The Road Trip Continued....

Back on the road! After saying goodbye to the Wards in Clovis we headed to Wichita Falls, TX to see some more Air Force friends! The weather cooperated and it was a nice drive. The only trace of the bad weather was ice on all the trees. It reminded me a lot of driving the back roads to Billings from Laurel back in MT. After 6 hrs. we finally arrived just in time for a fabulous home cooked meal! The Norwoods are awesome cooks and all their food is mouth watering! It was awesome to meet their little girl and the kids had so much fun playing with her. They also didn't mind all her toys! :) We were able to spend a whole day with them and had such a great time. It made us wish Wichita Falls was our final destination. Unfortunately we had to continue on and we headed the next morning to San Antonio, TX. We once again had 6 more hours on good roads. We were lucky enough to have a wonderful friend already there when we arrived. Leroy and his family were stationed with us back at Hill. He was there by himself and had an apartment right off base. He helped us reserve one so when we arrived we just had to unload! Thankfully he was also nice enough to help us unload the whole trailer so we could have a night on our own beds! The apartment complex is decent and we can't complain with the new carpet that was just installed. We were quickly overwhelmed by all the bags & boxes. We have been living like this for the last 5 weeks and it was just getting OLD! After a good nights sleep we spent the next day busy avoiding staying in the apartment and setting it up! Leroy showed up after work and finally got us kicked into gear! Thank you Leroy for being such a great friend and really helping us out! I won't lie I had a very hard time adjusting to our new life! It is so hard to leave everything and start all over again or to just get through the next 4 months. The reality is all the little time periods & obstacles equal our life. Once we get through them all life on earth is over. So with some encouraging words from my FABULOUS husband and a little time with God I realized sitting around wishing it was all different wasn't going to help. Home is truly where your husband & kids are! or HOME is where the Air Force takes YOU! Ready for Sun Helping Daddy Set up Shop Olivia, Sawyer, & Fiona The Norwoods Trees on the way to Wichita Falls

The Road Trip Continued....

With that great night of sleep in Colorado Springs we didn't get out of the hotel until around 10:00 or so. It took awhile to play tetris with the fully packed van. We were headed to Clovis, New Mexico to visit some of our Air Force friends that are stationed there. We had to make one final stop at Target for the essentials before we got to the middle of no where! :) As we got on our way the road condition and weather continued to get worse! Snow, wind, ice the works made it difficult and very stressful to drive. We had our parents on the phone giving us road & weather reports that made it a little easier. We finally stopped in Trinidad, CO for gas and a break. It literally felt like we had been traveling ALL day! But unfortunately we had only been on the road for 3 hrs. We wanted to keep going but it was getting scary! With a final road report from my Dad that the roads ahead were closed we decided to call it quits! We weren't anywhere near Clovis and a day in a hotel let alone another night did not sound appealing! But at least we would be safe! It was a very long afternoon, evening, & night! Hotels just aren't our cup of tea! With little sleep we anxiously looked out the window to see the snow had stopped and the sun was out. Time to hit the road. We finally arrived in Clovis 6 hrs later. It was so great to see Jason & Amy Ward. They had a beautiful house and made us a wonderful dinner! It felt so good to be in a real home and sleep on a real bed! The biggest plus was getting to catch up with friends and the kids slept awesome! The Ward's & The Guenthner's Just waiting for the snow to stop! Catching a Ride Coloring The Car Again!

The Road Trip

The roads weren't that great when we left Utah but we hoped to get well ahead of the storm. The kids and I were in the Mini Van and David was in the Mtneer pulling the trailer. We weren't in any hurry and defiantly took our time. We made more than a few stops the first day but after 4 or 5 hrs finally made it out of the snow. The kids did great, I didn't swell too much and we were all still alive and well. We called the first day a success even though it took 13 hrs to arrive in Colorado Springs. We got an awesome room which we were hoping would allow us all to get some much needed sleep! We were wrong it doesn't matter that we got the biggest room the hotel had to offer! No one slept! David went to the front desk and asked if we could get the next room over which was a conjoining one with ours! The guy felt bad for us and gave us a great deal! We continued on with our day and went touring around the Air Force Academy. Brought back quite a few memories and we quickly realized that we are getting OLD!! :) The funnest part of our day was when we were watching the cadets line up for noon formation from the Chapel. There was a little crowd that joined us and we were all looking down at the terrazzo taking pictures and pointing out all the changes that have occurred in the last 6 years. I kinda of laughed wondering why we were all standing there staring at college kids lining up to go to lunch! That is when David reminded me that we are at the "ZOO" and he did this 2 times a day for 4 years! Just then Olivia yells out "Where are the animals?!! I don't seem them Daddy?" I finally realized why all the guys refer to the Academy as the ZOO! I could see where they felt like caged animals with all the people watching, and taking pics of them! We went back to the hotel and let the kids take naps, went to dinner and ended our day with a swim at the pool! Olivia was so excited until we actually got in the water! Let's just say she is not a fan. On the other hand Sawyer loved it! He didn't have one complaint. We all went to bed and due to having the kids in the other room we ALL actually got some great sleep!

