Ok! So it's been a day or two since I've blogged, because I keep thinking I have nothing to say. Who am I kidding!! I always have things to say. I have a friend who jokes who needs a radio when I'm around..... very funny. It's true of course. I've always been talker just ask my Mama.
So I've discovered a new obsession. I was going to call it a passion, but that didn't quite cover it. Obsession is better. A craft store recently had a VERY NICE sale. At which I purchased a cricut. I all ready had the small one, but now I have the Mother of all Cricut's!! YES!! So then naturally I need things to go with it. So many shopping trips and half my life savings later, I have been cutting and downloading with a vengeance! I have discovered many fonts which make me smile, and vinyl in an array of colors. I've decided I really like sticking things to my wall. Hopefully Ryan won't
mind. Also I think I'd like to paint my front door, but that's another discussion for another day!
Back to my obsession. So I bought the little cartridges, and then a friend turned me on to this software!! It cuts from my cricut, but I can download FREE fonts!! This is amazing to me for a variety of reasons. The first one being I barely know how to turn on my computer let alone make fonts, make them into downloadable files and other such things. Modern technology amazes me! It also frustrated me, but that 's a personal problem....
Anyway so I found this program and I tried it for 15 days FREE! I love free. I love a good deal too, but I really love FREE. So then I'm hooked and I pay for all the rights and now I'm a cricut cutting fool. My butt is permanently stuck to this chair, and my kids always know where to find me.
That's how I roll these days. Good talking to you again!!
Later Gators!
~Annie

Everyone has a flow!

Ok... so it's been a little bit since I've found myself with reason to whine. Sad I only write when I wanna whine eh?? So I decided that this time I would share a bit of wisdom. ( bah hahahhahahahhahaha) ok pick your self up off the floor and finish reading.
Everyone has a flow. Everyone has a frequency that they function best at. For some it has to do with routine. Some can't break that routine or it all comes crashing down. For some they need reassurance. Some need to feel they are really being heard. Some need positive affirmations. Whatever it is, they are more productive, happier and well balanced when those in their lives mesh with the flow. Mom's tend to teach their flow to their children, but I personally believe we are born with our flow. And so mothers can try to teach the "correct" flow, but everyone will eventually tune into their own flow and make it work just for them.
The point to all of this is simple. If you really want to have lasting relationships, good friendships and minimize contention, you have to figure out what their flow is. Figure out how they work best and adapt to it when dealing with that person. For example I have a dear friend who has a routine flow. From certain times each day she helps her children and the rest of the world can wait. She greatly appreciates those who don't call or show up at her home during these times. She also appreciates not being chastised for ignoring those who do call or come by at that particular time. Know that at her home 4-6pm is kiddo time and nothing else and you will succeed with this friend. I have another who needs to know what she has done is appreciated. She will be the most generous person in the world with you, with any talent, time, or money she has as long as she feels it's appreciated. But the first time you seem ungrateful, you my friend have cut yourself off from the well. See, so now you just have to figure out what the flow is and how to go with it!!
Good luck!
~Annie
p.s. sometimes I'm not even sure what my flow is....so this can be kinda tricky :)

Someone please tell me why!!!

All right. I have questions. I need answers. Question one: Why is it, that I can scrub and scrub and scrub. Take three large bags of trash out, vacuum and still look around and feel like we're living in a pig sty!! Where does it all come from? Will it ever end? Is this some cruel sort of punishment for some wrong I don't even realize I've done. I'm sorry all ready! Please, I'm begging you! Make it stop. This is why I like yard work. Once I mow my lawn and make all those pretty lines, you can't undo them for me later that day! It takes a week or two!! By then I'm ready to mow again. Flower beds. You can't unweed them. Once I pull the little suckers out. They're gone. Tomorrow it will still look like I weeded the flower beds. Now that's satisfaction!
Question two: Why after you exercise can't you see an immediate result. Not huge. I realize you must work for it. All I'm asking is this. After I participate in a good work out... (which is rare for me) I just wanna see my belly not stick out quite so far, or see my arms jiggle just a little less. Then I'm motivated to keep it going. And if I miss a workout, then my belly can flab right back out, or my arms have my permission to jiggle freely!! All I'm asking is to see that my sweat, blood and tears are making a difference. I can't wait months to see it. I'm not a patient person. Don't believe me?? Ask the King. Actually ask anyone, they'll laugh in your face and tell you patience is a virtue I'm lacking! I wanna exercise. The problem is I hate it. I don't like how it feels. It's uncomfortable. I stink when I'm done. I don't have great endurance, and if you haven't figured it out yet, I'm a whiner. So exercise isn't a natural thing. But I wanna be healthy. I wanna be thin. So just why oh why can't I have a little teaser of what's to come!? Why can't I get just enough to be motivated to keep it going. WHY??
Well now I'm wound up and confused so it's time for a Dr. Pepper. I know counterproductive, but guess what!? I like it. So there.
Too-da-loo!
~Annie

