Slidshow of our Day trip to Seward!

As always don't forget after you click the link to the slidshow you can hit the tab button to enlarge the video :-). Enjoy!

Make a Smilebox slideshow

What a Day...Sunday was!!!

Ok, let me first start off by saying, Happy New Year! I can't believe I have been so bad about keeping up on here...one of my resolutions is to be better...especially for Paul to see what's going on back here at home! Sorry sweetie! I hope everyone had a fabulous Christmas break with their friends and family and that you are all settled back into the routine of things with work and school...it took me a few days to get used to the alarm again!!! I hate that morning rush of getting the kids' breakfast made & lunches packed! I will post all our holiday pictures soon...there are over 1000 pictures to organize from the month of December...I will get to them :-)!
So, the weather here was pretty darn cold for a few weeks...one week in the -10's and then another week and a half of -20's! Finally, on Sunday we had a "heat wave" and made it up to -5* so I decided I wanted to take a drive down to Seward and take the kids to the Sea Life Center. I am so glad I did! The drive was easy since it has been so cold we haven't had any new snow since Christmas Day which meant the roads were really clear which isn't always the case here in January! The sky was clear and the mountains were BEAUTIFUL so the drive was extremely enjoyable! And not just for me...the kids looked out the window almost the whole 2 & 1/2 hours and made their own comments about how beautiful & cool the mountains were, the frozen ocean, the frozen waterfalls, the trees, etc. So wonderful to hear them say these things instead of complaining or asking, "are we there yet?" (So, glad to say that question was NOT asked one single time on the way there or back ;-)!!!) Then of course it was dark on the return trip & the three older ones played gameboys & read & Sam took a nap. It was a perfect day for me...other than of course wanting to share it with Paul!!
So, here is how our day started...this INCREDIBLE full moon we were blessed with on the way to Religious School! The pictures of course can never capture exactly how incredible it actually was...but, you can get the general idea. It was setting...10 a.m.! It was HUGE! It was pinkish orangish...not a word I know...but, that is the description the kids & I came up with :-)! So, now we have seen 5 full moons without Paul, only 7 more to go! Hopefully, you can click these to enlarge & get a better view...

I picked the kids up from Religious School and we headed out of town! This is the start of the Seward Highway...sun rising over the mountain...about 1:30...for those of you not in Alaska...notice how far down the sun still is?!?!

The kids wanted to stay here for a LONG time and watch these guys climb this rock...I am scared of heights & was NOT enjoying this...I was so scared of them falling! But, I stayed & let the kids enjoy the show for about 20 minutes.

The picture above & below are trying to capture how cool it is that the water freezes in so many different shapes & sizes...the kids were so amazed at the ice chunks. Ben said there were shark fish in the ice & they were going to come eat us...ahhhh!

So here are some favorites from the fun at the Sea Life Center & then there are many more in the smilebox slideshow I made & of course ALL the pictures can be found in the family photo link.

Jakob, thank you for being such a big help to me with Sam!!

We were the only people there!! So, it was great that the kids could be loud & excited about seeing the fish, "Mommy, Mommy come see, come see!" & I didn't have to tell them , "sh, sh." And, they had the touch tank all to themselves so they enjoyed exploring the animals for quite a while.

When we got home though I had to take care of a situation...I had asked Jakob to throw Sam's diaper in the garage before we left Sunday morning. He usually chucks it over toward the garbage cans, sometimes they go in...most of the time we have to pick them up off the floor. Well, he tossed it high...he better not have done this on purpose??...and it landed right in the canoe!!! So, I had to climb up there...remember how I said I am scared of heights? well, I am even scared of being on the ladder!!! So, I climb up & can almost reach it but I don't want to tilt the canoe to bring the diaper over to me because I was scared I would loosen the rope & the canoe would fall right on top of my van...so I grabbed the longest tongs we own & yeah, they did the job! Please don't do that again Jakob!

HAPPY ANNIVERSARY...

Today is our 14th Wedding Anniversary...I think it is only our 3rd or 4th one we have had to celebrate while apart. I know we have had to celebrate more birthday and Valentine Day celebration apart than that. For those of you in the military...you know that only 3 or 4 anniversaries apart isn't too bad...so, I will just have to focus on being able to celebrate our 15th in person next year!! Sorry I haven't posted in a while...I have TONS of pictures to share...they are all still on the camera though...I will get to it maybe in the next few days. We have just been SO VERY busy...you would think that the holiday break would be a "break"...however, we have been very busy doing tons of fun stuff with friends and HOCKEY...almost everyday & sometimes both boys have hockey on the same day. This would be alright if Sam wasn't walking...but, trying to entertain him for the 2 hours at the rink...not so easy! He wants to climb up or down the concrete stairs...I don't think so!!! Luckily, Rachel is very good at picking him up and bringing him back to me. I am enjoying the break from rushing around getting the kids breakfast & making lunches though. And, I am enjoying the extra time playing games with the kids and watching the kids make up silly games to play :-). Right now I am listening to Rachel & Ben play make believe with their friend Isabelle & they just say the funniest things!

