Tennyson Family Blog

Another great week

2011-02-20T08:24:00.002-07:00

This last week was filled with another bunch of successes. I was privileged to go to both Courtney and Cyrus' school for the awards ceremonies. They are both doing so great this year and I hope that showing them how excited and proud I am of them, will help them stay motivated.
Carmen won a race at school. She has been working so hard on her running so it was a great day. She is one determined girl and is doing fantastic in gymnastics. I will take pictures Tuesday of that to show you her skills!

Cera- that girl is one of a kind. I am really making it a point to spend some quality time with her. She LOVES running. So do I, so why not go for a run together everyday. This week, she almost beat me ( and no, I am not kidding) . Every time after that I asked her who put rockets in her shoes.

We are finally making the turn in health here and I am so excited. This week I will be meeting with a friend to make my own flour and come up with some gluten free recipes.
The kids are finally drinking my green smoothies and Cyrus reminds me so much of Ryan ( my brother) it is hilarious. Six pack is his goal this year.. :)

Toby is going for some training so it is major get things done time for me. I am starting a different blog for resource type things and hope to update this one with all my pictures.

We have been working hard with the church youth to earn the money for the Temple trip in a couple months so I hope to tell everyone about that as well.

Life is amazing, isn't it?

Kids are so smart these days

2011-01-30T17:40:00.003-07:00

My youngest is still 3, but I have found out how smart they are at a very young age. I figured out months ago.. if Cera was smart enough to play on a computer, learn her alphabet and play on my Iphone or a Nintedo DS- She was smart enough to run a vacuum, dishwasher, or clean her room.

Sometimes we just underestimate them, you know.

We are potty trained!!

2011-01-30T17:34:00.002-07:00

I say "WE" because it was more about me, than it was about Cera! I have struggled with this for the last 6 months because the timing never seemed "right". What I have come to find out is that the timing is never "right"- it is how you make it!

At the first of the year, Toby saw my frustration with that being one of my goals for last year and not having it completed. He decided to make it a big deal and I am soo thankful he did.

I know it is over the top, but really--- to me, it is worth it.

Toby made Cera a promise------ go in the potty and be a big girl, get an Itouch!

Yes, she is 3.. but guess how long it took her to figure that out.

Within the week she was potty trained and we no longer need diapers. It is a huge thing in our home and I am so thankful that I will never have to potty train again.

End to a chapter, new beginnings

2011-01-30T17:21:00.002-07:00

This last week was super exciting because Toby took a test that is very important to his career and HE CRUSHED IT! I am so stoked about how awesome he did and super proud of him.

The test he took was the ASVAB. Normally it is only taken once for the entrance into the Army. He has been praying about his career for years now, and decided to finally do something about it. He has decided to put in his packet to be a Warrant Officer. This is a big deal for him and us as well. We have been talking about the choices and making decisions since he was deployed. This ASVAB score was something he had to get higher to be able to even qualify to put in a packet for this position.

He studied really hard, and with fasting, prayer and special family members and friends behind us.. the Lord allowed his mind to be open and know the material he had studied for the test.

We are so very thankful to everyone and their support. Have gratitude in our hearts for how Heavenly Father has taken a different role in our lives and we have learned to share our experiences with the One that knows us better than anyone else.

Our new Family Theme this year is " I will go where you want me to go, I will say what you want me to say, I will do the things that you want me to do, I will BE who you want me to BE"

With this change, it has jolted us into movement again and the conviction that the Lord needs us to be examples for all of those searching for happiness.

We are currently finishing up his packet and he changes jobs within the military this week. He is going back online ( means he will no longer be in an office, but working with soldiers.) We are excited for the change and are very focused on our blessings and what the Lord wants us to do.

For me- being super supporter to my husband and children is the focus. I am also changing our family nutrition, and dependency to processed foods, still work my vinyl business and finish more of my personal training certifications to be a better ME and be a better example for those struggling.

I love my life and am so thankful for the gift of free agency. Learning from mistakes, bad choice and consequences. Also the ability to reap the benefits of following my Savior Jesus Christ and the happiness I can obtain if I stay on the right path and hold strong to the iron rod.

Big Day

2011-01-25T17:12:00.000-07:00

I will be celebrating the changes happening to our family starting this week. I will post later the results and all our new goals.. so check back in 24 hrs.. I will have pictures, results, and most of all inspiration that hard work and prayer pay off!

Gym time= Date time

2011-01-21T21:57:00.002-07:00

I never realized how important dates with my husband are, until after the deployment. When he came home, I knew I wanted to get to know him better and be a bigger part of his life as long as he was home.

This past year and a half living on the island we have been trying to make changes to our lives and set good fitness examples for our children. I am very soon going to be doing a complete nutrition overhaul that will take us to our ultimate goals.

That all being said. Toby and I decided instead of going to a dinner and movie for a date- that cost money and makes us lazy, we would go to the gym together. It has been a learning experience but overall some of my most cherished time on the island with him.

Not only do we have common likes and goals, we can see each other achieve- push each other to our physical limits, he can see me cry for a good reason and then come back refreshed to conquer our little world.

With a gym partner it can get frustrating sometimes and we have laughed ourselves out a couple times because we are unfocused and run a mile and go to the BX instead.. but I can honestly say.. " I feel so blessed to get to date my husband at least 5 days a week for an hour"

If you are ever looking for a date- go to the gym... you will find out a lot about each other!

New hair

2011-01-20T15:19:00.002-07:00

Some of you may not be on my facebook, so you haven't seen the change for me.

I colored my hair dark! I have been blonde for so many years. Actually, each child I had, my hair got darker and darker.. so this is going closer to my natural hair color now.

The reason behind it is unique I think. I went over my goals for the year. I set up my 6 month goal and worked backward. When I was trying to find more time... I found that my hair was taking me a couple hours every month. The cost of upkeep was getting to be more than I wanted to spend. ( even though I did do it myself) The products to keep it somewhat healthy was getting to be more and more, and I needed a change. So 8 months after I said I was going to do it, I finally did!

I am really glad I did. The change has been fun, and really taking a load off my mind.

Who knew what a small change could do for my sanity, schedule, and budget.

Christmas Eve

2010-12-25T00:15:00.008-07:00

" It's not Christmas Eve. It's Christmas Eve Day.. duh" Classic quote from my Dad I quoted to the kids about 50 times and they just looked at my like I was crazy. That's ok.. I AM!

We followed the Tennyson tradition for Christmas Eve this year. I cook all night and morning the day of. The menu this year was a huge turkey, ham, potatoes, stuffing, corn, spiral pasta salad, monkey bread, 7 layer dip, fruit dip, veggie tray, cheese ball, yummy green salad with candied cashews, fruit salad.

The point of the meal on Christmas Eve is 1. To get everyone nice and full so they sleep well that night. 2. After I cook all this food- it is enough food for 3 days. We eat on paper plates and then I don't cook, or clean for a couple days.. SOOOO my favorite tradition ever!!!

Toby wanted me to go with him for our workout in the afternoon, while the ham and turkey were cooking. I still had to roll the monkey bread out. He said he would do it for me to make it faster. ( How hard could it be right?) Let's just say he didn't enjoy it very much. (MOM- he asked if this was how you did it? I think he thinks because you are wonder woman that monkey bread comes magically for you..LOL)

We made it to the gym that afternoon.. and it was good I did- because all this food was going to be eaten as well.

We invited some friends over who don't have family around. John Hill, a fantastic guy that works on one of the bases here.. ( not a soldier), and Page.. who we love to have over and he always brings some new electronic thing for us to be jealous over..:) We really enjoyed their company and hope they come to our Crazy place again.

Dinner ( if I could say) was amazing! I don't know the last time I had such an amazing ham. I made it in the crock pot, and just put some spices and then brown sugar and no water. It turned out sooo moist. The monkey bread was great.. had to do a second batch in the morning because the first batch did not rise. ugh!'

Here are some pictures after we ate.. there was still tons of food- YAY

Afterwards, the kids opened pajamas and got ready for bed.

These pictures are of Carmen putting carrots out for Rudolph, and some glitter oatmeal so he could see our house when he was flying.

I am so thankful for this season and the opportunity we have to be together as a family. Who knows if we will be in the coming years.. We read the Story from the scriptures and then the kids were fast asleep.

Toby and I obviously stayed up and fixed everything up for morning.. everything was pretty much done- it was nice for it to take all of 5 minutes to have everything out.

Toby and I watched a movie and (knowing the kids had set alarms for 6 am) headed to bed.

How blessed I am to live in this home, in a foreign country with family. How I wish sometimes to be closer to all the family at home.. that time will come again.

My First Marathon

2010-12-02T10:44:00.002-07:00

Looks like I will run my first marathon in April. Finally found one here that is not on Sunday. Turns out there are 3 other ones in January or February. Yikes!

I will see how I am feeling for any of those ones.

The tough subjects

2010-12-02T06:51:00.004-07:00

I just need to touch on this to let people into my heart, but also to show my gratitude for learning things through struggle and heartache.

Today, Toby came home from work and told me that our friend was going home to the states because his brother had died. I was surprised of course. I could tell Toby was kind of apprehensive to tell me the situation, but he did anyway.

His brother had apparently committed suicide. For those that do not know me very well, I too had a brother commit suicide. I have been very surprised at how much my heart has been aching today. The hurt and sorrow in these situations is sometimes harder to deal with.

I remember that day vividly. I remember the hurt the unanswered question. As I have continued on through life these last 12 years, I reflect back on what I have learned. How I could have reacted differently. How I could have judged everyone I know that has ever dealt with this type of situation. How much I have learned about free agency and choices.

This post was originally written in December and I put off publishing it. I just want people to know, there is a purpose for everyone. Sometimes we lose that focus and sometimes we may need help and not be sure how to ask for it. Whatever the situation is..
As I have been praying about the next step for our family. It has become clear that I cannot run from my purpose in life anymore. As I reflect to see if I have done everything here in Japan that the Lord has sent me to do.. I have to honestly answer NO.
There is a difference in being hard on yourself, and being honest with yourself. My prayers reaffirm that it is the latter and that I have been blessed with special gifts/talents to really be able to help people. The things my parents have taught me to not judge others, but be honest is showing up in every aspect around me.

I have been truly blessed in almost every endeavor I have tried to do. I have learned new skills and have found many new talents by trying new tasks and really asking more of myself.

Bottom line of this post is that I truly care for people. I want people to know their value and their purpose here. My testimony of the Love that our Heavenly Father has for his children is very full and I hope to pass that along to others. It still saddens me about my brother and I miss him, but not dwelling on the negative and going out and helping others who might feel the way he felt is something I must do.

New Furniture

2010-12-02T06:49:00.002-07:00

I just wanted to post a picture of my new furniture. I went with leather this time. I had micro suede for the last couple of years. I loved the look of it, but man I hated cleaning it. I failed to cover them in plastic when I first got them. I have just been shampooing them every week. That gets time consuming.

We lost a couple inches in the table but it is still really big and I still love the counter height. I contemplated going down to a regular size. At the store I sat down, and felt like I was sitting on the floor. Counter height is just more US.

I am very thankful for all my blessings and the fact I know how to get a good deal and the salesman was willing to barter on these items.

The couch has a chaise that matches but I have not taken a picture of that yet.

Blogging

2010-12-02T06:42:00.002-07:00

I know the picture is extreme.. but I wanted everyone to see how I look while I am blogging tonight.

Remember when Toby was gone for 2 years and I blogged almost everyday? Wasn't that awesome? Well, he is not home tonight, so I am going to blog and relax.. WELL, at least between painting coats for my boards.

This picture is from my Christmas present Toby got me and I am super stoked!

It of course, got here the day before my parents left the island, but we got some fun pictures at the park and then I have been having fun this last week as well.

The hair looks blue, but it is really purple in order to get it really white.. and these wrinkles need to GO.. so a weekly mask/facial was in order.

Black Friday Deal

2010-11-30T14:26:00.003-07:00

I am sooo excited! I have been neeing a new drawing program for my computer. I havce been wanting adobe illustrator or corel draw and photoshop for months now. For my business it is a good investment, but I hate just forking out hundreds of dollars for a computer program.

Well... to my surprise, my vinyl distributor- posted a black friday sale, I could not pass up.

Corel Draw for 29.99? You have to be kidding..

It isn't the newest version, but it allows me to do what I need it to do, so I am super pumped. I also got Illistrator for 20.00 for an upgraded version of what I had before.

YAY!!

This will allow me to change my images for my vinyl business and save me a whole heck of alot of time.

My parents came to visit- part 1

2010-11-30T13:48:00.004-07:00

We went to get Ice Cream and show my parents JUSCO- When we got there though.. I realized, it was cooler when I was just getting here and wanted to see different places to shop, not necessarily where you go on vacation. We tried to make up for it though on other days..

This post is going to be split because we had such a blast when my parents came to visit.
This last summer because of the fact we don't live in America, we were unable to make it to the annual family vacation. My heart ached that week. I missed my family like crazy. It had been a year since we had seen anyone at that time, so when my Mom told me they were going to come visit us.. we have been soooo excited.

The week before they came I rushed to finish all my orders for vinyl so I could not work while they were here. We had to do some cleaning, and plan for some things to do on this island. We have been here a year and have not been to the big hot spots. So here are some pictures, and I will try to explain as best as possible.

Answers

2010-11-30T13:15:00.005-07:00

Tonight I had an amazing experience. I need to go back to the first of the week, to remember that I forget about prayer and try to do things on my own sometimes.

After my Mom and Dad left I have been very refreshed and refocused on my family due to the fact that I didn't work for a week. Taking the chance of sounding lazy.. it feels nice.

So tonight we had a fireside for the youth. I normally look forward to anything like this for the youth because it is always inspiring to be reminded how the youth are such an amazing group of people and that we are children of God.

So today, I got to hang out with a friend for a couple hours and just chit chat, then I did something that surprised me. I was starting to find ways to get out of going to the fireside. I started thinking of all the orders I needed to get done and how much housework there was to do.

I consistently had to remind myself that I was supposed to be there. There was something for me at that meeting and I didn't want to miss that experience with my son.

As I was getting ready... I realized all the things I had negelected during the day that now might make it so I couldn't go. 1. i need to get gas in my car to make it to the Futenma building 2. i needed to shower and get ready. ( too many times I have shown having just showered and not really ready 3. my attitude needed to change

This week has been kindof stressful, becuase I needed to make a couple choices for me and my family. However much I like doing vinyl, I needed to change the way my business was being run. I also love fitness and need to take the overseas test to be able to train over here. I also.. really really love just being a mom and wife ( of which I haven't started the week out being a very good one.0

Toby is in the midst of change as well and I support him, but he needs to know how much I stand behind him, and I haven't been showing him :(

Long story short, I got ready and got to the meeting with my son. The speakers were already speaking. We had Bro. Richardson, and Bro. Stevenson as some of the speakers. Cyrus was embarrassed when I started crying. They were speaking with the help of a translator so the Japanese youth and parents could participate with us.

These were Men of God that had come from Utah to speak to our youth! How blessed we were for the opportunity!! As they spoke of the importance of motherhood, I was reminded of my calling. I have four pretty amazing (biased of course) children.

The speakers also touched on how prophets and the role of the youth. I have an amazing opportunity being the Young Womens president in our ward to lead a group of really fantastic young women.

