get the funny one I sent. Smoking monkey on the front, it would have been funnier if it was wearing a tux, but I guess every card can't be prefect. :) He says the cards help. I don't know if they actually do, or if he is just saying that to make me feel better. Either way he will be receiving a lot of cards! Got to keep visiting my friends at Hallmark! ;)
So tomorrow is Thursday which usually means growth group, PHC, and movie night. Not this week. This week it is only PHC. Growth group is on break until mid September, and movie night has been canceled this week. I still have a huge stack of pictures that need a home in a scrapbook before next week. :) So maybe I will watch a movie while I work on that project. :) Hope you all have great day!
Blessings,
~Cara
Tuesday, August 28, 2012
CHP Academy Day 23/187
So I have to start off with some honesty...I stood up my cleaning supplies today. I know... shameful. I have an excuse, I was taken out of the game with a major headache. I made my first date though! Walked at the park with my BFF and M. It was a nice morning, but it was followed up with an "OMG I think my eyeballs are going to pop out of my head" headache. It didn't help that M was super clingy and needed my undivided attention all day. Nap time was a blessing! Once the jack hammer in my head finally took a break and I was able to get a few things done. The girls had baths, practiced spelling words/letters, and enjoyed their homemade pizza. So today was not a complete waste! I guess I will just reschedule my date with the cleaning supplies for tomorrow.
I talked to Brian, he passed two inspections today! One was his room, they must have been pleased because his bunk was the way he left it. The other was during drill. His boots and brass must have been shiny enough, because they didn't draw attention. Plus, he answered the knowledge question correctly, so he passed! He said he was able to get all his work/ studying done early last night and got to bed around nine. Which is pretty early! His only complaint was mosquitoes bites. Apparently, one was living in his pants yesterday and had a nice feast. It wasn't the first time he talked about bug bites, so I asked him if he wanted bug spray. He said no, because the smell would draw attention to him and he would rather deal with the bug bites. Just part of the experience. I hope West Nile Virus is not part of the experience. Besides the bugs he is doing really good, even laughing and joking about things. :)
Well I need to get to work on A's scrapbook. I have stack of pictures about six inches tall that still need to be put in the book. I try and have the girl's scrapbooks updated for their birthday parties and I am running out of time for A's. I have a lot of work to get done! :)
Blessings,
Cara
I talked to Brian, he passed two inspections today! One was his room, they must have been pleased because his bunk was the way he left it. The other was during drill. His boots and brass must have been shiny enough, because they didn't draw attention. Plus, he answered the knowledge question correctly, so he passed! He said he was able to get all his work/ studying done early last night and got to bed around nine. Which is pretty early! His only complaint was mosquitoes bites. Apparently, one was living in his pants yesterday and had a nice feast. It wasn't the first time he talked about bug bites, so I asked him if he wanted bug spray. He said no, because the smell would draw attention to him and he would rather deal with the bug bites. Just part of the experience. I hope West Nile Virus is not part of the experience. Besides the bugs he is doing really good, even laughing and joking about things. :)
Well I need to get to work on A's scrapbook. I have stack of pictures about six inches tall that still need to be put in the book. I try and have the girl's scrapbooks updated for their birthday parties and I am running out of time for A's. I have a lot of work to get done! :)
Blessings,
Cara
Monday, August 27, 2012
CHP Academy Day 22/187. Week 4!!
Monday, first day of week four of our twenty seven week journey. It was not all that bad today. The girls were ready to go back to school this morning. Everyone was was up and dressed on time. M and I dropped A and H off and headed for the park for our jog. The run was a little disappointing, but that is what happens when you take four months off. Now I have to start from the beginning. :( After the run, M played on the playground until I told her we had to go to Savemart. M loves Savemart because they have shopping carts that are her size and shopping carts that have a car that she can "drive" around. :) She cracks me up! She beep-beeps at people! We stayed home the rest of the day until it was time to pick up A and H. While picking up A and H we visited the lost and found, and guess what we found...the sweater that A swore she had brought home at the end of last year! :) Then it was home again until soccer practice.
Soccer practice. Usually what happens is A practices soccer, while H and M practices driving me crazy. I have tried letting them run wild, but I cannot watch A and M or H end up hurt. If I make them sit on the blanket they end up fighting and one of them gets hurt. Plus I get dirty looks from the other parents because I am so strict and mean for making them stay on the blanket. The whole practice is full of them pushing limits and buttons all at the same time. So tonight I decided to let them eat dinner as a picnic during practice. Seemed like a good idea, and it worked for a total of ten minutes. At home I can never get them to eat any meal in ten minutes. The one time I want them to take their time, they speed eat! So the rest of the practice was spent in saying their FULL names, putting them in time out, and giving them The Look. A, however, did really well. She was actually getting in there and trying to get the ball! She even got knocked down once and got back up and kept on running. Considering that last season we had to bribe her with money to get her to kick the ball, this is a huge improvement! :)
I got to talk to Brian and he is definitely on restriction Wednesday evening. :( So we have to wait until Friday to see him again. He said today was overall not that bad. He was surprised that he didn't lose a blue card today, (lose 3 blue cards and it is bye bye Wednesday Liberty) because they were out to get them today. He somehow got over looked. A good thing! He spent a large part of the day in EVOC class. He found out they might start driving as early as next week and he is really excited! Tomorrow he has a test and starts two new classes. Both would make me nervous, but he is looking forward to everything! :)
Well tomorrow is Tuesday and I have a date with friends to go walking. Super fun! Then I have a date with my cleaning supplies. Not so much fun, but has to be done. :)
Blessings,
~Cara
Soccer practice. Usually what happens is A practices soccer, while H and M practices driving me crazy. I have tried letting them run wild, but I cannot watch A and M or H end up hurt. If I make them sit on the blanket they end up fighting and one of them gets hurt. Plus I get dirty looks from the other parents because I am so strict and mean for making them stay on the blanket. The whole practice is full of them pushing limits and buttons all at the same time. So tonight I decided to let them eat dinner as a picnic during practice. Seemed like a good idea, and it worked for a total of ten minutes. At home I can never get them to eat any meal in ten minutes. The one time I want them to take their time, they speed eat! So the rest of the practice was spent in saying their FULL names, putting them in time out, and giving them The Look. A, however, did really well. She was actually getting in there and trying to get the ball! She even got knocked down once and got back up and kept on running. Considering that last season we had to bribe her with money to get her to kick the ball, this is a huge improvement! :)
I got to talk to Brian and he is definitely on restriction Wednesday evening. :( So we have to wait until Friday to see him again. He said today was overall not that bad. He was surprised that he didn't lose a blue card today, (lose 3 blue cards and it is bye bye Wednesday Liberty) because they were out to get them today. He somehow got over looked. A good thing! He spent a large part of the day in EVOC class. He found out they might start driving as early as next week and he is really excited! Tomorrow he has a test and starts two new classes. Both would make me nervous, but he is looking forward to everything! :)
Well tomorrow is Tuesday and I have a date with friends to go walking. Super fun! Then I have a date with my cleaning supplies. Not so much fun, but has to be done. :)
Blessings,
~Cara
Sunday, August 26, 2012
CHP Academy Days 19-21/187.
Tomorrow starts week four! This weekend was busy. Friday involved shopping at Michael's, visiting a friend (while shopping), buying dog food, a quick trip to Target, cleaning, cooking, and figuring out the nutritional information for dinner. FYI, finding and figuring out the nutritional information took the same amount of time as actually making dinner. I hope Brian is not on the training table the whole six months! He has already lost eight pounds in the three weeks he has been there! At least I didn't have to write it out on the memo using the special stencil. (Bright side!) Once Brian got home we had dinner, started his laundry- which did not stink as bad as last time, but my nose was still burning- got the girls in bed, and we were able to relax the rest of the night.