I hope you all had a very Merry Christmas and a Happy Hanukkah...we still have tonight and tomorrow night to light the candles. The kids have had a wonderful time celebrating. They were thrilled to have a visit from Santa at two different friend's houses. And have been enjoying lighting the candles...Ben can almost say the whole blessing all by himself now!!! We are looking forward to this next week...esp. ringing in the New Year! I am hoping to get my Holiday cards ready in the next week...I know, I know...I always procrastinate & so it will be a Happy New Year card...better late than never, right?! I have been enjoying receiving everyone else's cards though...my favorite thing to do is read the updates and see how much my friends children have grown since the card from the previous year ...thank you to all who have sent them so far!! You will get mine as soon as I get it done :-).

Happy Anniversary sweetie!!! I am looking forward to spending MANY, MANY more together!!! I love you so very much!!!!! I miss you!!!!

Took the week off...

OK...so I will in the next few days,maybe get to pictures from last weekend...didn't take any this week because I was on my back, on the floor, in PAIN! I had a spinal tap done last Monday & then of course developed a spinal tap headache...just like I did after the epidural with Sam...I have NO idea why they call it a headache because it in NO way resembles a headache! It incapacitates you...you have to lay completely on your back & then the pressure is relieved & you feel great. Move the slightest bit upright & it is all over with...your head is KILLING you...the worst migrane EVER & then because it is so painfully hard to hold your head up...it starts hurting in your neck & then shoulders. So, I layed there, on the floor for several days. On Thursday I thought I could make it to the military appreciation lunch at the kids school...what was I thinking!?!? I promptly laid down on that filthy, disgusting floor until a friend (THANK YOU Donna & Chris!!!) came to the rescue & took home Ben & Sam & her husband took me to the hospital! After doing a blood patch & staying at the hospital most of the day I was all better...other than being sore where they stuck the needle in my spine...AGAIN! Anyway, why the spinal tap...trying to figure out what is wrong with me...I have had MRI's, and TONS of blood work...more than 20 tubes!! I see another neurologist tomorrow & internal medicine doc. on Tuesday to see if they can come up with answers. I have had numbness in all 4 limbs...was only left originally but, has started in my right side a little over a month ago. At first was thought to be a tumor or MS...but, they have been ruled out...well, the MS...not completely...but, he is "pretty sure". So, I don't know...I have good days & then "not so good" days with this chronic pain. So, prayers are welcome & if anyone has any ideas send them my way???

Happy Annivesary...

Paul & I met 16 years ago today, both of us sharing a ride with a mutual friend from West Point down to Philly for the Army Navy game (Go Army...they won by 1 point...25-24...it was an amazing & exciting game & VERY cold...the temp. was pretty darn cold & then the wind...ahh...it was just swirling around in the stadium making it feel even colder!!! ) & the rest as they say is history! And what a history is has been! We've lived in 5 different states & one foreign country, 9 total moves, 4 incredible munchkins!, we are down one cat & several gold fish :-(, but we still have a dog & a beta :-), and we have just made too many incredible memories along the way to count!!!! I love you so much Paul! I am so glad we met 16 years ago!!! Thank you for choosing me to share your life journey with, for being my best friend, & for making me the happiest woman in the world! Thank you for 4 beautiful, healthy, wonderful children, for providing so much for us, for being our hero, and for being our ROCK! I wish we were together but, I am very proud of you for what you are doing! HAPPY ANNIVERSARY!

Sorry for the poor quality of these pictures but, I do not have a scanner & this is what it looks like when you take a picture of an old picture :-).

So here we are 5 months after we met at Paul's graduation from West Point.

Here we are touring Heidelberg Castle...

We are celebrating Thanksgiving dinner with a bunch of friends just before Paul deployed for the year to Bosnia...

Back in the states, stationed in Ft. Leonard Wood, attending a friend's wedding and me a few months pregnant with Jakob...
And here we are just before Paul deployed...
And here what 16 years will do to you...one big, HAPPY family!!!

Paul's move to Afghanistan video...

Here is a cool video of Paul's move to from Ft. Riley to Afghanistan. And here is his address if you would like to mail him a letter or if your kid's class wants to adopt a soldier to write to :-).
Major Paul Darling
ARSIC-S, RPAC
FOB Walton
APO AE 09355

Happy Thanksgiving everyone...

