Our Sweet T.J.

T.J.

So I have to brag on our sweet T.J. For the most part T.J. is a great big brother he tries to help Elizabeth so much (even when she doesn't want/need his help). Today I got the sweetest letter from a lady in our neighborhood. Her daughter goes to school with T.J. (they aren't in the same class, but the know each other). I have talked to the mother on occasion and she is a very sweet lady. She was at the school today helping with "Santa's Store" which is a store where kids can spend money and buy little gifts for their family for Christmas at kid prices.... :) I have copied the letter she sent me and my response. I will tell you that I cried when I read this letter, it meant SO much to me!

LETTER FROM BREANNE to MARIA:
Hey there! I just had to send you a note and tell you want an absolute doll TJ is! I was working at the "santa shop" at the school and of course had Taryn in tote. She likes being at the school with the big kids, so she's not too much of a handful. It was really busy this morning and I realized that I hadn't checked on her in a bit and started to look for her. It took me a few minutes (I about started to panic) then I saw her sitting next to TJ and a few other kids in his class reading the books she had brought and playing with her toys. I walked over to see if they wanted me to get her to leave her alone, but TJ told me he was helping to watch her. :o) Then she looked up at me and told me that TJ was her "bestest friend forever" she wants him to come play with her at his house. It was so cute. He sat with her and played with her the entire time his class was in there and then walked her back over to me when it was time for his class to go. He is such a sweetie! I know I always wonder how my kids act when I'm not around, so I thought I would share with you. Also, if he is that nice to his little sister you need to tell me your secret, b/c my girls are Fren-emies :o) Hope your preparation for the move goes well, let me know if you need anything!


LETTER FROM MARIA to BREANNE:
Breanne! Thank you, so VERY much for letting me know about this sweet little encounter between TJ and Taryn. TJ is such a sweet boy, but sometimes people miss that because he is, well, a BOY! He can be wild and crazy sometimes, but under that is a sweet, compassionate, loving little boy. Your sweet note brought tears to this momma's eyes! It feels good to know that when I'm not looking TJ is being so good! As for the secret to get your girls to not be Fren-emies , well there isn't one.... but I will tell you this, I have 2 sisters (I'm the middle sister) and we fought better than any MMA fighter when we were growing up. It was a regular Jerry Springer show on most days... but now we are truly the best of friends!! We love each other and we call each other on a daily basis (if not MORE). Thanks again! You are so sweet!

My sweet little man

Daddy was the "SPECIAL" guest!

Last week Elizabeth's preschool teacher asked for volunteers to read to the class, I signed up thinking that it would be SO fun to come and read to the 3 year olds. The day before we were signed up to read, I asked Elizabeth who she wanted to come and she said QUICKLY and without HESITATION, "My daddy, do it!" So, it was settled, Tyler would come home and go to her school on his lunch break and read.
Elizabeth was so excited and so was I!! I think it is so awesome when dads get involved, and even better when Tyler does it. I tagged along with Tyler so that I could snap some pictures and so that I wasn't completely left out of ALL the fun!
Tyler read 2 books; 1) Chicka, Chicka, Boom, Boom! & 2) Clifford the BIG Red Dog. Both were big hits with the kids. In fact Elizabeth's teacher said that was the quietest the kids had been ALL day! After story time we enjoyed snack time with Elizabeth's class: applesauce, pretzels, and water. Yum! ;)
Finally it was time to go home and since the kids had been studying the letter "C" that week Ms. Rava (Elizabeth's teacher) made each child Clifford the BIG Red Dog ears & a nose! We are so proud of Elizabeth and the growth she is making in school!

Chicka, Chicka, Boom, Boom!
Will there be enough room for all of the letters?

Clifford the BIG Red Dog... Elizabeth likes these books and
show because the Clifford's owners name is Emily "Elizabeth"!

Elizabeth the BIG Red Girl/Dog!

Saxon & Elizabeth howled the whole drive home!

You're Cordially Invited...

to the wedding of Mr. Q & Ms. U!
This past week at school the entire first grade studied the unique union of the letters "Q" and "U" and how they always seem to appear together in words and normally make the "kw" sound. In order to illustrate this concept for the kids the teachers, staff, and parents put together a wedding. We even received an invitation. T.J. was one of the ushers and his sweet little friend Brielle was a flower girl. The wedding vows read something like this, "Do you (Mr. Q/Ms. U) take (Mr. Q/Ms. U) to be your friend and promise to always be together in words?" The happy couple even exchanged "quarters"!!
It was TOO cute.
Enjoy the pictures of the Q & U wedding.

The official wedding invitation!

Our little man T.J. and a friend as ushers at the wedding!

