New skirt

So I made this fancy new skirt because everyone knows, my kids don't have anything unstained or unholey. This is because of our lifestyle not our lack of care! I do make nice clothes for them, but they wear them out. Skin their small knees INSIDE of new clothes I make. So then the clothes, that were covered the knee parts are missing some thread(s). Nathalie wanted a skirt for daddy's promotion so here it is. In all of my insensitivity, I informed her that her butt was too big for the skirt. Which was true, her bum is round and thus the skirt was too big in her waist, but just fit her bottom. I apparently spoke in a way that was misunderstood, Nathalie took to Daddy's workout equipment (elliptical) and Tad let daddy know what mommy had done. Daddy corrected this.


Tad has a new haircut, its just like daddy's. Difference is, daddy sits still for his haircuts. I have cut Tads hair many times, but this was the hardest! He kept squirming about and pretending to shoot the cat. Nathalie's hair was cut by a professional, I can only do army haircuts. Yes, I made his clothes too. And her shirt. But not the socks, or shoes or unders....

Chief

My husband was promoted. He is a CW2 now, which means I can call him Chief officially! Previously, he was known as Mr. Abair. This is his promotion ceremony at the motorpool where he works.


Nathalie is pinning his rank on, well its velcro. It used to be, um, pinned on. Tad removed the old rank and Nathalie pinned this one on.


Tad and I pinning the rank on his hat, I took it off and Tad and I put it back on. We have to do it this way because all three of us want to pin him and so we work together.


He is smiling at me because I have put his hat on incorrectly. Mr. Commander took the photos for us.

Taking the oath of office, the new colonel is doing the promotion ceremony.

I am enormously proud, almost as if this were my own accomplishment! Frank insists that is largely because of us that he is the soldier that he is. I am proud of how hard he works, how much he puts into this job. I am happy to be his wife, and to be a part of this. Furthermore, he is very good looking! I didnt see one soldier that was as good looking as he was. I got to kiss him only ONE time. I do feel cheated, but we did make up for that...

Congratulations my love! I am more proud of you than you can imagine.

Conversations with a baby

We have visiting kids today, five extra. We babysit sometimes. Tad loves anything baby, he plays with them, changes their dirty diapers, pats them to sleep, carries them around, teaches them nice things. Here is a convo with a not yet 2 yr old.

baby: uh oh
Tad: Hey baby, can you come and hold this corner of the tent?
baby: No
Tad: Oh baby! come on I am making this tent for you. Do you like it?
baby: No.(tears it down a bit)
Tad: Will you help me?
baby: No
Tad: Do you like the tent baby?
baby: No
Enter 5 yr old brother: Uh oh, what happened to the tent Tad?
baby: uh oh.
Tad: yep thats what happened baby. It was you and your uh oh (fixing babies mess)
baby: oh
Tad: baby do you want me to twist your head off?
baby: no
Tad: do you want to twist my head off baby?"
baby: CAT! (indeed the cat runs thru)
Tad: baby dont get distracted, can you hold this corner of the tent for just a second?
baby: No

Enough said. Tad and Nathalie want babies. Yesterday Nathalie cried. The mommy of these babies is pregnant with a new baby. I am so happy for them. Nathalie and Tad said Oh. Then they were happy for them also. Nathalie prayed last night for a baby. They pray most nights for a baby. I prayed that God will give us what he thinks is best, and I pray that he give me strength and happiness despite the lack of babies so far. He answers this kindly, and I do feel happiness despite. I have more happiness than trials and my trials are probably blessings that I do not yet realize. The tornado was a blessing and who would have expected that?

Playing in the snow

We have had a lot of snow this year, and it looks like we will have a lot more. The Farmer's Almanac warns that this will be the coldest winter in a number of years. This is of course exciting for me because I love cold.


Tad jumping from the tree, I love these jumping shots. This is our old apple tree which didnt make the cut last time we had a big storm.

Nathalie doing her "yabba dabba doo." I dont think she has seen the TV show that comes from but at any rate, its her battle cry when jumping into or out of anything.

