So Long Sweet Home Alabama

Well the time has come for us to part ways my Sweet Home Alabama, as I drive North leaving you in the rear view mirror. It has certainly been an adventure, but I can't say that I am going to miss you-with your constant humidity, black mold infestations, raccoon-sized bugs... Time to torment another Yankee cause this one is leavin town!

On a more serious note- we are heading out tonight in an attempt to beat the wrath of Hurricane/Tropical Storm Fay, which is expected to wreak havoc on the area tonight. We should be in NC sometime tomorrow if everything goes according to plan, which it usually doesn't so don't be alarmed if I am away for a while. I will be back and that's a promise!

Aviation Graduation Ceremony

If you can imagine it,

you can achieve it.

If you can dream it,

you can become it.

And you did!

Congratulations Honey; I could not be prouder of you! It has been a demanding and challenging couple of years but through it all you remained strong and persevered, even making the commandant's list!

Aviation Branch Song

"Above The Best"

High above the best, high above the best

We are Army Aviation USA, proud and strong

We meet the test

Skies filled with thunder

Wearing silver wings upon our chest

We meet the needs of Ground Command

As we aid the Nation's quest

Army Aviation, flying high above the best!

Fly High Babe!

Wordless Wednesday-Graduation Ball

Congratulations Babe- I am so proud of you!

And the winner is...

The winner of the "What's in a Name Contest" is my Aunt Pam who suggested SWEET HOME ALABAMA (in the rearview mirror)...

I love it! This title fits perfectly as we drive North from Sweet Home Alabama-leaving it in the rearview mirror. It also allows me to leave everything else the same, for now, while blogging about the journey. I will share some of my favorite memories/blog posts about our time in Sweet Home Alabama and share about getting settled in NC. I have an idea for a permanent name change once I get completely settled in NC but that's for another time...

So, without further adue...

Congratulations Aunt Pam! You are the lucky winner of an all-expense paid trip with my two kids to Fun Factory. But I got thinking and since we are headed back to NC, I might just drop them off for a weekend, ah, ah, ah! And remember, the prize is non-transferable. No substitution or cash equivalent of prize permitted. By participating in the Contest, you agree to release, discharge and hold harmless Sweet Home Alabama, its affiliates, subsidiaries from and against any/all claims, losses, injuries or damages, including death, resulting from the acceptance, use or misuse of the prize- it is Fun Factory or a weekend with my two kids after all!!! By accepting the prize, winner agrees and consents, where legal, to the use of his/her name and/or likeness without further authorization, compensation or remuneration of any kind for advertising, promotions, and other publicity purposes in all media and on the Internet conducted by Sweet Home Alabama...yada yada yada...

Thanks for playing everyone!

WWF Toddler Style

We went in to get Sprite out of her crib the other morning and this is what we found...

It must have been some match!

Letting Go

Sprout received a butterly house for his birthday and really enjoyed watching as they transformed from caterpillars to Painted Lady Butterflies. The caterpillars arrived as larvae and transformed into pupas within 7 to 10 days. A few days later they crawled to the top of their container and hung upside down while they transformed into chrysalids. It was a great science lesson. Did you know that the Painted Lady butterfly has 10,000 eyes and tastes with her feet?!!

Once they had all transformed, we moved them to their new house and watched as the final transformation took place. The butterflies emerged about a week later and we picked flowers for them to eat. After a few days of watching them fly flutter around, it was time to let them go...

School's in Session

Sprout started school last week here in Sweet Home Alabama. He's only going to attend for a little over 2 weeks before we head to NC where he will start the Monday after we arrive but he was really excited about going...

So excited that he was the first one on the bus...

And Sprite was excited too! Every morning she puts her shoes and backpack on just like her big brother and walks down to the bus stop with us. She even gets in line and tries to get on the bus. We get to the door and she waves goodbye and then we turn around and head back up the hill...

Too stinkin cute I tell ya!

Summer Fun Photo Contest

Nothing like being last minute...
Today is the entry deadline for the $500 Summer Fun Photo Contest at 5 Minutes for Mom.

