Happy New Year :) Happy Silvester!

Happy New Year From the Richardson Family!

Tonight we are making some goodys and going to a friends house for drinks and celebrating :)  We always have such a great time with all of them.  We built a fire in our little fire pit, and we stand around it staying warm....roasting marshmallows (which many Germans have never done).   We got a bunch of fireworks.  I have one special firework, actually a lantern....for my grandpa who passed this year.  We are going to light his name on it and hopefully it will fly way way up in the sky :)


This year besides the loss of grandpa was great.  We went to Spain, we got a new dog, Isaac started school, John is in the tower program, we had our niece visit, we traveled alot!, We finally hung up curtains (HUGE to an army family)  lol....it was a very great year to us.  I only hope the next year is as good!


Happy New Years Everybody! 
Love, The Richardson Family

Emmy and Santa

Click here to view these pictures larger

Zoey and Santa

Click here to view these pictures larger

More pics!

Zoeys play....she was a billy goat :)

Taking a good nap, we were both sickly :(

Boys First fight at school......he did not cry or fight back....teacher said he is to sweet!  Awwww......

Photos

Boys first day of school

I guess its been awile......

Seems all my posts start out that way...?  I guess my new goal is to blog every two weeks, that seems normal right?   lol   

Hmm... what have we been up to?  Christmas shopping, organizing, cleaning, moving furniture :) (which I love), thrift store runs, more cleaning, and keeping the kids busy since its dark at 5pm.

Our Christmas shopping is almost done....Kids have made their lists, and santa has gotten 2/3rds of the goods.  I managed to get Isaac and Zoey about all done, but Emmy is just so......Emmy?   She really wants a R/C helicopter, but I have heard nothing but horrible stories about them.  I want her present to last more than a week.....or a day!

This year we are trying to focus on quality stuff for the kids.  I have done alot of thinking about this.  I mean, we buy our kids stuff, and 2-3 months later they are all over the floor, broken, or in the trash already!  Being the huge recycler that I am I am putting more thought into what we are getting them.  Thinking about how long they will last and such.   We are also having the kids make presents for each other, and for mom and dad ;)  I am trying to teach them that Christmas is not about material things.  It could be just spending time together.  It could be a song or poem that you wrote.  I wish that I would have started it a long time ago.  

John and I are starting a new tradition for each other....I go the idea off a blog I read.   We never know what to get each other because    well, we can buy it whenever we want during the year.   So I came across this post call "want, need, share, read"  So its pretty self explanatory Something we want, need, to share and something to read.  I though it was a neat idea so we are trying it this year.

Last weekend, we tore apart the house....We got a 32" Tv for the living room on black friday to replace the 46" that was up here.  It just seemed that the living room was so crowded, so we decided to make a movie room downstairs.  John used to have a bar down there....which was nice but we have put it to better use and have a nice family room down there now.  SO now our upstairs living room is less crowded and made room for the tree!  It seems it is much easier to keep clean now to, Which I love :)

All that moving stuff led to organizing stuff....I should take a picture, I really have a knack for organizing stuff!  I dont know if its a problem or a good thing?  I love to have things organized but I do manage to make a huge mess in the process :)  A few weeks back Zoey and I did the kitchen, that led to a thrift store box.....   Then we did our storage room, which led to the laundry room next to it.....which led to thinking about how to better use the "Bar".  It was king of a snowball effect I think.   I then got a huge box of raft stuff off ebay for a great price.....something i really wanted :)   Which then led to completely cleaning the craft room!  Its so nice to have a craft haven ;)  I love locking myself in there!

I have managed in the last month to make another $73 check from selling stuff at the thrift store.  Last month was $93 ;)  Makes me happy ;)  I like to have a little money to add to our family :)

Alright, going to post this now as my stomach is demanding some breakfast!
Pictures to follow I swear :)

Loves,
Sarah

I have music now!

Yeah! found a new feature!  I love it...I have music now!  I picked some of my favs, Mostly the ones I sing in my car :)  Ill will be posting some pics and blogging later...the man is making me breakfast because I am sickly today so Ill be on my laptop for awile today....you know being sickly :)

Youtube videos.....

Search richngermany, and Viola  you have all our home movies!!! Tahh dauhhh :)  I did 22 videos in the last 24 hours!

http://www.youtube.com/user/richngermany

Oh yeah, new look!!

Found out how to update the look, took a while to figure out...and the home, and other buttons on the top right so not work, but its cool huh :)  Yeah

Off to Ramstien if my hubby ever gets home.  Zoey and I are off to return some curtain rods and go thrift storing....if thats a word :)

I swear I will put up more pics.....someday.  lol

Busy days and Sick days.....

Busy, Busy....Sick, Sick!!!
I guess it is that time of year when the whole family gets sick. John and I have been down for a couple days now. The kids seem to be fine, have not gotten sick yet......Im sure they are the cause of all this, or maybe I need to not wash my hands and be snotty like them. Is that the trick? Ive had a sore throat for a week now, and am finally going to make a Dr. appt. and have it looked at. Its hard getting into our clinic unless your Active duty... That and I am notorius for putting off the Dr. or Dentist for myself. Kids appt. Ill have them all organized and back to back for efficiaency but not for mom. Im getting better at it though. Last month I had a wizdom tooth yanked out of my face, which was no fun at all let me tell you. But seems like cake compared to some stories i have heard! That and I am lucky enough to have only gotten one in life....thats it...only one wizdom tooth! yeahh! Never been so happy to be short changed!

