A Buddy Adventure | {It's Not a Date.}

One thing that we've been extremely grateful for, upon moving here to Maryland, is how small the Air Force community really is. While we were living in California, we had a great group of military friends. One of the couples, Matt and Kristin, moved to Maryland after we left for Texas, and lucky for all of us, they only live about an hour away!

It's so good to move to a new place and have familiar and friendly people to spend time with - it's the small things that are big blessings, to be sure.

So Kristin, Matt, and Baby Kylie came over for lunch and while the guys went to the movies, and my kids napped, Kristin and I watched a movie and {after they woke up} played with the kids. My two are just enamoured with Baby Kylie. After they left, Ellie asked me several times, "Where my Baby Ki-eee go?"

It's not hard to see why - she is just so stinkn' cute!

Ben and Noah took off for the evening for a "Buddy Adventure" {it's not a date people.}. They started the adventure at Target, where Daddy let Noah use some of his own money from his birthday and chores to pick out something for himself. He's had his eye on this Captain America hard mask for months now. Ben said that as soon as Noah put it on in Target, he didn't take it off except to pay for it. Even when he laid down on a bench, complaining that they had been there too long and his feet hurt, he kept the mask on his face.

He even left it on almost the entire time they were eating dinner.

And when they got back home, the first thing he had to do was show me how well it matched his Captain America costume. I'd dare say he loved his date Buddy Adventure with Daddy tonight.

It's Been a Long Time

It's been a long time.

I wish I could say that as a result, we are fully settled in, that all the boxes are unpacked, and that everyone is quite content with our new home.

Moving {yourself} is for the birds, Dear Readers.

And moving with two little ones who truly miss their old home in Texas and their new-old home in Oklahoma? Gah.

We've had our bright and happy spots as well, to be sure. And we are getting settled in... just not as quickly as I had hoped. My vision for March 1 was to not see boxes every time I turn around. Didn't happen. But we're getting close. And I might actually get to hang a few things on the walls next week, so that's a step in the right direction, yes?

I do plan to update/back-date the blog and get the posts up from the past few weeks nearly two months, but decided that in an effort to not get any further behind, I'd better just start where we are. Which is here. March 1.

And before I get all those past posts written and up, I should probably forewarn you that I already know I'm missing photos or videos for several days. Lots of days. And there are lots of days in which the only photos are ones from my cell. I'm certain you'll understand. And I'm certain that my scrapbooks will survive off of fewer photos for that time period, right? ♥

***

We started the morning out in the playroom, waiting until time for the commissary to open. Ellie is quite the little poser these days... and loves dressing up almost as much as Noah.

Commissary and lunch done, I decided that in an effort to just get all my errands done today, I'd mostly forgo naps today. They fell asleep before we even made it out of our neighborhood. Our first stop was Harford Community College. We're hoping my cousin Morgan will be moving here later this summer and will be attending college there in the fall, so the kids and I went to pick up some paperwork for her to start filling out.

Afterwards, we stopped in at Barnes and Noble for a little train table time before heading to Michael's to pick up some orange chocolate wafers....

for some chocolate-covered "Carrot" strawberries! Noah was so excited about the "candy strawberries" that he could barely contain himself.

And, instead of fixing dinner tonight, we went to Cracker Barrel. Yippee for homecooking I didn't have to make, getting to "pay checks wid Bubbie", and Little Ones who ate and behaved so-very-well during dinner. It's the little things, Friends!

♥

We ARE here!

Hello Dear Family and Friends!

Just a quick post to let you know that we have, in fact, arrived in Maryland! Hopefully I'll be able to carve out some time between unpacking and wrangling the kids to get the blog up-to-date soon!

Until then, know that we are settling in and getting use to our new home and miss and love everyone!

♥

Day Trip with the Family | Jasmine Moran Children's Museum

I've got a "Deployment To Do" List hanging on the wall in my room at my parent's house. All summer, fall, and winter we've been slowing marking things off. There's a few that I didn't quite attain {like, update scrapbooks - sheesh - , go to Orr Family Farm, and make Ellie's quilt}, but the majority of them have been crossed out. At the top of the list was Jasmine Moran Children's Museum. We finally got the chance to go today {minus Ben, since he's stayed in Abilene this weekend to finish up a few things there} and everyone had a great time fixing cars, flying planes, riding on a train, hunting for dinosaur bones, and creating a Tardis on an extra large LiteBright. I did take photos, but since most everything is covered in the video, enjoy:

♥

Girly Legos

Tonight was Noah's last night of AWANAs. I was tough. I didn't cry. Though I did come close when he was freaking out about going home and Ms. Mandy, his teacher, said that she was glad she had been able to get to know us.

{sigh}

Moving is for the birds.

