Walberswick

Lovin' the seaside. The family voted this the best picture of the day because it looks like Brennan's rock is about to smack me on the head. Luckily it was just the perspective of the picture and I was safe.

Brennan was apprehensive about going in the water and didn't change his mind that day, but he loved throwing rocks into the water, so it was a successful day in his eyes.

Carter is in love with the sea. Cold or hot out he doesn't mind, going in and diving around is the only option.

Taylor is our sea shell collector. You can tell the difference between her temperature tolerance compared to Carter.

My husband rocks!!!

This is the final product of the Carter and Brennan bunk bed. Yes, Taylor now wants Dad to build her a bed because her little store bought one is no longer fabulous. I realize that I am completely spoiled with my ability to create a "honey-do" list of grand proportions and it is completed with this kind of style.

I haven't even posted a picture of the dining room floor that he replaced--he did have a fabulous friend help out with that project.

Now my mind is at work with something else he can make for yours truly.

Games

We had some of our fabulous friends come and stay with us for a week. They flew in from their little baby island in the middle of the Atlantic and we had a fabulous time! This is literally the only picture I took..I know I'm good. So we have this obsession with Cranium. We always have played boys against girls and the girls have literally ALWAYS won. Until these stupid reflective belts came into play. It all started on our night down at the temple. Mike put his orange one on trying to be funny, and they won, barely, but they won. Then we got home and he found a blue one-they creamed us! There was no contest. Now I am on a search for something that will conquer the power of the reflective belts so that we can reclaim our winners status!I think there might be something wrong with us. Seriously, who loses the Celestial Companions game not once, but now twice to a set of Elders? That would be us..and our friends. They beat two couples, one has been married for 17 years, the other 10 years. How is this possible? I'm seriously baffled by this poor showing by us. Apparently instead of watching movies at night we should quiz each other about who we are and what we like now. :)

a little piece of England

Every time I drive to base I get to pass this wall. It is about a quarter mile long and is so lovely, behind it lies a Stud Farm and there are horses everywhere. Along this wall is this spot, with a little post box that just makes me a little giddy every time I pass it. I love this spot and wanted to capture it forever and then wanted to share with all of you. Enjoy!

Bunk Bed in the Works...

The beginning

The middle....

The final to be released soon.....

More Brennan moments.

Dad was in charge of cleaning this little guy when he got done with play time outside. Why walk all the way upstairs thought Dad. I walked in the kitchen and busted up laughing. Men are a little weird. :)

"I got a fishy, I got a fishy!" Brennan is in love with Swedish Fish, and really who isn't? He begged this one off of Mason and was very grateful.

Mason's packages

I have looked into our pictures to find many that I never posted, never talked about, just because we have been in a whirl wind of craziness since August 3. So Mason did get his packages from Grandparents and enjoyed them both very much. Endless goodies in each box made for a happy child.

New shirt, like they expected this was more of a need than a want of Mason's. :) Thanks Gma and Gpa Mason!

His new Toy Story 3 board book. I was super impressed that it is a giant board book, that was awesome. For the record, I totally bawled at the end of this movie. It made me so sad!

Another box of treasures from Nana and Papa. Mason loved the endless supply of little surprises..and he even shared! What a super star.

Thanks to Nana and Papa for the great package, Mason had a blast going through it.

Daddy's Back!

Yippee Skippy!!!! Daddy is home at last. The kids were all thrilled to go and get daddy. For the thirty minute car ride the children were shouting, "Hip, Hip, Hooray!!" Mason wasn't to sure about Mike being home for about two days. He would run to mom for everything, and now we are back to normal and Mike is the parent on duty with Mason.

Mike just had to go and attack Mason because he kept running away from Mike. It was pretty funny and not like Mason at all, so we are grateful that phase of transition is over.

See what we are reduced too?

The time had come for Dad to come home. Hollie was in survival mode and the kids suffered because of it. :)
Totally kidding, he got into the dirt and had a great time and then I wouldn't give him something from the kitchen that he wanted, so he was upset about that.

Mason's birthday present finally came!!! Thanks to the Elders for once again serving our family!

Gruffalo's, Turnips, and Sunshine

School has been out for about two weeks now and I am just really behind on this blog. So here is my effort to get caught up. Taylor was a completely different child with her concert this year. She was so excited to go up and show me her songs. Her favorite is a song about a turnip, and it is REALLY cute. She had that tall girl standing in front of her at the beginning and Taylor gently pushed her out of the way and all you heard was, "my mom can't see me Sophia." Luckily Sophia's parents were right in front of me and laughed and said they were hoping someone would move there tall daughter so I could see Taylor.

