Its been a while...

WOW, I haven't posted anything since I've been in Utah. I've had the time, I mean we stay busy, but not so busy that I can't jot a few lines down here and there. I just didn't make it a priority. Well I guess I have some catching up to do.
We've been having a great time being "back home". Actually I don't look forward to going back to Germany. But the positive will be getting ready for the new school year (by the time I go back), getting back to our life, decorating my house with all the cute things I've picked up over here (oh how will I ever get it all back??) and most importantly, waiting ever so patiently for those last few months to get through until Jake if FINALLY home!
So in the meantime we're making the most of our time here. Visiting with friends and family, taking the kids to movies, museums, endless shopping trips, Lagoon, and even some arts and craft classes they will be starting next week. It wouldn't be possible without the gracious donation of a vehicle from my sister in law. Its not glamorous, but it has a/c and gets us where we need to go. Well, I will try to get back in gear and have more regular posts, and now that I have a camera again, I will be loading some pictures soon!

The best husband!

And did I mention daddy? Ok maybe not the very best of either, but pretty dang close. Jake has been so crazy busy lately and we don't get to talk much. And soon with everything going on over there, we'll probably talking a little less too. He says its actually probably perfect timing for me to be going home for a little while because it will keep me and the kids busy since we won't get to talk as much. But more importantly, just when I need to hear something sweet from him, he totally suprises me! I won't say what, but it was perfect. Something wonderful for me and the kids to read and simply sigh. What a wonderful man! I just love him dearly and can't wait to see him again. And I just had to share that thought. Have a great day everyone and please go give your wonderful spouse a huge hug just because you can!

Edelweiss

Whew! We are wiped out! The kids and I went on a "deployed spouse retreat" this weekend to The Edelweiss hotel in Garmish. Its something they do from time to time for military families. Its kind of a little military resort hotel place. Its really nice. Anyway, it was free and what they do is have a couple of short classes for you to go to and then the rest of the time is yours to do what you want. You can drive yourself or ride the bus. Just before Jake deployed we went on the marriage retreat and drove ourselves but with him gone, and gas prices, we decided to ride the bus. It was pretty comfortable and Kenlee slept almost the entire way (3 1/2 hours). The classes were good. One on PTSD (post traumatic stress disorder) and the other about personality differnces and about parenting.
Since we've been to Garmish before, we really didn't go out into the town but mainly hung out in the hotel and swam and just enjoyed ourselves. Not exactly a "retreat" when its you and 3 kids, but did I mention it was free? so you can't complain. Kenlee got to swim for the first time. My camera recently broke but my friend got some cute photos of her in her swim suit and they are cute! I'll post them when I get a chance. She LOVED the water! I'm glad its getting closer to summer so I can keep up the swimming and let her be a little fish! And when the only thing to really do at 8pm at night there is swim, that pool was packed and kids were splashing everywhere and she didn't mind in the least. What a good sport! And of course Rylee and Keegan had a blast! Keegan learned all kinds of new tricks and Rylee had a lot of fun playing with other friends in the pool! We also enjoyed sitting in the outdoor hottub for a litte while when Kenlee was asleep in the stroller. And not having to make dinner for a few days was fun too. So it was a good trip aside from the inevitable unpacking and laundry that always follows a getaway.
Now that its out of the way, time to run around like a crazy person trying to get everything ready for us to leave for the states by the end of the month. Yeah!! I really am looking forward to leaving and even the getting ready part. It keeps me busy and makes the time go faster. Just anyone reading this, please pray that our military flight stuff goes smoothly. That is my biggest stressor. Oh well, guess we'll just have to wait and see!

Lets go to the movies!

So we ventured out tonight and saw a movie. On post so no big deal. We actually saw "Horton Hears a Who" which was a suprise because they usually don't play movies over here until they're almost on DVD. So this was a treat and of course the theater was crowded but it was still worth it. And the really nice part is over here we only pay $4.50 adult and $2.25 per child. It makes it actually affordable to see a movie with the fam.
For those who don't know, when you see a movie at an on post theater, they play the national anthem on the screen before the movie starts and everyone stands. Throughout the anthem, it shows all kinds of clips of soldiers and families, flags, eagles, Mt Rushmore, you get the idea....So I must either really be missing my husband or I'm homesick because standing there watching the clips (which I've seen before) I got a little choked up. Oh who am I kidding, I get that way almost everytime it comes on, maybe just a little more this time. I love watching the people in the audience when we all stand. You can definately tell who the soldiers are because they stand in that perfect attention stance with their hands cuffed to their sides, like they teach them in basic training. Then theres my cute little Keegan who everytime it finishes, he salutes the screen. LOVE IT!!!
Ok so back to the movie, if you haven't gone, its cute. Especially towards the end. We all really enjoyed it. Now I'm home in time for Saturday Night Live!!

