"The Summer Night is Like a Perfection of Thought"

Well, we had our 2nd annual Lauman Ave. Fourth of July BBQ yesterday, which will also, sadly, be our last, as our core group will all be gone by next July. It's a very bittersweet thing because as much as we're all very excited to move on - The Cappellos, leaving the Army and moving back to Philly, the Whites, staying in the Army and heading out West to California, and the Moodys, also leaving the Army and moving back to the only place we'll ever call home, Texas - we're also very sad to say goodbye. We've had some great times over the past year and a half and the 4th of July has again proven to be one of the greatest celebration weekends of them all.



We do it up big on Lauman... more food than any one group of people should be able to eat in an evening, lots and lots of good, cold beer (this item being so important to some that they were willing to drive down to Texas to get "real" beer, as Oklahoma only sells a weaker version), a very competitive Washers tournament, lots of happy, messy, squealing babies, and some of the best conversation I think I'll ever have.




The Army is an amazing thing with its ability to bring together such a vastly diverse group of people who would likely never be friends otherwise and bond us in such a way that it feels like we've know each other for a hundred years. And this special bond we share will make it much harder when its time for us to part ways, but in the meantime, we've made some pretty priceless memories.




And as proud as I am to be an American with the freedom to celebrate this special holiday, I am that much prouder to be the wife of an American soldier with the privelege of sharing the celebration with so many others who have afforded a little bit of their freedom to secure yours and mine. God Bless America!


And just for the sake of summertime, I have to throw these in... it's just not a summer celebration without some good, juicy watermelon!

Baby Grows Up, Mommy Gets a Job

Lessons learned this week: (1)Babies grow up way, way, way too fast and (2)There is a reason I am a high school teacher instead of early childhood.

I've been knowing #1 for a while now, I suppose, but it hit me hard when Wyatt and I were walking out the door for our first day of "school"/work, him with his little puppy backpack and matching lunchkit, me running behind him snapping pictures. It's hard for me to believe that he is almost 16 months old - he shouldn't even be big enough to carry his own backpack - and there he goes wearing it proudly, toddling off to go meet his new school friends. While I love every second of watching him grow up and learn new things, and I couldn't be more proud of the little thing, some days I wish just a little that I could swaddle him up like I used to and rock him for more than 10 seconds before he's off and running. And yesterday I was just sending him off to daycare... heck, not even sending him off, I was going to be at the same place as him all day! But before I know it I'm gonna be packing up his car and watching him leave for college! Ok, ok let me not get carried away here... he's 15 months old. And it's daycare. And it was so, so, SO cute. See for yourself.






Now for lesson #2 - I have never in my life heard the words "I need to go potty" as many times as I did on Tuesday. I promise you I spent close to 85% of my day taking various children to the bathroom. A class full of potty trained or nearly potty trained children is a blessing and a curse. It is nice to have a break from diaper changing all day (although, there are still a few incidents and when they happen they're much, much worse than a baby's) but it's almost just as irritating to have to help kids pee all day. I think that most of them just like to go cause they get to wash their hands when they're finished which means they get to play with the soap. Also irritating/entertaining is that the great majority of them strip their pants and underwear completely off when they go to the bathroom and then run out half naked to tell us that they're done. WOW. Never a dull moment.

It also gets really old saying, "No, so-and-so, we don't take toys from our friends. Now give so-and-so the ball back and say you're sorry." Talk about a broken record! Thankfully, these kids are pretty darn cute and say and do lots of sweet stuff in between potty breaks.

All of this said, I think I will really enjoy my new job - it's a good break in our regular routine, gives Wyatt and I both something to do a couple times a week, and allows us to put a little extra cash in the bank. But it is also a wonderful reminder of why I became a high school teacher and not a kindergarten teacher. Not that high school students don't often act like 2 year olds, but at least they don't need help going to the bathroom and they can blow their own noses... most of them anyway.

Daddy Love

I am busily working on my Florida Vacation post, but it's gonna be a long one and, in the meantime, I thought it would be appropriate to take a minute on this beautiful Sunday morning to say Happy Father's Day to the two best Dad's I know - my sweet Dad and Tyler, who is celebrating his second Father's Day today!

My dad has been the best dad a girl could ask for and may even be guilty of spoiling me just a little :)



And now he is such a proud Grandpa who couldn't possibly love his three little grandsons more. And I think he's just a little excited about having his first grandDAUGHTER in a few months - wonder if she'll be spoiled, too?



Then there's Tyler... The proudest moment of his life was 15 months ago when he laid eyes on his first baby boy and he's been puffed up ever since.



He loves this little guy more than anything in the world and he shows it. He's become a wonderful diaper changer, breakfast maker, bubble blower, ball thrower, and all around great daddy. They make quite a team, those two.



So I want to wish a very Happy Father's Day to two of the most wonderful men in my life and I hope they know how much they are loved and appreciated every day! ♥

Pure Florida Bliss

Well, here we are, back in Lawton after a beautiful week in sunny Florida. While I hate to seem dissatisfied with where I live, I gotta say, after 7 days in Destin, Lawton is not exactly paradise. But I suppose that's what vacation is all about - taking a few days to escape from the norm, shucking all schedules and responsibilites (that's where the Grandparents come in), and then, just when you're growing quite accustomed to living on beach time, you find yourself strapped back in a car with 908 miles between you and the reality that awaits you in Southwest Oklahoma.

But let's not let reality get in the way here... this post is all about beaches and ocean and good times. (Here's a little preview.)



This week long trip to my happy place began with a very looong 14-hour road trip, whcih I thought would be more eventful than it was, but because I have been blessed with what must be the sweetest and most well-behaved toddler on the planet, it was cake. Save for the last 45 minutes of the trip in which all 3 of us passengers were in what you might call "Melt Down Mode," the trip was nothing like what I'd psyched myself up for. We headed out at 8 pm, Wyatt's bedtime, hoping for a full night's rest for him and that's exactly what we got.

Here's Wyatt all ready to go!


We made a 6am stop for a McDonald's breakfast, a 10am stop in Mobile, AL for a look around the children's science museum and lunch in a precious little downtown cafe,




and were in Destin by 1pm, exhausted and maybe slightly irritable, but who cares, we were there!

And this was Wyatt minutes after arriving at our condo...



And because I think pictures will do the week better justice than my words, the rest of this post will be just that, with picture descriptions as needed. Please enjoy, we certainly did :)

Our beautiful condo and the view from our 15th floor balcony...




My sister's 30th birthday celebration


Complete with all you can eat chicken spaghetti!


Sweet pajama-clad boys scoping out the beach before suiting up and heading down...


One happy little boy's first time in the sand :)


A family sandcastle building affair (yes, my swimsuit has a skirt, I'm the oldest 24 year old in the world)


There was snack sharin' on the beach


And snack sharin' in the condo


And lots more pure cuteness...






There was a trip to Johnny Rocket's, a delicious hamburger joint



and a trip to the mall (which had no maternity stores, so I left empty handed)


Wyatt tried his hand at boogie boarding (on land)



And the big boys went deep sea fishing








And then a little boy and a big boy went parasailing together!




And we took some beautiful family pictures - This is one great looking family, if I have to say so myself :)



Just looking through and posting the pictures makes me wish I was back there, but duty calls (that's right, I got a job - post coming!) It was a much needed, much enjoyed vacation for us all and until next year, we've got our sweet tans and some wonderful memories!