My Oldest

Madelyn is all girl. She is a very passionate person. Her temper lets you know that.  But, as quick as she is to blow up, she's just as hasty when it comes to her sisters, or someone in need.

She loves fashion. I am talking way passed Fashion Plates Fashion Designer. She is always organizing clothing for everyone. Dolls included. She's been playing with material and a little fashion mannequin, too. I am getting scared. I can't imagine what her wardrobe is going to entail when she gets older. I am talking emotionally. Like when I tell her that $100 jeans are out of the question. Thank goodness the middle school here requires uniforms.

We never pass up an opportunity for a party.

Or pink.

Standing still would be an insult. Life is for dancing.

So we dance.

All the time.

Everything she does is over-the-top.

Everything.

So now there are a slug of commercials for products that Madelyn has on her wish list. There is a pillow with LED lights that glow for fifteen minutes, and change color. There are Stompee slippers where the critters blink their eyes every time you put your weight on that foot. Stuffees  are stuffed animals with special pockets to hide your stuff in. Cuddle-up-its are part blanket, part puppet.

And there are the Slushy Magic cubes.  Have you seen them? You add these to a shaker. Add your favorite beverage, and shake for sixty seconds. Out comes a slushy. So fast. So magical.

I wasn't going to pay for these three cubes.  So I poured salt water into snack-sized Ziploc baggies. I turned our freezer as cold as it could go, and let them freeze. I had so much salt that it took two days for them to freeze completely. I was very careful when I handled them. I knew that if I scratched a hole in the side of one while it was frozen, I would never know it. But I would discover it quickly when trying our slushy.

I placed the frozen baggie into a two-cup shaker that I use to make salad dressings. I added a cup of Kool-Aid.  I shook for about thirty seconds.

And it worked!

Madelyn was slurping it down in a hurry. Well, I only do these things after the other two go to bed, in case they don't work. They will get to try it in a day or two when the salt water re-freezes. I did place the water in new baggies. I am worried about it leaking and I wanted a fresh plastic barrier.

As I was cleaning up the kitchen, I found a pack of gum.

"Madelyn! I have gum. Do you want some? I have no idea how old it is, but it's sealed. It could be hard."

"Thats because you have to chew it first, Mom."

Right...thanks for the insight, kid.
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My Middle Child

Not much to say to introduce this entry. It is just some things from my Hannah that I am ready to share.

"Who is my Godmother?"
"Vonda, Sweetie."
"Oh wow! I didn't know she had wings!"
"Not that kind of Godmother, kid."

Audrey was running down the driveway.
"Hey! Get back here, Kiddo!"

"Hannah, you did a great job eating your supper. You are going to grow tonight, I can tell it!"
"That's because I'm a Cretoxyrhina."
(That is one of the huge shark creatures from back in Dinosaur times)
"Oh really. I didn't notice all the rows of teeth. I'll look closer next time."
"Yea. But be careful. They bite!"


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It's Here!

So back in June, Hannah informed me she had a baby in her tummy. We don't have anyone who is pregnant that we hang out with on a regular basis, so this shocked me.

"Oh, really? Wow. Is it a girl or a boy?"

"Girl."

"What will you name her?"

"Summer."

So the weeks go by and Hannah becomes bedridden. She can't clean up her messes because her lower back is just killing her. That baby hurts, you know!

She can't sit still anywhere because that baby is constantly tickling her.

She can't eat anything that I fix her, but watermelon, because the baby doesn't like that kind of food.

Well, I was about to my limit. It was adorable, but too realistic for me. It was like she was the first person ever pregnant. I think we've all encountered mommys-to-be that were the same way.

Anyway, the other night, I came into the living room, after my shower, to find Hannah on the couch wadded up in a huge blanket.

"Mommy! You missed it! My baby came!"

"Oh finally! Was it a girl, like you had planned?"

"Yes. Her name is Summer! Would you like to meet her?"

"Sure! (takes baby that is as big as the palm of her hand) Oh, so tiny. What will you feed her?"

".... Spaghetti and Corn."

Okay, then.

The new diet for newborns is Spaghetti and Corn.

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If you have any questions or comments you would like to share directly with me, please email thearmymommy@gmail.com

Home Town Staple

Warning: This post may upset some of you. I'll get over it.

Our family's lifestyle has had an added blessing of being able to move around a lot. We are far from both sets of grandparents, so there is always a road trip available, if we so choose to spend all day in a vehicle with three small children. Granted, these trips usually occur when Jay is gone and I get restless. Some call me brave to embark on these endeavors alone with the children. I look at it as trying to not change habits or traditions.

We met in Kansas while Jay was stationed at Ft. Riley. We've lived in Manhattan, Ks, Olympia, Wa, Norman and Moore, Ok, Highlands Ranch, Co and now El Paso, Tx.

There is one thing that all of these places have in common. One thing that my family can always turn to when we get a little 'homesick'. Granted, we aren't anywhere very long to grow too attached to it to pine for our lives 'back there'. But, it happens. Especially with the kids.

That element is Wal-Mart.

Most Wal-Mart stores have similar floor plans. So the chances of walking in to one in your new town and feeling like you at the store in your previous town are pretty high.  Unless you are in Coffeyville, Ks. That store is crazy. Sorry. Crā-Crā. (Its how all the kids are saying 'crazy' these days. I try to stay hip.)

Anyway, I have gone to Wal-Mart with the kids many, many times to kill time. I've gone because I've needed a break from trying to establish friendships for myself. I've gone because I've needed a break from trying to help establish friendships for my daughters. I can linger there for hours. I don't realize that I am trying to set up a new 'home' in a new town until I walk out to find my van in the parking lot.

I love Wal-Mart.

Target is a snob. They aren't as widespread and they are so much more expensive. I like Target, but they don't seem as well staffed, and they just don't have 'everything'.

As Sophia, from the Golden Girls, would say: Picture it. 2011. El Paso. Our family just got the key to our new living establishment. Needing supplies, I found the closest Wal-Mart and we headed off.

Boy, was I surprised!

The staff was so slow. The parking lot was crowded. The store was dirty, disorganized, and dimly lit.

I felt like I had lost a friend. I was broken hearted. The one thing that I had constant in the ten years that I have been with Jay was a Wal-Mart that I enjoyed to shop at. One that I felt safe both inside and out.  I didn't realize how much I mourned this loss until this summer when I got back to El Paso.

A brand-spanking new Wal-Mart opened up just down the street!

I was skeptical. I was scared. I had so many hopes for this store. Once I walked in, they could shatter like Madelyn's porcelain fairy did on our tile floor.

Or...

It could be a dream come true.

You know what?!? It was!

The aisles are the widest of any store I've ever been in.  The checkout stands are open. I've never been more than the second person in line. It's clean. The carts are smooth. It has a great variety of everything that I go in there looking for. I love going there!

What makes it even better is the customer service.

A few weeks ago, Madelyn's bike was stolen. We had it for only three days until it was missing. Madelyn was so broken hearted. We filed a report with the MPs and chalked it up to being gone forever. I went and got her a new one that day.  Out of curiosity, I went to the Customer Service desk and asked for a manager. I told him the story, and he said he could't do anything about it. There is no store policy. But, he could give me 10% off the new one if I replaced it.

I didn't expect a bike given to me as the replacement. I was just curious what he would do. He could say, "Sorry," and walk away. But, he didn't! I thought that the 10% was very generous. So we got a new one and were on our way.

An hour after being home, the doorbell rang. The MPs were there with Madelyn's bike. They had found it. We were completely shocked. It was only the second bike they've ever recovered.

So, the next day, I tried to return the second bike. They took it back, no questions asked. I even told them that she had ridden it for the afternoon. They said it was in sellable condition. Yey!

I am told that Wal-Mart is ruining 'America' by only selling stuff from China. But, everyone is. Look at the Dollar Store, Dollar Tree, anything off the fun shelves at Walgreens. You can't get around it.

I am posting this from an iMac. It is most definitely made in China.

I feel like I have a 'home' now. I know, subconsciously, its because I am happy with my neighborhood Wal-Mart.

I just can't live without it.





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If you have any questions or comments you would like to share directly with me, please email thearmymommy@gmail.com

Final Countdown!

So we are finally within the two week mark in our countdown to Daddy returning. I have grown so much with him gone, through my children. I have grown in my determination, too. I just wish my patience had improved. But, I guess I am just not wired that way!

We have been back in West Texas for several weeks now. I was excited to be here for the entire month of July. No, going to the desert in July does not sound like fun. But July in El Paso is special.

It is the rainy season!

For about ten days, we have been forecasted to have 30% chance of precipitation every day and night. The high temps have been around 86 degrees. We've even had a lot of rain, too!

Here is a picture of the rain coming in from just the other night:

I was really pretty intimidated about seeing that. I was driving home from the new Wal-Mart (yes, that will be another blog) and had to pull over to take a picture of it. It was weird and spectacular.

So it started raining around 8 in the evening. It was a huge thunderstorm for about four hours, then gentle until 5 AM. It was so relaxing! The girls slept until 8:45 that morning.

Then we went outside to see what a wet desert looked like.

Audrey found the mud. She was laughing so hard. She kept jumping back into it. Face first.

It rained again this afternoon. The ground was so saturated, we had a little collection pool at our back door. This time, the girls put on their suits.

So we have been doing a good job of keeping ourselves entertained. We went to the theater for the summer movie series. For $3 a person, you got  a popcorn and a soda and admission. Today's flick was Alvin and the Chipmunks: Chipwrecked. Audrey did not fare well there. Forty-five minutes into it we called it quits and went to play at the park.

I've also learned a lot about bike tires. My bike buggy had suffered from the sand spurs that are everywhere down here. I've learned how to remove the valve stem core and install the never-flat serum into the tube. I was airing it back up, and noted that it said forty PSI. I stopped at thirty to check it, and it blew up in my face. I had the slime all over me and my ears were ringing for about ten minutes.

After feeling completely deflated, hahaha, I let it sit a day. I decided to tackle it this afternoon. I went to Wal-Mart and found a new tube that stated it will never go flat. I even found a tool to use to get the tire off the wheel.  It took me two minutes to have the new tube installed and the wheel mounted back on the buggy. I was feeling pretty good about myself. I reflected on all the things that I have learned via self-taught. I am glad that I am building quite a library!

I've been playing in the kitchen as well. I made a frozen lemonade pie to see what it was like. Audrey loves it. But its really rich. Way too sweet, even for me. So it's all hers.

Our nights have been getting smoother. Now that I don't have Gramma and Papa D spoiling the girls, they are getting used to their routine. Audrey down at seven. Then Hannah, Madelyn and I get some puzzle time. Hannah down at eight, and Madelyn down at eight-thirty.

Madelyn has been a big help, too. She's even helped with meal planning.

Pork loin, steamed veggies, and homemade mashed potatoes

Thats about all for now. I am anxious to see what happens when Daddy gets home. I am excited, and am sure he will grow accustomed to living with women again.

If that's even possible.
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If you have any questions or comments you would like to share directly with me, please email thearmymommy@gmail.com

Fourth of July

"Madelyn! Happy Fourth of July, Sweetie!"

"Why? We can't shoot fireworks in the dessert, even though it rained last night," came a sleepy reply from a lump under the covers somewhere near the foot of my bed.

"Well, I know that it won't be like it is at Gramma Mary's house. But, you are old enough to appreciate the other tradition that we had on Firecracker Day with Grampa Kent."

"Humph."

"We got to drink all the pop we could drink, as long as we finished the can we opened before we opened a new one."

"So. That doesn't sound like fun."

"Really? So if I took you to Wal-Mart and said you could buy any soda you wanted, you wouldn't care at all?!? I always loved Strawberry. Gramma Shirley always made sure her granddaughter had Strawberry in the cooler for the Fourth."

"Eh"

"Wow. I never let you have soda. You surprise me, Madelyn. Oh. Wait. I said 'any' soda, right? That includes Dr. Pep..."

"..OKAY! Yes!"

I have no idea what happened to that blob in my bed. The covers were ripped off and something somersaulted down the hallway to get dressed. I had no idea Dr. Pepper was such a prize.

But Madelyn's Aunt Megan understands. I will have to ask her.

So here is to all the soda you can drink, the hotdogs you can grill, the corn on the cob you can slobber over, and the watermelon you can slurp. Here is to all the dogs who will be hiding, the firemen on call, the police protecting the roads from drunk drivers, and the soldiers protecting your freedom to make all of this possible.

But, most of all, here is to the politicians.  May you spend this day reflecting on your history lessons from your youth. May you remember what this country is about, why it was founded. Read up on the path that our Founding Fathers were forced to take in order to make this country so unique, and so great.  Understand what lengths the writers of the Declaration of Independence and the United States Constitution went to to protect its citizens, and the intentions behind these two documents. Study, so you can do your job more efficiently, because of right now, all I see are two three year-olds fighting over broken toys.  Stand up, grow up, and fix it!

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If you have any questions or comments you would like to share directly with me, please email thearmymommy@gmail.com