Full House

Another New Addition

Joe seems to be on a spending spree. I should have anticipated it, but I was hoping it wouldn't happen.  After about a two weeks worth of searching, we got this:

I thought this would be helpful for the kids when they play the sports games:

Like I said, he is on a spending spree.  He couldn't just buy the Wii.  He also bought this:

And because of all of the family jam sessions he has missed, he also had to have this:

We really are having a great time with this system.  It's amazing at all the things it can do!  Here are a few pictures of the family in action.  Even Brady has figured out how to drum!

Let's Roll!

Now that we are on the countdown for Joe to come home, I am eagerly anticipating all of the fun activities we can engage in. One of the things that has been the hardest about this whole deployment experience is the nearly non-exsistant chunks of "me-time".  I shouldn't say that there hasn't been any, but at this point even the fifteen minute trip I got to take to the grocery store a few weeks ago (thanks Natasha!) seemed like a vacation.  Sooooooo....now that Joe will be home and can relieve me on occasion, I have decided to start a Bunko group (or Bunco as most people spell it....I just like it with a "k").  I started one when we lived in Columbus and it was a blast!  We had a diverse group of ladies and it was a welcome break each month where we could just have some good, clean, ladies only fun.  If you live anywhere near me, this is your official invitation.....

You're invited to join my Bunko group!

For those of you who don't know anything about it, here is a basic breakdown. 

• 12 women meet once a month at someone's home. You rotate each month, so each player hosts once per year. 
• Typically, a meal of some kind is served before play begins.  Some groups choose to have the hostess provide the meal, but we found that either chipping in for some sort of take-out or doing an organized pot-luck worked best. 
• Each player pays monthly dues of $5 (or whatever the group decides on).  This money goes directly towards prizes at the end of the night.....it's not gambling (at least not in my book). 
• Bunko is a game played with dice.  It's VERY simple to learn and your chance to win is as good as anyone else.
• No spouses or children are allowed.....with the exception of nursing babies.
• Time frame is usually about 3 hours.  My group played from 7-10 PM on a set Friday each month.

I'll put out more info for any of you that are interested.  It's such a great time and it really is more about socializing than playing the game.  Let me know if you are interested in playing or if you know someone that may be.  No pressure to join!  Don't feel obligated to commit, but you'll have a great time if you do! 

Tag! I'm it!

I've been tagged (see Katie's comment on the last post). This means I am supposed to tell you 6 things about myself and then tag 6 others to do the same.  I doubt you'll find anything earth-shattering in my list, but here we go!

1. Joe and I LOVE to play air-hockey!  Anytime we find a table, we must play.  He brings out my competitive side and some matches get intense.  Our favorite place to play used to be the good 'ole Snow Cap Lanes bowling alley in Ephraim (formerly named the "Cow Palace Lanes" - no I'm not joking!!!).  It's always a great time and it's one game that I can actually beat Joe at.  Picture this in your head: two thirty-something adults with five crazy kids running around Chuck E. Cheese's unsupervised while we are completely caught up in our air hockey game (hootin' and hollerin' included).  It's happened before and I'm sure it will happen again.
2. Another thing I love is candy.  Not so much chocolate, but sugary, sweet, totally processed and artificially flavored candy!  Some of my favorites are licorice (twizzlers or red vines), caramels (best when eaten with freshly popped popcorn) and of course cinnamon bears (best when covered with chocolate).  That's one of the worst things about living in the south, no good bears!!! My family literally brings bags and bags to me when they come to visit. As a kid, no field trip, girls camp or traveling volleyball game was complete without them!  Combine any of the before mentioned goodies with a can or two of super cold Dr. Pepper and I'm a happy gal!
3. I am freakishly weirded out by turtles.  Yes, cute (not so cute in my opinion) harmelss little turtles.  Cooper wanted to catch one out of the lagoon behind our house and keep it for a pet when we moved here, but all I could remember was being a little girl and visiting my cousins in Colorado who had a pet turtle named Shelby.  Everyone had a good laugh at me because I would scream and curl up into the fetal position if they brought it close to me.  There is just something about the way their legs creap in and out of their shell that totally disturbs me to this day!
4. I have had 7 different addresses in my entire life.  Not too shabby when you consider that I have been an Army wife for over 13 out of my 31 years.  Most military families go through that many places in 6 or 7 years.  I lived in the same house from birth until 4 months after I got married and moved to be with my new hubby in Korea.  Places I have lived are,  Manti, UT; Uijongbu City, Korea; Colorado Springs, CO; Columbus, GA;  and currently Savannah, GA.
5. I gave birth to each of my five kids without the aid of pain medication.  Joe thinks that makes me one tough broad, but I'm honestly just as scared of the big needle that some stranger would stick into my spine as other women are of having their kids naturally.  To each their own! 
6. Oh, crap!  One more.....I'm just not that interesting.  What can I come up with???  OK, here's one that might make some of you laugh a little.  I secretly like to watch the Ultimate Fighter reality show on TV.  It's not fake fighting(at least I don't think so) like the WWE and I am amazed at what those guys do to each other.  I would never be able to hit or kick someone like that!  Those guys pummel the snot out of each other and then congratulate each other when it's all said and done.  It's CRAZY - but I like it!!!

So now is the part where I have to tag 6 other people to join the fun.  Lisa, Sara, Mary, Tasha, Ari and Kris...... you have all been tagged!!!  You can comment on this blog post or post it on your own blog.  Don't forget to tag 6 other people.  Have fun!!!  Thanks for the idea Katie!