I realized that I had allowed my spiritual cup to spill and get pretty empty. There are alot of people relying on me and my spiritual preparedness to help them learn the things our Heavenly Father wants them to know.

At the first of the week I was praying and asked my Heavenly Father what I should specifically do to change my life. I have been working and creating opportunities for myself, but needed to know if it was the right way for my family and myself. The answer I got today... sparingly. I need to work for my family ( and for that I am thankful for the opportunity I have over here) but I need to also be: A great wife, a fantastic mom, a role model for the young women of how righteuos women live. I need to be a better friend, sister, daughter, and disciple of Jesus.

My answer came tonight knowing that I can be all of those things. I am pretty awesome and DO have that much to share with those around me.

I am going to continue to work, but only about 20 hours a week. I have worked and met some major goals this past couple of months, but now it is time to refocus.

The purpose of being here is to build relationships and make it back to be exhalted.

This long post, reminds me that I have put off blogging WAY too long.
I love my life and love the opportunities I have to share my awesomeness with others and my family.

Dress up

2010-06-24T16:53:00.001-06:00

Girls were playing in their Halloween costumes.. Pretty much a daily occurance around here.

Hangin out

2010-06-24T16:51:00.001-06:00

Toby and I rarely take pictures together. This was us waiting for the kids to finish with some activities.

Working

2010-06-24T16:45:00.001-06:00

My kids needed to earn their summer activities this year. The are helping me with my vinyl business. Yes they were sanding inside my kitchen but it had been raining for days out, and I needed to get them done.
Great workers! They also have been great at cleaning and yardwork and babysitting.

Bikes and dirt

2010-05-20T23:09:00.001-06:00

No pictures of this one.. Bur Carmen learned to ride her bike by herself today! So awesome.

However Cera was playing on the big toy next to where we were practicing. All I heard is "mom I am dirty". Oh man, looked and she had been playing in a mud hole. Head to toe mud. Well it was fun at the park anyway.

Only thing left on the list for may with the kids is Cera potty training. Let's not hold our breath on it happening or me blogging about it :)

Bikes and dirt

2010-05-18T03:58:00.001-06:00

Bull riding

2010-05-17T22:02:00.001-06:00

At this game place they have a mechanical bull. Toby, Cyrus, and Courtney all tried it! Very hilarious!

Humidity

2010-05-17T21:59:00.001-06:00

We curled Courtneys hair. It took me 35 minutes. When she got home she let me know that by the time she made it to the bus stop it was straight again! Oh well, I got a picture out of it.

Moms food

2010-05-17T21:57:00.001-06:00

I took this picture as proof of successfully making monkey bread. I usually only have enough for two pans which means it didn't rise enough. But mothers day I completed one of my lifelong goals.

Cyrus braces

2010-05-17T21:55:00.001-06:00

Cyrus added a new experience to his lust for this year! A new grill! It was much cooler before he actually had them and experienced the pain! But something new non the less.

Cera with shoes

2010-03-30T09:20:00.002-06:00

So Cera thinks for some reason shoe laces are not supposed to stay in shoes. I have to hide my tennis shoes or she takes the laces out. Weird I know.

Everytime she takes her shoes off, she spends ten minutes taking the laces out.
Today Toby left his shoes out. She took the laces out, but stepped it up by somehow getting the plastic off the ends of the laces, making them pretty much unusable.

Just awesome. While he was putting them in I explained that is why the house looks like it does. She thinks everything should be torn in pieces.

So cute to watch until she has done it to your shoes or you need her to get her shoes on quickly.

Courtneys Birthday

2010-03-30T09:10:00.002-06:00

Well after figuring out this different computer and getting the website to not be in japanese.. I hope to have this figured out.
Today was Courtney's Birthday. She turned 11. I can't even believe it.. All the stuff that we have done in a short 11 years.
Funny that today she had no problem waking up early. Every other morning I have to wake her up 5 times.

We had a great day. She opened presents in the morning and then I took treats to school. No they were not homemade. She requested cupcakes from the commissary because that is "what all the kids bring". I guess you are supposed to order them.. so instead I took very healthy candy bars for everyone :)

She seemed to care that I showed up and did something for her. Their classes don't have parties or anything, so I am not ever really at the school.. so I think she liked the random showing up.

Then we all went to dinner at Macaroni Grill. I know we live in Japan, but she got to pick and since we get the benefits of eating American on a military base if we want.. she went with that option.

We have been doing fantastic at not eating out.. so going out with the family has become quite a treat. Once a month maybe!!! Other than that is home cooked meals.

After, we just came home and hung out as a family. She was drawing and watching a movie with Carmen while Toby gave me a blessing for my new calling I am completly not qualified for.

All in all it was a great day.

So glad for Courtney. She is going to be a great mother someday. She is so patient with the girls and such a help around the house. She adds that sweet quite spirit to our home and reminds us that we should be going to church every Sunday! :)

What a fantastic daughter I have been blessed with to be an example to me. Love you Courtney!!!!!!!!

YAY for running

2009-12-03T06:24:00.003-07:00

In the past couple months I have been ramping up my running. The elevation factor here makes it easier for me to breath. However, there is not one place on this island that is flat ground. So, if I want to run farther than a mile I have to run up and down hills. I used to do interval training all the time on the treadmill and that has come in handy.
I have actually found a good pace for me, and good music to not be bored. Last week I ran a couple days at 5 miles and one at 6. I ran Tuesday 6, and then Wednesday I thought I would be sore or something. I wasn't and actually my body felt really good.

I ran 10k on Wednesday and was super thrilled that I did not hardly break a sweat and could sing to my music the whole time. I should probably run harder but I enjoy my pace!

Why this is important? Well, while Toby was gone, I wanted to run a marathon. I dropped 60 pds and actually started getting into shape but never did the marathon!

Next March there is a half marathon on the island that I am doing and I am actually going to train for it to get a good time not just finish..

As far as a full marathon, I have to wait until another time, cause I will miss the one that is happening this month.

I have really started to have a love relationship with running and how it mentally helps me..
I also need to thank Dave Mathews Band, Rascall Flatts, Brittany Spears, Pink, Lada Gaga.. the list could go on.. for providing me with the music to not get bored or I would never go out.

Aug. 26th?

2009-11-04T06:11:00.004-07:00

So I guess the last time I did a post was Aug. 26th? Where has the time gone? Yikes .. so much to blog!

I was shopping off base today and paid with Yen and said Arrigato (sp?) To the lady at the register. I walked out and thought to myself how lucky I am. How blessed I have been raised with a versatile personality. Some comes from experience, but alot comes from a stable home that I could cultivate a good self esteem in a safe envirement.

Some times .. when I stay on base all day, I forget I live in a foreign country. I forget that I know absolutly NO Japanese and how much I need to learn the phrases (excuse us, and sorry) .. seems like I say that all the time and I am sure the Japanese people are wondering why I am so rude.

Although most times things off base are more expensive, I have found a couple stores that have good deals. Carmen and I found some little girl clothes for 299 yen (little over 3 bucks). That made me so excited since the BX is trying to be trendy and has a scam going with only offering expensive name brands.

I have found my favorite hardware stores, and if I could find a good office supply store I would be in complete heaven (but that is just my addiction talking)

I love it here and my kids are having so much fun.
I hope to blog more, and let you all know the awesome stuff we are up to.

Ocuma Resort

2009-08-26T09:28:00.010-06:00

When a new couple gets to the island and gets assigned to the unit we were originally assigned to, they have a retreat you get to go to when you first get to the island. A couple days after we got into our house in Chibana, we were offered the opportunity to go.

What they told us: Free food for us and our family, beach side rooms for free, time away for Toby and I and they provide the childcare.. I was SOLD!

We were driven up to the resort called Ocuma. It was truly an amazing place. We were hooked up with a very nice room and checked into our retreat. What I DID NOT know is that it was a marriage retreat! Um.. yeah to work on your marriage?

So.. Toby and I smiled at each other and even though our marriage is great right now both of us wanted to have good attitudes and enjoy the weekend and all the freebies.

At the end of the first mini session were told about the meals. We are entitled to 15$ per person for every meal. If you want me to do the math for you.. that is 90$ for every meal for 3 days! What? Ya.. it was amazing food too.

For three days everyone got things we normally do not order. Soda, appatizers, and desserts!

We were just getting to the island and none of us had snorkling gear or anything so we rented a couple set of those. It was our first time in the ocean here and we noticed that the waves are not as harsh as we remember them in the states. You can just go float around and not worry about being sucked in. It was awesome.
The kids did have a couple times they got reminded of the sea water not being pool water with the salt but it was warm and beautiful.

On the walk back from dinner one night we saw our first fruit bats on the island. They are AWESOME! Never thought I would ever be close to bats, or think they are beautiful. They are not killer bats, so I have no reason to fear them.

We just had an amazing time and it was fun to start to unwind from our traveling and kindof do an end of trip/start your new life journey type of thing.

Ocuma is definetly someplace I will be talking about in the future, and when people come to visit (you are coming right) we will go there!

Random funny story:

Toby and I had been running together before we moved, but it had been weeks since we had that opportunity, so we thought Ocuma would be a great place. Until I hear "oh man" and find out he has brought two different shoes.. ha ha

Driving Backwards

2009-08-26T09:27:00.007-06:00

I just found this labeled post and nothing written in it. I will run out and add in a bit a picture of my car and the driver side. It is still mind boggling to me that I sit on the right hand side of the car for the drivers side. And that I drive on the left hand side of the road.

Americans are considered professional drivers here, because Okinawa has not been driving cars as long as we have in America. So on that.. guess who gets blamed if there is an accident. I will try not to be negative, but it is one of my fears to get in a wreck here with someone that is local.

Off base and on base driving is sometimes different, so to keep all the rules straight it took me awhile. I think 18 months later, I might actually know most of them. Toby is the only professional driver in the family and I am practicing my backing skills here because spots are so small, it is easier to get out of the parking spot if you spend the time backing in.

I hope that my brain knows when to switch back in the states and I don't find myself on the wrong side of the road. Most embarrassing is when you go to get in the wrong side of the car. I always have to just pretend that I meant to do that and was looking for something. LOL

FUN TIMES!

Get in my Garden

2009-08-26T09:24:00.002-06:00

Carmen a few months back was trying to wrestle with Cy and Dad. She kept yelling "get in my garden" I did not know what she was talking about. Toby and Cy went back at it that I heard what she meant. When they were setting up Toby was telling him to get in his guard. She thought he was saying for him to get in his garden. How funny would that be if that is what it really was! ha ha

Trip to Japan-part one

2009-08-26T09:23:00.012-06:00

I guess I need to get down in writing our adventure to even getting over to Japan, because it was (like anything the Tennysons do)crazy!

Friday August 31st we stayed at Fort Bliss Inn and hoped we had everything in order to head out of the country.

I ran around to see old friends that I didn't want to miss saying good-bye to (Annette you were not home) and repacked everything after doing my last load of laundry. I was so nervous.. we had no sponsor. I had met a lady that new one of the people from my moms ward and hoped that I could count on her.. but honestly I had no idea.

While sitting in the hotel, I looked at our itinerary one more time and found out that instead of having an hour and a half layover in tokyo, we had to take an hour bus ride to a different airport in a different part of tokyo...uh oh!

I had packed all our bags and had packed a couple hard cases to take some cooking supplies with me. I thought it would save us some money if I took my skillet and some cooking utinsels and things so we didn't have to go out every meal.

All in all, we were alloted 12 bags and 6 carry-ons. We maxed that out and then had two car seats that went as well. Can you imagine?
Let us recap- 4 kids, 2 adults, 12 bags, 6 carry-on bags! Who are you kidding, we were not going to be moving fast on transfers. Good thing I had hurcules with me!

So, side funny story, after I tell you all the luggage we had. You should now think it is funny that when we got to the hotel we found out that the elevator was out for a week! Just so happens it was the week the Tennyson's are there.. so our room was on the second floor. I can laugh now because I am so used to things like this happening to us.

We get up first thing in the morning to have breakfast and be at the airport by 8. We just ate at the continental breakfast and then got the shuttle to take Toby, Cy, Court and all our luggage over to the airport. She came back and got the little girls and I, and we said good-bye to Fort Bliss! Toby hated Fort Bliss, but I found some great friends there and enjoyed it.
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Once we get to the airport everything is as normal as if you were to travel with everyone to another country. Pretty uneventful. We were leaving in the morning on Aug. 1st and would get to Tokyo and on to Okinawa the night of Aug. 2nd. The only child I was worried about was Cera Jane and just cause I didn't know if the dvd players were going to last for very long.

We made it out of El Paso and headed to Salt Lake. The plan was to get off there and eat at this great sandwich place in the Salt Lake airport. When we got to Salt Lake we headed over to see that our plane was being boarded. UHHHH we were not going to have time to eat lunch. Bummer.. Good thing I packed everyone their own seperate food baggies in their carry-ons.

This ended up being the most frustrating part of the trip when the plane was delayed an hour. The reason being the plane would not take on gas! So I guess I would rather them figure out before hand. This was just frustating for Cera to sit for that long. I for sure didn't want to pull the DVD players out yet.

I made a phone call to my Dad and Mom and told them how much I loved them. My Dad was super sweet and remembered to tell me Happy Anniversary for Toby and I. I was of course crying. It hit me, that I didn't know when I would see them again.

The plane is going to take off and I am thinking alot of things about my great Country and not knowing what kind of life I was about to start to live.

Come to find out that each seat had its own control to the movies they offered, which made it awesome for Cera to watch different stuff and not run out the batteries on anything.

Some of my first happened on that plane. 1st- I had never taken a plane ride long enough that it necessitated me using the bathroom. Usually I could just wait a couple hours, but I found I had to be ok to go and I also had to take Cera to change her diaper. I am more of a person, not scared to fly but one that would rather be seat belted in.

Our plane ride from Salt Lake to Tokyo was 13 hours. It was light the whole time. My watch said midnight but it was afternoon where we were flying. Thankfully.. Cera took a couple naps!

During the flight.. Toby said "Happy Anniversary.. for your gift you get to go to Japan!" He is so thoughtful.

To be continued.........

Waiting for Orders to Japan

2009-08-26T09:14:00.002-06:00

I was going to name this post Waiting for Orders but we have and will in the future wait for orders to move so I wanted to be specific. We had quite a fiasco surrounding the orders and timeline for Japan. In April, I did the kids and my paperwork to get us on Toby's orders. In May, Japan still thought we were coming in November so was not in a big hurry. Well, everyone was gone on vacation for that month. In June Toby goes back to work and there is no-one that really cares if we go to Japan or not. Call after call I try to track things down. It takes until July until we start freaking out that we are supposed to move in 3 weeks overseas. I get on the phone and start calling.. I would not suggest this to all wives, but for us his chain of command could have cared less so I did the footwork.

I found the guy to talk to and he said to call him back in a couple days. When I called him back he said that he had just cut our orders for Japan and all of us were on there. We were so excited it was really going to happen. However, that was July 7th.. we were to leave in 3 weeks, and had alot to do.

We were on vacation at my moms when the orders came in, and decided to leave the kids with Grandma and Grandpa and get things done in El Paso.. ( thanks for keeping the kids for us.)

Why was it so hard to get orders you may be thinking? Well honestly it was all because of a couple people who did not care enough to do their jobs and they finally came in because of one guy who was very efficient at his. Thanks to Mr. Oneil at Fort Bliss for helping us out and doing his job..

