A Few Beach Photos

We have another super busy week this week... but I wanted to do a quick post with a sneak peek of some of the photos from our recent trip to Virginia Beach. We had a great time.

Now, the boys and I have been keeping busy with Vacation Bible School in the mornings at our church. I volunteered to be the assistant teacher for the Pre-Kindergarden class (which is Benjamin's class)... and Don has been on a quick trip to San Antonio, Texas for work. But he will be back tonight! Phew. Needless to say... the stresses of everything going on in our lives are starting to really hit.

Just wanted to share these photos for now. Hope to post more soon.

Our Upcoming Move

As many of you already know, we have a lot going on in our lives this summer... the baby due July 21, the move to Germany, selling our home, my becoming a full time stay at home mom, and Don changing jobs as well. And all the things in between there that are somehow part of our crazy lives these days.

We are getting down to the wire now and have been talking to realtors, trying to get some things organized and done around the house, etc. Some days are crazier than others. Today, Don has the day off. We spent some time today getting things together for our passports as well as ready for our upcoming trip to Virginia Beach. Somehow things will come together!

Back in April, Don traveled to Germany and was able to gather quite a bit of information on where we will be living and what it will be like there. We actually traveled to Heidelberg, Germany way back in 1997 before we were married. However, we didn't really check into the on post family housing at the time. So, during Don's more recent trip he was able to send home some photos of a couple of on post houses he looked at. It will really depend on what's available during the time frame we arrive as to where we actually end up. However, I'm posting a few photos of what the living quarters will be like for us there.

I was pleasantly surprised by how modern and clean the places actually seem. They were built during the 1950s but have been renovated recently. Most are one level and with our family of (soon to be) five, we will be approved for a four bedroom, 2 bathroom... but it will probably only be about 1600 square feet total.

When we first arrive, we will be in guest housing there for up to 30 days and it will take some time for us to get the majority of our housing goods. (Guest housing is basically a hotel on base that will also allow us to keep our dogs with us).

So, when do we leave? Well, there are a lot of factors that will play into that so we don't actually have an exact date pinned down yet. We do have dates schedules for stuff to be put in storage, another date for the packers to come for our large shipment to Germany, then another date for when we will have some things flown over that we might need sooner (clothes, linens, crib, some toys, etc). A lot will depend on when our new baby decides to actually arrive. The baby is due July 21 and we will have to have a passport for the baby before we can leave the US. We also have to have a birth certificate in order to get the baby's passport ordered. So, we plan on heading to Illinois in the middle of August and see what happens from there. (Although, if the baby arrives late that could change things a bit!). Don's report date is September 15 so hopefully we will all be settled in together there by then.

Right now, Don, Benjamin and our dog, Campbell are off at the pet store picking out crates that are appropriate to ship our two furry four-legged family members. They suggested purchasing them a couple months out so the dogs have some time to get used to them. We don't foresee any issues with Loudoun... she is currently crated when we are not home and actually enjoys spending time in her crate when we are home (she's in there right now... sleeping away!) But Campbell does NOT like to be confined and will probably need some serious coaxing to become acclimated to some time in a crate. Poor lil doggies... I think I dread the flight to Germany more for them than for me!

Okay, now onto some laundry and packing for our beach trip...

1st Trip to the Dentist

This morning at 8:15 a.m. the boys both had their first visit to see the dentist. Benjamin was a little hesitant about going but had an awesome first experience at a local pediatric dentist office.

Being that it was a pediatric dentist they obviously deal with kids daily. The waiting room was stocked with enough toys to keep them entertained during our short wait as well as having the kids' movie "Ratatouille" playing on a t.v.

Right off the bat they took Benjamin in for x-rays. He's never had any sort of x-rays before so this was something new for him. He sat like a champ though and they told him they were going to send his pictures of his teeth to Superman. He thought that was pretty cool.

Then he was off to spend a little time with the dental hygienist. She was awesome. She explained everything to him in terms he'd understand and was really patient with him. He kicked back and watched t.v. while she cleaned his teeth and gave him a fluoride treatment (ick!). She asked him how many teeth did he think he had. He said "20" and he was right! (Apparently, they went over this in Preschool when a dentist came to visit. The kid remembers everything).

Then the dentist took over and counted his teeth. He too was great with Benjamin! He told Benjamin he was just learning to count so that he was going to need Benjamin's help so if he made any mistakes, Benjamin should let him know. It didn't seem like Benjamin was really paying attention but every time the doctor skipped a number Benjamin piped up! It was cute.

Before Benjamin got out of the chair, he got his picture taken with the dentist since it was his first visit. And they printed a copy for us before we left! (which are the pictures I'm posting).

Samuel was next. He was a lot more reluctant. He had just watched his brother sit in the dentist's chair for a bit and was not sure about taking his turn. So, the dentist had me sit in the seat and he sat on my lap (what's left of my lap these days anyway). Samuel wasn't as willing to open up his mouth like a lion but he did great and didn't cry one bit. The dentist was happy. Apparently, at that age they often have to literally hold the child down to get a good look. Luckily, not in our case! Phew. The dentist did inform me that Samuel's teeth are very crowded and that is usually an indication that it will be more so when the adult teeth eventually come in. (Another words, start saving for the orthodontist now!) He also does not have his 2 year molars yet which should arrive by the time he's 3 years old. It seems that all his teeth have really come in a little later than average. The dentist just said this usually means they'll just fall out later.

I was a lil nervous that we'd be returning to the dentist soon since this was our first visit (especially since Benjamin is already four and a half) but they both had good checkups with NO CAVITIES! Yippee!!!

