coming home

Mark made it home safe and sound on March 29th - and while I had tears, I assured Mont that they were nothing but happy ones. I was nervous about how Emmy girl would react, as she wasn't in the talking mood any time we face timed with Mark through the deployment. It was 11 weeks of Emmy mad at Daddy; but when she saw him, there was no holding her back, she was in her daddy's arms as fast as she could get there, and didn't want to let go or be put down for a very long time after. Mont was jumping up and down so fast that Mark had a hard time giving him a hug! It was adorable, and a moment I'll cherish forever. Seeing them reunite with their dad was very very sweet. We missed him so much!

And our friend Andrew who doubled as our phone-photo taker. :) He's about to head out to Chicago for his residency at the hospitals there. We'll miss having him around! He is one of Emmy's most favorite people: 

princess diary from a younger sister

While she can pretend to be a princess.. her brother will pretend her dress is a fort. 

(hot air vents work wonders for a dress's billowing abilities)

puzzles for patience

This is the week! It's the week Mark is coming home from his 11 week deployment to the middle east. Monday morning I dumped out a puzzle to help keep my impatient thoughts on something else. Puzzles always remind me of the time my family would spend at our Grandparents' cabin on Cedar Mountain in Utah. Puzzles meant family time for chatting and laughing, usually at someone's expense, but that's how it works. : ) I would have a puzzle out every week if it didn't take up so much 'valuable space!' 

Even the kids like to sit near and either do their own thing or wait for me to find a piece's place and hand it over so they can feel that satisfying 'click' as they push it down with tiny little fingers.

... one more day! Well.. 36 hours, but that's just a detail. 

March roars on

After a blizzard last Friday, some brave friends/neighbors (the Jones') drove the kids and I, plus them and their kids around in their big truck. I had thought about going out on my own, except I had JUST washed (inside and out) my car for a friend to borrow that night (to help us out no less).. so I voided that plan. Ha! Anyway, we drove around and admired the path of the storm the night before. This was before it hit again, and we got to spend all day at their house (we walked home later on and the kids just about lost it on that 4 houses-down walk) and the base was declared "closed." 

The odd thing about this storm is that it was warm enough for it to be watery in the beginning, so everything that was touched, first has a crust of ice, then the snow came, and stuck to the ice; the temperatures then dropped, freezing everything (both ice and snow) in place for a week! The roads were incredibly icy (both crunchy and slippery), so it was good we were the only crazies on the road, in a nice big heavy 4 wheel drive truck.

Through the window:

Down a ravine:

"pascetti"

Emmy will every now and again get the hankering to try something new. The other day it was spaghetti (and we had none in our pantry! ... I'm a penne lover), so when we next went to the store, we picked some up and promptly made it. She wanted no sauce.. just "pepper" she said. So I added a little olive oil and salt as well (just to keep things going!), and she dug right in: 

Now if only Mont were as "adventurous" in trying new foods - is it weird that spaghetti was a 'new food' at our house? haha She does love pasta, so it wasn't too new-outta-the-blue.

cow boy boots

These were their outfits for church yesterday, Mont even telling me "No tie, please." Emmy was thrilled to be wearing Mont's old boots to church, even though they are in desperate need of a good polish! 

I can never seem to get one good picture of them both, so enjoy one blurry and one with eyes closed. :)

great gatsby party

Tonight was our Squadron's Great Gatsby Party at the Alerus Center in town.  It was a bitterly frigid day, and I was lucky to have tights on, and two coats (one almost to my shoes). I put this picture on my instagram, explaining how I had to accept an award for Mark's flight's movie he orchestrated, or I suppose the word is "directed" - and when I did my evening went from nerve-wracking to heart pounding. I hadn't expected to have to walk up in front of nearly 200 people, praying not to stumble on others' feet or cords, or dance floor raises, or whatnot! AH! Flying Stag is not a strong suit of mine, but I'm glad I did. I think Mark's commander appreciated it. Hope so!! haha

And a picture to remember how I had done my hair - I triple barreled it earlier, then put this rhinestone studded headband in, then tucked it up in and pinned it down to hold. Might have been my favorite part of my evening! :)