I have managed to fill the time that I am alone while Isaac is at school doing everything under the sun! Every Tuesday and Thursday I got to the thrift store to consign stuff that we no longer use. Stuff that has been sitting in our basement, stuff the kids have outgrown, old costumes, even stuff I find on the side of the road! i have made probably close to $50 on stuff that people throw out....not IN the trash but set to the side...I have no shame! Its lining my pockets just fine thank you :)

Ive also started doing the book orders at school, it seemed very hectic at first and well I have only done one full month but it is easier than I thought. Ive gotten my van repaired from my husband and his shenanigans in the van! it seems that if you drive a Hum-vee that you can drive anything.... well hum-vees are a little more forgivale if you scratch them against a wall...lol
Which brings me to another thing......this HOOPTIE I am driving while I am getting it repaired...its just that..... I guess we opted out for rental insurance for some reason, so the place that is repairing it was nice enough to loan us a free rental while its getting fixed up. This "thing" is a Chrysler Dodge Neon 96', now I guess I am stuck up now or really spoiled because it really is a beater! I hate driving it and I miss my van terribly! It was supposed to be done last week but I guess they had to repaint some stuff because it was not an exact match. I just want to give her a big ol' hug when I get her back! I WILL NEVER COMPLAIN ABOUT THE PAYMENT AGAIN! I know I will get alot of years out of that van, and that it is safe! ahhh... enough about the car already!

I also got myself a puppy.....or should I say toddler! he is such a ball of energy, morning till night! he is in the habit of sneaking up or downstairs and making a "mess" so i have managed to block off the up and downstairs so this does not happen. He follows me everywhere, He chews up everything, he is a handful. But he is SOOOO cute. He is alot of fun. He loves all of us. And the strangest thing......I had shoulder pain so bad in my left shoulder, some days I could not lift my arm! It was all stress related. Since I got him it is GONE....not one day since I had him. It was like a dull stabbing ...strangest thing! He is learning some things quicker than others....He can sit, lay down, up, and we are working on shake. We are also learning boundries and stay. He loves to go out the front door and make a mad dash.....anywhere but were we call him. The other day I was upstairs cleaning, and john was in and out of the garage getting tools, helping me hang shelves and curtains....that little dog snuck out and got about a mile away! One of our neighbors was out walking (in the rain no doubt) and spotted him and brought him home to us! I was so mad at John for not paying attention! At the time he did not have his collar on, and we have only had him a little less than a month. I am glad I got him microchipped! He is trying to eat my feet as I am typing this!

John has finished his math class in statistics....I think at one point he had smoke coming out of his ears! Poor thing! He is so smart it amazes me! I am so proud of him! He is also doing good in the tower program, getting his tests done and closer to getting his rating that he needs. He is doing tons more classes to get his degree so we can move up a lil in life.

The kids are so busy in school, homework and being kids that there not much to say. Isaac is loving sure start. He starts off in the morning watching Sesame Street with mom. We get dressed after eating, and we wait outside for his little van to come get him. He is the only kid on this little german ladys route. They love each other....she turns the music up and they jam all the way to school! Its really cute. And everyday like clockwork he is asleep in the van ride home......its so sweet!

Emmy is making huge progress in her reading and writing. She has a specials class everyday for 30 mins that is one on one with a special reading teacher. Last year we found out she has a learning disability, so the school is required to provide this for her and we jumped on it! She is still a bit behind her peers, but she is catching up quick. She is so into learning to, you can just see it in her eyes!

Zoey is busy doing anything but work! She has managed to get into trouble every week almost! Her teacher last year suggested ADD testing, we really brushed it off....until this year that her new teacher suggested it also. I have agreed to have her tested and we will go from there. John was very against it at first, until one day when something clicked and he was like "I see it now". We are still waiting on the verdict on all this, but I am almost positive she will benifit from medication and therepy. It amazes me how smart she is......REALLY She brings home a packet of all the work they did that week and I have to go through it and sign it. Its crazy some work is 100-95-90% others 60-50 or even incomplete..... Her teacher says that instead of doing her work she reads books when she is to be doing her work. This has sent her to the principles office twice this year! She is the yongest person in her class, and most likely the whole fifth grade! Yet she is really one of the top students if she would just focus on things!


Yesterday we took photos at the pumpkin truck Ill add next, I want to get this posted before soemthing fails and Im lose all this typing...lol

Thanks for reading my rants :)

Meet our newest addition :)

We just got him today! any name ideas?

Oh boy!

