CHRISTMAS TIME.

THE GIRLS AND OUR OMA. ALMOST TIME TO EAT.

ELEONORES AUNT THINKS SHE LIKES FIRE A BIT TOO MUCH.

CRAZY DOC.

MELLO DOC.

My Future Psychiatrist

Ashley started her Psychology class thru Kentucky University today! We are very proud of her and know she will do fabulous. Not to mention she is much cuter then old Sigmund Freud...

Christmas Party!!

Eleonores class at our Christmas party. The kids were so surprised to see the room! All the little ones gathered in the media room and waited for Santa to get done with PT so the party could start. It was worth the hours it took to put up the night before! It was amazing it only took 20 minutes to take it all back down. As soon as the kids went to lunch [the few parents that didn't disappear as soon as the fun was oer] took everything down.

Christmas Party!!

We worked for 4 hrs to get the room into shape the night befor the party. The teacher left at 4 so it was all up to us!! Only three other mom's showed to help with the room. I was a little disappointed about the show of help but was really glad Ash came to help out. She did SO SO much!! We wrapped eeything in sight to give the room color, she had great ideas.

Lots of parents came to the kids party! It was so cute watching them in the buffet line! See my new hair cut??

Bart was perched on his cane gaurding the food...

The kids each brought in a gift, the girls and boys each formed a circle and the kids played "hot potato" to see whos gift they each got. What a neat idea!!

Eleonore seeing who got the gift she gave.

Her favorite toy was her plactic slinky.

We have lots of sweet pics if you would like to see more let me know!!

114 days...

I can't believe we will be in Germany in less then 114 days! We still have so much to do, most of it we can't do until our official passports are processed. Luckily our tourist passport are back and ready to go. We found so much we want to see in Europe, I hope 3yrs. is enough. If not I guess we could always extend our orders, it will give my family a reason to visit Germany.

THANKSGIVING AT HOME.

LOOK AT THE PIE MY LITTLE CHEF MADE!

IT MUST BE GENETIC! A MASTER CHEF LIKE HER GREAT GRANDPA!!

WOW! PERFECT CRUST!!!

<<---I LOVE YOU HONEY BUT THIS PICTURE MAKES YOU LOOK LIKE A STONED CHIPMUNK. SEE THE HUGE TUB OF SALT?? I THINK OUR LITTLE CHEF WAS GIVING ME A HINT. :>]

ASHLEY PICKING AT HER FOOD...

PUSHING IT AROUND ON HER PLATE...

ELEONORE TELLING DADDY TO EAT HIS BROCCOLI.

DADDY LAUGHING WITH THE GIRLS.

CAN WE EAT YET??



HOW ABOUT NOW??

CAN WE HAVE OUR FOOD NOW?

ELEONORE WAS WAITING SO NICELY FOR ASH TO GET DONE TAKING THE PICTURES OF OUR THANKSGIVING DINNER. SHE IS SUCH A GOOD GIRL!!

THANKS TO OUR FAMILY PHOTOGRAPHER WE HAVE SOME BEAUTIFUL PICTURES OF THANKSGIVING DINNER.

STRESS. STRESS. STRESS.STRESS.STRESS.

STRESS.STRESS.STRESS.STRESS.STRESS.

WHAT WOULD YOU HAVE TO STRESS ABOUT YOU ASK?? YOU ARE JUST MOVING TO THE OTHER SIDE OF EARTH WITH YOUR HUSBAND & DAUGHTERS.

HERE IS A SHORT LIST.[ PLEASE EXCUSE ABBREVIATIONS AND ARMY LINGO THERE IS NO TRANSLATION FOR SOME OF THE FUN THE ARMY INVENTS FOR OUR ENJOYMENT.}

1. PCSING TWO MONTHS BEFORE SCHOOL LETS OUT. JUST ENOUGH TIME TO ENROLL THE KIDS, LET THEM PLAY NEW KID FOR THREE WEEKS, THEN PREPARE FOR SUMMER.

