1...2...3...4...

We watch a lot of Imagination Movers at our house. Michael LOVES them! He knows the shows all by heart. His favorite character is Rich (the drummer). Before every song, Rich will beat his drum stick together and say, "1...2...3...4" and then they start the song.

Anyways, Michael got a BBQ grill for his 3rd birthday and he would play with it and cook us dinner and breakfast all the time. Well, he now has a new function for the BBQ grill. He likes to take it apart and use 2 of the green legs as drum sticks.

This is what the BBQ grill starts out as...

This is with the "drum sticks" missing...

And this is Michael beating them together and shouting, "1...2...3...4"
And then "playing" the drums on the floor.

It is so cute to watch.

So, one night he was playing his drums and watching Imagination Movers in our room. He looked up at the TV and said, "Look Rich, I play the drums just like you!"

So sweet!!!!

Escape Artist

So, Audrey found Tinker's doggy door. (sorry for the quality of the pictures...camera is having a hard time focusing)

Michael was trying to pull Audrey back inside.

The Big 3-0

So, turning 30 wasn’t nearly as painful as I thought it would be. I was born at 6:36 am, and the morning of my birthday Aaron kept asking how it felt to be 30. I kept telling him, I won’t know for another 20 minutes…14 minutes…3 minutes. And then the time came. I was OFFICIALLY 30! When I left for work, Aaron decided to scream at the top of his lungs…out the front door… “HAPPY 30TH BIRTHDAY, TARA!” Thanks for the enthusiasm, honey! Michael thought it was hilarious.

Audrey had been a little sick so I had to make an appointment for her to get checked out. Ended up that Audrey had an ear infection and inflamed tonsils. So, we went and got her meds and then went home.

That evening, Aaron asked what I would like to do for my birthday, and I told him I wanted to just stay at home, have a glass of wine, and order take out. Aaron then asked where I would like to order take out. I told him that I have been craving a chicken sandwich and curly fries with cheese sauce from Hooters!

So, while I ordered Hooters, Aaron and the kids set up my birthday cupcakes and gift. (Bet you are wondering why the candle is 24 and not 30....keep reading)

Once I was off the phone, Michael came into the office and told me it was my birthday and to come into the kitchen. So, I follow him into the kitchen, and they had 6 cupcakes set out with a 24 candle on one of the cupcakes.

I kept telling Michael that I was 24 years old…so now that is what Michael tells everyone…and I am okay with that

They sang me Happy Birthday and they all got me a gift card to Best Buy {I want a new camera…so this is what I requested} And then I sent Aaron off to get my food.

After Michael finished his dinner, he wanted one of the cupcakes. So, he sat down at the table and…well…I will let the pictures do the explaining…

I pushed the cupcake into his face. He thought it was SO funny!

And he accidentally got cupcake on the side of the table. What is the ONLY logical thing to do...

Well, lick it off...of course!!!!

Family Pictures

A few weeks ago we met Stephanie (Stephanie Wray Photography) in Waco to take some family picutres. We had such a blast and she is so talented!!! Thanks so much for taking pictures of our family, Stephanie!!! I love them ALL!

Here are a few...

Kurkuk, Iraq

On Monday, April 19, 2010, my dad left for Kirkuk, Iraq. He works for a company that provides aeronautical support. His job is to train the Iraqi soldiers on how to implement and operate material planning and inventory programs. It is all a little confusing to me…but that is the best of it. Anyway, the deployment to Iraq has been in the works for some time now. Dad had a lot of things that had to be completed before he could deploy (shots, security clearance, gun certification…stuff like that) but once those things were done, it was a FAST departure. He finally finished everything on Thursday and was flying out on Monday!

So, we all went to dinner on Saturday night. And then on Sunday, we went over to Mom and Dad’s house and spent the day with him. We just hung out and enjoyed each other.

At one point we were all sitting around the table and Dad began going through his bags and making sure he had everything while BB and I just talked and watched him. All of the sudden, Dad’s body language changed and he became really panicked. We asked what was wrong and he said that he could not find his passport or CAP card (both of which he HAS to have.) We start frantically SEARCHING! Dad has a backpack, a suitcase and a laptop bag. I begin looking through the suitcase and laptop bag while Dad goes though his backpack. We tear everything apart and after about 10 minutes.... they were nowhere to be found. Two days earlier, Dad had shipped his foot locker to Iraq....that was the last time he could remember having his passport and CAP card. We silently begin to fear the worst…that he may have shipped his passport and CAP card with his foot locker. Dad decides to go upstairs and wake up Mom (she was taking a nap with Michael) and ask her if she had seen his passport. She starts to help us look (none too thrilled with the situation) and they begin to mentally retrace his steps. Dad thinks that MAYBE he left it at work and is about to drive to his office when I decide to take one more look through his backpack. His backpack has 9,000 zippers, so I begin to methodically open each one. There were zippered compartments inside of zippered compartments and it was a tedious task at best. Inside one of those compartments I spotted a little strip of color and YESSSSSSS…there is his passport and CAP card…safe and sound. The pocket was the same size as his documents and it was over looked again and again. BUT, we found it. We teased him about it until he was through security at the airport.

On Monday, he was scheduled to fly out of DFW at 4:20 pm to Frankfurt, Germany. We were a little concerned that he wouldn’t fly out due to the volcanic ash floating above Europe but we all optimistically piled in the car and drove to the airport. Once we parked, we spent another 30 minutes watching Dad go through his bags. He was zipping and unzipping everything looking for whatever item he feared he forgot. You would seriously think that he had never travelled anywhere before. It was pretty funny.

Finally, we were on our way to check-in.

Dad walks up to the counter to only find out that we are at the WRONG dang Terminal.

So, we all head back to the car and drive to the correct Terminal.

Once inside the correct terminal, we get in a very long line for the international departures.

Hoping his flight was not cancelled....we find out that his flight is the ONLY flight scheduled into Germany. Our luck begins to turn around and he is checked in with no problems.

We say our goodbye’s and " I love you’s" and watch him as he goes through security and we all wave one more time.

Dad was scheduled to get into Germany at 9:15 am on Tuesday. He anticipated a layover in Germany for a few days because of the volcanic ash but caught his connecting flight at 4:15 pm and arrived in Kuwait at 10:30 pm. Dad made it to his hotel in Kuwait around midnight. He caught his 4:00 pm flight to Baghdad and arrived at 6:30 pm. He signed up for “Space Available” on the next flight to Kirkuk. Dad is hoping to get a flight to Kirkuk on Friday morning. While in Baghdad, he is sleeping in a tent and on a cot. YUCK! That must suck. All a part of the experience I guess.

Anyway, we love you Dad and miss you SO SO much!! Michael sings his PawPaw song every day. Good luck with whatever it is that you have to do and hope you make the most of this life experience.