I just got off the phone with my Grandma. I haven't talked to her over the phone in years. We normally just send a quick email back and forth. I finally called her on her birthday this year, but she couldn't talk. She has had laringitis for a few weeks and so she called me back today and we chatted for about 20 minutes. It was so lovely and made me so happy. I love talking to my Grandma and hearing her stories. We have so much in common.
Today she told me about her husband being in the Army and living in Alaska. She loved it but they were cold and hungry. They made $120 a month. She worked until she got pregnant and was so sick she couldn't even get out of bed. (Luckily the rest of her pregnancies weren't that bad.) She said they didn't have much, so they were literally living on love, and she felt like it was a 9 month honeymoon. She had to borrow money from her dad to fly to Alaska to live with my grandpa.
She talked about how they got out of the army as soon as they could transferred to the Air Force where they were able to move back to Michigan. They lived with her in-laws and she didn't like it. She said it was no way to live. She wanted so badly to be able to stay at home with the kids, but she had to work.
She told me about moving to Montana and how that was the best choice for them at that time.
Then she heard Ellie start talking and she wished so badly that she could hold her in her arms. I couldn't believe that I never took my baby up to see her while I had flight benefits. (I worked at SkyWest Airlines) I felt so badly that I didn't make a trip up there even for just a day. Now my kids will probably never meet her and that breaks my heart. (Mike has never met her either.) I would give anything to be able to take them up to Montana so that she can give them hugs and kisses. She knows their names and knows so much about them (thanks to my dad:))
We started talking about how they only had cloth diapers and they couldn't bleach them because it was bad for baby bums. And how she would have given anything for disposable diapers back then. She told me to never go to cloth diapers because its not worth it. (That made me chuckle). She told me how her mom was such a hard worker. She worked from sun up until sun down. She scrubbed their clothes on a washboard and cooked in the kitchen all day. Grandma said that her mom was always tired.
I hope that I can continue these fun conversations with my grandma soon. (We had to stop talking because her voice was cracking again)
I miss her and love her very much. I can't believe I haven't made more of an effort to keep her in my life.
Tuesday, September 10, 2013
Exciting News: Ellie
So, my baby (Eleanor) is 5 months old (+ a week or so) and she sat up today! For about a minute. But that's a big deal. Her brother (Calvin) sat up the day he turned 6 months. So we are pretty excited.
Also, she is almost crawling. Calvin crawled at 9 months, so we weren't expecting this to happen so fast... But she gets on all fours and lunges forward and rocks back and forth and she moved her hands forward last night. So we're thinking she'll be crawling in the next couple weeks. CRAZY!
Also, she is almost crawling. Calvin crawled at 9 months, so we weren't expecting this to happen so fast... But she gets on all fours and lunges forward and rocks back and forth and she moved her hands forward last night. So we're thinking she'll be crawling in the next couple weeks. CRAZY!
Gratitude: Day 1 Mike
I decided to kind of start a gratitude journal. I love counting my blessing out loud to see how much I really have to be grateful for. So I would like to do one year of Gratitude.
Today I want to share what I am most grateful for in my life. It's hard to write just about one thing because it ties so many things all together, but I am most grateful for my husband, Michael.
He is such a great husband and dad. He is a hard worker, and he is very smart. It's so nice to have a priesthood holder in our home. He does everything he can to make sure that our family is taken care of. He has served a mission and is now serving our country. I couldn't be more proud of his career choice. (Plus its pretty cool that he will be flying fighter jets, lets be honest here) He works hard so that I can stay at home with the kids. (This is another blessing that I will go into more detail on later.)
He is always so willing to help anyone in need. I love that he supports me in whatever I choose to do.
And he loves our kids so much. He wont put Calvin to bed most nights because it breaks his heart :) It melts my heart every time he plays with the kids (which is multiple times a day).
I just love him with my whole heart, and I'm so glad that I married someone who I can trust and count on. I'm so grateful that our love has grown so strong over the past year as we have moved away from our family and been apart from each other so often.
Today I want to share what I am most grateful for in my life. It's hard to write just about one thing because it ties so many things all together, but I am most grateful for my husband, Michael.