I love that they are all doing something in this picture. I think Taylor was spot on as the teacher was doing the same thing she was. :) That would be during the Gruffalo song. All of it was super cute and I was glad that Taylor had the guts to go up there this year.

______Eat My Dust Kuwait!!!_____

........So, there I was sitting in my room minding my own business when all of a sudden I find myself moving to a dirty tent with six bunk beds and 9 people... Now, here I am sitting in a rugged trailer trying to get an Internet connection to make this post.

Long story short...

........Our relief officially touches ground tomorrow and I am scheduled to be on a flight outta here on 03 August 2010!!! Yes, Sweets! Happy Anniversary! just wish I could kiss you through this darn "flat screen."

So, tentatively we fly on the 3rd and arrive to stay over night in Germany then home to the UK!!! with no pending detours/problems with flights I should be home and in your arms and cuddling up to a movie in no time...

........I just have about 1 week of work left and then a few days to wait out the plane. Cant wait!

Love you guys and I will see you soon.

Count downs are a *$#@!

Here I am, it is 1:37 am. All I can think about it my husband walking through my front door. yes, it is one of those posts! :) Stop now if you can't bear to read on..I will not be offended.

So now that we are down to about two weeks away from that actually happening I am so excited and so nervous. You know after 6 months you forget what it is like having them around. Doesn't seem possible, but it is. I forget what his hand feels like in mine, what it feels like to cuddle with him on the couch and watch a movie together. I have to cuddle with the sticky, humid, muggy air right now.
I have my irritations with technology. While it is fabulous to see Mike everyday(almost) to speak to him everyday(almost) and to hear how he is doing everyday(almost). :) It annoys me so badly because it makes me miss him all the more. It frustrates me that I can't touch him, that he can't wrap is arms around me and pull me close when I am feeling down. We praise technology, put this last month I have cursed its existence. It is the devil to me and hell to pay not to have what is in this flat screen that glows each night, but can't make anything actually come from it.
By experience I know that this last couple of weeks is going to feel like an extra six months, it is going to feel like a hell has entered my soul and won't move the clock forward. Then I will look back and realize that I actually blinked and it was over. Funny how our perspective changes the moment we are looking at something from a different angle.

I look forward to that angle change...goodnight

Salt Water Taffy

Yummy Yummy in my tummy! My sweet parents made my day with a special box in the mail. It all started when I was having a bummer couple of weeks. It boils down to just feeling sorry for myself and not being able to get out of the rut I was in. I was down in the dumps and felt like there was no salvation in my sorrows. My mom was feeling bad that she couldn't be here to watch the kids, give me a break, and just be here for me. After a few different conversations about this topic over a few days she was saying how much she wanted to do something for me. I responded, "Fine, if you really want to help I want salt water taffy." Well, much to my surprise not only did I get some salt water taffy, I got 6.5 lbs of salt water taffy! That has to make a girl feel good.
I just appreciate the thought that went behind this and everytime I eat one I think of my mom and dad who are willing to do anything for me. They had record timing with getting this box out to me and so I know that they dropped everything to do it. I don't think the salt water taffy helped in the long run, I think it was the knowledge that I have a great support system behind me 100% of the way. Even when I am being childish and selfish they still love me and help me through it! Thanks mom and dad...you guys are my most favorite mom and dad ever!!!! :)

Turning 9 is hard work!!

Mason is nine! I have a nine year old child. That is so strange to me!!! He always loves having his birthday and this year was no exception. His actual gift was on back order and so I had to run to the store the day of the party(because that is when I found out the other thing wasn't coming) and grab some things so that he would have something to unwrap. I was busy with getting some food prepared and still hadn't wrapped gifts. Then I thought, what are the other kids for, geez Hollie! So Carter and Taylor wrapped his gifts and had a great time doing it. They made me laugh when they told me they chose the Princess paper because Mason really likes princesses. It made me laugh that they put that much effort in even choosing the paper. Such sweet children I have.

Really loved the Shake N Go Woody car. If his smile didn't give it away. :)

He also has been on a kick of playing with the shape sorter. He was figuring out the one we have quite well so I thought I would throw another in there to keep him busy. He has enjoyed that everyday since!

Nothing better than the "Happy Birthday" ringing through the air. Mason has always loved this part of the day. We had great friends over who have loved Mason from when he first walked into the ward two years ago. Some friends that got here last year and who we adore. The missionaries came to help us eat some cake after their long day in London. It was a great time and if I do say so myself it was great cake.

Little boys

Brennan was out playing with himself and I thought it was great that he was running little toddler experiments of his own. He had his legs propped up so that when he put the little pole at the top it would roll down his legs. He thought is was very fascinating and kept doing it over and over again! Then he caught he taking pictures and took the lawn mower to hide himself. I love summer and the permanent dirt look to my children.