My little mans first day of school is here...I am so sad to see my little go. I hate shopping alone, Im so used to my little sidekick! He was to ride the bus today but they had some conract issues with the german drivers so he will ride the bus tomorrow. He was really excited to ride the bus too! So now Dad and I are driving him, and then john has to go to work so Ill be on my own after he is gone :( I have a little list of stuff to do, to keep me busy. :::::::Sigh:::::::

Yesterday I went to the dentist because I had another filling break. I have two now that are broken so I faced my fears and went in. They put some temp stuff in and I found out I have a cavity in my wizdom tooth. Awile back they told me I could keep it, but know it has to go. So Thursday I am going in and getting it "extracted" -man I hate that word. I had a long chat with the Dr. and I told him I would rather give birth than sit in a dental chair. They finally agreed to give me Valium because they do not have gas :( grrr.... I was sweating just sitting in the chair, and he is trying to convince me that his calm soothing voice will help me and I wont need any Valium. I told him I am not coming in without it!!! So, Thurday I am laughing my way all the way to the dentist!

Gatta run now, get the boy ready for school........sniff sniff.........

Loves,
Sarah

Enjoying the fireworks show!

St. Johns fireworks

Crazy loud, yet awesomely exciting! What a blast! Our kids are in the emergency vest you wear when your car breaks down.....so we can spot them....such a smart mom!

:::::::::::::::::sigh::::::::::::::::

Boy what an overwhelming summer! Its super nice to be able to just melt into the couch for a day!

I guess we are settled back into our routine, only to start school next week....NEXT WEEK!!! I am super nervous to send lil Isaac off to school! We are not sure if he got in yet, He will not start until Sept. 15th. I have gotten all the school stuff ready, clothes are ready, we got haircuts, new glasses, qualified for free lunch even!!!! -but not last year??? Hey Im not complaining! We even have the girls teachers for next year!

I have unpacked all the bags, put most of our goodies away, still washing the laundry though. I have caught up on my shows, cleaned the house....which was clean when we left??? I think I did not see the table for like 4 days! It makes me crazy to have a messy house, and everyone is cranky! So we did a day of cleaning and have started to plan our dinners out so I am not at the store every single day!!!

Our next phase is paying for all the fun we had. It sure was fun....but in the back of my head I knew it would stink when I saw the credit card statement. Lets just say I am glad the kids are liking Top Ramen ;) We have had to adjust a little but I want to pay off my C.C. by x-mas or at least like 80% of it! I have a few tricks up y sleeve to pull some cash out of places. I really got into consigning before I left, so I went through the kids clothes and am selling a bunch of still good used clothes, mostly boys as I gave alot to a good friend. We have tons of stuff in our basement that is jsut sitting down there. I made close to $120 last time I sold some stuff! I was dropping some stuff off to donate and there was a guy there telling me I should just consign it...so I did ;) And it just grew from there.... an old DVD player from the basement. Old bikes that are to small, a playhouse, a vanity the girls grew out of, A toy box that was forever empty?, shoes, johns clothes because he wears stuff once or twice and then does not like it? Stuff I did not miss, and felt good to get rid of!

Our summer.......

June we went to Spain. Long drive, great weather. What an adventure! the first two nights were not so fun, mosquitos, heat, ick! Day three John managed to fix the A/C and I was SOOOOO much happier!! Had experienced things that I never thought I would of. A festival in Hospitalet d' Infant that was called "st. Johns" fitting right? Fireworks, people walking through the streets together to get to the main event...a HUGE bonfire! The fireworks were awesome! Ill add video! Something I am positive that I will never see again and lucky to have seen it! I loved Spain!

July was Johns neice Brooke. We did almost everything I could think of....then I got a lil tired of driving and some days I just needed a break. We went to Legoland, Holiday Park, Dauchau concentration camp, Rothenberg, Fasanerie (free zoo), Mainz, Frankfurt, Eppstein castle, Heidleberg castle, Amsterdam, Wiesbaden, Im sure there is tons more... I give a mean tour....except my toes was broken like the week before so I was a little more lazy than usual. It was fun to spend time with her though, she is a good kid and I am sure she was ready to go home at the end of all of it!

August was the states..... more family in three weeks than I knew I had ;) I loved dumping my kids off and being "Sarah" again. Some days I even ditched the man. We needed a lil time apart anyways. And I needed time with my best friend. She is the one I call 2-3 times a week, talk almost everyday online, I needed to connect with myself and my friends! I wish I had another month to see everyone. I did not even see my dad which I feel bad, I just did not have enough time. I managed my time there as good as I could, I just could not do everything!

We also did a three day layover in Arizona which was lovelys! I had a great time there last year and it was great this time to. I got to meet my husbands extended family and it was really a good time! A lil hot for my taste, I guess thats what I get for coming in August!!! he he

Like I said before, now we are just sitting around enjoying have a little bit of normal. doing projects around the house, cleaning, and just getting back to the norm..... I have to much to write about and my computer is overflowing with pictures!

Off to make dinner ;)

Oh, I also failed to mention we have traveled 2000 miles in less than a month! Almost $1200 in gas in 30 days!!!!

Feeling the need to Blog again, its been awile and Ive been putting it off I guess....

