family herkalicious

2 1/2 months

2011-04-18T20:05:00.005-06:00

that's how long it's been since these guys have hugged their dad. we miss him so much. we have been busy, so that makes the time go fast. i am so impressed with these 3 angels. they have been wonderful without their daddy. we do have our moments, but all in all they have been troopers. we are lucky enough to talk or skype with him almost daily. as i said, we've been busy. crazy granny came for a visit and spoiled us, as always. we spent 4 days down in san antonio. we stayed along the riverwalk. beautiful! i'd do that again in a heartbeat. we took the girls to sea world, and in their true fashion, were more interested in the gift shops. during the trip i was feeling a little under the weather, nothing big. however, by the time we got back i was headed to the hospital. i felt really bad and had the fever and chills. i had strep and got a single dose needle with 3 weeks worth of meds. within 24 hrs, i felt better. but it doesn't stop there. about 10 days later i thought i got a mosquito bite right around the injection site. weird right? well it got bigger, and bigger. seriously about the size of a child's dinner plate. so, back to the hospital. plus, my throat was sore again. everyone was stumped. no clue! i tested positive for strep, again. what?!? then i needed to get an ultrasound on my "mosquito bite" to make sure it wasn't a puss pocket, gross. if it was, we would need to operate asap. what?!? and i had breonna with me the whole time. well, it wasn't a puss pocket, gross but good. so what was it? well the dr believes it was some of the meds that didn't make it into my muscle and it was just sitting there in my fat. gross. so back on antibiotics, steroids and zyrtec. wow!! so after that cleared up, things seemed back to normal. until last friday. i opened a letter for our landlord because i saw the word "FORECLOSURE". what?!? so it looks like he's not paying his mortgage and willing to leave us high and dry. nice. so it's still being looked into, but it's looking like we need to pack up and head home. the girls are really excited about it. what?!? i thought they liked our house. so things are up in the air and seem a little overwhelming, but we'll make it work. i have ah-mazing friends here that are willing to do whatever to help. awesome. i can't get better than that. they really have made brad's absence doable. i love them all so much, and we are friends for life!! brad is doing well. his faith is incredible and keeps me going knowing his testimony is getting stronger over there. even though he's a million miles away, and the length of time is huge and we all miss him, i can feel our family getting closer everyday. i am so grateful for everything he's done and will continue to do for us, and i truly can't imagine my life without him. thank you to all my friends and family. we love you all so very much, and can't wait to see most of you soon.

another update!!

2011-03-27T18:06:00.001-06:00

here's an update from brad. we love and miss him so much, but are so thankful for him and all the wonderful blessings he has brought our family. we love you daddy!!!

Some call this place the land of futility. No matter how many meetings, or agreements you have with these people they will continue to push a square peg through a circle hole. Some of you may wonder, what exactly am I doing in Iraq. I sometimes wonder this as well….What AM I doing here? As you know I have been trained as a steely eyed killer who is proficient at closing with and destroying the enemy. Leading soldiers in destroying our Nation's enemies, and their stuff, is what the Army taught me to do. However, that is definitely NOT what we are doing in Iraq….anymore…:(

As you know, last summer all of America's "combat troops" left Iraq. This is political semantics at its best. Instead of the media and the politicians just saying our mission is changing from a combat focused mission to a advising mission. They had to say "all combat troops are out of Iraq. So is that true? Yes and No…mostly No. Most troops in Iraq right now come from Heavy Brigade Combat Teams. They call us right now: "Advise and Assist Brigades". Its like declawing a Lion and calling it a kitty. It will still mangle you if you mess with it. It will just take a little longer. So the only thing really changed is our name, and our mission. Soldiers trained and proficient in combat are still in Iraq….we just have to call them "teachers".

Anyhow, currently my mission is to secure high ranking officers and escort them to various locations in our AO. Its a simple mission, and its not hard. The hardest part is dealing with….difficult personalities with-in the field grade officer club. Each time we roll out we link up with our ISF (Iraqi Security Forces) counter-parts and then proceed to our location. What our VIPs do at these locations falls under the Advise Train and Assist (or ATA) category. The bottom line is American forces right now are training the Iraqis to solve their own problems.

Just the other day an Iraqi General asked our BN Commander what he was going to do about "XYZ". Our Commander replied by asking him what he was going to do about it. Then reminded him we will only really be available for their support for another few months.

