Too Much Time on My Hands

Too Much Time on My Hands

To keep myself distracted I destroy about one room every couple of days. Purging, reorganizing & simplifying it. I am also moving some stuff around...it helps me cope.

I decided to bring my blog back after a very wonderful & eventful summer. Too much happened to catch everyone up on everything but short story, we had a wonderful time as a complete family. Right now we are down to 3 from 6. Alexis & Kaiden went back to their mother's in Arkansas & the man of the house has deployed until Christmas time. But we here back home, even though we miss them all too much to put into words, are surviving.

Today was my first full day without my Chachi & it was a serious adjustment. We went about 24 hours without communication which I think is the longest break in the last 2 years, since my deployment. We haven't even had an argument that lasted more than 8 hours... I miss that man like crazy. It's funny how the most annoying traits in someone are the first things you miss.

Well for my first entry I am going keep this pretty short, but I am going to try my hardest to write here everyday. Sort of a deployment diary. Katie has a "snake" calendar that she gets to use to countdown til Chachi returns, today's snake ring said "Say your ABC's" which she did perfectly. Ryan has pretty much been asleep all day, I think he is hitting a growth spurt. I am pretty blessed. Hope all is well with everyone out there, thank you for your love & support!

Katie Quote of the Day:

"Is Chachi going to be home when we get there?" (No Remember he is at work far far away) "Oh I forgot. Sorry. I miss him.

Don't Call it a Comeback

Coloring Fool

So Katie & I have been doing a lot of drawing and coloring lately because it is an activity that allows me to sit. She usually tells me what to draw (I have no talent). Here, she asked me to draw a crab and for some reason my pregnant brain went more towards some lobster looking creature.

I know it has been a while since I have been on here but my energy level has been idling around zero for some time but now that the doctor has reduced my work hours and I have some more "free" time. I will try to get on here as much as I can. I can't even image what my time is going to be like when Ryan gets here and then Alexis & Kaiden but I am so looking forward to it.

I had an OB appointment on Monday. Not only did they reduce my hours but they gave me a sneaker wavier, which means I don't have to wear my boots anymore with my uniform. Starting at my next appointment on the 5th of April I will be starting non-stress tests too. Ryan is still very active in there and I have had a lot of Braxton Hicks contractions but other than that it is getting better all the time.

Work has been alright as of late, I am still busting my ass with no notice but oh well that is life. I have of course gotten a lot of gripes about my hours being reduced but they are just jealous, but honestly do you think any of those men making comments would take the 4 hour shifts and carry this kid? I don't think so! I just do my job the best I can and know that is all I can do.

I am really getting excited about Alexis & Kaiden coming, we miss them so much! Katie talks about all the fun things they are going to do with her and where they will sit at dinner, which by the way hasn't been happening as much as I would like but my energy to cook dinner comes and goes. I haven't seen a picture of Alexis & Kaiden in well over a month, I bet when I finally do they will look so different. I miss seeing their faces regularly, but I will make sure I take tons while they are here.

Speaking of picture taking, I have a few friend lined up so I can start practicing having actually shoots. In fact I have one this Sunday. I have a lot of great photographer friends helping me and guiding me along the way too which really helps. Each time I take that camera out I feel more and more confident. I even bought a new lens the other day and am dying to try it out!

Oh well that is enough for now. Hopefully I will be back tomorrow!

Katie's quote of the day:

"Alexis can play baseball with me, Kaiden can't. He has to sit & watch, boys can't play baseball."

Hello Sunshine

Sunny Dayz

Finally a beautiful day and of course it came on my first day back at work after a little vacation. I was able to have the sunroof & windows open and enjoyed the sun on our skin and cool breeze on our faces.

Today I tested for Technical Sergeant and I already know it is not happening for me. It is hard enough to take that test in perfectly good health, your suppose to get a good nights sleep, eat a good breakfast and just feel good to be able to take this test and do well. Being pregnant really hinders a lot of that. I was so uncomfortable, I had to pee (you cant leave the testing room at all) and people were annoying the crap out of me. Shaking legs, sniffling noses, and just over all annoying gestures that are amplified in what should be silence. So no I do not feel I did well at all but there is always next year.

After testing I went into work and did some catching up. It was a decent day, people weren't as judgemental as usual and were kind of friendly but I really felt like crap all day. The "morning" sickness has come back and I just get really crampy when I walk too much and at work even though I have a desk job, I do a lot of standing and walking. Plus if you add the stress of my job it just makes for a hard day's work.

Once I got home and was able to take off my uniform, which has become extremely uncomfortable especially after not wearing it for a week I started to feel really good and really productive. Katie played outside in the yard with the puppies, and I was able to clean the kitchen, pick up the house, grill dinner, shampoo the carpets and put away laundry. Dinner was awesome, I actually grilled veggies out on the grill with a few select meats. I always cook extras so I don't waste the charcoal and Chachi has quick easy lunches ready for him. Now Katie is in the tubby and I am chilling in bed watching American idol. A very happy productive day!

Katie's quote of the day:

"Mommy your belly is big, and ours match"

(Thanks kid that makes mommy feel good cause your tummy is cute and flat lol)

Too Much Time on My Hands

Roper Photography

Today I took the first step in trying to make something out of my love of taking pictures. I created a fan page on Facebook and hopefully will have some people interested in letting me practice taking pictures of their families.

http://www.facebook.com/home.php#!/pages/Roper-Photography/370259624724?ref=nf

Today was my last day of my little mini-study vacation. Tomorrow is the big test, I am not really expecting much but at least I gave it a little effort. The gist I am getting is that it super hard, so I am just going to try my best and see what was meant to be.

