Bella's Kid Free Spot

As everyone knows, our cat Bella is pregnant! She should have the kittens sometime in the near future! Her choice of sleeping places in the recent weeks has been in the bathtub. Yes, we know how that is the most random place to sleep. However, we also know the cleanup will be easy for us! Good thing we have a seperate standing shower away from the bathtub. I walked into the bathroom to get something from the linen closet and to my surprise she was asleep (at first) on the botton shelf. That has become her hiding spot, more than likely away from the kids. We have set up an area away from everything for her, yet still find her retreating to either the closet or the tub!

Strawberry Eating, Spongebob Watching Monster

I walked into the living room this morning to catch Nicholas eating strawberries straight from the container while watching Spongebob. I asked him what he was doing, his response "Listen Spongebob Mom. Eating stawberries". Haha. At least he was being neat while eating them. He went into the fridge and just helped himself! These are the things I walk into with the kids if I leave the room for even a minute!

Arrrr.... Pirate

While Kevin was on CQ last night, Caitlin and Nicholas were running around like wild children! They were crazy! Nicholas came running out, yelling "Arrr, Pirate". I lucked out and managed to get him on video and wanted to share it with everyone!
A little later, Caitlin came into the living room very upset, saying Nic had bit her. A few moments later, Nicholas was with us, mad as can be! He climbed on the couch, looked at me and said, "Bit her me". I asked him what he said, and of course he repeated it. So, I went on to ask him if he bit Caitlin. With no hesitation, he admitted he did. I asked why, and he said, "with mouth". We laughed so hard. I asked why again, and he started chomping his teeth and let me know that was how he bit her. In the end, he told us "Caitin mean". At least he is honest! Yes, we talked to him about biting, but it is hard to punish him when Caitlin is constatly being mean to him! They both got in trouble. In the end though, you can't help but to crack a smile and laugh! He's talking and communicating so much better now!
Nicholas and Bre were playing right after this incident. His newest thing is to tickle people. He raises his hands and moves his fingers in the tickling motion. He kept chasing Breanna doing that, at the same time he says, "kickle, kickle". Kids are so cute!!!

Breanna's Space Project

The other day I started going through some of the kids school work that we have placed in a box from this school year. I wanted to see how they year had started and how it had progressed. So many changes! This is one of my favorite things that Breanna did. Her intelligence amazes me, as does her teachers. It is so hard to believe that after tomorrow, Bre will be considered a third grader and Caitlin a second grader. Where has the time gone? They have gotten so big and it happened in the blink of an eye. Time sure does fly when kids are apart of life!

Daddy Duty

I had to share this video of how Kevin and Nic act before diaper change! This is what goes on almost everytime Nicholas has Daddy change him!

Riding With Elmo

Nicholas and Breanna after we picked up some groceries at Wal-Mart.

Freedom Has A Price

As you wake up today, please take some time and remind yourself that today is not about the extra sleep you will get, the paid day off of work, the sales you will find shopping, or the bbq's and beer you may find yourself consuming. Instead, take the time and remember the sole purpose of it and the ones that have died for your freedom. The lives that have been lost for you to have the extra sleep, shopping sales, paid day off of work, bbq's, beer and whatever else you may do. Remember the ones that have laid their lives on the line and paid the ultimate sacrifice for you to live in a country that has the freedoms. Keep in mind that we don't have the fear of men being drafted because people sign up on their own free will. Men and woman sign their names away to the government, to branches of the military to continue this fight for our country. Freedom really isn't free. So many people have paid the price. While you are now taking the time to remember them, also take that time to think of the spouses, children, parents, families, and friends that have been directly affected and left behind. The ones that choose to live this life out of standing beside the ones they love. The spouses and children that could not imagine their lives any other way, but to follow wherever the military sends us. Their past and their futures have been taken from them, and yet they stand proud of the one they had to lay to rest. The ones that on this day will face an emotion just as they do everyday that the vast majority of us will never understand or know.

Say a prayer for the safe return of the ones still overseas unselfishly serving our country. Say a prayer for their families that await their safe return. That live with their cell phone always beside them, waiting for that chance to just hear their voice. The simple, "I'm okays" and "I love you's" go such a long ways following the time we kiss our loved ones goodbye and patiently await their return home to us.

Say a prayer for the families that will start a normal day only to be faced with the dreaded knock on their front door that their spouse or child is not coming home because they sacrificed it all.

Not only have the ones that paid the price with their lives sacrificed, but so have the ones that remain on the homefront. Coming from a proud army wife, freedom is far from free. We live on sacrifices and prayers in order to get us by. We lean on each other, forming a bond between Army wives...or rather, military wives, that most will never know. Today is a day for everyone to pray and remember the ultimate sacrifices people have made to ensure our freedom. There are no words that could show my gratitude for the ones that have laid thie lives down for our country, for the ones who will in the future, and for the ones who go out everyday unaware and uncertain of the unknown.

To all the ones we have lost, to the ones Kevin has served beside, or the ones we have known growing up, you will NEVER be forgotten and always cherished! There are too many to try to list on here, and I don't want to list any without listing them all. This is a battle we all face everyday, one that at the end of the day we are proud of. As an Army wife, I could never explain to you the pride that arises when I see my husband in uniform or the tears that flow when I hear the National Anthem or God Bless the USA... To the families that have also paid the price with your loved one, you too will never be forgotten!
Happy Memorial Day. Please be careful today while you are out doing
whatever it is you may do. Next time you see a Vet, no matter what
their age, shake their hand and just say "thanks". Afterall, they were
one of the lucky ones that made it back home alive. They will never
show their pride or think of themselves as heroes. But to all of,
past, present, and future, they are our true American Heroes. Oh, and
don't forget that military family who also serves. They tend to go
unnoticed. They too go through more than most know. And, unless you
walk a day in the shoes of someone that has been off to war, sent
someone they love off to war, or fought in any way to keep our country
safe, you will probably never understand the sacrifices that are made
daily.

Sent from Britt's iPhone