2. THE EXCEPTIONAL FAMILY MEMBER PROGRAM. GOD FORBID YOU NEED TO SEE A DOCTOR, OR YOUR CHILD HAS ASTHMA.

3. PASSPORTS. TWO FOR EVERYONE. TOURIST PASSPORTS CAN BE A PAIN GETTING FOR CHILDREN, BUT OFFICIAL GOVERNMENT PASSPORTS ARE LIKE SELLING YOUR SOLE TO UNCLE SAM

4. HOUSING WAIT LISTS. YOU DON'T THINK IT'S AS EASY AS THE ARMY SAYING YOU HAVE TO LEAVE THE COUNTRY IN THE NEXT 6 MONTHS. YOU CAN BE PRETTY DARN SURE THEY WILL NOT HAVE A HAVE A HOUSE WAITING WHEN YOU GET THERE, IT CAN BE A YEAR BEFORE YOU GET GOVERNMENT HOUSING. [HENCE WAIT LIST]

5. GUEST HOUSE. OF CORSE THEY HAVE A GUEST HOUSE, WERE ELSE WOULD THEY STICK THE HUNDREDS OF PEOPLE THEY SEND TO DIFFERENT COUNTRIES?

6. PETS. IT'S NOT AS EASY AS PACKING FIDO IN A DOGGIE CARRIER. ONCE YOU GET TO YOUR NEW COUNTRY YOU SEE THE WAIT LIST IS 9 MONTHS. YOU HAVE TO LIVE IN THE GUEST HOUSE. OPPS! THEY DON'T ALL TAKE PETS. OH NO! THE KENNEL IS FULL BECAUSE THE GUEST HOUSE WON'T TAKE PETS. WELL WE CAN RENT OFF BASE.

7. RENTING OFF BASE. AFTER YOU FIGURE OUT MOST LANDLORDS DON'T TAKE PETS YOU REALIZE AFTER THE FIRST 10 FEET OF SNOW THE HEATING BILLS ARE PRETTY HIGH. THE EURO ISN'T DOING TO WELL, AND YOU HAVE TO GET A GERMAN BANK ACCOUNT! YOU FIGURED THAT OUT ONCE YOU GOT THE TRANSLATOR.

8. DRIVING TO THE BANK.[OR STORE,SCHOOL,KENNEL..... OH NO!! YOU NEED TO PASS THE GERMAN DRIVERS EXAM. MAKE SURE YOUR LICENSE DIDN'T EXPIRE 4 DAYS AFTER YOU MOVED TO GERMANY OR YOU WILL HAVE A LONG WAIT.

9. TLA,DLA,OHA,COLA,PER DIEM,... CROSS YOUR FINGERS MAIN FINANCE WON'T SCREW UP YOUR PAPERWORK.

10. TRAVEL OFFICE. YOU CAN ONLY MOVE SO MUCH WEIGHT. DON'T FORGET YOU MAYBE IN A ''STAIRWELL'' APARTMENT. AKA HELL. SO DONT BRING THE SWING SET,SAND BOX,PATIO FURNITURE,... WELL MAYBE YOU SHOULD, YOU MAY GET A 3 STORY TOWNHOUSE WITH AN ATTACHED 2 CAR GARAGE.

11.TAKING THE CAR TO THE PORT. WE ARE LUCKY, WE ONLY HAVE TO DRIVE 400 MILES OUT OF THE WAY 40 DAYS BEFORE WE PCS. WE HAVE TO SELL THE 2ND CAR BUT KEEP IT LONG ENOUGH TO HAVE TRANSPORTATION. NOT TO MENTION DH HAS TO BE AT WORK THE SAME TIME MY OLDEST HAS TO BE DROPPED OFF AT SCHOOL.
I COULD KEEP GOING FOR EVER BUT MY HUSBAND SAID ''YOUR REALLY BLOGGING TONIGHT'' SO I WILL STOP WHINING FOR NOW.

JUST A NOTE. YES WE LOVE THE ARMY AND WILL REUP AGAIN IN 2010, IT MAY BE STRESSFUL BUT I THINK IT WILL BE WORTH IT.

DREAMS OF A KINDERGARTENER.

