Priceless

Staci tells me yesterday that she is writing a paper for extra credit in school (she loves to write) and the paper is supposed to be on ways people can save money, so she asked me for some ideas and told me the ones she had, she had the normal things like turn off the lights when your not in the room, clip coupons, shop sales ect.  after we talked about it for awhile she went to think of some other things and then to type her paper up, when she was done she brought it and asked me to "proof read" it, again she touched on all the normal ideas and even exlained why these were good ideas, but then almost to the end of the paper she said....and a very important thing people can do it take pride in their work and do their job well so they don;t make their boss mad or get fired and then they will still have a job and money to save.
I guess she had overheard me complaining about so many people not taking responsibility and having no work ethic these days, and she took it to heart, I told her I though that was the best money saving idea I had ever heard...it was one of those priceless moments that as a mother I just love.

Couples retreat

We just got home from a long awaited, much needed weekend away!  the Army sponsored a "strong bonds couples retreat" in Kanas City, very similiar to the one we attended last year, of course Richard is in a new unit this year so different people, different hotel, a different Chaplain in charge, but still very nice and fun. 
We stayed at the Crown Center Weston Hotel, absolutaly gorgeous, it is surrounded by a mall full of little fun shops, WW1 museum and memorial across from us, we had a great view of it from our room balcony.  The food was wonderful, the classes were great and we had lots of free time to just spend together so that was a big plus.
We opted to fly up on Friday morning, I fly there for free and it is only a 25 min flight, 2 1/2 hour drive and at least two tanks of gas in the truck so flying was cheaper, more convienent, and much quicker, we took a shuttle to the hotel and back to the airport and the rest of the stuff we wanted to do during free time was within walking distance.
Richard and I have both been working so much lately we joke that the only time we see each other is a few hours in bed when we are sleeping, he is in bed when I get home, he leaves at the break of dawn while I am still sleeping, when I do have some time at home I try to spend as much of it as I can with the kids and having family time so to have some alone time was nice.  Now of course we are home and back to everyday life...but it is amazing the difference a break from everyday things can make.

Gotta love free

I love to find a bargin, in fact one of my brother in laws once told his wife that he has never seen anyone who could seek out and find a bargin where you would never think there was one, well I have to disagree on that I learned it from my Mom it helped conteract my terribly expensive tastes after I had kids and could not just spend whatever I wanted to, my sister shops the same way and I am teaching my girls as well.
A couple days ago Stevie and I stopped at one of the little stores on post to look for some work pants for Daniel, we did not find any but right out front was a double stroller fairly new (last years cute green and brown colors) with a free sign on it, told Stevie grab that up you cannot beat free!!!! we brought it home it is in perfect shape and I figure just saved us a ton of money from having to buy a new one.
Living on Post is nice as there is always a supply of free stuff when people move and they either don't want to take it or it did not sell at their yard sale they set it on the side of the road for someone to claim (we do the same with stuff we are done with) we have gotten a couple shelves and a couch for Stevie for when she moves out that way.

baby Louie

A few weeks ago Stevie told me we needed to have a talk and told me she is pregnate again, I think she was nervous of what my reaction would be, but I told her whats done is done, it may not be the best timing but if I managed when you were 16 and pregnate I think we will manage fine now that you are 21, I cannot imagine life without Sienna now and I am so proud of the Mom Stevie has been.  I am happy to say she and Daniel have been working very hard, they have overcome a lot and have both grown up a lot, they are taking on the responsibility of this one both financially and emotionaly without near the help Stevie needed before so that is good, I am happy to help as much as I can, but it is nice to see how they have been working so hard to make their little family succesful and to get ready for this addition.
Sienna is sure she wants a sister and we can hardley get her to even acknowlege that it might very well be a brother, however she did say when I asked what should we name him if it is a brother, "well we will name him Louie" only she drags it clear out to Looooeee, it was so funny to hear her say it, I told Stevie like it or not its going to be Maggie and Louie forever now.  I call Sienna Maggie, started as Maggie Magpie when she was little and would jabber on and on,she will often tell people her name is Maggie Magpie.
Stevie says no to Louie though I think she is resigned to the fact that I will call him that from now on, they have a for sure boy name and are pretty sure of the girl name though I don't think that one is 100% yet, we will see, I told her they should get to decide  no matter what anyone else thinks since her Dad and I played a huge part in naming Sienna Tyree (her Dad suggested Sienna because he liked it and I liked Tyree after my sister Kisha Tyree) but it is still nice that she asks me what I think, and that even though she is 21 and all grown up she still needs her Mommy too.