First off, Spain was wonderful. It was a long drive and we finally got the and they had upgraded our house due to contruction in the next house over. They told us it was much bigger and more private. Which it was a nice house however, it hadnt been opened up in like 6 months! There was mold in our room, and a mysterious smell from the pan cabinet? We aired it out and made the best out of it! That night we realized that we should not of opened up the house so much because EVERY MOSQUITO IN SPAIN CAME IN! My poor children got ate up so bad it was borderline pondering sleeping in the van! The next night we aired the house closed up everything and killed bugs for what seemed like an eterity! Only to die from the heat once we laid down!! I tell ya, I was really ready to sleep in the car at that point. The place had an air conditioner, they told us was broken?!? I remember being in a half daze staring at the AC praying for it to magically turn on! The next day we bought a fan! Finally that day I told John to monkey with it and he finally got around to it and low and behold got the thing to work! I could of re-married that man all over again.......In our delerious attempt to cool off and finally figuring it out John ran to the neighbors to tell them he may be able to fix theirs....only to find they did not have one in there house.....He felt so dumb, and offered to let them sleep in our house if they needed.

After we got that all figured out we were much more comfortable! We enjoyed the beaches, we drank Sangria, we went to Barcelona, ate tapas, drove to a giant fish market and took amazing photos (more to come), we had an amazing time with our great friend Harry and Yvi (our German neighbors), we got lost, we saw amazingly beautiful sunsets, an awesome firework festival.....festival St. John to be exact...lol, we loved every minute of it....after the AC was on.... I dont know if I would ever go back there again, im more of a see it once type of person......I am thinking Italy again, if the finances will let us. After Spain, traveling all over Germany this past 2 weeks and going to the states in a few days, I think we may just do camping next year! Which I am game for that! Ill live on cheap noodles to be able to afford to experience the world. if that made sense....I had to read it a few times :)

In the last two weeks we have had family here. We have went to Legoland, Holiday park, Dachua concentration camp, Rothenberg, Wiesbaden, Ramstein, the Fasanerie (free zoo), and have two more weeks of stuff planned to include Amsterdam, Koln, and as many more trips as I can squeeze in financially. We have eaten alot of noodles lately.......

We are set to fly to the great U.S. of A. on the 29th of July....still awaiting confirmation whatever that means.....John says it is to confirm the food? Never in all my days have I had to wait almost 4 days for food confirmation...whatever?!? We have printed out a calendar to pencil people in so everyone gets a good share of us, I hate scheduals!! I really want to spend time with my grandma, I feel I should be there with her...and for her. I have planned a day with her so she can teach me to make pork friend rice :) She makes it better than an asian cook I SWEAR! mmmmm my mouth is watering just thinking of it! She says "the secret is there is no secret" So that works for me :)

My pictures are all upstairs and I am oh so cozy on my couch.....I shall do a picture post again....so read and enjoy :)

Be home SOON!!!!!!! YEAHHHHH!!!

Going to Spain

Tomorrow, the van is leaving and we are off to Spain!! YEAH!! We are all packed up and letting dad sleep while we watch a movie in quiet. We are leaving at 2AM in the morning, and have LOADS of stuff packed. I made mini blueberry muffins, chex mix, and muddy buddie mix. Which is p.butter, butter and choc. chips melted in a bowl. Stir chex in, then coat that with powdered sugar....and its mmmm mmmmm good. First time I ever made it and I had to pull myself off it! It was just that good! :)

So, we will be home in 2 weeks. All tan and relaxed (hopefully) and nice and rested! Not to mention homesick and missing our cat, Smokey :)

Sarah

Old photos from the past.................

Row houses in Wiesbaden.

Cool house down by Eppstien, its ALIVE!

Johns Awesome shot of a frozen downtown Wiesbaden.

Walked down to the Rhein River.

New Years after a few glasses of whatever they gave me ;)

I guess I have a new fan ;)

Hi pop, thanks for reading ;)

Anywhoo, heres the latest "scoop"

Last week John won tickets to go see ZZ Top. We are super excited to go.....if we can find a sitter! I remember my mom going to see them 20 years ago! ZZ Top has been around for awile!!! Jesh!

Yesterday, we invited 4 couples from our neighborhood to have a BBQ feast at our house :) And feast we did! John started a 7lb brisket at 10 am and we ate at 7pm! It was super good! We made toasted french bread on the grill smothered in garlic oil, and then topped off with my fabulous brushetta mix! Tomatoes, red onions, garlic, balsamic, basil, salt and pepper. Im actually eating that for dinner tonight we had leftovers ;) YUM!

Zoey and I went to Heidelberg this last weekend to go to the crafting store there......yes it is that amazing that we drive 130 miles to go to it!!! We stumbled upon 2 garage sales and made out like bandits!! We then stumbled on a recycle center....and curious me I had to stick my head in!!!
Come to find out people take there stuff there insted of throwing it away! Saving the army money by not having it in the trash, and recycling stuff to people who genuinly want it! I was super pumped! I got a HUGE bag of fabric, zoey some books, a 70 euro slide, some shoes for Zoey, and some magazines ;) Im a huge fan of recycling, and love a good deal. I see alot of Heidelberg in my future!

