13 years and just 7 more to go

I can’t believe that I spaced Rodi’s anniversary date.  He enlisted in the Navy Jan. 4th 1996.  On Jan. 4th 2009 I was too busy watching Molly give birth to Faith that I completely forgot we were one year closer to Rodi’s RETIREMENT!!!!  Okay I know it is still seven years away but it’s ONLY SEVEN more years.

I long for that day.  I am proud of Rodi and the great job he does.  I am thankful for his service and the service of all our military members.  But I also can’t wait for this ride to be OVER.

I am looking forward to celebrating birthdays, anniversaries, and holidays with him in the same country as us.  This week he will be gone for JJ’s very first sectional gymnastics meet.  That was the two biggest events on the January calendar.  He will also miss Moe’s b-day, Nina’s b-day, My b-day, JJ’s b-day, His b-day (can you really miss your own b-day?), Bubba’s birthday next January, Halloween, Thanksgiving, Christmas, New Years 2010, and possibly our anniversary this year and next.  I am sure there will be many other events he will miss along the way. 

Again I know this comes with the job, I am just ready for that part of our life to be done. 

I don’t mean to sound selfish, I guess I am just in a mood today.  I love him and the FANTASTIC job he does.  I even encouraged him to put in his paperwork to become a Supply Officer 9 years ago.  I think I knew then in the back of my head that we were in this for the long haul.  I know if he had stayed in the Nuclear field that he was in when he was enlisted  we would not still be doing this Navy thing. 

I am thankful for the opportunities we have had to travel across Europe and live in Germany those three wonderful years.  I have made long lasting, wonderful friendships along the way that I TREASURE.

I am thankful some of the things my children have been able to see and do because of our lifestyle.  I am also sad about some of the things they have had to endure.  I think I struggle with that part the most. 

Ahhh, okay, enough venting for the day.  Just came on to post about the fact that seven years from now Rodi will be able to retire….. now we just have to wait and see if he will actually do it.  That is an entirely different story!

Charts and more Charts

About 3 years ago I bought a book called Accountable Kids.  I read it and then made my own charts for the kids.  It WORKED!  My household chores became less and less as the kids were actually taking care of a lot of the little things on their own. 

Then we moved….. and sort of got out of the habit. 

Two weeks ago I pulled the book back out, found the charts I had made, and printed off new tags and tickets for the kids.  I had made the charts out of wooden picture frames that I painted in a different color for each kid.  We have 2 hooks at the top of the chart, one for chores to do and one where the completed chores get turned over and placed on.  At the bottom there are 3 hooks, one for tickets received, one for tickets used and one for book points.  They get 30 minutes of electronics time for each ticket (tv, computer, Wii etc….)  If they get all 3 tickets (morning, afternoon, evening chores each = 1 ticket) they get a punch on their book points card.  When that card is full they get a trip to the bookstore to buy a new book.    Here is a picture of  their charts.  Ignore the faucet.  The only place I have to put these right now is on the window ledge in the kitchen.  It is VERY important that these charts are in a place where they are visible to all.

 

Another chart we have been using is our Family Home Evening Chart (aka Family Night).  One day I was frustrated with the fact that we were not regularly having FHE and if we did no one knew what they were in charge of that night.  So I grabbed a plank of wood from the garage told Rodi to cut it about 16 inches long.  I then painted it blue.  When it dried I went to work with a paint pen (LOVE THESE THINGS) and some hooks.  Here is what the finished product looks like.  The lesson hook is really lesson/activity hook.  Oh and it does have a place on the wall but I painted in the kitchen and just haven’t gotten this hung back up.

 

 

Charts can be a fabulous thing when you use them.

Baby it’s cold outside….

Bubs has a cold weather campout tonight and cold it will be. I think it will drop down to about 16 degrees tonight. Laugh if you will I know there are much colder locations out there. Having grown up in Nebraska I know that 16 degrees can seem balmy at times. I even remember after a long winter one year thinking that 45 degrees felt like shorts weather. Okay I was in 6th grade but still, 45 degrees felt like a heat wave that winter.