Saturday, A had a soccer game at 10 am, which was nice because it was not a hot. Afterwards we went to lunch with Brian's mom, McDonald's, and the girls got to play on the playground. We had a few errands to run so we got those knocked out. Got the tire on the jogging stroller fixed! When I tried to go for my jog -mostly walk- on Wednesday we had a flat. :( Then I dropped the rest of the family off at home so the girls could "nap" and Brian could shine his boots and study his EVOC stuff. I headed off for Joann's. ALONE! I know, both Michael's and Joann's within two days! Awesome! I spent HOURS in Joann's! Not once did someone whine about how they wanted to go home or that they were bored. A whole store full of people and it was practically silent! I got a ton of stuff for the baby shower! Once I got home, it was time for dinner. I made monkey bread for Brian, which made my house smell like delicious goodness. Then we had another silly string fight, this time with Daddy. While I cleaned the mess up, Brian got the girls ready for bed. With the girls in bed, Brian and I got to watch a movie and have a small stay-date.
This morning we went to church, where I got multiple compliments on my hair! Even from strangers. I don't know what I did different, but I guess I should do it again. :) Beside the hair thing, church was great! We went to El Pollo Loco for lunch with Brian's parents after church. Once we got home Brian got to work preparing memos for the week, the girls actually took naps, and I did a few jobs around the house. Shortly after dinner, Brian, with his hair freshly cut, headed back to the academy.
Earlier I told Brian that this whole experience is like a roller coaster ride. On Friday, our spirits are up and we are so excited to see him. On Sunday evening, our spirits are low because he is leaving again. Wednesday, if he has Liberty, our spirits our up again, until it is time for us to leave him and then they come crashing down. Then on Friday we are happy again. With a lot of little hills during the week for when he calls. He said that it was funny I should say that; because, just last week him and his roommates were discussing that when they are standing in line outside the gym in the morning for PT, they have the same feeling as when they are in line for a roller coaster. They know they are not going to die, but the anxiety level is sky high. :)
So week four...I hope it goes by fast. I have plenty to do, so it should. Pretty sure Brian will not have Wednesday night liberty this week, but until his name is on the restriction list I am keeping hope alive. :)
Blessings,
~Cara
Saturday, A had a soccer game at 10 am, which was nice because it was not a hot. Afterwards we went to lunch with Brian's mom, McDonald's, and the girls got to play on the playground. We had a few errands to run so we got those knocked out. Got the tire on the jogging stroller fixed! When I tried to go for my jog -mostly walk- on Wednesday we had a flat. :( Then I dropped the rest of the family off at home so the girls could "nap" and Brian could shine his boots and study his EVOC stuff. I headed off for Joann's. ALONE! I know, both Michael's and Joann's within two days! Awesome! I spent HOURS in Joann's! Not once did someone whine about how they wanted to go home or that they were bored. A whole store full of people and it was practically silent! I got a ton of stuff for the baby shower! Once I got home, it was time for dinner. I made monkey bread for Brian, which made my house smell like delicious goodness. Then we had another silly string fight, this time with Daddy. While I cleaned the mess up, Brian got the girls ready for bed. With the girls in bed, Brian and I got to watch a movie and have a small stay-date.
This morning we went to church, where I got multiple compliments on my hair! Even from strangers. I don't know what I did different, but I guess I should do it again. :) Beside the hair thing, church was great! We went to El Pollo Loco for lunch with Brian's parents after church. Once we got home Brian got to work preparing memos for the week, the girls actually took naps, and I did a few jobs around the house. Shortly after dinner, Brian, with his hair freshly cut, headed back to the academy.
Earlier I told Brian that this whole experience is like a roller coaster ride. On Friday, our spirits are up and we are so excited to see him. On Sunday evening, our spirits are low because he is leaving again. Wednesday, if he has Liberty, our spirits our up again, until it is time for us to leave him and then they come crashing down. Then on Friday we are happy again. With a lot of little hills during the week for when he calls. He said that it was funny I should say that; because, just last week him and his roommates were discussing that when they are standing in line outside the gym in the morning for PT, they have the same feeling as when they are in line for a roller coaster. They know they are not going to die, but the anxiety level is sky high. :)
So week four...I hope it goes by fast. I have plenty to do, so it should. Pretty sure Brian will not have Wednesday night liberty this week, but until his name is on the restriction list I am keeping hope alive. :)
Blessings,
~Cara
Friday, August 24, 2012
CHP Academy Days 17 & 18/ 187
Yesterday was Wednesday and I got to see Brian. I am so grateful that we live close enough to drive up and see him. We met at Chick-Fil-A (so good) and the girls got to play. Once again Brian was full of conversation. He got 100% on his test! PT is hard but do-able. He is doing well, and feeling confident. He was happy to announce that he has been...uh...more regular. Actually, what he said was that he has been able to "read a magazine," or "drop the kids off at the pool". His roommate called it "freeing Willy". I know it is gross, but apparently it is a big deal, worth high-fiving over. For some reason, maybe the food, the pipes have been slow moving for all the cadets. I wasn't really sure how to respond to his announcement. Congratulations? When M poops on the potty I praise her and tell her how proud I am of her... :)
Today was Thursday and my last day for my growth group until mid September. I loved my group! I will miss the time with them during our break. I am excited, though, for the Beth Moore study on the book of James! Thursday also means time at the local PHC, which also involves a group of great women! Let us not forget movie night! Hunger Games! My BFF, her daughter, and another friend came to enjoy popcorn, chocolate, and great girl time. We were missing one of our friends and of course, her sweet baby boy. I am keeping hope alive that she will be able to attend soon, it is not the same with out her. :) It was still a great evening! I have some pretty awesome friends. :)
I did get to talk to Brian some more before the start of movie night. He said today was smooth, he didn't have multiple uniform changes like he does tomorrow. The more times he has to change the more stressful it is for him. He had a spelling/knowledge test today and only missed two! I found that funny since A had a spelling test today and missed two. He said another person quit the academy today. Brian is still going strong! I am very proud of him. He has a healthy view of what he is going through. I know he still needs encouragement, and there might be a time when I need to talk sense back into him, but for now he is doing great.
Tomorrow is Friday! Brian is coming home! I need to find the nutritional information for dinner tomorrow night. Most likely taco casserole, Brian's favorite, but that might change. :)
Blessings,
~Cara
Today was Thursday and my last day for my growth group until mid September. I loved my group! I will miss the time with them during our break. I am excited, though, for the Beth Moore study on the book of James! Thursday also means time at the local PHC, which also involves a group of great women! Let us not forget movie night! Hunger Games! My BFF, her daughter, and another friend came to enjoy popcorn, chocolate, and great girl time. We were missing one of our friends and of course, her sweet baby boy. I am keeping hope alive that she will be able to attend soon, it is not the same with out her. :) It was still a great evening! I have some pretty awesome friends. :)
I did get to talk to Brian some more before the start of movie night. He said today was smooth, he didn't have multiple uniform changes like he does tomorrow. The more times he has to change the more stressful it is for him. He had a spelling/knowledge test today and only missed two! I found that funny since A had a spelling test today and missed two. He said another person quit the academy today. Brian is still going strong! I am very proud of him. He has a healthy view of what he is going through. I know he still needs encouragement, and there might be a time when I need to talk sense back into him, but for now he is doing great.
Tomorrow is Friday! Brian is coming home! I need to find the nutritional information for dinner tomorrow night. Most likely taco casserole, Brian's favorite, but that might change. :)
Blessings,
~Cara
Tuesday, August 21, 2012
Day 16/187: Oh the Life at Home during the CHP Academy!
My Day:
Blessings,
~Cara
- Got the girls up and dressed on time! :)
- Dropped H of at school. A still had to stay home, even though she was completely fine. 24 hour rule for throwing up.
- Met my BFF and a few other friends for a walk at the park. M was in the stroller and A walked with us. Afterwards, A and M played on the playground.
- Went home, did a few chores around the house. Made lunch for the girls and got them to bed for "naps". Neither one actually slept, and somehow their room became even more of a mess.
