The Christmas Tree

Nick pestered his Daddy long enough for the last few days to get him to set up the Christmas tree today. We were able to anchor it to the wall so it doesn't come falling over when Aidan uses it to pull up on. Aidan was very interested in the whole thing and was very angry when we made him give up the lights so they could go on the tree. Luckily, most of the ornaments are higher up then he can reach so there aren't too many things to be pulled off. Both boys enjoyed setting up the tree with their Daddy. We are still trying to convince Jeremy that we should put outdoor lights up as well. He says no way so maybe Nick and I will have to put some up all by ourselves.

Wall Beach

We went to Wall Beach this evening and caught a sunset on a beautiful evening here. It was in the high 60's and calm and sunny. The boys had a blast playing trucks in the sand. I think Aidan ate more then his fair share of sand. Nick found this ledge of sand where he could jump off and climb up over and over. I was trying to get a picture of the boys together but everytime I clicked the camera one would turn their head or run away.

Happy Thanksgiving

Happy Thanksgiving or Happy Turkey Day as Nicholas would call it. We spent the day with my Aunt and Cousin's family down in Ventura. My Cousin's kids (Mikey and Jimmy) are so sweet. They played with both Nick and Aidan the entire time we were down there. Nick and the boys ran non-stop for the first 2 hours we were there. They played baseball and football and chase and tackle, all the things Nicholas loves! Then we were served the usual Thanksgiving dinner with more then enough food to eat. Nicholas mainly ate stuffing and pie. Aidan tried a little bit of everything but wasn't really interested in eating since there was so much to see and do. The boys were both worn out as they both fell asleep in the car on the ride home.

We have a lot to be thankful for this year. We are thankful for a new child who has added joy to our lives in ways we could have never comprehended. A child who can finally sleep at night without waking up screaming in pain. A child who no longer turns blue and stops breathing or aspirates fluid in his lungs or has an eroded esophagus full of ulcers. We are thankful for great family and friends who have kept us sane and prayed for us and taken such good care of us during this difficult year. I am thankful for my 2 amazing boys who have laughs that are contagious. I am also very thankful for their Dad who is my rock and an amazing provider and caretaker of our family. We hope that God will continue to bestow blessings on our lives and the lives of all those that we love.

The Scotts

Our good friends the Scotts (Paul, Jocelyn, and Carson) are here visiting from Memphis. They were stationed at both Minot and here at Vandenberg with us. Paul separated from the Air Force 2 years ago and they now live back in Memphis. Carson their son was born 2 weeks before Nick and they were best friends and played together everyday until they moved away. It has been really nice to see them again this week. The guys have gone golfing and fishing a few times and Jocelyn and I went out shopping the other night. It is nice to know our friendship can just pick up where it left off when we get back together even if it has been a while. The boys have been playing like best buds too even though I don't think they remember each other at all.

The other pictures are of Aidan with his new walking toy. He is so close to walking. He will stand all by himself and take a few steps unassisted but eventually he figures out that he isn't holding onto anything and sits back down. He will run around in circles if he is pushing something. I have a feeling he will be walking by Christmas and if not by then for sure by his first birthday.

14th Air Force Thanksgiving Dinner

We went to Jeremy's work today for a Thanksgiving lunch. It was a potluck by squadron. Our squadron had to bring stuffing. So I had to get up at 5 a.m. this morning to make 8 boxes of stuffing for Jeremy to take to work with him at 6 a.m. There was plenty of food though, everything from turkey to pie. Nick didn't eat too much because he was distracted by the bouncy house. I swear he is going to start to think that every event is supposed to have a bouncy house because there always seems to be one at these big events. Nick and Jeremy made another pine cone turkey at the arts and crafts station. The kid next to Nick at the table is Carson who is here visiting for the Thanksgiving holiday.

Jack's Birthday Party

My friend Kathy's son Jack turned 2 this week and we went to his birthday party tonight. They had a chili cook-off where everyone brought a pot of chili and they provided all the sides and drinks and desserts. The kids had a blast. They played outside for a while and after it got dark they played hide and go seek outside with their glow sticks. It was pretty much all girls there and so they raided Jack's sister Maggies dress up bin and that is where Nick got his Clown hair from.

The picture of Nick on the bottom is him holding his pinecone turkey. I taught Children's church this morning and that was the craft we made. It was messy but they turned out really cute.

The Pupp Party

Tonight we went to the Annual 576 Pupp Party. The 576 is one of Jeremy's old squadrons and each year they initiate the new people(the pupps) in the squadron with a big BBQ that they make the pupps pay for. This year there was a Hawaiian Luau theme and they roasted a pig. The food was really good and they had 2 bouncy houses for the kids. They had this monster bouncy house that had ladders and huge slides in it. The kids had a blast. The boys both ate dirt dessert and loved every bite. It was a little chilly out tonight as the fog rolled in early. So it was a little chilly if you weren't around the fire but the kids didn't seem to mind that much. We had a good time hanging out with a bunch of friends we don't get to see as much anymore since Jeremy works in a different squadron now and there were even some other old Top Handers(what they call people who work in the 576) that have left the military that were there too. So it was nice to just chat and catch up. Now the guys are off playing poker which is another Top Hand Tradition on Pupp Party night.

Girls Night In

I hosted a dinner tonight for my friends whose husbands are away right now. Two of their husbands are deployed to Baghdad and the other two are just gone for a few weeks for work. Jeremy was working overnight tonight which was probably for the best because he probably wouldn't have survived with all the children running around going crazy. I made lasanga, salad, and bread for the adults which was accompanied by a few bottles of wine that were brought and I made homemade mac and cheese for the kids. We of course followed it up with chocolate for dessert. We had a blast just chilling out and chatting without the guys. I am hoping to do this a few more times before their husbands return from the Middle East because I know that someday someone will return the favor to me when Jeremy is gone. My friend Kathy and I are going to watch all their kids next month so they can Christmas shop without the kids. Hopefully, it goes as smoothly as tonight. The boys were so tired they went right to bed without a peep.

Fishing at Lake Cachuma

Today we enjoyed a great day at the lake. It was 75 and sunny with very little wind. It was a perfect day for the lake. This was Aidan's first trip out on the boat. He didn't seem too phased by the whole thing. He wasn't so sure about going fast at first and I think his brother's old life jacket was choking him at times. He was really fascinated with the fishing poles and tried to eat them. Jeremy and Nick managed to pull in a decent sized bass. That was the only fish of the day though. Nick thought Daddy losing a lure to a big fish was the highlight of the day as he laughed hysterically. I almost fell off the boat diving after the very expensive fishing pole that Nick dropped in the water and was sinking fast. I am pretty sure Jeremy was getting ready to dive in after it. Luckily I was able to snag it. Other then having to make a bathroom stop on the floating port-a potty the rest of the day was pretty calm and both boys had a blast. Aidan was so worn out he fell asleep in my arms in his lifejacket on our ride back to the shore.

Also, I just wanted to say a quick Happy Veterans Day to all our friends and family who are currently serving all over the world and to all those who have served our country in the past. We love you all and are so proud of the many sacrifices you have made or are currently making. As always, we will continue to pray for all our friends who are deployed and in harms way. God Bless America!