I woke up super early again but it's fine, it just means it won't be so hard tomorrow. I woke Katie up around 0745 and asked her if she wanted to go to Lesleighs or stay with me, and surprisingly she said me & she followed it up with because I love you so very much. Gotta love that. We took Neko in to get fixed and then had to run by my work to do a couple things. After a quick stop in to see Chachi we headed home for the rest of the rainy day. We played here and there, watched Scrubs and I played around on the computer. There was a little studying but I am not going to burn myself out the day before the test.

After Chachi left work and we picked up Neko we met him at Buffalo Wild Wings for dinner. It was pretty tasty and nice to have another night off from cooking. Now we are all pretty beat, going to just relax together and then head to bed.

Katie's quote of the day:

"That was my gas."

(She was pooping and farted...gotta love kids)

Cats in the Cradle

Baby Blanket

Each of our children have their own distinct baby blanket, some have had since birth others a little later but it is still a thing that they each posses. This will be Ryan's blanket & if you know anything about the men that he is being named after this blanket is perfect. This is also the first thing that I have purchased for him outside of clothes.

Today was an amazing day! Even though Katie and I were both up by 0700, it was still amazing. We laid on the couch, ate breakfast, watched Sleeping Beauty & Peter Pan, played a little Mario Kart and took a nap together. Then we took showers and went out for a girls day. We did some shopping, had some lunch and just chit chatted all day. We also treated ourselves to some Ritas!! Thank goodness it is Rita's season again!! Although she had her terrible three moments overall it was a wonderful day with her.

After Chachi came home from work he started on a few projects around the house for me, which takes a lot of stress off my shoulders. I have been so overwhelmed by everything that needs to be done before Ryan gets here and then Alexis & Kaiden shortly after that. I have four bedrooms to complete before May. I really wish my tax refund would show up because it would make it go a lot faster. Katie's room isn't even done yet!

For dinner I made steaks, twice baked potatoes, broccoli & bread. It was pretty tasty but of course I would say that I made it. Now I am going to cuddle my husband and watch scrubs for what has to be the 15th time I have watch it all the way through but what can I say, it's a good show.

Katie's quote of the day:

"That makes me hard"

(she was explaining that something we had to do would be hard to accomplish and this is how it came out, but still...)

Bad Day

I had such a bad day today there are no pictures or words for me to even post. After an amazing week I am really sad that this was my day, although Katie has really saved it tonight the day was pretty much ruined. Love you all.

Raindrops Keep Falling on My Head

Rainy Dayz

It was another rainy day, but I will take it any day over the snow. We are in fact getting closer to spring every single day! Who cares if we just washed our cars...

Today was a good day! Chachi & I awoke a little after seven, Katie a quarter to eight. She went to Lesleighs while we went to go see Ryan. We waited almost an hour for our appointment and this time it was not worth the wait. We had a new tech in a new room with a different machine. She was not personable and the machine was crappy. We were given one crappy profile picture that wasn't even as good as the one we were given at 24 weeks. She seemed in a hurry until it came to his heart, she spent 15 minutes on it and didn't say a word. Then when she was reviewing the results she said everything looked good but didn't say a thing about his heart. So when the doctor came in we had to actually ask him why she had taken so long and were there any concerns, to which he replied, "No his heart is fine, she just likes hearts". Yeah she needs to get better skills for this kind of job, 90% of the women in there are high risk and nervous as it is.

Ryan's overall growth is great, he is going to be a big boy. At 29 weeks he is 6oz shy of 4 pounds. My fluid is still slightly elevated & the doctor told me anytime I feel I might be contracting no matter what I need to go into L&D. He was very strict on that and doing my fetal counts. Now he has always been really big on telling me to do those but today he was extra stern on it which made me a little nervous, like he is a bit nervous. The mass and the amniotic sac that surrounds it grew a bit but is still not affecting Ryan's growth so they are not worried. The doctor wanted me to tell my OB that when I deliver to send my placenta to the lab. He really wants to know what this "goober" is, that is what he calls it because he still has no idea what it is. I think he wants to do research on it and publish a paper.

After the appointment Chachi & I went and did some grocery shopping and got him & Katie new games to entertain them over the rainy weekend. Then we came home had a nice lunch and afternoon together before going to pick up Katie. Her tutor was canceled for tonight but she will be going tomorrow so no big deal. I didn't get much studying done but I will tomorrow. Tonight was pizza night, which is always a favorite in this house. We ate and then all 3 of us cuddled up to watch the Princess & the Frog, which actually wasn't too bad, I just thought the voodoo guy was a little scary for a Disney cartoon. Now we are all just hanging around the house. Chachi & Joel are playing on the Xbox, Katie on her DS and me here at the computer. I am going to try to find some more pictures to remaster tonight because that is what I love to do.

Have a wonderful weekend everyone!

Katie's quote of the day:

Knock Knock (who's there) Katie (Katie who) Katie am I

* They all can't be winners...but this is a classic Katie joke.

Hot for Teacher

Study Study Study

That is all I did on this rainy gloomy day. Well I chatted on Facebook a little bit here and there and took scrubs breaks but basically all day I went over the PDG. A lot of it is sticking but the main accomplishment here is I didn't fall asleep reading it once!

This one is going to be super short because I really didn't do anything today. Katie & I didn't wake up until 0900 and then I just plopped myself on the couch after straightening up the house to study. It was so drizzly all day which is a good thing because it kept me focused. Today was my last day studying the PDG, tomorrow I start on job related information.

We grilled tonight, steaks, mash potatoes and corn. It was yummy as always. Tomorrow is my no cook day, yay! I am excited about tomorrow. We get to see Ryan, Chachi and I have the day together just us and then all back together for Pizza night. Some might think my life is boring, but I am loving it that way! We are all really happy.

Katie quote of the day:

"You can come play again, Lucy stopped farting"

Highway to Hell

Wii-tastic

Today we bought Mario cart for the Wii because Katie loves it on the DS. She is not very good at it but loves to play it anyway...and thinks she is better than she is.