Wow. What a day! Let me say weird dreams must run if my family but for some reason ever scene we moved into our newest house [THANKS ARMY] we have all had some crazy dreams. my youngest seems to be freaked out 3 nights out of 7 with some strange tail of horror. From Steve from Blues Clue leading her towards the witches who live in my sisters haunted barn to animals telling her fair tails at the mall. This morning was soooo stress full. Our sweet Ellie decided about 4 1/2 minutes before the bus came that school was not an option today. She was more then happy to sit on the sofa all day thank you very much. Then came the tears,then more tears,and more... here comes the bus.... there it goes. OK. New strategy, lets sit in the couch and talk.
Mommy: Why don't you want to go to school.
Kid: I am afraid.
Mommy: What are you afraid of?
Kid: A boy at school. {more tears}
Mommy: Who?
Kid: Coby. {crying uncontrollably}
Mommy: I Thought Coby was your friend.
Kid: He is in real life, but not in dream life. [tears still flowing]
Mommy: Coby is still your friend. He would never make you sad on purpose. {starting to calm down}
Mommy: Did he hurt you in your dream, or did he get hurt.
Kid: No.
Mommy: Was he mean to you? Did he do something Bad?
Kid: YYYYYYYYYYYYYEEEESSSSSSSSS!! [hysterical]
Mommy: What happened?
Kid: I cant tell you . [crying]
Mommy: It's OK you can tell me........................

This went on for 15 minutes. Mommy is about to cry. What happened?? Why wont she tell me?? Was it that horrid? OMG??!! I packed her into the SUV and took her straight to school. We walked in the office and asked to see the counselor. Then waited, and waited, and waited. She seemed a bit less upset so I asked her again what did Coby do in your dream.And she was off! Crying. Whining, refusing to set foot in the class. OK THAT'S ENOUGH! I had to know what this crazy little dream boy did disguised as sweet Coby. I sat Ellie on my lap and told her mommy really wanted to know so I could tell the counselor {I think Eleonore thought she was somewhere between a queen and the Pope]. Well she told me this sad, horrible,scary dream. This bad little dream boy did the most horrific and cruel thing you could imagine!!! He actually
popped her animal balloon!!! OK? That's it?? Thank God. And as if on cue in walks the counselor. So off we go to her office they talked and I mostly listened and everything was fixed. {I HOPE!!!} An hour later off she went to class with a smile and a promise that if they ever had animal balloons in class we would be sure none of the kids tyred to pop them. I wounder if the balloons had fuzzy fur, big sad eyes, and walked around singing happy songs. Maybe they danced and threw pastel confetti and candy to the kids as the floated thru the air leaving little flowers and rainbows in the air. Or maybe it was just a plain old animal balloon that got smashed. well pray all goes well tomorrow. Its Friday so I will be in her class all morning hoping we have no more dreams or break downs.
I wanted to say how sweet everyone in the office was to her, from the principal with his funny name and teddy bear, the cafeteria lady hairnet and all who seems to know the names of all600 kids, to the office staff who told her about Germany and coo-coo clock castles and of coarse the counselor. I hope the next schools are as wonderful.

The dancer and the Chef.

When we came home this afternoon look who I found baking away. I was amazed she kept the kitchen reasonably neat. My master chef in training.

She was trying not to smile when we were complementing how perfectly round the cookies were. They tasted great too!!

Eleonore stretching and gabbing away before dance class.

She tries so hard to copy her teacher exactly! It's so cute watching the determination on her face. She got sent up to the next level today, she was sooo proud!!

SANTA CLAUS IS COMING TO TOWN

SANTA CLAUSE IS COMING TO TOWN,OR MAYBE IT'S HIS HELPER.



ASH IS BEING A GREAT SISTER BY ASKING SANTA FOR A NEW LAPTOP, A NEW CELL PHONE AND A RED LAMBORGHINI. ELEONORE WAS SO PROUD OF HER BIG SISTER FOR NOT BEING AFRAID OF SANTA. EVEN IF HE DID HAVE STINKY BREATH AND FUZZY EARS.




