Fashionista

This is what I picked up from school today...Not exactly the diva that she was this morning when she got dropped off.

All she really needs to complete the outfit is a bathrobe, and maybe some rollers in her hair.

Whiskey Tango Foxtrot

Everyday I go to work and have a short, but important list of things I must get accomplished on that particular day. Today, my list had 3 things on it...this is in addition to the other million things I must get done on any given day. Today, I got nothing done on my list. Instead, I put out fires all day....From the moment I walked in the door.


Someone was sick and could not attend scheduled training, someone needed a pre-testing interview for an end of course exam, someone needed specific training scheduled for deployment. I volunteered to teach a career progression seminar a few weeks ago for this Wednesday, to which no one from the requesting agency ever returned my email...or phone calls...which required me to get in my car and "hunt down" an answer.

Turns out the sick person actually had a broken back, the interviewee failed a portion of the interview (which I graciously sat in on for over an hour) and must now re-interview on Wednesday morning, and the seminar is being taught by someone else

...and I still haven't found anyone to do my measurements for my PT test on Wednesday afternoon.

I am beginning to feel like everything that I have learned in my career is only to frustrate and annoy me, because no matter how hard I try to get ahead of the game, I am very much reactive at work instead of proactive.


I have to rebuild a master training plan before Friday, elst I will "be on the carpet, doing the dance"...as it is I have to see "the man" on Saturday morning at 0600 'cause someone who has been in the military for 6 years forgot how to tell military time and showed up 2 hours late to an appointment. Did i mention Billy works Friday night and doesn't get off of work until 0700 Saturday morning? I wonder if I can bring Avery to my 0600 tounge-lashing????



I forgot I joined 13 years ago so I could spend my days chasing around grown adults who fail to make it to appointments that they have scheduled for themselves. If it were up to me, I would dock pay for missed appointments. I bet there would be far less missed appointments

At the end of the day, it all melts away...I go to pick up the princess from daycare and none of it matters anymore. She takes it all away.



We made homemade pizza for dinner tonight. I made Chicken-Artichoke-Mushroom-Olive-and Pepper-Ring Pizza. It was AWESOME. Billy made pepperoni-canadian bacon-mushroom-olive-and pineapple pizza.


It was close, but he even admitted I won this one.


In the mean-time, Avery proved she is truly the smartest 16 month old in the universe by teaching herself this:




And then proved she is also the cutest 16 month old in the universe at bedtime....

Pray

Please Pray for

Tucker

No 8 year old should have to battle cancer 3 times....

Rhabdomyosarcoma...then ostoegenic sarcoma...now he faces leukemia.

Sometimes, you just have to ask why.

12 Step Program

If you need me, I'll be at a meeting......

Why a 16 month old would need 10 pair of shoes escapes me at the moment...however...when I purchased each pair , it was because she NEEDED them.

URGENTLY.

And just in case you are thinking I am being too hard on myself....

more proof....

She can't even wear these yet...

My Heart....

Green Eggs (not so much) and Ham

Avery had a Green eggs and Ham breakfast on Friday morning. But for her, since she is allergic to eggs, it was a (Hold the Green Eggs please) Ham, Peaches, and Rice Chex breakfast. Poor thing.

She really enjoyed that we were there. And she really thought she was getting to go home early.

It was our first school function with Avery.

Paging Ted Nugent

Every morning I drive to work and curse my cell phone for the 1megapixel camera. Avery had a "Green Eggs and Ham" breakfast at school on Friday morning, so I remembered to bring the brand new super fancy camera Billy bought. I am terrible at using it. I have read a part of the manual....but being a girl and all, I think I am genetically unable to make sense of most it. I was told I was not in the "action" mode for these photos. Anyway, I can take pictures, but not great ones. You can get the gist....

The turkeys are especially exciting. There are easily 100 or so turkeys in the morning. And pretty much every morning. The boy turkeys (Toms) are so impressive strutting their stuff for all the lady turkeys. Hunting is legal on base, but they seem to be aware of the seasons with their 6th animal senses becasue we only really see theme like this in the spring.

And for good measure, I threw in some pictures of the deer that appeared by my car whilst I was mesmerized by the turkeys.

Eat Fresh

Footlong Meatball Sub from Subway: $5.00

Watching your 15 month old daughter devour a 6 inch meatball sub in 20 minutes: Priceless.

Watch out, Jared...

Happy Birthday to me...

10 best things about my birthday:

Birthday morning after I opened my presents

10) My in-laws surprised me in the laundry room at 1000pm Wednesday night.
*aside* This was a pretty valuable lesson to me. One never knows who might "drop by" at 1000 pm. On a Wednesday. I am thankful my daddy raised me right and I was fully clothed.

