Howdy Y'all

If the hint in my title did not give it away we just booked tickets to visit in Texas for 2 weeks!!! We will be there from Sept 27 to October 11th! I cannot wait to see everyone! Also we will be jetting up to Austin to do a little house hunting! I can't wait to meet pink and have her tell us all the Austin hot spots! Kelly we hope to head up to WF for a quick visit as well! And Allison do not think I will leave with out a girls shopping trip! Woo Hoo!!!

Cute recent pics!

Oprah's famous lemon drop martini.....boy are they good!

Happy Birthday Addison!

Addison turned 7 today and for her birthday she went with her friends to get pedicures. They were so cute! Here are some pictures from her evening. She also got her new americain girl doll and accessaries!

Option number 3: if you have not read the previous post read it first!

OK with a long weekend Ben and I had allot of time to sit and talk (AGAIN) about our future. If you were in our last small group in Wichita FAlls, you know how Ben and I love to sceam and manipulate situations for our future. So anyway we came up with a 3rd option and I have to say this is the first time we have felt a peace about the situation and are actually more excited then scared. So in option 3 we get out of the Air Force all togeather. Ben will have his MBA or be very near completeion. In the Air Force he is an electrition and has been doing that for ten years. It was never something he wanted to do forever but he does enjoy figuring stuff out and he is very good at it. Ben is always the guy people go to when they cannot figure something out. SO we would get out of the Airforce and it would put him at a Journeymans level in civillian life. After two years he could get his contracting license and start his own company or buy into one that is already started. By doing this he will be usuing his MBA but also have his ten years of experience to back it up. Now we can do this anywhere however I think we have chosen Austin Texas. It is a great city and I have always said if I ever lived in Texas again it would be Austin. It is close enough to family (4hours) yet far enough away that they cannot just show up on your door step. However the kids can go there for a week at a time on holidays or in the summer, (YEAH ME!) Also checking out the real estate it is amazing what kind of house you can get for your money in Austin or surrounding areas. For example for $220 000 you can get a 5000sqft house with 5 bedroom,a library, a game room, two living rooms, and 2 dining rooms! Not that we need a house quite that big but that is over $100 000 less then we payed here for 1200sqft. HOLY COW!!! So anyway We could definitly get our dream home in Austin. Ben would be doing something he enjoys and then using his MBA to take it even further, the kids would be close to family (but not too close), it is close to one of the biggest and my favorite outlet mall!!!!!, and the pros just keep coming! I really cannot think of any cons other then the fear of getting out of the Air Force just because this is what we have done our whole married lives. We have never enjoyed Air Force life however, and have always saidw we were just not militery people. SO it is an excited scared. So what do you think of option three?

The Fork In The Road....

Well as we stand right now we have two paths ahead of us. Each path would be great the hard part is deciding which one to take. I mean the decision we make right now could totally alter the rest of our lives, the people we meet, and the people our kids eventually marry. I know that God has already worked everything out for His glory and what ever path we choose will be exactly His plan. Is it because He already has our future predestined, or does He just already know what choices we will make before we make them. Maybe I am just over thinking this. So I will lay out the two paths for you and then all of you can vote and I will take what ever path wins. OK maybe not but I definitely would love everyone's input.
Path one: We stay 2 more years in Hawaii, move to Europe for 3 years (travel and chance of a life time), however Ben will still deploy once every 2 years for 6 months. Then after Europe we would have 4 more years left in the Air Force and we would come back to the states for our last 4 years hopefully at a base in the city or at least near the city that we eventually want to retire. Not yet knowing what that city is. Ben would retire at the age of 39 with a full military pension, a masters degree, and be young enough still to start his new career, possibly teaching at a University, giving our children cheaper tuition at the University which could always come in handy with 4 kids. Then at retirement age he would have two pension and we would be pretty well off. Now out of that time from now until Ben retires from the military he will have spent at least 2 years maybe 3 away from the family on deployments. If you retire in the Air Force you have to spend at least 1 year without your family in Korea. This does not include the 6 months deployments he takes every 2 years. Some people can slip through the cracks and avoid this but there is no guarantee. Also Addison will graduate (crazy) the same year we retire and if we have moved around her whole life she will never have a home town, however she will have had a chance to see the world. Both pretty important. Also the kids would have free medical until they are 21 and Ben and I for life (again huge with 4 kids). So pluses are: traveling Europe, great schools in Europe, job security,retirement at 39, medical for life, possibly cheaper collage tuition. Negatives: deployments, always moving around, being so far away from family, especially now that my brothers are starting to get married and have kids

