Yes, David...

Growing up, my family wasn't very big on the santa thing while Billy's family was. All he knows about Santa, he gets from his dad. So, this year, David is getting into the spirit of Christmas. The spirit I'm speaking of is the "what am I getting for Christmas and what can I ask Santa to get me" spirit. Well, ever since the holiday trimmings and decorations have been up in stores (September, basically), I've been saying to David, "You know Santa isn't real, right?" His response has been, "I know."

So, when we finally moved onto base housing, we were able to stop for a bit in our unpacking and attend Billy's work Christmas party. For this party, we were asked to bring in a present with our son's name on it for Santa to present to him. (Whatever happened to giving out candy cane?) Anyway, earlier David had asked for a Buzz Lightyear and we found one, got it wrapped up, gave it to Santa so he could give it to David. When David's turn came, he got on Santa's lap and proceeded to freeze. Santa handed him his gift, a quick picture was taken, and off of Santa's lap David jumped. He walked toward us, holding his gift, in a daze, like he'd just met his biggest idol. Then he opened his gift and found his Buzz Lightyear.

He still looks dazed :)


Now, whenever I ask David, "You know Santa's not real, right?" He just says, "Yes, he is! I met him!" His dad couldn't be happier and I...well, to be honest, I have been using Santa as a means to keep David a well-behaved boy. I mean, come on! What mom wouldn't?

My little peacemaker

The other day, I was a bit upset with Billy and speaking rather loudly to him. David pipes up from his little corner where he was playing with his cars, "Mommy, I know how to make you happy. I will dust your room for you!" He proceeded to get up, got the duster and started dusting. I laughed. It definitely made me feel better and took the wind out of my sails. I'm sure Billy was grateful, too.

Makin' the bacon

A conversation between David and Billy.

David: Daddy, can we play trains all day tomorrow.

Billy: No, buddy. Remember what I told you?

David: I know...you have to go to work and make the bacon.

Never Ending October

I thought October would never end! Now it's finally and actually Halloween...what did we do to celebrate? Why we went to Outback Steak house! Yea us! Nothing but excitement at the Lyman household. Actually, I want that to be a new tradition. Go out for Halloween and forget this trick-or-treating business.

It's actually been an eventful October for us. First Billy was promoted then left the very next day for a couple of weeks to inspect the reserve unit in California. David and I hung around Albany and explored the area a bit. We went to Chehaw Play Park which he absolutely loved and has constantly begged to go back. One night, he even prayed about it. "Please bless mommy. Help her to take me to Chehaw Park tomorrow." We also went and checked out a local diner that was rated one of the best on Urbanspoon and some random, kind-hearted stranger paid for our meal. I have to say, that I'm rather fond of Georgia and the southern hospitality. People will speak to you and say "hi!" It's great!

This time of year is filled with lots of festivals and activities. There's the Harvest Festival, Peanut festival (on a side note: boiled peanuts=disgusting), pumpkin patches...I guess you just have to know where to look. Not that we attended any of them. My old brain does not ever remember the dates or times for them. However, the base had a bunch of activities for the kids and we attended most of them.

The first one was the CDC fall festival. Child Development Center, in case you were wondering. No disease festivals this year...sad, I know :) The CDC had little games and activities in each of the rooms in their care center such as the cake walk, bowling, cookie decorating, etc. It was fun to see kids dressed up in their costumes, going from room to room and getting their treats. David was Superman that day.

Always shy and hesitant at first, then the loudest kid by the end.







Our next outing was the harvest festival. They had bouncy houses set up, free food, hay rides, trunk-or-treating, and a movie in the park. David decided to be Thomas that day.

My little Thomas, so proud of the pumpkin on his face.

Daddy and Thomas











Then, building 3500 and 3700 had trick-or-treating at their offices for all the CDC kids. I think it was just an excuse to get out of work for a little while. Either way, the kids loved it and it was darling to see them all dressed up. David wanted to be superman again.

Superman and Minnie Mouse

David and cute little, Lily

Such a super little man!

All the candy from all his activities and trick-or-treating still to come.