Today was a good day even though I didn't get to sleep in again. Once Katie woke up we made a picnic lunch to take to the park. First we made a trip to Best Buy to get a few things but then headed to the park. It was overcast and kind of chili but still nice. Katie was so set on having that picnic no matter how cold it was. She kept saying, "This is the best picnic ever!" After the picnic we took a walk around the park where I took some of the best pictures I have ever taken. I cannot wait until its really nice outside to get some better ones. She rode her scooter around and then played at the park for a bit until it was just too cold and we wanted to go home.

Once we got home Lesleigh came over to keep Katie company so I could get some study time in which was really nice!! After that Katie and I just hung around until Chachi came home. He studied some more Japanese tonight and Katie "played" along with him while I made this tasty Thai Sweet Chili Pork over Fried Rice and Veggies for dinner! I love making new things! Then Chachi & Katie settled down to play some Mario Kart on the Wii and now it is time for a tubby!! Wonder what color she will pick tonight.

Katie's quote of the day:

"I'm Spicy"

What's New Pussycat

Playful Kitten

All day today while I was trying to study I was in some way being attacked, loved or distracted by this little kitten. She would not leave me alone or stay out of trouble today, and I thought it would be a still house with Katie at the sitters.

Today was another great day. I accomplished a lot study wise and was able to get a decent (pregnant) nights sleep. Katie went to Lesleigh's for the day so I could study, but then Chachi was able to get off early and spend a good part of the day with me which is always a bonus.

We had a doctor's appointment today, and for the next 6 weeks we will be going every 2 weeks. I am measuring right on and everything looks good, but Friday will be the real determination at where we are sitting, we have an ultrasound. My blood pressure is good, and all my tests are great so there is no reason to think anything will be out of the ordinary on Friday.

Tonight itself was lovely. We ate leftovers and played operation while just goofing off as a family. It doesn't really get any better than that. I hope you all had as wonderful of a day as I did!!

Katie's quote of the day:

"Touch your Oppai (boob in Japanese), it's fun"

(we are going through the what is appropriate and what is not stage right now...)

Photograph

Picture Perfect

I love taking pictures but anyone that is reading this probably knows me and that fact very well. This past weekend I have gotten some great shots that I am very proud of. I wish I had the resources to take it to the next level but I am happy just producing quality images for those I love. I am looking into a new lens that will help enhance it and then over time hopefully expand that into a little home shop to take pictures for friends & family just to bring in a little extra cash or fund my own photo projects.

I took a break from this for 3 days because I had such a busy weekend but now things have slowed down and I am back on track. My mom came down Thursday night and stayed through Sunday afternoon, which was wonderful. On Friday, the start of my weekend, didn't start out how I had planned. I was in Labor & Delivery because everyone including myself, OB and co-workers thought I was having contractions but alas they were the fake ones. I have never really had Braxton Hicks before and up until Friday the ones that I had developed this time around were painless with just some tightening but these on Friday were painful! With Katie the only contraction I knew were the extreme ones caused by induction. So just to be safe we went in and after they pumped me full of 2 IV bags they went away and I was good to go. I already drink about 12 glasses of water a day and now they want me to up it, forget bed rest, I will be on potty rest.

Saturday was the 2nd anniversary of when I turned 29. It was a wonderful day. I was able to sleep in, and then Katie, mom and I went to go visit our friend Lesleigh followed by a nice lunch. Afterwards we picked up my friend Tiffany so we could go get our nails done. It was so relaxing and fun to have a girls day. Following that we went and picked Katie back up so we could go down to Rehoboth again. I am going to try to take her to the beach as much as I can before the summer season since it's not packed & parking is free! We did a little outlet shopping and got some treats. I only found one thing for Ryan & Kaiden's bedroom but it was still fun. When we got home from the beach Chachi took me out to dinner at the Japanese steakhouse and then we went to go see Alice in Wonderland, which I absolutely loved but unfortunately will probably be my last movie, I am too pregnant.

I am off all week, actually all the way up to the 16th, mainly because they are having an exercise on base but also because I need to study to make the next rank. So today started my study times which went pretty well, I haven't fallen asleep yet which is saying a lot. I really hope I can get this information down and make Technical Sergeant, although some days I don't want to be I know I have to move on to the next level. The rest of today was amazing! Chachi got off of work to spend time with us which made us so happy. I really didn't sleep in that much today since I officially awoke at 0700, but it was still more than I usually get. Katie enjoyed having Chachi home too, they played catch while I got my morning study session in. After that we met Lesleigh for lunch at Chic-fil-a because Katie loves that place, not for the food but for the play place. It was such a beautiful day that afterwards we washed and cleaned out the cars. Katie played outside for a good 3 hours!! Riding her scooter, jeep and playing on the playset in the backyard. She was so dirty, she looked like a real kid. It has been so long since it has been nice to spend that much time outside. I was able to clean out a good portion of the garage as Chachi put the final touches on our vehicles.

Tonight we had homemade Steak & Broccoli Alfredo which was a first time creation for me, and it turned out awesome! I was so proud! Now our night will come to an end with a long tubby for the KateKate and some good Monday night television while putting away laundry for my wonderful husband & I. Overall an amazing couple of days, and I sure this week will be just as fantastic! I am a happy woman!

Katie's quote of the day (I know you have missed it)

"I wish baby Ryan could come out and go to Chic-Fil-A with us, he would have so much fun"

Splish Splash

Tubby Time

Tonight is tubby time, the epic hour (at least) long tubby that Katie will take. She loves the big bath tub we have and would spend all day in there if I would let her. We love these Elmo Colors, every time I have to ask her what color tubby she wants, which is usually pink. I enjoy them too because I can get my laundry folded and put away!