The Deed Is Done

Well it's done. It happened, and now we're trying to get back to living. Ok so for right now it really isn't too bad. We're happy and except for a few nighttime meltdowns, we're back to "normal". Night time is when things seems to hit home. Ash wants to know where her Daddy is, and why he can't come home. When I tell her it's going to be a long time she says "sooooo Saturday?" Nope he's not coming home on Saturday. Then she cries "it's not fair!" And really it's not. But life isn't fair. It just seems that a three year shouldn't have to learn that lesson quite yet. Layne understands though except he's ticked that Dad will miss Christmas. I think this deployment is stirring up more emotion for my kiddos than the others have. They're just older. The get it a little more.
We will overcome! Ok that's a little dramatic. But really we're gonna be great. We are survivors. Life is too short to dwell on the unfair and hard. We like to focus where we are sooooo blessed. And we are. And if we keep ourselves busy, the time will start to fly!
Well this one is short, but I've said all I have to say. And now I'm the only adult in the home, I have much to do! So until next time!
Too-Da-Loo!
~Annie

Stepping back on the soapbox.... shocking I know!!

So.... deployment time. Here's what it entails, at least for us. I guess all branches do things differently.... heck all units do things differently. First come orders! They make the official really official. Makes sense huh. Then comes the paperwork. The soldiers have millions of paper to fill out every time they deploy. When I say millions I'm really not kidding. It's not an exact count cause hey have you ever counted to a million.... takes a long time!! But really they take several days to do all the red tape paperwork. Then comes the fun part. Verification. Except I think that the soldier think that we're bluffing when we say, we will be calling for verification. So there's a very beautiful and sweet woman, who works for the Battalion. It's her fabulous job to call all these people and make these verifications. Let me share some numbers with you just so you understand where she's coming from.... there are probably one thousand soldiers that she represents... close to anyway. Each soldier is required to fill out Next Of Kin information sheets. These are what we are trying to verify. Each soldier is required to have a Primary and a Secondary. They can have more, but no less. So this is at least two thousand people she is trying to call and verify the information! So she asks for help and I volunteer. Cause I'm nice like that!! haha. Anyway, so she give me a small stack. Let me tell you people!!! When the form says person must live within Colorado state boundaries, why oh why are we listing our long lost relative in Texas!!! Hello?? And when you list your mother as next of kin but list your home phone number here in Colorado as her number, when she lives in Pennsylvania, how are we supposed to contact her? HMMM HOW?? Then there are the people who list their neighbors as next of kin, and even better don't tell them. So when some crazy lady from Ft. Carson call to verify they are totally taken back that they have been listed as next of kin!! I shouldn't be the one breaking this news to them. ARGHHGHGHGH! It's crazy.
It has been my experience not just for this, but in general. That if a form, especially an official form, asks for information, it's good to list accurate information. Oh! and it's good to actually fill in the blanks! It has also been my experience that if there is policy about something, especially as important as a deployment, that there is good reason for that policy to exist. Now sometimes things are out dated or old fashioned, but I don't believe next of kin falls into this category. Is like the warning on preparation H. It tells you not to eat it. I don't' know what happens if you eat it, but I'm sure there's some fool out there that does! And that is why there is now a warning that says do not ingest orally!
I think these soldiers think they are invincible and that the ARMY doesn't need the info because nothing is going to happen to them. Well those people are usually the idiots who walk into bad situations without thinking, and get hurt. And then the whole brigade turns upside down because the next of kin can't be notified. Chaos ensues and a whole lot of bawling wives create a HUGE headache for the poor souls left behind to deal with all the Estrogen. So for the love of Pete!! Fill out the form. Do it correctly. Be accurate. Tell the people who need to know. Use some common sense!! I mean after all we do let you play with guns!

Why can't things just make sense???

Ok so if you know the ARMY at all none of this will come as a surprise... but the ARMY and it's "protocol" just doesn't make sense to me!!! Here's my latest gripe. The King is heading out to "The Sandbox" and while he's out there his contract ends. Our plan is to go back to the Utah National Guard, and gain civilian employment. This is what I want, not him, well mostly me and little him. But it's the plan. So we got the official orders to deploy. Ryan goes over to the JJPSO office (the moving people) He wants to make arrangements for them to move me home. We all ready know this is gonna be a battle so he went prepared. They tell him they don't move spouses just because the soldiers deploy. We say we know. We don't want to move just because he's leaving. We want to move because he's getting out. They say, nope. He says why? They say because you can't do that without orders. He says I have orders. They say we don't accept depoloyment orders they have to be orders to get out. So he goes he talks with the Col. The Col. says he'll see what he can do. He talks to some people. Orders can't be cut until a certain number of months before he gets out... But he also says we're not asking for anything they wouldn't do for us anyway. He suggests just talking to a supervisor. So off to the supervisor we go. We explain everything to him. He says it makes perfect sense. We thought ah ha!! Yeah someone who gets it. WRONG. Even though it makes sense he says no. If I move you for a deployment I have to move everyone!!! ARGHGHGHGHGHH.... not moving because of deployment... HELLO???? Is anyone home. NOPE. So we say fine. We'll just move ourselves and then when we qualify for orders we'll just turn in reciepts for re-imbursement. Oh no. That no workey either. Reciepts can't be more than 60 days old. Are you kidding me!!!??? So I have to waste $1500 a month to stay in Colorado, because why??? Because we don't have a piece of paper. Awesome. Thanks ARMY. Thanks for taking care of families. Thanks for taking care of soldiers who serve. You rock.
I'm moving anyway.
AMEN.