Here in Albany, I'm told they always have trick-or-treating on Saturdays. We took David to base housing and let him trick-or-treat there. Sadly, Billy wasn't able to come because he was the marine on duty for that day. We met up with friends and let the kids loose. David had so much fun! I developed blisters on my toes. So, if it seems like we weren't very celebratory for Halloween...well, it's only because it's been Halloween for the last couple of weeks. Looking forward to November and hopefully, moving into a house!

Jacksonville, FL:

To escape the insanity of living in a motel, we decided to take a little break over labor day and headed for Jacksonville, FL. Nothing could be better than a weekend at the beach. A beautiful beachside hotel, lovely weather, and a great location, this was definitley a great way to ease the stress of being kind of homeless. I can definitely see us retiring in Jacksonville.



Running on the beach with his dad


Look at my tan!


Fun in the sand!



Beach baby!

At the Jacksonville Zoo. We were hoping to see the manatees here, but to no avail. Oh well, photo ops.



FYI if anyone ever ends up in Jacksonville on Jackson beach, the best restaurant to try is called Sliders! Such delicious, fresh food! Yum!

Room with a view

I LOVE our view.  Can you see why I agreed immediately to rent this place?  It is so peaceful and the best part is the motivation to wake up early and watch the sun rise!  Now we wait for our things to arrive.

Limbo

Here's the situation. We drove into Albany on August 4. Stayed in a decent motel for a couple of days and finally moved into temporary lodging on the 6th, hoping to get word soon that we would be getting housing on base. All the info we got was that we would be able to get housing within six months and that we were number 3 on the list. Then they told us to stay in transition lodging for as long as we possibly could. Now a month later, we are still 3rd on the list and still within six months, but we should try to stay as long as possible in transition lodging. Seriously?!!! This is place is too tiny for the three of us! There's no place to escape to if I want some time to myself, no oven to cook in, and David really needs his toys. Who am I kidding, I need my stuff! Plus, we had a couple of cooler days and I've only packed summer clothes so we also need our fall clothing.

Basically, we've been in limbo for a little more than a month without any good news. So, we went apartment hunting to look for a place who would let us break our lease if needed and we found one. It's very small, but the view is breath-taking. It's 2 Br/2 bath with an oven and dishwasher (yea!). It also has a security system, which is a bonus! It's on the 3rd floor and the deck overlooks the Flint River or Lake (not sure which it is). I will have to post pictures as soon as I can. We should be able to move in Wednesday or Thursday. I can't wait!

Fishing

Ever since David was born, Billy has had grand ideas for father/son activities. Recently, he decided to take David fishing. Sporting his brand new batman pole, David was very thrilled to go fishing...that is until he was told to hold the worm while his dad got batman ready. I wish I'd captured his face on camera while holding the worm, but I completely missed it. It was classic! His first trip was successful. He caught a couple of catfish, baby ones!

His first catch. He was scared of the fish, so he had a hard time bring it close to him so I could get a good shot. Love that proud smile on his face!

2nd catch. He's only holding it close because his dad was helping him.

A little break from fishing to pose with mom. Gone are the days of smiling nicely for the camera. Now he just likes to pull silly faces...sigh.

Albany

Here are my impressions of Albany. First impression: loved it because it was green and I didn't have to drive very far to shop. First of all, let me say, that I'm not much of a shopper and I don't consider it a fun outing. If anything, it's annoying to be around crowds of shoppers and I get a little bit more stressed than I should be when I'm shopping. However, after 29 Palms when all I had nearby, was the PX (limited selection of items) and Walmart, which was a boring, 30 minute drive away (going 75 miles per hour), you can imagine how giddy I was when I drove to Target and the mall (right next to each other) and it only took 15 minutes IN traffic. I had choices and I was very ecstatic.

I'm still happy that there are stores nearby, but now I realize, Albany is central to all the fun things...once again. Basically, everyone leaves Albany to go to the more fun cities like Atlanta or down south to Florida. In 29 Palms, we were a few hours from Vegas and Southern California! Yea for long drives...not!!!

We did discover the Parks at Chehaw. There are nice little hiking and walking trails that you can explore, camping areas, and a little zoo. Plus, there's a little train that David loves.

