YAY For Tucson Thrift Stores!

Last year I came across a real find at a local thrift store in Tucson. It was a rain cover for a double jogging stroller. Not just any stroller- for our model! I reasoned that anywhere the military sent us, would likely get more rain than Tucson, so I bought the cover.

It rained all last night and into the morning, so I pulled it out. It was great! The walk to the bus stop didn't get the girls one bit wet... the same could not be said for me. Oh well, I still LOVE the rain!

Clever Men and Their Treadmills

So my friend just posted this on her blog and I feel I should share the laughs... or at least amusement. These guys are nuts!

FHE: The USofA

For FHE (Family Home Evening) tonight I thought it would be a good idea to give the kids an idea of where Fred is, although I realize it's a pretty abstract concept for little children.

Every month we get an animated video in the mail from LDS Living Scriptures. We've accumulated a good collection of stories about Book of Mormon, Bible, and latter-day Heroes. We have one about Christopher Columbus, so I put that on for the kids while I printed out stuff for the lesson.

I got my hands on a globe at Goodwill this morning for $0.99. It doesn't have a stand, but you can still read everything fine. I printed out a map of the US with labeled states and then individual copies of the US with just the outlined states for the kids to color. I also opened up the Book of Mormon to 1 Nephi where it talks about Christopher Columbus being inspired to search West, finding the Americas.

By a sheer miracle I was able to get my restless crew to the table. They survived a song and prayer. Then, to my surprise, they actually enjoyed learning (briefly) about how Christopher Columbus found America despite the current popular belief. A special touch I hadn't anticipated was showing them where Spain was on the Globe and telling them about how their Opa was stationed there, so I lived there when I was little. They loved that part. The globe was an awesome visual, and ironically, I hadn't even considered what we were going to do for FHE when I bought it. Another one of those tender mercies :)

I let them help arrange the pieces of the map in the right order. Gregory had a blast finding Ohio and Arizona and Mississippi. Even when it was all over, he was still able to find those states.

(his unfinished masterpiece)

All 3 enjoyed coloring their maps of the US. Gregory's is now proudly displayed on our fridge. We wrapped it all up with Gregory's favorite, chocolate pudding. Despite the mayhem that has ruled my house most of the day, FHE was actually really nice.

First True Test as an Air Force Wife

Yesterday at 6:15am Fred kissed each of us good bye (I got the longest kiss) until December 22nd. He arrived at Keesler, an AFB on this little peninsula jutting out from Mississippi, before noon the same day.

For those who don't know, he's in the Accounting Budget Department on base. They've kept him busy since we've moved here, but he hadn't completed his technical training yet. That's what he'll be doing for the next 11 weeks.

The kids handled it well enough, although Gregory was keenly aware of what's going on... at least the part about his papa being very far away for a "long" time. They've all since enjoyed chatting with Fred on the phone.

I've decided to see this as an opportunity to "practice"for if and when he deploys someday. I've been assured officers in his field don't deploy until they make Captain, so not for about 5 years from now. It's certainly less stressful knowing he's limited to battling alligators and tourists this time around.

It's also good timing and sad timing at the same time... I said "time" 3 times... now 5. Yes, I'm a dork. Anyways, this is typically the busy part of the year, meaning time shouldn't drag as badly. Unfortunately, it also means he'll be missing Halloween, Thanksgiving, and some other little holidays. We're just glad he'll be home for Christmas! His original training date was supposed to be Nov 2nd-Jan 26th, but another 2nd Lieutenant asked to trade with him because he was selected to compete on Jeopardy in the middle of October. I call that one of the Lord's tender mercies on our part.

Don't feel too bad for us, though. I've gotten several offers from friends and neighbors to help watch the kids so I can get consistent "Me Time". I have loving visiting teachers and the ward is great, so we are in good hands.

Anyways, I'll be using the blog to fill Fred in on what he'll be missing, so I may end up being accused of excessive blogging, but I don't care :)

The War Waged at Goodwill

(This is a picture of the actual store... well, the nicer one)

After dropping off Charla at preschool, Leora and I headed to Goodwill to find some cheap clothes to make scarecrows. There are 2 Goodwills near us. One is actually very nice, selling only gently used items and is quite clean. The other one is basically a big cement floor room that looks like it got all the rejects from the other Goodwill. The only organization is racks for the clothes and large frames with wheels that big plastic tubs are set in. In the tubs you find absolutely anything. Well, there is an area with just shoes, but there are probably over a thousand shoes and maybe 20 are somehow tied to their match.

I do have a point...

I chose to go to the less organized one because no item of clothing (from socks to shirts to suits) is priced over $1.47. I had browsed for a while, also looking for Christmas decorations I could use for the Ward Christmas party, when this announcement came over the PA. A man was welcoming everyone to the store and was reminding all to be courteous of each other and to basically "play fair." I realized there was a crowd forming near this empty area of the floor. Then the battle began...

Several frames of tubs filled with newly donated merchandise were rolled onto the floor. Leora and I watched in awe as people began leaping towards the bins, grabbing anything their hands touched, shoving each other out of the way. Once the bins were in place, the whole store was filled with the clatter of items being rummaged through and then cast aside; things were literally flying! I was safe behind the shoe bin (hopelessly searching for the match to a nice pair of snow boots Gregory would fit in this winter). I actually laughed at the scene of bargain carnage.

I even got brave and squeezed in to grab several large red Christmas bows. It was quite the sight!

A New Princess Couch and "Matching Blanket"

A friend from Charla's preschool was getting rid of her foam Princess fold-out couch, so we got lucky. Charla absolutely loves it, especially when the seat is unfolded like a bed. It's also in great shape! Leora loves it too, although she seems more drawn to it when Charla's using it. Figures.


Notice the gaudy ring? I love the Dollar Store. 10 rings for a buck! Now they are rings everywhere.

This morning I came in to see Charla happily lounging on her Princess couch. The surprise was what she was snuggling: the plastic tablecloth from her birthday party!! We never got to use it, so it was perfectly clean. It just cracked me up how perfectly content she looked, wrapped in a piece of Princess plastic.

(Slowly) Turning a Leaf

Anyone who knows Charla, is aware of her deep addiction to her pacifier. In our family we've shortened it to "Fier". She's certainly cut back over time, mostly using it at nap/bed time, or on long car trips. But she hadn't given us any impression that she has ANY intention of giving it up... Until this week...

2 nights ago, as the bedtime routine was drawing to an end, I offered Charla her Fier, like always, but this time she flat-out refused to accept it, insisting I give it to the baby. You might say I was shocked, so I asked again, a different way. Nope. Give it to Leora. So I put Leora to bed and secretly hid the Fier on the dresser (I don't need her taking up the habit).

Unfortunately, a few minutes later I heard Charla screaming, so I bolted up the stairs, sure she was hurt. Turns out she was screaming for her Fier. Oh well!

WELL.... as Fred and I were checking on the girls this evening, long after they fell asleep, I found the sweetest thing. Charla had no Fier, but there was one in Leora's crib. This leads us to believe Charla gave her Fier to Leora on her own and fell asleep without it!

There is HOPE! Hope for ridding ourselves of the Fiers and hope that my girls will have a beautiful relationship once they get past the "She's touching my stuff" issue.