Today at work was not bad at all. I got a few thank yous and no negative comments, so I guess all in all it was an ideal day. Although my duty day did start at 0545 because we had that "surprise" recall. I completed a lot of projects, was able to get some new projects approved and am almost wrapped up for the week. Which is a good thing because I am taking some time off!! Since they are having an "exercise" next week and I really can't participate I am going to take some leave, which worked out because I am going to use that time to study for my Tech test which comes up on the 16th. So I will have off this weekend, go in Monday and then have off until the following Tuesday when I test. I am looking forward to some sleep & study time. Katie will still go to daycare so I can actually study!!

This is all going to be super short today. I am exhausted. I do not sleep anymore because I do not know what comfortable is. So I struggle with 30-45 minutes of sleep here and there and manage a full day of work & home afterwards. So tonight I am going to plop my kid in the tub, put away some clothes while watching American Idol and hope that I am so tired that I just crash not caring that I'm uncomfortable!!

Katie quote of the day:

"If you let me play my game (DS) I will be your best friend!"

Sweet Child of Mine

Helping Hand

Katie loves to help me cook & I really enjoy doing it with her. It teaches her how to follow instructions and creativity. I hope that she enjoys it just as much as I do. I had a hard time trying to find a picture for today because it was such a disappointing day but when you come home to a child like this and a husband like mine, it all goes away and seems like a pretty decent day!

Yet another sucky day that my family saved. I am trying my hardest to keep my head up and work hard through the comments thrown about but it gets harder everyday. It's even harder when your pregnant and have a hard time hiding your emotions. I am currently doing my job and other people's jobs, which I don't mind, it keeps me busy and productive but I am tired of it going unnoticed. No, I don't care if it goes unnoticed but I hate that they concentrate on what hasn't been completed and ignoring the 1000 things that have been. I prioritize the best I can, what one person thinks needs to be done now, another doesn't and even if I get two important things done, another one pops up that just happened to be more important. I try to accomplish my work the best way, I am a multi-tasker, a professional one at that but these people make me doubt my abilities.

In this world run by E-mails and non face to face contact I try so hard not to do that. I physically track someone down for answers because that is the quickest way to get a response, but today it was seen as all I do is bullshit all day long. I was asked to complete a project today, which I had done in about 45 minutes and once done I went to see the person who requested it. We sat down to review it but our slow government computers were taking awhile to load the data, so of course during that time we talked a bit about non work related things. That was portrayed as wasting time and not working. Granted I was in the office of a MSgt doing actual work but this is the shit I get everyday!

I'm done ranting on that, it is a waste of my time. I will continue to try because that is the kind of person I am, the kind of person I was raised to be. Do your best, know you did your best and the rest is out of your hands. I will refuse to get them to get me to quit! I just have to find a way to release the stress and frustration because it can't be good for Ryan. I just hope there are some people retiring real soon.

Now I need to go because we have a "surprise" recall tomorrow morning, fun! I love going to work at 0500 and missing out on my morning routine with my family!

Katie's quote of the day:

"I like yucky things"

Fathers & Daughters

Daddy's Music

Every morning when Katie & I leave the house we listen to music and every morning I ask her what she wants to hear. It can range from anything from Styx to Katy Perry or Paramore to The Beatles but some mornings she asks for Daddy's Music. Back when I Mat & I were married and living in Seattle he was in a band called Red X. I ended up getting orders to Japan but he stayed in Washington to pursue the band, but eventually it didn't work out because of certain members. Any way Mat reunited with me in Japan and soon after that there was Katie. She listens to the music & says, "My daddy plays the bass guitar". I think it is so funny that the songs that she likes to listen to & is so proud of, ended and as a result she was here, had that band made it we might not have this beautiful little girl that has more than blessed our lives. Everything truly happens for a reason.

Today was not an ideal day! When your boss is having a bad day and you just happen to walk in on it, it makes for your day to go south quickly too. None of what he was upset about was in fact my fault but I just happened to be there to take it. Oh well that's the way it goes some days, but I didn't let it destroy my mood, I carried on and made it what it was, an ordinary day. I am just trying to ignore all the negativity around that place and focus on what I need to do, and excel. Hopefully it's going as well as I believe it to be going.

Dinner together was simple but good, chicken strips with Mac & Cheese. Katie hates Mac & Cheese so she wanted spaghetti, she has been loving it lately! Ryan has been getting less active lately, I think he is starting to run out of room, but the Braxton Hicks have picked up a lot!! They are super annoying. I don't have another OB appointment until next Monday and my next ultrasound is not until that following Friday. Hopefully things are better, I just want my baby boy to be safe.

Tonight is an exciting night of folding laundry & good television with my man while the wee one takes one of her famous hour long tubbies. I swear she is going to turn into a fish!!

All & all a pretty uneventful day & evening, so a short blurp to say the least. Hope your week started out well & I will see you tomorrow.

Katie's quote of the day:

"I'm married because I'm cute."

Girls on the Beach

Ready for Summer

Rehoboth beach was empty except for me, Katie & a few other shoppers, which was nice but it was odd we were standing on the beach as it flurried. I cannot wait for summer to spend it at the beach with the kids running in the waves & across the sand. They had such a great time last year, maybe, just maybe I will achieve a tan...but I doubt it.

Today was a perfect Sunday. We slept in until 9am, and then Katie and I had the perfect girls day while Chachi was at work. She has been begging to go to the beach lately so I thought why not, we could grab lunch & do some outlet shopping. It was brisk to say the least but it was nice that it wasn't crowded. We stopped at the Candy Kitchen to get some treats and then Grottos for some Pizza on the boardwalk. Afterwards we hit up the outlets and got shoes for all 4 kids and some outfits for Kaiden & Ryan. We didn't spend too much time up there because Katie has tutor today. This week's Japanese word is Tamago, egg. She also wrote her name in Japanese for the first time.