Impending Doom!

For some reason, it hit me today, like a tons of bricks. Ryan is getting ready to deploy. I knew it before. Talked about it even, but for some reason today it became so real. Maybe it's because I counted the Saturdays till he goes and we only had nine. Single digit nine. I don't know.... Funny how things just hit you sometimes. And because I've done this before the alone part doesn't seem so scary. I hate it. But it's not the unknown. And I feel at peace that Ryan will be protected and safe while he's gone. But I'm still worried. I mostly worry for my children. This is so hard on them. Layne is at the age where he needs Dad, for boy things. And Ashlynn just adores him. She chooses him for just about everything. She's Daddy's little princess. I'm worries about how she'll take it. Will she remember him? I don't know. I also worry about when it's all done. We're supposed to be going back to civilian life. Can we make it there? We are so used to being apart. I know we can survive apart, it's together that seems strange and almost scary, yet it's what we ultimately desire most. Some of you have probably come to the conclusion that I've lost my mind. Maybe I have. But there are some who have lived this life, and this makes sense, kind of.
Truthfully, I'm scared we'll get what we want too. We want to go back home. Live in our house and be a "normal" family. But we're so used to this life, what if we get what we want and it's not what we wanted?? ARGHGHGHGGH. My brain is going crazy today. This is the part of deployment that I hate. The uncertainty. The what ifs. The feel that your life is on hold for 12 months. I don't like being on hold for 12 minutes. I guess once I tackle this challenge, and learn what is meant to be learned the Lord will allow me to move onto something else. Oh I hope I learn my lesson this time!
~Annie

Ok.. so since my blog is called the Army Wife, I thought I'd finally write something about that....

My husband loves his job. He basically blows stuff up. What guy wouldn't love that job right?! He loves ARMY. He has since he was a kid. Growing up he played GI Joe's he had battles with any toy he could use as a soldier. Sticks and Rocks were his weapons and ammo. He's always felt a strong desire to serve our Nation and we both felt that it was what the Lord wanted for us too. That is why we are ARMY. That being said, I'm gonna whine now. Being an ARMY Wife is hard. Let's face it, being a wife is hard. Now add any branch of the Armed Forces and it's a double whammy. I've said it before and I'll say it again, it's not for the faint of heart. But there is something in particular that really ticks me off every time I hear it!! There's always some cause. Something that people are so passionate about, and they DEMAND that the U.S. do something to stop it. Granted I usually think what they are talking about is a worthy cause. I don't like Genocide or any other evil anymore than anyone else. But there's so much more to it, than marching in a few troops and stopping whatever atrocity from happening. So what I'd like to say is STOP VOLUNTEERING MY HUSBAND!! Stop Volunteering my kids for this. We all ready do our part. We all ready sacrifice. We are proud to do what we do, and we'll keep on doing it. But stop asking. If you want to volunteer someone, volunteer your spouse, yourself, whatever. But before you start making demands, make sure you'd be willing to pay the price, and not just expect someone else to, in the name of doing something.
Thank-you.

Things That Make Me REALLY Happy!!

There are just some things that make me happy.... I decided to list them. I'll keep adding to it, as I think of more.
1. Good Music! It's amazing how a good song can turn a day around :)
2. Laughter: It's contagious. Especially when it's my kiddos who laugh so hard they snort. That always gets me!
3. Long Talks: I love them, especially with the King Of Battle. He's not into them much, so it makes it even better when I get those with him.
4. GNO! Otherwise known as Girls Night Out!!! Hey I love a date with my King, but every girl loves a night away here and there with girls she loves, and can be silly with!
5. Baby Smell: Especially a breast-fed baby. Sorry if that's discrimination. But I love it. Scentsy should make a brick. I'd buy it.
6. The Beatles. I know that goes with good music. But most every song they sing I love. They are get happy music for sure.
7. Good friends. I love friends who get me. They give me nick-names, they laugh at me, but mostly they sustain me.
8. My Family: All of them. The King, The kiddos, my parents and siblings, The Kings parents and his siblings, all of our cousins.... EVERYONE!! We are so blessed to have HUGE families. I love them all.
9. Church: I get such a charge from my Sunday lessons. I can always tell a HUGE difference in my attitude if I miss a week. I need it. It makes me less grumpy.
10. Feeling Productive: There's something to be said for it... I just don't know what it is.
11. Cooking. I like to cook. I like to find recipes that are treasures. When we get back to my house in Utah, then I will be able to say I LOVE cooking. Cause then I will have a kitchen worthy of cooking!!
12. My house: I know it's such a temporal thing. But I love my house. I like how it looks, I love the yard, I love the colors, I love the location, I Love the neighborhood and especially the ward!! Amazing people there.
13. Dr. Pepper. enough said.
14. A good Book
15. The Pioneer Woman blog. She makes me laugh out loud. I wish she lived by me so I could be her friend. I'm sure we'd be tight, if we knew each other!
16.Surprises. But only good ones.
17.A nice hot bubble bath.... hmmmmmm nice. Ahhhhhhh.
18. A deep sleep: I love it when I wake up in the morning alert and in the same position I fell asleep in. That means I didn't toss or turn. I just slept. YES!
19. The American Idol tryouts.... come on. Admit it, they're funny. Especially Simon. If he ever leaves the show. It'll end. It's a fact.
20. Seeing the light bulb go on in one of my kids heads. It's amazing! LOVE IT!!
21. I love to laugh so hard my sides hurt and tears roll down my cheeks. It doesn't happen often, the last time was game night with the Mendenhall's. But I love it.
22. Playing games. My favorite is Times Up! It's so fun.

