guess what??

he's home :) I'll post some more video/pics tmrw.

a few more

Here are just a few more. Most of the pics of the 3 of us were taken by others so I'll post those when they come in. I haven't taken Kilah to the vet yet.. will update on that soon. Hoping to wait til Derrick comes home.. which right now seems like it's going to be awhile. :( ttyl--

More from the 4th..

Here are a few more pics from yesterday. A few of our friends whose hubbies are deployed also (but not with D - infact 2 of them came home tonight!!!) came over and we ate and let the kids relax before going to base for fireworks. My friend Giusi also taught us how to make tiramisu as she grew up in Catania! I'll post some more later-- here's what I have for now. As for updates on D.. every time he calls he tells me the date is pushed back another day, or several days,etc. I don't anticipate him home any time soon. feh.

Beat the Heat!

Happy 4th of July!!!!

To start our morning off the girls swam in the backyard (shocker, I know). Valerie has had swim suit issues lately (she's a skinny gal.. the suits her size are way too big and hang too loose but the suits from last summer give her a permanant wedgie. hmm). SO we went shopping yesterday and she tried on about 10 suits. (remember now that we have ONE store to choose from here also) It is pretty hard these days to find a toddler a suit that doesn't look like she's trying to be sexy. I don't understand gold clipped string bikinis for 2 year olds. sorry. Besides, D would probably flip his lid if he saw his little girl in something like that. Of course the one that fit her is a disney princess suit. Maybe it was meant to be. sigh. She is thrilled as you can tell by the picture. I do have to admit I love the little ruffle/bow in the back ;)

This is supposedly her model/princess pose. She is showing off her new suit:

Just look at that cute ruffle..

Those big baby thighs are slimming down! such a big girl these days.

Sissy doesn't like hugs!!

Val swims with my old cabbage patch doll-- did anyone have one of these? She is all plastic/rubber (whatever) and can go in the pool/bath tub. She also gets tan lines. (rolls eyes)

Kilah.. poor dog needs her hair cut. That would be D's job.

Norman and his stubbornness would not turn his head. He is a camera phobe apparently.
And I realize both dogs need hair brushing and nails cut,etc. don't judge. i'm tired. :)

UGHGH nevermind.

I just caught Norman peeing on the rug. Apparently they are both doing it.. I'm not sure. They just might find themselves walking the top of Mt. Etna tonight.

feh.

Happy 4th!

I hope you all have a Happy 4th of July!! It is actually probably my favorite holiday after Christmas, of course. The town I grew up in is pretty 4th obsessed. Everyone decorates their front porches and there is a very large, long parade down Main Street. I would love to have a big bbq and go see the fireworks-- a perfect relaxing day! It is especially sentimental ever since I married a Navy man ;)

It is a bit bizarre celebrating overseas but living on a base you still see some patriotism. There will be some family games and what not over on base with fireworks to cap it off. We will head over there at some point. Beforehand some of my girl friends whose hubbies are also sitting there twiddling their thumbs, waiting for a plane to pick them up... are going to come over to bbq.

I am actually posting to see if anyone has advice for my dog. Kilah (who is a Cairn terrier- think Toto from the Wiz. of Oz) is probably about 6 years old? I got her my soph year of college. She's a really good dog for the most part. She is very 'miss priss' at times and instead of rolling over to say i'm sorry.. kind of barks at you like, 'screw you. I do what I want.' At any rate since I got home from my month in the States, she's been peeing on random rugs, at random times. She NEVER used to have accidents.. ever. She's peed on 3 different rugs in the past 3 days and I am about to lose it. Thank god we have ceramic tile everywhere; however, pulling the rugs out in the driveway to scrub and clean is a pain in the ass considering they have furniture that has to be moved to do so!! Especially since I am doing this by myself with 2 toddlers!! I am about to kill this dog.

I am almost starting to wonder if there's something wrong with her. Do you think it'd be stupid to take her in to the vet since it's not a normal habit of hers? Or do you think she's just ticked at me for not walking her very much these days with D being gone? (can't deal with 2 dogs and 2 kids on a walk.. it's impossible). Any advice?

grazie!

It was the pig, with the blanket, in the kitchen

Caught.

So as I've posted about 200 times since this deployment started, Valerie hasn't slept in her room without protest in months. The issue hasn't really gotten better, I just try different tactics every other week or so, none of which work. Night before last, I was sitting at my desk talking to a friend on the phone around 10pm when I realized Val was in the kitchen. I honestly probably never would have heard her all night (The door was shut) except that she made the mistake of going into the cabinet for animal cookies and the door shut pretty loudly.

I knew it'd be something to remember so I took a picture. She was having a slumber party with 'pig'. Pig came out of a vending machine on an outing we had with Daddy right before he left. He is one of three love's that she rotates in sleeping with. (Mickey Mouse from our cruise last summer is #1, closely followed by an incredibly soft rabbit stuffed animal/puppet that Grandma Debbie sent for Easter). He actually had his own blanket in the hall way but apparently wasn't invited to the party.

We are hoping to have Derrick home in less than a week now.. so please keep those prayers coming. We sure are ready!!!!