A Perfect Valentines!!!

So Valentines Day this year was Scott and Michaela's first band concert. With the kids being at the same school, and in the same grade, we have the advantage that for things like this we get double the fun/happiness out of it! The kids were excited about this, but also a bit nervous. Scott had told me that "not only do I get to sit on the stage, but we also have the big hot lights on us, and the curtin to cover the stage before the show!"
Scott had to be dressed up for this, so we had gone out a few weeks before for the dress clothes that he needed for it. It was pretty exciting for me to do this. Honestly I had a lot of fun picking out clothes and a tie with him for this big event! He was insistant too that he didn't want any fake tie, he wanted a real tie on tie for this, so that's exactly what he got!
On the big day Scott got all dressed up, and then Tim helped him out fixing his hair and then tying up his tie. While I was sitting there taking pictures I looked over and saw Lincoln just staring and watching what was going on, almost as if he was facinated by it all. Maybe he was taking it all in wishing he had thumbs to do it himself, or thinking that one day it might come in handy to know how to do this himself. Once done I have to say that he is really one great looking boy...sigh. For Michaela I had found her a really pretty hair band that was the softest silk I had ever felt. Michaela has the prettest hair ever. It is so long (all the way down the back of her hair) and healthy, which is an unusual combination. I had no idea if she was going to wear it or not, but when we got there I must admit that I was thrilled to see that she did indead have it on!!!
For this being a first year band and their first concert, they did an AMAZING job! There were a few squeeks, and off notes, but they were far and few between. Tim and I were/are so proud of both of them. They looked and sounded so great!

Caught up!!!

So there it all is...the last 2 months in the Sizemore household. To read from the begining you'll have to go down to "A different Perspective" and then read up from there. I look forward to comments and emails from everyone! Don't forget to come back as I'll be posting on Scott's first band concert!

A chance to get back out to San Fran

I had to head out to Camp Parks again this January. It used to be that I just dreadded these trips to the middle of no-where California, but since the cruise in May I really enjoy the chance to get out there, because that means a chance to see our new and good friends Brian and Marci. This time around we got into CA on Saturday nice and early and as that was our only day off I headed down there on the BART (the train system) with one of the guys from my unit that had flown out with me. Unfortunatly everyone else was busy and couldn't make it.
Every time that I get to go there I see so many neat things. Brian and Marci are truly wonderfull tour guides and I always have so much fun with them. I was very lucky too as they are such easy going people they got along with my friend John right away. I don't know when I'll be able to get out there again, but I can say that I no longer dread going to Camp Parks!!!

One last note here as I will not be writing up about the training that we were at Parks doing. Holli, as always it was so nice to see you. I always look forward to seeing you at these events. I hope you are able to get your blog up and running, and it truly saddens me to think that you are going to be retiring soon. You are truly one of the best that the 104th has, and you will be deeply missed!!!

A Brand New Smile

So over 2 years ago we noticed a problem with Scott's teeth...they were actually coming in on the roof of his mouth. We got him to the dentist and had it looked into, and found that he would need partial braces. So there he was, just turned 8 and getting braces put on. I've included the pictures that I posted here back in January of 06 just as a reminder of where he was back then. After we moved up here to Colorado and changing Orthodontists we found out that our AZ DDS didn't do as great of a job as he should have, and poor Scott had to get another jaw spreader put in and in a way, start from the begining. I will say though that I really really like the DDS we found. He was amazing!!!!! Within 6 short months he compleatly reconstructed Scott's mouth. Well the big day was finally here this month and Scott got his braces off, as well as the jaw spreader that had still been there. He does still have to wear a wire across the top of his mouth to keep the jaw set where it should be, he also has wires glued in place behind his front 4 teeth, top and bottom. After getting his braces off the dentist gave him a big bag of goodies, of all the things he hadn't been aloud to eat with the braces on. Well Scott got home and started off with the peanut M&M's (kind of a surprise as he dosen't like peanuts) but as he was eatting them he bit into something hard...turns out it was one of his teeth...go figure, the same day he gets his braces off, he loses a tooth. Now here it is about 2 weeks later and he has 2 more teeth ready to fall out...This is how the whole thing started, losing to many teeth at once!
There has been a big change in Scott since the braces have come off. He smiles so much more, and I have heard many compliments on that fact, and that his smile is so nice.

Our baby boy turned 10!!!

I can't believe it! Scott turned 10 at the end of the year. I remember a few years back (5 to be exact) and how I was having a harder time with the idea of my son turning 5 then with me turning 30...well now here it is as he turns 10, it does sadden me, but at the same time I think I'm ok with it. I look at who he is and am just AMAZED at how neat he is. I see many things from both Tim and I in Scott...so I am a big fan of the idea that Nature and Nuture work well together. Tim is such a wonderfull influence on Scott...he really helps to keep Scott away from some of my bad traits (ie..painfull shyness) that I have seen in him. Scott is such a smart boy, and really is a good looking kid if I do say so myself (make sure to check back after Valentines day for pics of him dressed up).