- While they were "napping" I mowed the back yard. FYI, we have a push mower. Not gas, not electric, but good old fashion push. Like one step up from a sickle. When we first got the mower the academy was still a while out and Brian was the one who would be using the mower. Since I wouldn't be using it, I said he could get whatever he wanted. Brian is even cheaper than me, hence the push mower. Oh, and I have been putting this job off for a while, so it was SUPER fun! I followed it up with the weed whacker, which, thankfully, is not from the stone age. ;) I am pretty sure I will be sore tomorrow.
- Then after a quick shower, we were off to get H from school. Then we all headed for The Dollar General store for milk and bananas. That store is dangerous! "But Mommy it is only a $1.50!" "Mommy can you buy it for me?" "We should buy more silly string so we can play with Daddy this weekend!" I gave in on that last one...
- When we finally got home:
- I did a load of laundry (had to wash the clothes that A borrowed from the school).
- Had A practice her spelling words and H practice writing her name.
- Put weed and feed on the lawn and watered it.
- Washed dishes.
- Made lunches for tomorrow.
- Made dinner. By request: PB&J s with veggie sticks. Yep, Rocked that dinner! Was going to make something else...but the girls made a good argument. They really wanted PB&J s!
- Gave H and M baths.
- Got all three girls in bed with no fighting!
- Got to talk to Brian! He is doing good. He had Physical Method of Arrest (PMA) today. He said it was fun but also very stressful, but what isn't stressful about the academy? It was fun because there was a lot of punching and kicking. Stressful because there is always someone in your face yelling. He said there was also a lot of knuckle push-ups. Anytime anyone messes up, which happens a lot, there is a punishment for the whole group. Knuckle push-ups are always a favorite. That is how it is in all things at the academy, stressful. If you are running and someone falls behind, push-ups! If you don't follow a simple procedure, punishment! Everything is done for a reason at the academy. Brian knows this and it helps get him through it. Everything will make him better at his job as an officer.
- We get to see Brian tomorrow! Well not A. My mother-in-law is taking her to soccer practice for me. She missed practice last Wed to see Brian, and then she had to miss yesterday's because of her stomach issues. So Brian and I agreed she needed to go to practice. I thought she might be upset, but she was super excited to get special time with Brian's mom.
Blessings,
~Cara
Monday, August 20, 2012
Day 15/187
So today started off really good! The girls got out the door on time with no fighting! After dropping A and H off, M and I went for a walk/jog around the park. M got to play on the playground before we headed home. The plan was to get ready and pick up my mother-in-law so we could go to Joann's to do some shopping for the baby shower, but that did not happen. I got a call from the school, A threw up in the school's bathroom and needed to be picked up. :( Poor thing! She was fine in the morning! Only day #4 and she has already caught something! So far it has only been that once, and she ate normal the rest of the day. She wanted Cream of Wheat for dinner, Maple & Brown Sugar, so that
was on the menu for tonight. Actually it was Malt-O-Meal, because I am
cheap. The only thing she complained of was a headache, it must have been bad because she actually took something for it! That girl will not take medicine! Now she is completely fine.
So most of the day was spent in a quiet, dark house, until H decided to have a giant tantrum. During which she knocked over a glass of V8 Fusion on to my bag of yarn. It started by me telling her she needs to clean her room, she got mad and hit A. When I asked her if she hit A, she lied and said she couldn't remember-like I didn't know she had hit her sister! So she got a time out. BOMB! Full blown tantrum! It lasted only a few minutes. Oh the fun of a exhausted kindergartener. Oh,did I mention H has a snotty nose. Got to love the first few weeks of school!
So Brian told me that the senior class got their dream sheets last week. So in the next few weeks the seniors will know where they will be stationed after graduation. Naturally Brian wanted to talk about what will happen when he gets his list. He finds the topic interesting and exciting. I find this topic very stressful. I am fully aware that it is very likely that we will have to move in February, if that happens I will be okay with it. That being said, I really do not want to move. The girls are in a great school with great teachers. I like the town we live in, we live minutes from friends and family! My schooling might be set back by a move. The idea gives me a headache. If we moved we would have to start over. As it is already a stressful time, and I can plan ahead for only so much, I have decided to face things as they come up. Basically, I know if I try and process everything, plan for everything, and try to control everything, I will go insane. :) Coo Coo for Cocoa Puffs! So I focus on what is directly in front of me and pray for the rest. Otherwise, total melt down! The dream sheet is one of the stressful issues that gets a lot of prayer. :)
I finally got to talk Brian a little bit ago. He said today was a normal day at the academy. :) He got his third blue card taken so he is supposed to lose his Wednesday liberty next week. His work load has increased a little so it might be a good thing for him to stay and study that night. He still wants us to come up this week and have dinner with him. He is starting the classroom stuff for EVOC and he has a test tomorrow in another class. He is busy! He sounded tired, but he is still motivated!
Well that was my day. I think I am done for tonight! :)
Blessings,
~Cara
So most of the day was spent in a quiet, dark house, until H decided to have a giant tantrum. During which she knocked over a glass of V8 Fusion on to my bag of yarn. It started by me telling her she needs to clean her room, she got mad and hit A. When I asked her if she hit A, she lied and said she couldn't remember-like I didn't know she had hit her sister! So she got a time out. BOMB! Full blown tantrum! It lasted only a few minutes. Oh the fun of a exhausted kindergartener. Oh,did I mention H has a snotty nose. Got to love the first few weeks of school!
So Brian told me that the senior class got their dream sheets last week. So in the next few weeks the seniors will know where they will be stationed after graduation. Naturally Brian wanted to talk about what will happen when he gets his list. He finds the topic interesting and exciting. I find this topic very stressful. I am fully aware that it is very likely that we will have to move in February, if that happens I will be okay with it. That being said, I really do not want to move. The girls are in a great school with great teachers. I like the town we live in, we live minutes from friends and family! My schooling might be set back by a move. The idea gives me a headache. If we moved we would have to start over. As it is already a stressful time, and I can plan ahead for only so much, I have decided to face things as they come up. Basically, I know if I try and process everything, plan for everything, and try to control everything, I will go insane. :) Coo Coo for Cocoa Puffs! So I focus on what is directly in front of me and pray for the rest. Otherwise, total melt down! The dream sheet is one of the stressful issues that gets a lot of prayer. :)
I finally got to talk Brian a little bit ago. He said today was a normal day at the academy. :) He got his third blue card taken so he is supposed to lose his Wednesday liberty next week. His work load has increased a little so it might be a good thing for him to stay and study that night. He still wants us to come up this week and have dinner with him. He is starting the classroom stuff for EVOC and he has a test tomorrow in another class. He is busy! He sounded tired, but he is still motivated!
Well that was my day. I think I am done for tonight! :)
Blessings,
~Cara
Sunday, August 19, 2012
Day 12-14/187! Week 3 here we go!
So it is Sunday evening and we are about to start week 3! We had a good weekend with Brian being home. On Friday we had fun day! M and I dropped A and H off at school and stayed for the Friday morning assembly! Then we ran to Wal-mart (ugh!) to shop for a few groceries. Then we swung by to pick up my mother-in-law before heading over to pick up the girls from school. Fridays are half days. We all went to lunch and then it was home for naps. After naps I introduced the girls to silly string and we had a silly string war in the living room! There was silly string EVERYWHERE! We had a blast! Then I introduced another game called "who can clean up the most"! The girls fell for it! They actually had fun cleaning it up! Just as we were finishing up, Brian called and said he was on his way! So I quickly gave the girls baths and made sure everything was ready for dinner. After getting the girls to bed, Brian and I spent the rest of the evening relaxing and playing Scrabble (one of his b-day presents). He beat me by 24 points. :( Scrabble is not my forte.
