Tanks and Rock climbing

In the last few weeks since getting to Fort Polk we've been a bit tight on the old cash-o-la so we've had to use our good old imagination (go figure) to keep our selves entertained on a 100% free budget. As such we have explored our new base and attended bbq's with friends and unit bbq's. By the way let me just say that I love Matt's new unit. They are all so welcoming and everyone seems to really mesh well with us so that is always a perk~! Enjoying the majority of those you work with and have to socialize with doesn't often happen, so YAY.

One of the things we did recently was to take a walk around the WWII tanks on display. The kids loved seeing them. Cody and Matthew got really animated about their pictures and wanted to look like they were shooting them, surrendering, or being scooped up by them. Michael isn't in many of them because he was far too excited to see them all and ran ahead so wasn't caught in pictures as often as Cody and Matty. Then last week Matt's unit had a "Mandatory fun day" where the Soldier has to go and socialize with his unit, hey man it's a day off work lol. Family is obviously invited and it is obviously not mandatory for families and I'd LOVEEEEEE to see one of them tell ME what to do.........bbwwwhahahahahaha......ok...soooooo anyways from 9-3ish we were at the gun range on post and they really put on a great bbq. The unit was split up into troops and then into teams competing for the best scores in Skeet shooting Which my hubby BLEW his team away....lol...getting over HALF their team total just by himself. They each shot ten times and Matt got 6 in a row plus one more on his practice shot and his team was really impressed because on average each team mate got one. ..lol. Then they played paintball and out of 2 games Matt only got hit twice, not bad at all and he was the 2nd to last man standing in each game. HAAH go newbie go newbie! I would have had some rockin pictures of the paintball but the mesh netting protecting the on lookers from rouge paint balls made the pictures all turn out black. We had GREAT bbq, all the water and Gatorade we could drink, and for the kids a bounce house, a giant inflate able slip and slide, a rock climbing wall, and a trampoline with the harness for doing flips and so on. THEY HAD A BLAST and were out of my hair most of the day! YAY! I knew Michael and Cody were little spider monkeys and would be the 1st ones sprinting up the rock climbing wall, and they did over and over and over all day, but Matty really surprised me, he climbed that wall all the way to the top by himself and rang that bell on the 4th try, the other 3 he only got 3/4 way up and then thought it more fun to let go and gently glide down on the rope..lol.

We had a great time and it was free. I love how things just tend to take care of themselves like that......no money...some how equals instant fun..lol.

So that's been our fun...... gotta love the Army.

Memorial Day Weekend isn't just for BBQ's and Camping

Dear Madam: I have been shown in the files….that
you are the mother of five sons who have died
gloriously on the field of battle. I feel how weak and
fruitless must be any words of mine which should
attempt to beguile you from the grief of a loss so
overwhelming. But I cannot refrain from tendering to
you the consolation that may be found in the thanks
of the Republic they died to save. I pray that our
heavenly Father may assuage the anguish of your
bereavement, and leave you only the cherished
memory of the loved and lost, and the solemn pride
that must be yours to have laid so costly a sacrifice
upon the altar of freedom. A. Lincoln

http://www.usmemorialday.org/memorialday4.pdf

This is a very good article I found that does a great job of reminding us why we celebrate this day and the history behind it. Please remember what day is meant for. Take 10 minutes out of your bbq's, and camping trips and family outings to teach a new generation what this day is for.

Matt's done!!!!!!

Oh Thank Heaven's!!! This 17 weeks were rather torturous! We are all thrilled that Matt's done and home! As we left for our trip Matty asked "we going to get our Matt, at fort Knox 'tucky?". All three boy's were so excited that they actually behaved in the van for me most of the trip. That is, of course, until I would get lost (thanks Mapquest.......you BLOW) and have to call Kristy, Tara, my Mother in law Lisa, and none of them could help, so my Father in Law Johnny, sent A LOT of time googleing maps with correct routes for me! I'm sure they all think I'm a moron! When this is the 1st trip I've ever gotten lost on...lol. Oh well. THANKS ALL OF YOU ESPECIALLY DAD! And thanks Brittany for the awesome room rates!
I drove by myself with the kids approx 1,786.00 miles in two days, 18 hour days both, AWESOMENESS! lol. We got to the Knox area the night before and CRASHED. We got to go see Matt for a few hours for the I.E.T. (Initial Entry Training) Dinner. MANNNNN it was so good to see him again! They came out in their Class A uniform for the 1st time (the Army green suit for those of you who don't know) . Matt's parent's came, Matt's sister Brittany, and Matt's brother Jordan and his very pregnant wife Amber came as well as Matt's Gramma. It was so cool to have them all there. It was like a mini family reunion. We only got to have Matt for dinner. After dinner we had to leave our Soldier's to go back to the barracks and literally spend the ENTIRE night cleaning the barracks! So Matt went and got into formation in the rain and stood there at attention until they were ready to get back onto the bus. We all went back to the hotels and got a little sleep and were up bright and early to go to the graduation.
The graduation ceremony was really cool. Each platoon marched out in cadence, stood at attention while the Drill Sgt, turned and stated his name, rank and where he was from. Each Soldier then did it and walked down the stage to the seating area and took their seat. As Matt did his, our entire group stood up and SCREAMED AND CLAPPED for him. We were BY FAR the loudest group! YAY Morris'!!!! WOOT WOOT! lol. We saw some video's in tribute of Cavalry Scout's and a guest speaker. All in all, I just wanted it done so I could wrap my arms around my husband and know he was DONE and mine all mine again! After the ceremony they marched back to the barracks, and signed out! WOOHOO! We spent the next 2 days with his family going out to eat (where Matt promptly shoveled food down his throat looking over his shoulders non stop for a drill sgt..lol) and went to the Louisville Zoo, and the Mega Cavern's (don't go if you were thinking about it, it's literally a giant underground dump!,...No...really...a dump and storage center for boats, RV's and stores that don't have enough room for their crap lol) . While in Kentucky we also celebrated Dad's birthday! I love my in law's and it was so much fun having them there for all this!
We all drove home Saturday along the same stretch of highway for the first few hours and Nana suggested we pull over and stop at Dinosaur World to visit the gift shop and take some pictures and stretch our legs. As we were leaving we pulled up the a giant Triceratops replica to take a picture. Graceful I am not! I went to step over the ropes to take a picture with the kids and stepped incorrectly down on my left leg on algae and slipped, twisting my ankle, ripping off two toe nails and scraping up my shin really nicely. AWESOME..lol So instead of getting to drive the 1st shift, I sat with my leg up on the dashboard icing my ankle, my butt wet and covered in really sexy sludge! YUMMY!
So now we are home! And have literally spent 4 days of Matt's leave time on base setting up this move! Right now the movers are here packing up our apartment and tomorrow we head to Fort Polk to live in Guest housing for up to two months while we wait for a house. BUT WHO CARES!!!! My husband is home and I could live in a tent and be happy with him home!