With his birthday on New Years Eve we always have to kind of double up the day, as we usually have a poker party on New Years. This year was a bit crazier as I had to work until 5 that night. So to Scott, I haven't forgotten your birthday party with friends, think about what you would like to do.

Scotts big present this year didn't have much to do with size, or price...it had more to do with responsibilty. Tim and I figured that since Scott is so big into Boy Scouts and is a very responsible kid, so he got a Swiss Army knife this year. He was a bit mystified by it, but I know that one day he'll truly grasp what it means!

A Quick Christmas Story

So while Christmas has long since come and gone, I still have yet to tell about it! So here it is. Once again we got snow on Christmas! It was AMAZING!!! We were already in for a white Christmas with a slight covering of snow, but when we woke up and looked outside and saw large white flakes floating to the ground. I have to say that I just love snow...and there truly is something magical about snow on Christmas. In a way it is like a gift from God to see something that magical and beautiful on such a holy day. Anyways we have all kinds of traditions that I try to squeeze in for the holdiays. We have to do up ginger bread houses. This task falls to Scott and Michaela. It is a great chance to for them to have to work together and compromise. I usually just buy a pre-baked kit so that all I need to do is dump the candy into a dish, and clip open the frosting.
One of our other traditions is our cookies! I really enjoy baking the holiday cookies. I have a few that are there every year. I usually have PB&J bars at the top of my list every year. We also do up ginger bread cookies so that the kids have the cut outs to play with and then decorate. A few years ago I found a Uber cool site to order cookie cutters from, so I was able to add to my collection this year as I was ordering a bunch of musical shaped cookie cutters for Leighanna. One other tradition that we have, that we just wern't able to do this year it to paint ceramic orniments.
We usually have the kids do 3 each. One for here, for the girls we send one back to their other house with them, and then one goes into a shoe box for the day when they have a tree of their own. These used to be found everywhere...now however they are as rare as a jackalope. One of my favorite though is our Christmas Eve traditions. We spend a quite day at home (hopefully) wrapping up odds and ends around the house. Then we have a dinner of shrimp and cheese/crackers. After that we head to church. No matter how crazy busy our life is to get ready for Christmas, I do insit that we take that time out to go. It is a blissfull hour to relax, reflect, and rejoice. Back home I have my favorite church to go to, but since we have moved so much over the last few years, we are constantly on the search for a new one to go to. This year we got very lucky with the one that we found. After church we head back home for hot chocolate and story time. Scott is now almost 10, yet still he likes to crawl into my lap and hear the same 3 stories I have been reading for years to him on this night.
Always ending with the copy of "Twas the Night Before Christmas" that my mom gave to me my first Christmas as a mommy.
So anyways Christmas morning....let me start by saying that I have the coolest kid ever! Scott will get up around 5 or so on christmas morning, but he just goes downstairs to stare at the tree, maybe look for tags with his name on it, and then goes to lay down on the couch till we get up. Now tell me, how awsome is that???? Our Chirstmas gave us snow all day long, and right as we were getting ready to oepn gifts, Michaela came over...perfect timing! Not long after we finished with them, then Sam and Leighanna got to the house as well. I can't think of anything better then having all the kids at the house enjoying together. I hope that everyone had as wonderfull of a Christmas as we did.



By the way...pajamas for dogs are the coolest idea!!!

A different perspective

So I sit here on a Wednesday night at 2230 finding myself in a spot where I have to stay up until at least 0200. I am being moved to night shift for the week and it has been a long long time since I pulled an all nighter at work, so have to try to get myself on that scheadule as sleep just isn't an option...I'll be drinking lots of water and Monster! So I figure what better way to spend my time then catching up on my blog. I know that there are several quite watchers out there, so it is to you that I dedicate my night to!!!

Anyways before I get into more up to date stories I wanted to take a moment to say thank you to all my friends out there for all you have given to my life. Tim and I were talking the other day about the idea of "what if", and this what if had to do with the idea of "what if we hadn't had to leave Ohio". Both of us agree that as much as we (translate to I) miss Ohio, we are so blessed by the experences we have had since we left. If we had stayed in Ohio we would have never met Rod and Tara, 2 of the greatest people anyone could ever hope to meet when far away from home. So to my Arizona friends, both north and south, my 104th battle buddies, both from Texas, and my medics, and now to our new friends and neighbors in Colorado...We wouldn't trade you or the enrichment you have added to our lives. While I still look forward to going back home to Ohio, each and every one of you have touched our lives in someways and made it better!