Terrible Twos???

Terrible Twos??? NO not from my sweet and precious little blonde haired, blue eyed boy! He would never have a fit! O has been potty training. Every time he potties in the toilet he gets jelly beans. Well this morning he had an accident so he didn't get jelly beans. My sweet precious O laid in the bathroom floor saying "NO!" for about 5 minutes. Of course I thought it was cute and too funny but he was very upset with Aunt Stacy! :)

Deployment Homecoming

Don is home! It was an amazing homecoming too! The soldiers were greeted by loving friends and family at Green Ramp. For the first time in my deployment experiences we got to stand outside and watch the plane taxi in and see the soldiers exit the plane. The Rolling Thunder and Patriot Guard were there with flags to walk the soldiers up the ramp. Dani got to help hold one of the flags and escort her Daddy and the other soldiers up the ramp. She was very excited! :) Don's mom, sister, and brother-in-law all came to welcome him home. That was neat since they have never had the chance to greet Don on a redeployment. Don's sister and her husband stayed a day with us then returned to Indiana. Don's mom stayed 2 weeks before having to return home. It was fun having family there when Don returned. Dakotah is very happy to have his Dad home so Lusterville is once again testosterone/estrogen even. Dani is very happy to have her Daddy home. I also is extremely happy to have my best friend home. :) WELCOME HOME LUSTER. WE LOVE YOU!

Lusterville Adventure ....

It's that time again ... time to catch up on my blog for the past year. I have been so busy I have let it go but it's time to update and catch up on my blog. In the next few weeks I will be posting lots of things that have happened over the last year of our deployment. I can't believe we made it through another one with the kids both alive and noone in jail :)

It's that time again ...

Well it's that time again ... time for a blog. :)

Don is deployed and well it isn't fun but so is the Army lifestyle. It's what you make of it.

Dani is doing amazing. I am so proud of her. She is taking swimming lessons because she wants to join the swim team in a few months. She is also working toward joining the track team next school year. She joined my gym and is working hard to be healthier. She is making healthy eating choices and quit drinking soda!!! So proud of her! :) Let's see .. oh she is going to an overnight horse camp for a week and is very excited! She is hoping to do some volunteer work this summer and is also taking western style riding lessons. This kid is doing amazing things! She is going to be homeschooled next year except for band and whatever other elective she is taking. She will go to the school on post for band and electives. Gonna be a great school-year for her :)

Dakotah is doing good too. He is working and going to school online. He is doing good. We will soon decide and register for what college classes he will take this fall, something automotive of course. He is enjoying just being a teenager. Oh and he is growing again, getting taller. :)

Both kids are doing good with Don being gone. I am very proud and happy that everyone is doing so well. My kids are growing up so fast and turning into awesome teenagers. I couldn't ask for better kids during a deployment :)

I am doing good. Still going to the gym twice a day and enjoying my time with my kids. I have registered for fall and am procrastinating turning in the rest of my paperwork for financial aid. Need to get myself in gear and go up to the school. I just hate going because they are always busy no matter what time of day I go. I am still babysitting Lil Kota and am now babysitting Taylor too. Taylor is 2 and so sweet and independent. I am just trying to get through this year one day at a time and keep my kids as busy as possible!

Well that is all for tonight. I will try to post here more often. I just forget and get busy and all that garb :)

Life in Lusterville Today ...

I haven't updated this blog in such a long time! Ok here goes ...

We had a wonderful Thanksgiving. I cooked and prepped for Tuesday and Wednesday so I didn't have as much to do on Thursday. We had so much food. I made sweet potato casserole, mash potatoes, stuffing, turkey and noodles, lasagna, chicken alfredo(Don's bday request), green beans, corn, and bread. Our friend, Dan, brought a turkey. For desert I made chocolate/peanut butter squares, cherry pie, apple pie, banana pudding, Don's bday cake, brownies, and pumpkin pie. It was fun hanging out with everyone.

Don's birthday was on Thanksgiving this year. Everyone who knows us knows that I love Don's birthday because he is older than me for about 4 months! This year we got him pretty good. It was so much fun! On Wednesday they had a Turkey Bowl at his unit. A Turkey Bowl is where the different companies play football for a trophy. Well Don brought Dakotah with him to the Bowl and Dani and I went and bought him balloons. When we arrived I went and found the LT and he went with Dani to the car. Don was very confused why Dani brought the LT to our car. When they returned someone called all of A Co. together and LT gave Don one of the balloons and Dani gave him the rest. A Co. also sang Happy Birthday to him. :) So great!!! It was fun for the LT to help in the fun because Don is always messing with him. lol

What else? Dakotah is now being homeschooled. He goes next week to take his entrance exam into the local community college. He is going to dual enroll between homeschool and college. He can take science, history, math, and technology courses at the college. So I will just have to do English. It will hopefully work out well. We go in two weeks to register him for his courses. Then he will start in January. He is still going to the stables and volunteering. My kids are so happy out at the barn. :)

Dani is doing great! She is a little jealous that Kotah is being homeschooled but I'm not pulling her out. She still wants us to buy her a horse but has to wait til we have our own land. I keep telling her that we only have a little under 8 years til her Dad retires and then we can get one. In the meantime she is still going to the stables to volunteer and is loving it!

Dani and I got her Christmas tree up and the presents under it. She was so happy to see her tree. The Christmas tree and lights are her favorite part of the season. She has decided that we need to use clear wrapping paper from now on so she can see what her presents are! :)

Don is doing good. He's just going to work and going to work and going to work ... vicious cycle! lol :)

I'm doing good. I went and collected 750 toys for military kids last weekend. It is a wonderful feeling to know I'm helping these kids have a great Christmas before deployment! I go one more time before I have to hand out the toys to families. My college courses are going. I'm ready for Christmas break. What else? Oh I have been working as a substitute. I have been working one or two days a week.

Well that's the update on Lusterville. Til next time ...