My etsy love

I need new stockings- Love these screenprinted stockings. from The Bobbins Nest.

And a bit of this idea too. From My Adobe Cottage.
Love this look from South House Boutique.
And then these little banners. from Perch Papiers.
And this shops beautiful door greeters. From Two Inspire You.
And my sister told me to look up baby rattles. Little Sapling Toys.
And I can't get enough of Funkyshiqe.

I bought my Emma these headbands and bows. The headbands are sized right. She loves them. I love them. From Billiebrand.

I put this birdcage on her wall above her bed. The cage in white and bird in pink- her walls are lavender. It looks darling. From Leen the graphics queen.

How about this for Ryan? In place of his dogtags maybe? Alibalijewelery.

I ordered 2 of these steel magnet boards. I hope they fill up with Christmas cards (do you know I just threw out in the move here 3 years worth of Christmas cards?). From Steel Dreams Designs.

Pirates with their Monkey

yes, that's Ryan, aka "Jack Sparrow"

I made it through our Ward Trunk or Treat. I dragged a couple new-found friends into the decorating mix with me and then my mom and brothers came out to help throughout the night. I promise to NEVER do a trunk or treat on Halloween day ever again. (Maybe that will get me released?) I think we had 400ish people. It was standing room only. I look back at this month and did not make a special dinner for my family or even carve pumpkins. So lame. Once the weekend cleared I looked around my house and thought some wild people must live here! I've been cleaning and putting halloween stuff away and went to add some more to my attic storage and realized, the key is gone. Like I think the baby threw it away. I have a locksmith coming out to break me in. Such a big bummer- I can't wait 6 weeks to find it. All my christmas is up there. Speaking of Christmas, I think I need a bigger break between the Trunk or Treat and our ward Christmas party. Can I change the calendar?

Last Saturday

I called my mom while we were out running errands. I knew she had weekend clinical's for her nursing school (an A student she is) and her side job, but we thought, if we bring a pot of soup and pies, can we come for dinner? She called my grandparents, and after church, church meetings and naps, we drove into Boise. It's not more than a 50 minute drive or so. We got to my mom's house, unpiled, and were greeted to a lighted Halloween Tablescape. After all she had done that day at school, she made the table look perfectly festive. There was orange soda with chocolate straws and candy owl cones for the kids. We talked about the Balloon Kid, and h1n1, and Thanksgiving plans. We took samples of 3 Marie Callendar Pies, and finally bathed the little kids in her swimming pool bath so they were ready for bed on the drive home. My lousy iphone photos just don't capture it the way it should. And next time around, I'll remember my Grandpa does not like Potato Cheese soup. Or Razzleberry pie. But he loves Lemon Meringue from Marie's.

my grandparents

ps- Ryan passed his boards! I knew he would, but he did it! No more tests for 10 years for this guy, unless, he fellows. Or trains in allergy with the Air Force. And, I think he is. Let's pretend there are no more tests....

pss- My trunk or treat ward activity turned into a 2 ward activity and a spanish branch. Can you imagine? Helpers anyone?

psss- the Pirates are coming out at our house this week. I love Emma's dress!

Giveaway

Go here for my friend Melissa's darling, darling banner.

You won't want to miss this...

oh, and neighba-lady, Traci of Amazing Mae, has a great tutorial on a burlap pumpkin.

life here

View from out my kitchen. Wide open spaces with the subtle sound of the highway.

(warning- totally random post)

Landon turned 3 and potty trained himself on the same day. I turned 31. It was easier turning 31 than 30. Starting school an hour later gives me a better start to my day. I'm ready to go by the time I wake everyone up- I like that. Emma's preschool and dance, and Tanner's scouts and school are going well. We gave Tanner a "bonus year" and had him repeat second grade. I am so glad we did- he is doing so much better and his confidence has dramatically changed. He's not the oldest, or the tallest, and his teacher says he is shaping up to be a gentle leader, a new place for him certainly. He has not thought twice about it either- if we had not moved we could have never pulled it off. I agonized so much over what to do, talked to so many parents and teachers and reading specialists, but it came down to just me, Ryan and prayer. Isn't that what always happens?

We have gotten a good taste of military life now. Ryan has "readiness" days where he might see 2 patients and then has to get fitted for gas masks and exercise. He likes his staff and most all of the doctors that went active with him seem to be young and just out of residency too. Once again, it's just a nine-bed hospital. There is an OB unit for delivery- where I think most of the action is. Ryan's call schedule has been very easy. He takes week long call and gets paged very little. I got a mac daddy migraine this weekend. Sunday to be exact. He took me into the base Urgent Care (ER) for an IV. From 1-10 I was at a 9 (and as he pointed out, even in labor with a bad epidural, I've never ranked myself that high) and they could not push IV meds on me. There was no pharmacist to release the meds to the ER. He happened to be the on call doctor and said he could admit me to the floor and then they would have to call in a pharmacist, but who would watch our kids? They doped me up on some shots that brought it down a bit and now Ryan is under orders from me, if that ever happens again, admit me and knock me out.

I credit my migraine to two things, the smell of smoked food. I think it's a trigger. Ryan thinks I'm crazy. I point out to him even when I'm pregnant and sick it's the worst smell to me ever. He says he doesn't forget- it is vividly in his mind watching my "reaction". And, secondly, I attended a festival on base for just the medical officers. There I met other wives who detailed there husbands deployments and the challenges they faced and I could not get there conversations out of my mind. I couldn't sleep. I kept thinking how could I live for 9 months without him? And I know they need 40k more troops which means they need more doctors. And our base is considered a high ops base. Meaning, they pull from us often. Ryan says, I need to stay away from the other wives and not just smoked food smells. As of right now, Ryan is scheduled to leave next December. Which he points out, they might not need him. Overall, he still likes his job as Captain, Chief Internist. He thinks it's funny. He's the only internist, that's why he's chief chair.

Landon just bit Emma on the nose, my phone never rings. Still trying to find the rhythm of this place. And although there is so much unknown with the Air Force, still no regrets from either of us.

And I love fall. It starting to feel crisp here. I am breaking in my new cardy uggs. Love those too.

(still love my banner Traci.)

(bought this burlap glitter banner and witches boot on etsy this year)

(board from Real Deals. Love that place.)

My menu board.... dry erase. Trying to get meals organized better.

No Qdoba to run to last minute at this truck stop town.

I was inspired to paint some furniture black from a couple KY friends. Ryan thinks he's going to come home to the entire house painted black. I think I'm about ready to put down the can. I bought my office chair on Craig's List.

See how organized I am? Just don't look at the floor.. or the desk... or open the hall closet.

Question?

Can I pull this off?

Does this look like a large garbage bag mashed into a pumpkin?

I was asked by my new bishop, "If you could have any calling.....?" To which, I replied. "Activity Chairperson???"... To which, a couple weeks later it was extended to me, and to my husband, 1st counselor in the young men's (about Ry's calling.... I guess you need to hunt, own a truck, a motorbike/quad thing, or play football, and since, Ryan played junior college football, he fit the requirement. When he was announced for his calling, no mention was made of him being an eagle scout, or husband, or doctor, or new Airman. No. Just that he played "college football" to which I saw him cringe, because it was "junior" college and that was over 10 years ago. Although, I think he's in pretty good shape. Just less hair.)

Anyways. I am the Activity Chairperson. I put together a list of activities I would like to do and then I got my budget. Pretty much like 10 bucks. I could not believe it. And I have the Trunk or Treat, November Pie Social, and Christmas Breakfast.

Do you think my garbage bag pumpkins (I was thinking of making 30-40 of them for the round tables) look like garbage? I am at loss on how to pull this off. I ordered orange tablecloths and would like to layer them with cheesecloth, piles of yard leaves, and then the pumpkins. Does this look as cheap as it is?

Any ideas out there? Here's my press posters/flyers/insert.

ps- did I mention, I know no one. And have no committee. Stephanie H. where are youuuuuuuu?

Sending out thanks

Dear Amy S., my Tanner loves his Star Wars room. But, most especially, I love it. I love that when I walk by his room I see this canvas right above his bed, that you painted. That I could never have done. Can I tell you how much I miss you? And that I think of you often? And that you are so talented. And when you go big, please remember me. Please. Thanks.

(ps- Mandee Grant, I read your bedroom decorating Star Wars discussion post. I bought the Star Wars Blanket and Pillow from PB and then pulled in stuff from the Kids Company Store. I thought my kid could grow into the cartoon-less sheets better. )

Dear Traci, aka neighba-lady. I still think when I leave my house you should be my neighbor next door. Even miles away you still gift me your goods. If only you could have sent Gage in the bag too? This bag I will love to it's death. Thank you!

Thank you, sister Ashley for this little award. You're funny. And your hair really is awesome.

(oh, and thanks Tip Junkie for liking my Halloween Dinner!)

Stitches, Britches, and Witches

Jackson hit the bench to my table and split his lip wide open. Smack dab in the middle. Ryan was home. Blood was everywhere. I called someone in my ward in a panic. "Where do I go?" I think she thought, "Uhm, isn't your husband a doctor?" Never treat your own I hear him say... and stitching up our kids will never happen. A nice dentist in our ward fixed him up. 3 stitches in the lip and Ryan said it took all his power to hold him down.

