Countdown's Over Let the Saddness and Fear Begin

Why is it that when we are counting down to the date our soldiers are deployed that it is so short and happens so fast, yet once our soldiers do leave the count down until they come home to us is so long? We had an idea when he'd be leaving but didn't know for sure until it was less than two weeks away. Now we have over 400 days until he comes home for good. What can I do with 400 days? 400 nights of sleeping alone. 400 dinners without my husband to wash the dishes afterwards and fill up my Pepsi enjoy them with me. 400 nights of tucking in sad little boys. 400 days of fearing the unmentionable.

Kirke called me from the airport. He said that when they were checking in the lady at United Airlines was trying to charge them for their over weight luggage. Kirke had to step in and explain to the lady that the Army is paying for it because it's all Army gear and they paid a ton for the damn tickets. The lady said "Yeah with the tax payers money!"

Can you believe the nerve of this lady? Here you have four young soldiers, Kirke was by far the oldest at 29, leaving behind wives and children to go fight for her damn freedom and she has the gall to complain about the burden placed on the American public to ship their protective gear to Iraq with them!! She also kept making them move their very heavy bags out of the way so she could wait on first class customers. Wouldn't you think those customers would say "no thank you ma'am please finish up with these brave men first". It's obvious where they're going when they have all of that military luggage and had their orders out.

I did what any irrational, crazy heartbroken soldiers wife good citizen would do. I called United Airlines and asked to speak to a supervisor and filed a complaint. I also intend to send an email to the St Louis airport about the way that their staff is treating American Soldiers and to ensure it won't be happening when the next group leaves.

I was very disappointed in our country today until at 5pm when the post played Retreat and lowered the flag. My kids are very good at stopping and saluting or putting their hand over their heart. However, this isn't typical of all military children. It seems we forget to share some things with our children in the craziness of our lives. But today when my kids stopped to pay respect to our nations flag, some kids down the street who are often out and running wild stopped too. They put thier hands over their little hearts and stood motionless until the music stopped.

That was a moment to be proud of for all of us. Our children learn things from us, they see what we do and try to emulate that. Other children also see what our children do and when you see another child emulate a behavior that you're so proud of in your own child it's a sense of pride like no other.



This is Kirke and the boys hanging up the Service Flag. This flag is displayed when you have a loved one is a part of the Armed Services during a time of war. The soldier doesn't have to be deployed but we keep ours in the deployment box and the three of them hang it before he leaves and take it down when he returns.

My Patriotic Boys

Everyday at 1700 hours military bases around the country play Retreat and lower the flag. The first round of music everyone stands at ease. Then after the first round they shoot the cannon and then start the music and lower the flag. The soldiers ceremoneously fold the flag and then march to put it away until the next morning.

We can hear Retreat played at our house everyday when we're outside. The boys are fast to stop what they are doing and put their hands over their hearts. Kirke decided to teach the boys more about what they are doing because all they knew was that the music meant "they are taking down the American flag". He wanted them to see it in action. We dressed them up in their ACU's (Army Combat Uniforms) and met Kirke at post headquarters to see them lower the flag.

Amber came and took these pictures of us watching the daily ceremony.






After the flag was carried off the boys wanted to see the cannon and I thought it was the perfect place to take these pictures that I wanted before Kirke leaves on Friday. So Amber took these pictures.







And here's a couple more because we had so much fun!







Ok that's it for today. I have lots of great pictures and I will share them and blog my little heart out when I'm husband-less. As for now, I still have my Kirke and need to make the most of it...afterall we have a whole disk left of House to watch and only one more night to watch them.

I don't want my hair cut!

Today Korbin Cool Dude didn't want his hair cut. He can't stand to get the little hairs all over him. Here's my solution:





The last picture is how happy he was to have his hair cut! He just loves it!

Wanna know what really makes me happy?

Do you? You know you do! Well I'm going to tell you! I love, absolutely without a doubt in this world, whole-heartedly LOVE LOVE LOVE new socks! Yeah yeah lame, whatever! I love them!