This is the butt I wish I had.....

Whats wrong.....

Have you noticed lately that everything seems to focus on all the things that are "wrong". We're in a recession, housing markets aren't good, gas costs, food costs, health care bills, blah blah blah! I'm tired of hearing about all the negatives!! Why can't we focus on good? I understand that there are pressing matters to deal with. That all of the above listed things are concerns, and need for lack of a better term, reckoning. But, there is so much good in this world, and it's going unrecognized!! I believe you get what you focus on. If we as an American people could focus on the positive, we could have an amazing effect on our "situations" Do I think having happy thoughts will miraculously take us out of a recession. Of course not. I'm no genius, but I'm not an idiot either! What I think will happen is this.... Instead of thinking poor me, I can't go and buy anything I want, when I want, because prices are high and the recession is hitting my bank account, we could think I have quite a bit. More than most. I can use what I have been blessed with, and make it work for me. I can run and play outside with my kids, instead of buying that gym pass. I can watch a DVD and pop microwave popcorn, instead of hitting the theatre! Hey and guess what! You can lay down, and wear sweats, and go to the bathroom, whenever you want! Kids love movie nights, I love movie nights!! We don't need the newest cars, or the latest gadgets! We need humility. We need gratitude. We need to focus on the positive!
I'm guilty of the poor me syndrome from time to time. And when I catch myself feeling that way, I start a gratitude journal. I list three things daily that I'm grateful for. They are very specific, and you cannot repeat any one thing. It sure brings things into perspective!! In fact I think I'm gonna do it again! I'll get a notebook today!
As I was "surfing the web" today I thought man, if aliens existed, and read our information they'd think what a pitiful people. Plagued with terrible things. That's not how I want to be. I'm gonna be happy. I'm gonna be positive!
Amen. Stepping off the soapbox now!
~Annie

What She Really Wants....

So lately I've notice lots of commercials and Internet articles on "What She Really Wants".... Most of these focus on gift giving, but I've been thinking and have come up with what I think is "The Answer!" What women/girls want isn't any different at Christmas than it is at any other time of year. It's not really the gift that matters is what the gift says. Girls just want to feel special. They want to be number one. The don't have to be spoiled princesses who live to shop and be manicured. No! Women ( at least most of the ones I know) want to be productive. They want to work, whether in a profession or at home. They want to accomplish things. It's just their motivation for these accomplishments are very different from our Male counterparts. Our motivations include; Will he like this? Does this make my family happy? Does this look good? Does this give a good impression of our home/family? Is this enjoyable for all who will participate? These aren't all the motivations. I could list those for days on end and still have more. But this is essentially how women are. They are looking for the most good for the most people, they want to please others. There are times when we are completely selfish. There are times when we just want it our way, but that is not usually the norm.
We want our husbands/significant others to make decisions based on everyone, in the family/relationship. Not what is best for his job, or the company or anyone else. Just our family. We want to feel number one. We want to know that even if it didn't go our way that we were considered first. We want our feelings validated. We realize that men don't feel the gamut of emotions we feel. That doesn't make our feelings silly , or trivial or insignificant. Are there times we over-react! HECK YES!! Do we sometimes make it hard to approach us. Are our tears terrifying. I guess so. So what. Suck it up! Talk to us. This makes us feel accepted. Safe. Valued. These are all important things, at least if you want your girl to be happy anyway! Guys don't always have to agree with the Gals. It's OK to disagree. But it doesn't need to be a fight. I believe all relationships have points where they just be adults and agree to disagree. Now that might not be true of deal breaking issues. But on non-deal breakers it's OK. You just have conversations to figure out how your life together can accommodate both parties. Oh and by the way most women appreciate a good conversation. Let me be more specific. Good conversation does not include; bathroom habits, the weird guy at work, what's for dinner, who won Monday Night Football (unless she loves it too), or any of those things. Good conversation includes, goals, planning the week or weekend, concerns about family, things we love about family, appreciation, small talk, feelings, laughing, expectations, etc...
So how does this apply to gifts... Well I'll tell you. What does your gift say? If you buy your girl a snowboard for Christmas, she better love snowboarding. If she doesn't it says, I want to change you. Not a warm fuzzy Christmas message. If you give your girl a cookbook, she better love to cook or at least have expressed a deep genuine desire to learn otherwise what your gift says is you're a lousy cook. Not good. See what I'm saying. If you want to know what your girl wants listen to what she says on a daily basis. If she says she has nothing to wear standing in front of her full closet, it means she's unhappy with her choices and a new choice would be appreciated! Don't go buy that movie you've been wanting to see for her stocking, ya big butt head, but the one she wants to see. You know, the one that you'd rather poke your eyes out at. And please please please don't buy her a vacuum. I've never met a women who hoped for a vacuum. Unless you have direct orders from her, any work related appliance is a death sentence. OK? OK.
So now you know. Don't say I didn't warn you!
Merry Christmas.
p.s. If you haven't read The Five Love Languages by Gary Chapman, you should. It's great!