SGT Board

2009-08-26T09:05:00.002-06:00

So Toby went back to work and was pretty much forced to go to the Sgt testing boards. He didn't feel like he was ready but it was a good time for them to send him so he studied and studied. He knew most of the stuff, but there was not really anyone around to mentor him and let him know what it would be like. You are supposed to know a ton of stuff about the Army and your Unit and the Creed and things. He went to the pre-board and they pretty much told him he sucked and would not get promoted because he was such an idiot..( and no I am not exaggerating)

He was really upset and after 2 years in this stupid Unit I could almost see what Anger physically looked like. We thought once again they had set him up to fail.

He left and I kissed him good-bye. I went to help a friend that day and literally was so stressed out wondering if he would make it. He wanted this sooo bad and really it meant he was being recognized as being a really good soldier. He had only been in the Army 2 years and was going to the Sgt boards!

He calls and says he did it! I was so excited. So he earned promotable status and was waiting to see what points he earned at the boards. Not only did he pass, but he was the only one to get a perfect score that day!!!!!!!!!! So in your face all yous stupid idiots that are jealous of him because you have been in 10 years and are going nowhere. He is awesome and will be your Commander someday.

I am so proud of you Toby and just know that points will come out soon to push you up to the SGT status. You are the best babe!
(side note: after you get your points added at the boards you have to wait for a list to come out from the Army when they have openings for that position and then it will be automatic at that time. )

Redeployment is what they call it

2009-08-26T08:56:00.002-06:00

So when the soldiers come home they call it redeployment. Who knows why, but who cares. So after Toby got home they got a day or so off and started back to work, working half days. It was nice, but we were just getting used to each other again and for my schedule it was definitley different. I added one extra person to the mix to give my time too, and I love him so much I just want to spend all my time with him. After a couple weeks of that Toby got the month of May off. We decided to just stay in El Paso and hang out becuase the kids were still in school and he was having a hard time adjusting back to the "real world" again.

We went on some dates together which were a blast and tried to spend some of the time to exercise, but mostly just hanging out together. When Toby got home they told him he was going to the testing board to be promoted to SGT so we spent a good amount of leave studying for that stressful test. We got some of our paperwork and things in order to be able to move to Japan. The kids finished school and the summer began.

Redeployment was pretty easy for me in some ways for him to be back home but it was a struggle for him.. He lived without kids around for almost 2 years, but did amazingly well for the circumstances. He is an awesome Dad and loves to be with the kids so that helped. The noises I could tell bothered him and actually still do, but we are working on it. Now that he has almost been home 6 months we are looking forward to making a normal life and really loving to be together as a family. How the time flies.

Welcome Home Dad

2009-06-09T10:42:00.005-06:00

Getting ready for Toby's return is one of the funnest but slowest processes in this deployment. I had to keep my excitement under wraps or on a lower key that is. I had to wait until the sunday before to hang the sign and start getting the house clean. Toby wouldn't have cared either way but I turn into a freak about everything being perfect. The kids were definitly annoyed with me getting the outfits ironed and ready and the house staying clean. I made pulled pork in the crock pot to be ready when we brought him home. Toby knew he just wanted to come home whatever time he got in, so I didn't want to have to fuss over food.

I got the kids ready to go and house was clean when we found out that he might be coming early? Yikes.. get me ready and pack the bag to keep kids busy. Bag: my heels, to put on before we saw him.. wore my flip flops there.. (if you know anything about the military, you know you wait for everything, so wearing heels for hours on end was not a good idea, and chasing kids for those hours was not practical.) I got us all ready and looking AWESOME and wanted everything to be so perfect for his return that I had the kids stand outside and I vacuumed behind us so the house was clean as ever for his first steps in.

Drive up the the place we pick him up and take the kids in... find out it will be a least an hour later.. no problem becuase I have old friends I want to catch up with before they come in and I don't see anyone anyway. The girls started getting bored so I went outside with them and we ran races against each other for about 20 minutes to keep them busy. They love running races, and just go back and forth. They had things set up for the kids and I get the jumpy things, but I had my girls in dresses and hair cute so then I get to fight the kids to not do anything fun. There was this Major there that (migrated) if that is the best word towards me. He just kept saying what a great wife and mother I was and asking about Toby. So then someone gives the call to go ouside and see them come in.. I put on my heels and got a wave of emotion! It had been 7 months since we had hugged and I definitly longed for him to hold my hand. Again, we waited outside for about 15 minutes to see the plane. It was AMAZING.. I remember just seeing this plane and knowing that he was HOME>>>

I was bawling my eyes out and then all the wives started and then we couldn't stop laughing at ourselves and hugging each other for making it to this point. The night started to drop and the plane comes taxiing its way I think as slow as it possibly could. They walk the flag out and open the plane and guys start coming out..

I could almost not contain myself and the news was there and getting us all on film screamin.. The guys start walking our way and they have their weapons, this is when we find out he can only wave at us until he has turned his weapon in. So there he walked we just screamed "Daddy" and I could tell he was so tired.

We get herded back inside to wait again for about 30 minutes. That same Major came and talked to me and told me he had gone and met Toby and just knew we were called to be in the military life and said that he felt like we both had a huge example to set other families. I told him about my book and he told me that he wished his wife could have been there to meet me and if I even need anything or Toby to come to his office and see him.. it was so random, but he said he felt drawn to me. I have that thing about me (just wish I knew what to do with it).. sorry that is a different post all together.

Here it comes.. the door opens, the smoke machine is on and they are formed up to make their arrival. Someone says something that I am sure was not very important and releases them to their families. (Toby and I had decided that I would stay put and he would find us instead of me pulling the kids everywhere in the craziness.... I couldn't WAIT...I left the kids in their spot and jumped on him.. gave him a huge hug and honestly.. it felt after two seconds like he had never left.

God has made our brains like that I think. I remember every kid thinking I would not go through that again and then I did anyway. From that point on it was all business.. making sure the kids got to be a part of all the excitement. Getting his bags and meeting a couple friends he had made. Going out to the car to go home. I could have just sat there in awe all night. We made it home and ate a bit of food and then he got to put the kids to bed. He loved that. Cera was not wanting a part of it, but we knew that would happen. Carmen was scared he would have to go back the next day and be gone. What an amazing experience. I definetly believe we both grew and got what we put into the deployment and am thankful for all the things I learned and mostly that Toby is home safe with me!!! I love you honey

No Promises

2009-06-01T13:29:00.003-06:00

I am back but no promises on how much I will actually get blogged these next couple days. I have a list and notes for all my posts which include like 30 so there is alot to update. Toby went back to work full days today so now I have more time to use the computer. It has been like we were on vacation for about 6 weeks but actually were home. Kindof hard to adjust and time manage. I just wanted to hang out with him and the kids so the computer hardly got used in the last month. But, saying that, I have a ton of pictures and memories I want to get down before they are forgotten. Another note: I have different emotions on days and some of my posts may be a little eratic (sp?) but that may not be different from before so you may not notice a difference. I am doing good as well as Toby and the kids and we are loving being together as a family.

I did gain about 15 pounds since he came home but chalk that up to being in vacation mode. I did exercise about 4 times a week to maintain at that level, but we ate some good food and too much for that matter. We are gearing up to start training for our first 10k together in July and are excited about that. Since I am still at a 5k fitness level it is a push for me, but Toby has done a marathon in boots and carrying a pack so he is way ahead but willing to take me on as a fun adventure. I am bound and determined to run the Mountain by our house. It is a 5 mile round trip but straight up and straight down so I have a bit more to go. I made it up about a mile before I had to walk with the stroller and can run down it but the endurance is what I am trying to build up.

Last note before I start on my other posts: It is 95 degrees here and I LOVE IT! Toby hates el paso, but I love the weather and where we live it is quiet and we have a pool so it fits me perfectly. I could probably live in an apartment the rest of my life and be completly safisfies..maybe we will live in New York or something someday? (ok or not, I hate the cold.).. but my tan is awesome!! YAY for sun!

Thank you all for being patient in waiting for me to update..I have been busy having FUN!

Uniforms?

2009-04-05T03:18:00.002-06:00

When we got to El Paso, I had already spoken to the school the kids would be going to. I didn't know much about it but a couple parents gave it ok reviews online. When I went to church they told me to get the kids in another one. First thing Monday morning I am making phone calls. End of the day I am calling the first one back getting the ratio on white kids and hispanic children. 525 hispanic children and 13 white children she says. But this is our district and our school so we are to enroll here. I can't spend time looking for differnt schools, so we go to enroll.

While getting stuff ready for the next day.. the list included uniforms needed for the kids. SO, we run up to the nearest place and get a couple to get us going. Yikes, 2 outfits each and over 150 dollars.. ouch!

Cy is loving them but Court hates them and lives for the weekend when she says she gets "choices" again.. she is too funny...

3D movies and entrance of the best kids movies ever

2009-04-05T03:17:00.011-06:00

The kids and I found out how fun 3D movies were when Dad was gone, and since have not been to one.. oopsie.

We started by seeing Coreline. It was kindof creepy thought, but the older kids liked it. Next we saw Monsters vs. Aliens. This one was good, but Cera didn't like the glasses and if you watch it without the glassy it is kindof fuzzy, so she got frustrated. Next one was Ice Age. It was a good show, but not as good as the first ones (of course)

And then one of my favorite movies of all time so far... UP

The creators of this really hit the mark on this one. I was laughing and crying and very emotional sitting in our first movie as a family. It was so great and the story line helped me remember on my travels and adventures with Toby are so amazing and I have to remember them always. SOOOOO can't wait til this comes out on DVD.

Side note: I said the other day that I couldn't wait til it came out on video and my kids were so confused at what I was even talking about. How is that? Technology changes so fast.

Anyway, we love to go to movies and I love the fact that we are all at ages that we can go as a family and actually sit for the whole thing and enjoy.

We saw Transformers as a family and was a bit disappointed as the language definetly has escalated since the last one.

The Tennyson's love MOVIES for sure.

Pocatello

2009-04-05T03:01:00.005-06:00

After I dropped my kids off to spend the weekend with their Grandma Gardner and Aunts, and headed over to Pocatello Idaho where suprisingly I have a bunch of friends. Thanks to Mary Kay I have friends all over but Pocatello is where most of my close friend that I met reside.
I got into town and went straight to Applebees where I met my friends. How great it was to catch up with everyone. I knew I would not see them all for a bit, so it was a bit bittersweet for me, but so much fun. Thank you girls for taking the time to meet with me.

After I went over the the Hotel where my dear friend Tanae works. We went over to her house for a bit and of course it was emaculate. Seriously, if you have that friend that has everything in its place and it cute and funny and skinny and house is decorated awesome and a good cook.. you know what kind of friend I am talking about. She is amazing. After that She got me set up in my room and we made plans to meet for dinner. I actually took a nap and then got ready for dinner.. I planned on going running later after we had spent some time together. I got ready and we met up. We sat down and started chatting and she got a call from her kids screaming. She had to leave and come to find out her daughter had burned herself making Top Raman. I headed to the gym and went tanning and was enjoying my night without kids.

I got bed pretty early and hung out at the cool Pocatello Mall until Tanae was out of her Dr. Appt with her daugher and we met for a quick lunch. I had to get back to get everything ready for our move but could not leave without saying goodbye. She is so dear to me that I would regret not giving that last hug. (It is not like I am dying, but I won't be back for awhile.)
Thanks Tanae for taking the time to meet with me and catch up a bit. I hope we can do it more often in the future.

I was on my way home and really was running late but stopped by my friend Ashleys house. She is also amazing and beautiful and also has four kids. She lives in her Mary Kay bubble and I respect her for her great work ethic, but have found her to be a great friend as well and enjoyed my visit with her.

Pocatello is not the first place I would pick to visit, but with great friends that I have there, it wouldn't really matter where I went as long as they were there... Thanks again ladies!

The perfect breakfast

2009-04-05T03:00:00.005-06:00

Before we left Utah it was apparent that Courtney was going to have a tough time saying goodbye to friends. I could not leave town without having one last scone from the local Sills cafe. They have the best food and really inexpensive. So Courtney invited all her friends and a couple of their awesome Moms came. We had such a good time. The girls wore their pajamas because we went before school started. The girls sat at one table and the parents at the other. It was dear to see Courtney make some last memories with these girls and they all vowed to meet up ate this same spot again someday.

It was a morning filled with great friends again and great food and great endings for new beginnings to happen. good-bye friends, we will be back and you will still be friends!

Protien in hair

2009-04-05T02:59:00.009-06:00

After bleaching my hair and it turning purple, I had to cut it all off to get it to be healthy again. I used a deep conditioner. I would leave it on for some where up to an hour. My hair was getting worse.

I called my hairstylist and she told me that you can actually put to much protein in your hair and it will break and destroy it. Double wammy for me. Oh, well. Good thing I like change.

I love my hair short becuase it is sooo easy, but think this time I might grow it long for reals. So look for me in a couple years when we come back to America, it should be longer by then right? Right (that is if I quit cutting it and dying it) but I am going to try.

It is just a robe put on backwards.. ugh

2009-04-05T02:59:00.008-06:00

I know some of you have been waiting to read my blog and might be disappointed that this is an actual post, but I have to get my frustration out somehow. What is up with the snuggly blanket? Honestly I cannot even watch it to see that someone is actually making money on turning a robe backwards and marketing it as something else! So many times I have done that with my robe and really hate the commercials because I think it is so dumb!

Anyway, that is my rant for today!

Anticipation

2009-04-05T02:37:00.002-06:00

I am updating all my posts while I sit in anticipation of what the next couple days and months holds in store for me and my family.

Toby does in fact come home in one day! yes, you read that right.. one day. I cannot believe that 15 months has gone by so quickly yet sometimes slowly. I have grown so much and learned years worth of info in this short time.

I have heard about what the welcome home is like and I will tell you of my understanding and then post later this week on the feelings that actually occured.
I will go with the kids about an hour early when the place we will meet Toby opens up for us. They will have a jumpy thing for the kids and food ( I normally would not mind this but my girls will have their hair all cute and cute dresses on and those two things are not something that fit into my plans, but that makes sense huh.. my plans? lol)

I will have the Dvd player for Cera and the kids will bring little things to keep them busy. We will go in and WAIT.. at this point time will probably seem like it stops in a bad way and every minute will take forever to pass.

THEN.. the plane will land, I will see the soldiers getting off the plane and my husband will be the strong, handsome one to emerge!.. At this point I will start to cry and fuss and fidget about all the kids. He will go to form up and will hurry to try to get a sneak peak at us. We will be in all pink so he will not be able to miss us. We will sit and pretend to listen to the foramality that takes place. I will still be crying I am sure.

Then Toby (my love) will get released to see his family.. at this point I hear it is like time really does stop and everything moves slow. I know it will be hard to stop and notice the feelings but how cool.. anyway, we have decided that because there are 300+ soldiers coming home and their will be a ton of people that I will stay put and Toby will come to us. (If I can sit still that is). Then the embrace. I am going to try to not be selfish and let the kids go first but he is not only the man I am married to, but my bestest friend ever. The kids made me promise we wouldn't french kiss cause that grosses them out, so I will try to keep it clean. And that is it..
I percieve it as being like when you have your kids. You go through months and months of ups and downs, growing, learning, having an emotional rollercoaster, then the final part is like agony in waiting.. THEN, the event happens and you somehow forget everything else for a time. You remember you had pain in labor but somehow you would be willing to do it all again in awhile..
I think this is how it will be with me. This deployment has not been the #1 thing I would choose to go through but I am thankful for it and when I comes again (and it will) I will have the redeployment memories to keep me excited.

