Going Away Party for Brooke

One of my favorite parts about being a military spouse is all of the wonderful friendships you make.  On the other hand with all of the frequent moving I feel like we are always saying goodbye.  I hate good byes so I prefer to say see you later!  My friend Brooke is moving to D.C. this week so we all gathered here at my house to have a little going away party.  I first met Brooke in 2003 when we moved to Ft. Campbell.  All of our husbands were deployed and we were there for each other during the deployment.  Brooke moved here in 2006 and we followed last year.  It has been nice being reunited with her as well as Maria and Karen who I also knew from Ft. Campbell.  Being reunited with old friends gives me hope that we will meet up again one day soon.  We will miss you Brooke!!!

Brooke's going away party

Me, Brooke, Maria, and Karen

Taken in 2004.  This group of ladies got me through the first deployment

Brooke, Me and Karen back in 2004

Me Brooke and Karen 2005

Easter with Friends

This Easter my friend Ashlee and her husband Mike and their little boy Brayden came from Kentucky down to visit us for the weekend.  They are on Spring Break and are on their way to Destin beach.  Since we couldn't go home to be with family for Easter it was nice to have our great friends from home to come visit.  They arrived on Saturday afternoon so we spent the evening out to dinner at our favorite Restaurant La Parilla and then took them to an ice cream shop where they serve home made ice cream.  The kids had a lot of fun eating their ice cream and playing.  On Easter Sunday the kids woke up to easter baskets and had fun checking each others out.  Next we got all dressed up and went to Easter Brunch on Post.  It was not what we expected and had the worst server in history but we had fun anyway.  The kids wanted nothing to do with the Easter bunny so we headed back home for naps.  While napping the Easter bunny brought eggs and hid them in the yard.  They had a blast finding all of the eggs.  Brayden was such a gentleman and even gave Ava a couple of his eggs.  Brayden is a year older so he was teaching her and helping her all weekend.  It was so cute and fun to watch them play together.  Ashlee and I have been friends since collage so it is nice that we have stayed in touch over the years and now are kids will be great friends.

yummy ice cream.  Ava loves her shakes!!!!

Trying out Bryden's bed to watch a movie

Spoiled by the Easter Bunny.

We tried to get them to stand together to take a pic.  

Waiting for Brayden to get up to start the hunt.

Checking out all of the candy.  Ava opened every egg and dumped them out to see what she got.  Her favorite were the suckers!

Ashlee and Mike

Maria's baby shower

My friends and I had a small baby shower for our friend Maria on Thursday night. We went to a local restaurant called Frogz which was super yummy! They specialize in seafood and even had Alligator.  None of us were brave enough to try the Alligator but the dishes we did choose were so delicious.  Brooke brought the cupcakes and we all gave her gender neutral gifts.  We also all went in together and got her a gift certificate for a delux spa pedicure at Rituals day spa.  Every pregnant woman needs cute feet for labor!  Maria is due in June so we will just have to wait and see what she is having.  It was a great night with friends!

Me, Brooke, Karen and Maria

No we are not on the beach LOL!  That is wall paper.  

The gift I made for Maria.  Wipe holder and changing pad

Karen got all of the necessities

Brooke hooked Maria up with Diapers and butt paste and made her the cutest onesie.  I was so busy looking at the onesie I forgot to take a pic.

The yummy salad with lots of fresh fruit.

Entertaining the Masses

Mark's new class started back in January and has 16 students.  We have been wanting to have them all over along with their spouses and so we chose the date of February 25th and just went for it.  Mark released the class early so that everyone could come over here for lunch.  The day just works better with our schedule and plus we could possibly entertain outside.  Luckily the day was a beautiful sunning day in the mid 50's.  It wasn't super warm but with a jacket and in the sun it was comfortable.  Around 25 people were hear and it all worked!  I was so relieved.  I have never seen that many people in my kitchen before but it worked pretty well and I didn't feel overwhelmed.  Ava woke up from nap in the middle of it all and was like "who are all of the these people and where did they come from".  After awhile she warmed up to everyone and had a blast running around in the yard and being the center of attention.  It was a success!