ELLIE TOOK A LOOONG TIME AT TOYS R US WRITING DOWN [WITH MOMMY AND DADDY'S HELP WITH SPELLING] ALL THE TOYS SHE WOULD LIKE FOR CHRISTMAS. SHE WAS VERY OFFICIAL AND MADE SURE HE WOULD REMEMBER JUST WHAT SHE THINKS HE SHOULD BRING HER. MUST GET IT FROM HER SISTER WHO PREFERS POWER POINT PRESENTATIONS AND PIE CHARTS.






OUR TWO GIRLS PUTTING UP WITH MOMMY SAYING TRY TO LOOK HAPPY, STAND CLOSER, DON'T MAKE FACES,MAKE A NICE PICTURE PLEASE. PLEASE. PLEASE.




WELL WE HAD THE BIG TALK TODAY. YUP. MY LITTLE ONE NOTICED WAITING IN LINE IT WAS NOT THE ''REAL'' SANTA AT THE MALL THIS YEAR. WE HAD TO EXPLAIN THE NICE MAN WAS JUST SANTA'S HELPER AND THE REAL SANTA WAS SO BUSY AT THE NORTH POLE GETTING HER TOYS READY FOR CHRISTMAS.

BUT MOMMY, HE DOES NOT KNOW WHAT I WANT YET, BUT MOMMY ISN'T HE MORE BUSY WHEN HE HAS TO BRING THE PRESENTS TO ALL THE KIDS,BUT MOMMY WHAT ABOUT THE ELVES.., WHO BROUGHT HIM HERE,DID HE BORROW SANTA'S CLOTHES,DO THE LADY'S TAKING THE PICTURES WORK AT THE NORTH POLE TOO, HOW DO REINDEER FLY,WHAT ABOUT THE SLED,WILL I GET COAL,HOW ABOUT ASHLEY,CAN I STAY UP TO SEE HIM,IF WE GO TO VISIT OUR FAMILY HOW WILL HE KNOW WHERE I AM,WHAT IF I CHANGE MY MIND AFTER I TELL THE HELPER WHAT I WANT.

CUTE. I HOPE SHE BELIEVES IN SANTA FOREVER... WELL AT LEAST FOR ANOTHER YEAR.

THE CUTEST THING HAPPENED WHEN WE WERE IN LINE WAITING FOR SANTA. A LITTLE BOY STANDING BEHIND SAW MY HUSBANDS CANE [HE HAD A HIP REPLACEMENT 3 WEEKS AGO]. HE WATCHED HIM FOR A SECOND THEN SAID IN A BURST OF WORDS WITH ONE BREATH ''BOY!! I REALLY LIKE YOUR STICK!! I WISH I COULD HAVE ONE TOO!!'' HIS POOR MOM AND AUNT LOOKED MORTIFIED AND APOLOGIZED UP ONE SIDE AND DOWN THE OTHER. MY HUSBAND JUST SMILED AND SAID ''YOU DON'T WANT ONE OF THESE. IT MEANS YOU HAVE A BOO BOO AND YOU JUST GOT A NEW HIP.'' HE LOOKED UP AT HIM AND SAID 'WWOOOOOOOWWWWW!'THE MOM LOOKED LIKE SHE WANTED TO CRAWL UNDER THE PILE OF FAKE SNOW BEHIND SANTA'S CHAIR AND DIE!! I WASN'T SURE IF I WANTED TO GIVE HER A HUG OR LAUGH HYSTERICALLY!

THE TRAMPOLINE OF DEATH

THIS IS NOT THE SAME TRAMPOLINE OF DEATH I PUT MY POOR TRUSTING LITTLE GIRL ON BUT I WANTED MY SISTER TO SEE HOW HUGE THEY REALLY ARE.