I know most of you cannot know what it must be like to go through this but it really is an exciting experience. I am so proud of my husband and my children for the exceptional way they handled this time in our lives and for taking changes with stride.

I am thankful for the sacrifice that my husband not only made for me and my family but you and yours to be safe in this great country we call AMERICA!

HE IS COMING HOME!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Monster

2009-02-14T17:58:00.003-07:00

So, I had my surgery a couple weeks back. My hormones seem to be getting back to normal and I have not been throwing up as much. However, my sleep is really not going well and the other day I needed a boost of energy. Me? I never need that I can go and go. Anyway.. I have not had very much soda and for that matter a energy drink in over a year. Well... NOW I know why we are supposed to stay away from that crap..

I felt like what I think you would feel like if I was on speed. I remember drinking coke all the time and energy drinks and not getting that caffiene and sugar rush.. that is sad when you reach that point.

So, back to the grind.. back to no more soda and for sure no more energy drinks.. just running to get my burst of energy.

Vinyl Lettering

2009-02-14T17:47:00.005-07:00

I really have to say how much I love vinyl lettering and how easy it is for someone like me to make something turn out so dang cute by using it.

Grandpa and Cera

2009-02-14T17:07:00.003-07:00

Cera has really taken to my Dad and it is so different to see how my Dad has changed too. My Dad is such a hard worker but I have seen the effort he has made this last 6 months on taking time out to spend with the kids. He is way better than I am at stopping to read books and letting kids sit on his lap.

Cera loves the mornings when she can run upstairs and see Grandpa. When he is gone she asks grandma and then says the funniest.. Grandpa? over and over.. when he is home she yells.. Grandpa home..too cute
My favorite is when she says night night about 50 times and hugs him and grandma.

Valentines Day

2009-02-14T16:55:00.006-07:00

The girls and I made traditional sugar cookies yesterday for Valentines Day. Ok, traditional means store bought sugar cookies that you roll out and decorate. Funny thing.. I couldn't even get those to turn out!! ha ha.. Good thing my kids have a pallete that doesn't care how bad my cooking is.. actually it usually tastes ok, just not a good visual.

In this picture the cookie looks more like she is putting peanut butter on toast but they had fun!

As for Valentines Day.. I have never been into this holiday either. I don't know, I think maybe I am not a romantic. I have a hard time getting flowers from my husband because I hate spending that much money on something that dies. I love them if they were picked up from Costco or something. And really, I like telling my husband how much I love him everday so this day is no other than any other day for me. And Toby is not too into this holiday. I remember one day years ago.. probably our first year being married and he forgot what day it was and asked if he could go bowling with his brother. Oopsi.. oh, well..it is overated anyway.

Last note: I am figuring out why we as Americans are overweight!!! It is because every stinkin holiday we celebrate every month is tied in some way to CANDY and FOOD!
NO wonder.
Happy Valentines!

Gift Projects

2009-02-14T16:46:00.008-07:00

Sometimes when I take the time I really can make up something cute. These are some pictures of the cute projects/gifts that were made for the holiday season.

This was a gift from my mom that Em and I put together for her friend.

This is some family home evening boards that I put together from my mom to my sisters.
Cyrus and Courtney helped me put these cute rootbeer reindeer gifts together for their teachers at school.

Birthday Party

2009-02-11T08:08:00.008-07:00

.
Happy Birthday, liz!!

Enjoy your day and here's to a great year!

Love,

Rascal Flatts

I wish I could figure out how to play the birthday wishes that was in my inbox when I got up on my birthday. Rascal Flatts really is my favorite group.

I had a great day. Toby remembered my birthday this year and even got me a gift! Yay.. it is not that he forgets he just gets the days mixed up so it is usually the
5th or the 7th or someday around it.. but this year he even put more effort into it because he had to send the gift early to get here in time

He got me a handcarved jewelry box that I LOVE! It came in a group of boxes with Toby's stuff so that made it even more awesome because that helped remind me that this deployment is almost over!! Now that is a birthday gift right there.

My visiting teachers surprised me with a vase full of beautiful flowers and a nice card. That was really nice of them. (didn't get a picture cause my camera was getting fixed.)

I spent the day with the girls and got a new dress with the gift card my mom gave me. I got all the kids welcome home outfits. We actually celebrated my birthday all weekend so that was fun.

Saturday.. I took the kids to the boat show (tennyson tradition) and then to the Mayan to eat for dinner. My Mom and Dad, brother Mike, Em and Dan and my kids were all there with me.. it was great.. I wasn't feeling that hot at the end so we took off kindof fast, but I really appreciate my family going with me.

Sunday Em and Dan came over for dinner and my Mom made a great meal and Em brought some awesome cheesecake which is my favorite. They sang Happy Birthday to me and Carmen was kindof confused cause she thinks it should have been her birthday.. ha ha

So all in all, my birthday was good. I really wish Toby could have been here but he called and I got to hear his voice so that was good too.

Thank you all for the birthday wishes and cards it really was great!

Blurb.com

2009-02-10T06:43:00.004-07:00

Do you all know about this. It is a website that prints books.. Better than that it can transfer your blog over and you can print it out. I am teaching a blogging class (maybe to show them how to slack off!) this week and have not got mine here in time, but I am sooo way excited about it and look forward to printing mine every year.

www.blurb.com

Christmas Nativity

2009-02-10T05:30:00.007-07:00

My sister Jen and her husband Mark are sooo great at celebrating everything. I love to have them here. This year we stayed home for Christmas Eve to have our own family party of sorts. The tradition has been in the past to go up to meet my Moms side of the family that has a party every year. Mom just got out of the hospital and we wanted to be with her so we are starting our own.

Jen and Mark prepared the Christmas Nativity skit and did a great job. Here are some pictures of the kids. It was hilarious and they did a great job. Two things I did notice: 1. my Dad was probably secretly wanting to kill whoever made my dog a sheep for the play..(i blamed that one on Mark ha ha) and 2. Michelle played the piano fantastically but her and Jen did not sit and play sleigh ride together, which is one of my fondest Christmas Eve memories. The kids had fun doing the play and I was glad we could all ( except for Toby and Kath and Darrell) be together to share it.

We had Mom's barbeque and it was a great night.

We also had another visitor! Santa actually stopped by our house. How lucky are we. Again, Jen and Mark are AWESOME!.. Mark bought a Santa suit like that day and decided to do it. I am so glad he did.. it was soo fun for the kids and gave me some good needed laughs.

Lastly..I cannot continue without adding my thoughts of Christ being born in such humble circumstances and fulfilling His mission in Life is such an inspirational to me. I am so greatful for my Heavely Father and for His plan and that Jesus was willing to do His part. I am greatful for Mary and think of how it must have been for her. Telling her parents of the child must have been a bit hard for her. Not only to carry this baby who she knew was the Son of God but also for the faith she must have had. For Joseph to stay by her side in these circumstances and help her along the way. To go to a stable to have a baby that you know is the King would have been a humbling thing for her. What great examples they are to me..I am thankful this day for the message Christmas brings and am reminded of how blessed I am.

Merry Christmas

2009-02-10T05:20:00.012-07:00

Today was a great day. We got to start it out with Webcamming early so Toby could see the kids and their faces in surprise at what Santa left. It was good, but at one point we let Toby go because it was really hard to not be here.

We made a great day of it however and had alot of fun with cousins and family that was in town. We had a full house. Jen and Mark came with their four kids. Michelle and Robie with their three kids, and Em and Dan stopped by every chance they got. (or ran every chance they got, however you want to look at it ! lol)

We have some great traditions as a family and breakfast casserole is one of my favorites. Everyone was upstairs this year due to moms hip accident, we wanted her to be a part of it all too. We had the kids open all the gifts and then took a breather and ate breakfast and then the parents continued on.

It was a really fun morning and then my favorite part of the day came. I am such a nerd about this. No other day of the year do I like to clean but Christmas day I love to put everything away. I tried to leave most of the decorations up because I understand that most people like to enjoy it all day, but I got the downstairs Christmas tree taken down at least.

We had a great Christmas Day dinner and enjoyed some great company. I have to add that I got a new heart rate monitor from my Mom and Dad and LOVE IT! I love doing interval training and have been using my Dad (which he is desperate to get back..right Dad..lol) so I am glad to have my very own. YAY

Other than that as far as gifts go.. Rock Band is probably going to be our most used, but everything was a hit.

Merry Christmas Everyone!

Memories of Grandma

2009-02-10T05:15:00.003-07:00

I took this picture of Carmen and Grandma doing the dishes. She was asking me if I ever did the dishes with my Grandma and it took me back to some of my favorite memories of my Grandma's house. Much like many homes, Grandma had a window by the kitchen sink that looked out on a huge tree. It also was very unique because you could (not that I think we should have been) climb out the window and sit on the roof of the extention of the home and play in the big tree.

Many times I remember doing the dishes and then climbing out there. I don't remember if Grandma was overjoyed at us doing that. I remember one time doing the dishes and my sister Kath had climbed the tree and was making faces at us from outside.

How fun it has been to unconventionally live with my parents on and off. My kids have definetly been spoiled in that aspect with getting time with Grandma and Grandpa.

I was glad though that Carmen could make some of the same great memories that I made with my Grandma.

What a year!

2009-01-19T09:21:00.004-07:00

I missed this post last week, much like I missed a million in the last month. Anywho..we just had our YEAR anniversary with Toby being gone. What a year it has been. I remember that day and not knowing how I would do on my own. Scared that I would not meet new friends in El Paso and be alone for a whole year.

I loved the house we were in on post and loved the location where it was at, even though the neighborhood was kindof ghetto. I remember thinking that this was our year as a family to really do what we said we were going to do. We set goals as a family the night before Toby left and I just pulled them out to make sure we have completed all of them.

Toby did great in school and has completed all the credits plus 15 more than he had planned on. He has surpassed his PT goal and got promoted 4 months earlier than we had expected.
I set out to lose 30 pounds and have lost 60. I am striving for 20 more by April. I remember thinking 30 pounds was all I was overweight. OK, maybe the doctor was right on me being obese but I am so glad I just kept going. I can run 5 miles at a time. I have not tried to go any farther except for intervals because the boredom factor gets me everytime. I set my goal at running 2 miles and here I am. I started last year by doing 0 real pushups and now can do 18. I can do 80 situps in 2 minutes, which makes me excited. I have also finished 20 credits for school and finished my associates. I have lacked in the missionary department especially being home with at my moms, but hope that I am making headway in my cooking?!

As far as the kids, we potty trained Carmen this year. She gained momentum on her shoe fettish (which is not good) and is working on how much she can put in her many purses everyday. She loved school for some of the year and loved dance and gymnastics also. Cyrus and Courtney did some sports and learned first hand from helping me what is required to take care of a house. Cyrus I am particularly proud of because he has some obstacles ahead of him. We have been finding help for a condition he had and all year have been working on it. This last month he finally beat it ( i hope) and now we can work to maintain it. It really was a difficult time for him and I am so proud of him.

Cera learned to crawl and walk this year and is now learning new words daily. She is just like Carmen and is a girly girl. Loves to get her nails painted and hair done up cute. She loves shoes and loves that Carmen loves shoes so she has a bunch to play with. We are pretending to be working on potty training.. it really is as much a parent thing as it is the child.. if I just made the effort she would be potty trained right now.

Courtney has made some great friends that she is wishing she didn't have to say good bye too, but it has been good to have a place to go and just have fun.

All in all this year has been pretty successful and I am proud of us as a family for making it through with little complaining.

New Years Resolutions

2009-01-07T01:14:00.004-07:00

In the past I hated making New Years Resolutions becuase usually that meant broken promises to myself. ( Wow reading my last posts, in the past I was really unhappy) anywho..It is that time again and I am more excited than ever because I did what I said I was going to do YAY!

This year I have to do some followups of last years, but this year brings exciting things like Toby coming home and moving back to El Paso and moving overseas? Yikes I better get movin. I am continuing to work on my schooling, and Tobys for that matter. :) With fitness I still have some tweaking to do, but that is another post in itself. My book has 4 chapters done and although it will miss the publishing date I will have it ready for fall. I still have to get all my photos digital, and doing all my digital scrapbooking. I have found it to be faster and more my style. Mostly this year is going to entell moving and being together for longer than 6 weeks as a family.

I am breaking some of the major goals into sections due to timing. I have this last 15 pounds to lose and with Toby coming home I have a concrete deadline of April 1st. That is still realistic but better heal from surgery and hit the gym hard to make this happen.

I mentioned my book, and plan on it being ready for publishing in September.
Toby and I are going to take dance lessons this fall before we go to Japan and the kids are going to get back into their free sport on post.

I am happier than ever and so excited for this new year and reaching my ongoing goals. You all know how much of a goal freak I am but I hope you all set at least one and achieve it this year. YAY 2009

Happy New Years!

2009-01-07T01:05:00.010-07:00

I for one have NEVER liked New Years. Well, maybe in High School, but I remember working a couple years and going to bed early more years. Usually, to really let you all know about me, I start a fight with my husband. Many many years of fighting on this day has led me to not like it. I don't know why I do. You know when you get mad at yourself and take it out on someone else? That is totally me on this day. In the past I get so mad at myself for not doing what I wanted that year that I get mad at Toby for letting me let it go. So Stupid I know.

Well this year, I promised Toby no fighting and celebrated with him in text at 2 in the afternoon when it hit midnight for him. He is indeed my man of the future and let me know that food even tasted better in 2009.. what a show off..lol.

As I dreaded the rest of the night I was lucky enough to have my sister Jen and her husband Mark with their kids still here. They always celebrate everything big. I got poppers and sparkling cider at the store and planned to stay awake until 12. It took forever. At 11 I was ready to hit the hay. I stuck it out.

Here is a picture of Courtney when the clock struck 12 on the tv.

Here are the kids outside banging pans

Fireworks.

Sparkling Cider

My sister and her husband helped me laugh on this day and that is very unusual for me. Makes me think of how fun this day could be in the future! Happy New Year to everyone. I hope 2009 brings anything you are in need of and then some.

Catching Up

2009-01-07T00:51:00.001-07:00

I have so much to post and so little time. I have even had a smaller load of classes and just can't seem to do it.

The Sunday before Christmas I was downstairs at my Moms and Cyrus was yelling that Grandma needed me. I ran upstairs to find my mom had fallen and hurt her leg. We did not know what had happened to her leg but that her shoes were slippery on the wood floor and she fell while running in to get her glasses to go to church. The car was still running and everything. As I sat there trying to figure out what to do, I couldn't help but recognize that someone had taken my Moms super powers away. She trully is that to me and I realized as I work hard to follow in her footsteps, they can be taken away at anytime by random accidents.

I located my Dad at church and he came home to help her. It is so funny how couples know each other so well. They were nicely bossing each other around and systematically getting the situation under control. After that I did my best to keep the kids out of the way and the ambulance took her to the hospital. Turns out she broke the ball off her hip and had a replacement that afternoon.