That evening I headed to Miori, a local Japanese restaurant, for a Birthday Dinner for my friend Dawn (or Dum as the Japanese waiter said when they wished her a happy birthday it was super funny).  The food was yummy and fun was had by all!

The grill master Mark.  He grilled 20 hamburgers, 16 hotdogs and a package of chicken.

Hanging out on our patio

After we were finished

Grown men playing with Bubbles

She kept saying "push push push daddy".  How can you resist that!

Dawn's Birthday dinner

Getting her pineapple boat

Trying to explain that her name is Dawn not Dum

Singing Happy Birthday 

Shower for Karen and baby Avery

Sweet Baby Avery was born December 18th to our friends Karen and Jay.  Avery is their 3rd child and second little girl but we couldn't resist in having her a shower.  We decided to have the shower after Avery was born because Karen and Jay didn't find out the sex of the baby.  That way we could shower her with all of the pink stuff a baby girl needs!  We also went in as a group and got Karen a gift certificate for a message.  Every mother needs a pampering day to herself every once in awhile!

All of the girls arrived around 6:30 and we ate, talked and ooohed and ahhhed over the babies.  Brooke brought baby Zac with her too so Avery had a playmate. They are so cute together!  It was so nice for us to all get together and catch up and celebrate the birth of Avery.  All three of the ladies will be moving this summer so I need to take advantage of the time I have with them.  Brooke and Tyler will be moving in April to Virginia, Karen and Jay are still not sure yet but it will probably happen this Summer and Maria and Clay will be leaving in July after her baby is born to move to Nabraska.  I have known these ladies since my days at Campbell so it will be sad to have my closest friends move away again.  Hopefully the Army will bring us together again some day.

I took a few pictures at the shower but just realized I didn't take any of Karen opening her gifts.

Check out my Tissue paper Pom Pom's.  I got the idea from my friend Erin who made them for a shower back in November.  With the help of Brooke we made the chandelier, center piece and bouquet for the gift table.

The bouquet of cupcakes and Brooke and I made

Avery and Zac saying hello.  They were born a week apart.

Karen and Avery,  Brooke and Zac

Ava loves babies.  She is so good around them too.  Is she trying to tell us something?

They are so cute!!!

From left to right:  Maria, Karen, baby Avery, Me, baby Zac and Brooke

Good Friends

I have a friend Karen who I have known now for 6 years.  We went through the first deployment at Fort Campbell and have been friends ever since.  When we moved here to Enterprise Karen, as always, was right there to help.  Watching Ava when I needed help, bringing food to us as the movers moved in our stuff, and listening when times were rough.  Karen has three children now.  Abby who is 3, Aidan who is a month younger than Ava, and Avery who is 6 weeks old.  They are such good playmates for Ava.  On Tuesday I watched all of the kids while Karen went to a doctors appointment.  The kids had a ball while baby Avery slept.  It's amazing how much babies sleep even during three giggling toddlers playing around.  Karen and I also share a Nanny 2 times a week.  They have such a good time together and so do Karen and I.  As you can see from the pictures Ava could pass for their sister.  Lately Ava calls everyone Abby, even herself!  When you ask her who is in a picture she says Abby (but it's really her).  You can ask her what her name is and it is Abby now not Ava.  She recognizes when we pass by their neighborhood and gets upset when we don't stop and play.  It is really going to be hard this summer when they have to move away. Saying goodbye is part of the Military life unfortunately .  It will be even harder now to have to watch Ava deal with this but hopefully she will adjust.  You never know we could end up located in the same place again with our dear friends.  This will be the third move we have been together so it could happen!  There is hope!


Sorry about the poor quality of the photos.  I took these with my phone

Playing dress up with Abby

Check out the earrings