IT'S HARD TO REALLY SEE THIS THING ELEONORE IS ON BUT IT'S A HUGE TRAMPOLINE BUNGEE CORD SET UP RUN BY TWO ZIT FACED TEENAGE BOYS. IT LOOKED LIKE THEY GOT A KICK OUT OF GRABBING THE KIDS BY THE FEET AND POPPING THEM DOWN AS HARD AS THEY COULD ONTO THE TRAMPOLINE SO THEY WERE FLUNG UP INTO THE AIR. IT HAS TO BE SAFE RIGHT? WELL I THOUGHT SO. AFTER WAITING FOR AN HOUR IN LINE THEN WATCHING MY LITTLE ONE GET FLUNG AROUND LIKE A RAG DOLL, AND GET CATAPULTED A MILLION MILES INTO THE AIR REALITY STRUCK ME HARD. I WATCHED ANOTHER CHILD STOP LOOK AROUND FOR THE TEENAGE OPERATOR THEN PULL THE HARNESS DOWN AND OFF LIKE IT WAS PAJAMA PANTS. 1 MINUTE BEFORE THIS 7 YR. OLD WAS DOING FLIPS LIKE HE WAS AN ACROBAT IN A CIRCUS. THE PARENTS WERE LOOKING AT THE KID LIKE A BUZZARD JUST CRAWLED OUT OF THE LITTLE GUYS EARS WEARING A TU TU AND DUNCE CAP. GUILT GUILT GUILT!!! I WAS MORE THEN HAPPY TO FORK OVER ENOUGH CASH TO FEED A FAMILY OF PYGMY'S FOR A WEEK IN ORDER TO LET MY TRUSTING,VULNERABLE,INNOCENT CHILD GET FLUNG AROUND BY A COUPLE STONED LOOKING 16YR OLD WITH OUT QUESTIONING IF THIS THING WAS SAFE. HHHHHHHHHHMMMMMMMM.





MY TWO GIRLS AND A FRIEND AFTER ELEONORE WAS OFF THE TRAMPOLINE OF TERROR. SEE HOW SHE LOOKS AT HER SISTER?WHAT'S WITH ALL THE GOOFY FACES SHE MAKES??

E.T. PHONE HOME

Our little ET {Eleonore T.} loved the movie in the park tonight. The MWR showed E.T. & handed out all the free hot dogs,popcorn,hot coco and candy the little ones could stuff themselves with. THANK GOD SHE ATE BEFORE WE LEFT!! It was sooo cold tonight so we snuggled under the blankets and spent the movie giving cuddles and butterfly kisses. Big sister wanted to stay home for this one, she said it was too cold and the movie was too old. That's ok, when Eleonore goes to bed tonight Ash and I are going to watch good movies together. :}


I think Popcorn wanted to come along. Poor doggie...

When I am the FUTURE QUEEN OF THE WORLD I will search far and wide for the answer to this perplexing question.
How can a human being entertain a five year old drama queen and a 13yr old princess at the same time without a disaster,an emotional melt down,a small war, a blood bath or any traumatic experience for any member of the future royal family or innocent bystanders we may come in contact with????
*IF ANY FUTURE KINGS,QUEENS,PRINCE,PRINCESS,COURT JESTER,HENCHMAN,SORCERER ECT. HAVE THE MAGIC ANSWER, POTION OR ASYLUM PLEASE RESPOND ASAP TO:
THE FUTURE QUEEN OF THE WORLD
867-5309 LA LA LAND LANE
IN MY DREAMS ,OUTER SPACE
9021O

TO BLOG OR NOT TO BLOG

I GUESS IT'S ABOUT TIME TO START A BLOG. WE WILL BE IN GERMANY IN LESS THAN 6 MONTHS NOW. I THOUGHT THIS WOULD BE A GOOD WAY TO KEEP EVERYONE UP TO DATE WITH THE GIRLS. KEEP IN MIND I AM NEW TO THIS.

HALLOWEEN

HELPING WITH THE LEAVES.

MY SWEETHEARTS
WAITING FOR THE TRICK-OR-TREATERS.
ELEONORE WENT TO A FEW HOUSES THEN WANTED TO GO SEE DADDY AND HELP PASS OUT CANDY TO THE KIDS.

DRESSED UP AS SNOW WHITE FOR SCHOOL.
TALKING WITH HER BEST FRIEND THE BUTTERFLY.
FUN WITH HER CLASS.