Path 2: We stay in Hawaii for 1.5-2 more years get out of the Air Force move to Tyler Texas where Ben will get a job working for his dad who owns an insurance and investment company. We would be taking a slight pay cut the first year but within 4 years will be making double what we make now. With the money we make off the equity of our house in Hawaii we could afford to buy our dream home in Texas. The kids would be near Ben's side of the family, plus it would be easier and cheaper for us to visit my family in Canada, so we would see them more as well. We would get to stay in one place and not have to pick up and move all the time (that could be good or bad). With family around I would be able to go back to work or school if I wanted. Not that I do really but who knows. Also we were thinking if we got out that he could join the guard and that way we do not lose our medical and retirement pay he just would not get it until he turns 60 instead of 39. We figured it out and the money in retirement he would lose from the age of 39 to 60 would be about $250 000 however since we would be making double on the outside what he makes in the Air Force that would make up for that money. He would owe the guard 9 years of one weekend a month 2 weeks a year. He could also get deployed if any major tradgesty happened ie 9-11. Pluses: dream house, our family will be together, not having to move, near family, no or less deployments. Minuses: we might get bored in one place, it's no Hawaii or Europe, too hot, it might be too close to family.

So there are the two paths in a nut shell. I would really appreciate as much input as possible. We have a year or so to make our final decision, and we will probably change our minds a hundred times by then. So all you readers who read and do not comment, this is the time to comment!!!!!! Thanks!

Family Pictures!

OK I guess it is time to update!

I know I know it is time to let everyone in on what we have been up to. Well for starters Ben made it home safe!!! He got home Last Wednesday. He was supposed to fly in at 10:30 at night but it ended up getting pushed back several times and finally ended up being 1:15am. So I told the kids that his plane broke down and he would not be back until the next afternoon. So I proceeded to put there sad little faces to bed, and once they were asleep my neighbor came over to watch them. That way when they woke up in the morning daddy would be here to surprise them. I did take Londyn with me since she had changed so much since Ben left. Well I really wish I would have taken the kids now because they had a huge production with a red carpet and band and the local news and everything. It was pretty amazing to watch them deboard the plane and come marching towards us down the red carpet. It seemed so surreal that he was actually finally home. Londyn took to him like he had always been here, which was amazing because she has been playing strange with people lately. She gave daddy one of her gorgeous big smiles and has had daddy wrapped around her finger ever since. When we got home Ben and we stayed up till 4am catching up "if ya know what I mean" hint hint.
The next morning Corben was the first to come in our room. He stopped in his tracks when he saw Ben and just stared at him for a good couple minutes. He did not move or blink. Then slowly he walked over to my side of the bed and whispers "daddy" They had a big tickle fest and they were best friends again. Then he went to wake the girl up. He tried Addison first but since she is as much of a morning person as I am she would not budge. He gave up on her and tried Camryn and she popped open her eyes and shouted "daddy!" Addison heard this and she had jumped out of bed and clung around his neck in about 2 seconds flat. It was so cute. After a long group hug we all jumped in our king size bed and visited with each other just like old times.
I love the newlywed high you get when they first get back. When you get butterflies in your stomach again when you kiss and remember why you married this person in the first place. However now that we have been back together for a week we are struggling to get back into a routine together. I had a routine that did not include him, and now that he is back we are finding out where everybody fits again. Everyone goes through it after a deployment and eventually you get back to your old routine and it all works out. We already got our big post deployment petty fight out of the way, and now that the lines of communication have been open we will be adjusted in no time.
Mother's day was great. It was the first time Ben got to go to the new church I found and love. He loved it as well and are so excited to have a church home together. After church we went and renewed our annual passes at Hawaiian Waters water slide park and spent the afternoon there. We had Chili's take out for dinner and were going to go eat it at the beach and watch the sunset but we had a slight detour to go help a friend in need. My friend's husband had to leave on a TDY on mothers day and when she tried to take herself out to dinner with her kids someone stole her wallet and all her ID. So we brought her dinner and ate with her instead. After that we came home and watched a movie and put an end to our perfect mothers day. Oh I also got my favorite new perfume Burburry London, and some new good sunglasses, which I have yet to pick out.
Oh I forgot to brag about how good my husband looks. While he was gone he worked out for 2-3 hours a day (mostly out of boredom) but let me tell you I have been having trouble keeping my hands off of him since he has been back. I like I like!!! He has always been slim but now he is toned and has these great pecks and rippled stomach. Now I really need to lose that last 10 pounds so I don't look like Ben's frumpy wife.
Ben is off for two weeks so we are catching up on yard work and going to the beach as much as possible. Corben turns 3 on Saturday and Addison turns 7 10 days later. Corben is doing chucky cheese and Addison is taking a friend to the spa for some girl fun and pedicures!
Well I think that is all that is new around here for now. I will try and update more often but cannot promise anything.