I couldn't resist entering this photo of Sprout playing in the surf at Panama City Beach. I love the faded look of the picture and the look of pure, unbridled joy on his face. It's ok if I don't win because this photo is priceless to me!

Wordless Wednesday- This One Says It All

What's In A Name Contest?

Since we will be leaving Sweet Home Alabama in about a week, I have been contemplating a name change-but I need your help (my 2 faithful readers!)

Should I keep my blog title the same even though I will no longer be in Sweet Home Alabama?

Should I come up with a completely new title but leave my address the same so my faithful readers can find me?

And do I have to change my intro (which I love by the way)?

Should I add to the current title such as "So Long Sweet Home Alabama?"

Contest Rules...

Leave your proposed blog title as a comment. The lucky winner will win an all-expense paid trip with my two kids to Fun Factory.** No need to thank me, really!

** No purchase necessary to enter or win prize. Valid only at particpating locations in Podunk, AL (which would be zero). Void where prohibited (which would be everywhere). Prize is non-transferable. No substitution or cash equivalent of prize permitted. By participating in the Contest, entrants agree to abide by the decision of the all-powerful judge-that would be me- which shall be final, and release, discharge and hold harmless Sweet Home Alabama, its affiliates, subsidiaries from and against any/all claims, losses, injuries or damages, including death, resulting from the acceptance, use or misuse of the prize- it is Fun Factory with my two kids after all!!! By accepting the prize, winner agrees and consents, where legal, to the use of his/her name and/or likeness without further authorization, compensation or remuneration of any kind for advertising, promotions, and other publicity purposes in all media and on the Internet conducted by Sweet Home Alabama...yada yada yada...

Thanks for playing and good luck!

Packin' Up

I had the Hubs carry this box outside,

And to his surprise,

Here's what was inside...

Slacker

I know, I know, I've been a major slacker lately but I have really good reasons. Let's see where to start...

First I was having a lot of pains in my side and back. I went to the doctor and had a CT scan which showed that I had a cyst rupture and had another one that was twisting on my right ovary. Lovely! There is not much they can do for cystic ovaries other than watch, wait and treat the pain so I just waited it out. I've had cysts before and had some that have ruptured and usually the pain lasts for about 24-48 hours but the next week I was still having a lot of pain in my back and having spasms so I went back to the doc and they did an MRI which showed that I also have a herniated/bulging lumbar disk that is pushing towards my nerve. I was in a car accident a few years ago where I first injured my back and I must have reinjured it somehow. Again, not much they can do for that other than physical therapy so I will get started with PT once we get settled. Settled you ask? Oh, let me explain.

We finally got our orders and found out that we were headed to Hawaii. Paradise right? Maybe for vacation but the reality of living in HI on a daily basis is not so much. Besides the cost of living in HI and the fact that the locals are not very fond of military folks living in HI, the schools leave a lot to be desired. The school on base had a rating of 2 (it was not a Dept. of defense school) and the average class size is 34 kids!!!! On top of that there is a huge meth problem in HI and the traffic is INSANE. Both the Hubs and I did a lot of research and talked to folks who are stationed there and who have lived there before. Most of them did not have very many good things to say about living in HI as a military family. I also feared that I would have trouble finding a job anywhere outside of Honolulu which would give me about an hour and a half commute one way with traffic which meant that Sprite would spend 11-12 hours a day in child care- uh NO!!!!!! With all of these concerns and the concern that Sprout would not get the education and speech services that he needs, we made the decision that the kids and I would go back to NC while the Hubs went to HI. They were deploying in late Spring anyway so I did not want to be so far away from family and friends while my husband was deployed overseas.

So, with 3 weeks until graduation, I headed up to NC to look for a house and a job. While I was up there we got the news that the Hubs was able to get his orders changed to NC-Yippee!!!!!!!! That sure lifted about a thousand pounds off my shoulders.

So, needless to say it has been a bit of a whirlwind and an emotional rollercoaster but looks like it is all going to work out for the best. Now, I just need to find a job, find a house, pack and move in the next 3 weeks.

Wish me luck and please forgive me if I am absent from the blogosphere for a bit!