Favorites

Old Favorite

Today we had to go to Mountain Home AFB - Tracy needed to pick up his uniforms. This meant we got to go to the BX. For those of you who don't know, the BX stands for Base Exchange. It's kind of like a Walmart but with less stuff. They carry some interesting things, but also some things that you can't get at the American grocery stores. There's lots of candy from Germany (and since we stationed there, I must say I got spoiled on how nice their chocolate is. Hershey's just doesn't cut it for me.) And not only do they keep the "overseas" stuff well-stocked, it is reasonably priced. Now on occasion I have found some of the good stuff at the grocery stores, but the price is a little too much for me. So I thought about getting me some Ritter Sport candy bars (milk chocolate with Raisins and Hazelnuts happens to be one of my all-time favorites)...but then I saw this (imagine a ray of light shining down on it...with angelic voices...):

Yep, Chocolate covered Macadamia nuts (much cheaper at the BX, I might add). So yummy. Now this candy is in the top 3 of my all-time favorites...above the Ritter Sport. I heard it calling my name. Could. Not. Resist. Why? Because it also reminds me of this:

We took this picture from our lanai (balcony) in Hawaii. We went a few years back right after Tracy got back from his deployment. Did I mention, we were there for 10 days? Awesome. Loved every moment of it. We had such a good time, and it is just a beautiful place. We plan to go back...eventually. One of our favorite vacations ever.

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New Favorite

One of my fellow bloggers posted a "Product Review" on her blog. (Thanks Megan!) One of the things that she reviewed was the PedEgg. Now, I have seen the infomercials - the one that says, "But wait! There's more!" kind. I have even seen them at Walmart, with the "as seen on TV" endorsement-sticker and everything. But, I thought is was just another gimmick. You see, I have the most horrible, cracked, rough, sand-papery ugly feet (they're like hobbit feet, minus the hair). I have tried the files, the exfoliating stuff, the sea salt stuff, the pumice stuff, and the professional pedicure stuff. I have to admit, I love getting pedicures. It's the one thing that's just for me. However, it gets too darn expensive. (Especially since I heard about acrylic nails for toes. But that's another blog post all together.)

I read her review, and she raved about it. So I thought I would give it a try. Went to Walmart, spent my $10, and tried it. And you know what? It worked! Freakin' awesome. My feet haven't been that smooth since high school. It's shaped just right to work on your feet. Just as a warning, it's supposed to catch all the dead skin (yuck), but it doesn't. Well, not for me anyway...but there was a lot of work that little PedEgg had to do. So I am passing my "this rocks" approval to others, so they can enjoy soft, happy feet, at a cheap price. This is one of my new favorite things.

Boise to PHX

On Easter weekend, Tracy's family was having a little family reunion in Arizona. Originally we told them that we couldn't make it. After having moved and Tracy's job situation, we just thought we would not be able to afford this year. However, about 10 days before the reunion, being curious, I looked on Southwest and they were having a great deal. So we brought the tickets and got to make it down to the Valley of the Sun. It was a quick weekend trip, but it sure was nice to see everyone. The kids were playing with all their cousins (didn't see them for hours at a time), games were played, the swimming pool seemed like it was never empty, and movies were watched. In fact, with all the fun happening, we didn't get a whole lot of pictures. :(

My parents were able to make the drive from Winslow and we got to spend half a day with them. Mandy and Andy also came and brought their kids. We were going to do outside activities including an Easter egg hunt, but we had to pick the ONE day a year that it was raining. Grandma Buggy made it work with an Easter egg hunt inside the hotel room, and also treated the kids to a few presents like books and clothes. They LOVED it. I was able to have a fun visit with my parents and sisters. It was great to watch the little ones interact. I got to meet Leah (Mandy's little girl), who is just a few weeks younger than Hannah, and baby Riley (Andy's little girl).

Hannah loves giving kisses and Leah didn't seem to mind

Cute pic of Leah

Hannah had just started walking (at 14 months - she kind of took her time). The bruise on her forehead was one of many.

Aleana showing off the new outfit from Grandma

Trent couldn't wait to try this on. It is still his favorite shirt. Thanks Grandma.

Sadly the end part of the weekend came way too soon, and we found ourselves flying back. There was an unplanned delay in Las Vegas...for 2 2/1 hours. (Not so fun with a fussy toddler who's stroller was "accidentally" stored on the wrong part of the plane...thanks to the flight attendants - and was already transferred to another plane and en route to Boise). On the last leg of the flight (leaving a 9pm) which was 2 almost 3 hours long, Hannah had just had enough. She was fussy and cranky and wouldn't let her daddy hold her, which meant I got the lovely pleasure of being stuck with the fussy and cranky baby as well as all the glares coming my way from the grouchy passengers.