Saturday, we started the morning with cinnamon rolls! Since Brian doesn't have to keep a record of what he eats on Sat and Sun, I wanted to make sure he had stuff to eat that he cannot have during the week. We got started on his laundry, which I had Brian take directly to the garage as soon as he walked in the door! It smelled like something had died in his laundry bag! I am not joking...it was BAD! My eyes were burning and I was gagging. I guess that is what happens when you roll in the mud and play in the sprinklers, and then stick your very wet/muddy/sweaty clothes in a bag. At noon A had her first soccer game of the season (so very hot) and then we went out to lunch with Brian's parents. After "naps" we went to visit my mother for her birthday, but didn't stay long because Brian had another list of stuff he needed. By the time we got home it was bed time for the girls. Since we were able to get everything done earlier in the day, Brian and I were able to watch a movie and relax! Which was nice! :)
Today started with church! Always a great way to start the week! After church we came home for lunch and a nice quiet afternoon. After dinner Brian headed back to the academy hair freshly trimmed, boots super shiny, and clothes smelling good. He left me two pairs of his blue pants for me to iron (again, ugh!). He left in good spirits and ready to face the week!
So that was day 12-14! The weekends are always a blur! Thanks everyone for all your prayers!
Blessings,
~Cara
Saturday, we started the morning with cinnamon rolls! Since Brian doesn't have to keep a record of what he eats on Sat and Sun, I wanted to make sure he had stuff to eat that he cannot have during the week. We got started on his laundry, which I had Brian take directly to the garage as soon as he walked in the door! It smelled like something had died in his laundry bag! I am not joking...it was BAD! My eyes were burning and I was gagging. I guess that is what happens when you roll in the mud and play in the sprinklers, and then stick your very wet/muddy/sweaty clothes in a bag. At noon A had her first soccer game of the season (so very hot) and then we went out to lunch with Brian's parents. After "naps" we went to visit my mother for her birthday, but didn't stay long because Brian had another list of stuff he needed. By the time we got home it was bed time for the girls. Since we were able to get everything done earlier in the day, Brian and I were able to watch a movie and relax! Which was nice! :)
Today started with church! Always a great way to start the week! After church we came home for lunch and a nice quiet afternoon. After dinner Brian headed back to the academy hair freshly trimmed, boots super shiny, and clothes smelling good. He left me two pairs of his blue pants for me to iron (again, ugh!). He left in good spirits and ready to face the week!
So that was day 12-14! The weekends are always a blur! Thanks everyone for all your prayers!
Blessings,
~Cara
Friday, August 17, 2012
11/187. Thursday means Movie Night!
Today was a great day! Got the girls to school early! Stopped off at He-Brews Coffee for my morning dose of happiness, then it was off to Target to pick up A's birthday present. It is still a few weeks away, but I have to buy it when she is at school. Then M and I headed off to the church for my small group. My group is full of women who are full of love and compassion, plus they are a hoot to be around! Then we had lunch at my mom's and M went down for her nap while I went to the PHC. After, I picked up the girls and we came home. My sister came with us and stayed for movie night. After I got the girls to bed, two of my closest friends came for girl's/movie night! (This girl's night was crashed by the sweetest baby boy! He can crash the girl's night anytime! Love him!) Tonight's movie was "A League of Their Own". ("There's no crying in baseball!") A movie that I have seen probably over a hundred times. I quote it in my everyday life, and yet, I still get disappointed when she drops the ball. Is that normal? :)
It was good to a nice day. Yesterday evening, I was a little blue. Even with seeing Brian! So today was really a blessing. Speaking of blessings, I found out my lovely sister-in-law is going to have a baby girl! The girls and I are all so excited!
I got to talk to Brian before movie night. He did get yelled at today! Apparently he was 2 minutes late to a surprise shindig. He thought he was 13 minutes early. :) Being late, however, got him some attention. During that attention he was, very nicely, told that he was not loud enough. :) He did sound a little horse! ;) He is still doing good, but said tomorrow (Friday) is going to be tough.
Tomorrow is going to be another great day! Brian is coming home! Yay! :)
Blessings,
~Cara
It was good to a nice day. Yesterday evening, I was a little blue. Even with seeing Brian! So today was really a blessing. Speaking of blessings, I found out my lovely sister-in-law is going to have a baby girl! The girls and I are all so excited!
I got to talk to Brian before movie night. He did get yelled at today! Apparently he was 2 minutes late to a surprise shindig. He thought he was 13 minutes early. :) Being late, however, got him some attention. During that attention he was, very nicely, told that he was not loud enough. :) He did sound a little horse! ;) He is still doing good, but said tomorrow (Friday) is going to be tough.
Tomorrow is going to be another great day! Brian is coming home! Yay! :)
Blessings,
~Cara
Wednesday, August 15, 2012
Day 10/187
So the first day of school and dinner with Brian! H started kindergarten today and had a blast! I only teared up for a second when she looked at me and said "I am so excited to go to school!" A started 2nd grade and also had a blast! When I picked them up, they both could not stop talking about anything and everything. I had one on one side and the other on the other, both talking-sometimes singing- neither one noticing the other talking. When they saw Daddy, it was the same for him.
After we dropped off A and H, M and I went to a park and went for a walk/jog. Mostly walk, since it was about four months ago that I went for my last run. Then M played on the play ground for a little while. She had the whole thing to herself! Then we went home to do stuff around the house. At first M was a little bored, but then she realized she could watch whatever she wanted on netflix! Usually her sisters gang up on her and she has to watch what they want to watch. So she watched Sesame Street, then ate a Pb&H for lunch -again her choice- then went down for her nap. Tomorrow I have small group and she gets to go to her "school" (child care)and she her friends. :)
So the girls and I did drive up to see Brian tonight. Traffic was horrific, and we almost got rear ended! But we made it safely, and Brian got a good amount of study time waiting for us. Brian said that PT today was really tough! Crazy tough! He looked exhausted! But he is still doing good. He got a 100% on his test yesterday! He said he was personally not yelled at today! And no bed flipping! So that is a plus! :) It was nice to see Brian, but I know I shouldn't get use to seeing him on Wednesdays. Might not get to have them very often!
Tomorrow is Thursday! The day before Friday! Almost end of the week! :)
~Cara
After we dropped off A and H, M and I went to a park and went for a walk/jog. Mostly walk, since it was about four months ago that I went for my last run. Then M played on the play ground for a little while. She had the whole thing to herself! Then we went home to do stuff around the house. At first M was a little bored, but then she realized she could watch whatever she wanted on netflix! Usually her sisters gang up on her and she has to watch what they want to watch. So she watched Sesame Street, then ate a Pb&H for lunch -again her choice- then went down for her nap. Tomorrow I have small group and she gets to go to her "school" (child care)and she her friends. :)
So the girls and I did drive up to see Brian tonight. Traffic was horrific, and we almost got rear ended! But we made it safely, and Brian got a good amount of study time waiting for us. Brian said that PT today was really tough! Crazy tough! He looked exhausted! But he is still doing good. He got a 100% on his test yesterday! He said he was personally not yelled at today! And no bed flipping! So that is a plus! :) It was nice to see Brian, but I know I shouldn't get use to seeing him on Wednesdays. Might not get to have them very often!
Tomorrow is Thursday! The day before Friday! Almost end of the week! :)
~Cara
Tuesday, August 14, 2012
Day 8-9/187
So I did not write yesterday, I guess the spirit didn't move me. :) Actually, I was working on a few craft projects that need to be done this week. Yesterday was a normal day. In the morning, I took Hans, Daisy, Kitty, and Willow to the vet for shots. Learned an important lesson: it is worth the extra gas to make more than one trip. :) In the evening we had Back to School Night, so I took all three girls to that shindig. A was supposed to have soccer practice at the same time, but the coach cancelled it due to the heat.
Yesterday, Brian called earlier then expected and the girls got to talk to him. He found out he was put on the training table, which basically means a diet. He can only eat certain foods and has to keep track of everything he eats and turn it in. He wasn't surprised, nor was he the only one. Out of the 150 cadets, 100 cadets are now writing down what they ate today. He also had his first test on Monday, which he passed.