My interaction with the IA (Iraqi Army) and IP (Iraqi Police) as been mostly positive, other than being offered some questionable produce (which I had to eat so as not to offend). The soldiers and police seem to be very friendly and mostly pro America. They are grateful for the Iraq that they have now, and say they are ready to operate on their own. I don't know how ready they are when our ISF escorts frequently break down because of lack of maintenance or when they constantly run out of gas on the way to a location. I mean…seriously…."Dude…you ran out of gas?! Look bro…NO over there….yeah that's oil bubbling out of your crappy country!" The problem here isn't refineries, its the bureaucracy they've created over the distribution of their gas. For a country so ripe in oil, its hard for me to fathom how they could be so tight with their gas. This has been an issue for the last 5 years plus (I'm told)…thus the land of futility.

However, this place is a lot different than even a couple years ago (I'm told). We still have IEDs, and IDF (Indirect Fire) from rockets on occasion, but we have had no small arms fire or anything like a fire fight in a very long time. Not to say that we don't constantly stay vigilant, but its almost like driving downtown Detroit, versus a third world country. Speaking of which, perhaps Detroit could use some ATA brigades to help them with their issues...

a new update from brad!!

2011-02-26T19:14:00.001-07:00

February 18, 2011

Time seemed to slow. I adjusted my grip on my M9 Baretta. In the chaos of men shouting and shooting, I grabbed a 15 round magazine and rammed it into the receiver of the weapon. I quickly switched the weapon from safe to fire, and pulled back the hammer with my right thumb. While I picked up the enemy target, I could hear the violent percussion of weapons discharging all around me as I had my left hand support my right. The principles of marksmanship are applied to every weapon: Proper grip, sight picture, breathing, and trigger squeeze. With the hammer all ready back all it takes is slight pressure applied to the index finger and …POP. The shot should surprise you a bit. In this case, the pop didn't surprise me, as I unloaded all 15 rounds into my target, and quickly hit the magazine release with my right thumb, dropping the mag, while quickly loading another. In the Army this is known as expending as much ammo as you can because no one wants to turn it in. It's a technical term, but I think you can wrap your mind around it. Those paper targets didn't stand a chance as approximately 100 soldiers let loose with 249's (machine gun) M-4s (Rifle) and M-9s (Pistol) in a musical cacophony.

In Camp Buehring along with our mandatory classes we had mandatory ranges. Everyone needed to zero and qualify their weapon, even though all of us had already done so back home. I really didn't mind, because shooting things and loud noises are some of the many reasons I joined the Army. Following the ranges the Company as a whole began their training prior to entering Kuwait. As I mentioned in my previous news letter I had already completed the classes so my job mainly consisted of reporting numbers trained to the Battalion leadership. Another one of my main jobs consisted of bringing the new XO for Charlie Company up to speed.

Prior to Charlie getting on the ground our BN XO pulled me aside and showed me a memo with the names of different officers moving to different positions with-in the Battalion. My name was on this list and it stated that I was moving to HHC (Higher Headquarters Company) as the 'Scout' Platoon Leader. I was ecstatic. However, he tempered my joy by whispering the words: "…be careful what you wish for…" I looked at him with a puzzled face and asked, "why? Whats up? Sir, are you mad I wanted this?" He replied that he wasn't, but informed me that my platoon would be split between two major jobs that aren't very glamorous…or fun as we would be going outside the gate nearly every day. F

I didn't care, I would be a PL again, and all was right in the world. I had mentioned a few times to my higher ups that I had been 'screwed' (another technical term a bit softer than the official Army term) by loosing my platoon six months into my PL time. I mentioned that the PL from the Scout Platoon was moving on and that I would be a good fit. I guess someone finally saw it my way. My power of persuasion can be so strong as to almost render the person being persuaded of no free will…just ask Bethany. Its my superpower.

Anyway, my main task was to square away Charlie and my replacement. My replacement and I hit it off right away. For the next two weeks we would do almost everything together. He would pick my brain, and I would give him the advice I wish I had before I took on such a big job. I also informed him on the personalities in the BN and in our company. A big part of any organization is working with people and knowing how to get what you want and need from anyone who can influence your life.

Soon we, along with some other advance party soldiers, found ourselves in Ali Asleem Airbase Kuwait. This is where all flights going into and out of Iraq converge. It is much like Camp Buehring, with a USO, MWR, and various fast food restaurants. After we arrived my group and I unloaded our body armor, dropped our bags and surfed the wifi. After a few hours it was time to bus to our C-130 and board for our flight into Basrah. Our buses took us then to the airfield while we waited, and waited some more. In fact, we waited so long the bus driver put on the movie 'Red' for our viewing displeasure….(is it me or has Hollywood had an inordinate amount of way over the top action movies?). Eventually we are told that our bird has some mechanical problems and we are to head back to Ali Asleem.