He is such a great husband and dad. He is a hard worker, and he is very smart. It's so nice to have a priesthood holder in our home. He does everything he can to make sure that our family is taken care of. He has served a mission and is now serving our country. I couldn't be more proud of his career choice. (Plus its pretty cool that he will be flying fighter jets, lets be honest here) He works hard so that I can stay at home with the kids. (This is another blessing that I will go into more detail on later.)
He is always so willing to help anyone in need. I love that he supports me in whatever I choose to do.
And he loves our kids so much. He wont put Calvin to bed most nights because it breaks his heart :) It melts my heart every time he plays with the kids (which is multiple times a day).
I just love him with my whole heart, and I'm so glad that I married someone who I can trust and count on. I'm so grateful that our love has grown so strong over the past year as we have moved away from our family and been apart from each other so often.
Out Of Order
I guess I'm going to post about last weekend instead of keeping everything organized and in order. I don't want to forget the joy that I had.
The weekend started on Friday night. I got to go on a date with my hubby and some friends. It started with Blizzards at Dairy Queen and ended at The Plex, a family fun center and arcade. We raced go-carts and played in the arcade. It was a blast.
On Friday night my dad called and said he was going to visit my sister in Dallas to help her with some computer problems she was having in her classroom. My mom was coming to help decorate her classroom. I LOVE decorating so I had to find a way down there. Luckily a friend was going on Saturday at noon, and he had enough room for me and the kids. I was sooo excited! Calvin was excited to see his Gapa.
We got there and I seriously had such a fantastic weekend. I could never be a teacher (especially of high school kids) but I love grading papers and decorating classrooms. So I helped my sister out a little. She had a rough weekend because everything was going wrong and it really was just one thing after another. I felt so bad that I couldn't do more, but she kept her cool, at least until we left on sunday night.
On Sunday, we went to church and Calvin folded his arms during the sacrament. That's a long time for my little 19 month old to be quiet and sit still! I was one proud momma. Then he kept giving Ellie kisses which was even more precious.
We topped church off with trip to Costa Vida. I've been really craving it since I moved here and they have one in Colleyville! Then we went to my sister's classroom to finish up a few things. The poor kids hadn't had a single nap all day but were still little angels. We got home and put the kids down and I took a nap too while Kristen tried to get more things done. Then we left. I was so sad to be driving away, but I am going back in a couple weeks, so I am excited!
I love having family so close, and parents that are willing to drop anything to come to their daughter's rescue. I am truly blessed. I love watching my family play with my kids. They love each other so much and my kids LOVE my sister and parents. Ellie just cuddles right up to my sister every time she's in her arms. Calvin loves to play hide n seek with my dad and read books with my mom. I can't get enough family time, ever. I love being together with my favorite people. Can't wait until I get to go back!
The weekend started on Friday night. I got to go on a date with my hubby and some friends. It started with Blizzards at Dairy Queen and ended at The Plex, a family fun center and arcade. We raced go-carts and played in the arcade. It was a blast.
On Friday night my dad called and said he was going to visit my sister in Dallas to help her with some computer problems she was having in her classroom. My mom was coming to help decorate her classroom. I LOVE decorating so I had to find a way down there. Luckily a friend was going on Saturday at noon, and he had enough room for me and the kids. I was sooo excited! Calvin was excited to see his Gapa.
We got there and I seriously had such a fantastic weekend. I could never be a teacher (especially of high school kids) but I love grading papers and decorating classrooms. So I helped my sister out a little. She had a rough weekend because everything was going wrong and it really was just one thing after another. I felt so bad that I couldn't do more, but she kept her cool, at least until we left on sunday night.
On Sunday, we went to church and Calvin folded his arms during the sacrament. That's a long time for my little 19 month old to be quiet and sit still! I was one proud momma. Then he kept giving Ellie kisses which was even more precious.
We topped church off with trip to Costa Vida. I've been really craving it since I moved here and they have one in Colleyville! Then we went to my sister's classroom to finish up a few things. The poor kids hadn't had a single nap all day but were still little angels. We got home and put the kids down and I took a nap too while Kristen tried to get more things done. Then we left. I was so sad to be driving away, but I am going back in a couple weeks, so I am excited!
