Here it is!!!

Her solo performance. This is from the in-laws camera. A videographer was at the show so I can't wait sit with S and watch the show together. I'll have to wait until Feb tho. They also too photos I am excited to get those back as well!!

Photo Sharing - Video Sharing - Photo Printing

This show was awesome the instructors worked so hard on all of the details and choreography for all numbers. It last two hours, it started last since they had a line of people out the door to get into the show. Of course we got to the rink early to get good seats. I can't wait for spring show and next christmas. This Friday we have the family Christmas show its going to be FUN. I can't wait to put on a pair of skates and see if I can attempt to do the moves Shelby has learned. I hope H will at least try to get out on the ice I am sure she will be scared.

This was after the show she was showing off for the family hahah!!


Photo Sharing - Video Sharing - Photo Printing

Military Welcome Home Banners

20,000 Banners and Jumbo Cards for our Troops!

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so if u need the direct link its www.buildasign.com/troops


From Build a Sign....

Hello,

I'm an employee at Buildasign.com, and we just launched a promotion in honor of Veteran's Day. We're giving military families a free customizable banner to help welcome home their loved ones returning from overseas or the option to send a free customizable jumbo card to a loved one overseas. I was wondering if you could offer me any tips or suggestions on who to get in contact with to get the message across to people that can take advantage of this promotion. Also, it would be great if you could help spread the word by posting about our promotion on your blog. The link to this promotion is www.buildasign.com/Troops.

We are giving away a total of 20,000 banners plus jumbo cards to support our troops at home and abroad. Thank you again, I greatly appreciate your time!

Best,
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In Memory....

CPT Sims
November 13, 2004

Never Forgotten! Freedom Isn't Free!

It's been forever!!

I am ALIVE!! Sometime has really passed since I have posted but I am going to try and get back in the swing of things. After all my husband has made it home safely!!! I am so glad it's all over, your really don't know what its like unless you have been through it.

So a little update, lets roll back to where I left off........

Hubby left June 07 for Iraq and life got in the way with me running this place alone. It's never fun but someone has to do it. So December S was in a wedding which was an hour or so north of here so that helped a little with the holidays. I was still able to see some of our family. At this point which was less than halfway of deployment I drove J nuts with asking about R&R. For those who have no idea what I am talking about that is Rest & Relaxation way from the desert. It's 18 days (because he was doing a 15mth tour) which they end up taking away from your leave days (vacation days). It should be free time but that is the military for ya it's never they way it should be. Ok back to life and to make a long story short he showed up on the door step the day after Christmas. I was completely speechless. Christmas was I think the hardest day for me out of the whole deployment at least its the day I remember the most. With J showing up the following morning made things a little bit better. Once I got over the shock of him being home I immediately thought about him leaving. I guess with the suprise I didn't have time to prepare myself for that next adjustment. He was home still mid Jan, the kids loved every minute of it and I knew him leaving was gonna be hard on them.

Earlier in the year S started ice skating lessons and was still in Pre-K. New and old friends came into my life and it was great because they kept me going. H turned 2 in Feb and family from NY was down to celebrate with us. I started school in April, fun fun. J's time was cut short, imagine that he came home mid July so 14 mths is what he ended up doing. S turned 5 the day J came home from Iraq, two days later she started K. This school that she is going to is year round. J's leave time started and we took time and went and visited family and went up to the mountains.

So that is a brief update on life.... more soon!

PVT PH part 3

Shelby,

How have you been? I hope that you are being a good girl. Is school still fun, have you made any new friends? I have been taking a few more pictures and will send them to you. We have a room here that has a lot of books, we call it a library, but it is not really one. I have been thinking alot about you and Hailey lately. I can't wait till I can give you a big hug and kiss. I miss you all very much.

Please keep being a good girl for your mommy, and a good big sister for Hailey. I love you. Give mommy and Hailey a kiss and hug from daddy.

Love Daddy

Pvt. PH salutes a blimp

Pvt. PH, talking on the radio

PVT PH at the Combat Stress center

and at the make shift library.

Potato Head Part 2

Shelby,
I hear that you have started school and I am so happy for you. How do you like it? Do you have naps, color and learn about numbers & letters? I know that you are making friends there and are going to have lots of fun playing outside at recess. How do you like your teacher?

I have taken a few more pictures with Mr. Potato Head. I will send them in this email so you can see them. You can show them to mommy and Hailey too. I will keep taking them and sending you more and more pictures. If there is a place you want to see let me know and Mr. Potato Head and I will go there and send a picture.

Be a good girl and be nice to mommy and Hailey. I love you. Give mommy and your sister a kiss from daddy and tell them that daddy loves them too.