We wouldn't fly out until the next day, however my replacement and I enjoyed some great MWR action, where we watched the very enjoyable movie, 'Grown Ups'. Many of you may have found this movie stupid, but I on the other hand think that 4 year olds still breastfeeding is cinematic comedy at its best.

The flight to Basrah was all of 30 minutes, and we arrived by mid afternoon. The very first thing that hits you is the smell. There is a lot of stagnate water all over the FOB, plus we live in a place in the world where people don't care where they poop. Next, your hit with the vast amount of garbage everywhere. The FOB isn't nearly as bad as when you go outside of the gate on patrols. Garbage….everywhere. Lastly, and probably the worst for me, is the amount of flies and mosquitoes. Mosquitoes…whatever…yes annoying, but whatever. Flies…they breed on human feces, then land on you. This is the equivalent of a stranger touching you with a stick that has poo on it. However, rest assured I have been told that I can look forward to the summer heat of 130-140 degrees because it kills off some of the flies.

Well, other than that this is a wonderful place and I am so glad I am here…. Seriously though, it's no wonder these people are so willing to blow themselves up. I think if I lived here I would be game too. Its not all bad though, I have a room with ac, and I don't have to share it. Naked Tuesdays here we go.

More to follow...

a letter from brad's lieutenant colonel

2011-02-25T12:31:00.001-07:00

Dear Friends and Family,
The Charger Battalion (minus B Co) is finally on the ground in vicinity of Basra, Iraq. Bonecrusher is a
few hours north of us working with 2‐82. We are currently going through the Relief in Place/Transfer of
Authority Process (RIP/TOA) which consists of unpacking our gear, signing for theater provided
equipment (vehicles, radios, etc.), orientation briefings, meeting key personnel in the area, and
orientation patrols. Although the trip from Kuwait took a bit longer than expected, 1‐68 Armor was
more than prepared to give us a thorough and professional transition period. Although it has been
almost 4 weeks since most of the battalion left Fort Hood, I think most of the Soldiers are happy to
finally be in Iraq so they can get settled in and finally start working towards accomplishing our mission.
Although most of the Soldiers and leaders would probably say that the amount of time spent in Kuwait
was too long, it was time well spent. The Soldiers conducted final training there to ensure they are
prepared for our mission in Iraq. Training included day and night firing with personal weapons to ensure
all weapon systems worked and were properly zeroed, IED awareness, anti‐fratricide, HMMWV and
MRAP extraction training in case of a roll‐over, close quarters marksmanship, drivers’ training, and some
medical training. Some of the Soldiers even got to see the band Smashmouth perform. While the
Soldiers and junior leaders were conducting that training, the company commanders, battalion
operations officer, and I attended the Stability Academy on Victory Base Compound in Baghdad.
The Stability Academy allowed the leadership and Stability Transition Teams (STTs) the opportunity to
not only receive operational environment briefs from the current brigade, but also allowed the senior
leaders in Iraq the opportunity to see us and give us their guidance personally. The Academy also
provided time for the battalion leadership to form working and personal relationship with the STTs who
will be working with the Charger Battalion. Following the week long Academy, we headed to Basra to
begin the process of conducting the RIP/TOA.
Our Battalion TOA date is currently scheduled for the first week in March, and although all US Forces are
to be out of Iraq by 31 December 2011, I fully expect that our deployment will be at least 12 months
long, at least that is the truth as I know it today.
We are deployed for more than a few reasons, but I want to share a few of them with you. First, we are
here to build an enduring Iraqi alliance with the Iraqi Security Forces (ISF), the Iraqi Government, and
the Iraqi People (we are mainly focused on the Security Forces) that will last well into the future.
Second, we are here to facilitate the training of the Iraqi Security Forces through advising and assisting
them while helping them to use and improve their systems for sustaining their force. This is important
because this will allow the ISF to not only secure the Iraqi people, but will also allow them to defend
their borders against foreign attacks. The third reason is to allow us to reposition and reposture our
forces from Iraq with dignity and pride. The fourth, and probably the most important, is to ensure those
who were killed or seriously injured in support of operations in Iraq did not sacrifice in vain. Our mission
here will be much different from any of the previous deployments. We are here as part of an Advise and
Assist Brigade conducting stability operations to complete the transition to Iraqi self reliance. In other
words, we are here to help the Iraqis find Iraqi long term solutions to Iraqi problems. We will NOT be
conducting combat operations. We will be conducting training with Iraqi junior leaders through the
Stability Transition Teams, conducting Key Leader Engagements to build relationships and to better
learn how we can advise and assist, and supporting the Provincial Reconstruction Teams with movement
and security so they can facilitate further Government of Iraq development. We will also do whatever is
possible to facilitate the standing up of a US Consulate in Basra.
I would like to offer a few things for those of you who are newly married or experiencing your first
military deployment. A year is a long time, but you and your relationship can be stronger when the
deployment is done. Communication is the key, so I encourage you to stay connected with your loved
one. Whether that be via email, snail mail, Facebook, Twitter, or phone, come up with a plan or
schedule to keep the lines of communication open. Second, find a deployment buddy – someone you
can talk to, vent with, or share the hardship with. Third, get involved with the community, the FRG, the
local schools, etc. If you have a problem or issue that you can’t resolve, contact the FRG, FRSA or Rear
Detachment and they can point you in the right direction and/or assist.
I am proud to be associated with this great unit, and truly honored to be in command. I am proud of all
our Soldiers, leaders, and families and I couldn’t be happier with their performance thus far.

