Priority Mail

We were surprised by Tino and the guys this week, via email, assuring us that our two care packages arrived safe and sound.  We had sent one package with cake, and party favors, as a delayed celebration for Ella's birthday.  The second box was full of canned goods, and such.  We learned that the food isn't top notch, and so they requested some good old stand-bys... so we sent off Linc's favorite - Spaghetti-o's, among other goodies.  We also sent some sling shots, (lol - why not?), and of course, more artwork!

I think this week, we will attempt to safely pack a jar of homemade strawberry jam, and see if it makes it there.  


Here is the latest correspondence we received from our Hero, Tino:

Once again our # 1 family made us all happy when we received your care packages. The day before we got your packages we were all talking about how good it would be to have some ice cream in this temperature (116). When we saw the Oreo cakesters, one devil dog said great minds think alike, because even though it's not ice cream it's close enough. We were all amazed by all the candies you guys sent, but then I remembered reading the blog from memorial day parade about all the candies the kids collected and Mike suggested sending it to us . As always we are very thankful for everything you guys send, but what really made the squad even happier was the Chef Boyardee , Campbell's, Tortilla, Tuna, and the Tortilla Stuffers. As I said before, in our new AO (area of operation) the food isn't all that great so when we saw these in the boxes we all had a big  smile. Its always a good feeling to taste some "real" food every now and then. You would be surprised by what a big impact the smallest things could have on us in a combat zone. Believe it or not, we blew up all the balloons and were running around hitting them back and forth having a good time. LL. Also, thumbs up to whoever idea it was to send the sling shots. Whenever we go on patrols, the kids use sling shots to hit us, so now we can put up a fair fight. Please the kids thank you for the drawings and Lexi's class for the GIGANTIC drawing they made us. SEMPER FIDELIS 

Haircuts

Hmmm... there is something exciting about haircuts for the kids.  Check them out - so stylish!  LOL 

A picking we will go...

June isn't June until we have visited the strawberry patch!  This year, we took a trip after Ella's birthday party (Sat., June 11th).  We arrived about 5pm and realized the timing was ideal.  The blazing sun was no longer intense.  The temps were ideal and the kids were eager to fill our baskets!  


We picked for about 30 minutes, and then had to cut the trip short.... a storm was approaching - as we could see in the distance!  It didn't look pretty.  So, we gathered our approx. 15 pounds worth of berries, our disappointed pickers (they had high hopes of filling their baskets to the brim) and headed home.  Sure enough, the clouds let loose as we were on our way home.  
(It's an unnerving feeling to be driving through a heavy storm and realize you had not anticipated this and have left all the windows at home wide open!)    


We arrived home and learned that somehow, someone was watching over our house.... no rain blew in any of the open windows.  How this happened, I am uncertain.  We were fortunate!


Sunday morning, we awoke early and set out to complete what we didn't get to finish they day before.  If we were going to make enough jam to last an entire year, as well as store for gifts during the holidays, we needed more berries!  


First we hit the wholesale club for two 10 lb. sacks of sugar.  Yes, we aware sugar is not the best for you... but we will take it over feeding our kiddos high fructose corn syrup any day!  After we replenished our sugar supply.... off to the berry patch we went.  The owners were excited to see us again - as the kids are always full of smiles.  This time around, there was a chill to the air - only in the low 60's today.  Partner that with the dampness left from the storm and well... it made for quick picking as their was no heat to slow our pace.   We left with about 30 lbs. this time and 3 children with bellies full!  SUCCESS!


Mike and I worked to hull the oodles of berries while the kids took naps and then as I finished hulling (with the help of Lexi), Mike began to sterilize jars.



The the jam making began!  


43 jars later, we are stocked for the year with fresh, homemade strawberry jam!

Happy Birthday Ella

   Wow - Time certainly does fly!  Ella turned 6 this week!!  (we will party and celebrate next weekend, once the school year officially ends and I have time to breath again.)  However, the birthday news doesn't end there - she also lost her first tooth on the evening of her birthday!  Talk about excitement!  Well... not initially since she was fearful of what it would feel like to pull out a tooth that was hanging on by one thread.  She was an emotional roller coaster until it finally was popped out by Dad, with very little effort.  Her nervous giggle and "That's it?" was priceless!  
   I thought it was all over and done with, and onto waiting for the Tooth Fairy to arrive, until I was tucking her that night.  She tearfully looked up at me and said, "Mom, I'm not ready to die."  I told her she had more time here until those worries should even fill her head.  She then explained that if her teeth are falling out, she is getting old, and old people die.  Poor kiddo wears the weight of the world on shoulders with each new change in life!  I assured her that losing teeth was not a sign of near death, but a sign of growing up, and becoming a big kid.  I reminded her that her great grandfather that passed this year was in his 90's and he lost his teeth when he was 6 too... and look - he was here over 85 years after losing his first tooth.  She giggled and I watched her worries disappear.  
   It is easy to think that all milestones in life are exciting, but through the eyes of a 6 year old, some of those milestones are absolutely terrifying!  That is... until someone takes the time to explain them and put them into perspective.


   I will post some pics this week of her new smile - once I log on to the desktop and upload the camera.  I know if I head downstairs right now, my report cards are never getting written and my end of year paperwork  will begin to lag behind.  This last week of school is not the time to add more pressure to my already chaotic schedule!  =)

Show and Tell

So this post only seems fit to title Show and Tell.  Let this be our way of showing you how special our Troops are, oversea, fighting for the American way.  These braves souls take the time to keep our small family full of smiles and giggles.  The kids get so excited to see new pictures arrive.... and wait until you see the special photos at the end that were sent for Ella.  (I do believe she is probably sound asleep upstairs still grinning ear to ear that the photos have her name in them! Too cute and truly a memory she will never forget!)