Having moved away from that winter wonderland my body has gotten used to warmer weather and tonight I am sure I will have the wood stove going all night long to keep us toasty warm inside our house. Meanwhile my boys Rodi and Bubs will be freezing their noses off. Rodi will be standing watch on board the ship and Bubs will be sleeping under the stars, or at least trying to sleep.

Ahhh but I know I have nothing to complain about. Bubs is going to be out there with great cold weather gear and he will be having tons of fun with his fellow scouts.

Plus he will be lots warmer than our Zebu staying at my father-in-law’s here is the latest picture of Jasper and Whisper…..brrrrrrr!

Where did the sun go????

And I am ever thankful that if I were to step outside this morning my view would not look like the one my sister-in-law (also in Iowa) will be greeted by. Here is a picture of their house taken this week.

Just makes my back hurt thinking about all that work to clear the driveway....ouch!

What a week!

This past week was sort of a race to the finish and the memories looking back are somewhat of a fog.

I was preparing for my inlaws to come and stay the weekend and Rodi was preparing  for the Former President of the United States of America to arrive on his ship.  Who’s job was harder…Hmmmm I won’t say a word.  LOL

 It was a pretty stressful week for Rodi, but in the end very rewarding.  One of his jobs to prepare for the commissioning was to set up the tour of the ship with Pres. Bush Sr. two days before the commissioning.  He was able to shake hands with G. H. W. Bush and walk with him on the tour.  Then the next day G.H.W. Bush (who was very excited about this ship) came back for another tour unannounced.  Rodi was there again to greet him as he came on board.  It gets even better…. the day of the commissioning Rodi was there on the flight deck with the Secret Service to greet both G.W. Bush and G.H.W. Bush!!!! 

Here is a link with a video of Rodi shaking hands with G.H.W. Bush the day before the commissioning.  *Note this was the unannounced visit and that is why Rodi is in his coveralls*

http://www.cnn.com/2009/US/01/10/bush.ship.commissioning/#cnnSTCVideo

One of those once in a lifetime moments that happened of couple of times in one week for Rodi.

Now it is Monday…. the inlaws are on a flight home to Iowa,  Rodi is back at work, the kids and I are diving back into our school lessons and life goes on as usual.

Goal Setting

The New Year will soon be here and with that comes the evaluating of past goals and setting new ones.

There are the traditional ones like lose weight and keep it off. Be more organized. Be better about reading my scriptures daily. Watch less television etc……

Some of those (maybe all of those) will make my list this year as will the following:

1. Be more positive about cooking meals, so the kids don’t grow up dreading it.

2. Praise Moe when he accidentally wets his shirt, at least his underwear and pants are still dry. (Long story)

3. Replace the painted carpet upstairs. Read how it became painted here.

4. Spend more time with my “Martha” friends. Maybe I’ll learn a thing or two.

5. Come to grips with the fact that Rodi will never understand what being grounded really means. He will always find an excuse to play basketball.

6. Remind my gym clothes what the inside of the gym looks like. They might be surprised to see they were intended for more than lounging around the house.

I’d like to be able to post 10 goals but I think that may be a tad ambitious for 1 year. Wouldn’t want to look like an overachiever *grin*

Christmas Dinner at Denny’s

Yep that’s right no cooking for me this year.  Was dinner fabulous?  It was, only if you are talking about the fact that my entire family was together, including my mom.  The food was…..a means to fulfill a need.  It was 9pm on Christmas night and not a one of us had eaten since noon.  We left our house shortly after lunch yesterday and headed to Washington D.C. to attend the Festival of Lights at the LDS Temple visitor’s center. 

What a wondrous night it was.  When we arrived at 4:28pm, as Rodi had predicted to JJ earlier while driving on the beltway, it was still light outside and we were able to walk the grounds  and take some pictures.  My mom had never seen the DC temple before and she was amazed at how beautiful it was.  We have seen it many times and yet every time we see it we too are amazed at how beautiful it is.