After the tutor the blizzard craving finally got the better of me so we hit up Dairy Queen. Then came back to the house and watch Snow White together, I have to say Snow White is the ugliest most annoying of all the Disney Princesses, I actually think the Queen was the fairest in the land. You know your having a good Sunday when you have dessert before dinner. Now I am about to make dinner, which will be a pork roast over rice with veggies.

Oh & it is a good thing I have always hated the coasters I have had for the past 7 years, because they were all eaten by my dogs. No matter how many toys I buy they love to eat weird things in my house. Too bad those big bones are bad for them & Lucy eats them too quickly because it is the only thing that they seem to like. I need to make a trip to the butcher. This is my last week at the age of 30...um yay?

Here is your Katie quote of the day, it was at Grottos as we sat a booth behind a family with a 7 year old boy.

"Mommy do you see that cute boy, wait, no I don't like boys, they are stinky!"

All You Can Eat

Hungry Hippo

Today has been one of those days where I just can't get full! I hate these days, the constant hunger makes me feel so bad about myself. I have been doing so well with my weight gain & don't want to blow up right at the end. I even had to fight myself & Chachi from letting him go get me a blizzard!! Tonight for dinner I made this awesome veggie potato side with a perfectly seasoned fillet for me & pork chop for Chachi.

Sleeping through a night is no longer an option for me, I am constantly shifting from one side to the other, usually because my arm falls asleep. I am a belly sleeper, which of course I cannot do anymore. Today was super nice, not only did Katie sleep until 9am, the puppies left us alone until then too. Funny thing is Chachi thought I put Lucy in the kennel but I thought he would, and they were both out last night with little damage and no accident. I was super proud.

After we had breakfast Chachi & I tackled the house together getting it cleaned faster than I am used to. It was so nice to have his help and even more that he wanted to help. He has been an awesome partner, and I couldn't be more appreciative. After that it was pretty much a boring day, but we like that. Chachi played video games online with his mom & brother, while I remastered some pictures and Katie colored and chatted my ear off. Then Katie and I took a shower and laid down for a nap, not knowing how late it was we slept a little longer & later than we wanted, but oh well that is what the weekends are for and we both needed it.

Now we are going to go watch some television, play some Rockband while Katie dances and sings & just have some awesome family time at home. Nothing beats it. I cannot wait until it starts getting nicer outside. I want to take pictures, I want outdoor adventures and exercise! I have hit the part in this pregnancy where I am really starting to feel big & lazy, I want to move and do stuff but for someone that has to watch how many times I walk up our stairs a day there is no easy fix. I have a feeling in a couple weeks I might even be on bed rest, which should be interesting.

Hope your weekend is going as splendid as ours! Here is your Katie quote of the day:

"My baby kitty eats Macaroni & Cheese all day"

Color My World

Inside the Lines

Katie has been coloring since she was like 10 months old, now on the verge of her 4th birthday she has really mastered the art of coloring inside the lines. It's the small things like this that really show me how much she is growing up and super fast too. Next thing you know she will be driving...

Today was an ordinary day at work except for the snow which wasn't bad it was just annoying. It was so light & dusty which combined with the strong winds we have been having it created very thick fog like conditions. Fridays are Chachi & Katie days, he has off so he keeps her home and they seem to have a good time together. Around 1500 Chachi had a volunteer function he had to attend so he dropped Katie off at work with me, which I always love having her there with me. She was doing great & entertaining the troops like always. She even called a few of my boss' fat when they asked for one of her cookies (they spoil her with treats when she comes in)

I was just about to leave work when someone told me that one of my troops failed yet another dorm inspection. Now when I say failed I don't mean there was some dust here and there, I mean failed. Like I would be scared for my health to go into his room. The sad part is this is like the 5th time he has failed this monumentally and I had just asked him the other day if he was keeping his room maintained, and he lied straight to my face. I was furious!!! Katie had to be watched by some of the guys in the shop while I sat in on his counseling sessions but honestly there is nothing we can do for this kid. At 22 years old I call him a kid because he can't take care of himself apparently. So disappointed and grossed out by people like that. I was tempted to call his mother!

Tonight was Pizza night in the Roper house, which we love!! Technically we were able to have dinner together last night just later. Katie has been doing really good at meal time, still talking our ears off and eating her entire meals. Right now I am working on remastering some pictures, Katie is lying on the floor beside me coloring and Lucy is at my feet, Lucy is always at my feet. I don't understand it but she will not leave my side, she is such a mommy's girl!! This weekend is all about the house for me, I just want to tend to it and get some things set up. Next weekend is my birthday & my mom is coming down, I am really excited we have a whole day of me planned!!

Katie impressed me by knowing all the words to a real song. It is Paramore's "That's what you get" as it plays she recites each word in her cute little voice! I love my little girl!!

Here is your Katie quote of the day:

"Mommy your work is no fun, we can't show our butts"

Life Marches On

Military Mama

Yes I know what I signed up for, I was there. I do not need reminders. Just because you know something is coming doesn't make it any easier to deal with. All of this is just really bad timing. I love the benefits of the military & I have an option to get out right now but I won't, this is what is best for my family. Am I sad? Yes! Will I survive & excel at the challenges ahead of me? Damn straight!!

So of course today pretty much sucked! First I was notified that I had to PT test next week which of course I cannot do so I had to go to another agency to show them my medical profile so they could put me on another profile to exempt me from the test. Then I have to sit through the most annoying training session ever full of people that cannot public speak. One guy would actually shut his eyes for long periods of time while he was up there talking to us and another girl that said UM at least 15 times in one phrase. Then there were non stop question askers that could have waited until the whole thing was done to do that. Once that crap was over I walk out just in time to find out that my husband will probably have to report to Iraq right on the scheduled due date of our baby...GREAT!!