Catching Up

I am finally getting time to do some updating! The past few months have been so crazy and very full of change! December: We went home to Montana for the holidays and had a wonderful time! We were able to have Christmas with both families and visit with most of our extended family. Time always goes to fast when you are home for a visit! We appolgise to those of you who we didn't get to see! The kids got everything they wanted and everything they didn't even know they wanted! Thank you so much for all of you who gave and gave and gave! January: After the New Year we headed home and began the fun process of preparing for our move. We went through everything we owned in hopes to gain some sort of organization. The thoughts of just giving birth, having a New born, 1 year old, 2 year old, new home, new town, new state, in the middle of the Texas summer with a husband that has a new job going through our items organizing and putting them away just didn't seem comforting! Plus we needed to go through and pull out the necessary items that we would need to get through the next 4 months in San Antonio. This project was very difficult and the new baby didn't cooperate! I ended up being very sick for most of it. Luckily my parents were able to come down to help out. They not only helped with the kids but helped us finish packing up our items. The packers came on Friday Jan. 15 and then finished packing up on Monday Jan. 18. The movers then came and collected everything except our beds and the stuff we had pulled aside on Tuesday Jan. 19. Our schedule never let up. David had his fini flight (last flight) in the F-16 at Hill AFB on Wednesday. The kids and I were there along with some other special people from the squadron to meet him once he landed. It was a cold and nasty day but it didn't stop him from getting hosed down! We were able to enjoy good food, drinks and conversation afterwards. Our awesome friends & neighbors threw us a going away party. It was nice to be able to be all together once again. We truly came to love our neighborhood and made wonderful friends. Luckily we didn't sell our house so we may just show up once again! The same fabulous friends (The Brady's) gave us a homegroup going away party with all our church friends. We once again can't say enough about how wonderful they all are and how much we will truly miss them! We were also able to find out the sex of our baby. We were both very shocked to find out that we are having a BOY! We both thought it for sure was a girl but God Blessed us with a boy and we just pray he will be happy and healthy. The Brady's continued to help us pack our trailer, van, and suv up with all our belongings and let us spend our final night in Utah in their basement! We were then finally ready to roll out on the cold snowy morning of Tuesday January 26. Tears were shed and we found it very hard to leave our friends, church, neighbors and our first home, but realized that God has a different plan for us. Took time to stop packing and celebrate Grandma Sue's Bday Our neighborhood friends The Guenthner Family The Davis Family Olivia & Sawyer

421 FS Christmas Party / Farewell

Last Saturday David & I were able to attend our Squadron Christmas Party. Thanks to our wonderful neighbors Tory & Brian who took our kids for the evening. It is so nice to be able to enjoy yourself knowing your kids are with someone who you trust! This year our party was held at the Castle a reception type hall in Layton, UT. It was decorated beautifully inside and out! I was a little nervous when I saw the menu but the food turned out to be awesome! It was a Cajon influenced meal and it was all so good especially the dessert! David & I both enjoyed our conversation with all the others and over all was sad to see the night end. Not only was it our Christmas Party but it was also our Farewell. They had lot of nice things to say about David and the work he did for them. He even got praise from the Squadron Commanders Wife! He was given a signed, & framed litho and I got a beautiful bouquet of flowers. It was hard not to shed a tear now that the reality of leaving has come! These people our extended family and through good and bad are there with you! Thanks to all of you and your friendship. We did get to the end the night on a fun note by participating in the white elephant exchange! Just one suggestion don't ever send your husband to pick the gift! Let's just say we won't be using ours for a long time..........or if EVER!