The P.E. coach officiated over the union of Mr. Q & Ms. U!

The entire wedding party. (Each bridesmaid and groomsman carried a sign with a "qu" word. Our favorite was "quintuplet")

The happy couple! (doesn't that bow-tie just kill you?)

As with any wedding there is ALWAYS cake! In this case... cupcakes ;)

First Day of 3K!

First Day of 3K!

This morning Ms. Priss started 3K... she has been looking forward to going to school since T.J. started! She was so excited she didn't even want a special breakfast, and she barely touched her cereal. On the drive to school she talked non-stop (don't know where she gets it from?) about what she was going to do, and what she was going to play with. I felt a great peace inside knowing that she was excited and that we had made the right choice to put her in school. When we walked into the classroom another side of Elizabeth came out... the shy side (I know! Hard to believe!!). She wouldn't talk much or make eye contact with the other kids or her teacher, but finally the dreaded time to go came, and she got a little panicky. I reassured her that I would be back and that she would LOVE school. She waved goodbye without even a single glance back to me! Whew! When I went to pick her up I took Tyler with me and she was so excited! She talked about how fun school was and that she gets to come again tomorrow. Cutie patootie! We capped off her 1st day of school with lunch at Chick-fil-a with one of her classmates Mr. Saxon, and then a playdate at Saxon's house... I think we better watch those two! ;)

Hangin' with Saxon!

Happy 70th Birthday, Keesler AFB!

This past Saturday Keesler AFB celebrated its 70th Birthday! AND what better way to celebrate than to have a GIANT birthday party for the ENTIRE base!! There were TONS of activities, food (FREE Girl Scout Cookies & Ben and Jerry's Ice Cream), music, games, FREE goodies & crafts! It was the best party (and I didn't even have to clean anything up!) Here are a few shots of our two celebrating!

The Arts & Craft Shop on base provided ceramic trinkets for the kids to paint!

The Home Depot provided wooden kits (T.J. made a tool box).
He got to glue & hammer it all together and then paint it!

There was face painting...

Elizabeth chose to be a Kitty! Too bad the weather was so
HOT & HUMID, her Kitty soon melted away!

T.J. chose to have a "tattoo" painted.
He chose a power button-- but we never figured out how to turn it OFF! ;)

Elizabeth even waited semi-patiently in line to ride one of the three ponies!

Elizabeth's New Do!

Our Elizabeth!

A week ago I had my sweet neighbor Josie come over and cut Elizabeth's hair! Elizabeth was so excited to have her hair cut, she talked about it ALL day and she even sat relatively still for her haircut! When we were done I took her straight upstairs to style it and she couldn't stop looking at herself in the mirror and saying how cute her "new" hair looked! Elizabeth is growing up so fast and it seems like sometimes I am missing it! The other night I was reminded that I need to cherish every minute and second of my sweet little girl. After a very emotionally draining day (for me) I walked into my bathroom to get ready for bed and as I looked down I found two sweet little footprint indention's on the towel lying on the floor. I wish we lived closer to everyone and that you all got to enjoy T.J. & Elizabeth as much as Tyler and I do, but since we can't here are a few snapshots! Enjoy!!!

Elizabeth LOVED being pampered by Ms. Josie!

New hairdo!

The Sweet Feet of an Angel!

U.C.T. is O.V.E.R.

UCT Graduation Certificate!

The Class!!!

Me pinning Tyler's Cyber Wings on! (I even got a punch in!)

Yes! Tyler has officially graduated from U.C.T., Undergraduate Cyber Training!!! We moved to Mississippi in December 2010 right after Tyler's graduation from Officer Training School. Tyler had to wait until March 2011 for him to start this intense Cyber training here at Keesler AFB. To say that this training was intense is an understatement. Tyler wasn't able to take leave and had class every day from 6:30am until 4:30pm or sometimes 7:00pm!! He was studying a ton and trying to make sure that he didn't get "washed back" (when you fail a course of study in your training you have to join the group that is behind you and re-do your class again). BUT... today was the day, and he did it!!!! Graduation!!!! I was so happy to be there and celebrate. There were 4 awards given out at his graduation, and well folks, it was a Franklin Sweep!

Award #1:
This Certificate of Recognition came from Tyler's classmates!

Award #2:
This is the Distinguished Graduate Award!
This is ONLY the 4th time that a student has
received the Distinguished Graduated Award during UCT!

Award #3:
This is the Sadler Award given to the Honor Graduate!

Award #4:
This is the LAST award! It was for ME!!!
The class voted me the Most Valuable Anti-starvation Contributor!
I even got a certificate and a professional military handshake with picture! ;)

One last laugh!