This last month I have been going to Emmy's class and taking pictures and movies. I volunteered to make a DVD of pictures and mini movies and such for her class. It has turned out to be so much fun. I can bring Isaac with me, which he loves and I get to spend time helping out Emmy and her class. I came in on Emmys birthday and just happend to be Earth Day ;) I made cupcakes with gummy worms on them ;) They loved them. After the cupcakes we went outside and dug in the dirt to see what they could find in the soil. Mostly moss, and sticks. Some found these little red bugs my family calls stink bugs. It was fun playing with the kiddos and they all loved getting there picture taken! Isaac loves going to her class though, they all know his name and he even has his own chair ;)

Today, Zoey and I went out to get out of the house. Dad, Emmy and Isaac wanted to play video games all day and I wanted to be out doing something. So off we went to paint the town, except the town was closed.....German Holiday...I knew before I left, I just wanted to get out though ;) We ended up getting a early fathers day gift for John. We found a coffee mug that looks like a frosty beer mug with froth over the sides :) We gave it to him early because we will be in Spain for fathers day....not a bad place to celebrate it right :)

Now im getting to get into that Brushetta I made :)mmmmmmmm and try and get some more work on that class DVD I am making...I only have a few days left....tick tock tick tock.....

Ill add pics later when Im on the laptop.....
Sarah

My letter to Oprah

Re: advise to military familys. My letter was to long to send in, so I am posting it here. I worked hard on it! :)





I am an army wife, our family has been in the army for almost 10 years now. We have lived in Germany for 8 years now, and enjoy it very much. Although we love it now, we had a very hard time adjusting.

We first moved to Germany in 2002, my husband was deployed in 2003. I was left alone in a foreign country to fend for myself and our two very infant daughters. This was the hardest time I have ever endured in my short life.

Many people move overseas not knowing what to expect. Hearing stories other people tell them, or misconceptions they hear through internet, friends, tv, ect. I know when I moved to Germany I thought about bratwurst, beer and horrible Nazi storys. I can tell people from experience its nothing like that...well maybe the beer part!

The best advise I could give to someone is that the army is one very large family. There are some family members you don't get along with, some you like more than others. We all share on common goal, protecting Americas freedom and standing behind our soldiers. I remember when I first came here and had to go to the hospital for an emergency and had no one that I really trusted, I had only been here for 3 months. My neighbors stepped up and took our two small children in and watched them like their own. Family is not just blood, its what you make it.

My other best advise is taking advantage of the places you will be stationed. I know people that have been in Germany for 6 years and never been to any other countries, barely stepping foot off the base. I drag my family out every chance I get to explore new things, how often will we have this chance again? My oldest child was two years old when we got here, she will be 10 years old this year. She has been to 10 countries! We scrimp and save to go on road trips, but we are making memories that will last forever.

Some of the best people Ive ever met where in my army family. Now they come and go all the time, sometimes you meet a few that you don't agree with, that's what makes us all different I guess.

Keeping in contact with family is important also. I try to call my family once a week. I have not seen my mother in three years. She is unemployed and cannot afford to come here, so we take pictures of our house and give her a virtual tour of things. We don't celebrate birthdays together with aunts and uncles. We see family and feel so sad that the time goes by and we don't see the little ones grow. We feel strange around family when we come home because we cannot afford to come home more than every two to three years. We try to stay close. We miss grandma babysitting, or grandmas cookies. They miss important events like the first day of kindergaden. We sacrifice these things and a lot of American don't realize.

We make home wherever we are. We make family wherever we are. Home is where the Army takes us. We also get culture shock when we go home :)

Thanks for recognizing the military and the family's who keep them going.

Sarah Richardson
Proud US Army wife to SGT. John M Richardson
Go Army HOOAH!!!

Another day around the Richardson house. We have been outside playing and talking to the neighbors.We have planned our route to Spain this June. We are all looking forward to a much needed vacation! Zoey and I went to Spain when John was in Iraq. Emmy was to little to bring. I think Zoey was around 3 1/2-4 when we went and she still remembers a few things about Spain. We went on a bus trip with our neighbors and we all had kids the same age. I remember it was a very long bus ride! It seemed like forever getting there and back. We only stayed three nights in a hotel. Zoey and I went to a midevil show and after that we watched a flamenco show :) That was a lot of fun! I will never forget when my neighbor Shawna and I snuck out after the kids were asleep to the lobby area where there was a bar and they had a guy playing karaoke on a keyboard. I was sippin on something fruity at the bar and there was like 5 people there including the bartender and the guy playing the music.....My friend Shawna got down! She jumped
up there and started singing "Thriller" she knew all the words and even did the dance!!! I laughed so hard I think I almost cried!!! That was my favorite memory of spain. Well worth the 15+hours in a crappy slow bus! I also remember it was super hot and the ocean was beautiful. We all ran down to the water to cool off and it was like icewater cold... so cold it gave you like a ice cream headache! I think I can still feel it somedays............

I also remember almost dying trying to get up this mountain to see a rather famous monastery called Monserate I think that's how you spell it. The roads just went up and up and up and up. It was windy and I swear the bus driver had to push his mirrors in to pass the other tour buses! I had to just breath and look away at that point... And when we finally got to the top I was like "THIS IS IT" I risked my life to see a statue of Madonna that turned black mysteriously....
what the heck...... :) I will tell you we wont be going to see that this time around.