Today, was the last day of the girl's summer vacation and Brian's birthday. Brian's mom spent the day with us. We took the girls to get their hair trimmed, then had lunch at McDonald's. The girls played on the playground which was practically empty. Then we went back to my in-law's house and took the girls swimming! Then it was home again to get ready for tomorrow! The girls are bathed, lunches are made, and clothes laid out. I even remembered to put the trash out! Not to toot my own horn, but TOOT TOOT! :) I can toot my horn now, because I am pretty sure my toot will die out as time goes on! :) Got to toot when you can!
I got to talk to Brian again today! TWICE! The first time was normal call. As far as he knows, no one knew it was his birthday! So that is a good thing! Also, he gets tomorrow night off! So the girls and I are going up to have dinner with him! He came back to his room today to find his bunk had been flipped. His blankets and mattress were on the floor. Guess he didn't do a good enough job making his bed. I laughed at him! Maybe it was his birthday present. :) He had his second test today, which he is pretty sure he did well on. He is still sounding great, still excited. Today another cadet dropped out, but Brian is still going strong. The second call tonight was just to ask me to bring him something tomorrow. Still, it was a treat to get a second call!
Well, tomorrow is a big day! :)
Blessings,
~Cara
Yesterday, Brian called earlier then expected and the girls got to talk to him. He found out he was put on the training table, which basically means a diet. He can only eat certain foods and has to keep track of everything he eats and turn it in. He wasn't surprised, nor was he the only one. Out of the 150 cadets, 100 cadets are now writing down what they ate today. He also had his first test on Monday, which he passed.
Today, was the last day of the girl's summer vacation and Brian's birthday. Brian's mom spent the day with us. We took the girls to get their hair trimmed, then had lunch at McDonald's. The girls played on the playground which was practically empty. Then we went back to my in-law's house and took the girls swimming! Then it was home again to get ready for tomorrow! The girls are bathed, lunches are made, and clothes laid out. I even remembered to put the trash out! Not to toot my own horn, but TOOT TOOT! :) I can toot my horn now, because I am pretty sure my toot will die out as time goes on! :) Got to toot when you can!
I got to talk to Brian again today! TWICE! The first time was normal call. As far as he knows, no one knew it was his birthday! So that is a good thing! Also, he gets tomorrow night off! So the girls and I are going up to have dinner with him! He came back to his room today to find his bunk had been flipped. His blankets and mattress were on the floor. Guess he didn't do a good enough job making his bed. I laughed at him! Maybe it was his birthday present. :) He had his second test today, which he is pretty sure he did well on. He is still sounding great, still excited. Today another cadet dropped out, but Brian is still going strong. The second call tonight was just to ask me to bring him something tomorrow. Still, it was a treat to get a second call!
Well, tomorrow is a big day! :)
Blessings,
~Cara
Sunday, August 12, 2012
Day 5-7/187. Weekend fun!
It is Sunday night and the start of week two. Brian came home Friday evening for his first weekend with a large appetite, long list of needs, a ton of stories, and two loads of laundry. I knew he would be hungry so I had prepared dinner ahead of time so when he called I only had to put it in the oven. I was actually expecting his phone call to be later then it was, so that was nice. It worked out perfectly, I pulled it out of the oven a minute before he pulled in the driveway! When the girls heard his voice they came running down the stairs yelling "Daddy is home". M kept asking if he was going to eat dinner with us. I grabbed his laundry and got that started while he and the girls set the table. Brian spent the rest of the evening talking about his week and relaxing. He didn't do as well in the challenge as he had hoped (he finished, just not as good as he wanted to finish), but he was still pretty excited. They gave out some cool equipment, and he is looking forward to learning how to use them.
Saturday, we ran to Target to buy the stuff on his list of needs. A lighter for the shoe polish, a second can of starch, tape, stapler, febreze, 8 more white undershirts, a Bluetooth, multi-vitamin, vitamin C, and ibuprofen. Oh we can't forget the stencils for his shirts! After target it was off to the park for A's soccer pictures. Then home for lunch! During nap time Brian studied while I went to visit a friend and her new sweet baby boy!
We had dinner with Brian's mom at the best pizza place EVER. Then Brian and I spent the rest of the evening tag teaming the work he needed to get done. I ironed his blue pants, FYI, I hate to iron. (If that is not true love, then I don't know what is...) So it is a good thing that Brian paid to have his shirts cleaned and pressed. While I was doing that Brian was stenciling his shirts. As soon as I was done with his pants, I joined him, coloring in the letters. It was a late night, but it could have been worse. There was homework, but Brian was able to complete it before leaving the academy. By the time we went to bed, all Brian had left to do was study.
Today we started the day with church, which is always good. Then for some reason, Brian wanted to see if Wal-mart had something, so we stopped by there. I learned an important lesson, NEVER go to Wal-mart on Sunday afternoon. It is not worth it. Holy cow that place was packed! After the nightmare was over. We had a nice quiet lunch at home. The girls had naps. Brian did the one chore I have not taken on, picking up the dog poo in the back yard. I have my limits. :) After the yard was poo free, I cut Brian's hair. Gave him the CHP Cadet hairdo. He spent the rest of his time studying. He left for the academy shortly after dinner. It was hard to say good-bye again, but we did, and hopefully he will have a good week. Stay under the radar, pass his test, stay under the radar...
In order to keep the girl's minds off Daddy leaving, we spent the evening watching "My Little Pony". I also painted their finger nails and toe nails. A and M went with pink, H went with "Ruby Slipper" red. Tomorrow I get to take 2 dogs and 2 cats to get their shots. Then tomorrow evening my mother-in-law is taking A to her soccer practice while I take the other two to Back to School night. A and H start school on Wednesday! They are both so excited! So I am!
Blessings,
~Cara
Saturday, we ran to Target to buy the stuff on his list of needs. A lighter for the shoe polish, a second can of starch, tape, stapler, febreze, 8 more white undershirts, a Bluetooth, multi-vitamin, vitamin C, and ibuprofen. Oh we can't forget the stencils for his shirts! After target it was off to the park for A's soccer pictures. Then home for lunch! During nap time Brian studied while I went to visit a friend and her new sweet baby boy!
We had dinner with Brian's mom at the best pizza place EVER. Then Brian and I spent the rest of the evening tag teaming the work he needed to get done. I ironed his blue pants, FYI, I hate to iron. (If that is not true love, then I don't know what is...) So it is a good thing that Brian paid to have his shirts cleaned and pressed. While I was doing that Brian was stenciling his shirts. As soon as I was done with his pants, I joined him, coloring in the letters. It was a late night, but it could have been worse. There was homework, but Brian was able to complete it before leaving the academy. By the time we went to bed, all Brian had left to do was study.
Today we started the day with church, which is always good. Then for some reason, Brian wanted to see if Wal-mart had something, so we stopped by there. I learned an important lesson, NEVER go to Wal-mart on Sunday afternoon. It is not worth it. Holy cow that place was packed! After the nightmare was over. We had a nice quiet lunch at home. The girls had naps. Brian did the one chore I have not taken on, picking up the dog poo in the back yard. I have my limits. :) After the yard was poo free, I cut Brian's hair. Gave him the CHP Cadet hairdo. He spent the rest of his time studying. He left for the academy shortly after dinner. It was hard to say good-bye again, but we did, and hopefully he will have a good week. Stay under the radar, pass his test, stay under the radar...
In order to keep the girl's minds off Daddy leaving, we spent the evening watching "My Little Pony". I also painted their finger nails and toe nails. A and M went with pink, H went with "Ruby Slipper" red. Tomorrow I get to take 2 dogs and 2 cats to get their shots. Then tomorrow evening my mother-in-law is taking A to her soccer practice while I take the other two to Back to School night. A and H start school on Wednesday! They are both so excited! So I am!