Always Ready! First Team’s First String!

ANDREW T. POZNICK
LIEUTENANT COLONEL, INFANTRY
Commanding

another year passes without her

2011-02-13T06:27:00.003-07:00

isabelle chloe
as i moved away from my family 10 years ago, i was so twitterpated i never thought of what i'd miss. my sister gillian got married 2 months after i did, and i didn't have the documents to go across the border. so i missed her wedding. then the following feb she had a baby girl. isabelle chloe. missed that too. so the following june my sister leah got married and i had recieved my visa so i was able to go and be a bridesmaid at her wedding. that week i was up was the first time i'd get to hold, kiss and cuddle my new little niece. sadly it was the last as well. isabelle died peacefully in her sleep the following month. what heartbreak for my sister. i dropped everything to be by her side through this trial.
yesteday was her birthday, and she would be 10. i can honestly say not a day goes by when i don't think of her and her mother. i am so grateful for the plan of salvation that allows us to be together forever. i am also grateful for gillian and her strength, and example of carrying on even on the toughest days.
i know she is watching over her mom, dad and brother, and in some ways, all of us. i think of the saying "Because someone we love is in heaven, we feel a little bit of heaven in our home." and the comfort it can bring.
we love and miss you dearly isabelle.

an update

2011-02-02T11:56:00.003-07:00

from the LT!!! he's been gone not even a week, and we miss him terribly. glas to hear things are going well for him. we love you!!!

http://herkaliciousadventures.blogspot.com

say good-bye to.....

2010-11-03T21:11:00.002-06:00

the blog. i am done with blogging for now. as if you couldn't tell. i have decided to stop because i either have too much to say, or not enough. in recent days my life has changed and has put things in a different light. i need to step away from this to stay in line with what i need to. life is tough..... everybody's is.

here i sit.....

2010-09-26T11:08:00.003-06:00

wondering what to write. wondering what's okay to write. wondering if it's worth it. i vowed to write every week to show my gratitude. that got boring really quick. (sorry kass. i'm not as talented as you.) then i said i would just write the going on's here at home. boring. i don't have the drama, excitement, adventure that is needed for an interesting blog. however it's been a long time, and i feel the need to update. so bear with me.

school ended, and hannah did wonderful. she loves school and trys really hard. she received two awards. one for outstanding achievement in english, and being a good citizen. way to go girlie!!

brad and i were together for our 10 year anniversary. that was our first one together in 4 years. we didn't do anything spectacular, just being together was enough.

the summer was hot!! we invested in a swimming pool us, and we definitely got our money's worth. the girls swam in it daily, and they both had swimming birthday parties.

sandee, brad's mom, came for a visit. we had so much fun. she absolutely LOVES the girls and spoils them ROTTEN!! she's a hardworking, brave woman who's starting a new phase in her life, and i hope it works out for the best. we will actually see her soon as she's coming in a few weeks.

then my dad, brother and nephew came to visit. we just hung out at the lake the whole time it seemed. they came at a busy time with school just about to start and frg stuff (a nightmare) so i hope we'll visit again soon.

