Days like these...

I really love my boys and being a "single parent" temporarily isn't the easiest thing to do, but there are those moments where they say or do something that makes you love being a parent! It's funny that some one once told me that God makes kids cute so they can get away with the things they do without us strangling them. This has really become true to life with this deployment! They are such BOYS! But to be honest, I probably wouldn't have it any other way. They are the ones that keep me sane regardless of what's going on around me. Here are just a few of the fun things that keep me sane!
He loves reading! I really hope that continues!
Declan can be such a little instigator!
This wasn't posed, by the way! I came into the play room (only because it was too quiet, if you know what I mean!) and there they were sitting next to each other watching cartoons! I love times when they aren't fighting!
My little rock start in the making! He loves that silly guitar!

By the way, Ryan called this morning and is doing well. He may be moving to another job but other than that, just keeping busy and looking forward to coming home! I know he would love to hear from any of you guys. He can get emails and if you need his address just drop me a line.

Back to it...

Ok, so it's been a little while since I've done this and I do apologize! It's amazing how one just gets caught up in "life" that we forget to communicate. Since moving to Alaska, life is just different. I'm not even sure I can put it into words, but the feel of everyday life it just different. Less pressure to be something, less need to impress, I guess just a little more laid back. It really reminds me of Hawaii at times! I've found a couple of friends and just making connections here and there. Trying to get involved in things to keep both the boys and I busy while Ryan is deployed. The boys are thriving! They are meeting new friends and just wanting to be going out to play all the time! They are just getting so big and really becoming amazing little guys (not that they weren't before, but hopefully you understand)!

Ian recently started soccer for the first time and oh my was that hilarious! Just picture 90 kids between the ages of 3-5 and their parents/siblings all in an open field. The chaos was crazy and the fact that anything got accomplished was amazing! Ian is on the red team and was not terribly thrilled with the feel of the socks, the shine guards, and later the jersey. But he did get over it and from the pictures that my wonderful friend Jackie Pearsall took for me, he really did have a good time. I hope you all enjoy and I will make it a poing to keep up! Love to all!

Pre-Christmas Fun

What Christmas season starts without some craziness? I figured since we weren't doing the usual travel I would run my first 5K! It was the Reindeer Romp in Evans, GA. It just happened to be on the coldest Saturday morning we had in December but that's ok. I was just proud that I finished it and I wasn't last! I definitely don't plan on this being my last, so it must not have been that bad. Although Ryan may find a babysitter for the next one. He had Ian and Declan in our jogging stroller all bundled up to watch me. Ian just cried the whole time and thought I wasn't coming back. Everytime he saw me he would just cry louder. Needless to say, I love my wonderful husband! This was Ian and I after the race and after he calmed down.

This was Ian and I after the race and after he calmed down.

Later that day we had our great friends, the Schofield's, come to visit and we all went to the Lights of the South. It was really great to bundle up and take a hayride and see all kinds of beautiful Christmas lights. It almost felt like I was back in PA!



This was our first family photo where everyone was basically looking at the camera. Thank you Alicia!

This was actually the start of the hayride.

This was the light castle that the hayride drove right through.

My little Declan and I cuddling to stay warm. It was just such a good experience and Declan was past out after about of two minutes on the hayride.

Thanksgiving/Declan's 1st Birthday

This Thanksgiving we went to the Callahan's for the second year. I was a slacker and didn't take pictures until after dinner and when we had Declan's early birthday celebration. Complete with cupcakes and presents. Althought his 1st birthday wasn't until the next day I thought it would be nice to share with some friends. The cupcake started out rather neat but as you can see, it got a little messy!



I love this picture! He pretends he's shy when women talk to him and my friend Renee was talking to him when he did this. So cute!

I just had to give him some fresh strawberries to balance out the cupcake. I know it's his birthday but I couldn't resist. He loves his fruit!

Opening presents at the Callahan's. He was so interested in checking out the first present that we had to start the second one for him. I'm just happy he tried to open as many as he did.

The next day we had a little birthday celebration, just the 4 of us and Declan opened some more presents. He got a pair of shoes from Grandma and Grandpa and he just loved them. He held on to those shoes for a good while!

He was really unsure about opening this present because it was furry.

Of course Ian came to help and then proceeded to take over the "GA Gator" briefly.

Declan got over the odd feeling of the furry new friend and now loves giving him hugs!

I then had to wrestle Ian down for taking the gator from his brother which turned into the wrestle with mommy game. Now anytime I'm on the floor the boys tackle me. I love my boys!



Renee just sent me a couple picture of her son Emry and Ian from Thanksgiving that I thought I would share. They were taking a break from running around like crazies to watch a few minutes of cartoons!

Catching up...Part 2...Some Randomness!

So here are some random photos and videos of our life, which revolves around our kids. I never thought I would say that but it's so true and I wouldn't have it any other way! This is a video of Declan walking. He started walking October 5 but really started to take off around Halloween! I love the hands up method of balance!




Can you feel the brotherly love! Ian had just finished wrestling Declan to the ground and I missed it but I got the "I'm sorry" head pat!

We are in the process of doing some heavy duty potty training and that is another reason I've been slacking on the blogging. But for a couple days, the only way Ian would sit on the potty was if it was on the coffee table in the living room. Before I had kids I would have been totally disturbed by this thought, but now if it means less diapers to change, I'm all for it! I caught this picture of his reading while on the potty, which I was so excited about. His Uncle Zach will totally understand why!HAHAHA!

So this is the fakest smile I've ever seen on any child ever but I thought it was too funny not to post!

I was trying to get a picture of the boys in there matching Smokey the Bear shirts from Grandma and Grandpa but some wrestling happened instead. I think this is all Grandpa Mark's fault!


Just one of the cutest Declan I know! I love that he's just so happy all the time, ok almost all the time!

Catching up...Part 1...Happy Halloween!

This year was super fun since Ian was actually into dressing up and "trick or treating". He was the best looking pirate I saw all night and Declan was the crab from The Little Mermaid. We had so much fun carving the pumpkins. When I say "we" I mean Ryan and I since Ian touched it once and was having no part in the disgusting stuff and Declan really wasn't that interested at all. And I specifically carved a Thomas the Train pumpkin for Ian since he has a slight obsession.



Our little Sebastian the crab! He may look like a little girl but he was still so cute!






Ready to go! The evening could not come fast enough for Ian. It's a true test of patience for a child to wait to go trick or treating!



I think there was like two pieces of candy and a tooth brush in that pumpkin but it was so very interesting already! This is also one of my favorite pictures!

Of course we had to get some pictures of Ian with his little friends. This one is of Ian and Brooklyn as Minnie Mouse! Such a great age! Ian's facial expression cracks me up!



This is Ian the pirate, Gabriel the chicken, and Gabriel's sister the princess!


"AAARRRGGGG! AARRGG! AARRGG!"


Ryan ended up carrying Ian at the end of the night! That was a lot of walking for a two year old!


Checking out the loot at the end of the night!

Fort Gordon's Octoberfest

Saturday was just going to be a quick trip to the base but there ended up being a carnival going on. So the boys and I went and checked it out. It was mostly big rides but they had a tent set up for little kids, and the boys had such a good time! Who would think that a kiddy pool filled with balls would make Declan laugh hysterically and Ian was loving the dinosaurs there. Here are just a few pictures I took.