I finally got her to fall asleep in my arms (which never happens but was thankful she did). Then with about an hour left of the flight, she had a night terror. For those who's kids have night terrors, you can understand. Hannah gets them when she is behind on sleep. She "wakes up" but not really. She screams and screams at the top of her lungs, and is scared of something. But because she is actually still asleep and in her dream, you can't get her to snap out of it. (It's the freakiest thing. Her eyes are open and looking around, but no body's home) The best thing to do, it to just leave her alone and not touch her. However, because there were no empty seats, and we had "begun our decent", I couldn't put her anywhere, and I couldn't stand up and walk around with her. So she screamed, and fought me, and screamed and squirmed trying to "get away" from whatever was scaring her in her dream. The other passengers, who were mostly sleeping began to turn their lights on, and groan, and the dirty looks started coming my way. I tried my hardest to wake her up, and then sang to her - trying to reach her somewhere in that dream. Nothing worked. She screamed the rest of the way. I was exhausted from holding a child that was fighting me full strength and I literally was in tears (all though I tried to hide it by burying my face in her blanket). Some people got more irate, and then others...those who were mothers and grandmothers started giving me looks of sympathy. The plane landed, and you would think she would stop. Nope. She screamed while all the passengers unloaded, while we got off, and while we got our luggage. She finally stopped, when we went outside. The cool air got her to snap out of it. Sigh. Then she was a happy baby, liked nothing ever happened on the whole drive home from the airport.

Ahhh, but I know the truth. And I will think twice before I fly again, especially on those late night flights. And even though my kids are having fun...they will go to sleep and get good rest on the night before we fly back, so help me. :)

Aleana

Aleana celebrated her birthday in May. She turned 9. Now being nine doesn't sound like a big deal, until I start thinking about how it is one more year closer the "tween-age" years. This next year she'll be in the 4th grade. Then on the the 5th...then to the dreaded middle school years. Even though being nine isn't a "big deal", I am sure going to enjoy this year and cherish the calm before the storm.

Her celebration this year was low-key. We tried to make it special. She got to choose whatever she wanted for her cake. She chose this:

(That is a Godiva Chocolate Cheesecake from the Cheesecake Factory. The best slice of cheesecake ever created. I let her try a slice awhile back when Tracy took Trent to their Father's and Son's Camping Trip. I thought we would have a "girls night out" and make her feel special. The cheesecake was so good, and something that she obviously didn't forget about. I guess I should choose my words more carefully when I say, "you can have whatever cake you want." Needless to say, we all enjoyed it. Yum!)

She only asked for one thing for her birthday. She wanted a ripstick. A what?!? Yes, a ripstick - those kind of skateboard looking things that you have to swivel to ride. We tried to come up with other things that might appeal to her more, but her mind was made up. So we bit the bullet and got a ripstick...and helmet....and protective gear.

Teaching her how to ride it is her Daddy's responsibility. She's catching on quicker than I thought she would. No major broken bones or scrapes yet, as I am sure they will come eventually. (I cringe with the thought...)

(Her tough girl look. Not too intimidating, we'll have to work on it.)

Happy Birthday Aleana Mae!

Hannah's Birthday...

Now that I am no longer working, and I get to stay home with the kiddos...in between laundry and dishes...I am trying to find the time to get the blog updated. Hannah celebrated her 1st birthday in Feb. Yes, I am aware that was almost 6 months ago. I am aware that she has just a few more weeks before she gets to go to nursery (wahoo!). But I did want to share some pictures. Looking back, she has already changed so much. Where does the time go? And why does it seem like it moves faster with each kid? So. Not. Fair.

The funniest thing about her birthday, which she shares with Punxsutawney Phil, is that it happens to be the day before mine. When she was born, the Dr. was kind of bummed that "we missed it by a day"...even though she was born three weeks early. She is such a calm kid. She just kind of goes with the flow, as long as her brother doesn't make he mad. :)

We didn't have a big party or anything. It's not like she'll remember it. But we did do cake and a candle. The WalMart here gives a free personal cake for kids are turning one, so she got a nice pretty, decorated cake to annihilate. She liked the candle when it was lit, but as soon as we blew it out, she cried. I guess it scared her. But she warmed up to the cake, testing it with her tongue first. Deciding it was tasty, she went at it. I love 1st birthdays.

Here's to you Hannah Bear...Happy Birthday...belated anyway. :)