Then brad was gone half of aug and sept. this is what is making me avoid blogging as i have very little time. and when he is home, i don't want to sit in front of the computer. you understand.

he's been told he's deploying after january but before march. it's not afganistan, it's the other place. well iraq is sending troops home early, so it's hard to think that they won't change it to afganistan. that would suck... big time. i thought is was okay with deploying, i have to be, but some days i'm not sure. i want to go running home to mom, but the other half feels okay with staying. i have made great friends here, and know i can depend on them if i need to. but nothing is as comforting as a hug from your mom, no matter how old you are. we still have time to decide. i'll keep you posted.

then just as fast as it came the summer ended. hannah started second grade and ainnsley started pre-k...... all day, everyday!! first day she loved it. then she hated it.... for about a week. so she needed new shoes, as she grew big time this summer, and they were pink and sparkly. she was so excited to show her teacher that she has had no problems since.

so it's just me and breonna all day. some days i feel like we are just in the car from 7am to 3pm, but others we are so bored. it's fun to just have us. i feel like her first year we were moving, traveling, settling that it just flew right by, so this will be fun!

so that's where we are. much the same, but soon to be much different.

happy, sad, happy, sad.....

2010-06-17T09:03:00.002-06:00

well it's been an interesting week or so. our family is well. breonna is a walking machine. it's so fun to see her pride as she struts around the house. the older girls are enjoying the summer weather. they love playing out in the water. i love ease dropping to hear what made up situation they've created. oh the simplistic lives of children. this is our first summer together as a family in four years, and we have great plans.

brad was promoted from 2nd lt to 1st lt. not really sure what that means, but i know it come with a pay raise, so i'll take it. he absolutely loves his job and it was wonderful to be part of his ceremony. i'm so proud of him and all he does for our family. he is the love of my life and still after 10 years makes my heart skip a beat when i see him.

just before brad's promotion we learned that he will be deploying early next year. it really hasn't sunk in yet. when i think about it, i get sad. i knew it was coming obviously, but we were originally told aug 2011. so it puts this summer in perspective. everything is turning into, this year we should, we need to, what about....

i think of the impact it will have on the girls. too young to understand, but still affecting them. breonna and him took a long time to become buddies, and how long will it take them again? can i do it on my own? can i be strong enough? it was always over a year away, and now it's closer.

he is very excited. he's one of the last troops that will close out iraq, supposedly. that's from our pres and we know what that means.... nothing. he's excited to go as a lt and a platoon leader. "more action" he says. that makes my stomach flip

so a new page fast approaches our lives.

happy and sad.

the truth about me

2010-06-03T10:01:00.003-06:00

i absolutely love my life. i have a wonderful husband who loves me regardless, three beautiful, healthy girls and we all like each other pretty well. it's easy to say i am very fulfilled.
that being said, here's the truth about me. my house is always just a little untidy. i hate housework. i get tired of it. it's the same thing day in and day out.
i am most always in my work out clothes, aka. pajamas. and that's how it's been for six years. i only change if i'm meeting someone or have an appointment. so yes, i am a chick who wears pj's at walmart.
i hate doing make up. i wouldn't be caught dead without my make up as a teenager, but now it's just a tedious task.
my kids watch more than the recommended two hours of tv a day. then the other hours they're on the computer or ds.
i cannot function without caffeine. it's the absolute first thing i do in the morning. i am truly addicted.
i hate my hair. i'm never happy with it.
i love tattoos. i wish i had more, and i wish mr h had some.
i love to cook, but i hate the clean up. i'd eat out everyday if i could, however that would just add to the 50 lbs i need to lose.
i'm the worst dieter in the world. i almost never last day one.
i like to exercise, but am too lazy to do it regularly.
my favorite thing to do is watch tv in bed.
so that's the truth. i completely understand if half of you remove yourself, and the other half........ welcome to the club.

breonna is 1!!!

2010-05-29T09:05:00.007-06:00

what a year!! i can't believe it's been a year. breonna was alot of firsts for us. our first total surprise. i know i always make fun of people for saying that, but biologicaly, there is no way i should have got pregnant. our first for finding out the sex before delivery, and my first epidural. i would highly recommend the later. five weeks after she was born brad went to ok and we travelled up to canada. looking back, all i can say is i white knuckled it. my mom and brother came and helped and thank goodness. five months later we packed up again and white knuckled it to utah to meet up with brad. so great to be together again. what changes all the girls made in that short time. then we left utah and made our home in texas. and our little breezy has turned one. what a cutie! she's got heaps of curly hair, and the herkimer girl blue eyes. it's sure fun to have her around. happy birthday stinker!!

how to help

2010-05-20T08:10:00.003-06:00

When someone you know is overwhelmed by life, confronted by obstacles that are a little too heavy to carry alone, it’s easy to feel unsure of how to respond. That’s the time to remember it’s not what you do, but that you do something. Often, we don’t realize that what may seem like a small gesture or an insignificant act to us can actually make a meaningful difference in someone’s life. This book offers practical ways on how to reach out to help someone and lend a hand. There are no perfect words, no perfect gestures. Simply reach out and touch someone’s heart. Be brave, be a little more generous, be kind.”

