In for Life...

Bryant has been in the Army since June of 1999.  That's 12 years.  11 of those years we have been  married and for the past 6 we have added to our family with 3 beautiful children. 

Today, Bryant reenlisted for the last time.  He has 8 more years until he can retire from the Army... but, that doesn't mean that he'll be able to get out in 8 years.  That is what we are hoping for, so that our oldest will be entering High School and we can settle down for good.  However, it doesn't necessarily work that way.  With this reenlistment, it is indefinite.  In other words, there is no end date on the contract....  we must ask permission to leave when the time comes. 

We as a family are so proud of him.  He is a wonderful husband, father and soldier.  He has always done his best with every assignment that he has been given.  And we are proud and happy to continue this journey for the next several years along with him.

Fairies are real!

Nathan finally lost his first tooth!  It was on Friday at the Oktoberfest while enjoying a yummy corn dog.  In the morning when he woke up and found $2 under his pillow he was very excited.  He came downstairs... "mom, I got two dollars! I can't believe it!  Fairies are real!".

"I'm a little ninja"...

Rock'in and a Roll'in...

Eli is lovin' rock'in and a roll'in . . . right off his rocker!

A visit from Sef...

Back when we lived in Kansas, Sef was practically part of our family.  Bryant and him were such good friends, along with all the rest of Bryant's coworkers.  Army  life back then was a true "brotherhood".  Sef left Kansas when he finished up his 4 years back in 2005 and we have kept in contact briefly over the years, but haven't seen him since.  In fact, when he left Fort Riley I was still pregnant with Nathan!

Over the weekend Sef flew out to DC from LA, and it was a great time reconnecting!

Left to Right:  Ramos, Treacle, Seifert, Johnson, Jeffries, Hannah   (Iraq, 2003-2004)

Left to Right:  Treacle, mini Treacle, Ramos   :)

Eli's "pet"...

Eli's new "pet" is neither new nor a real pet.  It is his big brothers Robo-Raptor.  At first he was slightly skiddish of it, but now... he will pet it, follow it, even control it.  Sad to say (or is it) that this may be the closest thing that this little man gets to a real pet in awhile.  Boy will he have a rude awakening the next time he is at his grandparents and their "pets" lick, bark and try to eat his snacks  Ha!.



We love this face!  It's pretty common!

Dance party...

I came home from the gym on Saturday to find the kids dancing to a Kids Bop CD.  So, we had a little dance party... here are some of our spiffy moves.



Gracie dances an improvised form of ballet... instead of the typical on your toes spinning, she found it easier to spin on her heel.



The infamous snake move.... when he said that he does this at school when they are dancing in PE class, I thought he meant the whole class does this.  Nope, just him.... he thinks it is cool and laughs hysterically while slithering.  I tried desperately to get him to do something else, but it always turned into a slithering snake dance.

While my dancing was all over the board... from twirling with Gracie to be boppin' it with Nathan, Gracie captured this moment when Nathan was controlling me like a robot.

Dance on.