Our Weekend

AJ wasn't feeling all that great this week and by the time Friday rolled around, we all were ready for a nice, relaxing weekend at home.  I'm glad we didn't make any real plans because she ended up coming down with some sniffles yesterday and was pretty sad.

Saturday we just stayed home, D mowed the lawn in the morning and then during nap time I ventured out to the grocery store for our week's worth of food.  D recently told me that he wants to eat healthier, so naturally I made some super unhealthy snacks for game day!  In my defense, we were planning on watching some football, and I had planned on making the stuff before he told me that, honest!

I was really considering going to the Commissary for my groceries because its much, much cheaper than our local grocery store, but luckily decided to just stick close to home.  I'm glad I did, because I totally forgot that the Commissary was having a case lot sale this weekend and I heard it was a total madhouse!

After I got home I made the snacks real fast and we got to watch the second half of the Army v. Northern Illinois game while munching on Buffalo Chicken Dip and Lil Smokies in BBQ sauce.  It was super yummy!

Today has been the official starting day of potty training, take 50.  AJ has just been having so much trouble with it, mostly because of the power struggle.  Every time we start to try it I decide she isn't ready and we go back to diapers.  Well, this time is starting out a lot like all the other times, but D and I are ready for her to be done with diapers, so we're going to really stick with it.  She has the ability to do it, but she doesn't care, so that has been our struggle so far.  Not to mention that she wants to do what she wants to do, when she wants to do it.  Have I mentioned she's 2?

Cross your fingers for us and if you have any helpful tips or words of advice for us on the whole potty training a strong-willed child, please, pass them along!

This afternoon we're heading across the street for a birthday party.  AJ's BFF turned 2 last weekend and today is her party.  With potty training and the sniffles, I'm not sure how long we'll last over there, hopefully long enough for some cake!

Wordless Wednesday

What a lovely face.

Christmas Pictures and Our Card

A few weeks ago we took AJ to have some professional Christmas pictures taken in hopes that we'd find one good enough to use as a Christmas card this year. We came away with some fantastic pictures and I'm really happy with the way they turned out. Here are a few of our favorites, followed by our Christmas card for this year.

The Terror!

On Monday our playgroup hosted a Holiday party so I got AJ dressed in her Christmas outfit and we headed out. I knew Santa was going to be there and I didn't want to miss the opportunity to get a classic terrified-baby-with-Santa picture to display until AJ turns 30.

Really unhappy about the situation.

Still traumatized from the incident.

There is our family's first screaming baby with Santa photo! I will treasure it for years!

Thanksgiving Weekend in Paradise

We went to Florida for Thanksgiving to spend the long weekend with my family. This wasn't the first time AJ has been there, but considering that the last time she was there, she was 9 months old, she had WAY more fun this time!

AJ giving the camera one of her "looks."

AJ and her Obo taking on some waves.

The whole fam, posing for a pic by the beach (in matching shirts).

The Thanksgiving feast! Yum, yum!

AJ's paparazzi photo!

Gorgeous sunset the last day of the trip.

Me and my siblings!

Mimi, AJ and me, walking along the beach.

My dad and brother hanging around with the gator.

Paddle-boarding in the ocean!

Ma and Pa, toes in the water, a$$ in the sand!

Hanging on the beach!

Z and the hammer-head shark we found on the beach.

Our "good" family photo.

The pet gator.

Hubby and me at dinner.

C'mon! Let's get in the water!

The "bad" family photo. ;)

Building sandcastles.

Walking around by herself.

Surfing with Uncle B (one of my fave pics, and in case you're wondering, I was flipping out while this was going on).

B and M. So cute!

AJ hanging out in the cabana.

Studying her findings.

Swimming with Uncle B.

Posing with Uncle B.

Aunt A was not as lucky!

Beach volleyball.

And there you have it folks, our Thanksgiving weekend in a nutshell! As you can tell, we had a great time and all came back very relaxed and rested after our fun in the sun. I have another trip planned for AJ and I in March to spend some time with my sis while she's on Spring Break, so I'm excited to go back!

Some Updates

I'm not sure that I'm back, but I have been feeling like I should write about the things that are happening around these parts, so I'm heeding the call. I don't even know that I'll publish most of the stuff I write, but I figure I'll see where the spirit moves me.


D was in a 6-month-long school that ended and he was home for about 2 weeks before starting his next phase of the program. This phase is already proving to be a bit more unpredictable than the guaranteed-home-by-4:30-everynight routine we had going on before. One day he's home by 2:30 (sweet!) and the next he texts me at 5:45 to tell me he's leaving the office. Oy!


Either way, its one step closer to the next stage, which is still (typical Army) undetermined. We're not sure if we'll be able to stay here or not, but we've got 3 options and we're okay with all of the outcomes.


As for baby girl, well, things are craaaaazay! She is intense. She is emotional. She is stubborn. She is energetic. She is talking!


She has mastered the stairs. She knows what she wants, when she wants it and she will ask for it (typically) by name. She says "please" and "thank you."


Her tantrums have decreased markedly now that she is able to verbally express what she wants or needs, but that doesn't mean that they don't still grace us when she is told "no."


One of her favorite things to do is wash her hands. She also likes to stand on our step stool, ride her rocking horse, color, watch "tt", eat hummus, wear my shoes, kiss the dog, pick berries off our bushes, carry rocks around, pretend to put chapstick on us, blow bubbles (she calls them "bubbos"), make silly cheesy faces when I take her picture, and sit in chairs like a big girl (even though she falls off them).

As for me, I'm counting down the days until Thanksgiving so we can spend some time in (hopefully) sunny Florida! This year we're holding another recipe contest, but instead of appetizers we're tasked with making anything as long as it uses 5 ingredients or less and costs less than $20.


I've been busy with lots of things, but I also feel like whenever there is something I really want to do, like go to the Spouses' Club meetings, or MOPs, things come up (either AJ gets sick or something else). Speaking of AJ getting sick, she's had a few minor colds over the past few months, she also had her first ear infection. It cleared right up once she got on an antibiotic, but we were trapped in the house for almost 2 weeks! Ugh!


We've been trying to be more financially responsible as of late. This means we're introducing some new practices into our everyday lives, namely spending less, saving more and not eating out (like, ever). Its obviously not as much fun as spending more, saving less and eating out all the time, but we all have to grow up someday, right? I guess this is my time.

So folks, that's the update from our house since I last posted a month and a half ago. We're getting ready for Halloween and I, for one, am very excited for all the candy.