A No Technology Weekend!

We are headed to the Grand Canyon this weekend for a fun-filled camping trip.  Anyone who knows me, really knows me, knows that this is not necessarily my cup of tea, BUT, I am soooo looking forward to it!  And since we are being ole-fashioned about the camping, the cooking, & the plans, we made a family rule that it would be a no technology weekend too.  This is the part I am excited about!  No iPhones, iPads, game systems, videos... just bunch of family time to spend 100% percent with each other.  While these modern advances are awesome & amazing & allow even my family to keep up with our soldier for months at a time & our family on the other coast, I frankly get tired of them in my day-to-day life.  I hate the expectation that I'm to answer my phone at the drop of a pin just because it is my cell phone & people assume I have it on me.  I get tired of the emails & the frustrations if I don't get right back to people.  And while I enjoy me some FB, I would rather be as consumed by my crazies' latest inventions or tales than with the status update of my 8th grade classmate.  So, I am thrilled about devoting my time & my energy 100% on our family this weekend... it will be great!  And so we are off... and the camera is our only exception!

D's Soccer Camp

It's summer time here & on a military installation that means all kinds of camps & programs are offered to keep the kids busy & the parents sane.  I put the crazies only in a couple of them because most of our time will be spent with family, but D participated in a soccer camp this week.  The 8:00 a.m. start time nearly killed us everyday because while we are up nearly everyday by that time, getting everyone dressed, fed, picked up & where we need to be by that time is a whole different ballgame.  But we did it, & D has been able to learn some new things.  The coaches are from England & travel across the U.S. throughout the summer teaching various kids in various places -- luckily Ft. Irwin scored them for a week!  So, here are some pics of D doing his soccer thing -- he may be a natural!

A little pre-clinic pep talk with Coach Dan!

Playing Chase the Tail -- a great way to get the kids running fast.

 Kick practice

Learning some more strategies

 Gotta get our water in... like every 10 minutes, seriously.

Little soccer man D.

Memorial Day Art

Today is Memorial Day so I took some time to teach the crazies about what that day means & why we honor it.  Of course I don't want to give too many details -- 1. they are 2 & 3 & 2. I don't want them fearful every time their Daddy leaves.  But, I want them to know that real people many real sacrifices all of time for their freedoms & for this country.  In our home we can think of names of the fallen & remember families left behind so it is a reality in the military community bringing Memorial Day close to our hearts.  So, to keep it kid-friendly, we did a patriotic craft that turned out nice.  And as soon as Soldier man came through the door from outside D had questions about his job though... and he loves that his Daddy is a hero!

Paint the little hands in this pattern.

Place it on paper & give dots ("stars") in the blue area.

After it dries, let the little ones draw the flagpole.  You could add things around it if you'd like, but we chose to keep it simple.

An Evening Among Friends

It's Memorial Day & in a military community we certainly take the time to stop & remember those men & women who have made the ultimate sacrifice for our freedoms.  We enjoy our days off, our BBQs, & our time with family & friends, but we know that we would not indulge in these freedoms without the military members who have paid the biggest price -- their lives.  We think of their families whose lives were forever changed & we look at our own & know that we should be especially grateful.  It is a day where we know that freedom is not certainly not free.

We got together this evening with some of our friends here on Ft. Irwin & had the best time.  We live right across the street from a huge park so we plugged up our hoses & made a water line to go across the street to set up a water wonderland for the kiddos.  The guys were grilling, the girls were chillin', & we had all sorts of things to keep the kids busy & happy!  We enjoyed an evening among friends & know that in the military, in an instant, all things can change.  So we make the most of every opportunity & today was certainly one of those times!

Deacon before Memorial Day service

 Kennedy en route too

My Crazies 

Fruit Kabobs... Americana themed

Hanging at the park while Soldier man & me set up the water fun!

Slip-N-Slide Time

A Cold Treat for the Kids

D & Bella digging in

Even the chalk companies are getting patriotic!

Little Artists

You Know It!

More Water Fun!!!

This is how we roll... 

Couldn't resist putting up Bella's sweet little face!

My Dancing Queen

 Kennedy started her first dance class in February upon moving here more or less in an effort to give her an extracurricular activity to do since Deacon was involved in a couple.  So, when her teacher approached  us parents in the youngest class about allowing the girls to be in a recital I laughed out loud.  Really?!?  How could 2 year olds be expected to retain the dances they are taught good enough to go on a stage & do a performance... 3 in this case.  But I agreed because it would be fun, cute, & really, at 2 they could smile & look pretty & the crowd would cheer.  Well, K did AMAZING!  She had a recital Thursday as well as one today & she knows how to work that stage!  She was the youngest girl in the group, but LOVED the experience & is already asking "Dance again?" wondering when her next performance will be.  Her age group did 2 numbers during the performance to allow costume change time for the older girls in the actual show PLUS a number in the show, Alice in Wonderland, where they danced & fluttered like butterflies around Alice.  It was a hoot but below are some pictures between the 2 shows.

K dressed up for her first 2 numbers before the recital... she felt like quite the diva!

Dancing Queen

Coming out for #2 song

Work it K!

Twirling around

Costume change for the butterfly number

Out to be a butterfly

Flying around Alice

Out for the finale & bow... probably looking for mom!

A shot with my Dancing Queen!  She was soooooo excited!

 Aunt Lala came in from Vegas to see the show so K was giving out kisses!

 And getting a rose from her Daddy... she went in for his drink though first, it was super cute!

Daddy's little girl, always!

The Count is Over!

Soldier man returned home!!  Yippee!!  Yippee!!  I could not be more excited... it is like your relief pitcher coming in on the 7th inning.  He returned last night at about 3 a.m. greeted by our own growling dog, Cooper, who knows that we usually don't get visitors at that hour!  So when the kids came to our bed this morning & found Daddy in it they were overjoyed & excited to have him back!  I'd, of course, prepped them to wake Daddy & not me but their squeals & laughter had us all up!  No greater joy than having us all under one roof again.

An Annual Ritual: Pickin'

Late spring-early summer is one of my most favorite times to get out & enjoy the blooms, the greens, & the goodies growing everywhere.   I love the fresh produce that begins to burst from their plants & I love being able to pick out our own berries & veggies in the mix!  Strawberries & blueberries are my favorites & since the crazies joined our lives, I've taken them with me every year to help me go pickin'.  They LOVE it!  Here are some pictures from a field we found in Carlsbad on our way home from Coronado, Ca. over the weekend.

Deacon picking the "big, red ones".

Kennedy was going after anything red.

I have a "rear shot" like this every year since he could walk.  Love the rear shots!

Kennedy with her jewel!

Deacon proud of all of his work in the field!

 The crazies & their pickin'!