Socks make me HAPPY! Very very Happy!

I had gotten into wearing lots of cute, colorful, wild and crazy socks. I have some really cute socks. Those are great but don't have the same effect. The other problem is that it's summer. My crazy socks with shorts? My flip flops aren't in good enough condition to really wear out and about so that leaves me with my new super cute Adidas tennis shoes, yep a girls size 5 1/2 but.....I got them for 13 bucks so HA! Laugh at my little feet now!


So I have to wear socks with my tennis shoes because, well, it's gross not to okay! I haven't bought plain white womens athletic socks in some time now. I forgot how absolutely amazing slipping on a pair of brand new, unwashed (yeah yeah shake it off, washing them ruins that new snug feel) pair of socks. I love it so much that if I could afford to I'd buy new socks everyday just so I would start my day off just right!

Now I'm sitting here in my new comfy socks, happy as a clam! Ahhh, the simplicity of my true happiness! Who knew? If Kirke was smart he'd buy me new socks alot to keep me in this stupid happy state of new sock bliss!

How am I supposed to...

How am I supposed to write a paper about the Vietnam War and the protests, social and political consequences right now?

My husband leaves for Iraq in less than a week. Reading about war and trying to wrap my brain around this information is too much right now. I don't want to think about all of those details. I can't separate myself from the reading enough to write objectively. I want to scream. I want to make it all go away. I want our guys to stay home but I know it's not time. I know that their job is not done yet. I understand that by Kirke leaving another husband/daddy/son/brother get's to come home to his (or her, not to leave out the female soldiers) family. I get that, I respect that and I want to be that wife that can say "ok it's our turn" and stays strong but I'm not.

I know that it is our turn and I'm trying to stay strong but it sucks. It sucks to pretend to be ok with it all. Last night Kirke tucked the boys into bed and kissed Korbin good night. Korbin innocently said "no more kisses today Daddy". Kirke said "I'm leaving in a week bud I want to have your kisses". Korbin replied "aww man! I thought it was 5 more weeks". He's not going to handle this well.

So my assignment due tonight will have to be a day late. I can't sit here using up my last Sunday night, fathers day, writing a paper about war. Instead I'll lose 10% credit on it and write it tomorrow while Kirke is at work. He has to take care of the Will, Power Of Attorneys and other paperwork that has to be updated before he heads off to play in the sand for what should amount to be about 13 1/2 months too long.

It's too bad he can't just be deported.

So anyone who wants to do my homework for me just let me know it's due at midnight.

Did I just say that?

Lets lighten the mood up from my last blog. If you haven't read it, please do, I worked hard and it's important.

Ok so you know how sometimes your brain and your mouth don't always work together to make things come out right? Well that happens to me often. Today it just messed up really bad.

We always joke that Korbin and Megan are going to wind up married someday. It's this little joke haha, no harm done. Until today.



Korbin decided to let little Megan ride on his bike with him. I guess maybe because it was her birthday? I don't know but he was being nice to her and I was happy. Also, please know that we would not let them actually ride this way, they were just scooting along. Well Korbin needed to turn around so Megan got off and he started his turn and ran right into Megan!

Being the loving caring mom that I am, who always makes smart alec remarks I shouted to Korbin. The words I meant to say were "that's not how you show love".

Instead I yelled "Korbin that's not how you MAKE love!"

Brandy and I could not stop laughing and I was mortified. There was no way to cover up my mistake with words. Brandy simply said "wow just because she's 4 today doesn't mean she's ready for that!"

Stupid stupid mouth saying the wrong words anyhow!

RFL takes over the Food Enterance at Wal-Mart of St Robert

Let me tell you about the first part of my day. Relay for Life is less than 2 months away now! We had an event team challenge today at our local Wal-Mart. Each team was encouraged to attend and bring out baked goods or something else to sell. Then each team had assigned door (pan-handling duty) time. I love to be at the door asking for donations and find that I'm fairly good at pan-handling.

