Motherhood Is...{41}

I'm blessed that Eden is an easy-going kid when it matters!

I know so many people who say they're afraid of the dentist, or that their kids are afraid of the dentist. I couldn't imagine if that was the case. Eden went to the dentist this week and we can announce that she did wonderfully for her first teeth cleaning {She's gone before and they've only counted her teeth}. She has no cavities and the dentist was pleased with the way her teeth are positioned in her mouth. The spaces look good and she's got no cavities.

Motherhood Is...{40}

How sweet are these two?!

I love the fact that my kids have great extended family. They have awesome cousins, aunts, uncles, and grandparents. While we were in Georgia, they kids got to see most of these awesome people. They were spoiled by them {and so was I!} and they loved being around so many people. The saying "it takes a village" came to life when there were so many people around. Mom and Dad helped me when they saw that I was at my whits end with the kids if they were overtired or just uncooperative. Parker helped them understand that he's around to spoil, and only spoil - along with all of their other aunts and uncles, I'm sure!

I was more than happy to have the village on my side. Parenting is so much easier when I'm not the only one around!

It's A Date!

It's official...We have a homecoming date! I couldn't be more excited to know when I get to see Lane again. We were expecting him for Christmas, but it looks like we get him for a few other holidays too! We got word that we'll be seeing our Marines much sooner than we had originally thought. We've stopped sending boxes to Lane, we've started talking to the photographer, we've all got our outfits planned out, and now I'm just trying to get the house and everything else ready for when he walks back through the doors to our home! AAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!! I'm finally {eventually} getting my husband back!!!!!!!!! We get one more ice cream date with the kids, and then we get hugs!

*Lane has never come home on time from a long road trip due to planes breaking and other random things, so I'm keeping the faith that they'll come home when they're scheduled to, but remembering that there could be some delays along the way. I'm just going to continue to pray for safe travels and that any delays are minor!

Motherhood Is...{39}

I am blessed by the amount of love my children have for one another!

They might fight, bicker, complain, and all that nonsense, but at the end of the day they love each other. Eden sat in the recliner one day and asked if she could hold Hunter. When I put him in her lap, he just sat there and let her pretend he was still a teeny tiny baby! It makes me realize how big they're both getting, but it also melts my heart to see them love on each other. I couldn't have been blessed by better children!

Georgia Peach

I've been MIA for quite some time, but I've got a great excuse!!! The kids and I just went to Georgia to celebrate Parker and Sara getting married and we were gone for 2 and a half weeks. It was a great trip full of family time. We got to see Mimi and Pop, Grandma and Grandpa, Mackenzie {for her birthday} and her family {on Skype}, Aunt Nana and Uncle Papa, my sister and her family, and of course Parker and Sara. I made sure to take lots of pictures so I could remember every thing we did. Even looking back at pictures I find myself thinking, "oh yeah, I forgot we did that!"

Last minute packing at it's finest!

Waiting to board the plane to Atlanta. Kids didn't have breakfast, so they got lemon and banana bread from Starbucks.

Movies on the plane make the ride seem shorter than the 4 hours that it really is.

Pop and Hunter bonding and watching TV together.

One of our dates! Starbucks for a cake pop. 

Firehouse Subs for lunch! 

Pop answering the phone that Hunter handed him.

Eden, Leah, and Hunter. They're all growing up way too fast!

Hunter saw me take a picture of the band on the field, so he used his pretend phone to do the same thing!

Helping Mimi and Pop with some yard work.

A sight that will never get old.

Hunter and Eden were excited about going to Grandma and Grandpa's house to spend the night with them!

Folding wedding programs.

I told you this would never get old! I love seeing them sleeping, and then with Daddy is even better!!!

Eden and me at the Bridesmaid's Luncheon.

Me, Joey, Sara, Cat, and Nicole

Rehearsal dinner.

Mom, Karen, Parker, and Pat at the Sunday brunch hosted by Sara's uncle.

Dad, Mom, Parker, Me, and Karen.

Siblings!!!

Eden with her cool shirt and awesome pigtails.

Hey Mom! Take my picture like *this*!!!

Another date with Mommy {and Daddy}! Eden's first trip to the movies. We saw Planes and she did very well.

Dad at the Halloween store.

All of our shoes. I am happy to say that none of the shoes were a waste of space - we wore each pair!

Time to head back to San Diego. We look like a traveling circus when we walk through the airport. {This isn't even including the 2 car seats!} 

Sweet girl was so tired on the way home.

Apple juice and movies.

Motherhood Is...{38}

So I know this is almost a month ago....but we're FOUR months into this deployment!

AHHHHHHH! Can it be true? In some ways I feel like we've been at this single parent thing for way too long, but I also feel like Lane was at the airport with us just yesterday saying goodbye. I'm so happy for the times that it feels like yesterday and excited that we're that much closer to hugs from Daddy! What a blessing it is to know that we're more than half way there...and even closer than we ever could have imagined now!

BOO!

This year we're doing Halloween alone. The kids and I will celebrate by ourselves, but that doesn't mean we can't help Lane celebrate. We made sure to spruce up a box of orange and black with some spiderweb paper too!

I threw in some random, cheap Halloween things for the guys. There was a glow in the dark mustache and side burns, some pirate eye patches, and some candy. In addition to about 6 or 7 bags of candy corn and some pumpkin spice M&Ms we included some art the kids made. I got a cardboard 3D pumpkin that they kids got to paint. They enjoyed just being able to decorate the pumpkin so we could send it to Daddy.

My favorite things in the box are these envelopes! There's one for Lane that he has to open with Jay, too.

 Inside is a clown wig and some tissues that say "BOO!" Both guys have a fear of clowns, so Anna {Jay's wife} and I thought this would be really funny to send them. What's Halloween without a friendly prank? *Please note that I said friendly!!! I could have included a scary clown mask if I wanted to be mean, but I didn't!*