Still tired

Well the girls made out like champs at christmas, Sammy this year knew everything about Santa and understood fully about the toys and traditions. Izzy on the other hand was clueless and stayed that way even on christmas morning. Sammy didnt mind, she got to open Bella's toys too. This year I kept up the tradition of making homemade Cinnamon Rolls and for dinner I made Tiramisu. It turned out really good and certainly didnt last long. This year for Reg and I we went to see Jeff Dunham (the guy with the puppets on Comedy Central) it was really good. That night was the night we had a snow storm with ice and snow so I was going 40 mph on the highway, but we made it safe and sound and enjoyed ourself. Izzy cut through a tooth that night too. All and all it was a great holiday. We are staying home for the new year. That should be nice. well enjoy the pictures.

Winter time is here

and with the winter time comes, sickness. Our family had it big time. It started with one night with Izzy dry heeving and throwing up, then a few days later Reggie and Sammy just throwing up all night and then just the other night was my turn. Luckily they were just 24 hour bugs. So all is well today and we all went outside to play in the snow. Even Izzy went out for her first taste of snow. She found it hard to crawl but she liked the taste of the powdery goodness. We are getting ready to go up to my moms for Christmas. We will be spending New Years eve at home in Riley because after that Reggie leaves for NTC. That month will be sammys month for Dr's apt with a Bladder Doctor and for her legs at Childrens Mercy. I will be busy co-hosting my first Officer's Coffee but it will be at the Spa so it wont be so bad. Other then that we are at the present time all in good health and in spirit. Merry Christmas to all.

Merry Christmas

Merry Christmas
Well it has been a very busy year this year. It started with our newest addition to the family. Isabella Lore’n on Jan. 25th. She decided to come four weeks early but she was still a hefty 6 lbs 9 oz. We also had to make a move from South Carolina to Kansas. That was fun with a 4 month old. So we will start from there. Isabella (aka: Sweet pea or Izzy Boo-Boo) is now10 months. She is definitely mobile. She will be walking here soon if she thinks about it hard enough. She is a very opinionated girl (Already) Loves having things go her way but once something is out of place or she hears the word NO, oh boy she will let you know she is not happy. She loves playing games like peek a boo (even though she cheats, she only covers one eye) she loves to play with dogs and says it all the time. She is finally coming off of my hip and going to daddy’s which is really nice.

Her sister Samantha is now 3. She attends preschool 3 days a week and absolutely loves it. No fear of leaving mommy or daddy at the door with out a kiss so she can play with her friends. She loves Art and Handwriting and Snack time. She has all the basics down pack to begin Kindergarten so Daddy is trying to teach her the periodic table of Elements. That is daddy for ya. We do have some medical apts. for her in the New Year. We will be going to Children’s Mercy to have her legs looked at, her feet point inward, and we will be getting her kidneys looked at to see if bladder is refluxing. She is definitely keeping us on our toes. But she is a trooper and will soar through this with flying colors. I think she is a little more relaxed lately because she completely planned Daddy’s 30 birthday party. She planned the theme- Pirates, and picked out all of Daddy’s Presents and even kept the secret until he walked through the door to his party. It was a great party. She is a grown up in a little body.

Yes, daddy turned 30 this year. He handled it very well. He is staying very busy at work. He took Command of a unit right before Thanksgiving. Right after the holiday they all went out into the field for 10 days and right after the New Year they will be going to NTC for a month. Unfortunately after that in June they will be deploying to the big sandbox. I will be taking the girls to my mothers and living there for a year to 18 months. I hope to go back to school since I now know what I want to be when I grow up- I want to be a Pastry Chef. But this way with family being around I hope that alone will comfort the girls and me enough to get us through this hard time of separation. That is why I set up this blog, to help keep family informed while Reggie is away. I hope you keep checking for further updates and I will keep this updated I promise. Well that is basically it for this year. This time next year will be quite different but we will be sure to enjoy this year as much as possible with our hero.
Merry Christmas to all of you and Have lots of happy memories.
Love,
Jessie, Reggie, Samantha, and Isabella Rice

Update on Sammy

Well we went to the urologist today with...well in my mind....a clean bill of health. I should have known better. With the 2 bladder infections sammy has had in last few months, well the dr. isnt liking that. He now whats to do a kidney study on her, so we will be (i dont know when) taking her in so they can insert a cathator up to her bladder, fill it up and then they will take a series of Xrays to see if her bladder is refluxing urine back into the kidneys. So as of right now she will be on this antibiotic until we know for sure. If she is refluxing, then we move on to a kidney doctor to check her kidneys for infection or scarring. So what I thought was going to be an in and out apt has now turned into a well see you back in a few weeks type of thing. Its just discouraging when your kids look and act healthy when there is something you dont know about lurking around.