First please note that last year my dear sweet Tayton was heard saying things such as "hope you don't get cancer" or "don't call us when you die" when people would say no thanks and walk away when asked to donate! I did NOT teach him this or encourage it! But well....it is what it is. And Korbin did say to one lady in a low cut shirt last year "well my mom has boobs too!"

This year, none of that! They were wonderful about soliciting donations. Other than Tayton jumping out to stop people from just walking past him and not donating and Korbins most sincere thank you to a man who did donate being "thank you chicken!" They did great! Amazing little boys and they know why we're out there!


Cancer a horrible monster that in some way has affected nearly everyone in some form or another. Whether it be through a family member, themselves or maybe just a family that has touched their heart through blogging like Julian Avery did mine almost a year ago now.

I'm always amazed at the people who stop and take small children out of their shopping carts, hand them a few cents and teach that child about giving. I'm disappointed in the people coming out with children carrying bags of new toys that refuse to make eye contact or give up those few cents. I'm touched by the ones who stop, drop a few cents and then share a story about a loved one lost to cancer or still fighting that battle. Some will go back into the store to get change others will apologetically search to the bottoms of their purses or pockets with no avail.

Today we had a man who avoided our eye contact on the way in as if we were trying to telepathically force his hand into his pocket to dig out loose change. However, on the way out he stopped. He asked my friend how much he should give. Her response was simply "that's up to you". He dropped a five dollar bill in the bucket then met her gaze again, this time with tears in his eyes, and said, "I just lost my dad to small cell lung cancer". And with that he walked away.

They are the reason we do this. People hurt so much because of this horrible ugly word: Cancer. Why would someone walk by and say "no thanks" to dropping a few cents in a bucket to help find a cure? We aren't the local wrestling team (just an example no offense) asking for money for camp. We have a different idea, we want to help everyone. One in four people will be faced with a cancer diagnosis in their lifetime. Look around...

Click here to help my team!

That's a long drive for 2 minutes of your time!

Cool Dude Korby Daniel Best is gonna be just fine!


I know that some of you haven't been reading my blog long so if you want to know more about Korbins kidney click here and here.

We got home last night from another trip out of state and left this morning to drive two hours one way to see Korbin's pediatric urologist. He had an ultrasound done on May 19th and they called right away to tell me it was abnormal and we had to go back to Columbia for more tests and whatever else they decide to do. We show up at the appointment and here's how it worked out.

Student Dr.: "blah blah blah blah, blah blah blah let me take a look at the ultrasound and we'll be back in with Dr. Neal."

Dr Neal enters the room. Pushes on Korbins belly: "Does this hurt? This? OK good!"

Dr Neal: "the ultrasound looks good so we'll see him again in a year"

Me: (confused) "what about the kidney being enlarged and stuff isn't that why they sent us back up here?"

Dr Neal: "That left kidney is always going to be bigger than the right because of the problem."

Student Dr: "There is still some back up of urine but nothing to be concerned about. After having a problem like that and fixing the blockage that's going to happen. The kidney should be good for a lifetime"

3 whole minutes later, mind you we drove 2 hours for this, we are on our way out. Now I'm a little confused. Why didn't they just send him the results from the Ft Wood hospital then he could have called us to discuss them. Instead we drove 2 hours to act as the Pony Express and hand deliver a disc? I don't get it.

So we ate lunch at our favorite restaurant in Columbia, The hospital restaurant, Main Street! It's so good and so cheap! We spent 18 bucks and had the most delicious nachos ever made and gigantic diet Pepsi! I couldn't be happier. Unless of course I didn't drive two hours for a meal that cost a third of what we'd spend on gas by the end of the day.

And I invited myself and my family to dine at Brandy's new house tonight too. Then after I told her we were coming for dinner I called Amber to invite her to come too! I hope Brandy's cooking something good!

How far would you go?

We have been so busy on trips since May 11th that I thought it would be fun to write it all down and look at some numbers because I'm a nerd like that.