I love having family so close, and parents that are willing to drop anything to come to their daughter's rescue. I am truly blessed. I love watching my family play with my kids. They love each other so much and my kids LOVE my sister and parents. Ellie just cuddles right up to my sister every time she's in her arms. Calvin loves to play hide n seek with my dad and read books with my mom. I can't get enough family time, ever. I love being together with my favorite people. Can't wait until I get to go back!
Monday, September 9, 2013
Product Review: Planters NUT-rition Peanut Butter
If you love peanut butter as much as I do, then this is your next favorite thing. I've tasted the Cherry Chocolate and the Cinnamon Raisin. Both of them are delicious, but the Cherry Chocolate is definitely my favorite. You can't go wrong with this stuff. I like to cut up a banana and eat this peanut butter with it. It's also great on PB&J, or just by the spoonful. What's also great about it is that Calvin loves it too. Now, it's got about the same amount of calories as normal peanut butter and it's not really all that much better for you, but it does provide a tiny boost of energy when you need it. I give this peanut butter two thumbs up. Happy shopping :)
Sunday, September 8, 2013
Saturday, September 7, 2013
Becoming and AF wife and loving it.
I have to say, becoming an AF wife was a lot easier than I anticipated, and I love it a lot more than I thought I would. Moving away from my family was kind of an exciting adventure, but lets be honest, I relied on my family way too much and so I was scared. I was excited to start just being our little family unit and learning to rely on each other more, but my mom is my very best friend, and I miss her everyday. Luckily for me she can come visit often.
Anyway, coming to Texas for pilot training gave us instant friends. I became friends with a lot of wives who are all going through the same thing as me. It's like I've made best friends for life, and everyone is so willing to help. Two girls who didn't even know me came and helped me unpack. People were offering to babysit all the time. People brought us dinner after Ellie was born, a lot of meals. Everyone was SO generous and the only way to pay them back is to pay it forward.
Being in the Air Force has given me an opportunity to serve people. I have been given so many more opportunities that I feel I wouldn't have had otherwise. (And equally as great, I am getting blessings for it :))
I also want to include a little paragraph about how being a member of the LDS church has also made this move SO much easier. Everyone there welcomed us with open arms. Meals, places to stay while our apartment was getting ready, a baby shower, love, support, and friendship. We honestly couldn't be more blessed than to be in this ward. We have never felt so loved by people who don't know us, and so accepted. The church outside of Utah is so different. They become your family when your family is not around.
I really am so grateful for all the blessings we have and for the friendships that we have made. I know these people will be my lifelong friends. I am grateful for the opportunities to serve and for the unity that my husband and I have formed. Our marriage is so much stronger. I am so grateful for my kids. I love them to pieces. I honestly don't feel like I could be happier right now. (unless we were debt free :))
Anyway, coming to Texas for pilot training gave us instant friends. I became friends with a lot of wives who are all going through the same thing as me. It's like I've made best friends for life, and everyone is so willing to help. Two girls who didn't even know me came and helped me unpack. People were offering to babysit all the time. People brought us dinner after Ellie was born, a lot of meals. Everyone was SO generous and the only way to pay them back is to pay it forward.
Being in the Air Force has given me an opportunity to serve people. I have been given so many more opportunities that I feel I wouldn't have had otherwise. (And equally as great, I am getting blessings for it :))
I also want to include a little paragraph about how being a member of the LDS church has also made this move SO much easier. Everyone there welcomed us with open arms. Meals, places to stay while our apartment was getting ready, a baby shower, love, support, and friendship. We honestly couldn't be more blessed than to be in this ward. We have never felt so loved by people who don't know us, and so accepted. The church outside of Utah is so different. They become your family when your family is not around.
I really am so grateful for all the blessings we have and for the friendships that we have made. I know these people will be my lifelong friends. I am grateful for the opportunities to serve and for the unity that my husband and I have formed. Our marriage is so much stronger. I am so grateful for my kids. I love them to pieces. I honestly don't feel like I could be happier right now. (unless we were debt free :))
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