191 Days Down Celebration

Yesterday the CAV had a celebration to celebrate 191 days down for the deployment. We are over half way done and ready for the end to come!! We are actually at 212 days past, but we used a play on words since our squadron is 1-91. We had a big BBQ with hot dogs and hamburgers for all the families. Then we had troop competitions for both the spouses and the kids. I think everyone had a great time out there, minus the cold weather!

We also had a cake decorating contest. There were some really neat cakes made, and they were also very tasty! We had our Garrison leads come out to judge the cakes! After announcing the winners, the cakes were all eating very quickly!!

I sure hope the next 5ish months go fast!!! As for now... I am looking forward to August when Jay comes home for R&R! I can't wait to be with him again!!

Happy Father's Day!!

This father's day is making me sad because my entire family is home and I'm stuck in Germany! I wish I could be with my dad and with the rest of my family! I would say maybe next year, but I don't see that happening either!!
My dad is the greatest because he can do anything! Whatever you ask of him, he'll figure it out! I already have a list for him when he comes to visit in November! One of the things on the list is to check out my car. I was told at it's last inspection that it needed new brakes. Well.... I haven't done that yet and the brakes work just fine! So, by November, they should probably be looked at, and Dad's the one to do it!

I have always been a daddy's girl, even still today! When I went home this past August, I still did this...

I will never be too big for my dad's lap! I know, I'm old and I shouldn't be doing that! But it's fun, even if my dad gets squished!!

I hope all you fathers out there have a fantastic day! Enjoy your children and spend lots of time with them!

Almost to the end!

The end of the school year is almost here! Tomorrow is my last day with kids. I have three works days after that, but no kids! I am really excited to be done. You can't tell that I'm excited though. Instead, you would think that I've been run over by a semi! By the end of the day today I had lost all steam. I was barely holding my eyes open! We were supposed to have our field day today! But the weather was... well, normal German weather. Very cloudy, quite chilly, and rainy. We were able to spend a while outside roller skating in the morning. It drizzled on us, but not too bad. Instead of working on cleaning my classroom, I decided to skate with me kids! I had a good time. After lunch, we were supposed to head back outside to do different activities for the rest of the day. They called it off though because it was raining. So, major change of plans. I had to keep the kids in the room for two hours, doing nothing. We started a movie, but everyone got bored. So then we pulled out the board games. We survived, but it wasn't too fun. By the end of the day, I was nearly crawling!

But the fun part of the day.... two of my greatest friends over here walked into my classroom with a bouquet of BEAUTIFUL flowers!! Angie and Elizabeth brought them to me, saying they came from Afghanistan! They picked out my absolute favorite flowers.... daisies, and in my favorite colors.... dark pink and white! Perfect!! It was a celebration that I made it through the school year! And a celebration it will be!! It's been a tough one!

Tomorrow should go fast, with an awards ceremony in the morning, a picnic for lunch, send the kids to specials, and then a few minutes before sending them home!! I think I can finish it off!! This year has definitely been driven by God. I certainly couldn't have pulled it off on my own. I'm so glad he's leading my life!

Softball Celebration

Yesterday, we had our final softball celebration. We ended the season being CYS Softball Champs of Bavaria (southeast Germany). I am pretty proud of that! I have coached these girls for two years now and have seen so much improvement. We ended the season by going out to eat, handing out awards, and then swimming for a few hours! I had a great time with the girls!

Softball and School

Yesterday was a very long day for me. I went with my softball girls to our last jamboree for the season! It was an absolutely beautiful day!! Couldn't have asked for anything better! The sun was shining and it was warm! I loved the warmth, even though others got hot!! We car pooled to Ansbach where we played two games. The first game was miserable. It was our first and only loss of the season! The girls were sleeping on the field. We were doing everything we could think of to try to wake them up... cheering loud, acting silly, feeding them popsicles in the dugout... but nothing worked. Sadly, we got stomped big time!! I think I was more depressed than the girls were! We then had a fantastic lunch that the parents brought. We grilled hamburgers, hot dogs and brats, and had tons of sides to go with! It was great!! I had the girls throwing a half hour before the next game to get them awake and ready. And it must have worked! They played the second game like they have been playing all season! We ended up winning that game 20-9. It could have been a lot worse, but I was trying to be nice. I was holding my girls on third base and not letting them steal home. The parents were yelling at them to run, but they were good and listened to me. Before the second game, I told the girls that we would go swimming for our final celebration if they won. I wasn't really being serious about it, but as soon as the game was over, they all head me accountable. So next weekend, the whole team is going to the pool. It will be fun!!