9) I didn't actually get to go snowboarding like I thought I was going to do for my birthday.

8) I got to ride the Napa Valley wine train.

7) I got to eat on the Napa Valley wine train.

6) I drank so much wine on the wine train that my teeth are blue in all my pictures.
5) I didn't end up in a TV show titled "World's Deadliest Hot Air Ballon Accidents"

4) Even though I didn't get to ride in a hot air balloon over Napa Valley, I will get to eventually.
3) California really isn't so bad, as a whole.
(we just happen to live in the meth capital of the entire state)

2) I have the most thoughtful, amazing husband a girl could ask for. Honestly.

1) Avery said "I Love You" for the first time

It's true. Although I thought I was getting a sister-in-law surprise visit for my birthday, I actually got my mother and father in law. I think Billy was a little disappointed that I had figured out part of the surprise. He didn't give in, though. Even after I figured it out, he did his best to convince me I was crazy. I would have caved for less. But honestly...he got the car cleaned, he INSISTED we get the carpets cleaned, he mowed the grass. Some people who knew about the surprise didn't return some of my phone calls....I knew SOMEONE was coming. I just got it all wrong on who it was. It kills me to say...but being a good liar has it's advantages. I guess. I mean, if you have to lie about something, it should always be about the extravagant birthday surprise for your wife's 29th....

All of us at the hotel courtyard

I found out on Thursday morning that we would be going to Napa Valley for my birthday instead of snowboarding like I had been told before. There was a lot of planning on Billy's part for this, since way back in December. On Thursday night we went ot Johnny Garlics for dinner then to the movies to see "Taken" while Nana and Poppa stayed home to watch Avery. It took her about 30 minutes for her to get comfortable with them, then it was all over and they were inseperable for the whole weekend. She even got everyone's names right by the end of the weekend.

Friday morning we left early for Napa Valley. We went strait to the hotel where we were allowed an early check-in, then we went to the Train Station where Billy and I left for our amazing Wine Train Adventure. It was amazing...the food, the atmosphere, the views. California is so beautiful when you get out of Marysville. I had the most amazing pork chops and braised kale for lunch and Billy had Chicken and Polenta. Both were like heaven on a plate. I had a cherry wood smoked goat cheese and candied walnut salad and Billy had a smoked turkey and cauliflower soup. Along the wat we stopped at Grgich (say GRR-gitch) Winery and toured and learned all about the wine making process. Then we got back on the train for dessert and more wine and headed back. Poppa picked us up and we headed out for some shopping, then back to the hotel for dinner. We stayed at a really nice Embassy Suites...got the "ROMANCE SUITE"...You know you are old when you pass up the romance part and opt instead for 10 hours of uninterrupted blissful slumber. I am sure all you other parents with toddlers will agree....On Saturday, we were supposed to go on a ballon ride over the valley. It was cancelled because the wind was blowing in the wrong direction, but we will eventually get to go on the balloon ride. Then we went to Sonoma Train Town where Avery got to ride the mini-train and carousel and see all the animals at the petting zoo.

The hotel courtyard

At the Wine Train...all aboard!!

Waiting for lunch

Waiting for lunch X2

Miscellaneous Vineyard

2 different vines, left with mustard cover crop

Stop at the winery

Grgich Hills

Grgich Hills

Each wine barrel is $1,000 empty, $25,000 full. They are emptied and reused 4 times....then they are sold off. "They lose their oakiness."

Warming the wine changes it's flavor...or so they said. It still tasted like wine.

Running to the caboose, past the kitchen.

Meeting for the Balloon flight near the Napa River





Sun Rising over the Napa Foothills







Before we cancelled





Our Ballons



Arriving at Sonoma Train Town was confusing for Avery



Riding the Carousel with Momma

Riding the Sonoma Train with Avery

Feeding the ducks

Cool pictures from the tunnel

Feeding the "BAAAA"

Feeding the angry llama

Riding the Sonoma Train

After an exhausting (but in a good way) 3 days, we got home yesterday afternoon and made some chili for dinner and played with Avery. She was showing off and dancing around as usual and then after dinner I wanted to take her upstairs to put her into bed so she was making the rounds telling everyone good night and hugging and kissing everyone, when Nana said "I love you" and Avery said "I love you" I was so surprised. She is so smart, that girl! 15 months old. Amazing. It was the perfect end to an amazing weekend.

I dropped Nana and Poppa off at the airport this morning and Avery is taking a nap now. It is so overwhelming... all of it. I am so thankful for all that I have in my life. Billy gave me all of my surprises in sealed envelopes, where I had to open them one by one...The last one was the balloon ride. From Kadin. How perfect. So thoughtful. I am so blessed.