ONE MORE SLEEP!

Yes just one more sleep until Ben gets home. (Big cheesy grin on my face) I can't believe how fast the time flew and that I am still in one piece. We did it! We survived another deployment. I have been nesting like crazy the last few days so the house should be spick and span by the time he gets home. Today I need to work out for like ten hours straight so I do not feel frumpy. Of course, never fail I, got my little unwanted monthly visiter. Last time Ben was deployed she made her grand entrance one hour before Ben's plane landed. ONE HOUR!! Are you kidding me? This time we got a few days warning so maybe she will gather up and get out before he gets home.
Other then that the kids are getting excited and will probably spend the day making hundreds of cards for him. They are planning a big party with cake and ice cream! Any excuse for cake and ice cream!
So remember the "pick up Ben at the airport outfit" I got? Well turns out his plane is coming in at night and my outfit is more of a day thing. Plus it is so hot, I do not want to waste it if I can only wear it for a few hours. So I think I have to firgure out a different outfit and save that one for mother's day. Prehaps a trench coat.....JK! I guess it is back to the mall for me!!
Well I have a whole day of homeschooling, toilet cleaning, and work outs to do. Also I hear my little cutie jibbering away in her crib. Have a great day!

Martha

Tomorrow morning I need to get up bright and early (which is physically painful for me) and put my best Martha Stewart on. The girls from my old neighborhood have started a breakfast club and twice a week we meet for breakfast that we take turns hosting and get to talk adult instead of kid for a few hours. Well tomorrow is my turn so I got to spend my Sunday cleaning from top to bottom so that I can give the appearance that I have it all together. Because remember...Appearances are everything. No one has to know that my toilet needed cleaning, I spent most of the day yelling at my kids, and I have a zit on my chin because the toilet is clean now, I will drug my kids to silence, and well there is always makeup for my chin.
So I am going to impress everyone with my home made waffles, quiche (in two different flavors, also homemade), cinnamon buns (had to thank the dough boy for that one), and orange juice made from scratch (gotta put that $400 blender to good use). I will let you know tomorrow is it all goes off as well as it sounds. It will probably go something like, burnt quiche in two different flavors, waffles that stick to the waffle iron, and orange juice who's pulp sticks to your front teeth. Add four screaming children of my own and 4 other screaming children that belong to others running threw my once clean house and the good times just go on and on. It all sounds so good in theory. Anyway I am going to just put my best Martha Stewart smile on and grin and bear through the whole thing.(even when the kids are sliding down the stairs in card board boxes.) By the way I hate Martha Stewart!