Sadly, we didn't take too many pictures that day. It was so miserably hot, we didn't even think about it. The train ride was at the beginning of our outing, so we were able to catch that moment. How can I complain about the heat when I had lived in 100 plus heat? Well, there's the humidity factor. You walk outside and it feels like you're already sweating. The next picture epitomizes how we felt for the rest of our zoo experience.

David's favorite part about Georgia? Chuck E. Cheese. When we went, it was the first time he and I had ever experienced Chuck E. Cheese. I liked it because they had little games for his age and even a little air hockey table that David loved! Also, we went at a time when all the kids were in school, so there were only about 4 other families there. This video captures the fun time he had, especially with his dad! His giggle cracks me up. Love it!!!

I want to sleep

Lol! Poor little man! All he wanted to do was sleep.

From one coastal state to another

Well, we survived the move. Was it stressful? Yes. Was I gracious in the situation? No. My poor boys had to deal with a disgruntled mama. Of course, I wasn't the only one who was disgruntled. David started acting up more than normal and was CONSTANTLY whining. This caused daily battles between father and son, making my sunny disposition even more sunny. Thankfully, that part ended.

We are lucky, in that when the military asks you to move, they give you the option of using their moving services. So, in two days, they had everything packed up and picked up ready to go to our next home.

Then, came the long drive across the country. We decided to caravan with good friends of ours who happened to check out of 29 Palms at the exact time, the Defoors. So, David got to spend the next few days with his best friend, Emma. Our caravan left on Saturday, the 31st and our first stop was Flagstaff, AZ. What would normally have been a 5-6 hour drive took 8 hours. When you're traveling with a 3/12 week old and two little 3-year-olds, it would take that long.

Arizona was surprisingly pretty. Surprising, because I was actually expecting more desert, but there was greenery all around. At least in Flagstaff. Downtown Flagstaff was a pedestrian city and would have been fun to walk around and explore the different shops and restaurants that they had to offer. The hotels were practically all booked up because it is that time of year and many people stop in the hotels on their way to or from the Grand Canyon.

After Arizona, we stopped in Albuquerque, New Mexico. The drive from Arizona to New Mexico was harry at one point. It was raining so hard, that there was zero visibility for a couple of minutes. So bad, that there were cars pulled over on the side of the freeway! Billy turned to me once and said, "Can you see the road, I can't." I looked over at him and said, "Take off your sunglasses!" (Shake my head) Luckily, we didn't have to pull over and we passed the storm quickly.


The next stop after driving through the stinky and most boring Texas panhandle was Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. It was HOT, HOT, HOT! Even more so than 29 Palms! Blech. Also, this is where I lost my Ipod Touch. Boy, do I love to flush money down the toilet! What really saddens me most, is that I had a little diary on there where I'd written down the funny things David did and said during the last deployment. Now it's gone forever! Huge sigh...

After, Oklahoma City, we drove to Little Rock, Arkansas. It was very pretty and green there.

Double rainbow in Arkansas
















We then drove to Birmingham, Alabama. This was where we separated from the Defoors as they headed to North Carolina. It was sad to see such good friends go, but thankfully, we have such awesome technology, that we and skype and stay in touch.

Bye bye, Emma!

Such good huggers. I don't know if they really realize that they won't see each other for a very long time.







After that, was our final destination. Now, we passed through Montgomery, Alabama and just outside of the city, was beautiful country that I absolutely fell in love with. I don't know what it was about it, but I felt like I had come home and felt the most peace and contentment I'd ever felt in a really long time. I told Billy that we had to retire there.

Now, we are here in Georgia, and while there were very low reviews of this city, I'm actually excited to find what Albany has to offer us. People here are so friendly! I don't know why some of the reviews said they were rude, but in my experience, people have been genuinely nice. They actually say "hi" to you, and aren't put out by doing their jobs like they were in California. I'm speaking about customer service, of course, and perhaps I write this prematurely, but I will update y'all as I go :-)

Our first impression of Georgia as we drove in from Alabama

Georgia and Gunny

In the past few weeks, we've received some big news. Billy got PCS orders or permanent change of station orders and we are headed to Albany, Georgia. Sadly or ecstatically we have to leave 29 Palms. Definitely not going to miss the isolation and the driving so much and so long to get anywhere. However, I will miss the clean air and blue skies, Joshua Tree Park, and the good friends I've made here.