Decorating for Christmas

The last month has just flown by!  I can’t believe how fast it has gone!  We went to Montana the last week of October through the first week of November.  We had a wonderful visit seeing everyone we could.  We came back to UT and got back to the grind of David working and the kids and I hanging out at home.  Then on early Sunday morning November 15 we received a phone call that David’s Grandfather Bob Fouhy had passed away.  We headed back to Billings, MT a few days later.  We left the kids at my parents and David & I headed up north to Scoby for the funeral.  It was a sad time realizing that a time in our lives was over but it was good to see all the family & friends.  We went back to Billings and spent the Thanksgiving holiday with family.  When we returned home on that following Saturday we got busy putting up Christmas.  David even put up outside lights!  (Thanks BRADY’S!)  It was really fun this year because Olivia understood what was going on.  She was a HUGE help!  Her job was to put the hooks on the bulbs or what Olivia calls BOBS!  She would say “One BOB coming right up!”  David & I couldn’t help but die of laughter!  Thankfully after a short time of helping, Sawyer decided it wasn’t his thing and took a nap!  The house is decorated now if I just could find the energy to get the baking, Christmas cards, laundry, shopping, wrapping ….oh I think I am getting nauseous & too tired thinking about it!  :)

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Oh I forgot to mention (if you haven’t already heard)  on our first visit to Montana we found out that we are expecting Baby # 3 in July!

October 30, 2009

What a busy fun day! It started by Sawyer showing off his new trick! He stands up in the crib! He just won't slow down. If he isn't crawling, climbing the stairs, walking with his walker toys, or now pulling himself up on to everything! We then got ready and went to our playgroup Halloween Party! It was so great to see everyone and let the kids play! Thanks so much to our good friends the Butcher's & Grevious' for allowing us to come have pizza, candy & FUN! Afterwards the kids got to go see Grandma Patsy at her work and do more trick or treating! For dinner we had pizza & birthday cake! My family celebrated my brother's, Dad's, I my birthday! It was so nice to all be together! We then got to carve the pumpkins that my Dad grew in his garden! Grandpa Steve helped Olivia clean hers out & then Uncle Chad carved her an Elmo. Chad cleaned out one and & then Brittney carved the characters from the movie Twlight! It was amazing! David & I cleaned out Sawyer's pumpkin & then carved the Itsy Bitsy Spider! We had a lot of fun! Didn't realize there was music & it is not pretty sounding! SO you might want to mute during the slide show! SORRY!

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Harvest Party

On Sunday we attended our first Harvest Party as a family!  Our church hosted it and we were able to attend along with our Brady Family Friends!  We had so much fun simply being together!  We rode a hoarse, played games, went on a hayride, ate chili & lots of CANDY!  God is GREAT!

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Sawyer’s Dedication

Today we had Sawyer Dedicated at Alpine Church in Riverdale, UT.  Our close friends, Brian and Tory Brady were there to witness the special day, and our other good friends Steve and Heather Sanders offered their support as well!  A “Dedication” is where we as a family stand before the members of our church and promise to raise Sawyer as a good Christian!  We also pray for him…for his health, his strength, and for his future.  We have been so lucky to find such an amazing church.  Alpine Church was started 8 years ago by Bryan and Tracy Dwyer in their backyard!  Now it has expanded to 2 different locations and 1 more on the way. Bryan and the other head pastor, Steve Bennetsen, are amazing leaders and teachers.  All of their sermons are available as podcasts.  Just search for Alpine Church, UT.  You won’t be disappointed!!!  Also, here’s a link to their website if you want more info:  www.alpinechurch.org

 

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Neighborhood Halloween Party!

We had a wonderful 3rd Annual Halloween Party!  Every year that we have been here in UT we have had a Neighborhood Pumpkin Carving Party!  It started out with David & I helping the neighborhood kids carve their pumpkins while our awesome Air Force Friends babysat Olivia!  Last year we were blessed with having my parents here to watch Olivia while we continued to help the neighborhood kids carve their pumpkins.  This year we had to count on the Brady Family to help with both kids, carve pumpkins and take notes!  They will be the ones to continue the tradition of the Pumpkin Carving Party!  We had a lot of fun last night and we got a lot of pumpkins carved!  We enjoyed chili, Taliban Hot Dogs, caramel corn, chips, queso, cupcakes, & cookies! We are going

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to miss you all so much!  Thank you for all the fun over the last 3 years! If anyone knows anyone who might want to join this awesome neighborhood just let us know!  We know a house for sale/rent!