Awake at 2 am, eyes burning.

I had a bad dream. It went something like, someone stole Johns truck from a kids birthday party and we went and found out where it was and stole it back from some dude at an apartment complex and it ended up in a high speed chase down 540 where our friend was in the bed of the truck because we were giving him a ride home on the way back. Then the guy we stole it back from opened fire on the truck with a pistol and lit us up, while Eric was in the back, of course, while I was driving. Ugh. Stupid dream, now I can't sleep. I know, I'm a baby. Now I'm creeped out and the dark is scaring me.

I went and got Camden out of bed and put her in bed with me, I know, like a four year old can really protect me. Maybe it is like my mom senses will kick in with her in here and I feel tougher and more equipped to deal with obstacles, you know made up ones in my dream. I know, dumb.

Before the game tonight we had chick Fil a. Their toys were recalled due to safety, so they were giving ice cream. Harper had to sit and watch Joie and Camden eat it. I told her she couldn't have any because she didn't go to sleep and she said she would go to sleep so she could get some next time. Tonight she was much more passive when it came to bedtime. It was 10 by the time we got home, but regardless, I didn't have to get her back in bed more than once. We will see if this continues tomorrow when I attempt to put her in bed at 8.

All in all, Camden's birthday spent at the Naturals game was a success. Even though I had to work by representing the organization Smile for a Lifetime, having friends there to corral children helped. Thank you to Jeremy and Alicia, Sarah, and Brandi.

Okay, my eyes are burning because they are so tired, and without a computer to use, they are having to work to hard and focus on this phone.

John: How do you lay them down and they just roll over and go to sleep? It's like you are the Kid Whisperer. Ugh, tell me your secret....now!!! :)

Too tired to shower, let alone blog.

So my fears of starting this blog were realized this past week.  I have had SO much going on and haven't had time to blog.  I will struggle to try to remember what I did last week and share it.  I think I left off last Tuesday with volleyball and Camden telling me I'm fat.  I have no idea what occured from Wednesday to Friday. I know that my mom kept the girls so our babysitter could go to VBS, but everything between is a blur. Let me try to sort this out. 

Wednesday I had a Smile for a Lifetime meeting at Jose's in Springdale. I had big plans to order the most amazing meal ever, on the office of course, and I got busy and forgot to order.  Meeting adjourned, I was still starving.  I think I had a sleepover at my house with a girl I work with.  We were working on a project for a Christmas present for her boyfriend.  We watched the movie "P.S. I Love You."  She hadn't seen it before and I assured her it was an amazing movie.  Maybe I should have remembered it was amazing the 3rd or 4th time you watch it, but gut wrenchingly sad the first time.  She cried the whole movie.  I felt horrible.  I was so tired and my eyes were so dehydrated I didn't cry, but I cried inside.  lol 

Thursday and Friday must have been uneventful, sorry to anyone I did something with those days and can't remember.  Wait, wait....Thursday night we went to Gulley Park Concert Series, a free concert in the park in Fayetteville every other Thursday, with some friends.  My mom came, we ate Q'doba and stopped at Sonic on the way home.  It was a good concert, Joe Giles and the Homewreckers, but not as good as the one before. (pictures posted below)

Friday night we went to Wal mart and I had a healthy grocery list planned. I get to the register and she rings me up, I go to grab my card and its gone.  I go to grab my checkbook and its gone. AHHHHHH!  Panic sets in.  Wait, I have some cash, after I take $50 worth of chicken and fish out of our cart, we paid and I get my change.  GET THIS.... a $1 bill that I spent earlier in the day in Fayetteville at Sonic, I got back in change at the Wal-mart in Pleasant Grove!  WHOA! That was insane.  I knew it was mine because I wrote one of the girls orders on it in blue ink--Large cherry limeade.  I could NOT believe it! 

Saturday I hosted a last minute Premier Jewelry party for a friend so she could meet her goal. Fruit and mimosas and a few friends.  It was a success for being thrown together 2 days earlier. We went to the Firefly Fling Festival at the Botanical Gardens in Fayetteville.  It was a lot of crafts, people dressed up like fairies, and fun.  There was a fire twirling show that was pretty unbelievable.  Because of the burn ban, they cancelled the release of the lit paper lanterns, but all in all it was a success.  (pictures posted below)  Thank you to Sarah for sharing all of these fun things with us.  The girls really love Pippi and Felix. 

Sunday we woke up late and missed church, AGAIN (UGH!!).  I decided that I would clean out the garage so I went at it.  I threw away an old trampoline that we had hopes to put up in the back yard.  I rearranged and organized and ate tons of dust in the process.  But it looks amazing.  You could park a car in it, I wouldn't eat off the floor, but its clean. 

John:  Be prepared to be mobile when you get home.  I don't think we've been at home more than one night in a row since you've left.  I may need a few days to myself to sleep.  I plan on partaking in Nyquil tonight to try and get some sleep.  Oh, and you are welcome for the garage Summer clean.  :) 

Ugh.

So the day started with a bang. I went to turn on the tv and there it was...the recording of the tummy tuck commercial. Ugh.

Yesterday, Camden gets up and asks me to turn on her show. When the tv comes on, she tells me to stop that I might benefit from this thing on tv because my stomach is kind of up. I pay closer attention and realize this is an infommercial for Tummy Tuck, a waistband that claims to melt the fat away. Thanks Camden. Operation Anoerexia has commenced. Ugh.