I am torn about moving to Georgia. Not because it's going to be too isolated like 29 Palms, but because all the reviews I've read about the place haven't been too positive. I'm excited to go to the east coast and to see all the history that is around there. I can't wait to visit the museums and travel to the Gulf Coast and bask in the sun. Most importantly, it's a whole three years of nondeployment!

My biggest worry is the school system there. David will be starting school and the education isn't quite up to par according to all the reviews. Then there's the whole segregation issue that still exists in parts of the city. Oh, and did I mention alligators? One guy was telling us that the last time he was there, there were alligators living in one of the lakes on base! Definitely not letting David anywhere near lakes or swamps.

So, when does the move occur? Well, originally, it was scheduled for November/December time frame, but a week ago, I discovered that we will be moving in the July/August time frame. As the marines are fond of saying, "Simper gumby (always flexible)!" If I had a dime for every time I've heard that, I'd be rich!

As to the gunny news, I'm proud to announce that Billy was selected for Gunnery Sergeant. He will be officially promoted between July and September. Congrats, babe! I'm so proud of you!

Now, I hope the move to Georgia doesn't deter loved ones from visiting. It's a great time to come visit. We can meet at, oh I don't know...Myrtle Beach, South Carolina or the Gulf Coast in Florida.

These are the days of our lives

Well at least our days since Billy's been home. The first week he was back, I had to show him Joshua Tree National Park, of course. Still can't believe we missed it all this time we've been here.

Help me, daddy!

David's been having so much fun with his dad. The first thing he says in the mornings is, "Where's daddy?" Which is great for me. Not having a 3 year old all over me has been a welcome relief.
Billy came home in time for David's last two weeks of start smart baseball practices.

Touch your toes!

Jumping Jacks

Running bases

Stick that bum out

Batter up!

It's outta here!

Medals ceremony

Yay, David!

I win!

Dining Out

The SNCO of dragoons company

Billy and the lieutenants

Billy and Gunny
Gunny is David's friend. His words.

Childhood

Billy and his brother, Mike.

Me and my sister, Liz.

Daddy's Home part 3 or Happy Mother's Day

On Mother's Day, I received the greatest gift ever: Billy home from Afghanistan! The night before, I finally fell asleep at 12:45 and a couple of hours later, woke up, too excited to sleep. David was snoozing away in his bedroom, unaware that his dad was coming home early the next morning.

There are a group of people who volunteer to take pictures of our troops when they land in Maine on their way home or on to deployment. They have a website (www.ourstopinmaine.smugmug.com)where they post the pictures and this is courtesy of them. Billy was talking to me when this picture was taken and had no idea that anyone was taking it. I was telling him to text me when he landed at March Air Force Base and when he got 29 Palms.

I hurriedly got David ready at 4:30 and was getting ready to go out the door when Billy texted and said he was here. I called my friend, Rebekah, who volunteered to take pictures of the homecoming and we headed up to the Motor T ramp. David was sleepy and a bit confused about where we were going. I told him that we were getting ready for his surprise.
We got to the ramp and perhaps due to recent events (Bin Laden's death), there were a lot of marines checking IDs and making sure no pets were in the car. David looked around at the dozens of marines in their camis and says, "Mama, are we in A-ganistan?" I just started laughing and told him we weren't in Afghanistan and that we were by Daddy's work.

We waited at the ramp for another fifteen or more minutes.

The many families awaiting their loved ones.

Anxiously waiting for the buses to arrive. David with his bestie, Emma.

Buses are here!

I think he knows his surprise is his Daddy.

Trying to get a glimpse of his dad.

Searching, searching, searching! I'd told Billy we were by the snack truck aka the roach coach and so we waited for a bit there, but then I got too impatient.

Where is he?

Oh, there you are, Daddy!

David giggling, "Mommy and Daddy are kissing!"

Can I get a hug?

Hugs for the little, I mean Big Maan!

A little piece of heaven!

Rebekah said the best part of the pictures was the joy on our faces. We couldn't be any happier!

More hugs!

David and Daddy, soon to be inseparable.

After seven LONG months, it's so great to have him home again!