While Noah was at AWANAs, Nana and Papa watched Ellie for me. Ellie has really been into folding her tongue up and blowing air through it - Nana captured it on video, something I had yet to do:

While Noah was at AWANAs, I stopped by Walmart to pick up some much needed packing tape. And, ironically, what should I walk right past? Girl Legos. I knew they were out there: Ben had mentioned it to me and I had seen them on a friend's blog, but well, right then and there I decided that Ellie and I needed our own Legos.

So I got us a set.

She was thrilled. And I'm excited to finally have a Lego camera in the accessory stash. :D

And, in somewhat related news - we officially have a place to live in Maryland! We've been going back and forth over whether to rent or buy and finally settled on just renting. We found an amazing place {hello - 3400+ sq ft!!} and will be able to move in as soon as we arrive. ♥

Today.

Today, Captain America took a very short nap. Which meant that he got in some extra time "just practicing his letters".

Today was the first day that everyone was back at work, including Ben. He left yesterday for Abilene to work for a couple of days, out process, and pack up all our stuff. We'll be joining him next week to attend his Going Away Lunch and to see our friends one last time. I already miss the guy.

Today we busted out one more bathtime goody - a pretend shave set that Noah had in his stocking from Nana and Papa. It was a big hit. With both kids.

December Daily | 19

Part of the reason for our trip to Abilene was to see our old Life Group and part of the reason was so that we could possibly conserve a few days of Ben's leave. Which meant that Ben had to go into work this morning for a little bit... and that the kids and I were stuck at the hotel while he was gone. But this time, folks, I was a little smarter and remembered to get their "restaurant bags" out of the car. They each have a special backpack which is filled with goodies that they are only allowed to play with when we are at a restaurant. Special goodies like little coloring books, small Lego sets, My Little Ponies and mini car and train playmats.

I put them both on their own beds with their own backpacks and managed to get us all packed up before they started getting restless!

After meeting Chief Mac {who retired while Ben was deployed} for lunch, we headed home... and managed to make it back in near record time!

December Daily | 5

Daddy-Ben has been home for two weeks as of today. {Yay!} It's been a pretty awesome two weeks, but it's gone by fast. Like lighting fast. And truthfully, it doesn't really feel like we've been able to spend much time together. Which is why it makes the fact that he has to leave to go to work for the week in Abilene a tough pill to swallow.

After a fun lunch out, we came back home and Ben helped me put the kids down for a nap before he left for Abilene.

We already miss him. We're already looking forward to Friday when he gets to come back home to us. We love you Daddy-Ben! ♥

Home Again | In OKC

Ben had to go into work for a little bit this morning, so while he was gone, the kids and I finished repacking up our stuff and waited to start the drive back to Oklahoma City. Both kids were so very excited when he got back to the hotel - each time he leaves, I have a feeling that they are a little nervous that it'll be a long time before they see him again.

Once back in OKC, we fell back into our usual routine of Legos, blocks, and photos:

It's so good to have him home! ♥

One of Ben's flights took him through Japan, so while he was there, he picked up a couple of treats for us all to try:

authentic Saki....

and outrageously flavored KitKats {or, as Noah called them: "Green and pink kitty kats!"}.

I definitely recommend the strawberry ones!

Deployment Gifts | Month Six {and more}

Even though Ben came home last night, he still wasn't officially "ours" yet. This morning he had to go in to the base to in-process and because we only had one car with us in Abilene, it meant that the kids and I just stayed at the hotel for the morning. Noah had a mini-meltdown when Ben left. The whole time that Ben was deployed, we talked about how Daddy was at work. So when Daddy "went to work" this morning, I'm guessing he assumed that it was going to be for another six months instead of a few hours.

It's tough being almost four. And it's tough when Daddy has been so far away for so long.

To help pass the time, I let the kids open up their last set of deployment gifts. I've realized {six months too late} that I probably could have gotten away with just getting them one thing between the two of them. Because Ellie ALWAYS wants to play with whatever Noah has.

After lunch, naps, and an oil change in the Sequoia, we met our property manager over at our house. We got some not-so-great news this past week: our current renters moved out. {sigh} Without paying this month's rent or notifying the property management. Luckily, there was no real damage to the home {minus usual wear and tear and a few dings from moving in and out} and everything was, for the most part, left as it was. The property manager was in the process of getting things ready for the house to be shown again and re-leased.

Noah and Ellie were amazed when they saw their old rooms {which are now all a boring shade of cream} and joyfully plopped down in the middle of the living room as if it was the neatest thing in the world to be in their old house with no furniture.



We finished up at the house, did a quick stop at Target {oh, how Ben missed it!} and then ate dinner with some of our Life Group friends at Texas Roadhouse. Dinner was followed by baths for the kiddos back at the hotel and then some friend-time with the Carroll's at their home. All three kiddos were thrilled to get to play together and the four adults were just happy to have everyone under one roof for a couple of hours again.