While we were walking the grounds Bubs kept looking at his watch.  I couldn’t quite figure out why.  Shortly I figured it out.  JJ and Bubs were trying to do a countdown to the lighting of the grounds.  They had been told that they would be turning on the lights at 5pm.  Their countdown was just a bit off but it really was neat to be outside and see the lights all turn on.

Once we were done walking the grounds we headed back into the visitor’s center.  There was a beautiful photography show called “Reflections of Christ“.  What an amazing grouping of photos.  My favorite was a series of 3 pictures of Joseph, Mary, and Baby Jesus. 

We followed the photo’s with a viewing of  the movie The Testaments of One Fold and One Shepherd  I was glad I remembered to grab some tissue before the movie started.  I always cry near the end of this movie, no matter how many times I have seen it.  I must be my mother’s daughter though because she was in tears as well.

After the movie it was time to stand in line for the  musical performance in the auditorium.  The line was long but well worth the wait.  The music was spectacular.  There were 8 Sister Missionaries performing and they sounded like angels.

As we headed to the van for our return trip home we passed by the live Nativity scene where Joseph and Mary were with baby Jesus, and Moe said    “…I miss you Jesus”.   And yes, I cried.

It was a full afternoon and evening filled with the wondrous spirit of  the Gospel.  I couldn’t think of a better way to spend Christmas.  The kids had their fun opening their gifts in the morning and then eating their traditional cinnamon roll breakfast.  But the magic of the day really happened when we were at the Temple and their focus of the day was Christ, the true gift of Christmas.

After a day like that a holiday dinner at Denny’s and it’s not so holiday feel, didn’t phase me at all.  I had just spent the most beautiful day with my family and we were blessed to find a place to sit and enjoy a dinner from some place other than an open 7/11. 

And I’d do it all over again.

You make me smile

JJ and I were on our way to the store when she told me this funny little story.

JJ: “Mom the other day at gymnastics Tami (not her real name) told me how lucky I was because she only gets $1 a week for allowance.  I told her I don’t get an allowance.  Then she said ‘Oh well, I do chores for my allowance’  Mom, I told her I do chores and don’t get an allowance.  It’s not like everyone gets an allowance.”

ME:  “That’s right.”

JJ: “Tami said that she has to watch her little brother for an hour a day to help out her mom.”

ME: (said in my head) I know you watch your little sister and brother all the time.

JJ: “Tami asked me how I get all my money then.  I told her.  I said I pull my teeth.”

ME: *Laughing really hard*

JJ:  “Then I told her I just wait for Birthday money or sometimes even some money at Christmas. But I have some more loose teeth”

ME: *Still laughing*

*** SIDE NOTE*** 2 weeks ago Carley lost THREE teeth in one night.  The tooth fairy had to borrow money that night.

Do you not know what the term GROUNDED means???

For those of you who don’t know, I grounded Rodi from playing basketball when we were living in Germany.  It was early in 2005 when the grounding took place.  The reason at the time was due to the fact that he had to cut his wedding band off his finger.  He had been getting some injury or another every time he played the darn game and the cutting of the wedding band was my last straw.  I grounded him, simple as that. 

A few weeks later while he was on a mission in Italy I received a call from the medical officer of his unit.  This is something a wife never wants to get after 10 at night, well at anytime.  I was told he had badly injured his leg and was in an ambulance on his way to the Emergency room.  My heart sank.  I was VERY pregnant which didn’t help, as my emotions were all over the place. I am imagining the worst as I knew what kind of work they were doing.   Towards the end of the phone call I hear the Dr. say  “he was playing basketball when the injury happened.”  BASKETBALL!  Oooh I went from being scared for my husband,  to being extremely mad.  Then the Dr. told me he knew about the grounding but that he (the Dr.) had told Rodi that the grounding didn’t apply once you crossed a country border.  HA! 

Anyway several years later, one surgery, and a few more in the near future…. Rodi played basketball with the guys at work again on Friday.  He said he took it easy and didn’t do any serious running or major plays.  So WHY OH WHY on Saturday morning was I looking at what appears to be an injured foot?  Actually it looks like it might be broken. 