May 11th we drove from home to St Louis to get Carol (Mother in Law)
Total Estimated Time: 2.0 hours 14 minutes Total Estimated Distance: 137.79 miles (mapquest)Round trip: 275.58 miles 4hr 28 min

May 12th we flew from St Louis to Maryland
First flight took 2 1/2 hours and the second took 1 1/2 hours so 4 hours travel time plus a 5 hour layover and a 45 minute drive from the airport to our hotel.

Totals: 9 hours

The 13th we watched Kirkes graduation at 10am and hit the road right afterward to head home and got home on the 15th.
Total Estimated Time: 16.0 hours 24 minutes Total Estimated Distance: 1042.61 miles
(mapquest)Total Miles: 1042.61 miles 32 hr 48 min

Then we took Carol back to St Louis Airport on the 18th. One way:
Total Estimated Time: 2.0 hours 14 minutes Total Estimated Distance: 137.79 miles (mapquest)Round Trip: 274.38 miles 4 hr 28 min

Then we went to Tulsa to get my nephew and neices, straight there and then back on the 23rd.
Total Estimated Time: 3.0 hours 47 minutes Total Estimated Distance: 243.03 miles (one way mapquest)Round trip: 486.06 miles 7 hours 34 min

Next was our drive from here to Ft Knox, KY on May 27 one way:
Total Estimated Time: 6.0 hours 47 minutes Total Estimated Distance: 413.22 miles (mapquest)Round trip: 826.44 miles 13 hours 34 min

Then we went to Oklahoma this weekend, we left on the 5th and came home on the 8th.
One Way:
Total Estimated Time: 7.0 hours 8 minutes Total Estimated Distance: 417.59 miles
Round Trip: 835.18 miles 14 hours 16 mins


Ok so all of this in driving miles totals out to be:
3740.25 miles and 86 hours and 8 minutes of traveling time not counting stops.

Oh and lets add our drive to Columbia tomorrow for Korbin while we're at it: one way
Total Estimated Time: 2.0 hours 4 minutes Total Estimated Distance: 105.65 miles
Round Trip: 211.30 miles 4 hours 8 minutes

From May 11th through June 9th we drove 3951.55 miles 90 hours 16 minutes Used an estimated 180 gallons of fuel which at an average of $3.60/gal (that's a low guess) we spent around $650 in fuel. No wonder we have so many bills piling up!

I QUIT!!!!

Come Again!

******UPDATE on my error******
I guess I never did state where exactly my unconventional location for the pool was. Silly me! If you hadn't put it together from the pictures it's in my garage. I'll take a few more soon and post them I promise!

We are on our drive home right now from our weekend in Oklahoma. We just stopped at McDonald's in some rinky dink town. I really struggle when we head south because people just don't understand me. I'm confused because I'm pretty sure I speak normal. It's as thought I'm speaking alien because they just stare at me sometimes. We got our food and I asked "Can we have some salt please?" Her response was "the straws are in the bag". I replied "salt". She said "yeah the straws are in the bag". Shaking my head I replied "salt, I need salt for my fries please". It was as if a little light came on in her head. Now I need to know if salt and straws sound the same to some people cause I'm just not hearing it!

After we got our salt she said "Come again". Korbin got so excited and said "did you hear that? She said we could come again Next time we're here we can come to this place again! How awesome is that?"

Silly boy!

We went to ride wave runners yesterday and were gone about two hours. Cool Dude was fine when we left but we got home and he was knocked out sleeping on the couch and running 103.4 fever. It was 7pm and the family was all having dinner together down by one of the other cabins. Kirke went down to get him and I some food to bring back. He brought me back the most incredible rib eye steak I've ever eaten in my life! Which has nothing to do with my story but wow it was so good! After everyone else ate we were freed from Cool Dude watch to go get some Motrin to kick his fever's tail. It was really frustrating having him lie there so hot and then having to wait on someone else to come so we could get him medication. He woke up this morning with a fever still.

Here are some pictures from our weekend.

We rode the bumper boats and got soaked!


Played a little mini-golf.

Did a little swimming...