Where are the manners?

Good Lord, today has just been annoying!!!! First as I am driving Sammy to School a rock is thrown at my windsheild by a passing salt truck and now it has a huge - and still getting bigger- crack in it. Then I take Izzy to the doctors, she is fine, just a cold, but we go to walmart to get the scripts and as i am waiting for a car to pull out a car right in front of me starts to pull out and yes he sees me but nearly hits my car just so he can get out of there, so then the scripts will take 45 minutes to refill, not a big deal i can pick them up tomm. so as i am pulling out i am trying to be careful because the guy collecting all the carts in right in front of me with a car right behind him wanting my space, well logic tells me that that person will wait for the cart guy to get past my space for them to pull in. well wrong this car zooms around the cart guy, I am still trying to back up as this car is getting almost parallel with my car. So she rolls down her window to inform me that she wants my space, as she is pulling closer to the front of my car. So i - with a real annoyed look- back up even farther. she gets right up to my window as we pass, and says that she has been driving in circles, i think she said 4 times to try to get a close spot. I just shook my head and said well it is not worth an accident and merry christmas. I dont care if you drove all that time, it is not worth hitting my car with 2 children in it, because if you would have parked in a farther spot before you did 4 circles you could have been in walmart shopping by now. Man where are peoples manners today?

A letter for Sammy from Santa

Thank you for writing such a wonderful letter Samantha HOHOHO!

We are having had a great year at the North Pole. The Reindeer are playing Reindeer Games to get in shape for our long trip on Christmas Eve, and the Elves are busy getting my Sleigh packed with lots and lots of Toys. Once Christmas arrives, I'll be off on my journey around the world.

I'm reading your letter right now, and it looks like you've been very good this year. That makes me so happy Samantha HOHOHO! While you are asleep on Christmas Eve, I will come to see you. I have your list and will keep it in a safe place so that I don't forget it. HOHOHO

Do You know what Samantha, Rudolph is here with Santa right now and he saysHi to you and wants you to say Hi to all of your family and friends for him.He is so happy that Christmas is almost here.I have to go now little one. I have a lot of letters to write to all of my other little friends.

You have sweet dreams and I will see you soon.

Merry Christmas Samantha

Oh I almost forgot, don't forget those cookies!

Love Santa

Izzy Boo-Boo

She is truely my rebel. I guess I had it easy with Sam (i wish someone would have told me back then) so when Izzy came along with acid reflux, colic, and lactose intolorant, it was quite a shock. But even as she gets older, she will get annoyed real easy and thrust out her chest and grunt, or she will hit, or bite, and lately throw things, so she is just a character....well tonight was no exception. As i laied her on the changing table to get her zip up blanket on, I grabbed both of her hands and I said, "Lets pray tonight, Please god help us to be healthy and HAPPY. Bless sissy, daddy and mommy." and right as i finished saying mommy she tightened up and let out this garglie fart and then she giggled. Well I started laughing so hard i completely forgot to say amen, but that is my girl.

Christmas is a time to remember

I was on uTube this morning trying to find a segment of a little girl asking santa for her daddy back from Iraq and suddenly her daddy coming around the corner, for my mother who hasnt seen it yet and I was overcome by all the homecoming videos of daddys surprising their kids at school. It was very touching so I just let them play while I was drinking my coffee. Suddenly there was a video that played that just broke my heart. It is a tribute to the daddys but this time the daddys didnt come home like all the others and there is this little girl in the background talking just like she is talking to her daddy. I will warn you it is very emotional and if you do watch it bring your klenexs because you will need them. But in this holiday season I tend to forget about those kids that have gone through that. And I really shouldnt due to the fact that I personally know a family whos daddy didnt come back. It was Reggies first deployment and it was on Christmas Eve for us. I got a call from my FRG leader telling me that there had been some casualties in HHC and to stay by the phone. I was in shock. I was so scared, as all my family was getting dressed for Christmas Eve mass I was pacing back and forth praying it was not Reggie. An hour went by and I wasnt sure if that was a good thing or a bad thing so I called a friend of mine whos husband was in HHC also. I asked her if she knew who these soldiers were and she said yes.... that it wasnt Reggie.....it was her husband. Suddenly i think in the shock I couldnt remember what casualty ment, it was just an injury right? and if she was reading my mind she said, "Ben is dead." My heart just broke for her, she had an 7 or 8 year old son and she was the nicest person I had ever met, why this, why her? I couldnt stop crying that whole day, needless to say i didnt go to church, i was too mad at god. I was crying for their family and i was crying for the relief it wasnt Reggie. It was Christmas Eve for us but Christmas Day for them. My heart breaks even now. Reggie was truely affected by this. I remember him calling that night and crying and all I wanted to do was hold him. I was told because I didnt watch the video that Reggie made an awesome speech at Bens funerial over in Iraq. I just couldnt see him like that so I said no when they asked me if I wanted to watch. I know it has been 5 years since that happend but this tribute to these soldiers brought it back like it was yesterday. So I will keep these children in my prayers as the holidays come.

