A long awaited visit!!

As mentioned before, Ken is off on training, and has been for the past 2-3 months. In about 3-4 days I'll be flying down to visit him for one of his graduations, and will be able to see him!! I am so excited I am hardly able to stand it! It has been really hard to have him gone... it seams we got to talk more when he was deployed! However, this time I know he is not being shot at. It makes it easier, but just in a different way. After this first graduation, he'll have to stay put for another 2months to finish his training before coming home for good. This week is just perfect in timing.... We just had an anniversary, there was veteran's day, a few birthdays are right around the corner as well as Thanksgiving. Seeing him is just what I need to get me though these last 2 months! I can't wait!

ROME & VENICE 2009

We landed in Rome on Easter Sunday, the feel in the air was simply wonderful. Ken did a out-standing job planning our month long Europe trip! We were in the ancient city 4 days before heading to Venice for a few days. We had so much fun! It was hot in Rome, and just lovely in Venice. Very different experiences in both places. The landmarks and places were amazing in Rome, but in Venice there was just fabulous shopping! I only wish we could have bought more art in Venice. Just wonderful time, go if you ever have the chance!




The above are from Venice, just beautiful. Below are Rome images.





It is just amazing how old some of these landmarks are! Mind blowing!
The pieces of art are priceless treasures!


Ken inside St. Peters Basilica, and people rubbing St. Peters foot!



Ken touching ruts from the original road in the ancient Roman Form.




Moses, can I say more?

yum... roman water!

Ken tossing a coin in the fountain, I guess this means we'll be going back!

I've got some explaining to do.....

OK, ok. I know its been a REALLY REALLY long time since I've posted. All I can say is that I am going to TRY to do better. That's all you can ask for right? Well, since my last post -- a lot has happened. Let me try and do a quick synopsis in chronological order....

1. Moved back to TN & miracles made it possible to get our apartment in order.
2. Ken came home from Afghanistan!! (& in time for my birthday!)
3. Visited Ken's family in AL, TX, & LA! What a fun time!
4. Ken was Honorably discharged from the Army... YES, now a civilian!
5. We went on a belated honeymoon/celebration trip to Europe for almost a month!
(Italy, France & the UK!- It was so much fun!!-more on that later. promise.)
6. We moved away from Tennessee for the last time- back to the Northwest.
7. We've been living in my parents basement for OVER a year....WAY, way to long.

I've been working the past year at a store in our mall, and Ken has had a few different jobs. Also the past year Ken and I have been working in the Nursery at our church.... the kids are really pretty cute! Ken and I have had fun little trips these past 15+ months- to help keep us sane. We've gone to the beach with my family, the Seattle zoo, & the Olympic National Forest to name a few.
Before Ken got out of the Army, he took the civil service test for CBP and passed. After we got settled in the basement, his background investigation started and was completed by the end of the summer. A month later he got a letter stated he was going to be hired from BP, but that he had to wait until there was an opening at the academy, and federal funding for his position. That letter came the end of September 2009- and we've been waiting ever since for him to be called up. Well, the wait is over! HE GOT CALLED UP!!! : ) So, Ken leaves in like a week & a half to go to the academy in New Mexico, where he'll be training for 5 months. After that, I will move down to join him somewhere along the southern border. Right now we're just so happy to finally be starting his career job!
I know I should have kept up the blog, but after a while I felt overwhelmed with past events I should have blogged about but didn't. It didn't help that when we moved here-- nothing was happening... nothing to blog about. So, I just kept putting it off. I have really enjoyed reading my friends blogs to keep up on how they were doing-- but felt I had nothing meaningful to say. I finally just got over my issues of wanting to post about the past and am recommitting to do better about the future. I hope you (any of my friends who have this blog saved on your sidebar) don't die of shock when you see this updated post. I hope to be better, and like I said before, I'll post some pictures of the last 15+ months. :) I hope to hear back from you all! Love ya! :)

The Last FEW weeks...

Well, I have been slow to update- but not because of the lack of news. I have been really busy! After ken left, :( I drove to Idaho to visit Natalie (& go to her quilting retreat) and was there Tuesday- Sunday. I had SOO much fun being with her, and her family couldn't have been nicer! I enjoyed my self so much that I plan on going next year! Believe it or not, I am going to post more about it on the 'quilted sisters' blog --so check it out!

So someone had a wig there and let me try it on. Needless to say, when I showed Ken, he thought it was for real- and my mom... my own mother didn't even recognize it was me! Fun times. Since we were so close to Rexburg, we went to this restaurant where they make burgers the size of a dinner plate- my first time there. It was interesting to watch them actually make/cook it. Sadly so pictures. But this big guy feed 4 of us ladies. Yum-o!

So, after driving the 8 hours home on Sunday, that next day my dad and I started our "Sprinkler Blowing Outs". We did that for 4 LONG days of about 88 homes. Starting at 7am and going till about 7pm. After work, we would come home, stand in front of the fireplace, eat dinner and fall asleep while 'relaxing'. We had a fantastic week-- but I was glad when it was over. That weekend after the blow-outs, Dad and I did some raking of the leaves (played in them too! had a great video but it wouldn't upload :( ) Anyway, now its the week of Halloween.

That Tuesday-Thursday I went to visit my Aunt (on Ken's dad's side) and Uncle, so then again I was out of town. Anyhow- I had so much FUN with them! I didn't want to leave! I was there for some family research, and it was a very successful trip! I got to know that side of the family a little better and felt a stronger connection to them because of it. THANK YOU GUYS!