We really had a great time. I'm not looking forward to returning to the real world tomorrow. We are taking Korbin to Columbia to find out what the next step in his Kidney ordeal. He seems so healthy and fine to me, it sucks knowing that he's not.


Tonight Korbins running a high fever so we took him to the ER. His kidney problem freaks me the heck out. So when his fever hit 103.6 under his arm before adding a degree we decided he should be seen. Even with a super high fever he managed this conversation with the receptionist:

Receptionist: "Patients first name please"

Me, (the Mom and one who named him): "Korbin, with a K"

Korbin: "No it's not"

Receptionist: (Looking up confused and possibly thinking I was trying to sneak in a kid who wasn't mine under our insurance) "well then what's your name"

Korbin: Through sick red eyes and red faced "Cool Dude c-o-o-l D-u-d-e! Duh!"

Then he informed me he didn't like to be called Korbin and that his real name is now "Cool Dude Korby Daniel Best"

Tomorrow June 9th, is his appointment in Columbia to figure out what happens next with this whole kidney not being fixed stuff!

Women are Never Happy

I am a woman so it's okay for me to say that...I think. Well maybe not because me admitting that women are never happy gives Kirke so much more power.

I whined and cried and kicked and screamed about this trip that we are on before it started. The funny thing is though, I'm having a great time. I've gotten to know Kirke's cousins a little better so that's been fun. I've always felt like I'm on the outside looking in, so getting to spend time with them for longer than an hour at a big family dinner helped.

So here I am getting ready to leave here tomorrow from the trip I didn't want to take and I'm sad. I'm not ready to leave yet. Even the forever annoying Father In Law isn't bugging me at all. Maybe my change in attitude has to do with the environment. We are staying in cabins. Each family (Kirke's Dad and Aunts) has their own cabin. So we were with Kirke's parents, one of his brothers and his family and then the four of us. It was really nice.

I think another reason I want to stay is because we got the news. Yep the horrid, feared, dreaded news: Kirke's deployment date. It's sooner after his leave ends then I had hoped because both boys have appointments in Columbia in the next ten days.

Which brings me to that news. I know I probably already blogged about it but who cares, it's my blog I can if I want, haha, now that's power! Like I was saying, Korbins kidney scan came back bad and we have to go back up to Columbia a million hours away from home (or two) to see his speccialist and see what's next in our medical adventures. I'm kinda freaked out, shocked, nervous, a little freaked out, neausous, light headed, scared to death and down right freaked out about his appointment. I know that the next surgery will alone without Kirke there to help, to worry with, to cry to. He'll be a gazillion miles away and worried to peices with nothing to calm him but his next IM chat with me.

Strawberry Blood

We are once again riding in the car. This is my favorite trip ever. We're on our way to see my inlaws! For some strange reason Kirke thinks he should see his family before he goes to Iraq! MEN!

Ok fine, they do need to see him before he goes but so do we dang it! I'm tired of sharing and starting to feel a little selfish. It's probably not that at all but rather that I'm sick to death of being in the car. This time we're in the mini van. Super, just super, more room but less comfortable.

My poor friends are taking care of my dogs AGAIN. The dogs probably don't think we even live there anymore. Nuts!

So anyhow here's the point of this blog. Korbin, aka Cool Dude just said "Mom is our blood made of strawberries?"

Ok for all of you who think I said "yes" shame on you for thinking I'd confuse my son. I explained to him that blood is made of many things including red blood cells, white blood cells, platelets and even water and oxygen.

Geesh give me some slack!

(I did want to say yes but I didn't want to be the mom responsible for the entire kindergarten at Wood Elementary giving up strawberries next year!)

Tie Me to the Bedpost

Yep that's what I told the waitress tonight. We took the kids to Roxy, Amber and Brandy to watch so we could go out with our friends who are in town for a kid-less dinner. The waitress took our drink order and I just had to try the "tie me to the bedpost". It was so good! I sucked that down and finished off Amy's Bahama Mama. I didn't eat much of my dinner though. Yep I'm a heavy drinker...usually it's Diet Pepsi though.

