Home Sweet Home

Anna made a sign to send me off. . .

This welcomed me home!

Seven months ago the buses took us away.

Here are the buses bringing us back.
I had to find them, but the effect was the same. Notice the bag of goodies from the Shannon Airport. I had a marvelous layover in the Emerald Isle. Had a pint of Guinness, landed in the green, and spent some time with some of the most wonderful people . . .the Irish.
Jason and Mommy
Walking away . . .heading home to indoor plumbing

UUHG I keep forgetting about this thing called a blog

Anna is hanging backstage awaiting her performance at this year's ballet recital.
Can you believe, even after being expelled from one preschool, Anna has graduated onto Kindergarten....Even Jason is amazed, actually Jason just wants to get to the potluck dinner.

So I keep forgetting to type up a new message. Sorry for all of you who check it everyday to find out I forgot again to post something new. Well, if you checked it today, you are lucky for here is a new post.

So, I put the kids on an airplane today with Autumn's folks. They are taking the kids for about 5 weeks. So you might think I came home, bought a keg and tore the house up. Nope...

I hung out with our neighbor who is moving tomorrow, feeding his 5 and 2 year old leftover watermelon. I know how to let it all hang out don't I....

Anyway here are some recent photos of the kiddos and their various activities.... If anyone is in the SoCal area and wants to hang give me a call or just come to the beach on Pendleton and look for the guy floating on his boogie board awaiting the perfect wave...

Until next time

Gar

Didn't know a month had past.

Well, I best to keeping this thing updated. Sheesh, I looked and it has been several weeks since I posted anything here.

I believe we are now at 2 months and 1 week into deployment. The kids and I keep busy with school, birthday parties, and hanging with friends.

Here are some pictures of recent times.


Anna is riding at her school's trike-a-thon. Not to brag but notice, no training wheels, though I fear she is too fast for her own good
Another one of Anna crusing around the school parking lot
Jason had quite the time strawberry picking. He didn't even bother with getting a basket. He just took his bowl right out into the field and started having lunch. He don't care 'bout no pesticides.
Jason loves those strawberries. Not sure how many he ate, but we definitely got our monies worth on this trip.


Until next time....Gar

A day in the life post mommy leaving for Iraq.

So after being on our own for one week. Everything is going according to plan. The kids have taken over and they have me tied up in a chair. I typed this out with a pencil...


Jason is showing off his future WWE moves.....
Grandad helping out Anna after Jason jumped.
Jason needed some fixing up as well. It's hard to be a professional wrestler.

Check back for more updates. Maybe they will let me go soon.

Well, Autumn went to Iraq and here are 3 of the 4 goodbye pictures I got before the camera battery went dead. I know there are some others and as soon as I get them I will post them.



Here is the bus that Autumn rode to the Air Force base where they would fly out of.

A tearful goodbye from Anna

And of course, Jason as well. Though he thinks mommy is still riding around in the bus....

Just the other night Jason crawled up in my lap as we were getting ready to rock in the chair before bed and he stated "mommy been on bus a long time, mommy need come home".....

Well one week down, a few more to go...

Softball Girl!

Anna started to play softball this week. Her team is the rookies of the rookies, the youngest team in the league. However, great fun was had by all, including the parents who watched through eyes clouded by tears. It was that funny! Notice that all of the girls' gloves are pink. Their team name is the unicorns and last game they played the all-star princesses.

Our new digs

Here is our new house on Camp Pendleton. Smaller, yes, but on the brighter side . . . less to clean.

Our new view from our backyard. Yes, that is snow on Palomar Mountain!
Jason dreams of being Superman!

So, we moved into our new house on a Friday and the movers did not come with our stuff until Monday. No toys, no TV and two parents who were going crazy. The solution? Couch cushion diving!

Say hello to the 5 Year Old.

Jason has learned a new phrase. One Sunday he was all dressed up and Gar looked at him and said "Do you have a hot date?" Well, Jason's favorite phrase now is hot date. And in case you were wondering "Quinn" is who Jason wants a "hot date" with, Quinn is a guy from his preschool that plays with him.

There is no place like home

The couch photo. Hmm . . we may need a bigger couch
" "It is a California fashion"

A brother is useful . . . sometimes
BFF Anna and Amber
BFF Jason and cake
Jason and Joshua and their loves . . .trains
Dude, I love your shoes
Airplane . . .Airplane
Pensive

Welcome Lucy and Happy 5th Anna!

Welcome Lucy, furry baby of Amy Eubanks!
Happy 5th Anna! We celebrated as a family at Baskin Robbins.

The party will come later!!!

Here is Anna's birthday gift, a three story dollhouse, with an Attic (which has become a Gramma suite)

Jason goes for the gusto with his ice cream.

Christmas Morning

Christmas morning . . . chaos! Santa brought Anna Bitty Baby (American Girl). And all of her relatives made sure that Bitty Baby had a bed, changing table, stroller, diaper bag and a bath tub. Jason got a Thomas the Train Toddler Bed and I think the smile on his face as he took his nap says it all!

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year

From our house to yours . . .all the best. We thought we would show you what Jason looks like all cleaned up! It doesn't happen very often, but he sure is cute!

Grandparents arrive!

My parents arrived from SC a few days ago. Most Grands fly, mine drive cross country (see the truck in the background) to bring presents. Anna and Jason will wake up Christmas morning to a swing set in the backyard, courtesy of Grammie (Anna's new name for my mom) and Granddad. Here are just a few of the priceless moments unloading the pickup truck.

Jason struggles to carry a box as big as him
Anna is a pro!
"Hey, train paper. Does this say my name" Jason
Anna dressed for her Christmas play at church
The halo just doesn't fit. I wonder what that means?

Mojave Viper Desert Training

I just finished the Desert training for deployment, in the beautiful Mojave Desert, 29 Palms CA. Here are some of the highlights

While we were there, it rained (in the desert), which flooded the chapel. I woke up to water in my room. This is a photo of the two 1st Class Petty Officers digging a trench to drain the water. God bless them, not only do they put up with Chaplains, but they get to do FUN stuff like this! RP1 McCormick (left) is the RP the I am deploying with.

Here is how the Marine Corps would protect the Holy Family. Angels We have Heard on High . . .more like Howitsers over Head.

Sunrise on the desert from the back of an uparmored humvee.

Don't ask what time it was!

Lighting the Advent wreath at the Chapel of the Desert.
The Sandstorms . . .are just like this in Iraq
Chaplain? Is that you?
Santa made a visit to 29 Palms!