Lovin' me some silly face!

First time bowling!

One of the guys hubby works with has two young kids.  They are new to the area and, like us, have no friends.  So, Friday evening we set up a little double date at the bowling alley on post.  This was C's first time to go bowling.  We got there first, so convincing him to wait until his new friends showed up to start bowling was a little difficult.  They had this neat little dinosaur ramp that kids could use.  So, instead of trying to heave their ball down the lane, they just set it at the top and give it a little push.  At some point during the night, running around in circles with his new friends became much more fun than bowling.  We went from persuading him to sit and wait his turn to trying to convince him to stop running long enough to take his turn! 

Sporting the shoes!

Too heavy!

Just right.

Of course, we couldn't end the night without testing out the dinosaur's slide capabilities.

I'm a big kid now

As newlyweds we had a little white diner table with four retro red chairs.  The retro look was kind of lost after the chairs fell apart and we had to resort to folding chairs.  When we moved to KS we inherited a dining table from my brother.  We were its third family and only two of the chairs were still safe for someone over 30 lbs to sit in!  We moved to MD with the intent to buy a new table once we got settled in.  Well, for the past couple of months we thought we were going to be moving again, so the folding chairs came back out, along with the matching card table.  Hubby recently got offered an AGR position with the army here at Fort Meade and we know we will be staying for at least three years.  And we FINALLY have our very own, big kid dining room table. 

Isn't it beautiful?

When we put the leaf in it will seat eight, so come on up and have dinner with us!!  But, maybe not until September when we will be out of this tiny apartment and in base housing.  Then we'll have a spare bedroom for you to stay the night in. ;)

A good day

Today was a good day...

Our house in MS was just around the corner from the Great Harvest Bread Co. I don't know why it took us months to finally venture in, but I was so glad we did! It was love. Soon we were on a first name basis with the owner and several of the employees. They made the most amazing blueberry muffins and I ate them throughout my entire pregnancy. If I didn't make it in for one in the morning I knew I could count on sweet Miss Rose to set one aside for me. I can also remember walking a lot in the last weeks of my pregnancy and when I passed the store she would come running out and yell, "You keep walking girl! Get that baby out!!" During the fall, they made pumpkin chocolate chip muffins...mmm...oh, how I've missed them. Today I randomly decided to see if there was a Great Harvest in MD. Not only is there one just a couple of towns over, but they make pumpkin chocolate chip muffins, on Wednesdays!! Today was the best day. :) C and I sat outside in the shade and enjoyed our morning treat. After he was good and covered with chocolate we headed to hubby's work and surprised him with our discovery. C and I spent the rest of the afternoon crafting...and then spreading much of the goodness that makes up the craft box all over the apartment....

Today was a good day.

Now it's really over

I've come to the last of our vacation photos. :( It was nice being able to relive the whole experience when I posted about it. After this I can start posting about things that are currently going on in our lives. Like having one miserable, pink-eyed, ear-infected little boy on our hands. He is napping now so I have some time to finish up my vacation posting....

Grandpa and C checking out the animals we might see walking out to the estuary.

At the Corolla Wild Horse Museum they had horse-painting for kids!

We told him if he picked the big horse (they also had a small, take-home size) he had to share it with his cousin.  Lucky for him Tia and Uncle D were able to trick her into "painting" without paint on her brush.

Showing off the finished product!

Out to lunch on our last day. 

We had to pay $1 per person to walk out on the pier.  I'm pretty sure they should have been paying us money to go out on that thing.  If you stood still, you could feel it swaying and there were big gaps and loose boards everywhere!

What a great vacation!!  Big thanks to my in-laws for putting it all together and blessing us with our beautiful beach house!  Hopefully we have them convinced to do it again next year. ;)

Father's Day 2010

The boys are out on an adventure...here they are before leaving for their nature walk.

Sitting here in the quiet apartment on Father's Day, I have been thinking about my childhood and thanking God for my father.  My dad was a little girl's dream.  I can't remember a time when I asked him to play with me and he said no.  Almost all the memories I have of my dad from when I was young are of the two of us playing together.  Putting on a circus show on the swingset, riding bikes in the driveway, setting up a grocery store in the living room, playing school, the memory game, Mall Madness, dress-up, Barbies...I roped him into it all.  I think he definitely had a soft spot for his baby girl.  (I think he still does) ;)  Hubby has noted that when asking my dad for something, I often use what he has dubbed 'my little girl voice'  I guess it's true what my dad has been telling me all these years...I'll always be his little girl.  I am so grateful that I had a father who gave us one of the greatest gifts...he gave us his time.  I felt valued.  And I think because of that, I have grown into the woman that I am today. Thank you, Dad. 

I always hoped my husband would be that kind of dad. 

Now, to see the love my husband has for his son...a love that rivals my father's love for me...

I am doubly blessed.

I could spend a lot of time writing down all the things that make my husband a wonderful father...but I'd rather get up from the computer and spend the evening witnessing all those things.

To put it simply...I have always been amazed at how "at home" in his role of father my hubby has been.

From the very beginning, this man just knew. 

He knew exactly how to be this little boy's Daddy.

To the father of my children...

Happy Father's Day...

I love you.