Admittedly, I didn't take many photos today with Ben in them. Part of the reason? I didn't want to experience all of today behind a lens. And the rest of the reason? I was simply too happy to have him home to even remember to take a physical photo. I'm okay with that.

Home.

Today has been a long time coming. Since the moment we found out about this deployment, I've been looking most forward to this day.

Last night felt like Christmas Eve. Much like the night before he deployed, I could barely sleep. The kids and I finished packing this morning, loaded up the Sequoia, and headed towards Abilene. The first part of the drive was relatively uneventful. The kids slept and we made it to Wichita Falls just in time for lunch. And, just as we were getting into the car to start the second part of the drive, the rain started. And didn't stop until we were almost in Abilene! The. entire. drive. Noah asked if we were to Daddy yet. The boy was anxious to get to the airport to get his Daddy.

Finally, after checking into the hotel and eating dinner, the time arrived for us to go to the airport. Ben's flight was delayed from Dallas due to intense fog, but lucky for us, we had good friends and Air Force family at the airport to keep us company and entertained. My favorite moment, besides seeing him in person for the first time in six months, was while we were waiting for him to get off the plane and Noah turned to me with his hands raised to his face in anticipation and said, "I'm just so excited!"

As soon as Ben turned the corner and Noah saw him, he was off running to get his Daddy. Even Ellie, whom we were a little concerned might not want to give him a hug or a kiss, showered him with love.


We're oh-so-happy to have him home with us finally. And oh-so-grateful for friends and family who have loved on us, supported us, and been praying alongside us during this.

Benjamin, Dear One, I couldn't be more proud of you. You accept every task placed before you with grace and a determination to see it through, no matter how difficult. I'm so very proud of the man, the husband, the daddy, and the officer that you are! You have set an amazing example for Noah and are everything that I hope Ellie will look for in her own future husband. I love you most and am ever so happy to have you back home with us. ♥

The Last {Full} Day

It's our last official full day before Ben returns. I feel like we should have done something exciting and fun to cap off the end of the deployment, but we didn't. We didn't even make it to church! Between extra tiredness, the cold weather, Mom not feeling great, Noah and Ellie having colds, and me having a million and one things to finish up before tomorrow, well, it just didn't happen. After a few quick errands and lunch, Mom and I got the kids into bed and then I headed over to Uncle Bud and Aunt Sally's house to get a couple of photos of them {despite the FREEZING temperatures!}. We didn't last very long outside and I even managed to forget to take a couple of shots! Guess we'll have to try again if we ever have even a slightly warm day.

The rest of the day was spent at home, packing, working on Black Friday shirts {SO awesome this year!}, cleaning, and spending some extra time with the Little Ones.

Last night of bedtime routine without Daddy! ♥

Keeping Busy | The Countdown is ON.

These aren't the greatest of shots, both technically and by personal opinion, BUT they are the ones that tell the story... so I'm sharing them.

Ben gets home in FIVE days folks. Five. As in, I can count the number of days until my little family is back together again on ONE hand. I'm giddy, excited, nervous, and oh-so-ready.

We're trying to get some things done around the house to get prepared for him. I spent a good portion of today trying to get a lot of the essentials done around here - making room in the closet, getting his winter clothes from storage, and trying to figure out what on earth to do with all the stuff we've acquired over the last five months. In between all that, the kids and I had some fun play time. Thanks to their snotty noses and the chilly weather {especially when you already have a snotty nose}, inside play was a must today.

Papa and Nana's table makes a pretty good tent Batcave.

And funny faces? Always a riot.

♥

Deployment Gifts | Month 5

Almost. there.

Ben sent a package with a few goodies for the kids, so we combined those gifts with their actual month five deployments gifts today. {Pardon the pjs in the afternoon... we're sick.} Ellie wasn't too interested in opening the box, so we just let Noah go after it.

She came around though when she realized there were presents for her too!

Thank you Daddy! We love you and miss you and can't wait until you get home! ♥

A Day Out with Thomas

Noah has known for a couple of days that we had a "secret adventure" to go to today. Last night, we let Daddy-Ben tell him where we were going to get to go - to ride on Thomas! I imagine it goes without saying that Noah was pretty excited.

When we arrived at the Oklahoma Railway Museum for our Day Out with Thomas, Noah's excitement was so very evident - he practically pulled Nana over to see Thomas!

I don't think they could believe that he was really there!

We had tickets for the first ride of the day and arrived a little early, before all the other festivities really started, so the kids played on the playground for a few minutes before we headed to the passenger cars.

Both of them were thrilled to get on the train!

After the train ride, we made our way to the rest of the activities.

Ellie's favorite? Coloring, of course.

Noah pretty well enjoyed it all. He got a tattoo...

listened to a story, checked out the model trains, and even played miniature golf.

What he did NOT enjoy, however, was meeting Sir Topham Hatt.

Neither did Ellie.

Maybe next time.

All in all, the trip was a success!