I am looking forward to spending two weeks in a warm sunshiny country :) I know it will be super hot some days and I get super crabby when I am hot...Ill just have to breath and shake it off.... and remember that this will be the most sun my body will see until I either return or a miracle happens and we actually get a summer in Germany this year.

Most summers here it gets up to like 95 which is plenty hot for me. Those are the days we put the TV in the basement close all the windows, and go out and play at like 8pm when its bearable. I know it sure felt good to have a lil sun today. It got up to 65 today I think, which is really warm for April 1st!!!!

In July we are having our niece come to visit us. I am super stoked to show her around :) Her and I get along real well. I have know her since she was 5 years old. She will be having her sweet 16th here. John and I want to take her to the Eiffel tower or somewhere special on that day. How many kids can say that :) John will be working most the days so we will do longer trips on the weekends and such. I will be taking her and the girls to do day trips while dad is at work.

In august we are going home!!! The girls have not seen there grandmas in 3 years!!! It is long overdue! We got free plane tickets for John re-enlisting. We are not rich, just Richardsons...baa dummpp dummp :) Errrr........ So we are planning on coming home as long as we can. We originally wanted to come home for the 4th, but they are not doing the fireworks this years:(
So we are going to the Clark County Fair. I have not been to the fair for probably 8 years! I remember putting the girls in the cutest baby contest :) Emmy was 4 months old. She will be 8 this month.....Jeshhhh!

I think I wrote enough for today :) Ive been trying to pass time and ended up writing a novel. Whatever, its my blog and ill
blog if I want to right?

CIAO BELLA ;)

Oh let the sun shine though!

We have had the most beautiful weather the last 2 days. We are due for a whole week of sun, I am so grateful! I have been outside all day shopping, driving, sunbathing :) I almost forgot how good the sunshine feels on my shoulders:) Ahhhhhhhhh.....................

Pics and forgotten stuff

John is not going to BNOC untill April 6th. So that is good news to me. He was suppose to leave this last Sat. and got the news on Friday. And now, some pictures :)


John and the boy making cake cakes :) Isaac ate 6!
John dancing at the BBQ :)

Updates and Ect....

Well, my thyroid is outta whack again. I have had it checked twice in three weeks. The first time I went to the Dr. in Feb. for heartburn. He gave me some meds, and I had my thyroid checked just in case..... well it turned out my thyroid was over 100, with 20-30 being normal. So I continued with my thyroid meds and went in a week ago for headaches. The Dr. had me do my thyroid again. It was 0.3? Which she had not seen it go from sooo high to so low in her carear. So now I am taking half a pill and going back in three weeks to see if it is around normal this time. I also got refered to a different Dr. to get my back checked on. She was real good to :) And I was lucky enough to get in to her the next day after seeing the Dr. for my headaches. I am feeling loads better now. The third Dr. I saw gave me muscle relaxers and some Naproxin, for inflammation. Boy, those muscle relaxers are no joke. After drooling on myself, and getting like 20hrs of sleep. I am rested and relaxed and felling a lot better. I am trying to take it easy and not lift stuff, and stretch out and relax a little more. Which is no easy task :)

Last night we had some friends over, mostly our German neighbors. They are a lot of fun and love to come over and mingle with us Americans :) John taught the guys to play Texas hold em' and I sat upstairs and fed people get this......German Chocolate cake :) It was our first BBQ of the season, and many more to come I am sure!!

Now I am off to find an adventure to do.......and take my camera out and find something to take pictures of. Any suggestions?

Bored or Boring...

Ive taken a liking to reading blogs. I have this wonderful program called stumbleupon that takes me to a random website and I love it. I believe I stumbled on this program to start a blog. I have a few that I follow, and a few that I keep an eye on.

Been busy this last 2 weeks, no blogs to busy to type...well sort of. I am trying to sqeeze in all my time with my husband, he is going to Alabama for 2 months to do his schooling for his E-6 rank. He is also taking a super intense math class on every other weekend. He is doing great at it and is finished now. In fact, his last day I "broke into" his car and placed a case of beer on his seat. He was shoked and admitted to me later that when his test was over he really just wanted a beer :) He also has been taking the a class to be his units internet guy. He was basicly typing e-mails to me all day and surfing the net and still managed to get a 80% on his test!?! Who does that? I swear he could pass any test. Thats why I am so gald that he is doing his college classes. All to make a better life for our family. I love him more for that :)

Zoey has found a new friend is class, she has stayed the night a few times at there house and she has been here. I took her to her friends house the other day and realized the "mom taxi" has just started! Ugh..... She is also becoming a tween. She is developing more and more everyday, and her attitude is about three years ahead of her. I hope she stays sweet for just a little longer. I think I jsut heard a grey hair comeout....is that possible?

Emmy is still busy and bold as always. The girls loves to buy work books with her money, the kind you buy specific for their grade level. It tickles me, Zoey wants make-up or earrings. Emmy always buys workbooks or books, oh and especially writing tablets. She loves to fill up the pages with whatever spills out of her brain. She is very creative and art is definatly her output. She still has her "emotional outbursts" I am trying to comfort her more when she is frustrated, which is a big step as she does not liked to be touched very much. We are still waiting for her results from her school. We have a pretty good idea that she has some kind of learning disablility, I am waiting on pins and needles for it. The school told me March 15th, so I am waiting by the phone.