Jan Taylor (my moms best friend) and her daughter Annie (who I still need to send thank you cards to) came over and helped me wrap the room full of gifts my mom had purchased. Took the three of us 2 hours. YIKES!

The rest of the week was full of waiting for family to come to town, go see Grandma, Costco shopping for everyone to come and eat, delivering Christmas things around the neighborhood ect. I was BUSY! The cool thing is this year I was so prepared for Christmas for my own family I had time to spare. I had taken care of shopping before Thanksgiving to be able to send Toby's stuff on time. My cards were out and for once, everything in my life was organized for that week. I loved helping and trying to fill my Moms shoes. Not often do you get to play your hero. She would have done everything better, but I tried.

She got home in the nick of time on Christmas Eve and arrived to my family with 4 kids, my two sisters Jen and Michelle who have 3 and 4 kids. Full house, but we were just glad to have her home.

I am so glad she is starting to get around with her walker and in a few short weeks will move to the cane and then rest will be history. I love you Mom.

Biggest Loser

2008-12-16T20:36:00.009-07:00

I have always loved the biggest loser show. I remember specifically the week after Toby left seeing a guy from his unit that was leaving the next. I saw him and was cracking jokes that we were at Baskin Robbins getting icecream to go home and watch biggest loser.
I don't watch T.V. very often, but this is one show that I would at least record and watch later. I find it sooo inspirational to see people doing what they have dreamed of. Seeing the hard work and knowing the results you can get from it.

After crying watching the finale tonight, I though maybe I would show my before and after results. I still have a tiny bit to go, but one year working my butt off has paid off!!

One of my steps in the journey to the new me!

2008-12-13T23:05:00.004-07:00

I got new hair!! I have been working really hard on transforming me and I have been waiting for the right opportunity to change my hair. I didn't want to chop it off and bleach it again, because that what I have done for the last 6 years.

I got a great deal and absolutely love my extentions. I went dark brown too, because if you are going to change, why not do it big right?

Well with my new hair I only have finishing touches until I reach all my goals.

Hope you all like!

What is your Perspective?

2008-11-30T04:02:00.005-07:00

Some times I have a hard time putting things into perspective but I did this week. On Tuesday I got Cera in the running stroller and we were headed up to get Carmen form pre-school. It is only about 1.8 miles one way so no big deal. I get to her school feeling awesome. On the way back Carmen and Cera get Artic Circle so they will stay in the stroller for the run back. It was on this run back that I got teary eyed.

I know you have all seen this video, but I was thinking about it and I started to cry. I was crying because I was putting myself in his perspective. If someone were to jump in my life right now they would probably see chaos. With Carmen in the stroller it was 25 pds heavier for the run home. I thought about how much harder it is to be pushing someone, not only the weight but the strain on the arms from not swinging. The pain started to come to my legs at the end also.

I pushed on and made it home in record time and then finished my PT Test with 17 pushups and 58 situps, but I don't want to forget that feeling of an inkling of what he might of felt. About and hour later Carmen wanted to go for a run with me so we headed out around the block.. She made it a quarter of a mile and wanted me to hold her. I put her on my back and started to jog..the thoughts came to me of my husband who ran with a 35pd ruck on his back for 26 miles in over 100 degree weather and came in first for the Army in the Bataan Death March. I ran about a quarter of a mile and had to put her off my back. I thought at that moment how amazing Toby is and I felt a greater appreciation for that achievement he made.

In all we do, if we just put ourselves in someone else's perspective we can gain a better appreciation for the simple things we do everyday. I am thankful to have been enlightened and grateful to partake in the spiritual experience to gain a better appreciation for those around me that work had and push to the limits.

Start of the Long Road

2008-11-30T04:00:00.000-07:00

This post is going to be long but I needed to blog the memory before it fades to much. In October of 2006 Toby and I had a friend come over "Ryan Prince" and he broght this movie with him for us to watch. Ryan is the kind of guy that is sooo positive (way over me) that he always has something else for you to look at or make you better. It was the movie "the secret". It is not the movie persea that changed my life it was the spirit of love that Ryan brought to our home.
Toby and I had just gotten over a rough patch in our lives and were wanting something new. Ryan comes to the door, Toby falls asleep while watching the movie. Ryan leaves and tells us how much he cares about us and he leaves.
That night, Toby and I talked. We talked about what were were going to do and Toby decided he wanted to try to go back to school.
Stop here:: this is one of those things when you make a different way and you set things in motion that you don't know will come to pass..yep this was it.

Toby started going to school and I moved home to Utah to my moms while he finished up the busy season at Fed Ex. While I was in Utah I met an Army recruiter, he got Toby's name from the helicopter school. We had never thought about the military but I told Toby about it anyway. Toby moved down a week later in January and went to meet Steve. After asking many questions Toby decided to apply for a Manager job at a local shipping company in Salt Lake.

Toby went the first week of February and took the ASVAB (the Army's entrance exam). He got a call from the local company with a good job offer with benefits. He had to decide what to do. After much prayer he went and enlisted the next day with the Army. I got a phone call saying he had just sworn in and was leaving in 10 days to basic. It was February and I was due to have Cera in May. (we were going to wait for him to leave but he signed for the quickship, turns out if he wouldn't have done that then they would not have covered Cera's expensive NICU bills)

Toby flew out on the 22nd of February and I didn't know when I would hear from him again. I stayed at my Mom and Dads and waited to have this baby and cleaned out our storage unit full of junk. Well Cera Jane decided to come a few weeks early. I remember getting all the kids in the car and heading to the hospital. She hadn't moved for awhile so I decided to head up and get checked. Turns out she was ready to come 3 weeks early. Thanks to my Mom who showed up and next door neighbor Jan and Annie Hafen and Emily my sister that took my kids.

I remember sitting in that room and thinking I am going to have a baby all by myself. Luckily my Mom made it back to the hospital. Cera was born Friday the 13 first thing in the morning. I was going to do it natural because the recovery was so much better when I had Carmen natural but being there by myself I wimped out. I got the epidural and what do you know..I pushed once and she was out. She had a hole in her lung so they took her to the NICU. I called the red cross and they got a message to Toby. He called back and said "what are you doing?" I told him I had Cera and what I had named her and that the pictures would be in the mail. I could tell how hard it was for him to not be there.

Well my mom got some weird sickness and landed herself in the hospital but Jan and Annie brought the kids up to see me and Em helped with Dad that night. Dad came to see me and then I had a candlelight dinner by myself. I begged the Dr. to let me out so I left Saturday morning first thing. I didn't get to take Cera home so I ran to help Dad with the other kids. I remember my feet swelled up so big because I went on a walk with them that afternoon.

Thanks to the missionaries at Fort Knox I was able to email the pictures of Cera to them and Toby got them at church on Sunday. What special people those missionaries were. I went to church on Sunday and still didn't have Cera home so everyone thought I was still pregnant. That night my Dad and Emily's husband Dan went up to the hospital and gave Cera a blessing.

She was released the next day and was a perfectly healthy little girl.

Start of the Long Road Part II

2008-11-30T03:00:00.004-07:00

I had a friend online, named Stephanie and she told me about how I had to enroll in the different insurance to get the best coverage. She told me right in time and saved us a bunch of money because we were covered in time for Cera's birth. Her sharing that information will always stay with me and I am so thankful for her.

I remember my sister taking the girls to get their hair cut to keep their appointments. Mind you she came two, almost three weeks early so I was not the most prepared. I only had the diapers that came home with me from the hospital so I headed to Target with my 3 day old baby and my three other kids.

We soon made it home and the kids were sooo excited. Cera was a great sleeper from the start and I was so grateful. I started making plans to go to Toby's basic graduation. My sister was getting married that next weekend so it was going to be a tight fit to get everything in. I decided to rent a car to drive out and fly home to be there in time for the wedding.

Well Cera got a clean bill of health from the doctor to be able to fly and I went and picked up the rental car. I remember driving it home to pick up the kids and thinking of what the next couple of days would be like. I had not seen my husband for 10 weeks and I had only heard his voice 3 times. He had lost some weight and I had had a baby. It was a drive from Utah to Fort Knox Kentucky and I planned on a couple days drive. Cera was two weeks old by now. I packed me and my kids in the car, we said goodbye to Grandma (who I know wanted to tell me how crazy I was, but didn't). We said a prayer and on the road we go.

We made it to Wyoming and I took the girls into the bathroom to change diapers. I took my wallet out to get a diaper out of my bag. Left it in the bathroom. Left the bathroom, went back in and it was gone. Military ID, drivers license, cell phone, social security card. Yep, all gone. I called the police and then called my mom. I had an extra cell phone because I was taking Toby his down to him. I felt a rush of peacefullness come over me when I realized I had taken my debit card out and put it in my pocket. The policeman took us to a hotel and it was scary so we went to another one. I was hoping they would find my wallet because I knew I just was not going to get on base with a rented car and no ID. In the morning I thought of all my option. I thought about just not going on and going home, I prayed about it and felt like I should go on. I went to the police station. It was closed! I just sat down almost willing to accept defeat. The window popped open. The lady inside asked if she could help me. I asked her if there was any way to get some documentation of my missing things just in case I could use it to get on post.
She started to get teary eyed and confided in me that she for some reason got up and came to work early and started documenting my case. She said most times a report takes weeks to get. There I was being blessed right there at the police station.

I got the report in Cheyenne and off we went. Now that I was a day behind I had to drive across the country without stopping with four kids in the car. We stopped someone for lunch and a nice couple showed me a fun park across the way so the kids could stretch their legs. We stopped at a McDonald's and the kids were telling everyone our story and people were offering money and help..it was really funny, but we were in a hurry so went on our way. We passed Omaha and I was worried because it was already getting dark out. The kids were tired so I was going to be golden in that department.

I drove as long as I could and about 1 am had to stop at a hotel in the middle of no-where. I checked in and told her my story and asked her for a wake-up call so I could make it to Fort Knox on time. It was about a 5 hour drive from where I was at. I went and got the kids tucked in and couldn't sleep so I got showered and ready for the day. I layed down for about 2 hours and the phone rang. The women on the phone said "you know what, I was just thinking how the time changes and you are going to be behind an hour of what you were planning. Someone else looking out for me.

I got the kids dressed and ready to go. It was still dark so they were still sleepy. I drove and drove and drove. The sun came up and I remember coming around a bend and seeing the St. Louis Arch. It was so beautiful with the sunrise on it.

We stopped for a quick breakfast and were going to be there right on time. It was HUMID in Kentucky! I quickly changed my wet shirt and headed in the line of cars to get on post. I had no ID, and a rental car. The guy looked at my police report and said "good thing you have this or I couldn't let you on post". I held back the tears in front of him knowing that my Heavenly Father had blessed me. We got on post and i drove to see Toby and pick him up for family day. I broke down...I had not really cried while he was gone except for a short pity party having Cera and now I was bawling my eyes out. (this has become a trend with me, crying only right before I see him, weird.)

I dragged my kids in and prepare Cera to meet her Dad for the first time. Well, well..Toby had lost something like 45 pds in the ten weeks there and was sooo skinny. He had his big issued glasses on and even I didn't recognize him. Carmen was very confused.( She was only two then.) He wasn't very touchy feely but met Cera and that was fun to watch. I met some friends and then we went to have family day and then he would graduate the next day.

We got up and took him back to the barracks way early and packed everything for our flight home that afternoon. It was Friday and my sister was getting married the next day! Graduation was awesome and then they said hug your family you are leaving to get on a plane to El Paso. He said he would try to call from the airport. I drove to the airport and returned the car. I remember trying to take a 2 week old baby, my three kids, our luggage and Carmen's car seat into the airport. Mind you I still don't have any ID's. The way the airport was setup the whole thing was open and then the security was right by the gates to leave. Who do I see? My husband! We ended up spending another couple of hours with him in the airport. My flight was late leaving but we finally got on. What a mess.. I was pretty tired. We got to our connecting flight and they had a cart there waiting for us. We got to the next plane and some guy yells out "this is what we are waiting for?" They close the plane up after we are on.

You got it, they held the plane for me. WOW!! It was not about 9 at night. We get into Salt Lake around 10:30. Turns out the only place I had a hard time was leaving the airport because my parking stub was in my wallet. Stupid lady charged me for a lost ticket and was freaking out about me leaving and not supposed to be there..who would have known.

I get home and we head to bed to get up and go to a wedding in the morning.

Phew!! What a weekend. That weekend was one of the biggest testimony builders for me. I kept going and the Lord helped me every step of the way. He kept us safe and put righteous people in my path to help me. I have told this story many times but it always brings tears to my eyes.

That is the first of many stories in our new Army life and the start of the long road I was soon to find out I was facing.

I love my life, I love my husband and my kids and my whole family. I love the Lord for watching over me and literally sending help my way when I couldn't make it on my own. I am thankful for the opportunities I took advantage of that weekend to get on my knees and not only ask for help but give gratitude to him for the blessings I was receiving.

MY TROY! (toby is going to kill me lol)

2008-11-30T02:04:00.001-07:00

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2008-11-30T00:24:00.002-07:00

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Happy Anniversary!

2008-11-30T00:04:00.004-07:00

Once again I have not posted it on the day I have intended to but I want to say Happy Anniversary to my Mom and Dad. "39" years. WOW!! Although they did not consider it necessarily a BIG one, I think of 39 years and how much they have shared together and it brings tears to my eyes. Sometimes I don't stop and think of their life together, but it consists of my life intertwined. I think of not only how it must have been sooo many years ago having babies of their own. I remember, it must have been mike, when they brought him home from the hospital. What would they have been feeling? All these kids, is what I would be thinking. Or when they had thier tenth anniversary or twentieth or thirtieth for that matter. All the births and deaths they have endured. In the face of the world seeming to crumbled beneath us and the fight on families being so strong I am so grateful for my Dad and Mom for not always supporting and not judgeing me, but also for setting one of the greatest examples of love that I have ever seen. Do you know..to this day I don't ever remember seeing my parents fight..EVER! I know. I am sure they have had disagreements and maybe had a tiff or two, and may be able to wisper or be alot quieter than I am capable of, but what a blessing to me. I sure hope I start to take on some of those characteristics. So to Mom and Dad..Happy Anniversary and thanks for all you do! You are both amazing people. May you have many more to come. And next year when it is a big one, you better do something cool to celebrate. lol My sister Em put this together, but I couldn't pass up posting it.

BIGGEST NEWS EVER!!

2008-11-29T23:34:00.005-07:00

Ok, I cannot keep the secret any longer. I have asked Toby time and again if I could tell and we are ready to let the cat out of the bag!!

We are going to JAPAN!! You got that right. We have been approved to go to Japan next fall. Although the living quarters are small we don't care and we would love to go and have that experience. Anyone, that has gone to Okinawa that I have talked to have said, "if you ever get a chance to go to Japan take it." Here is our chance. So I am sure you will be hearing of my many new to do lists with getting a family of six overseas, but YAY!!

Sidenote: Toby is still going to apply for the Green to Gold Program. If he gets accepted to that we will be re-evaluating the situation.

I have a ton more research to do but am very excited and very proud of my husband for what he has done to open doors of opportunity for us. Imagine what missionary opportunities there would be there and the new places we would see.

Just Venting

2008-11-29T13:04:00.002-07:00

I have about 20 posts waiting to be finished, but need to vent really fast to get on with my day. I realize many people may judge me for moving home from Fort Bliss and staying with my parents yet again. I realize some may look at it as me mooching on them. I do realize that my mom goes over the top with helping us out and I am more than grateful for that.