So I came home the night before Halloween and put together my costume. Can you guess who I am? I'm a fishin' girl! Sadly I forgot to get a picture with my fishing hat. It had gummy worms and flies, and hooks all over it. I went to a costume party, and made a stop along the way. Here are 2 of my best friends growing up. Boy do we have stories to tell about each other... and the scars to prove it. It was lots of fun getting together once again. Fun times.

Well that next week was nothing but painting. Dad and I prepped the downstairs for painting by washing the walls, removing light fixtures, plug faces, painting the ceiling, and taping around the ceiling after it dried. After that was done, we started on the walls. We had to move everything away from the sides and pile it in the middle. Good thing we are getting new carpet down stairs because it is now shot. Paint drips, and re-texture spray is all over. I have been pushing dad to try and get a few things done around the house before I leave for TN again. November isn't a good month for remodels either. M&D are out of town every weekend (and most of the week) except Thanksgiving. So truly I only had 4 days to get whole face-lift thing going. We did it, for the most part. Now it is no longer mauve downstairs, but a light tan.... nice and neutral.

I had never really painted on a large scale like this-- that I could remember. I think maybe 12-ish years ago I helped paint it mauve. Anyway it was a good learning experience. Thanks pop! Now we will see how much I really learned when I paint the main bathroom the same color.

HE'S HERE!!!! Ken's R&R

He came home!  He's back!!     I have to say, it was the best 3 weeks I have had in the past 9 months!   It was just heaven!  I was able to surprise  him by meeting him at the gate!  Right after he got off the plane-- he could see me... it was wonderful!  I, of course, started crying the moment I saw him.  All that weekend, before he landed, I was so emotional that I would cry at the drop of a hat.  I was pacing the gate area waiting for his plane to land and once people started exiting the ramp I had to get a hold of my self-- just my luck he would be the last person off.  luckily he was just in the middle.  That was one of the best hugs/kisses I have ever received.  This pic is right before we left the airport.

            

During ken's deployment he has been longing for some good NACHOS.  So this is him about to dive into a delicious hot plate of nachos in seattle.  This other adorable face came out while we were walking - taking advantage of the beautiful weather.  

So, Ken landed on a sunday... and that monday we went to visit my brother and his two adorable kids.... I think matthew had a good time.  I know Ken just loved spending time with him on our 2 visits.  This was Ken's first time meeting Hailey, and I think she let him know who was boss.

This was one thing Ken wanted to do.  Go to a Mariner's Baseball game, even if they sucked it up this season.  We were there the the 100th loss.  Definably part of M's history- just in the wrong way.  However, we made sure to have lots of fun!  We had great seats 16 rows up from our dug-out.... so it was great to see the players life size. 

While we were visiting my parents, Ken and I went to see Eagle Eye thanks to Dave & Valli's b-day gift to Ken last year.  We got our tickets and even had enough money left over for some treats! It appeared to be that we would be the only people watching... but alas, 4 other people walked in at the last moment. 

One of Ken's favorite memories of his R&R were playing with all the kids again and meeting the newest babies.  He just loved it!  The kids got good use out of him... doing puzzles, jumping on the trampoline, feeding birds, playing board games, reading stories, playing with cars, playing catch, and a bunch of other  stuff.  He just loved it-- 

Isn't that a cute little tongue?  Well, we were visiting my other brother, and it happen to be his birthday.... so we went for some cake.  But they remembered that Ken would miss his birthday, so they dedicated this ice-cream cake as Ken's b-day cake and gave him candles to blow out.  It was really sweet, and we even sang to him... "welcome home uncle ken, welcome home uncle ken" to the birthday tune...  it was really sweet and Ken even got a little moist in the eyes over it (a first for me- i think).  

  

The last week of R&R we hooked up with Ken's brothers John (from CA), and Andrew & Beth.  We had a fun night of mexican, and guitar hero.  Oh, and did I mention that we also got to meet Chuck and Sophie?  Some of us got to know them a little better than others.... namely Ken.

Andrew & Beth's little dogs love their uncle Kenny!

We spent the last day together- just us and it was wonderful.  After being in the mountains for 9 months, Ken wanted to go down to the water and be on a boat!!  Can I blame him?  Well, what better city to do that than Seattle?!    

Here we are just enjoying the lovely boat ride with seattle in the background.  I sure do love you babe!!!!

We had fun walking along the beach, and taking our water taxi to the downtown.  Once there we had some yummy sea food.  Another thing ken hasn't had in a long time.  I, with the help of my honey ate an entire dungeness crab.  It was so delicious!

 

He even got me flowers from pikes place (thanks love).  They were so beautiful, and had this fun cabbage flower in the middle.  I just had the time of my life.  So these are some of the fun things we did on r&r.  But, there was so much fun in the the little things as well. Things like snuggling on the sofa watching TV, or making food together, or brushing our teeth together... knowing they are just around the corner.  Oh I LOVED every week, day, hour, minute, and second that I got to spend with my honey!  I can't wait for him to come home in the next few months.  The day he left it was so-so lonely.  I had started to expect him to be there... on the sofa, or in the kitchen when I turned the corner and when he wasn't there... it was a hard thing to be reminded of.... and be reminded of again and again.  Boy we are both exited to be out of the Army and never have deployments again!!!  But, during the deployments--the R&R sure is fantastic!!!