Isaac is such a bold boy! He is always running or flying or carrying some kind of truck or toy. he is sitting next to me now with his Thomas trains in his hands. His new thing is going to the park. He is now big enough I can let him out with sisters and they watch him pretty good. There is a 2-3 inch deep creek that they love to"fish" in. I tell them to stay out but they never listen. Last week, Isaac had about thirty little bumbs removed from his legs. He has had this rash called Mollescum for about a year. It drove me crazy! Finally his doc sent me to a specialist and they were very nice to him! His ingenius mother finally got him to put on his lotions by buying a clear bottle and putting Thomas stickers on it. I also get him to eat carrots by putting stickers on some tupperware and telling him they are Thomas carrots :) Hook, line and sinker :) Go Mom!

I have been so busy I never take time out for myself. I have finally made a Dr. appt for tommorrow to go and see why I am getting headaches EVERY day! They are not super intense, but enough to make me want to take a pill (which I hate pills). I am sitting in the dark right now at 2pm because I am stubborn and dont want to take a tylenol again. I have been driving my husband crazy lately, he is always telling me to go to the Dr. and get "fixed up". I have been having back pain also, like the headaches not enought to want to take a pill most days, but enough to make me wanna lay and sleep all day. I am ganna have that looked into also. I fell like I am much older on the inside. I am 28 on a perscription heartburn pill?!? MY dr. says I need to manage my stress better and maybe take another d**m pill. I hate pills! Half the time I dont take my Thyroid pill and I know I need to. I just hate putting anything in my body. I have been religiously taking my thyroid now and Im not sure but I think that where my headaches came from......its a vicious circle I tell ya. I really miss having a regular Dr., someone who recognizes your face and can remember a little something about your med. history without a computer in there office!

Funny storie, well a little funny.... Last night the cat was being wierd, franticly trying to get into the fish stuff we keep under the tank. Well john put a pillow in front of it. I was thinking he was trying to get into the fishflakes that sometimes fall on the floor. Come to find out, this morning John pulled out a dried up sucker fish from his mouth and that what he was trying to get! I guess sometime last night the sucky fish jumped out the tank somehow, landing behind the tank. And people wonder where those wierd smells come from in there house. I am glad to have a cat somedays :)

Last week our plasma went out, for the second time. Word to the wise...never by a toshiba! Or a plasma for that matter. Now I am watching the girls t.v. with a portable dvd player....oh the irony! We have a DVD player, but the wire are to short to reach the t.v. and I love the portable more anyways. What happend to the old giant t.v. that lasted a 110 years? They just dont make em like they used to!

Long Blog, sorry lots to write about.

This past sunday we cleaned out our garage. It was funny because it was finally nice outside and you could sure tell because all the Germans were outside in their yard and garages cleaning out all the dead stuff and tidying up for spring. John and I just laughed, it was like little ferrets popping outta there holes for summer :) We definalty need sun here!

I think thats my news for now, waiting for the girls to get home.
Sarah

Ill post some new pics soon :)

Sickness.....

Ugh, today the whole family is sick....cough cough.... I am sitting here hot as heck, and having to take care of the crew. Dad is being a good help however. He is home today also, he caught our bug. Our neighbors are sick. A lot of our friends are sick, its just everywhere! So we chose to barricade the door and fight it out! I think the girls are getting better, Isaac still has a fever.

This last weekend I got to go out and let my hair down. John surprised me with a babysitter and we were invited to got out to dinner with a bunch of the barrack boys and a few married couples. Two of them turned 21 which made me feel very old! John was my DD and everyone elses so I got to drink with the boys which I must say I surprised myself. Sips off stuff and 7-8 shots of Jag later I was feeling no pain. I had a lot of fun being with the younger "kids" and not being a mom for a little while :) made it home and slept like a baby. I woke up a little slow but not to bad. Now that I think of it I was probably starting to get sick that morning.

I hope this sickness goes away, I am hot and sick of coughing!

Yesterday I got news of another death in our family. My brother in laws uncle died at 49 of a heart attack. Uncle bob was a blast to be around and even more fun to camp with. I feel for his family and for my brother shawn. We all have had such a bad year, I only hope it gets better. Rest in peace bob, save me a camping spot in the sky :)


This recent loss of people makes you realize that life is short sometimes. It makes you wonder what an impact people make on you, and the impact you make on others. I came to a conclusion that I DO NOT want to smoke in my 30's. I dont think anyone ever plans on being a smoker when they grow up. No one plans on being out of shape, overweight ect. Life happens, and then life stops sometimes. I love my life most of the time, and I want to see my babys grow up. I want to live to be 92 like my Great Grandma Pearl. I guess the key is wanting to live that long, and I guess being stubborn helps to :)

Thats my news for now, Sarah

FYI

you can click on the pics to make them bigger.....I jusst learned that thought i would share.

broken pipes, boredom, and field trips

Yesterday for some odd reason I went up to the girls room while they were at school to turn off the light up there. I dont know what brought me up there perhaps my moms intuition. As soon as I walked in I smelled water.....not normal for the fourth floor. I walked over to the water heater (we have no idea why it is in the top floor) and it was leaking water! A good steady drip too! So I frantically ran downstairs and grabbed the phones to call John. I managed to turn off the power to the heater. John had told me to turn off the master switch in the basement so I went down there and was trying to figure out which one and such and noticed a pipe in the basement was dripping.... well a landlord and plumber/electrician later its all good now. Always trust your gut....Im sure it could of been alot worse! Now I know why hubby turns off the heater when we leave on vacation.