We are still waiting to hear but it really does not look good. I am very upset that Justin might miss out on Ryan, he already missed out on Kaiden and this is our last child. I am allowed to be upset. Everyone keeps saying this is the military life you know this which of course I know but does that mean I am suppose to show no emotion of my husband missing such an important event? The two people I am worried about the most are Alexis & Ryan. Alexis starts kindergarten this upcoming year and can only come out in the summer, I don't want her to miss seeing her daddy and Ryan should be able to meet his daddy before he leaves. I have rights to be upset!! There is an out and they are trying very hard to get it for him, which I appreciate. We are not ones to back down from our responsibilities, we might not be super excited but we go, do our best and make it through. He will gladly go in September, missing every holiday, those events will happen again, this one will not. I just hope if he does go we can get some time off for Christmas to get the kids to Louisiana or something, we cannot go two years without being with them, it is not fair to any of us.

On top of all of this Justin is still at work, not waiting on the official word if he is going or not but doing some job that apparently the night shift can't finish like he did so many times for the day shift while working nights. So dinner is running late, I really want to wait but Katie is getting hungry. We have had dinner together every night this week, I would hate for today to be any different. Plus I really felt like cooking up something special but now it will have to be something quick & easy to get Katie to bed on time. Oh well, it has been that kind of day.

Apparently that "snowicane" and 8/9 inches we were suppose to get today was a big lie! Finally!! I am so sick of the snow, and that is a weird thing coming from me because I love it so freaking much!! I am actually ready for spring time.

Well that was my unpleasant day, I can only hope that tomorrow is better. I will hold him just a little tighter and a little closer, enjoying every moment we have together. That is all I can do!

Katie quote of the day:

(talking to my belly) "Baby Ryan your big sister has fingernails."

Please Mr. Postman

Mail Time

Every day when we get home Katie needs to check the mail. Even if Chachi gets home before us he will leave some in there just for her to get. It is a new experience having a mailbox by our house, it has always been miles away from where we actually lived.

Today was an ordinary day. Work was going good, I finished a few projects & even got some praise for some of the work I accomplished. Chachi came by my work to have lunch with me today, which I always love!! Ryan was super active all day, well until his daddy came by. He kicked him once & then stopped. After lunch I started to feel really bad, sick even but it has pretty much since passed, now I am just overly tired.

The rumors are flying around base that everyone is getting deployed and that they can expect to be shipped out anywhere from next week or a month from now. No one has said anything for sure yet but it just keeps feeling more and more like Justin is going to leave us soon, miss his son being born & miss seeing his kids. But we just pray, wait and see.

I got my glucose results back, passed with flying colors, perfect even. So that does not explain the extra amnotic fluid. I will just have to wait and see where we are on the 12th of March which is the next ultrasound.

My phone is getting worn out & I haven't even had it a year. Their is a piece that is broken on it, but it still works it is just really annoying. So I called the company because I have insurance on it, which I was so happy I had!! Nope, I am canceling that service. It is like $5 a month and just found out today there is a $130 deductable!!! That is freaking insane. So my friend had my same phone, the sidekick, for a month & then turned it off. He offered me his phone for $80 bucks. Screw you T-mobile & your insurance!!

We think we finally sold the gold car after so many people have been interested but no one follows through, so that is good. I will be happy to have it out of our driveway. That cheaper vet bill I was excited about yesterday just went out the window. Aeva's paw started to swell so she had to go back into the vet tonight (Chachi is with her there now) so who only knows how much this bill will be.

With the busy day we might not be able to have dinner all together, but there is always tomorrow. Just as long as we enjoy the time we do have together to the fullest I am one happy lady!!

Hope all of you are doing well & staying happy!! Here is your KateKate quote of the day:

"Aeva looks like a spaceman"

(She has to wear the cone so she won't chew at her cast"

Rainy Days

Melt Away

I am so happy the rain has come! It is finally melting down the piles of snow & we can see grass again. There are some parts of the area expecting another 12 inches of snow tomorrow or Thursday but not us, it will continue to rain all week & I couldn't be happier. Spring is on it's way!

Work went super fast today and I had a good day but that is because I made it that way. I kept good company and finished a lot of projects. I have taught myself that if you hold on to things you are only hurting yourself, and why waste the time on stuff you can't fix? I cannot change how people live their lives, I can only live mine!

Aeva had a vet appointment today and it went very well. She is in a soft splint now but still has to go back in two weeks but this appointment only cost 1/4 what the first one did and that was only because I had to get medications for the kitties. Wally is sick for the first time in his life...thanks to Neko but oh well he will survive. It has been kind of nice that he hasn't had a voice the past 3 days, do you know how annoying that meow is at 0530? Shhh, don't tell him that! Good thing he can't read...well. Lucy will continue to kennel train as we let Aeva run free during the day, that is until she pulls a stunt like Lucy did. Lucy just must be going through a huge teething spell because she just tore a 3 foot bone apart in 30 minutes!! She is not ready for run of the house.

Every night we have been having dinner together around the table and I have loved it so much! I want to enjoy it for as long as I can before they put him back on another night shift or deploy him, which we still haven't heard anything about and it is driving me crazy! Katie tells us about her day and keeps us entertained throughout dinner. It is a wonderful family time that I cherish a lot. If you don't do it, I would honestly try because it is worth every minute.

Katie's quote of the day:

"I like your room, it smells like girls. Kaiden's room smells like boys, boys smell yucky"

Hungry Like The Wolf

Lots O' Meat

This is what $500 in meat looks like. We buy our meat from a wholesale dealer & get a great deal and awesome cuts of meat. This will most likely last us through the summer grilling season. The only real problem it causes is there is no more room in my freezer for anything else.