I am posting this to get it out of my system to move on. I received an email recently from someone that told me I was a loser for how I have lived my life. I will admit to the world that I have not made the best choices at times, but at 21 and a couple kids I was learning. I feel like the struggles I have gone through not only helped me but helped a ton of people around me that I could help see the light. Many times have I strayed from Gods teachings and tried my own way and learned that He does want the best for me.

I am grateful for the family and friends that build me up and see me for what I am. They see me as a supportive friend (who like I have mentioned before may not be there on time but am there when needed.) I am a great motivator and supporter of many people and their goals and want the best for people. Even though I am not the best and yell at my kids, they are pretty amazing and I am doing my best to be a good mom.

I am an awesome wife. I have not always been but through this deployment I have worked hard and making sure my husband knows he is cared about when all other family forgets about him. I am not going to say specific names, but if you read this and wonder, is she talking about me..YES I AM!!

You can think of me how you want but I know how I am and I am pretty amazing. For all the tasks on my plate I eat it one bit at a time and feel like I am doing a pretty darn good job.

Lastly, i mentioned before that I have some pretty awesome friends and family that do support me. Thank you. Your support has helped me in all my achievements throughout this last year and helping me end this deployment with success. I am grateful for positive people and for my Heavenly Father that will help me forget the hurtful things said to me.

I love you all!! Stay tuned for some major exciting news!!

Happy Thanksgiving!!

2008-11-27T10:27:00.003-07:00

I had a hard time with this post because it was such a dear day to my heart, but better late than never. If I could figure out how to back date I would totally pretend that this was done 4 months ago. ha ha

I feel like I do a good amount of posting on other days throughout the year on gratitude but find when you are having a bad day that is does wonders for the attitude. Today is the Tennyson's family day. Today is the only day that we have never been apart from each other, but instead of focusing on this I will focus on what I love about my family and why I love when we are together!!

I first want to say how much I love my kids. I don't mention them often in this setting. Mostly how much they drive me crazy or the funny stuff they do. I really do however, love to be a mother. I am not that great at it, but it gives me something to work on and better myself. They each have such great gifts and the one thing I think I have done good with teaching them is manners. At least when we go places I get great comments on how polite my kids are so I think that means I am doing something right, right?

I am thankful for my husband who is such an example to me of strength and sacrifice. I cannot even start to think of being away from my kids for over a year. He is such a great Dad and the fun parent. We all miss him. I miss him today because today is the day that we would laugh about my lumpy potatoes, dry turkey, gravy not even edible, and dough rolls. (I am getting better at cooking, but we can still laugh at my tendencies.)

I am thankful for my goodly parents and them raising me in such a good envirement. I sometimes think I still act like a spoiled brat but I think that is a nature vs. nurture fight. I think that behavior I have developed on my own. Ok, and maybe they have the tendency to spoil us kids, but they are the best.

I am thankful for my life and the opportunities it brings me. I have been afraid of some of the expectations that are put on me but am ready to face some of them head on. I know I am put in this situation to do more missionary work and look forward to working on that in El Paso and Japan.

Today I have such a thankful heart for dear friends who have touched my life briefly and some that have stayed the course with me.

I guess.. I am just plain THANKFUL for everything.

Happy Thanksgiving.

Only open on Mondays

2008-11-13T14:21:00.004-07:00

A couple weeks ago on a Tuesday I was lucky enough to partake in a conversation with Grandma Neilson and my very OCD child Carmen. It went like this:

Grandma: We need to get you tights to go with your Christmas dress
Carmen: Let's go get tights
Carmen: When can we go get tights?
Carmen: Are we going to get tights now Grandma?

Grandma: Carmen, are you listening? The tights store is closed everyday but Mondays, so we will have to wait until another Monday comes around, ok?

Oh, Grandma..

*notice she gave herself a whole week until she had to go. Sometimes this works!

God Bless America

2008-11-04T21:30:00.004-07:00

Some are saying this day is something that all Americans will remember where they were when the results were in. I was at the gym. I was running and knew that it was about to be called and finished my workout early to not show sadness with strangers around me. It is true however. I felt today some of the feelings I did on 9/11. Watching not knowing what would happen but knowing this was a big event that would change my life.

In the face of defeat, I am sad that my ideals are not in the majority but welcome our new President of the United States of America.

I have however found something I really do enjoy and that is politics. Maybe because I love solving people's drama. lol. I am more sure now than ever that this is not over. I can do my part and keep my leaders accountable for making this Country the best it can be. I will find ways to be more proactive on anything I have control over and will exercise my right to let my congressman know my voice.

This is not the end of the Republican party and quite frankly just needs to give those of us with the same ideals some fire under our feet. We need to do more and be more involved to keep this Country the way we believe it is supposed to be.

Let's come together now and keep people honest. Let us gather and express gratitude for our right to vote. Thank the Lord for watching over us in the past and do our best to set good examples for those around us for the future. Please pray for our troops to be safe. Be thankful for the freedoms that we have and work hard in the future to keep those same freedoms. Join the ranks of those that will mark a path of change and keep your voice loud and clear to make sure it is the change America needs.

GOD BLESS AMERICA> LAND OF THE FREE>

October Fun

2008-11-02T00:26:00.004-06:00

There are a bunch of pictures in this. Grandma made popcorn balls to take to neighbors and the top of the popcorn popper came off. Ha Ha
Grandma was also the one to pick up the pumpkins and carving supplies. Grandma is filling in on some of the fun things that I am not good at and Toby would usually take care of. Thanks MOM
We also went to a place called Gardners Village and looked at all the witches and they had a petting zoo!
We attempted to webcam with Toby so he could see them in their costumes but since it was 3 am there and his battery on his computer died, we are just sending pictures.
It led me to thinking how silly this holiday is. Cera was so confused why I kept dressing her up and then going to peoples houses and asking for free candy and then running away fast yelling "thank you." Does anyone else think it is silly!
Happy Halloween.

A day in the LIFE

2008-10-31T01:17:00.002-06:00

So today I was thinking of what my life is like and how crazy I am about my scheduling sometimes and how so much of my time is filled with ADHD tendencies and procrastination. This month I have been ramping back up from Toby leaving and getting re-focused.

My day started, or day before it didn't end until 4 am. I was up doing homework and secretly hoping Toby would get online and send me a one line email like he usually does. (Those seem to make my days)...I thought to myself at 4 that I should get to bed or the next day was going to bite me. Doing this day after day you would think I would know that I can totally function but I have found more sleep does help with my recovery with my workouts so I gave in. I actually slept on the couch because I was restless.

7am kids get up and I am pushing them to get ready for their "storybook day" (different post) and had planned on making them a good breakfast but ended up making sure they had cereal and I think Cy had a piece of toast Grandma made him. Side note: I am a night person ok? I do a couple days a week get up to go to the gym early and that helps get me going, but most days it takes me about 30 minutes to suck it up and get going. Kids are off! Wait, no Courtney needs me to take her to school and wants some more info on the character that she is being for school.

Get back and am a cereal mom for the day. I even had cereal so that is not a good precursor to my day. I am excited however because it was a dress up day for Carmen also at her new Pre-school and she was really excited. I put big girl makeup on her and for a girly girl that is fabulous. I pick up the basement and out on some makeup and head to take her..now it is already 9:45. I am in my workout wear because I planned to work out first think in the morning! lol

With odds stacked against me on my morning cardio I decided to not try the gym without Carmen to help with Cera at the daycare. I pull out my trusty, awesome running stroller, grab some treats, my dog, Cera and head out to go on my run. I hear Cera screaming at the top of the street. Not a good sign. I turned around and brought her home and she went right to nap. It is now 10:30 and I have not ran more than maybe 1/8 of a mile.

My mom was home working on things in her office upstairs that thankfully she agreed to listen if Cera woke up and I took off! I ran about 1 1/2 miles and my body finally got in sync. I hate that it takes me awhile to get in the groove but oh well. I run past the house because I have to go to the bathroom and decide to grab the dog so she can get a workout also. Turns out she is afraid of leaves and it is fall in Utah. I ended up picking her up and carrying her home. Then I ran another 1 1/2 miles and decide that I am done. I am starting to be able to farther and farther because of the awesome interval training I have been doing 4 days a week.

I call my husband to talk quickly before I have to get Carmen from school. I of course talk to long and have to hang up on him to run in to get her. I feel bad because I am still dripping sweat, but just glad to have got to get out and run.

Now it is noon..I have not done my situps or pushups yet. I go downstairs and jam out a quick 4 minute of situps which included 100!!! yay.. I have to work on my pushups but can do 12 now, so that is exciting.

Time for us to have lunch. I have tuna mixed with cottage cheese (which is actually good after I broke my carb/sugar and addiction). I have an apple and some water. I wanted to get to more homework but had to get to Costco to get my protein and new turkey my sister told me about before the older kids are out of school and start that mayhem. Go get in the shower, be thankful for short hair that dries fast, and off we go! Oh yeah the girls had lunch and a bath in there somewhere after lunch.

Head to Costco but stop at payless to look at dance shoes for Carmen. Find nothing, talk her into maybe they have some at Costco..I really shouldn't lie to my child but it worked. I stop and get gas at 2.55/gal YAYAYAYAY!

Costco took too long and they did sell out of flaxseed! Get churro that is habit and head home. Churro stays uneaten in car as I type. I picked up a pizza for dinner so have to pop that in soon. Carmen is taking a nap so I check my email and classwork. I am currently taking 21 credits for school so I have to keep up or it will all unwind fast.

Dinner is done and we better hurry because break dancing starts in 20 minutes. Everybody in..drive and hear about everyone's day all at once, while younger girls are eating their pizza cut up out of bowls. Anyway, drop older kids at break dancing and head to a Downeast Outfitters to get two more tanks to run in. Walk through Mervyns and see they are on an ALL SALES ARE FINAL..status now. Anywho, go get Court from dance while Cy stays to do his boys club. Get a paper saying that costumes and travel sweats are being ordered for competition and I find out that they are 80/piece!

Take younger group home and get Cera to bed early. Mom is thankfully home again and we decide on our day out tomorrow with Grandma and Aunt Em and I take off to get Cy from boys club. I hear about all the new moves and fun party at dance and get home to get ready to go to gym. Make sure the kids are settled in and being quiet and I take off to try to catch 30Rock for my warm up cardio. I fell off the treadmill last time watching something funny on the TV so was taking it easier. I walked at an incline for 25minutes to get my heart rate up. Next went to do weights and was excited to curl the 50pd wacky bar 4 times. The manager asks me if I would want to do promotions for him again when it gets to be busy season and I shrug it off. I only did 20 minutes of intervals because I have to get home to have a late night with the kids before Halloween and promised to pick them up something at the store.

Showing back up with unhealthy soda and popcorn we watch the recorded office off DVR. Then it gets turned to Disney channel while I read Dr. Suess to Carmen.

Finally at 11:45 the kids start dropping off like flies and I can get to my homework. I have about another hour to go until finished but am excited about my day and all that was accomplished. I have to clean again tomorrow because we are webcamming with Toby and it needs to look like I am trying at least..lol

Have to have my morning workout done by 6 tomorrow or I won't get it at all. We are going with Grandma somewhere fun and then webcamming and homework and then the night festivities.

Well, that is a day in my life. Sometimes less busy, but I love it busy..Makes the days go by soooo fast.

Got to get to bed so I can start my craziness yet again.
LOVE IT

Gratitude

2008-10-25T22:17:00.002-06:00

I know the past couple months have been doom and gloom for some folks, but what really tans my hide is that the news can only do negative.

I am in a state of gratitude and pray everyone will take the chance to look at all the good around us.

Local Price Snapshot
Today 2.969
Yesterday 2.983
One Week Ago 3.214
One Month Ago 3.631
One Year Ago 2.826
Trend
PRICES FALLING

I know that there are some that have been hit hard by some things but gas today was cheaper than a year ago. NO NEWS!

I live my life on a cash basis and my husband has a secure job with benefits and pay.

I am thankful for my parents letting me shack up at their house every couple of years for a couple months. I also am thankful that possessions don't matter to me, so I could care less where my things are stored.

I am thankful for our church and the teachings of being prepared and showing us in the scriptures the cycle of greed and poverty.

I am thankful for my husband who is setting a good standard for our family to meet.

I am thankful for being capable of living off a couple hours a night of sleep to accomplish everything on my plate.

I am thankful my body has finally come around to this idea of being fit and starting to really take to it.

I am thankful for some awesome kids that at the zoo today I got asked.."how did you train your kids to stay by your side and be so polite?" more than once

I am thankful for the Army life I live and the opportunities it gives me to learn and grow as a person/wife/mom/writer/student..

I am last but not least thankful for my Heavenly Father who sends help on days I really need it and makes me do it myself on days I ask because I am lazy. I am thankful he forgives me for all my shortcomings and recognizes my strengths. I am thankful he softened my heart in my marriage years ago when I was being selfish and almost ruined everything. I am thankful that he didn't put a cap on the feelings of love that we can feel. It really gets stronger everyday for Toby and I have often wondered how it can get deeper.

I challenge you all, because the media will not cover it, to think about all the good that is happening in our lives. It is the positive that gets us through!

Have you ever?

2008-10-25T08:28:00.003-06:00

In all the times that you have gone to the movie theater have you ever gone to see a movie by yourself?

Well have you?

With Toby being gone this year, I have. I have actually a couple times but let me give you some insight of what it was like for me this most recent time.

My Mom and Dad were out of town. I decide I want to go see a movie and get a babysitter. It is late on a Saturday night. I get there and the theater is pretty bare. The movie I want to see is supposed to be funny and only been out a couple weeks. I thought it would be packed.

I get my lonesome popcorn and head to get my seat. I get in there and immediately feel creeped out! There is not one other person in there. Ok..so I am a little early. I sit down..that lasts about 30 seconds until I feel like a horror movie when you are yelling at someone for staying there too long in a scary situation.

I get on my phone and make a phone call to another Army wife I know will be up late. We talk for a minute and laugh at what a stupid head I am sometimes. I decide I will probably go get my money back and just go rent a movie.

Heading out, I decide that I really wanted to see the movie..I am just going to find people that are going in there and will go back in when someone arrives. Good plan right?

So, I stand right behind the guy taking tickets and listen like a creep at where people are headed. I felt weird, so instead I backed up a ways and started asking people where they were going... like that is not WEIRD! lol

I almost went to see Eagle Eye because that is where everyone was headed. I finally found this couple that was going to my movie and they said they would make sure I was not murdered during the movie. So sad.

I am sure I would have been safe to watch the movie alone, but just in case this couple was the only other people in there.

I guess I will go to a matinee during the day next time for some peace of mind and to not make a fool of myself looking for a friend when I get there.

The day has come!

2008-10-25T08:21:00.002-06:00

October 24th has been on our calenders since June when they said the date that this movie would be out. The Tennyson's (except for maybe Toby) love High School Musical. I love musicals and am excited when the kids like them too.

More than just the musical, we had it on our list of time marks for Toby to return. It is so fun to see events come and go because that means time is going by and he will be home soon!

I actually loved this movie. Some parts were cheesy, but I actually cried in some of it. It took me back to when Toby and I were in High School and getting ready to go to different colleges and thinking we LOVED each other. GOOD Songs, Excellent choreagraphy. Sad to have the series come to an end.