Benjamin thought it was a great experience. They left with new toothbrushes, kid's toothpaste, balloons, and a couple of things from their toy machine which the hygienist gave them each a token for. (All I remember as a kid was that my dentist's office had a really cool fish tank. That was my highlight. Apparently, times are changin!)

They did so great that we stopped at a nearby playground. It was a beautiful morning and I thought we better take advantage of the coolness of the morning hours and enjoy some play time. We stayed at the playground for about an hour and the kids had a blast.

Benjamin has been praying for sometime now on his own for God to give him strength so that he can do the monkey bars. And today, at this playground he made it through 5 rungs on the monkey bars before he fell down (there were only 2 rungs left). I was so proud of him and he was all smiles. And then he informed me that God helped him do it. It's moments like that which just make my heart melt as a Mom.

Our Sunshiney Morning

Today was a another beautiful day that turned into an evening of thunderstorms... it seems to be quite the routine here lately. I'm not complaining... everything is green and we have still been able to enjoy much of the sunshine during the daylight hours.

The morning started with Benjamin waking at 5:30 a.m. ugh. He hasn't done that in awhile and I've recently been enjoying sleeping until around 7 a.m. Ahhhh... the life. I know I will soon be sleep deprived once again when the baby arrives next month but I so do enjoy those mornings that both boys manage to sleep until 7 a.m.

The boys and I spent much of the morning hours outside in the backyard today. They have a sandbox and a water table (among other things) in our small backyard to keep them busy. It was a nice warm morning... not sweltering hot and the boys enjoyed putting monster trucks into the sandbox, burying them, rediscovering them, then rinsing them in the water table. I think they could have done this for endless hours. But eventually it came to lunch time. So, we all came in and the boys quickly disappeared up the stairs while I picked up the backyard a bit.

As I came up the stairs, Benjamin was coming down the stairs and announced that we will no longer be able to go poo poo in their bathroom. hmm... Interesting, I thought. "Why is that Benjamin?" Apparently, the toilet paper roll hanger had come unscrewed from the wall and was no longer holding toilet paper. So, in his mind, this lead to no more being able to wipe the ol bottom in his bathroom. Funny how that mind works sometimes!

So, I told him mommy would fix that with a screw driver and I was on my way. Then I entered the bathroom and discovered Samuel perched up on the sink counter top bathing his feet in the sink. Yes, they were sandy and griddy from playing out in the sandbox but I didn't realize he'd take matters into his own hands (or feet in this case). All he said to me was "Soap." So, we finished washing up his piggy toes and moved onto fixing the toilet paper roll mount then were onto lunch.

Overall, we had a good day which included a visit from our teenage babysitter... which allowed me to run a couple of errands and receive a much needed reprieve! (I'm so happy that the schools are almost out for the summer here and that I can soon have her come help more often!)

Our Boys and Their Flags

We have been keeping extremely busy... or so it seems... but I wanted to post a few photos that I took of the boys a couple of weeks ago that I just finally got around to downloading from my new camera.

Memorial Day weekend I happened to come upon a bunch of American flags that we had put out for Don's homecoming so we stuck many of them in the yard once again... and the boys have really been enjoying them! However, they don't seem to be staying in one place very long. Everytime I turn around a flag seems to be in a different place. Sometimes it's the little things that prove to be entertaining!

Bye Bye Hope Preschool!

Last Wednesday was Benjamin's last day as a Cardinal at Hope Preschool. It was highlighted with an ice cream social that parents and siblings were invited to so Samuel and I joined him in his classroom that day. He was excited about two things that day more than anything... he got to bring in the "Surprise Bag" (which meant he got to choose something from home and bring it in so the other kids could guess what was in the bag by giving clues as to what it smells like, tastes like, sounds like, etc.). And he also got to be the weather person that day! It was a great way for him to wind up his school year.

This was his second year at Hope and he enjoyed just about every minute. The week before school was out this year he cried a little bit one day on the ride home. He was upset that the school year was coming to an end and that he wouldn't see his Cardinal friends any more.

Benjamin enjoyed his class routine this year and learned so much more than I could have ever imagined! I can remember back to the first day of school when he came home excited that he learned how to write the letter "B". And he could. So, I was impressed with his teachers (Mrs. Nickles and Mrs. Snegosky) this year from day 1! Now, he can write his name like a champ (well, the letter "J" is usually backwards but we're working on it!) and he can write just about all the letters of the alphabet as well as many numbers. He has learned quite a bit of Spanish... numbers, calendar, etc. He even learned how to say a prayer in sign language. (As I sit here now, he is writing a math problem on a chalk board... "1+2=3"). Some days he was coming home from school teaching me a thing or two!

So, where does Benjamin go from here? Well, Benjamin's birthday is September 28 and if we were staying here, in the state of Virginia, we would have to decide if he would go onto kindergarten or enjoy another year of preschool (the VA school cutoff is September 30 so he just makes it). A few months ago at the parent teacher conference, his teacher evaluated him and recommended that he would benefit from another year of preschool. (Although, since that conference I feel as though he's made leaps and bounds of progress! She did say he exhibited some of the youngest behavior in his class... well, he was, indeed, the youngest.)

So, onto Germany... the cut off date there for kindergarten on post schools is September 1. Decision made. He will not be able to attend kindergarten for another year. When Don was in Heidelberg a couple of months ago he stopped by the child development center and picked up some information regarding the on post preschool programs. Registration doesn't start until July and we hope to get him into a 5 day program there. We shall see.

We are looking forward to many great things from Benjamin. He is such a witty, kind and caring boy whose memory always amazes me. We are so proud of him in so many ways and are thankful for the foundation that Hope Preschool has help lay for him academically and socially.