They are in the goat yard here, we still have quite a bit of snow out there and pretty much everywhere. We should get more today and tomorrow as well!

Some reasons

He does have a wonderful, humerous personality. He is kind and loving to us, not really super nice to other people that are not us... But thats fine, I do believe I love him more than any person in the world loves any other person. I truly adore him.

Now that aside, shallowly, what does attract us to a person? Well first of all, I think he is quite good looking. My breath still catches in my chest 10 years after the first moment I met him, each time I see him. There is just something arresting about how strong he is, he can chop trees 1800 style with a big ax. And like any good country wife, I stood taking photos and didnt hold back my awe.

Then you have the tree, okay so its not a huge tree but he had no trouble carrying the tree. He picked it up and just walked to the pile with it! Yes, this is a good reason. I will keep him.

Christmas Tree Decorating

We decorated our christmas tree several days after thanksgiving but blogger photo uploading wasnt prepared for my blogging. You got shoe ball late yesterday, so here is christmas decorating a day before christmas!!!

Half-Cat was super interested, she did go after the ornaments. She steals them from the bottom of the tree, carries them upstairs in her mouth and then hides in the long french door curtains. She waits there holding the ornament hostage, the individual dumb enough to rescue it comes away with some injuries. She wants us to rescue them though, and will wait until we come and often reach out a small white foot and pull back the curtain to sneakily check on the status of the rescue.

We put the tree downstairs, we have two living rooms and dining rooms. The downstairs living room is taken up by a pool table and we have a fireplace downstairs as well as up. The dining room has a sewing table and machines, couch and now a tree! We have put all the presents under it and Nathalie and I spent yesterday making stockings (late I know...) and they are now stuffed.

Tad is getting both a hammer and a gun, he will know this is a rights of passage into young manhood according to daddy. Frank doesnt buy someone a hammer who isnt deserving of it work wise. The gun, to Tad, will mean we consider him responsible. This will be his happiest christmas. Nathalies gifts are fabulous as well, but she will have womanhood gifts in a couple more years... Someone help me and tell me what they should be!!!

Thats it, everyone have a wonderful merry christmas with whoever they are with. We have my sister, husband and baby. Mom and significant other didnt make it due to weather, but I know my wonderful mama is here in spirit! I am happier than I have ever been at christmas, to have my husband home. Last christmas was the first and only one we spent apart. I pray to never have another apart, having him is just this side of heaven.

Shoe ball

This is a game called shoe ball. My family wrestles and plays hide and seek during shoe ball, or after, or simultaneously. Here we are ending hide and seek, Frank was caught by the kids and so he "fell" down the stairs.


Frank coming at Tad with a "WACHAH!!!!!" And I caught it in mid air. Lovely picture! Tad has gathered a pretty good heap of shoes here to use as ammo. He who has the most shoes isnt always the winner, Tad aims best, Frank catches best when shoes fly at him and Nathalie hoards the shoes best.


Nathalie taking aim at Frank who is taking solace behind the pool table with the cat.

Here we have a great picture of the shoe in flight. This was my favorite picture of all! Her back is even arched inwards in preparation for the hit!

Tad is being attacked her both by Frank at the front end and the cat at the back end! Half Cat sees this as an opportunity to get someone who is down. She is an evil kitty at heart...

Shielding himself from the onslaught... This wrestling match lasted about 2 hrs all told, wrestling and shoe ball and then ending in hide and seek.

Running around the table, seems endless because no one catches anyone! They usually end up going after each other UNDER the table. Often they are in one big pile, the top person bumping their head...

Half Cat, once again, on the attack! If you zoom in on this picture you can see her evil look and see that she is hooked by all 4 feet!

This is one of the kids favorite pastimes at night. Since Frank came home from Iraq they have played these games many times. This particular night saw my house shoe which was stolen from me, flying INTO the fireplace. I redeemed it before it caught. I assume they are flame retardent from this event! These evenings are the things that our children will grow up and remember and talk about with their kids.