Part of the team... with me braiding hair.

The sun was really beating down all day. Thankfully I remembered to bring my sunscreen. I put it on my head three times throughout the day so my part in my hair didn't burn. I coated the rest of me twice, before each game. But... by the evening, I noticed I missed a few spots. On the back side of both arms I have red spots. It's not an easy place to reach! They aren't burnt, just a bit red. Could have been much worse. I'm just glad I put sunscreen on the rest of me so I wasn't all red!

If you look closely.... you'll notice a frustrated coach by third base!!

Once I got home, I quickly showered and got dressed up to go to our end of the school year party with all of the teachers. We went to a fancy restaurant down town. I walked there so I didn't have to worry about my car. It wasn't too far away. We had a nice meal and then went outside for the formal portion of the night. Our principal stood up and said who was all leaving and what their plans were. She said that a few of the teachers and going to follow their husbands this next year. Two of them are also Army wives and are moving back to the states. For me, she said I will be following my husband, but not until he gets back from Afghanistan! We received a nice book about Schweinfurt. Unfortunately, it's all in German, so don't have a clue what it says. It will be a nice keep sake to have to remind us about where we lived for our first several years together!

Once I got home again, I found the couch quickly!! I was ready to get off my feet! It was a long day, but a very good one! I'm glad softball is over so I can have a few more hours during the week to do other things, but I'm sad at the same time. I had a great group of girls and we had a great season!! Maybe I'll do it again next year! I've done it two years now, so we'll see!!

Weekend with the Hudson's

I spent all of Memorial weekend with the three Hudson kids!! They come from an amazing family with wonderful parents! I was so excited to spend the weekend with the kids because I knew it would be fun! And I was right!! We had a great time.

I went to their house Friday after school. We played outside until the sun went down. Then it was supper, baths, and to bed. On Saturday, we went with my friends (Pettit's and Elizabeth) to the zoo in Nurnberg.

It was an absolutely beautiful day! We wondered around the zoo, looking at all the animals. It was a slow trip with the three little ones. They were very intrigued by the animals. Little Elisabeth had fun making animal sounds. Here we are looking at the penguins!

My head was constantly swivling to keep up with all of them. I need more practice!! I never lost any of them, so that was good!! But I couldn't have done it without help! Elisabeth liked to stop and look at the animals. I would look down and she wasn't beside me. Instead she was against a fence looking at the animals. The boys attached to Kyle, and Beth and Elizabeth helped count heads for me. I was grateful for their help!!

Best Buds... Kyle and William

Elizabeth with the kids

(Sorry Beth... I don't have a picture of you!)

On Sunday, we went to church and spent the rest of the day playing outside! It is so great that they have a nice place to play. I miss all that time spent outside. I can't do that where I live. And it reminded me how fun it is to be a kid again.... not caring how dirty you get or if you're sitting in wet grass. Such fun!!

On Monday, we took a lazy morning. At least the kids did. I was in the kitchen getting food ready. We went to a picnic to celebrate the day. The kids had fun playing with many other kids around. It definitely wore them out! But as soon as we got home, outside they went to play some more!

I learned a lot about parenting this weekend. John and Carolyn have trained their children really well. They are such great little ones! I hope Jay and I can be as great of parents as they are! The best part of the whole weekend... being able to do Elisabeth's hair. I had it in braids everyday. It is so long and beautiful! I can't wait to do that to my own little girl some day!! This was her Sunday morning do.

Elisabeth has this hanging on her wall in her room. It has her initial on the top and a long ribbon full of bows. I can't wait to decorate my little girl's hair with bows! Such fun!