Here is the website
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7CBXyHbW4ig

Same Difference

This is only one year ago in South Carolina with Gracyn

This is Christmas of 2008 with her friends Emma and Erin, (not pictured: Eric, Izzy, Heather, & Mommy)

Cold Night....Warm Memories

I love the fact that Sammy has friends. To live so innocently and to have play with some friends is the best thing in the world to her. Today was Sammys Show and Share at preschool and I swear that and snack is the whole reason why she loves preschool. She got to share her new Belle Doll. That was the only reason she was okay with leaving Mee-Mee's house. After that we went to a friends house to have supper and to have a birthday party for Emma. She likes to tell everyone that she is having 2 birthday parties this year, I think it is because she has choosen Izzys theme (carebears) and her theme (barbie). After the fun there, we all headed to a lighted christmas parade on the streets of Manhattan. As the girls snuggled into the wagon and Izzy was snug inside my coat I couldnt help but think of the Christmas Story when they all went to see the parade and Santa at the end. And then I was saddend to also think that this was going to be our last Christmas with daddy for a while. I dont know how they do it, I know that I couldnt. To leave my family and miss a whole year out of their lives just to protect us, its amazing that we even have a military in this day and age. If more people thought like me there wouldnt be one. I heard a song over the radio today I think it was "I will be home for Christmas", and over the song was voices of Moms, wives, and children, wishing their loved ones a Merry Christmas. It doesnt take long for my eyes to tear up but there was one little girl who said, Daddy I miss you. Today me, Mommy, and Bella made cookies for santa, I will save you some. I love you and I miss you daddy." Oh the tears just poured out of me because that is us. There is nothing more frightning and at the same time so honoring then to be a military family. I hate war believe you me but I am comforted in knowing the people I have come to know and my husband are out there protecting us from harm. Before Sammy went to bed tonight she said, "mommy I wont be scared of monsters anymore," and I said "Oh yeah why is that?" and she quickly said, "because my daddy kills all the monsters." She is so right. To her they are monsters, I wish I thought that way, to think they are furry and sometimes cute monsters she see's on TV, unfortunately I know otherwise and have even seen the faces of pure evil. Not just in terroist but in people that just do horrible things to other people and children. I hope that when she gets older that this will all be memories and the world is a better place because of all the daddy's killing the monsters. Wouldnt that be a warm memory

Ps thank you so much Heather for a great memory

Our Princess World

Welcome to my world, it is not always pretty but it is busy. Like I said we are 3 Princesses waiting for their prince. Princess MILF, no I am kidding, one day maybe, but for now Princess Momma, is currently waiting for her Prince to quit playing in the woods. He is currently training his new soldiers in different situations to prepare them for the upcomming deployment next year to the big sandbox. I am used to waiting for him. My other two princesses ~Princess Sammy and Princess Boo~ are also waiting for him to come home but are waiting for their true princes later on in life......way way later in life. For now they both adore their Prince Daddy and that is how we like it. It is so funny how kids work. The other day Sammy said she couldnt wait to get bigger so she could marry her daddy. I told her sorry he was already taken. But she is convienced that is she eats her veggies that she will grow big enough to marry someone.....that and get to play with Hannah Montana stuff or as she calls her HanaTana. It is so funny how she thinks. Princess Boo got her name because I call her Bella Boo Boo, but I am now thinking she is named that because if she is not in my arms or my eye sight, then it is Boo Hooo Hooo. Well I think that is it for now. I will try to blog as much as I can, I am trying to do this instead of smoking, so WARNING their might be some angry blogs, but I am trying to quit, so I thought this would keep my mind off of going outside to smoke when they nap. I hope it works.