Today I batteling boredom, its like 10 am the house is clean, the laundry is done. The dishes are ganna stay messy...I pay a little girls to do them. I feel like I am slowly running out of things to do. I am turning into the old lady that scrapbooks....... I swear I would never turn into a boring housewife. Maybe I need to move to "Wisteria lane" and become a desperate housewife. Even the poor boy is laying on the couch watching Judge Judy.....lol

So I guess we are going to get dresses and maybe go to the library or meet dad for lunch. Check the mail, and be bop around thill the kids get home from school. Last Friday we went on a field trip with Emmy class. John, Isaac and I followed along and did "PT" at the gym, then we went to the post office and learned all kinds of new things about our post office. Next we went to the Army DFAC..............fancy word for cafeteria. They showed us the behind the seens and stuff. Isaac loved being in with all the kids and was super awesome!!! We had a Blast!!! I will enclose a pic of the field trip.

Reese and Isaac beating up Shawn :)

Hmmmm what to write about. I left off on my trip to the states.......

So I got to visit my main family and My husbands family. Its funny with family its like you never left.... I could just pic up a conversation like it was 8 years ago, I miss that. I met a lot of new family members too!

I had a lot of fun going out and doing things and being able to communicate in English....its just the little things :) I lost my mind at a 7-11 starting buying all kinds of things :) I went home at a good time of year, got lots of good deals! It amazed me how many stores and homes have been built. I never drove the whole time I was home! Im glad I went home, it was long overdue. I cant wait to take my girls home next. They are so excited to come home, they miss there grandmas :) Zoey has her own itinerary when she comes home. She is on a mission to find doll house stuff, and fabric! Emmy just wants to play and eat :)

John and I have been thinking of a good beach trip. Its been a long time since Ive been to the west coast. Im not sure thought because before we come home we area schedualed to go to spain for two whole weeks. We may be beached out :)

I miss everyone so much already. I felt bad alot for not being able to do more. I think it was all so sudden and spur of the moment. And it went by so fast! I am sure glad to be home now though...its actually snowing right now, up to about 3 inches! There was snow this morning, and mom outside at 7am shoveling the walk. I dont know what I was thinking...Im just wide awake in the morning, delayed jetlag possibly :)

Im off now, Oprah is on ;)
me

Long Journeys....

Back from the long long long journey to the center of the Earth.....at leat it felt like it! Gosh what a brutal flight with a toddler. Its hard enough to do alone with no kids. Though I am not trying to scare anyone into not coming over. :)

Although my trip was a chaotic mess I enjoyed seeing my family and friends. I even met new family, some I had not seen since 93'. Man that makes me feel old. I wish I could of seen more, done more, and eaten more, I was there to make sure my grammy was doing good, and to help with whatever I could to make anything easier for her. My grandma is one of my favorite people. I miss her the most already.

I did alot of scrambling while in the states. Its always so complicated when I am home, everyone has there own idea of how things go so I just follow. Being jetlagged and grouchy is not a good combo.

Ill have to write more in a little bit, the man must sleep soon and I am ganna show him my pics...Ill upload one now.

Coming home

We managed to get two tickets to come home. Isaac and I will be home the 7th -20th. My grandpa passed away and I need to be with my family. I am both sad and excited to come home. It will be different without my pop there. I just wanna make sure my grandma is o.k.. Sometimes my family at home overlooks thing, and I wanna make sure for myself that my grandma is alright and help her anyway I can. I guess we are not having a funeral, not grandpa style. We are just going to be together and comfort each other. Its been a very long two weeks for my family Im sure they could all use some extra help.

I will write more when I am home (US), and when I know more. I have been busy packing and scanning old photos to bring home. I actually had alot of pictures of my pop, and I am taking them all home to share.

One thing that I will always have from my grandpa is my nickname, "Syrup" I am not sure of the origin.....ill have to ask grandma. I know when I was little I could never say pancake.....it always came out pan a cake.... So I guess ill have to find out. My grandparents are the only one who calls me that.

My grandpa worked for Cleo wrapping paper, he actually was the V.P.. If you bought wrapping paper between the 70s and around the 90s than you most likely bought Cleo Wrap. I am strangely comforted by the smell of wrapping paper, makes me think of my pop. I miss that smell, maybe it was only there brand....... Another thing, since he was the V.P. he had a display room downstairs. All the wrapping paper would be displayed nicely, the bows, ribbons,ect Every so often they would change the decor and grandpa would give us tons and tons of paper and bows and such....It was like christmas to us, we loved to play in the boxes for the rolls. Those are some of the best memories I have as a child. I love you pop pop, and the smell of wrapping paper ;)

Sarah