BUrg Eltz and Scout camp

Last summer when Jennifer and Christen came we went to Burg Eltz. By the time Zach came home from deployment the castle was closed so since summer hit the boys have been itching to take dad to Burg Eltz. We finally found a day since moving and all. We had great weather and Cody did sooo much better than last year! I actually got to hear the tour! I think this is my favorite castle so far. It's not too bad of a hike to get to it compared to some we have ventured to and the view is amazing. So now we can mark it off our list of places to take dad!

After a very tiring week

of walking from place to place I can say "I did it!" I was exhausted every evening, but it really was a lot of fun. I had two extra boys to get to and from plus Tyler and Ryan, but they are good kids and were very helpful hauiling the cooler to and from the van. I had 8 boys in my den and another den leader helping. This picture is the boys lined up getting ready to play cricket. Along with cricket they learned to play field hockey, but ran out of time for soccer. They got to shoot BB guns and do archery every day as well as make crafts and learn some basic scout skills. On Friday we performed a skit for the crowd of boys and families and then did the ending flag ceremony. the T-shirts came in for the last day too! Last year they never came at all! So all in all I was tired, we all were, but it was a lot of fun, great weather and a good experience. Ryan and Tyler loved every minute of it so now maybe we can get Tyler's Bear badge done! He had lost motivation for a while. If they asked me to help next year I would for sure!

What have I got myself into!

A few weeks back our scoutmaster called and asked if there was any way I could help at day camp this year. They seemed to be high on kids, low on adults and were really pleading with me to help. I had already arranged to rent a week at the CDC for Cody and both boys were registered for camp so I really had no excuse so said yes. She was so happy then followed up with "Great I will let them know you would like to be Tyler's den leader!" I about died and said "Den leader?" Talk about really getting tossed in the deep end! After being assured I would get training and it was really just about keeping the boys in a group and not losing any I was feeling much better. Training was set for Monday then camp is the remaining days in the week with a family day on Friday. I was beginining to panic a little when I realized it was Wednesday and I had not yet been given any more details. I guess my email address was entered wrong so I got everything in one lump today. Come to find out being a den leader is a bit more than keeping tabs on the boys. I had to do online training, our group will be performing skits, songs and cheers, we have to make a flag and I need to have a cooler, tent, and backpack with me of certain items at all times! I am feeling a bit overwhelmed with it and on top of that I am very nervous to be leaving Cody at the CDC from 7am to 3:30 when Zach gets off. He has never been there that long and Sembach is quite a drive from Miseau. So all I can say now is "What did I get myself into!!!"

Diaper/pullup free!

Oh the joys of potty training! Cody is not 100% potty trained, but he is making very good progress. It has been a much different experience with him than Tyler and Ryan. Cody does not quite understand when he is dancing and crossing his legs that means he has to go and go NOW! He did ask to go this morning, but typically I have set times of the day I tell him it's time to go. And the funny thing is no matter what he can manage to get something out! He does especially well when we are out running around which makes life so much simpler. He has not had any accidents at night either so that makes 3 for three kids! We hope by the end of summer that we can officially considered him potty trained and he will be taking himself, but for now I am just very happy he is doing as well as he is!

Yes I am playing catch up!

You may have noticed my absence, but I have good reason for it! The week before Memorial weekend I got the keys to our new house! We had been waiting for that day for soooo looonnngg. Then to add icing to the cake Zach fianlly made it home late Saturday night of memorial weekend. Another day we had been waiting for! Days later movers arrived and after a long day we were in our new house! We are pretty settled in, but still have some stray things here and there to find homes for. For the first time all three boys are in seperate rooms so we need more shelves to seperate out toys and such. Cody is doing pretty well with his new bed. He calls for me in the morning, but if I ignore him long enough or say Cody just slide down, he will eventually go down the slide, downstairs and bug Tyler who is always the first one awake! We are loving our new house and having a yard, garage and room to be away from each other! Our grass is coming in pretty good in the backyard. Every time it rains one corner floods so they are working on that issue. My yard is better than most. The ones behind me their entire yard floods! Now that we are resettled I will be able to keep up better on my blog.

School's out for the summer!

Cody and some of his classmates having lunch on their little playground. We are so excited to be getting a new one for next year!
Cody posing on one of the bikes he learned to peddle on! He is a ham!

Today was the last day for Tyler and Ryan, Cody finished on Tuesday. Ryan has decided that he is okay with going to 2nd grade, but still doens't want to do the homework. Tyler is excited for 4th grade. There is a good possibility he will have one of the teachers he had this year and he is happy about that. We were hoping both would be able to move up to 4th grade, but looks like only one will. The boys had to say goodbye to some good friends since most are moving to other bases now that school is out as part of the move process for clearing all the apartment buildings. Cody had to say goodbye to the assistant teacher. Mrs. Eiman will be missed! Fortunate for us she is moving to Ellsworth AFB so when we are in Cheyenne we can pop up to see her and the family again! We are also a bit jealous they get to move to South Dakota, but we love to visit there!

Cody's car wash dream come true!

Some of you know that Cody has had an obsession with the car wash. Everyday he would ask to take the car to the car wash or if we were driving or walking by we had to stop and watch the car wash. So a few days after Zach got home we were at the shoppette renting movies and Zach found a car wash just for Cody! We brought it home set it up and Cody was so excited he could hardly contain himself. He got out his bike...............then we turned the water on!

This is Cody very unsure now of the car wash. Water is not his favorite thing especially when it sprays at his head!

So I tried to help convince him and assured him I would go through with him. We made it through, but that was enough for him.

However Ryan had no issues! The same went for Tyler as he is pretending to take a shower in the car wash!

Cody decided the gas station was more his speed. This is him pretending to fill up his bike. Once we turned the water off he would ride through the car wash and Zach even tricked him once and turned the water on as he went through. He didn't like that too much!

Happy Mother's Day!

Happy belated mother's day to all my friends out there! Ryan and Cody brought home plants for me then I got another one at church. Now if I can keep them alive! Every mother's day I love for the kids to get up and sing in church. It is so cute and fun for them get all arranged just long enough to get out a short song about mothers then rush back to their seats excited that they did it! This year was even more special becuase the one thing I thought would never happen did. After all the kids had gone up, Cody grabbed my hand and said come. I followed him up and sat beside him trying to duck down behind all the kids and he sang as best as he could. It wasn't really words except when they said mom, but he did it and that was very special to me. When he was done he gave me a big hug and said I did it! After church we went to a friend's house and had a nice dinner in the beautiful sunshine! All of the kids played and had a good time. It was nice to sit and relax and just talk to the adults there. I couldn't really ask for more on Mother's day.