St. Louis here we come!

It's official! We got our orders and we will be moving to St. Louis, MO. this Summer.  We are all very excited and anxious to get this move over with.  This will be our first move with Abby in school and Emily's first move ever!  I am worried about the girls adjusting and making friends but I know Abby will be just fine. She has such a big heart and a great personality.  This move is bittersweet for me. I've made such great friends here that it is going to be very hard for me to leave.  I know that I have made friends that I will have for life and that is the silver lining.  I have personally been struggling with the news of our impending move since we found out.  I am so happy that we got our #1 pick and we will be closer to family but a part of me is so very sad to leave NJ.  We have made a great life here with great friends.  Right now NJ feels like home but I know home is where ever we all our together.  From the reaction of family and friends I think we will have a lot more visitors than we did  here!

Beast of the East!

As I was looking back through old blog posts I realized I never posted about the 10K Mud Run I took part in on September 10th.  I was part of a team of 5 Coast Guard Wives.  We made our own shirts and had a blast running the race. It was a 6.2 mile race with obstacles and water hazards and of course mud! It was literally the most fun I have had in a very long time. I was so worried about not being able to run it but I was fine. In fact when I got the end of the race I told Jason I was fine and I was ready to go again. I would do that race again in a heartbeat.  So glad I got to do it with an awesome group of Coast Guard wives! I think the highlight of the race for me was climbing this huge hill of mud and I had to use a rope to pull myself up the hill. I got to the top and felt absolutely empowered!  I raised my hands above my head and I hear my teammates cheering me on. It was an awesome feeling.  I was so happy I made it to the top of that hill and that I didn't tumble down it like I had just seen another girl do right before I made my ascent!   The second best part was crossing that finish line and seeing Jason and the girls waiting there for me.  One of the Best times ever!  I think I may have caught the race bug!

October

The girls and I have been on our own for a few weeks now.  Jason got selected to go to California and he will be arriving home in a few days.  He pretty much missed the whole month of October. We've been very lucky in our 4 years here in that Jason very rarely gets selected to go places, not from his lack of trying though. The first week was a bit rough on my but after that first week we got into a groove and things got a bit easier.
 The girls really kept me busy though!   Abby with soccer, girl scouts and her social calendar and Emily kept me busy just being Emily!

The good news is we have officially potty trained Emily.  No more diapers! WOO HOO!   She has been doing great and thankfully has gotten the hang of it rather quickly.   On a funny side note about Potty training, I do think Emily is going to be that kid that has to go check out the bathroom wherever we may be.  Every place we go to she has to go. I know I shouldn't complain and I'm really not. I'm thankful she tells me she has to go!

Autumn has arrived!

Fall is always a busy time of year for us.  Back to school, soccer, Jason is busy with his end of year things for work. It all works out to many busy days and weekends.  Thankfully Jason found it in his heart to volunteer to coach Soccer this year and we are so grateful!  He is proving to be quite the coach and the kids love him.  We are 2-0 but whose counting and the kids are learning every week and showing off their new skills.

We had a great game last Saturday and we have practice tonight. Abby is also starting Girl Scout's today too. It's going to be another busy year for us.

It's that time of year for us to submit our picks to the Detailer.  We are keeping our fingers crossed that we actually get a something on our list this year.  Here are a few pictures from the soccer game this weekend.  Go Hornets!

First Day of School

Today was Abby's first day of school. She is officially a 2nd grader!  I personally have a hard time wrapping my head around this. I remember bringing her home from the hospital like yesterday but I guess as a Mom that is a memory I will always have with me.  Yesterday we went up to her school and met the teacher and she got to see who was in her class.  Thankfully she knew a few of the kids so that put her at ease.  She was excited and ready to go back but this morning a case of the nerves set in.  Once we made it out to the bus stop she was fine.  The bus arrived only a few minutes late which is great because last year it never showed up on the first day!  Hopefully this is a sign of how the year will go, smoothly!  

We had a busy summer and now our busy fall is starting. Jason is coaching Abby's soccer team this year and this Saturday I am competing with a group of Coast Guard Wives in the annual Beast of the East, Mud Run. It's a 10k ( 6.2 mile) running/obstacle course and yes there is mud.  I keep telling myself that my skin will look radiant after this!  

Here we go again!

After a long and much needed vacation and visit back to Omaha we are home. Jason is back at work, the girls are at each others throats and summer is in full swing.  We've been taking advantage of the new pool in our neighborhood. We go a few times a week and both girls are really improving in their swimming abilities. Next week Abby will be attending vacation bible school each morning so it will just be Emily and myself in the morning.  I think Emily will really miss her big sister. 
Speaking of Emily we are still struggling with her weight. I'm back to being fully committed to this and am open to suggestions. If anyone has any thoughts, comments, I am ready and willing to listen.  I need my little girl to gain a few pounds so the doctor's will leave us alone!

Here is a picture of the girls enjoying their summer of fun.  What could be funnier than bubble wrap?!  Nothing I tell you!

Magic 8 ball anyone??

I am ready for a trip out of Jersey and I know Jason is too.  We need to get away from his work, his work  and his work.  Sometimes I  wonder if we made the wrong decision staying here for another year and today I can reply with absolute certainty that the answer to that question is YES!
 I will miss my dear friends and all the perks of living on a big base but I would give it all up in a second if I didn't have to see my husband try and do the right thing and get punished for it.  I guess that is life and what can you do?  You pick your self up, do a little self reflection and start again.  That is what he is doing and I think I will do the same.On that note,  my self reflection has led me to seriously think about resigning  my position as the Ombudsman because I can' t effectively aid these families anymore.
I wish we had a magic 8 ball that would have told us to , "GET OUT WHILE YOU CAN!"  Oh well, hindsight is 20/20 and all that. I'm full of cliches today aren't I?