Why time goes by fast!

Steve will be home 2 weeks from today. I have had so many people say to me "I'm sure it hasn't gone by fast for you, but it doesn't seem like he's been gone that long." My reply is always "It's gone by fast for me too."

This is why it's gone by so fast for me, this has been my life since Friday! (as in 5 days ago)

Need I say the main reason why??
KIDS!

Matt and Ashley stayed with us for the weekend

And he proved that he can make the best cookies without any help, well Ashley and I did help eat the dough!

My friends from CA (the cutest sisters ever, and now live in Austin and Las Vegas) Natalie and Sabrina came over to visit. They were here for a wedding and came over with their really cool hubbies and darling kids (and Sabrina has another one on the way). I LOVE THESE girlies!



I have done my fair share of home decorating since Steve's been gone. Here is what I worked on this weekend, I found this really cool piece but the yellow wasn't my thing, so I worked on it

and this was the final product, even hung courtesy of Ashley, Matt and myself! (from the picture, he won't have a clue where this is in the house though)

Playing referee with the kids! Or as I told Steve the other day "I'm on crowd control duty" Sometimes they fight so much, it drives he crazy. Mason did something to Preston and afterwards he was trying to console him. They CAN BE so sweet with each other! Just wish it were more often.

Preston's first day of scouts. This is going to be a fish cutting board. We're supposed to finish it together (hope it still looks like a fish after I get my hands on it)

Preston and I stayed up together tonight (after the other 2 went to bed) and built his new Indiana Jones lego set that our friends gave him last night. I love spending one on one time with each of the kids, although I don't feel like I do it enough, it's my favorite and I always seem to learn a lot about what's going on with them when I do.

I have been getting back into my metal business the past few weeks. Knowing that Steve will be home soon, I can start taking on more business! I made this one this past weekend.

Clothes that the kids have outgrown have over taken the storage room. So I am doing a consignment sale with a girlfriend this weekend. So now the clothes have overtaken my basement. I had to wash everything, and everything has to be hung a certain way and the tags have to be made out on the computer with a description of the item! The tagging part will start after I hit publish post in a few minutes. Can't wait to get it all OUT of the house ASAP!

Okay, don't laugh. But I got some of my fall decoration out a few days ago. The weather has been in the 60's and 70's and it has totally felt like fall! And I always make sure I am not the first one to decorate, I think I am the 4th one of the street to have my deco out.

Plus, Preston has been begging for pumpkin bread, so I stayed up a few nights ago making pumpkin bread and decorating for Fall! I even sat down and played a few Christmas songs on the piano while I was waiting for the timer to go off. I am my mother's daughter! It was actually a treat for me!


This doesn't include cleaning, cooking, laundry, gym, speech apts, kid's running club practice, piano lessons, homework, visiting teaching and being visit taught, returning phone calls, running errands, )planning Steve's work's Christmas party, planning my trip to Virginia in Oct, setting up apts for Mason's surgery for his ear tubes (next Monday)..... but, despite all the somewhat organized chaos, I am the happiest person ever knowing that my hubby comes home in 14 days. Oh, and I did get a 2 1/2 hour nap with Mason on Monday. (And I did turn down the request to be in charge again of the dinner at the kid's school carnival)

So if you're wondering how time has gone by fast for me, just look at my last 6 days and know that this has really been my life the last 6 months!

In need of some good eye cream, or maybe it's just sleep I need!

Is it just me or is Facebook causing bags under your eyes also? It's addicting or should I come clean and admit that I'm addicted. Random friends like a friend from my softball days, like 20 yrs ago, found me through another friend's Facebook page today! If you want to sleep at night or don't want to connect with people you never thought in your wildest dreams you would connect with again, Facebook is not for you!

Barney saves Mason

After the Preston and Taylor left for school I did a quick sweep and vacuum of the house. Mason was on the main floor playing while I was upstairs getting ready for the gym. I was running behind after a few unexpected things this morning. Hurrying down the stairs to get out of the house, I stopped just in time. At the bottom of the stairs were blue berries all over the floor.

I rounded the corner and before I could scold Mason, he started to sing "Clean up Clean up everybody everywhere. Clean up everybody do your share."

How could I get mad at someone who sings the Barney Clean Up Song? So instead, we sang and cleaned up together. Thanks to Barney for helping me remember the things that really matter in life!

8 years later, I'm a Pigskin Mom

Happy 8th Birthday to Preston today

Preston was destined to be a sport's fan


5 days after he was born he was wearing his red Nebraska football jersey and football beanie and sat with Steve for his first football game (this was our video camera that took digital pics back in the days)

I would have never imagined 8 years later he would be wearing a size 6 shoe, only a foot shorter than me and knowing more about football than I do

We had Preston's birthday party this past Saturday. It was the opening football game at the Air Force Academy. With 8 season tickets and the boss of the tickets in Iraq, I told Preston he could invite 6 friends to the game for his birthday. The decision was easy and the party was scheduled from 9:30 am- 6:30 pm (to which one mom told me I should get the mom of the century award for having a party that long). What people don't understand is that these boys are DIE HARD Air Force fans, I sat back at the game and didn't have to do very much entertaining.

We tailgated before the game

And the boys got to throw the ball around before we went into the stadium

Ashley drove over to the game with us

And helped paint all the boys faces with AF and #1

We have the perfect seats for 7 boys. Front row seats and right above the tunnel. The boys were on their feet most of the game while I got to sit back and chat with friends. (I even had 2 people ask if all the boys were mine. I was wondering if I looked that crazy, I should have said yes just to see their reactions! Come on, do they really look like they can all be mine? Maybe they thought I just got around. I was without a man by my side)

All the action happens right in front of our seats

Air Force won 41-7, but the highlight of the day was after the game. Preston's friend's dad is a coach. After the game he came over and told the boys to hurry down on the field. I thought they were going down to play on the field but when they started running towards the tunnel, I realized they were going into the locker room. Preston had the chance to do this only one time before. The boys came out with Nike gloves, wrist bands and towels from the players. They got to see the players do their victory chant (watch the video, this was the boys before the game).

From 2008-08-30, Preston's bday

We stayed after the game for a hour while the boys played on the field The boys showing off thier "gear" from the players We came back to the house after the game for pizza, cake and ice cream. The boys ran around some more and 6:30 did come sooner than I expected. I was exhausted and in bed by 9:30 pm. Preston is a great kid. He is full of energy and life. We love him and are very proud of him. Happy 8th Birthday Preston!

What do you say to 14 Iraqi Cadets?

I was eagerly anticipating a phone call last night at MIDNIGHT. Steve and his class of 14 Iraqi Cadets called to say hi and talk. I got to talk and laugh with them and hear them express gratitude for Steve and say "We like Major Hendricks and we are going to miss him. You have a good husband." I am assuming that Steve had them practice other English besides that line! They asked me questions about the kids, asked for advice, asked what I thought of their English, told me that Major Hendricks doesn't like shopping. It was funny. I made sure they knew of my gratitude for them for wanting to serve their country. They are very appreciative people.

It makes me sad to think that in a few weeks Steve will have a bitter sweet departure from Iraq. He has loved his assignment and has made life long friendships with not only those serving with him but with the Iraqi people that he has grown to love and respect. I know there will be tears from many when the time comes to say good-bye.

It's hard to imagine all that he has been through since he's been there. Being able to talk to the cadets has given me a small glimpse of what he experiences everyday. Last night's phone call is one that I will never forget.