Today was a great day at work, we got our bonus from last month and then we got to draw from the money bucket for meeting production goals. We had to stay late, but who cares...I came home $130 richer.

I had to get the stuff ready for the Boys and Girls club second pick up do I start cleaning house in the garage.. As I pondered a late night illegal dump, it dawned on me that our friends have a giant blue dumpster in their front yard because if their recent move and rennovation start. Bingo! Thank you Jeremy and Alicia. Had I known how therapeutic that was to stand in the back of the truck and chunk trash that I have loathed for months, I would have brought much much more!

So back home we went, Cooper in tow, to help them out as Jeremy took their oldest and mine to VBS and Alicia had a photo session.

Aaron texts me in a panic that they need a volleyball. Volleyball at Wilson Park was booted off the agenda much earlier in the day, but I wanted to help so we loaded back up. I was so proud of Harper and Cooper for just chilling next to the court as I squeezed two games in. They even refused Sarah's offer to go to the playground. I know, right?!

As we walked back through the door at home, Gram drops a brand new jar of bread and butter pickles all over the floor. So I kick her out of the kitchen, quarantine the sandy children to the dining room, and start cleaning up glass and the most repulsive smelling liquid ever. I am pretty confident my feet will smell like bread and butter pickles for days. Ugh.

So here we are in the kitchen cooking grilled cheese at 9:30 pm as I explain to Camden that VBS stands for vacation bible school and Harper is making up a freestyle rap involving "VBS and woot woot." I don't know if these girls will ever be in bed, let alone fall asleep before 9 pm ever. School starting is a month away! Ugh.

John: Thanks for leaving the truck here. I'm making good use of it and I promise I will get the oil changed....someday soon. :) We love you. Don't forget to check out the videos the girls made for you. I posted them on Facebook.

Wacky Saturday

We started our day going to our good friends' house so I could take a family picture of them with their dog, that was going to be put down later that day. She was around when we were in college and was just an overall great dog (see pic below). So when they came to put her down, I loaded the kids up (their 2 bits and my 2 girls) and we went to Sonic and the car wash.

We came back and Camden and Cohen played superheroes (see pic below) until we got ready to go see Madagascar 3 at the theater. When we got to the theater it was PACKED. After about 15 min of musical chairs and deciding which parent would sit with which kids, Jeremy found a row of 4 seats at the very top and two below. Alicia spent most of the movie sitting on the stairs, which she swore was comfortable.

After the movie, and only two trips to the bathroom and tons of snacks) the kids were wound up and there was Freedom Fest going on at the mall. There were jump houses galore and tents everywhere. (see picture below) The kids got to go inside a fire truck and shoot Daisy BB guns (see pictures below) A bunch of soldiers in uniform (granted they were Army, not Airforce,) were manning the stations and I got a little emotional.

We capped off the night with an entertaining dinner at Copelands with some other friends. Thanks to Taylor and Brittany for riding with us and making the trip very laughable with the girls!

Day 2, part 2---Missed call.....

So I got back from moving our cars back in the driveway and grabbed my phone and saw a missed call from an unknown number. I immediately felt sick, just knowing we had missed a call from John.

The girls and I gathered around the bed and listened to our message from him. He let us know he was "in country" and has been busy and his phone was in Manus. Not sure if it was voluntary, involuntary, or an accident. I almost flipped a lid not having my cell phone when I lost it on the way to Peru, but he seemed cool as a cucumber.

We couldn't call him back so we started an email. I asked both girls what they wanted to say and then wrote it verbatim....

Day 2...separation anxiety

So Harper thinks when I leave that I am not coming back. She needs one more kiss and hug about 10x. After the hyperventilation stopped this morning, I was on my way. Please pray for Harper to have strength and peace in her heart.

After work I got a cross for our cross wall for John beginning this deployment. I explained to the girls that when he got home, they could go with him to pick out another one. I took Gram to the store and she got her shopping spree. She got mad at me because I told her no ice cream and coke floats for the girls. The boys and girls club finally came and picked up the 14 boxes we had to donate. Their truck was so full they will be back next Wednesday for the furniture.

We made mini homemade pizzas with the cutest mini turkey pepperonis I have ever seen. We decided it was too hot for First Friday in Bentonville tonight, so Duck Dynasty marathon it is. I would give up Sixlets to listen to a conversation between Gram and Uncle Si.

Oh, and John, I managed somehow to remember to get the trash out! Woot woot!!

We did it !!!

Finally, thanks to our amazing neighbor Sierra, who is also cooking our dinner tonight, we are up and running.   We just spent the last 3 hours editing the details to make this blog look semi-fancy.  Now that we have done all of this, while her three girls and my two have entertained each other, I am spent.  Gram is wanting me to take her to the store, for the 3rd time this week, so secretly I am hiding out over here to avoid her completely.  Last night we made a Wal-mart stop and didn't get home until 10:30. I had to carry both girls in the house, and was pretty confident I was about to have to carry her in too.  Taco night tonight.  The girls are doing cartwheels and singing karaoke (acapella).  Stay tuned for Camden's debut video. I will attempt to post it from my phone.  Wish me luck, I have only had the WORST luck ever this week with it. John:  When you get home, you are going to be solely responsible for Gram's grocery shopping.  Her and the two girls in the store together are going to be the death of me.  I love you.