I hope you all had a wonderful Thanksgiving celebration with your friends and/or families. We sure missed having Paul with us but are thankful for him for serving our country! We went with some friends and had a fabulous time! It was a huge gathering (about 200 people), potluck style, with tons of yummy food!!! Then all the kids (except Sam...it was 19*...a little on the cold side for the little guy) went sledding for about 2 & 1/2 hours. They had a blast. The goal was to sled down the hill & make it out onto the frozen lake. Jakob made it out several times. Then, Thursday evening we went over to my friend, Jennifer's house to surprise her for her birthday :-)! Today was another busy day & tomorrow we will head up the road a little bit & visit our friends the Galloways before Jakob's hockey game. Here are a few favorites from Thanksgiving and then of course I had to make some smilebox creations for you. Enjoy & see the rest of the pictures in the family album.

The kids sledding on Thanksgiving...

On all of these smilebox creations don't forget once you click the link to open the scrapbook or slideshow that you can click the maximize square to get a larger view and then you can also click on any picture to enlarge it :-)!

Make a Smilebox postcard

Ben and Rachel's Thanksgiving artwork

Make a Smilebox slideshow

Ben's Pre-School Thanksgiving Celebration

Make a Smilebox scrapbook

Catching up...

I thought I better get on here while I had a small opportunity before someone else gets sick. Last Friday Ben had a field trip with his pre-school class out to the local Senior Center. We all took a pie to share with the community and the little ones made little booklets and sang songs. That was all great. What wasn't great was the fact that lots of little hands were all over my little Samuel and I was freaking out because the stomach flu has been going around for several weeks. Well, I don't know if this is where it came from but, I think it was...I mean they were all over him! Soooo...Sunday afternoon when I went into to get Sam out of his bed from his nap...WOW! I screamed for help! I have never seen so much regurgitated food in my life! I'm talking he had 4 eggs and 6 ounces of sweet potatoes earlier that morning & luckily his body knew something was about to happen because he had refused to eat lunch...which is not like him but, I had dismissed it because he had not had a nap so I thought he just wasn't eating because he was tired! WRONG! So there I am just standing there looking at the poor little guy wondering what I am supposed to do!? I mean the eggs were HANGING in his hair & from his ears!AHHHH! The bed was covered! I had Rachel start the water so it would be warm enough for me to wash him. I had Jakob grab a garbage bag so that I could just wrap up the sheet & all the contents & just chuck it (pardon the pun!) because I was not about to clean that mess up...we have more sheets! So, after scrubbing Sam 6 times with soap he finally passed my sniff test & then he threw up 2 more times right in the tub...at least! Of course later on he threw-up on me 3 more times! The rest of the story...he felt awful & whined until Wednesday! Jakob came home from school on Tuesday...well, you know the rest...I was up all night running btw. him & Sam! Then, Rachel came home from school on Wednesday & well...you know the rest. She is feeling much better right. And then, I got a little of the bug...not so much throw up b/c unlike the kids I was able to take a bunch of anti-nausea medicine as a preventive measure...glad I did b/c I really think it helped! Lasted only about 10 hours for me instead of days. So, now I am just waiting for Ben...hopefully he will survive! I am ready to sleep more than 45 minutes at a time...haven't done that since Saturday night!
Jakob's team won their second hockey game :-)! Sadly I missed it as it was on a school night & an hour drive away & he was not home until 10.
That's about it for our week...sick, sick, sick & me doing no less than 20 loads of yucky towels, sheets, & clothes!
So, here is the field trip that started it all...

Later that day we headed off to tour the Fire Station with a few Moms Club friends...

My brave little man...

Inside the big truck...

OK, I put the picture above and this one below so you could take a look at the boys fingers! they are the same: Right hand, first two fingers, right in the mouth!

Since I didn't get a chance to blog before here are some catch-up pictures:

Sam so excited when he first saw Rachel and JAkob when they came home from school my first day back home. I know, I know, I can't believe I didn't get one of Sam kissing & hugging Ben!

The Darling bunch hanging out...Rachel reading to everyone.

A few favorites of Little Sam...he was playing with a hockey ball.

Too sweet...

Ugh...these are out of order...I wanted the next one first...oh well...here are the three self-portraits together.

And here is Rachel's...

Just before I left on my trip it was Rachel's turn to be "Person of the week" at school. She worked very hard making her sentence strips to be displayed along with a few pictures. Click to enlarge to read them all.

Ben worked really hard on these castles and then said, "Mommy, you take a picture of me to show Daddy."

Hope you enjoy the weekend. We have hockey ahead of us and if everyone feels good... some sledding...we have had a slow, steady snow out there...so the sleds are calling!