Blessings,
~Cara
Friday, August 10, 2012
Day 4, and Brian comes home tomorrow!
So no phone call tonight. :( Honestly, I am a little sad (maybe a lot), but not surprised. I know I am not the only wife who didn't get a call. So it wasn't just Brian. I wish I knew how his first day of PT went today. It really helps to get to talk to him.
Luckily, I had my awesome BFF here to distract me! We watched the movie "Willow". (Which went along perfectly with our new kitten Willow!) We had good popcorn, line quoting, and great conversation. Good times! I am very blessed and grateful to have her as my friend...sister really. :)
Besides not hearing from Brian, my day was good. I had a blast at my growth group. I love that group and have learned so much! I forgot to pack lunches today so I had to drive through McDonald's. M must have agreed with my choice because from the back seat I heard her say: "We are having McDonald's? Wicka, Wicka What!"
My shift at the PHC was uneventful, except picking up the newest member of our family. Who is settling in nicely. It is kind of funny because Willow has a bell on her collar, and all the cat toys we have for Kitty also have bells on them. (They have too, because she is blind.) So when the kitten was first really moving around, it freaked out Kitty! Yes, I know I am easily amused. When I first introduced Willow to the girls, the first thing A said was:" Mommy is this cat blind too?" :) I have to admit it is strange to have a cat that can see again. It is weird to have her look at something and then walk straight to it. On purpose! M was very impressed, you would have thought the kitten did a magic trick! No one cried today because they missed Daddy. So Willow must be doing her job in making our lives a little bit happier. I have to add, that every time I type Willow, I hear it in my head like the goat from the movie. :) I think I have seen the movie too many times. Maybe tomorrow I will watch The Princess Bride...classic.
That was my day! I am very much looking forward to tomorrow night! Maybe I will finally get some sleep. I don't sleep well when Brian is not home. I really need to get over that! :) I will be spending my day doing laundry to make way for Brian's. I also have to make sure this place looks magical, or at least neat and smelling clean. :) There will also be a lot of praying! Brian will need it! "FUN" Run...
Blessings,
~Cara
Luckily, I had my awesome BFF here to distract me! We watched the movie "Willow". (Which went along perfectly with our new kitten Willow!) We had good popcorn, line quoting, and great conversation. Good times! I am very blessed and grateful to have her as my friend...sister really. :)
Besides not hearing from Brian, my day was good. I had a blast at my growth group. I love that group and have learned so much! I forgot to pack lunches today so I had to drive through McDonald's. M must have agreed with my choice because from the back seat I heard her say: "We are having McDonald's? Wicka, Wicka What!"
My shift at the PHC was uneventful, except picking up the newest member of our family. Who is settling in nicely. It is kind of funny because Willow has a bell on her collar, and all the cat toys we have for Kitty also have bells on them. (They have too, because she is blind.) So when the kitten was first really moving around, it freaked out Kitty! Yes, I know I am easily amused. When I first introduced Willow to the girls, the first thing A said was:" Mommy is this cat blind too?" :) I have to admit it is strange to have a cat that can see again. It is weird to have her look at something and then walk straight to it. On purpose! M was very impressed, you would have thought the kitten did a magic trick! No one cried today because they missed Daddy. So Willow must be doing her job in making our lives a little bit happier. I have to add, that every time I type Willow, I hear it in my head like the goat from the movie. :) I think I have seen the movie too many times. Maybe tomorrow I will watch The Princess Bride...classic.
That was my day! I am very much looking forward to tomorrow night! Maybe I will finally get some sleep. I don't sleep well when Brian is not home. I really need to get over that! :) I will be spending my day doing laundry to make way for Brian's. I also have to make sure this place looks magical, or at least neat and smelling clean. :) There will also be a lot of praying! Brian will need it! "FUN" Run...
Blessings,
~Cara
Wednesday, August 8, 2012
Day 3, 184 to go.
Today was not the greatest. I swear I woke up in a good mood. I had a list of things to get done- bank, in-laws house to fax papers for Brian, and then Costco. I really thought that it would not take that long, home in time for lunch and naps. Silly, silly me. To start off, H decided to move in slow motion. I mean she is always the last one to get ready, to get to the table, to get her shoes on, etc. Today, she was going for the gold! So we ended up leaving about 30 min later than planned. Needless to say, I was a little annoyed. But I used a little yoga breathing, said a prayer, and was good to go. When I got to my in-laws house to fax the papers I thought 5 min tops! I have used this fax many times. So I thought "we could still make it home in time for lunch"! When will I learn? I needed to make a copy of our SS cards so it would be easier to fax. I pressed copy. It said coping page 1 of 1. A few minutes go by...nothing is happening...I am thinking it must be waking up...then it says "Copy Cancelled"! WHAT?! I almost cried right there. Oh, the girls this whole time were screaming and running around playing "My Little Pony". ("I'm Rainbow Dash and you're Flutter Shy." "No! I'm Twilight Sparkle!") So, I turned off the printer and turned it back on, and it worked! I might have threatened it a little...maybe mentioned that scene from "Office Space" the one with the bat. :)
So I had the documents. I had the number. I had the cover sheet. It was a 916 number so I added the 1. The recording came on and said to hang up and try again. So I did, with the one and without the one. Again, nothing was happening! I even called the number from my cell...yep it was a fax number! Then my mother-in-law called and said they might block faxes from home fax machines. Again, "WHAT?!" By this time, it was lunch time. I still had to go to Costco and now I had to go to Office Max! I could feel the tears wanting to come out! I got to Office max, and $14 later (long distant charge $1.75 per page, 8 pages) the papers were faxed. Saw my cousin there too, so that was nice. By that time though, the girls were "starving", and I still had to go to Costco. So we had Costco for lunch. At least it was cheap. I am still amazed that my girls can put away one of those hot dogs. Where does it go?
Got my shopping done with three very cranky girls. (They were poking the bear.) Got home, girls had short naps, fed them dinner and got A to soccer practice with three minutes to spare. After practice I became Drill Sergent Mommy and gave out orders. M and H got into trouble at practice. Poked the bear one too many times. It worked! Their room is clean, baths taken, teeth brushed and all in bed by 8:00. Now if I could just get them to stay in bed.
I did get to talk to Brian! That really helped my mood! It is kind of sad really how excited I get when the phone rings. :) He had 20 minutes tonight! :) He even got to talk to A and H. Who were out of bed, again. (M was sleeping.) He is still doing good. Tomorrow is the first day of PT. It is causing a little stress because no one is telling them what to expect. They don't know where, what to wear, or what they are doing. All they know is they won't like it. Brian said his group is starting PT at 10 am. Friday is the "fun" run. It won't be fun, it will be horrible. From what we heard, very few finish the first "fun" run. For that Brian's group is going at 10 am again. Poor Brian, it is supposed to be HOT the next few days. He said he got yelled at today, but that it wasn't that big of deal. He said, overall, they have been taking it easy on them. Pretty sure that will be ending tomorrow. Brian actually sounded kind of excited, in a "let's just get it going" kind of way. Even so, if you could keep him and his classmates in your prayers, that would be great!
Well tomorrow is Thursday! Thursdays are always busy. I have my growth group tomorrow at the church. I get to have grown up conversation with a group of great ladies. Then it is off to my Mom's for a quick lunch and dropping off the girls. Then I have my volunteer shift at the Pregnancy Center. Were I get to work with and for some pretty awesome people. I am pretty sure I will be bringing home our newest family member, a kitten! (Our cat Kitty is blind, so I told Brian this kitten will be her seeing eye cat. :)) After the PHC, it is home for dinner, which I am thinking baked potatoes. Get the girls in bed. And then my BFF is coming over to watch "Willow" with me!