Today should have been a horrible day but I pushed through & refused let it. The military has so many perks and I need to remember that and not let it get to me like it does. I am just tired of working in this "Do as I say not as I do" attitude and separate standards. The only problem is this time I have no out, I am here for the rest of my career except for a deployment here or there so I just have to wait out some of these people leaving and pushing through. Prove them all wrong and not let them get to me. I am not going to let them ruin my days and make me dread going to work. I work hard no matter what they think.

I was tested a lot today, because when I got home Lucy had decided to go on a rampage. She dug through the kitty litter so much that she actually moved the box around the kitchen with her head. Then on top of that she pulled down a couch cushion off our not only a week old couch, bit a hole in it & peed on it. Luckily the tear was in a place that could not be seen when on the couch & my magic steam cleaner fixed the rest. Needless to say she has been in the kennel the rest of the night & I am highly considering muzzles for both of them when we are not around them. I feel so bad about doing it but what other options are there? I have bones and toys for them to chew on, there is no reason they should be doing this. I will do some more reading on it but it looks like a solution for now, either that or kennels all day. Plus I have to keep Aeva from chewing her cast, which she gets replaced tomorrow. Can't wait to see how much that is going cost.

As always my family improved everything. We came together and cleaned up the house. I have been so impressed & appreciative of what Chachi has stepped up to do. Things are really coming together in the house. There is still so much to do but we have been sidetracked by so many unexpected bills, some for fun stuff & some for stuff like Aeva's leg. I cannot wait until our tax refund gets processed but it is going to take like 2 months & then mailed! I am so scared Ryan is going to come early and the tax return won't be here. I need to get the kid's rooms all done before they come up here for the summer, Katie's room isn't even done yet. Hopefully we can finish the painting this weekend & get her some furniture. It really helps that we have a truck now.

I wrapped up the evening by making an off the cuff dinner that turned out so good for being so last minute. I made onion bagel burgers with green beans fries. It was a big hit!! Katie ate all of her "crabby patty" which always makes me happy.

Keep your head high no matter what people throw at you & the Katie quote of the day will always make you smile!!

(Wally is sick & can't meow)

"Wally can't find his voice. I will help him find it, it is out in the snow."

Over & Over

Puppy Approved!

If you have or are even thinking about getting a puppy, you need this device! It will get out any & all pet stains, plus it aids in normal kid stains too! I got mine on Amazon & I highly suggest everyone getting one. I would probably go insane without it.

We arrived home from the concert at 0200 & went straight to bed! Chachi woke up & went to work around 0600 & I rose at 0700. My morning is not what you would have called nice; Aeva ate a lot of her cast off & it was scattered throughout the house, which jammed my vacuum, then she refused to go to the bathroom, I had to spot bot like 5 spots just from when we were gone Friday night even though we had someone coming over to let them out, I left my keys & wallet in Chachi's truck which was at work & the computer didn't want to work with me today. Luckily my husband & I compliment each other so well, when one of us is stressed the other stays calm, which he did. He also improved my mood so much just by being him! I'm a lucky girl.

After all of that I had to go get Katie from Pennsylvania & bring her back to Delaware. I made better time than usual even though I still hate every other driver on the road. Left at 1100 & returned at 1730 with dinner...impressive. During the trip the Jetta surpassed 100,000 miles, which is pretty impressive since she is a 2001. I am sure the next 100k will pop up in no time. I visited with my mom for a little while, where Katie entertained us & a balloon was murdered...all & all a good time.

Now I am home, going to relax & enjoy my family. I feel so blessed that I have the life that I do. I never imagined I would be in this place, owner of a beautiful home, mother to awesome children, wife of an amazing man but still an independent woman that is ready to take on anything! I have seen so much, done so much & have so much more ahead of me!! Yeah I am turning 31 in two weeks, I'm pep talking myself!

Lots of love from the Roper House, Here is your Katie quote of the day (& trust me there were many to choose from today but this one won out)

"My panties smell like Nana"

Girls Just Wanna Have Fun

Retail Therapy

It was so nice to just get out today & go shopping. I don't do it very often as I hate crowds but going early in the morning on a weekday, the mall is quite nice. Even got a little work out with the mall walkers! Plus it satisfied the Aunt Annies craving I have been having for a long time!!

So today was an ultrasound to see Ryan & we have a couple of updates. First of all we had to wait to get in there for over an hour but it all became worth it when we recieved these amazing FREE 3d pictures of the most adorable little boy ever!! I cannot believe how cute he is! We will post those pictures to Facebook soon.

Anyway there were some concerns, I have slightly elevated fluid levels, but we have no idea why. I took the glucose test today so until I get those results I wont know if that is the reason why. Also the mass is the same but it has also developed its own sack of fluid. They still dont know what it is. They offered me and amnio but I declined. He is doing just fine and until it shows real cause for it I wont do it, it is too big of a risk. They are now just worried about preterm labor with the extra fluid so I will be going in even more often for observation. Other than that, he is beautiful, healthy & very active!!

I will not be able to post a blog tomorrow but you all know why. I am up in Pennsylvania right now & going to go enjoy my busy anniversary weekend with the love of my life!!

Katie's quote of the day:

"I like our circle table, it's like a shape"

Step into a World

My Ball & Chain

As a girl with super uncontrollable curly hair I have highly depended on many hair products over the years. Today I discovered these are the only three I need! What used to take me a good 30 minutes to an hour to do, took me literally 5 minutes today!! My hair was perfectly straight & ready to go in record time! I love these three things & cannot live without them!

Today was my Friday & it was a good day!!

Work went wonderfully because I was able to finish at least 5 more projects & get everything updated before I started my long weekend. Chachi and I actually went out to get lunch today to spoil ourselves & to see how the puppies would do all day without us. They did amazingly well too, I am so freaking proud of them. Lucy was in the kennel today & Aeva was out and about. The only problem was that Aeva chewed on her cast a bit but we redneck rigged it with duct tape lol. But the best part is neither of them had any accidents!!!