Then we got really crazy and took our double date the next step. That's right we went right on over to Wal-Mart! Crazy aren't we? We had to get dogfood and trash bags. How romantic right? This is our life!

Mohogs and Pikachu

Today I finally bought new hair clippers after tearing up my three other pairs on Roxy's dog Boomer a couple weeks ago.

Tonight after our fun filled day helping Brandy move and seeing Kirke run around and keep tearing his pants a little more with each piece of furniture carried into Brandy's house. Kirke had ripped his pants sometime before noon but wore them the rest of the day. Here's how bad it had gotten at dinner time:

Anyhow as I was saying...after our busy day I pulled out the new hair clippers to go to work on the kids. Here is Cool Dude before his haircut:

When he sat down I asked him what he wanted me to do. He said "Mom you know I want a mohog!" Well duh I should have known that! Actually I did but I need confirmation before I attempted this style that I've never cut intentionally. We've been combing his hair into a "faux-hawk" but he wanted a real mohawk. Here's Cool Dude now:


He was very excited! Our friends that are here visiting didn't think it was so cute. We don't really care, he loves it! But I had to put my foot down when he said "mom I need to get my ear pierced and get some earrings so I can really be a cool dude!" I'm not that cool of a mom!

So then it was Tayton's turn for a haircut. He's my conservative little guy. I jokingly said "do you want a mohog too"? He said "no mom, but how about a Pikachu"?
I had to ask what he meant, for all I knew he wanted me to cut little horn-like ears into his hair. He cleared that up by telling me that he needed me to cut the shape of Pikachu into his hair..........I'm okay at hair cutting but not that good! Then he told me I'd need hair dye to add the red and black parts of Pikachu. Oh did I mention he brought out his stuffed Pikachu so I'd have a model to cut by. I told him I'd do my best and just gave him a regular trim. Silly kid! I told him that I was sorry it didn't work out and he replied "that's okay, maybe you can just paint him on."

Maybe...

Korbinology presents: Capliced

It's 2:48 am on Tuesday night. We're in Evansville, IN headed toward Ft Knox, KY. We have about another hour and a half left to go. We just stopped for fuel because paying $4.15/gallon was way better than what we paid last stop at $4.40/gallon. Well Cool Dude woke up at the stop but didn't want to get out to go to the bathroom. GRRR!

Here's the conversation in the car as we start driving again:

Korbin said "Dad can you please go slow"?
Dad: "Why?"
Korbin: "so we don't get catched up by the capliced"

(Capliced is Korbins word for Cops/Police) We live on an Army post so it's much simpler there. We simply have MP's. Easy enough.

We laugh quietly so we don't hurt his feelings or raise any suspicions that he might have made up this word.

Korbin: "102. Thats the speed limit."

Korbin: "when you go to sleep then it goes onto 2 then you go a little faster, right Mom."

Mom: "yes." (not that I have a clue what that statement meant but I wanted to hear more!)

Dad: "go back to sleep bud!"

Why on earth would Kirke want to end this fabulous conversation? MEN!!
Now I have no entertainment! Super! Thanks Kirke!


And since we're on the topic of Capliced, this weekend, as I mentioned a million times my nephew and nieces were here...well not here since I'm in the middle of nowhere Indiana, but they were at my house. Anyhow, Zach has lived many places but never on an Army post. So when a MP (military police)drove past our house he said "look a cop!" Nicholas, Brandy's son looked at Zach confused. I then jumped in and said "duh you know the civilian word for MP's". He got his macho face back on and said "I know that". It was funny.

Seriously?

Seriously? Did they really HAVE to go to all the trouble of doing this for me to take a picture of them? Really I took tons and tons of pictures while my nieces and nephew were hanging out with us. I did! I promise I did! Maybe they missed all of the "smile" and clicking and flashing that was going on around them? Did they really have to do this to get me to take some pictures? And what a great husband I have! He went into the dining room, found what you're about to see and says "grab the camera you're gonna want pictures of this"! He was right.