Love Daddy

This breakfast looks yummy!!
U can click on the pics to enlarge lol!!

Boots are on the Ground

Mr. Potato Head that is. Here is the first lil letter to S. I haven't read or shared the pics to S, I will at breakfast in the am.

These are the first pics I have see of hubby since he's been gone. He looks a lil chunkier in the face but I guess thats what the heat will do to ya.



Shelby,
I have been taking a few pictures of Mr. Potato Head and will go ahead an send a few now. He kept falling apart so I took some super glue and glues his feet and hat to his body. I have been taking him around with me getting his orientation out of the way. I showed him where the Chow Hall is and where to find the office. He has been sleeping in my locker. I have named the pictures so you know what he is doing in each photo.
Mom told me you had your first half day of school. I hope you liked it. did you have fun? Do you want to go back? When Daddy was a little boy I liked going to school. We had nap time, snack time, recess where we played outside. We ate lunch in the lunch room. and we colored and learned to write. I know that you will have lots of fun when you go back to school soon.
I love you and will take more pictures of Mr. Potato Head doing silly things.
Love Daddy

PVT PH emails Shelby

Battle buddies bonding, lol

and of course a lil PS2 training.

I think Pvt. PH needs to get to work don't u??

Private Potato Head

We have a new recruit!! Let congratulate Pvt. Potato Head. He is receiving his orders to duty effective tomorrow. It's going to take him about 2 weeks to arrive in Iraq. Please pray for safe travels.

Seriously, I am hoping when J gets him he will bond and become battle buddies and send the stories back home. I think the girls will get a kick outta seeing Pvt. Potato Head and daddy together in the gym, eating, working, spending time with the other guys. enjoying holidays together, so hopefully this story will be continued....


***Update-Sorry I should have mentioned this u can find these Mr. Potato Head military figures at Checker's in the kids meals. They have all branches of service!

Family Time

I have been busy which is good. J's family came into town this weekend. We took the kids to Chuck E. Cheese & then the Children's Museum. The rest of the time we spent enjoying each others company.

This weekend my folks are coming. It sure is nice having family coming and going. S's recital is this weekend also. I hope everything goes well. Please pray that J is able to go.

The army fails to tell anyone anything until the last minute so who knows when they are leaving. I am SURE they know but why the soldiers & families haven't been told pisses me off. I really dislike this unit!

Memorial Day

Draughon & Quartered

Take a minute and read Heidi's blog Memorial Day 2007, she is such an amazing woman!

It's over

J's leave time is offically over. It's sad and just makes reality of this deployment set in a little more. I am trying to enjoy the remaining time we have together. While he was on leave he was notified that the date was moved up. I am hoping and praying that he will at least be here for S's ballet recital. Even if he leaves that night I would be happy as long as he could see her on that stage for the first time. We had a great time while he was on leave going out of town and doing some work on the house, spending time outside in the yard chasing the kids around, his dad came in town to upgrade our alarm system so I have one less thing to worry about. Sleeping is hard for me to do alone, at least I am not the only one in this world.

One day during lunch he was picked up H and just held her tight, it was a different kinda hug that usual. So I asked whats wrong, he replied that when he gets home she will be so much older and won't be a baby anymore. It made me tear up and I had to get back to washing dishes before I started to break down. It really makes me sad to know he is gonna miss so much of the little things. I try to tell myself we have done this one time before but sometimes it seems this go around isn't gonna be any easier. Thank goodness for the internet, web cameras and phones right.

Off to soak in some more precious time....

Countdown

Anyone wanna countdown with me??

I have actually talked to him 2 days in a row, he gets a awful signal so its been brief. It's amazing what a phone call will do for your day! Kinda like a taking a shower in peace & quiet. I can't wait for him to see the kids.

A couple more days!!

Why & When??

Every night she asks...

Why is daddy at work all the time?
When is daddy coming home?

It's dinner time S sets the table.....
Shel: I got daddy a fork mommy
Me: sorry S daddy isn't coming home tonight either.

It really sucks that its hard to explain time. I guess we are gonna make some countdown paper rings maybe that will help.

For u ladies who are from this area if u have any places that are good places to kill some time with the kids. We have been to Facinate U and some parks the library. I recently heard about a ranch that I plan to take them too.

Goodbye Arizona

Well, the movers came packed us up Tuesday and loaded up the truck yesterday. J graduated today, YAY!! We are leaving AZ tomorrow morning. It's gonna be a long ride but I think we as prepared as we can be. It should be FUN!!

I "might" blog along the way just depends...