This three day weekend is going to be super hectic but so much fun! I most likely will not be posting anything on Saturday but I will make up for it on Sunday. Tomorrow we have a few errands to run when Katie goes to story time, and then we get to go see Ryan, YAY!!! After the appointment we will head up to Pennsylvania. Katie is going to be staying with my mom the whole weekend & I really hope that she does well. Saturday is our 1st wedding anniversary & I can't believe how fast it has gone by. We head to Reading Saturday afternoon for the Three Days Grace, Breaking Benjamin & Flyleaf concert where before the show I will finally get to meet Adam Gontier!! I really hope he is cool. That all rocks but right after we get out of the show I have to drive Justin back to Delaware (2 hours) so he can be at work the next morning at 7am. His stupid job of course could not let him off or even allow him to take leave. He will be dead tired but I think it will be well worth it. I know that he is not as excited as me but this will be his first real concert, with a real good band & he is about to enter a whole new world. Sunday is the day that will suck for me! After I wake up on Sunday morning I must drive all the way back up to Harrisburg (3.5 hours) to go get Katie, hang out for a bit and then drive all the way back home!

Katie is at the tutor tonight and is doing really. Today she told me all her Japanese words she had to know & counted to 5. I love it because I am learning right a long with her. Well this is getting really hard to do because I have a curious kitten that just loves this computer, so until next time here is your Katie quote of the day:

"Can I see the poop? I like poop!"

(Aeva ended up having an accident at the end of the day...)

Go Your Own Way

The Candy Dish

I have this dish on my desk and usually fill it up with candy daily but once I open a bag it is gone before the day is out, so I decided to fill it with something else as a little experiment. Well it went even faster! Oh well they are cheaper....

Today was a productive day at work; projects that I had weeks to do I wrapped up in hours & the day went at a very nice pace even though I didn't get home until 5pm. Chachi & I had a wonderful morning together and an even better lunch. The puppies are doing great. We have one out of the kennel at at time, switching them at lunch.

Speaking of my animals, most days I feel like Noah himself for everywhere I go I am followed by a line of animals. Neko is usually right on me with Lucy & Aeva in toe. Wally keeps his eye on me but distances himself from the puppies. I do not know what it is like to go to the bathroom alone in this house anymore, if I don't have a cat or a puppy in there, I have a little girl asking me 100 questions a second! But I wouldn't have this any other way, I love them all, they really complete my family.

Ryan is kicking more and more & is super active throughout the day (hope he stays on this schedule!). The braxton hicks have started which are really annoying, I never really had them with the KateKate. I cannot wait to see him again on Friday!

Tonight I made homemade spaghetti which is a favorite in this house! It was so nice to sit at an actual table & have a family dinner. Katie talked our ear off & tried to show us her buns during dinner, we actually had to say, no butts at the dinner table.

Well that was our day, hope all is well out there in the world! Here is your Katie quote of the day, "Chachi your hair is so stylish!"

I need to start writting in this more

I have decided to adapt a project that my friend Deb is working on. She is taking a picture a day to sum up the day & it has really inspired me. So in addition to my daily blurps you will get to see some pictures, plus any excuse to take pictures is awesome by me...

The Keys!!

I have not driven my car since LAST Tuesday because of the snow & today I couldn't either because I couldn't find my keys! So we got home & I was just on the verge of freaking out when my husband finds them in his coveralls, why they were in there we will never know but at least I have them. At one point in time I was shaking trash bags just hoping I didn't throw them away...

Today I had an OB appointment & everything is good, Ryan's heartbeat is at 134. We scheduled my c-section officially for the 20th of May & I will be going in at 0730. I will not only be having my baby boy that day but will also be getting "super fixed". That is what my doctor & I are calling it. She said she will tie, then cut & then burn, YAY! She keeps trying to talk me out of it & always starts it out by saying, your only 30. I keep telling her we have 4 kids, 2 girl & 2 boys plus after the 3 losses I couldn't put my heart through that again. I just hope Ryan takes his sweet time growing up!!

While Chachi & I were in the waiting room we went over his name, because I keep second guessing myself, "should it be Ryan?" or "Is that good enough of a name?" which is so weird because I never had any doubts about Kathleen's name. We didn't tell many people this but we were also considering Samuel David, but I really think Ryan is going to stay especially since Katie already calls him baby Ryan. But who knows, maybe what I keep teasing Justin about what will actually happen: We will go to the ultrasound on Friday and his thing would have fallen off & we will have an Adalynn lol. I have yet to see this penis they keep saying he has, they quickly say oh yeah its a boy & move on so my fears are still there that it could end up being a girl. He swears he has seen it...so we will see. I want a boy so I really hope not.

Oh & today we found out we are on standby waiting to hear if Justin will deploy within the next 3 weeks which means he will miss Ryan being born & only get to see Alexis & Kaiden for about 2 weeks while they are here. It's scary but I am pretty sure I can handle it all, i have a wonderful support system but it's the not knowing that is killing me. I am a planner, I need to know!! The other thing is if he escapes this one, he might get tagged in April anyway & honestly I would rather him go now because he would miss the kiddos all together but we have to wait & see. His next projected deployment is over Christmas which sucks that he will miss the holidays with us but its better then him missing his last child being born, he already missed Kaiden's birth. Plus with me being high risk, what if something happens, what if I go on bed rest? just so much to worry me....ugh just tell us already!

I have much more to update on & talk about but want to keep this short (and have something to write about the rest of the week)

I will leave you with a Katie quote of the day: I sent her to clean the playroom & she came back up going, "Mommy I want to play, cleaning is BORING!!!"

Lots of love from the Roper house!!