What's Next

Ok well tonight was the Christmas Party oh excuse me, Holiday Party, for Ryan's unit.... Yes we could not call it a Christmas Party, even though they played Christmas music, the had Christmas Tree's, but we had to cancel the Santa, because that was pushing it... Anyways, not the point today.... The dates were announced for the deployment. So I guess it's official minus the orders. I shouldn't post dates on here, OPSEC ya know. But it's gonna happen. So what's next??
Well I guess we start cramming as much fun into the next few months as possible. It seems to be how we do it ya know. You hear the rumors, and really you know eventually it's gonna happen. Deployment is just a part of what we do anymore.... So you think we'd get smart and just space out our fun and keep it steady, but nope. That's far too logical for this family. We like to go through drought periods and then just pour it on! And now we are entering the pour it on phase. So we'll do Christmas and New Years. Then we'll try to get out and see as much here as we can, before Ryan in goes in the Spring. Then school will end and the kids and I will make the Trek home! Sometimes I wonder if my King of Battle times these things... seems he's always gone for moving and the terrible two's. Sheesh makes ya wonder doesn't it!
So we'll pack up our nine hundred square feet and we'll head back to our wonderful 2700 sq ft! YES!! I don't want Ryan to go, but I gotta admit, I'm excited to get my kitchen back!! It's so much more fun to cook in a REAL kitchen.
So for Ryan's first deployment, I had one goal. Survive. I made it. Then for his second one, I wanted to learn. So I went to school for Nail Tech. I know deep stuff right. But hey it was fun, I did learn and I have a new skill. So for this deployment I need a goal, an objective.... I have two in mind. First when we move back I want to SIMPLIFY!! I know crazy. But we have too much stuff. I want less stuff. So I'm gonna go though everything we packed up and stored, and go through it box by box. We are gonna sell it, donate it or trash it, if I haven't really wanted it back since we've been here in Colorado!! It's a good plan right?! Next is loose weight. Although I haven't completely ruled out more kids, the chances are getting slimmer and slimmer as the days go by. I'd really like to turn " the cave" into an exercise room. And why shouldn't I? I have a treadmill, an eliptical and a weight set. Boom equipment set, just gotta do it right. Sure. Then I would have no more excuses on this weight thing. I wouldnt have to leave my kiddos to go. I could do it day or night, no more excuses. Oh I just thought of one more... I gotta get better at taking pictures. My kids are gonna wonder if they even had a childhood if I don't start taking some. Plus it would really make my blog more fun!
Ok well that's all I have to say today. Too-da-loo!

My family....

I haven't asked my family if they are ok with me talking about them in my blog.... So I'll try not to get too personal, but since I haven't really got any pressing issues boiling my blood, I thought I'd share what I love most!!
     
 My King of Battle. I didn't ask him if it was ok to call him that, but he thinks it's kinda funny. He is a Field Artillery Officer for the ARMY. The nickname for Field Artillery is the King of Battle. See I'm not really clever enough to think of these things on my own. I just borrow other people's idea's. This is true of craft's and decorating as well.... Anyway back to the King. I love him. He is amazing. He has these fierce green eyes. I really like those eyes. He loves his hair short, and I love when he grows facial hair! That only happens when he has multiple days off in a row. The ARMY likes them clean shaven. My King would help anyone, who asks. He's generous with his time and his resources. He's smart. He's handy. He LOVES the Dallas Cowboys. His only fault (ok not really, but I'm being nice here) he doesn't like Dr. Pepper. What?! Who doesn't like Dr. Pepper?? He doesn't but that's ok. Just leaves more for me!
  