So tomorrow will be a good day! :)
Blessings,
~Cara
So I had the documents. I had the number. I had the cover sheet. It was a 916 number so I added the 1. The recording came on and said to hang up and try again. So I did, with the one and without the one. Again, nothing was happening! I even called the number from my cell...yep it was a fax number! Then my mother-in-law called and said they might block faxes from home fax machines. Again, "WHAT?!" By this time, it was lunch time. I still had to go to Costco and now I had to go to Office Max! I could feel the tears wanting to come out! I got to Office max, and $14 later (long distant charge $1.75 per page, 8 pages) the papers were faxed. Saw my cousin there too, so that was nice. By that time though, the girls were "starving", and I still had to go to Costco. So we had Costco for lunch. At least it was cheap. I am still amazed that my girls can put away one of those hot dogs. Where does it go?
Got my shopping done with three very cranky girls. (They were poking the bear.) Got home, girls had short naps, fed them dinner and got A to soccer practice with three minutes to spare. After practice I became Drill Sergent Mommy and gave out orders. M and H got into trouble at practice. Poked the bear one too many times. It worked! Their room is clean, baths taken, teeth brushed and all in bed by 8:00. Now if I could just get them to stay in bed.
I did get to talk to Brian! That really helped my mood! It is kind of sad really how excited I get when the phone rings. :) He had 20 minutes tonight! :) He even got to talk to A and H. Who were out of bed, again. (M was sleeping.) He is still doing good. Tomorrow is the first day of PT. It is causing a little stress because no one is telling them what to expect. They don't know where, what to wear, or what they are doing. All they know is they won't like it. Brian said his group is starting PT at 10 am. Friday is the "fun" run. It won't be fun, it will be horrible. From what we heard, very few finish the first "fun" run. For that Brian's group is going at 10 am again. Poor Brian, it is supposed to be HOT the next few days. He said he got yelled at today, but that it wasn't that big of deal. He said, overall, they have been taking it easy on them. Pretty sure that will be ending tomorrow. Brian actually sounded kind of excited, in a "let's just get it going" kind of way. Even so, if you could keep him and his classmates in your prayers, that would be great!
Well tomorrow is Thursday! Thursdays are always busy. I have my growth group tomorrow at the church. I get to have grown up conversation with a group of great ladies. Then it is off to my Mom's for a quick lunch and dropping off the girls. Then I have my volunteer shift at the Pregnancy Center. Were I get to work with and for some pretty awesome people. I am pretty sure I will be bringing home our newest family member, a kitten! (Our cat Kitty is blind, so I told Brian this kitten will be her seeing eye cat. :)) After the PHC, it is home for dinner, which I am thinking baked potatoes. Get the girls in bed. And then my BFF is coming over to watch "Willow" with me!
So tomorrow will be a good day! :)
Blessings,
~Cara
Tuesday, August 7, 2012
Day 2, 185 to Go!
So day two was pretty uneventful, and I am very much okay with that! The girls and I stayed home and actually did things on the "To Do" list! Now the house is clean, except the girls room, that only lasted about 5 minutes. But it was clean at some point today! And that is what counts! I guess Hans- who is usually an intelligent dog- getting his head stuck in the rat's ball was exciting. It was at least funny. The girls were cracking up! Poor Hans, it took awhile to get it off. :)
I got to talk to Brian again this evening! A little bit earlier then last night, but for only ten minutes again. He is still doing well! He said it was actually easier today then it was yesterday. Which makes me worry that it is the calm before the storm! They started a couple classes today, did a few drills, had people come talk to them. He is still happy with his- really mine- decision to take his boots in to have them stripped and shined back to black. It has made it easier to shine them, but according to the boot shining seminar, he needs to be most worried about the toes being super shiny. I asked him how his speed eating is going, and he said that he just makes sure he is not at the back of the line. He just can't be the last one eating. You do not want to be last at anything. He said he has only been yelled at in a general manner, but not directly. So that is something. Overall, he sounded like he was still excited. He got their schedule for the week and it looks like he will not get tomorrow night off. :( He said he is still hopeful that he will be able to call. We will have to wait and see.
He did asked how the girls and I were doing. Whether or not the girls were driving me crazy. I informed him that we were doing great. I told him about how many messages I have received in the last two days. How blessed I feel and how God has really answered our prayers. So even if the girls are driving me crazy- which they totally are- it does not matter. I still got this, and if I don't, I know I have help. So that is what I told him. Shoot, no one has taken the laundry basket for a ride down the stairs yet! :) Again, I am very grateful for all the support!
There was a couple times today when one of the girls would talk about missing Daddy. Especially this evening. "A" cried a little. "M" kept asking if Daddy was coming home to eat dinner. "H" just said, " I miss Daddy," then she was on to something else. I didn't tell Brian about these things. I also didn't tell him about the biting and screaming that happened today. Have I mentioned how excited I am about school starting next Wednesday? :)
When things are getting a little stressful, I have "A" say the Bible verse she learned during AIS Soccer camp. I lift up my eyes to the hills. From where does my help come? My help comes from the LORD, who made heaven and earth. (Psalm 121:1-2 ESV) For some odd reason this helps. ;) She also learned Joshua 1:9, also very great! I am extremely grateful to the people who do the AIS soccer camp. "A" had a great time and on the last night she came and told me she had decided to ask Jesus into her heart. She asked me how and she did it! It was a great moment! I know she is young, but she knew what she was doing. She was so happy after! When she left the room I cried like a baby! The only thing is: I would have liked to be somewhere other than the potty. Oh well, beggars can't be choosers. :)
Well, I think I rambled on long enough. Time to get to bed. :)
Blessings,
~Cara
I got to talk to Brian again this evening! A little bit earlier then last night, but for only ten minutes again. He is still doing well! He said it was actually easier today then it was yesterday. Which makes me worry that it is the calm before the storm! They started a couple classes today, did a few drills, had people come talk to them. He is still happy with his- really mine- decision to take his boots in to have them stripped and shined back to black. It has made it easier to shine them, but according to the boot shining seminar, he needs to be most worried about the toes being super shiny. I asked him how his speed eating is going, and he said that he just makes sure he is not at the back of the line. He just can't be the last one eating. You do not want to be last at anything. He said he has only been yelled at in a general manner, but not directly. So that is something. Overall, he sounded like he was still excited. He got their schedule for the week and it looks like he will not get tomorrow night off. :( He said he is still hopeful that he will be able to call. We will have to wait and see.
He did asked how the girls and I were doing. Whether or not the girls were driving me crazy. I informed him that we were doing great. I told him about how many messages I have received in the last two days. How blessed I feel and how God has really answered our prayers. So even if the girls are driving me crazy- which they totally are- it does not matter. I still got this, and if I don't, I know I have help. So that is what I told him. Shoot, no one has taken the laundry basket for a ride down the stairs yet! :) Again, I am very grateful for all the support!
There was a couple times today when one of the girls would talk about missing Daddy. Especially this evening. "A" cried a little. "M" kept asking if Daddy was coming home to eat dinner. "H" just said, " I miss Daddy," then she was on to something else. I didn't tell Brian about these things. I also didn't tell him about the biting and screaming that happened today. Have I mentioned how excited I am about school starting next Wednesday? :)
When things are getting a little stressful, I have "A" say the Bible verse she learned during AIS Soccer camp. I lift up my eyes to the hills. From where does my help come? My help comes from the LORD, who made heaven and earth. (Psalm 121:1-2 ESV) For some odd reason this helps. ;) She also learned Joshua 1:9, also very great! I am extremely grateful to the people who do the AIS soccer camp. "A" had a great time and on the last night she came and told me she had decided to ask Jesus into her heart. She asked me how and she did it! It was a great moment! I know she is young, but she knew what she was doing. She was so happy after! When she left the room I cried like a baby! The only thing is: I would have liked to be somewhere other than the potty. Oh well, beggars can't be choosers. :)
Well, I think I rambled on long enough. Time to get to bed. :)
Blessings,
~Cara
Monday, August 6, 2012
1 Day Down, Only 186 to Go.
So today was the first day of the CHP academy. I was reminded today how awesome my friends and family are and how blessed I am. I received so many words of encouragement and love through Facebook, The City, text and email. I am truly grateful, and I know that it means a lot to Brian.