Here is Summer. Isn't she lovely? She really is adorable...without the frosting!



Olivia demonstrates the God given rights of the birthday girl. I must have missed where it said "birthday child may paint their face with icing as the see fit".


I'm pretty sure Zoe was getting ready for some ritualistic song and dance around a campfire with maraca's and drums. Or she was the ringleader...


Our dear sweet Cool Dude was not going to miss out on this artistic opportunity either. He has learned something in the past five years and knew that I was not going to love this creation.



And here we have a great picture that demonstrates the advances that Tayton has made over the past year with his SI (Sensory Integration) disorder. He generally can't stand to have any kind of messy, sticky, gooey or wet substance on his face/hands. Here you can see how uncomfortable it's making him but he really just wanted to join the fun. I was so proud of his achievement. Maybe next time he can try to show me his progress through finger painting?


Now being that Zachary is now nearly 11 he must have decided he didn't want to hang with the "little kids". This was him with the first cupcake before the others started their make overs....but it's pretty accurate of how he looked after the cupcake masquerade.

When we think they aren't listening...

When we think they aren't listening, later we find out they heard everything!

I know this because I hear my kids say thing that make my jaw drop.

Now this example is not something we said but appearantly something from the bee movie.

Zach was acting crazy yesterday and spinning around trying to get a laugh out of everyone. He said he wanted a tutu and high heels. To which Tayton, my sweet innocent loving Tayton said "then you would be a drag queen!".

How on Earth does a 6 year old know that phrase and then use it in the inappropriate appropriate situation? I thought I was gonna die right then and there from laughing shock, horror and disbelief!

And now he is chanting "drag queen, drag queen what do you see"? To the rhythm of Brown Bear! How do I not laugh and explain that it might be a little inappropriate for him to run around chanting that when it's so freakin funny?

Tayton and Korbin say some of the craziest off the wall things. Sometimes in pure sweet honest child like innocence. And other times it's in complete efforts to make me bust out laughing.

We had a great day!

My life with six kids was so much fun that last night I added one more cause I wondered what it would be like with seven. Then today I thought awww what the heck lets see how many kids we can handle. Fortunately we know people with lots of kids so that was easy.

Before I start to add pictures I need you to know that sometimes I'm a little unconventional. I do things that most people would probably think is crazy. For example when the boys were little for Korbins first birthday we bought an inflatable bouncer. In March in Alaska it is too cold to use it outside. My solution was to move my bedroom into a smaller room and use the master bedroom for a playroom complete with inflatable bouncer. Another example is that when we first got the boys bunk beds they could climb up no problem. The problem was getting down so we went out and got one of those slides you use when you build your own swingset and attached it to the beds so they could get down safely......and quickly!

So anyhow my latest crazy idea was that we should put our new pool inside. No not in the kitchen or anything although I did want to move the living room into the dining room cause I am running out of ideas for rearranging. Anyhow like I was saying, the pool needed to be inside because I wanted the kids to be able to use it more than just on sunny days and during the daylight......Ok ok ok......I wanted to be able to swim after the kids are done for the day without being eaten alive by gigantic Missouri bugs.

Here's some pictures from our day:
Here we are with a gazillion people in the pool.

















And another:




















And isn't this the sweetest picture?
Kirke and our neice and Amber's youngest.






















I love this picture because it is so real. Here we have two boys who's worlds have just been turned upside down. One whose daddy is off fighting a war and another whose just lost the second dad in his life and now, in his words, "I don't even have a dad at all now". But in the midst of all of this they can still be ten year old boys and laugh and have fun and be real without the worries of the darkness in their lives. I want to be able to do the same.























And now the last picture because Kirke is tired. As if it's 1am or something geesh! Oh right it is.... So anyhow here are our other two neices and of course Cool Dude. Aren't they so cute! I really love these kids!

















Oh but wait one more! Just one more because I'm so happy to have Kirke home for a few weeks and I really mean that and this picture proves it!



















Oh shoot I lied. One more cause I just saw it when I added that one and it's funny.