 Layne. He is my oldest child. He's bossy like the oldest child should be. But he's not too bossy. He's smart too. He has his Daddy's eyes. But other than that, he looks a lot like my family. He's a Smedley. Layne loves Star Wars. He eats sleeps and drinks it. Layne is very intuitive. If I need a hug, he knows first, and he gives it to me! Usually in the form of a BIG SQUEEZE! He loves to go fishing with his Grandpa. He loves the anual boys campout. Layne is a baseball fan. Not on TV that's too boring. But he loves to play it, and we love to go watch the Ogden Raptors play. We're getting season tickets this year! He's gonna be excited about that.
Layne is tender hearted. I love that about him. He's kind and generous. He's going to be in the Christmas talent show this year. He's lip syncing to We Will Rock You! I know right! American Idol here we come!!

Ashlynn: I call her Ashie Max mostly.... She got her middle name from my Grandma. She got her spunk from her too! This makes me happy. Ashie sticks to her guns. She's a bit stubborn, but I like it. One day she's gonna need to stand up for what's right and she'll have the guts to do it. She has big blue eyes! They are beautiful. Ashie was bald for such a long time... poor girl. She has hair now, and she hates to have it cut, even a trim! She says it took too long to grow! Haha how does she know these things? She's only three!!
Ash talks all the time. Even in her sleep. Once I asked her why she talks so much... her response " because I know everyfing!" ( Yes I spelled thing like fing on purpose, it's how she talks, it's better that way) Awesome answer I thought.

I have two sisters and a brother. Hopefully they don't care if I talk about them. One sister loves movies. She watches them over and over. She has quite the collection. She also makes tons and tons of things on her cricuit machine. I don't know how those babies work, but boy can she whip out any project! I know, I ask her to make stuff for me all the time and she does. Nice to have a sister like that eh? I know you wish you could have her, but sorry I'm keeping her. She's a little shy too... but once you get to know her you better watch out! She doesn't shut up, ok just kidding she does. She takes  a little time to get to know, but once you do, she's a friend for life. My second sister. She's a firecracker! She's the type of girl that can say basically whatever she wants and get away with it! I'm jealous of this quality. She can talk in movies lines, which I love. But my favorite thing about this girl is her BAH HA HA  laugh. It's loud and from her belly! It's awesome! Also if you'd like to ever try something embarrassing or a little out of the norm... she'll try it with you! But she'll out do you so be prepared for that. My brother. He's pretty funny. He is strongly opinionated. I know where did that come from in our family?! Ok so we all are, but his opinions are loud and strong. He's also a germaphob. Such a geek! He goes through purell like we go through Dr. Pepper! My brother is so smart. He is also good with his hands and he's so strong. You'd never guess that last part though because he's sooooo tall and skinny. He's like a green bean! But he could pick me up and toss me with one hand, and that's saying somethin'! He has a good girl at his side. We like her. She keeps him in line. Motivated and whatnot. You know the things that most girls do for crazy boys. Oh yeah and he just bought his first car. He named it.... ARIEL. Yes just like the mermaid... he says she's hot. I told you he was crazy!

My Mama and Daddy:
Yes I do really still call my Daddy, Daddy. I can't help it, It's just what he is to me. I have awesome parents. They taught me a whole lot growin up. I'm grateful to them too, cause now I have kids and I remember some fo the stuff I used to do. God will be giving them extra blessing because I was their child, that's for sure! My Mom has crazy mad sewing skills. She can make anything in any color. She doesn't even need a pattern! She's great with decorating and color schemes and all that jazz. I didn't inherit an ounce of those things. RUDE. My Mom has great eyebrows! They are pretty have, just the right arch and she hardly has to pluck or wax. It's not fair. She also has good hair. Another quality I failed to get! Gosh Mom, what in the heck did you ever do for me? Except maybe carry me for nine months push me out, give me life, teach me, and...ok never mind... My Daddy. He can crow like a rooster!  He's a hard worker! He knows lots too. I call him all the time and ask all sorts of questions he always has the answers...sometimes I think he makes them up, but shoot it always works out. My Dad has this laugh. And when he does it his grin is so big his gold teeth show! I love it. That's when you know he really really liked it. Whatever it was. My Dad is the biggest John Force fan alive! He loves NHRA drag racing. He's a sentimental kind of guy and well that's where I get my tear ducts from. My brother calls my Dad Chubby.... I'm not sure why, but he does. And my Dad calls my brother Chubby! This one is even more unclear since I'd kill for my brothers measurements! (except I'd keep my own chest!haha) I love my family dynamic. We like to tease. We like to play games on Sunday. We eat treats. We drink Dr.Pepper (most of us anyway) and we like chips and salsa. We dare eachother to do dumb stuff. And sometimes we do it. My parents raised a bunch of goofy crazy kids ( that really aren't kids anymore) but they did a good job. We all turned ok, I think.

The Mendenhall Family:
So there are lots of them. It's not really fair to lump all of them together, but I'll save individual families for another day... They are a fun group. We like to play together. We play Oh Heck, Times UP!, Phase 10, spoons, and whatever else we can come up with. At Christmas people usually make up some sort of game for us to play. That's always fun. If you ever play games with the Mendenhalls, watch out for Russel, that's all I'm sayin.
We also do Lake Powell with the Mendenhalls. I had never been to Lake Powell before I met them. It's very fun. We play and ski and eat and eat and eat and play games, and lots of people takes naps. It's a fun vacation where we get to be warm, and enjoy eachother and share the costs! It's awesome. LOVE IT!!
All the cousins love to play. Grandma and Grandpa love to spoil the grandkids (especially Grandma). The adults generally love to gather. I have found some of my very best friends in the Mendenhall family. I'm grateful to have married into such a great family!

Troop Surge.... *sigh*

**disclaimer... I have strong opinions... they are not necessarily that of my husband. I do not speak for the ARMY or any of it's organizations. This is simply the rantings of an ARMY wife... and a crazy one at that!

Last night I watched the President address an audience at West Point(the school, not my hometown!!) As I listened to his plan for a troop surge in Afghanistan, my emotions were mixed. At first I thought oh right... so let's make the men who have all ready been the ones to deploy multiple times deploy again! Let's ask all their families to go through separations, anxiety and ultimately tragedy for some. Let's just keep asking that of the same people over and over.... Notice how it's always the negative feeling that surfaces first... I wonder why that is?? Anyway, then I kept thinking. You know, there are all ready many men and women over there serving. The commanders on the field are essentially saying we don't have the right tools or enough of the right tools to complete our job here!! HELP!! And if we didn't send help we'd be asking those men and women, to experience all they do for nothing. We'd be giving them an impossible task. So in my humble opinion is the troop surge the right thing to do? Yes. I believe it is. Would I be willing to have my husband be a part of that.... well I don't want him volunteering! But if his unit were selected, I would be proud. I would never ask for my husband to be in harms way, but this is his job. It's what he does, it's what he loves! Is it hard? Absolutely. In fact there are times when I'd say it's excruciating. Deployment has such long lasting effects on a family. None of which can you fathom unless you've been there, done that. There is a reason why the military divorce rate is much much higher than the rest of the nation. Soldiers see and experience things most never will. Things that can be unspeakable. Things that are haunting.... Families experience high levels of stress. Feelings of abandonment,anxiety, pride, and the feeling that you are running in quick sand! Many relationships are forever altered, and many do not survive the mutation. But all of this is necessary. All of this is for our Nation! To keep us protected, to keep us free, and to help us realize nothing comes without a price. So to all the nay sayers out there I say... What is the alternative?? What would you have us do instead? How do you propose we protect our nation and our freedoms without fighting for them? Is the war nice? NOPE. Is it pretty? UH-UH, not even close, Is it right? I guess that's up for debate. But really there is only one question, at least for me... is it necessary? I say YES! Let's fight this fight. Let's win this war! Let's let in be known that you pick on the United States of America, we will not back down! We will come, we will defeat you, you will have consequences. Let's help free nations. And most important to me, let's make this world a better, safer place, so my son, our sons will not have to fight the same battles!

Wayne and Maxine....

My paternal Grandparents.... I love them sooooo much. In fact when we named Layne we spelled it this way for Grandpa who is Wayne, and Ashlynn bears Maxine for her middle name. We lost Grandma last December. I still tear up when I think about her.... she was an amazing woman, who taught me so much. Grandpa, isn't doing very well. I got the phone call this morning, his hospice nurse found pneumonia in both lungs and they suspect his kidney's are shutting down. *Sigh* I really really really wanna go home! This is the hardest part for me of being an ARMY wife. When things happen at home, I'm not there! I want to say good-bye.... I can't. I want to hug him, and kiss his forehead. I want to hear him sing Jumbo elephant one more time. I have so many memories of my Grandparents. They are all such good fun memories. It's hard to imagine life without them in it. I guess my job now is to first remember what they taught me and to live by it. And Second keep their memory and traditions alive. That way their lives and what they worked so hard for is honored. ( In my humble opinion) I also wish I could afford to buy the Big White House on the Hill. I want to put the rose carpet back where it belongs! I want the sewing room, back to a sewing room and I want to read in Grandpa's study! I have so many great memories of that house and all the HUGE family gatherings we had there.
Also I need to take a second... I don't know if any of my family reads my non-sense blog, but if they do, this needs to be said. And if they don't I still need to say it. My Aunt Kathy took the care of my ailing Grandparents on herself. She made the arrangements. She made the doctors appointments and took them. She cooked and cleaned for them. She put up the bears and took down the bears. She grocery shopped for them, she basically put her life and her desires aside to assist my Grandparents. It's been years that she's been doing this. Taking time off work, taking no time for herself and really putting her own health at risk, to care for two very amazing people. To her I would like to say. THANK YOU!!! You are truly an Angel of the Lord. His work came to pass through your hands. You are a selfless, beautiful woman, and I love you!
Do you see now why I say Family is Everything!!? They are. I love mine.