GO see it!

If it smells like crap and tastes like crap, is it crap?

2008-10-25T08:14:00.001-06:00

Honestly.. the other day I purchased a new protein shake. It is really good for you, but I put it in my shaker and was off to the gym. I pop it open to guzzle it down and it smells really bad. I thought it might be the shaker, so I go home and get a new cup. It still smells bad.

Like any new fitness fanatic, I realize that nothing good for you tastes good and start to drink it. IT WAS REALLY BAD! I have a weak stomach and had to hold down puking.

Fast forward to the gym.. start running, sprinting my first interval and what? Holy cow..my stomach hated this stuff. I threw it out so I cannot tell you what the brand was, but it was chocolate of some type and I am convinced they mixed it with manuer.

Sticking with safe Vanilla for awhile!

Debate

2008-10-07T21:48:00.002-06:00

I cannot let it go. I watched the debate tonight. I went and ran at the gym while watching trying to get out frustrations while I listened. While there I found myself clapping, crying and being disappointed right there on the treadmill.

I am really upset about the spin afterwards. Most of it is being focused on how Obama's smile and looks makes him more favorable to be the President? What? How do your looks or if you can eloquently give a speech make you a good President? I am confused..isn't that what the past shows to calamity?

I just am sick about some of the similarities that this election is with a Hitler movie I saw. He promised everything to his people if He and the government could have the power. YEAH that worked out!

If we look at how our Heavenly Father set up His plan, why don't we follow it and do ours that way? Yes..there is someone to answer to and help guide us, but we make our own choices, we put our trust in God because he can be trusted and He is one man that knows all. No man on earth in Washington knows all. Why would he have all the power over what I want to do in my life?

I could go on about this for hours. Just please people..don't just listen to the media on this. Do your own research. Know that there is true danger if we make the wrong decision. I know that is kind of harsh, but it is true and I think some people don't want to believe it. This is not a call for people to be scared, because it can be changed. In the scriptures we have time and again of a people that becoming greedy and sinful and they change it and save their people by making the right choices and making changes in the way they live. Let us follow that example in this time of our lives.

Pray and Vote

2008-10-07T21:28:00.003-06:00

I just wanted to take a couple minutes of anyone who takes the time to read my blog to mention something to everyone. I first want to come right out and say VOTE! I will be upfront and say you should be ashamed if you are not going to. That is right.. I will say it.

Secondly..some things I have some strong feelings on and it may just be the experience I have gained in the last 10 years or may have some merit..you decide. We as Americans can not continue to make bad choices and expect the government to bail us out. We cannot continue to think we are entitled to this lush livelihood that our parents worked their whole lives to get. I was called by many friends years ago that tried to talk Toby and I into getting into one of these "easy mortgages". That is one of the good choices that Toby and I saw as something too good to be true. But now many Americans are mad because their "awesome idea" didn't turn out. I feel for the people who can't afford their homes, but that is something you should think about is the future of your choices.

I will continue with the premise that most people should know that Toby and I in the past have not been too good with our money. We have made poor choices just like everyone. I know how it feels to go out and have a good time and then try to pay for it later..but this has got to stop.

Toby and I have also known the pressures it puts on a family to either get health care in a plan or pay for it later when you don't have it and go into some kind of of crazy coma. I know how it is. It devastated our family for years. Please hear my heart. I have government run health care and I am overjoyed that it is free. Some people however that dream of this would be sorely disappointed with the care we receive. I do have the opportunity to get a second and third opinion at no cost, but if you dream of this for health care, please know anything promised for nothing is just stupidity. I sacrifice my husband away at war to get this health care, so I kind of think I deserve it.

Lastly, I want everyone to know that my life is pretty much run by the government. They get to send us wherever they want, split us up, change things all the time when they want and provide all my livelihood. I can endure this life. I feel it is kind of something that I was being prepared for. I feel in my shoes taking this on. I do know however a lot of people that do not like the military life and get out. Please again.. lets not have the government run your life. Make a good choice with whomever you feel would steer us away from that.

Ok, so my last words on this are: Please Pray these next couple weeks and make the choice you feel is the right one. Please know that God wants to help us and wants to help protect us, but cannot take away our free agency. If we do nothing or make wrong choices we have to take the consequences for those actions.

I know I am not huge into politics, but I just want everyone to know that it is time to step up and make sure you we don't have a lion in lambs clothing. Let us not be easily swayed by easy promises. Let us do our part and make a good change.

I love you all!

Quirky Tag

2008-09-24T02:19:00.003-06:00

Ok, so my sister Michelle did this on her blog and I think she was mentioning me as being tagged, so here it goes. I am supposed to name 6 quirky things about me.

1. If you know me at all you will be laughing at a memory of me and you at some point in our lives together. I am late to most things. I have worked hard on being 10 minutes instead of 30 minutes late but I am late a lot. I will always be there, just not always on time.

2. I love to write. I love to write stories, letters, my book, my blog, notes to friends. You name it, I like to write it. I don't like spelling however and it is quirky of me that sometimes I don't even bother with spell checker even though I know that there are mistakes.

3. I love being an Army wife. I love getting to be supportive and being in a situation that almost forces me to take it day by day and appreciate everything I have. I love change and it is a perfect lifestyle for me.

4. Quirky as it may be but I only like working out my biceps and back. I hate triceps day, but maybe I should change my attitude? My abs never show a difference but but I do sit ups none the less. I wear makeup and earrings to the gym! My daughter makes fun of me, but who likes to look at themselves lifting weights looking ugly? Not me

5. I love Carbs. I am working on eating good carbs right now, but if I could I would eat a loaf of french bread with butter for every meal. And I am a dipper. I love to dip my food into a dressing or sauce.

6. I am an avid goal setter and planner. It is not so much quirky as it is freaky. I always have a good old goal poster hanging on my wall with deadlines. I have the weeks and days broken down for the next 7 months. My daily task list is filled out from 5 am until midnight. I love lists..Toby hates when I ask if we can make a list together because he knows that is how I get him to committ to stuff. However, I do accomplish many things because of these said lists.

Most of these things everyone knows but I don't know if you all know that I am nocturnal. I have been ever since I can remember. It leads to some tiresome days with my kids who are not nocturnal, but I love the alone time and I really do get a ton done late at night.

New Cookbook

2008-09-21T00:32:00.001-06:00

I went to Barnes and Noble today and found a cookbook for me and my kids. It is called "Eating clean for family and kids." It is the if you are serious about this cookbook. I got it and the kids were actually excited about the recipes and some of the pictures did make things look yummy.

Heres to my new life of clean eating. And cooking for that matter!!

Here we go...

2008-09-21T00:07:00.005-06:00

MORE GOALS>>

I have been working on these and making sure I want to commit but here it goes. We have 7 months to accomplish a ton of stuff.

1. I will be a size 6! I don't care how much I weigh, but size 6 and this fat roll on my stomach will not bug me anymore.

2. I will run a half-marathon. I am in a running class and we are all running it after the class finishes, so this should be easy.

3. Run 2 miles in 16:35 minutes. I will be running fast for me, but for two miles I can pull it out and I have a couple months to train. With that 82 situps, and 50 pushups. I get these numbers off the Army AFPT requirements. Those times would score me a 300 and that is awesome in their book.

4. Eating clean. This is the one thing that has been missing and I am ready to make the switch in my thinking and eating. I think eating clean will help me with my energy to accomplish my goals, so this is fundamental.

5. Breakdancing.. Yep..breakdancing. Kids and I start monday in our breakdancing class. I really want to learn how to dance and this class was something we could all do. We go to class and have a recital in December that you are all invited to.

6. Finish my associates degree. I was admitted at SLCC just shy of an associates. If I can get it done this year then I will only have about a year and a half left to finish.

7. Finish my book. I have a publisher interested in my work and that has made me stress and not work on it. I have to finish to be able to speak about it.

8. Get our passports. This is more for my to do list but it is a goal I have had for two years and will do it this fall. Me and the kids!

9. Be an instrument in Gods hands. I have been struggling with being in Utah and not seeing where I am needed. I know there are opportunities now, and am going to put myself out there to find them and fill the position.

10. 28 weeks of sheer hard work. I trailed off at the end with moving home and toby coming to visit. Although I am still sick a couple times a week, that will be over soon. I think of the scripture of Christ bearing our burdens. "Run and be not faint, walk and be not weary" Ok.. I think that is how it goes. When I think of it however, I think that he will help me after I have made the effort to start walking..I know I can do this and am so excited to accomplish everything on my list.

Most of the goals are physical but I hope to find balance in my life and I LOVE BEING BUSY!

Modern Technology

2008-09-20T23:56:00.002-06:00

Toby has been gone a week and it seems literally like FOREVER! The days have gone by fast but slow at the same time. Anyway..We got to see him today. It amazes me that modern technology has brought to pass the opportunity to see my husband when he is getting up in the morning and I am getting ready for bed. IT WAS AWESOME>

We had to figure it out so that the feed was good on his end, but it was amazing.

Cyrus tried on his halloween costume and got to show it off..Courtney tried on a couple different costumes and was able to be silly.

When he was home and he was getting re-acquainted with Cera they would sing the popcorn popping song and she started doing actions with him right before he left. Today they were able to see each other and sing together. It was heart warming. Before it was a whole conversation trying to explain what they were doing and the faces and all that was hard to paint a picture for him, but now both sides can see each other.

Carmen liked it to see her dad but I think she actually really loved to see herself in the little window that showed what our webcamera was doing. She is hilarious. Putting on lipgloss like it was a mirror. Toby got a kick out of it. She can now show him her fingernails when they get painted a different color and he can see what she is trying to show him.

I am so excited for this opportunity to see him and get to talk for free is awesome. I am so thankful for this chance we get with the internet and hope it gets to stay for the next 7 months.

Now, if someone can just invent a camera with a portal so I can actually touch him this deployment would be a breeze. I will take what I can get for now, but when he goes back in a couple years I fully expect that to be a choice for me!! lol (if only)

Las Vegas

2008-09-17T00:55:00.013-06:00

This was a highlight for Toby and I as we took off for a couple days to Las Vegas. It was fun to get away and not to lie..rest..

We took off first thing in the morning and flew to Las Vegas. We got there early and didn't know if they were going to let us check in. I am a cheapskate so we got some passes to stay at the hotel (Planet Hollywood) if we went to a stupid timeshare presentation. What is an hour or two of my time?

Total score. We checked in and finding out later our reservation had us down as current owners of a timeshare and wanting to upgrade. HA HA. They put us in a penthouse suite that was sooo awesome. It was at the end of this big hall and it had double doors to go in. It had a dining room, living room with a panoramic view of the strip and a huge tv, two bathrooms, a small kitchen type thing, and then a big bedroom with another huge tv. A really big master bathroom with a great jetted tub. We walked around wondering how we were staying there for free. We didn't unpack for a couple hours because we thought for sure there was a mix up and they were going to move us.

The hotel was really nice but there was no ice on our floor so that kind of made me sad. I love to stay in hotels just to get ice and a soda and sit and watch tv. (i am a little weird I know)

We walked around and just took it in together. Man we had some really good laughs! We rode the Deuce which is the double decker bus that runs up and down the street..oh how funny that was! We sang happy birthday to a random lady and then she burst out in tears. The driver didn't know what to do! HA HA

Ok..mom look away. I did sin..I will not lie about it.

Toby and I got our first Tattoos!. Toby got his on his leg and just all our our initials and I got a compass with his initials in the middle and a C for every direction. We are now branded to each other so we are recommitted to this separation stuff and each other. No..I am not going to get all tatted out but I have never done anything off the beaten path really so that was it.

Next day we had to go to the timeshare presentation where we found out that they thought we were going to upgrade. Toby told them no and the lady freaked out. We were for sure we were going to get to our room and our stuff would be outside or that we would have a huge bill waiting. But no..they lived up to their deal and so did we. HA HA on them.. I love it!

We went and walked the strip and saw some great building. We figured that Cera must feel the same as we did. Everything so big and you are so small it is amazing. It was pretty good weather and just really fun to hold his hand and stroll down the street.

Last thing before I bore everyone to death. Toby does a great job at making me comfortable to be myself. Who cares what people around you think. I was thinking about this in the airport when we were waiting to leave. There was a bit of time to wait so we laid on the floor and just took it in. I of course started to cry thinking of him going back. I just thought of how it it is not "normal" to be snuggling on the floor of the airport, but why not? So many times I have missed out on experiences like that because I cared about what the "norm" was.

All in all I didn't get to crazy in Vegas, but it was a blast and I am so glad that Toby and I got a chance to go and relax and make some great memories to last us the next couple of months.
I love you Toby!

Kids dates with Dad

2008-09-17T00:43:00.005-06:00

We thought it was very important to have the kids go one by one with Dad on a "date" to spend some great time uninterupted. I am kindof overbearing sometimes, so the kids thought it was a blast.

Courtney went first and her and Toby went ice skating to start out. After that they went to build a bear and then to Olive Garden. After lunch and great conversation they went to a rock climbing gym and then sat and talked a bit before returning home. This made the kids feel very loved and they are already looking forward to doing it again next year. As I have mentioned before he is the fun parent so all these days were very fun for everyone.

Cyrus was the next day and he chose to go the the Batman movie and then to the rock climbing gym and then to an arcade and eat at Charlies at the mall. Toby got a parking ticket during this excursion but oh well. 10 dollars..Cyrus had a lot of fun and sure loves that Batman movie.

Carmen and Cera were the next day and they allowed me to tag along. Carmen wanted to go rollerskating but after one time around they traded the skates for a scooter. The place had jumpies and a little kids slide. Carmen was so great with taking Cera down on her lap. She is really growing in to being a helping sister. We played a couple video games and then Cera started getting tired so we headed home to get the kids and go to lunch and go hiking. It was great fun though.

Toby is such a great Dad and he teaches the kids how important being yourself is and how much being funny makes a difference. Laughter really does sooth the soul.

Celebritards

2008-09-16T23:54:00.006-06:00

Ok, so I am in the middle of putting down my thoughts of when Toby was home and am watching Conan. In a skit they used the word Celebritards!! I am going to wake the kids up because I am laughing so hard. He was talking about the Celebrities that are coming out against Palin and was making a joke and said "lets not let some Celebritards ruin our chances to have someone pretty in office"

SOOO Funny. Ok...I thought so.I am stealing the word, that is for sure.

Just like normal

2008-09-16T23:50:00.005-06:00

Aside from not seeing Toby except in pictures and two different times on a webinar thing on post. I hadn't seen his changes. Toby has been working out quite a bit and in my opinion got quite strong. He looks better than in High School. It was just like normal. Some say it is wierd at first and maybe it will be when he comes home for good, but it was great.

Hard for Toby however for the first couple days to adjust. His senses were on overload with all the green and great scenery of good old home. The sound of not only kids screaming but kids laughing and people having fun. On the final day before he left we went to the mountains and went hiking and then went out where people were. My soldier was so thankful to be in America and enjoy hearing good sounds. Good sounds of people oblivious to a nasty world. He soaked it in!!!