Christmas

We had snow for several days before Christmas this year, and more on the ground then they say is usual, I enjoy a white Christmas so I was happy.

Here is early Christmas morning after Santa came before the kids got up.

Sienna was up at 230am to tell me Santa had come, I got her to lay in bed with me until Richard got home from flag duty and then we all got up to see what Santa had left.

Here are the kids getting into their socks

Levi playing with his new sword, yes it is real he has it hung on his wall, told him he needs to be careful pulling it out with people close by.

Staci was thrilled with her gifts,especially the TRIPP skinny jeans she wanted so bad

Sienna loved all her stuff and was especially thrilled to see she got the castle she had been asking for.

Cheyenne wanted and got mostly clothes, she is at that age when clothes become cool gifts.

We had a really nice day, I only had to go into work long enough to rebook a canceled flight and was home in time to finish getting dinner ready.  I very much enjoyed spending the day with my kids, we played some of the new games Santa left for everyone to share.

Richard was sweet and surprised me with a new sewing machine, my old one had not been working right and we had not found the parts so I had a stack of quilts that I could not finish, now if I ever get some spare time I can finish them.  Stevie Daniel and Sienna gave me perfume and a gift certificate to Pennys so I can go shopping, Levi Cheyenne and Staci got me a watch and Staci wrote me a Christmas story that was so sweet.  My Mom sent lots of little stuff among them a fairy doll I had admired while we were in Georgia,she snuck back and bought.  Bonnie sent us money to do what we wanted with so Richard and I are going to have a "grown up" go out to dinner. My brother Ty and his wife had our name for Christmas this year and sent us a lovely celtic cross from Ireland, it is like the ones I saw all over Scotland and he says are all over Ireland as well, it is very pretty and goes so nice on our shelf.  It really was a nice relazing day, I miss being closer to family during the Holidays, but I was able to talk to lots of them on the phone so that is the next best thing I guess.

Christmas Eve

We Had a fun Christmas Eve, I was supposed to work but the other supervisor was willing to work most of the Christmas Holiday if she could have most of the New Years one off, so I picked up all the extra for New Years Eve and Day and she took my Christmas Eve and most of Christmas Day (I only had to go in to help rebook cancled flights). We got a white Christmas, it snowed for days here, they called it a blizzard I grew up in Utah and then lived in Colorado so I say it was nowhere near a blizzard, but it was icy and cold.
We always let the kids open one gift on Christmas Eve, it is always pajamas (tradition from when Iwas a kid), this year my Mom sent them all pajamas and Christmas books so they opened hers instead and I also let them open the gifts from there Dad.  He sent Sienna a beanie baby pink I love you puppy, she loves beanie babies, when she called him on the phone they decided the puppies name is Shiela and she has since then been carrying Shiela everywhere she goes.  Staci got a harley hoodie she had been wanting new hoodies, and Cheyenne got harley earrings and hair ties.

He sent Levi a big harley model, that will be fun for him to put together and should take a minute or two.

Stevie and Daniel got shirts, I told him to send Stevie a long sleeve one and maybe she will leave mine alone...probaly not haha.
After gifts we had pizza (another Christmas eve tradition) watched Christmas movies and read the kids new books, it was so nice to just relax at home with the kids. We left out cookies and carrots for Santa and off to bed we went, the rule at my house is no one can get up until 6am, but I think Sienna missed that memo she was up at 230am but more about that later.