Onto the Countdown!!

The King of Battle has been gone for almost a month now.... When you are part of any branch of the Armed Forces you "get" to spend lots of time apart from your servicemen/woman. It kinda sucks honestly. But it has become part of our lives, and really you get kinda used to it... well OK not really, but you make it work and you find a routine that gets you through. In fact I find myself a little jaded sometimes. I hear women (mostly) talking about how their husbands are gone for a week sometimes two for Business trips, and I think to myself... Oh what a baby! Rude, I know! I can be that way sometimes. I was watching the show The Deadliest Catch. If you haven't watched it you should. It's on TLC. Anyway they were doing a wives show. And there were these women on TV crying and carrying on about how hard it is to be alone for 6 weeks, or two months, or a season. I'm not 100% sure how long every season is, but I do know that it's not an 18 month season, or two years. Heck it's not even a whole year, so I found myself heckling these women instead of having compassion for them.... Not very nice. I'm gonna work in this I promise!
So when my King is gone, which lately seems to be a lot... we make it. In fact we try really hard to do more than just survive. We try to remain positive, grow and hey have some fun!! It's so easy to dwell on why it's hard, and boo hoo for me, but when I do that, I'm not a good Mom, and I'm no fun to come home to either I'm sure. Plus being a cry baby sure takes a lot of energy! Now I'm not saying I don't have my hard days, cause oh BABY! I DO!! I cry and wail and whine, and if I could get away with throwing myself on the floor and having a tantrum I might try it, but since my kids aren't allowed to do that, I exercise self-control!! I have a good friend who I call, at all hours of the day or night and I tell her why my life is so unfair, and she tells me it's true, and pacifies me, until my next break down! But isn't it awesome that I can do all that! Isn't it cool I have such food friends and family who'll support me!! It is. IT'S AWESOME!
So now here we are with days till my King comes home and we've switched to countdown mode. We clean really well, we grocery shop for his favorites, and I try kinda sorta to clean out the cars so he doesn't know that pandemonium that breaks out there while he's gone. I shave my legs too! Isn't that so nice of me!? I know that this last thing is greatly appreciated! ha ha!
5....4....3....2.... 1 He's coming home!!

Friday Nights!

So once again it's Friday night, and where am I.... surfing the web. I know. Exciting right? Not really, but the kiddos are camped out watching a kiddo flick, and in this small apartment what else is there to do? I remember when I was a wee one! I looked forward to Friday nights. They were when all the fun happened! My Mom and Dad usually went out with friends and so we got pizza and to hang out with the kids of the friends... And if that didn't happen then we got pizza and rented some fabulous VHS or Nintendo game!! AWESOMENESS!!!
But the King of Battle is out training....again. I'm here with the kiddos as usual. It's not fun for other couples to hang out with the loner, and another Mom with a bunch of kids can be fun but not in 900sq feet! So I'm here surfing the web, and posting to my blog... Party Animal!!
I'd better slow down.

Here's the Skinny....

I realize that all of this is very random... It's how my brain functions, I can't help it. Maybe one day I'll figure out organization....
Back in the day I felt like I looked pretty good. Now I've never had a size four figure...or whatever it's cool to be now. But I was happy with my looks. I've never been an athlete, I'm actually quite uncoordinated. I tried to be a dancer, but it was more fun than skill. Now here I am 20ish pounds heavier and not quite so happy about it... I justify myself. I have a husband who's gone lots. I have lots of stress when he's deployed. I have small kids at home, what do I do with them while I exercise?? But really what it boils down to is exercise just isn't high enough on my priority list. There are women, who make it happen. They find the babysitter or take the kids along, or leave them in their beds sleeping at the buttcrack of dawn. (I don't do the buttcrack of dawn. It's not in my genetic makeup. It's physically painful.) Also have I ever mentioned how paranoid I am?? I really am. I can't leave them in their beds sleeping... what if someone breaks in? What if there's a fire? All these things plague me. I can't bring myself to do it. So now what. There are options. I can starve myself... actually that's a little extreme. I could cut out all the things I shouldn't have as a non exerciser! No sugar, soda, less pasta and bread. Low fat, eat fish. Have I ever said how I detest things that have once had gills?? I like food. I like sugar, I really really really love Dr. Pepper!!!!!! It's my downfall. I really know I shouldn't consume it like I do, but I love it. It loves me. I like Mexican food and LOVE Italian food. Do you see why this is such a plight for me? I love all these things. I don't love exercise, but I don't love how I look. I"m shallow. I wanna look awesome, I don't want to give up things I love to do it.... A Rock and a Hard Spot. That's where I am....

Places we've been....

Freiburg Temple... Germany

Some Castle in Prague!

Neuschwanstein Castle ... Germany. This is the castle Walt Disney patterned Cinderella's castle after!!

Hoeschwangau... another Bavarian Castle of King Ludwig