Overall today was pretty normal. Woke up -what I thought was- before my alarm, but it turned out that "M" had turned down the volume. I really have to keep my eye on that one. :) It was still before Brian had to be at the academy, so I had my quiet time and prayed for him. Did a few chores, caught up on a few things from last week, watered the lawn. All normal things, except I forgot to set the timer for the lawn and it was like an hour later when I realized the water was still running. Loaded up the girls and headed to Walmart for grocery shopping. Ugh, Walmart...we are not friends. Why do they have to be so cheap? The only good thing about Walmart is, I can go in my PJs and still feel decently dressed. FYI- I didn't go in my PJs. After Walmart, it was home for lunch and naps. During naps I did some gardening. Made a big fat mess with potty soil on the front porch. Got the girls up fed them dinner and got "A" to soccer practice on time! (She did well! The coach said that soccer camp must have helped.) The girls for the most part were normal. "A" was a little emotional, but that was expected. They prayed for Brian off and on today. It was very sweet. "M" would clasp her hands, close her eyes, whisper something I couldn't understand, and then say "Amen". :)
I got to talk to Brian a little while ago! It was totally a surprise. We had planned on him not having a enough time or them not allowing cell phone use. I was so excited to hear his ring tone! He was given only ten minutes, but we were able to cover a lot. He was really tired, but his spirits were high. He said one person already dropped, just didn't show up to the second session. He joked about his lack of speed eating ability, he was second to last one done eating. :) Dodged that bullet. He said he was happy that he was good at following directions. He told me that the prayers must be helping. He said there was A LOT to tell me, but since we were on a time limit, it had to wait. I got to tell him a few things, like about "A's" soccer, and one of "H's" off the wall statements from today. (After giving her a glass of tap water- H "Mmmm, this water tastes like pool water!") I did NOT tell him about having to stop mid shopping to make the oldest two stand with their noses in a corner because of their fighting. Yeah, that happened. I warned them! They didn't believe me. (I got a thumbs up and a smile from an older lady.) :) Keeping the magic alive here!
So that was day one. Hopefully day two goes as smoothly. I have a plan of cleaning the house, including the disaster zone know as the girls room. With Brian home last week, and with all the last minute running around, nothing got done. So it is catch up time! Should be loads of fun!
Blessings,
~Cara
Overall today was pretty normal. Woke up -what I thought was- before my alarm, but it turned out that "M" had turned down the volume. I really have to keep my eye on that one. :) It was still before Brian had to be at the academy, so I had my quiet time and prayed for him. Did a few chores, caught up on a few things from last week, watered the lawn. All normal things, except I forgot to set the timer for the lawn and it was like an hour later when I realized the water was still running. Loaded up the girls and headed to Walmart for grocery shopping. Ugh, Walmart...we are not friends. Why do they have to be so cheap? The only good thing about Walmart is, I can go in my PJs and still feel decently dressed. FYI- I didn't go in my PJs. After Walmart, it was home for lunch and naps. During naps I did some gardening. Made a big fat mess with potty soil on the front porch. Got the girls up fed them dinner and got "A" to soccer practice on time! (She did well! The coach said that soccer camp must have helped.) The girls for the most part were normal. "A" was a little emotional, but that was expected. They prayed for Brian off and on today. It was very sweet. "M" would clasp her hands, close her eyes, whisper something I couldn't understand, and then say "Amen". :)
I got to talk to Brian a little while ago! It was totally a surprise. We had planned on him not having a enough time or them not allowing cell phone use. I was so excited to hear his ring tone! He was given only ten minutes, but we were able to cover a lot. He was really tired, but his spirits were high. He said one person already dropped, just didn't show up to the second session. He joked about his lack of speed eating ability, he was second to last one done eating. :) Dodged that bullet. He said he was happy that he was good at following directions. He told me that the prayers must be helping. He said there was A LOT to tell me, but since we were on a time limit, it had to wait. I got to tell him a few things, like about "A's" soccer, and one of "H's" off the wall statements from today. (After giving her a glass of tap water- H "Mmmm, this water tastes like pool water!") I did NOT tell him about having to stop mid shopping to make the oldest two stand with their noses in a corner because of their fighting. Yeah, that happened. I warned them! They didn't believe me. (I got a thumbs up and a smile from an older lady.) :) Keeping the magic alive here!
So that was day one. Hopefully day two goes as smoothly. I have a plan of cleaning the house, including the disaster zone know as the girls room. With Brian home last week, and with all the last minute running around, nothing got done. So it is catch up time! Should be loads of fun!
Blessings,
~Cara
Sunday, August 5, 2012
Introduction
Let me start off by saying, that I am in no way a writer. This is my first and only blog! So please excuse any mistakes. I am sure there will be plenty.
My name is Cara. I have been married for over 12 years to my husband Brian. We have three beautiful daughters - lets call them A , H, and M- ages 7, 5, & 3. We live in the central valley with our two dogs (Hans and Daisy), cat (Kitty- yeah I know, really original), and rat (Ms. Chez N Crackers). I am very much blessed with a wonderful family and awesome friends!
My reason for writing this blog is that as of 7:30am tomorrow morning my husband will be a cadet in the California Highway Patrol (CHP) Academy. Twenty seven weeks of training, also know as twenty seven weeks of H-E-Double hockey sticks. :) When my husband got the invitation to the academy we were hungry for info. (FYI- we have been waiting 3 years for the invite.) We invited friends over who have already been through the process, and knew what to expect. They were extremely helpful and we are still very grateful, but I still went in search of others. I found blogs from wives of cadets and started reading. Most of them were not very encouraging and I started to freak out a little- or a lot. Then I found one that was so encouraging and positive, but also truthful (PeasantLiving.com). So I thought maybe I can help out someone too. The funny thing is my friend asked if I was going to write a blog about our experiences and my answer was "Um...NO. I am not a writer." But here I am, just typing away... I haven't yet decided how often I will write, so I guess it will be a the spirit moves me. :) Or I feel like venting...
So that is it, really. This blog will be basically my diary- that anybody in the world can read. Well, all except the hubby, he has been forbidden to read this until after the 27 weeks of fun are over. Have to make him think everything is magical at home. :)
Well, I need to go. I have some early birds who get cranky if I make them wait for breakfast. :)
Blessings
~Cara
My name is Cara. I have been married for over 12 years to my husband Brian. We have three beautiful daughters - lets call them A , H, and M- ages 7, 5, & 3. We live in the central valley with our two dogs (Hans and Daisy), cat (Kitty- yeah I know, really original), and rat (Ms. Chez N Crackers). I am very much blessed with a wonderful family and awesome friends!
My reason for writing this blog is that as of 7:30am tomorrow morning my husband will be a cadet in the California Highway Patrol (CHP) Academy. Twenty seven weeks of training, also know as twenty seven weeks of H-E-Double hockey sticks. :) When my husband got the invitation to the academy we were hungry for info. (FYI- we have been waiting 3 years for the invite.) We invited friends over who have already been through the process, and knew what to expect. They were extremely helpful and we are still very grateful, but I still went in search of others. I found blogs from wives of cadets and started reading. Most of them were not very encouraging and I started to freak out a little- or a lot. Then I found one that was so encouraging and positive, but also truthful (PeasantLiving.com). So I thought maybe I can help out someone too. The funny thing is my friend asked if I was going to write a blog about our experiences and my answer was "Um...NO. I am not a writer." But here I am, just typing away... I haven't yet decided how often I will write, so I guess it will be a the spirit moves me. :) Or I feel like venting...
So that is it, really. This blog will be basically my diary- that anybody in the world can read. Well, all except the hubby, he has been forbidden to read this until after the 27 weeks of fun are over. Have to make him think everything is magical at home. :)
Well, I need to go. I have some early birds who get cranky if I make them wait for breakfast. :)
Blessings
~Cara
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