As for britches. My little boys have had runs in the pants and spewing problems. About 5 days for each. In fact, I was in the lobby holding one sick kid while the other was being sewn up.

And no,I had to remind myself as I spent an hour pulling all my Halloween stuff out to decorate. It is not October 1st. It's SEPTEMBER 1st. Not Witch time yet. (And, maybe I should try to put the rest of my house back together first... that should seem most logical.)

Lastly, I miss you old Kentucky. Okay, and Bakersfield too. But, I really like having my husband home so much. He needs another job. I think he's getting itchy a bit. His clinic is going well. It seems like a part-time job compared to the last couple years.


ps- Dear Angela. I thought of you. Remember when I poked my eye out and was really pregnant? And I had just been in the ward a few weeks. And I called you crying. Because my husband took me to the ER but could not get out of work to take me to my follow up appointments. And I could not drive because I could not see. And I visit taught you. And yet you picked me up and drove me to my appointments and helped with Emma. And so I've thought. Oh no, I'm doing it to this girl in my ward here, calling her in a panic. Poor girl. love you.

my poor heart muscle

Housesitting at Traci's. Couple weeks before we left Kentucky.

Beat sobs and tears leaving Kentucky. All the way to Nashville en route to Alabama. In Alabama, we met Ryan, in chik-fil-a, and my heart cried some more. Because even though it had left a place, it had found it's home again. (not chik-fil-a, but Ryan, thank you. and Chik-fil-a was the only thing with a playground in site, out of the humidity)

It cried proud tears during Air Force Graduation (and I have said, if you get the chance to ever attend a military graduation. Go. Without hesitation. It was moving and reminded me that this country is grand and that it's people are good. )

Ryan upfront. Squadron Commander. Part of his group of 130.

One week later my heart left dang Montgomery (sorry, but it was not a place I would need to visit again) and drove to Paduka, Kentucky, through St. Louis' Arch, then onto to Independence Missouri, where it was touched some more. By the early saints. And the Prophet Joseph. And all because of our Savior.

From there we went through corn fields and small towns where my heart felt the beauty of our country. From sea to shining sea. It is beautiful. We stayed over in Nebraska and then Wyoming. 2 cars carrying 1200 pounds all the way west.

My heart met neighba-lady in Salt Lake for lunch. And then travelled up to Mountain Home. Where it cried tears of love for seeing family again. The truck unloaded us and then my heart traveled back down to Salt Lake to see a sweet baby blessing and to be reminded that good friends have made my life much richer. We came back to Mountain Home for a couple days and then traveled onto California. To meet more family and cousins and be reminded that 3 years away from a grandparents house was too long. My heart got back to Mountain Home last week.

And my heart teared up in church at our new ward yesterday because it misses the old. And at Tanner's school today. Because I watched him play by himself. And I know. Adjusting to a new place takes time.

My heart beat contentedly at Sunday Dinner with grandparents and family because that had been missed all these years. And it laughed at Ryan who has been pulled over three times in the past month (twice on base) and once in town here. Because everyone drives 10 under the speed and he was driving 5 over. Get it right Captain.

And so my heart goes on. Trying to get set back on the same beat as before. Back to the daily routine. Laundry and grocery shopping. Watching kids. Figuring out this military wife thing. Taking care of my home. Where my heart beat means the most.

Moving Out- Signing off

The packers are here, the kids are off with the sitter for 3 days and to playdates (thank you good mom friends), Ryan is trying to survive boot camp, and I have everyones suitcases packed to live out of for a month. On the road again is going to be our theme. From hotel, to neigbha-ladies, to friends and then down to Alabama. To see this:

http://www.au.af.mil/au/holmcenter/OTS/COT-RCOT/CommissionedOfficerTraining.asp

click on the video link. It will make you feel proud. Proud of the people that make up this great country that we live in- well it's a little boring, I admit. They made Ryan in charge of 1/3 of his class of 350. He admits he has no idea what he is doing.


I have to say goodbye. To this home. To Kentucky. To our training here. I can't handle the friend goodbyes yet. I don't think I will ever be ready. See ya again from Idaho.


Neighba-lady dropped off some pillows for my kids. She made an Emma doll and Jackson dog and Tanner and Landon pj bottoms. All stuffed in pockets with their initial. And a carry handle. For the road she said, as I think, can't you just move with me? Thanks to the Smiths as well for Kazoing!