He knows he is in trouble, trust me.

 

**** I made Rodi go to the ER last night.  He wasn’t kicking and screaming but I think that is only because he was holding back his real feelings.  I may have been wrong, it wasn’t broken but just very bruised and swollen.  That’s okay though, going to the ER and being wheeled through the hospital in the bed for x-rays was a great punishment that fit the crime.  He was not happy about having to do that.  Do I think he learned his lesson?  Probably not.  That is just life with Rodi forever 17 when it comes to the game of basketball (and many other things)****

Birthday Date Night

As previously mentioned, yesterday was Rodi’s birthday. He and I decided to fix a gourmet meal of Chicken tenders and fries for the kids. Oh you may laugh but these were tenders, not nuggets and the fries were waffle cut, no ordinary shoe string or crinkle cut fries for the Rodi crew LOL. After getting the kids all set at the dinner table we headed out for our date.
What a date it was. In true Rodi family fashion we took the truck and headed to the dump. Yep just me Rodi and the trash. No worries though we listened to the romantic comedy of Jeff Foxworthy on our drive … that is some serious hand holding comedy ya know. After the dump we headed to one of the two local Mexican restaurants. We were seated immediately which was very nice. However when they brought out the chips and salsa one dish was so cold there were ice chips in it. But did we complain nah…. we just stirred it up and dipped away. We sat and giggled at the small town talk around us. You could tell we were newbies to the area. Everyone seemed to know everyone and talked from table to table. We learned a lot about our community and the happenings in that hour. We even learned that it might be possible to come in sit a spell, order water, eat your complementary chips and frozen salsa and then leave without paying. Yep we saw it happen. Maybe it only applies if you were born in this county though.  I will tell you though, it really had Rodi thinking.
After dinner we headed out to wander around the stores and see if there were any last minute gifts we needed to pick up. Little did Rodi know we were actually going to get massages. They were amazing massages and FREE too. Wanna know where you can get one? Bed Bath and Beyond! They have these great chairs just sitting in the middle of an isle and they are all plugged in and just waiting for someone to sit in them. So we sat. He sat in one chair and I sat in the other chair. Yeah there were people walking by looking at us but I think they were just waiting for their turn.
We ended our shopping extravaganza strolling the isles of wal-mart (where else), bringing home romantic goodies like a screen tool and a box of fire starter. Ahhhh what a night.
Seriously though it was a great night and we did have a lot of fun. We had to leave Office Max because I was laughing so hard. There was a calendar there that said the funniest things for people to do at work. I am still trying to picture Rodi at work jumping on the table and yelling “the floor is lava, the floor is lava” Could you imagine??? What would you do if your co-worker did that? There were several of these ideas that just had me cracking up.
Maybe it is having 4 kids at home with me all day everyday, I don’t know, but I do know that this was a wonderful date. Probably the most fun we have had in while.

Thanksgiving

I received a phone call today from a dear friend who couldn’t remember what my blog address was.  Funny, I wondered if I remembered as it has been so long since I have posted.  I decided that I must squeeze time in today to post my thoughts of Thanksgiving to all of my readers.

I am very thankful for my ability to blog and for the readers out there who take the time to follow the comings and goings of our family.  This blog was one of my only ways to keep myself from going crazy while Rodi was deployed last year.  I was able to take the events of a crazy day in the life… and make it humorous instead of dreadful.  I will be looking for that same outlet this coming summer as Rodi will be off doing the military thing once more.

I am thankful for all my friends near and far.  You allow me to see the world in so many wonderous ways.

I am thankful for my sometimes crazy family and the adventures they allow me to have.

I am thankful for my Father in Heaven as he allows me to feel His unconditional love, he knows I will make mistakes along the way. He is kind and loving, always.  He gives me the tools I need to stay on track in this life, He has shown me how to use them.  He has given me so much to be thankful for, so much I cannot possibly put it into words.

I am thankful for my parents who raised me to be the person I am today.  I know I gave them challenges along the way.

For all of this and much, much more I am thankful……

♥Have a very Happy Thanksgiving♥