So excited!
Charlie and Daddy
First hug
Derek with his Company
Me and the kids not so patiently waiting.
Trying to run off energy and stay entertained. I was lucky to be sitting with people who would help watch Leah so I could take Charlie outside for a bit.
Cheese Ball
Playing in the dark Gym. Leah got all the kids out on the floor dancing to the music. 
Crazy boy
Such a Ham
Derek at his Change of Command Ceremony in May
Happy Eight Year Anniversary to me. My surprise roses from Iraq.
Me and the kids at Pacific Beach for our June 'Moms Only' and you can bring your kids vacation.
The Dunes. The wind was so strong it made these huge sand dunes. The kids had a blast playing on them. Not so much fun to walk up and down, but then again, walking on sand isn't always fun.
This was actually our last day at the beach. It was super windy and about 60 degrees. We didn't bring the kids suits because we thought they'd never want to get in the freezing cold ocean. So Leah started the strip down and before we knew it, all the kids were in their undies playing in the water and having a blast.
Charlie was the only one with any sense.
We tried a mini photo shoot with Charlie on the hill by the cottages. He didn't like it much.
Last day at the beach, playing on the dunes.
Had I known the kids would love flying kites so much and it would be so easy I would have forked out the money for the good nylon butterfly kite Leah wanted. Instead I bought the 3 dollar kite and got in about 30 minutes of kite flying before the wind tore it apart.
It was super cold this day, but there was a little pool of water left over from the tide that was really warm. The kids played in the puddle all morning and left the ocean alone.
"heavy"
People at been out clamming earlier in the morning and there were holes all over the beach. I don't remember why Leah was so excited about the holes.
A group picture of everyone who came to the beach. We had two beach houses between us. So much fun, we could have stayed a month. I only wish it had been warmer than 65 degrees while we were there. I guess that's Washington for you in early June.
My favorite picture of the beach. I only wish I'd gotten a good one of me and Leah. She wouldn't sit still long enough to take one, way to many friends to play with and beaches and ocean to see.
What a handsome boy. This kid kills me with how stinking cute he is. He's such a little devil too. He'll run up to you all lovey and just when you think he'll throw his arms around your neck and give you a hug, he whacks you on the head instead.
Leah in her beautiful princess dress. She picked it out with a little nudging from me.
Leah all ready for her first day of Pre-school. I was actually thinking and snapped some quick photos. You have to have pictures of the first day!
We went to the Easter Egg Hunt on Post. It was a beautiful day and the kids had fun running around and grabbing eggs. There were tons of people there and I don't know if I'll do this hunt again next year. What a mad house. All the kids and their parents lined up along the field, they yells go and you had to run for the eggs thrown onto the grass, not hidden. I almost lost Leah a couple of times chasing after the run away that is Charlie. We didn't get many eggs, but they had fun.
Charlie with his (empty) eggs. You had to line up after the hunt, turn in your empty eggs to get prizes. I'm not sure if this was lame or smart...no eggs to stuff, but waiting in line for candy sucked.
They look like such angels, those little devils in disguise.
Leah and her egg stash.
Running wild on the field. He was more interested in sprinting away than picking up eggs.
FEBRUARY
Daddy came home for R&R in February. I got a few pictures, not many, he's camera shy. The kids loved having daddy home. I was a little nervous how Charlie would react to him. I needn't have worried. Charlie ran right to him at the airport and let Derek pick him up. He wanted nothing to do with me the 2 weeks daddy was home. It was wonderful to see. Leah was all about him too. She took a slightly different approach. She discovered that she could play off her parents to get what she wants. If one is busy, go ask the other one. Someone is bound to give her what she wants.
Not quite sure what everyone is looking at.
My Dad came out again in March to spend a couple weeks with us. We were able to go back to the beach for 4 wonderful days and we went up to Seattle again. This is a picture of Leah on the Ferry. We had to makeshift a coat for her. Somewhere in the shuffle hers was left at home. Poor frozen kid. It was so cold on the ferry that day.
My sister flew out to spend the weekend with us while Dad was here. My sister is in the grey sweatshirt and my cousin Lark is next to her in the white jacket. Lark moved north of Seattle a week before my family came to visit. We all got together a couple of times while everyone was here. It was fun.
I don't know where they got this idea, but it was so funny to watch them. They did this all on their own, with absolutely NO help from me. It was their campfire. I guess they are practicing for the future. I remember talking to Derek about taking them camping when he comes back home. There are wood chips in the rock circle that you can't see. Leah was so proud of her campfire. I was proud of them for making it and glad they don't know where I keep the matches.
Out at the beach. Cold again, it will be fun to go when you don't have to bundle up in thermals and winter jackets. Leah is feeding the birds some old crackers. They went nuts flocking around us. I thought they were going to attack a few times.
Building sand castles
So what is it, you may be thinking? It's a wheat grinder. You know for grinding whole wheat kernels into flour. Yes, I'm the little red hen. I have a wheat grinder from ages past, old mill stone and everything, but it isn't doing so well. It makes great cracked wheat, but not so great on the flour. Derek and I are working on building our food storage and this is an essential part of the process for us. His mother has always made whole wheat bread and my grandma has always made bread, so I am going to start making fresh bread as well. His mom gave me her recipe a few years ago and showed me some of the tricks, so I'm going to be practicing like crazy to get it right.
It's nice to be spoiled.