Mmmm carrots!

So it has snowed pretty much everyday this week....yuck! I did get to talk to Jake today. That was the highlight of my day! He was tired but doing well. He's just such a cutie. He just knows the right things to say to brighten my day! (ok I'm not trying to be a poet here) I can't wait to see him again! Even though we are going home for the summer, I just hope these next few months fly by. In a way, I don't like saying that because I don't want Kenlee getting bigger. I just love her being little and sweet! But oh man, I just want that guy home!!
Ok speaking of Kenlee not growing up so fast...she ate a whole thing of carrots today. What a big girl! She did great! For her first time, I expected them to be spit out all over the place but no, she did great. She ate half at lunch and polished off the rest at dinner. The only thing is she tries to grab the spoon. She is totally in that "grabby" stage. Anything she can get and then it goes directly in the mouth.
On another note, I got some major organizing done today. I had a hall closet that needed a make over so I gutted it and now its all pretty and all my wrapping paper and craft stuff has a place. I had a big storage bin with a lot of Jake's clothes in there and I took that out and those will all be hung tomorrow (Kenlee started getting way too fussy so I didn't finish that part). Doesn't it just feel so nice when things are so organized and nice? I love it! Its deep cleaning week at my house. Yesterday I was on hands and knees scrubbing the kids bathroom from top to bottom. Its normally their job to clean it but its such a huge bathroom and well they are 7 and 5 so what can you really expect? So every so often you have to get in there and get to the things they miss. Now its cleaner than my bathroom! Oh well. I think I just might not ever be one of those people who always winds up the curling iron or blow dryer after using it and puts it all the way away. Well maybe when Kenlee starts crawling and walking. I'd hate to have her pull it down on her just because I'm too lazy to wind up the cord and put it under the sink. But when you have a youngin, you're lucky if you get a whole 5 minutes in the shower and so getting ready is always a rush job. Ok now I'm off to load the dishwasher before Friends comes on. Yes!! Like 3 years after it ended and I still watch the reruns every night at 10:30, so what of it! Ok good night or Gute Nacht!!!

Looking forward to Utah!

As far as I'm concerned, April and May can just fly by! All of this "is it spring yet?" Seeing as how we haven't had hardly any snow this entire season and now its finally deciding to snow, um no. It had its chance! I say bring on the warmth! So I welcome May with open arms! The sooner times goes by, the sooner we will be going home for some much needed family time. A break for me also! I can't wait to be able to have the kids play with grandparents, cousins, whoever and say "is it ok if I go to the mall for an hour by myself?" The most alone time for me is when the kids are at school and its nap time for Kenlee. Of course thats when I'm trying to get in a shower or clean or read emails. Also I'm ready to be back in the states. I am so tired of doing the bulk of my shopping at the PX. Its slim pickings seeing as how everyone in Germany practically comes to this PX because its "the best?" Also soldiers from other countries are allowed to use our PX and german workers are also. So it gets pretty picked over. But the conversion rate for the euro is now .62 so hardly anyone is out on the economy lately. Mainly I'm ready to get to the states so that we can get that much needed family time that I mentioned. Keegan had his first meltdown not long ago but it was awful! He was speaking to Jake on the phone and when I got back on the phone with Jake, Keegan just broke down crying. He just couldn't stop either bless his heart. He kept saying that he wanted his daddy and that he couldn't handle this anymore. Naturally Jake heard all this through the phone and it was all he could do not to break down from hearing this. And of course all I wanted to do was hold my baby and cry with him but I couldn't do that to Jake or Keegan so I just tried my best to make him feel better. Then that night we talked a lot about it. He prayed for Jake to have a long life with him. So while I being with family is definately not a replacement for daddy, I think it will do him good to spend some time with them. Especially with uncles and grandpas. He needs that male presence and since daddy isn't here, I know he'll enjoy time with his uncle Isaac and his grandpas and of course grandmas also. And of course everyone will finally see Kenlee. Also, Rylee will be getting baptised in Utah and I am so happy for her. Since Jake can't be here, we decided to go ahead and let her do it in Utah around all her family and friends. She has been receiving missionary discussions and she is so excited. I'm very much looking forward to that day. My baby is almost 8 already. Where does it all go? Well, me time is over. Kenlee just woke up.