So Proud of You.

Geoff is home! It is so nice to be together as a family again. Thanks to everyone for the calls, e-mails and prayers while he was gone. And we are SO proud of you Geoff for completing another deployment!

As for the actual homecoming at the airport....it didn't go quite as I had pictured it in my mind.

I knew Geoff's plane was supposed to land at 11:15. I knew that we could meet him at the gate if I had a copy of his orders. The morning was going smoothly. I was getting some last minute cleaning done...the boys were playing well together. Then I started to get ready. I couldn't decide what to wear. I couldn't find matching shoes for the boys...as in one right shoe and one left shoe of the same kind not as in matching their outfit. And then I couldn't find the orders. I have known exactly where that piece of paper has been for the last 130-odd days...and I can't find them! I have been doing lots of paper organizing (filing, shredding, recycling) and I can't remember where I put it. Time is ticking...I am running SO late...and I say one last prayer and THINK about it and find the orders on top of a bookcase! I hurry the boys into the van and speed off to the airport. I arrive just after 11 (it is a small airport and we live only minutes away) and run to the security where they direct me to the check-in counter to get a pass for all of us. What?! I didn't know I had to get a pass. So we go over to the counters when I realize I don't know what airline he is flying on...find out from another agent that it is Delta....which of course is the only counter that is busy. I tried calling Geoff twice on his cell phone to tell him if he has landed just to come on down the escalator but he never received the message because he has no signal in the airport. I noticed that there wasn't anyone at the security area so I figured maybe I hadn't missed him....then my phone rings. It is Cortney calling to tell me that Geoff is at the baggage claim (which is literally around the corner....if I would have just kept walking 40 steps or so past security when I first arrived I probably would have found him)!

Geoff said that he went straight to the baggage claim when he knew the plane landed early. (Yes, his plane landed 15 minutes early...when does that happen?!!) Then he noticed people from the squadron starting to gather and he kind of just snuck up behind them. They jokingly told him that he needed to go up the escalator so they could welcome him officially. Our friends' kids even made signs that they didn't even get to hold up....I felt bad that we didn't get to meet him at the gate...but the the main outcome was achieved: Geoff home safe and healthy! Yay!

The boys saw Geoff coming...they smiled and immediately started pushing their Mater trucks on the floor. But they kept looking up at him and watching him. So they were aware, and happy, but just not sure what to do about it. It didn't take them long to warm up to him though.

Here is a video our friend Jason caught of our reunion:
http://sharing.theflip.com/session/218a4b239b276b9efd1eeea5d86d1142/video/6010820

Here is most of the crew who came out to welcome Geoff home:

The best signs ever! Thank you Lauren and Jacob!

The squadron left this amazing basket on our door with wine, sparkling cider, cheesecake, cheese and crackers and all kinds of goodies as a welcome home gift. We thought that was awesome.

And Geoff loved the welcome home sign. Thanks Cara for letting me borrow it! =)

To celebrate, we went to a restaurant on the beach for dinner than played in the sand afterward.

Perfect end to a perfect day.

Happy Birthday Boys!

J and W turned three about two weeks ago. We were in Tennessee visiting Grandma, Papap, and Uncle P.J. and here is how we spent their special day...

I took a couple of pics of the boys immediately after they woke up...here they are with bed head but looking so cute and grown up:

We made birthday smiley face chocolate chip pancakes and fruit...(yes, those are socks sewn onto their jammie tops so they don't itch at night...normally we take them off before they eat....)

then moved on to opening some birthday cards and gifts...

...then had a birthday lunch at Red Robin where the waitresses brought out big sundaes and sang to them (the boys were disinterested...and didn't touch the ice cream)...they were too busy ocusing on the balloons in the front of the restaurant...

...then we had some yummy cupcakes from a local cupcake bakery (the owner doesn't use eggs in her vanilla and chocolate cupcakes!)

We put candles in the vanilla ones because they looked birthday-ish....but then put out the chocolate one soon after and the boys are definitely my boys...forget the vanilla--they went for the chocolate!

...and then we watched them enjoy all their new trinkets for the rest of the day to include life-like wooden snakes daddy sent from overseas....and hand-carved wooden flutes....our little snake charmers....

I ordered the Williams-Sonoma train cake pan on e-bay before their birthday but it was sent to our house instead of my parent's house....so we will be making a train cake when Geoff gets home so he can celebrate with us too.

Candle

I burned a candle last week so long that it melted completely in the center and spilled onto the table. The wax cleaned up easy but I left the candle out. The next morning W spotted the candle and said:

"Someone BITE the candle!"

It's Gonna Be a Long Night

J was in my bed at 5:20 this morning asking about a truck of some sort. Fast forward 12 hours, zero naps, and a very long day we get this:

J passing out even before getting out of his chair after dinner. At 5:30 p.m. He was still asleep after I took off his shirt...but then woke up...

I had to change his diaper, clothes, etc. so he woke up for that and it is now 6:47 p.m. and someone is banging on their door. Not.a.good.sign.for.me. They are both so overtired that they will either be up (tag team style) all night....or will be up very early in the morning.

And funny, it was J yesterday who fell asleep while I was in the commissary...

Bargains Baby

A ridiculous deal I got yesterday at one local thrift store:

All of these books plus six more that the boys had in their room while I took this picture:

Plus this very large air craft carrier-thing that even has wheels (we need to get batteries today to see how it works), a bag of cars, and an REI long sleeve winter top (which the boys will need when they learn to ski in Oregon!)

All for $12.25.

Getting Around.......

We really were not out on a mission to allow the boys to sit in, ride in, stand in, or lie in as many modes of transportation as possible on our trip to TX and OKC.

It just looks that way.

In addition to all of the trains in a previous post....

Air conditioned water taxis (aren't those the best kind?):

Tackling poor Grandpa on the water taxi....yes, both of them:

Motorcycles (we just borrowed the neighbor's for a picture):

Golf Cart (again, we took the neighbor's cart):

Is this a preview of what's to come? Look at W's face while he is driving...he is on a mission!

Tractors:

More Tractors:

Tankers (courtesey of Aunt JJ-our most favorite tanker pilot in the world):

Pick-up Trucks (we believe they enjoyed riding sans car seats in the truck more than the tanker):

More river boatboats:

Space Capsules: