The end of the preschool journey

To celebrate the end of Jacob's preschool year, his class went on a field trip to JR's Pony Farm. Carlee even got to go and Jake loved playing "big brother" and teaching her all about the farm. The kids had a great time petting, feeding the animals and learning all about them from the cowboys and cowgirls that worked there. They even had a pony ride and a snack. Jake's favorite part was throwing his unwanted leftovers in a bucket to feed to the pigs. What a great time!

Strutting his stuff for the females.

Jake and his best bud, Cole

Just being herself...

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Jacob also had a graduation. The children sang all the songs they had learned during the year, gave a speaking part about their preschool accomplishments, and received a diploma for graduating. Look out, Kindergarteners! Here comes Jake!

Singing "Jaws"

Receiving his diploma

Getting his last hugs from Miss Camille

Sleep-talking

You know your husband has been deployed too long when...

   -He doesn't recognize his own wife's voice

   -He thinks his own bed is a hole

   -He talks about "civilians"

Tonight Joe crashed into bed around 7:00 p.m. I put the kids to bed and went in our room to put some things away. When I opened our bedroom door, I startled him and he sat up immediately in the completely dark. This conversation was too funny so I just had to post it:

Joe: "I need to get out of here! What is going on? Where am I?"

Kristen: "You're in your bed. Where do you think you are?"

Joe: "This place is a hole. There's got to be a better place to sleep than in here!"

Kristen: "You're in your own bed. It's not that bad."

Joe: "Who are you?"

Kristen: "It's Kristen. Who do you think I am?"

Joe: "Well, I know you're a female by the sound of your voice but I don't know."

Kristen: "Honey, you're home and in your own bed."

Joe: "I've got to see if some civilian flights can get me out of here. This place is a hole!"

Then he fluffed his pillow, laid back down on his stomach and stopped talking. It was so funny and I was laughing my head off and trying to keep the conversation going but he zonked back out. Thank heavens my husband is home. I don't know how much more of Bagram he could take!

Reunited

Last night my husband made it home safely from his deployment to Afghanistan. It was a whirlwind last-minute adventure getting him home this weekend but he made it and words can not express how grateful and happy we are to be a complete family again.

I didn't tell the kids that he was coming home so it was such a fun surprise as I was giggling (and taking deep breaths to calm the butterflies in my stomach) on the whole drive there while they were guessing different places I would take them. As we were driving through the tunnel near the airport, Jake said, "Mom, this is the tunnel for the airport. Are we getting Dad?" I couldn't keep it in any longer and when I told them yes, they screamed and cheered.

We were running late due to traffic and normal kid situations and we pulled in to park with 15 minutes to go before his plane landed. There was no way we were going to make it to see him walk through the gate. When we went down to get our security passes, they told us the plane was delayed about 15 minutes so we would have to hurry but we should make it. I was sweating bullets and we were literally running through the airport to get there in time. Luckily there was no line at security but flip-flops were lost on the belt, children were tripping and falling on the floor, posters were tumbling to the ground, and ankles were twisted as we hurried through to get on the tram ride to the other terminal and, of course, walk to the last gate. We arrived just in time to see his plane pull up to the walkway. The kids had their posters ready and I had the camera ready.

People were filing out, smiling at my children and oohhing over their welcome posters. They commented on how cute they were and said "they must be the families of those 2 Air Force guys". The kids saw him first and hugged him tightly while I snapped pictures. I hugged him next and the tears started. The other passengers on the plane clapped and thanked Joe and Clarence Dunagan (Kelly, his wife, and their 18 month old and 6 week old baby were there to welcome him) for their service as they hugged their families. I was so happy to have him home. He looked fantastic, even with his short military haircut ;) We got his luggage; he changed his clothes and we were off to dinner. Clark had picked out Cheesecake Factory so we headed down to Caesar's Palace to eat. The kids were happy and hungry and we played games while waiting for our food. We were a family again and it was like our normal life.

We missed you and love you so much, Joe. Thank you for your willingness to serve and sacrifice for our freedom. Thank you also for jumping through many hoops to come home safely and reunite our sweet family again after five long months.

American Girls

Last weekend I had the opportunity to have a little getaway with Katelyn. We have been planning this since about December and were so excited to go. We went to Los Angeles to visit the American Girl Place with three of her best buds, and three of mine. It was so much fun. We took the girls out of school early and headed out Friday afternoon. We got caught in some traffic in both Vegas and L.A. but arrived just after 7:00 p.m. Jen and Aspen were already there to meet us and had made dinner reservations for 8:00. We quickly dropped off our suitcases at the hotel, Residence Inn Beverly Hills, and hopped back into the car for dinner at Maggiano's in The Grove shopping center. It was really tasty and the girls loved acting grown-up with their best manners.

After dinner, we walked around looking at all the shops there and took pictures in front of the fountains. (All of us took tons of pictures all weekend so Geneva dubbed us the "Mamarazzi") We then headed back to the hotel to relax and give our own "American Girl dolls" a little surprise. We put together some cute journals and hot pink take-out boxes with lip gloss, nail polish, treats, and friendship bracelets for each girl. Even their dolls got mini boxes with treats and friendship bracelets! So cute!

Most of us went to bed soon after but a couple of us (Jen and Geneva!) stayed up talking until 2:00 a.m. so breakfast came early at 8:30. It was a yummy continental breakfast and then we got ready for the day and headed back to The Grove for our highly anticipated adventure.

Taking a reading break

We shopped the entire store for about an hour checking and re-checking things. The girls made their little wish lists of purchases after lunch. Then we headed into The Cafe for lunch. It was so cute--everything in black, white, and hot pink. We were the only crazy "Mamarazzi" taking pictures of everything including the food and the table settings. It was so fun.

Writing the wish list

The "Mamarazzi"

Lunch consisted of warm mini cinnamon rolls, veggies, fruit kabobs, mini cheese potatoes, and french bread as the appetizer, pasta for the girls and chicken sandwiches for the moms, and chocolate mousse, a sugar cookie, and a heart-shaped piece of cake for dessert. Yum Yum! As we were talking over lunch about our blessings and what you receive when making right choices, we looked over at our four sweet little dolls and I couldn't help but get choked up. We discussed that moms are just big girls because we too like to play with our friends, go shopping, eat yummy food, have sleepovers and talk until the wee hours of the morning, and dress our own "dolls". It was the perfect weekend to help celebrate Mother's Day. Katelyn thought it was all for her but it was just as much for me, if not more. We got to spend lots of time together holding hands while shopping and talking. I am so grateful for my little doll and what she gives me.

After lunch, we made our purchases and headed out for some more window shopping. The girls had a blast being the store mannequins modeling items and clothes in Gap, Crate & Barrel, and Pottery Barn Kids. We just shopped and they made the customers smile with their poses and funny faces.

Cute Crate & Barrel mannequins

When we were shopped out, we piled into the car for the 4-hour drive home--I mean 7-hour drive home due to L.A. traffic. It was crazy! Luckily we had some great conversation to pass the time and the girls did really well with very little complaining. Writing songs in those notebooks and watching American Girl movies while eating snacks kept them very entertained. It was a wonderful weekend with some wonderful American Girls.

Grandpa George

In January, Clark auditioned for his school play, Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory. He made the part of Grandpa George. Since February, Clark has been to both music and drama rehearsals before and after school. It has been quite the commitment. On May 6th and 7th, the play was finally performed. They performed a shorter version for the students during the morning and then the complete production for the public in the evening. Clark did a wonderful job. Way to go, hon! We're proud of the commitment you made and the talent you have.

Clark and his best friend, Roman, an Oompa-Loompa

Clark and Ms. Jackson, the drama teacher

Clark's First Solo Trip

Okay, so not completely solo, but his first trip without Mom and Dad!

Clark went to El Paso with Grandma and Grandpa Stuart to surprise his cousin Andrew for his 12th birthday. Clark was excited and a little nervous to fly. It has been about 3 years since the kids have flown. I was all ready to send him alone but due to Clark's apprehension, things were arranged so that Grandma and Grandpa would just catch a layover in Vegas. Uncle Charlie and Aunt JaNay were in on the plan but the "cousins" didn't have a clue.

Their flight arrived about 11:00 p.m. so JaNay had made a bed on the floor of Mathew and Joseph's room for Clark to just slip into. Obviously, the kids were sound asleep when Clark arrived so he quietly went to sleep and anticipated being woken up by shrieks and yells of surprise and laughter. And that is exactly what happened. I wish I could have been a fly on the wall in that room. Since I wasn't there, this story is "hearsay" but apparently Mathew rolled over and drowsily opened one eye and looked at Clark. He was a little confused and then realized who it was and immediately woke up, screaming, yelling, and basically freaking out. Andrew and Tommy heard the racket and came running in. They were all so excited to see Clark.

Charlie and JaNay let the kids stay home from school that day so they just had a good time playing, swimming, wrestling, dressing up like "white nerds" (Clark will have to explain that one), playing, and swimming even more. That night was their Father and Sons Campout so Clark and Grandpa got to go as well. They went somewhere in New Mexico to camp. The next morning, JaNay, Grandma and the girls drove out to meet them and they all went to White Sands National Park to play for the afternoon. That was a fun place that we also visited three years ago when we drove back to San Antonio from San Diego. It was a lot of fun. Miles and miles of white sand everywhere. You can buy sleds there and then you wax them and "surf" down the sand. It's great.

Clark came home early Monday morning and headed right off to school. He had a great trip and although he wished he could have stayed a little longer in Texas to play with those cousins, he did admit that he missed me and his brother and sisters. It was so fun for him to be able to surprise them and spend some time alone with Grandma and Grandpa during the flight. What a great little getaway!

Spring Pictures

First amateur photo shoot with poor lighting and a wrinkly backdrop but at least the subjects were cute!

Love those little munchkins and their personalities!