Cera took a couple days to warm completly up but it did happen. So much that it really made it harder for him to go. We don't blame her though. She never really gets to see anyone male except for grandpa, but he works out of town alot so aside from brother males are foreign to her. She loved daddy though. As always..he is the fun parent. I like it that way..so when I am lame I can blame it on him being gone. Ha Ha

We did a ton of fun stuff. The kids went on individual dates with dad and we had a blast as a family. I will post individually about this also. Toby and I were able to go away for a couple days and that was very fun also.

We ran around like a couple of 12 year-olds having fun. Some people probably thought we were crazy, but just crazy in love lol. We workout out at the great gym that gave Toby a FREE pass while he was here. He showed me some great new moved to get me in great shape while I workout waiting for him to come back, but mostly he just made fun of me, and whipped me with the towel.

He did bring me a gift and it was very thoughtful. I got a wristband and a towel for the gym. He laughed at me becuase I didn't take it off after the gym and I love it so much..I wear it with everything and will for the next 8 months. It is kindof like some people that have a necklace or a shirt..looks great with my sunday dress!

Only downfall..we both gained some weight. We ate out at all the great old resteraunts and with that brings weight gain. Who cares..we have 8 months to lose it. Toby was like 6 pds and I am more like 8 lbs. It was worth it except most of my skinny clothes are kindof tight, but I will be hanging in workout clothes most of this next month so no worries to that.

Toby made it back to his "prison cell in the shphinkter of the earth" and we are gearing up to get the second half of our goals completed.

I am grateful for every minute I get with my family together and do not take it for granted. With sacrifice comes joy and happiness and I love to enjoy everything we face as a family.

Here are some pictures!

2008-09-16T23:25:00.001-06:00

In light of nobody reading my blog because it is making you feel like you don't know what to say.. I finally went through some pictures..Here is the first of many slideshows.
The room pictures you will see are of our penthouse suite at planet hollywood in Las Vegas. I will cover that in a later post.

Panic Attack

2008-09-14T13:09:00.002-06:00

I am feeling better now but wanted to blog for the memory of what my body went through yesterday. Also..Toby's! When Toby left in January I was sick but I got over it withing hours and cried very little. Yesterday when Toby called we could hardly talk on the phone and when he said goodbye I started to have what I would think a Panic Attack would feel like. I was ok for most the day until everything was quite and I had to go to bed by myself. I thought I was going to die. By talking to Toby today I am not alone. He also felt the same feelings and really misses me and the kids.

We did talk however that these are just feelings of the flesh and that we are committed to this Army life. It has been good to us and got us farther in such a short time then we had ever thought possible. I love this life. I wish I was back living on post but will stay the course to achieve some of our goals.

We are doing better today. Toby was going to go sleep on the floor and hopefully would make it back sometime soon and then we can get back into our routines. This time we get to use webcams so that will be really exciting. The first half of the deployment was just voice, but that was hard for the little kids. We only got to see him twice in that 8 months, but this next 8 are going to be so much better. We are heading to the finish line. We are going to come out on top.

Thank you honey for reminding me the Devil wants me to feel like crap. He reminded me today that my Heavenly Father loves me so much. He helped me see that comforting angels are trying to reach me and I am not allowing it. Our kids are doing fantastic..although Carmen keeps reminding Cera that Dad will be back tomorrow. (she doesn't understand time)

Thanks to everyone we have supporting us and sending prayers our way. We love you all!

Cheated and punched in the gut

2008-09-13T20:55:00.003-06:00

I just have to put these thoughts into words before I fall asleep after a long day. This morning when we took Toby to the airport we were thankful to get gate passes which allowed us to go past security and wait at the gate with him. We thought we had a couple more minutes but becuase they upgraded him to first class he boarded early. They called for him and it became a rush. He gave a quick kiss to all the kids foreheads and gave me a half hug because I had Cera in my arms. I felt like it was kindof fast, but I had had all morning to start saying goodbye.

I felt like I was punched in the stomach when I heard Toby say he felt the same way. I thought I was just being a brat about it and wasn't going to mention it to him, but he had felt the same way. Would one last big hug really make a difference, NO, but the thought of it makes me want to puke.

I had one episode after Toby called and I thought about why I am freaking out so bad. I know he will come back. I just hate seeing my best friend leave and I get sad thinking he is going to miss so much of our lives. I am really just upset because he has worries that the younger girls will not remember him when he gets home next time. I just love him so much and hate the first day gone and just the all day to think stage. I couldn't bear to go through the pictures today.

Please morning bring sunshine and chaos!! I need it soo bad. That is what was great about Texas on post there was always chaos so we never had time to stop and think.

I am going to go take some movies back and have a better of dead (the movie) moment where every song makes me want to cry. I will be back..fold laundry, and go to bed and wake up to be refreshed at morning church. I am going to start Cera in nursery tomorrow, YAY!!

Toby, I love you and appreciate the sacrifice you are making for our family. I am so proud of you and want you to know that you are my world and I am behind you every step of this and by your side when you want to talk and ahead of you when it gets to hard for you to lead us. You are the best!

Countdown!

2008-09-13T07:35:00.002-06:00

So I am a total freak about lists and counting down things. I will post a ton later about Toby's awesome visit home, but just wanted to point out before I take my counter off my page that I am over half-way done with this deployment. Almost a month more than half. YAY!!

Toby just left this morning and I just have to say how much I love him and am soo proud of him for sacrificing and going to serve again. I am also very proud of my children. They are so strong and I hope they know how much their father loves them and that is why he is willing to do this.

Love you honey, and know you are in my constant thoughts.

To everyone else. I have over 300 pictures, so I have to sort through and will put a slide show up tomorrow. I am thankful for the time we had together and am excited for all the things we have planned for the next couple of months.

YAY!! Goal setting is my favorite...

Pity Party-OVER

2008-08-24T18:00:00.003-06:00

Ok, No toby is not here nor has he called to say he was even leaving from across the world to head our way.. I have however gotten some projects done that I have been putting off until after R&R and some much needed homework for next week is also complete. My pity party lasted about a day and I am over it.

I did what I tell other women to do and pulled out my goal sheet. This deployment is not over. We are not even half way quite yet, and although he is coming home to visit we still have a ways to go..SO SUCK IT UP! I told myself and that is what I did.

How am I going to write a book about deployment without going through the crap and then overcoming it and doing it quickly? How are we to be the poster family for the Army if I get mad when it concerns nothing I have a say in?

Anyway..I really am grateful for the Army and the change it has made in my relationship with my husband. I am very thankful for the benefits we receive (this flight is not costing me anything but time). I am very thankful for the strength that it gives me and molds me to be a better person. I hope to someday show all the women with me that go through this experience that we can have crappy times, but we bounce back and the quicker the better.

I have a couple more projects I put on my to do list for tonight so better get crackin'. I decided to put together a dvd for toby to take back with him of pictures of leave and am going to get that all set up so I just have to add as we make memories.

I really do love my life and love the decision my husband made 18 months ago.

Summer fun with Grandma

2008-08-24T16:30:00.012-06:00

The kids and I have been blessed to be able to spend some quality time in Utah with Grandma Neilson this summer. They love going places with her and let me tag along sometimes.

We rode the new Frontrunner train to Salt Lake. That is the day we went to the church museum and the gateway to play in the fountains. We went to the Discovery museum also that day.. It was so fun. Everything went well, but we did hit the frontrunner coming home in rush hour so a little squishy on the ride back..but the kids had so much fun. Mom held Carmen as she slept and I had Cera as she pooped her pants and totally embarrassed me.
Grandma sitting in the museum with Cera watching a video of the Prophet. So cute!

We also have been to the zoo and Grandma took the older 3 to the Davis County Fair. We are so thankful for her and for Grandpa working so hard to pay for us to have fun.. Thanks for making this transition bearable for us. We really did have a great time and are so excited to be here with you for the time being.

Not too creative

2008-08-24T16:26:00.003-06:00

I went to a baby shower on saturday and was pretty proud of my Diaper cake. They were a big hit at showers in El Paso, but they had one as a center peice that was 100 times more cute. Oh well..although usually I am not too creative in the craft arena of life..I thought it was cute!

Just stay busy

2008-08-24T15:45:00.005-06:00

Avice that I have given countless number or women in the last 7 1/2 months is stay busy and you will make it just fine. It really is the key to surviving and thriving a deployment. I would take my own advice and am trying but this is different. He is not going to be gone 10 more months (right now). He is supposed to be home and I don't really want to start on a project and have to stop it for 2 weeks plus.

I can't help but feel cheated. I know we will get our 18 days but we wanted to get a couple before the kids started school tomorrow. He wanted to play pretend that we were a normal family and he could take them to their first day. (He always was awesome about that kind of stuff. Taking time off or going in late for big days like this.)

So you know what it was like today I will tell you the story. This morning I got up at 7 am planning on hitting at least a little of church before Tobys arrival. I of course wanted everyone to look cute so got breakfast going and then everyone started to shower and get ready. Around 8:30 we started getting everything ready to go to church. The girls all looked so cute and cyrus was so handsome. My hair and makeup was phenomenal ( which made me start to think everything was going too good). I knew toby was going to try to call if he could before he got on the plane to head to us. Like clockwork I got a text from him. Mind you we didn't think his phone would work out of Qatar. It read "Stuck in Germany.." Did your heart just skip a beat because mine did.

I couldn't believe it. Outside was our sign and balloons and everything was ready to go. I know with the Army everything is changeable and I am fine with that. What I am not fine with is the excuse they have is that they are getting 500 guys out everyday. That is fine except they have been getting 500 guys home everyday for some time now so there really shouldn't be a week delay to get my husband home.

I was exhausted emotionally so I didn't go to church. I waited out for Cera to get tired and took a nap. While I was sleeping I had a dream the he instant messaged me and told me to hurry and get on so he could give me some important instructions. I got up and hopped online to find out it was just a nightmare. While online I searched flights and the possibility of him even getting here tomorrow is very slim. I took down the wilted balloons and will go to bed asleep for night number 222.

(this is my sad picture after the balloons bailed on me and he was not coming anytime soon.)

I don't mean to be such a downer but one day was OK, two was getting annoying, three was offensive and now I need a thesaurus to have words to describe my emptiness.

Devastated!

2008-08-23T00:28:00.002-06:00

I am just soo sad right now. I saw the number of Toby calling and wanted it so bad to be him telling me he made it to the states early. I can't give specifics because of his safety but I am devastated that he is not close to being home.

I just feel like I got punched in the stomach! The kids are asleep and we ran around all day getting stuff ready for Dad to be here. I guess I will break the news to them when they wake up. Thinking of little Carmens face is breaking my heart. We have been doing her hair special for 2 days now, and nothing!

You know..I have only cried 3 times during this deployment and thought I was doing well, but then hearing my husband say it has been the worst day in his Army career is really heartbreaking. One day in 18 months isn't bad I guess.

I know this feeling will go away if there is ever a plane that can safely bring him home, but come on? How did I know that this would happen to the Tennyson family? I just knew that even though nobody else has had anything go wrong with r&r it would be us. We are strong and are used to this kind of crap, but I thought this time would be different.

Oh well..can't change anything with it myself. I guess I will not hesitate to go do some fun stuff tomorrow without him and just be excited someday when he shows up at the airport.lol

School

2008-08-23T00:20:00.002-06:00

In the event that everyone is sharing their back to school stories this time of year, I thought I would pipe in.

Everyone knows I am 30 right? Not really that young anymore, but young at heart. My husband has gone back to school (thank you Army for paying for it) and he inspired me to do the same. I found out I could get some credits for some work I have done in the past and have taken advantage of it.

So I started school on Thursday of this week. I should have taken my picture in my cute new outfit and looking really cute. LOL

Truth is I thought my first class was on Wednesday so I went at 6:30 in the morning and no one was in class. I was so mad and thought they had cancelled it. No...it was on Thursday. Is anyone surprised?

Now that I have my schedule in front of me and all written out I think I am good, but it is a little scary to be going back at such and age, but now is better than never. The kids are at a good age and I have it so early that they probably won't even know I am gone. I am excited and only took classes that I was excited about this semester.

Public Speaking- help me prepare for some of my speaking arrangements
Writing-help me in writing my book
Running/Jogging-get to train for a half marathon
Weight Training
Effects of Drugs in Society-

All of these classes excite me and have something concurrantly going on that will help me in my own life..so YAY for me. I plan to finish in the fall of 2010. Wish me luck!

Sick to my stomach-my view on the race

2008-08-23T00:11:00.003-06:00

My stomach is sick tonight after reading that Obama has picked Biden as his running mate. Not that I thought there was a better choice, but that I am just sick about the whole thing. This is my view on the Presidential race. I know there is some sort of delay on telling people who your running mate is but it just seemed that Obama is playing the media and the American people to see where he stands.
To me he is someone that is just seeing how much power he can get and not really wanting a "CHANGE" in anything.

These times are going to get kind of dark and dreary. I am an optimist but not stupid to think that if I just keep thinking positive the world will do the same. I am in wonder at what my part in all this is. I wonder if McCain is that much better. I wonder if one person really can make a difference. If I go out and am a big supporter of one person will it really matter.

These next couple of months will not really change anything in the present but they are keeping the ball rolling and I hope we can change it to a new direction. I hope all of us will get involved and do our part. I pray that we will all be looking at ourselves and in our homes and making sure we are giving our all to our families and our country.

I am just sick about it, but can't let the fear stop me. Toby and I have some deep conversations coming up, I know it. When he goes back I am going to find my niche and run with it. Ok, so I have about 20 niches, but hey..all I need is the energy and I will succeed at every one of them.

I Cried at the gym today

2008-08-19T23:12:00.002-06:00

Tonight while I was running at the gym. I was listening to my music trying to get into the groove. I was just finishing my first mile and the womens 100 hurdles comes on. I was so excited because sometimes I sprint with them and get an extra good workout.

I am sprinting and then I see it.. I can't believe my eyes. Lolo Jones has her misstep. I was so compelled that I turned off my music and plug in to listen to the announcer on the television. I was so overwhelmed with emotion I started to cry. I love seeing people succeed in the face of doubt and fear, but HATE to see people experience disappointment.

I was really trying to pull myself together to keep running but had to stop and go the the restroom to get a grip. How sad for me that my emotions are that close to my heart now a days. I just could feel maybe a 1/1000 of what she felt and I was struck with feelings of failure.

I did not go back to run, but went and rode the bike instead and listened to my upbeat music to get back into the groove. I still am in disbelief but am reminded that things like this happen daily. People have medical setbacks, emotional missteps and we make the simplest mistakes sometimes that magnified might make the most impact on our futures.

Make my peace

2008-08-19T03:21:00.002-06:00

Coming home from the gym tonight I started warming myself up to the idea of making my peace with Utah. I love it here in so many ways. It is so beautiful and green. I love how clean it is. The one thing however that I do not like is the cold. Cold for me has changed with moving to El Paso.

Tonight it was 72 degrees. I was shivering leaving the gym. When I went to the gas station afterwards, I saw a newspaper with the front page stating we are going to be welcoming fall and winter very soon this year. WHAT? Are you kidding me?

I worry that my husband might get sick considering he is cutting his temperatures in almost half. It was 130 a week ago and 100% humidity. He is going to have to wear a coat while he is here I just know it.

In the wake of understanding I might as well get used to it because it is not going to stay hot for little old me..I changed one of my daily affirmations to say "I welcome the cold.. I look excellent in my winter clothes this year"

Bring it on Utah..I can keep buying layers to give me some comfort right?