So goes the introduction for a little book called Do Good: 201 Ways to Lend a Hand. This is a sweet and often ingenious guide to helping us figure out ways in which we can help a loved one who needs support in some way. It got me thinking, when life’s difficulties come crashing over, what are the ways in which we can offer a little life raft for those who have always been there for us. I'd love to hear some ideas either that you've been given or recieved.

I'm so thankful for all the help I have recieved and the blessings I've had through given.

curious.....

2010-05-11T14:00:00.004-06:00

sees something...... and must get it!!

service

2010-05-03T09:41:00.003-06:00

i am one, most like others, who would rather serve than be served. a missionary long ago told me, "you serve the ones you love." how true. that's what makes, on some days, it easy to cook and clean for our frantic household. that makes it easy to help your husband find his wallet, keys at 5am. and that has happened more than once. it's easier to help your 6 yr old find that polly pocket dress that polly must wear, or have the steady stream of care bear books read to your 3 yr old. i love serving my family. i don't do it well, or always in a good mood, but knowing that i love my family and their needs are mostly met is the best feeling at the end of the day.

mover and shaker!

2010-04-16T10:03:00.004-06:00

it only took 10 months, but breonna finally decided to get her diaper booty moving. what a world she has opened up. this little girl puts everything into her mouth. everything!!! some i will never divulge. ;-) it's great to see her explore and try to be like her big sisters. these next few years will be interesting.

this picture i was getting dinner ready and she thought she'd help herself to some frozen pizza. it was a hot day, why she's only in her skivies, and i'm sure the cold felt great on her gums. love those legs!!!

here she crawled right over to the basket of clothes i just finished folding and, well you can see. i heard that keeping a house up, cleaning, laundry etc, was like shoveling during a blizzard. as you can see, it's true with this one around!!

we are sure blessed to have our lil pumpkin. it's so great to see her growing and learning everyday. love you girlie!!

our bed

2010-04-07T15:08:00.005-06:00

oh how i wish for a good nights sleep. we have been wrestling with seasonal allergies, climate change and new teeth for far too long.

however, when i do get into bed, i love it. brad and i used the money we got from our wedding to buy the cheapest queen size bed we could get. well fast forward 9 years, we are still using it....... untill this past november.

we have dear friends who sell beds for a very reasonably price. we decided after our summer/ fall apart we would "splurge" and get a nice king bed. the best decision ever!!! i absolutely love it. it's so soft and roomy. aaahhhh. pure bliss.

so on those sleepless nights, it's nice to be comforting the ones i love in a comfy bed.

thanks mick!!!

brownies

2010-03-22T13:25:00.003-06:00

for those who know me, i will do anything for brownies. i love them!! love, love, love. but they are a main contributer for my extra poundage. recently we gave in to the p90x that is splattered all over the tv as of late. surprised to say i'm quite digging it. a great first week, if i do say so myself. however, on saturday i gave in easily, and made the girls what??? you guessed it. brownies. well i devoured them. i think i ate half a pan in two days.
good bye all my hard p90x work!!

so here's to a fresh, brownie- free week.

take care brownies. i'll see you in 90 days!!

the sun!!!

2010-03-09T13:39:00.002-07:00

we have sun today!! i have lived in colder climate my whole life. hence the desire to move to texas. well central texas is a little different weather-wise compared to other parts of texas. i know it's wintertime, and it should be cold, however. when you think it's going to be warmer, it's a long and cold day when it's not. it has been grey skies for sooo loonng. i cannot believe the lack of motivation when the sky is grey. it's "sit on your couch and do nothing all day" weather.
so here's to the first of many sunny days!!

he's going to kill me......

2010-02-23T09:53:00.006-07:00

but i just simply can not live without him. brad, my hubby.

i met brad on his mission. he was serving in the singles ward, which i rarely attended, in our stake. i was struggling with my testimony, and had a real negative attitude. i was really 'hard' with my tats and tounge ring, but elder herkimer wasn't put off.

one time, my parents were having a missionary's open house and the elders were invited. elder herkimer told me a story about his childhood in michigan. he told me he saved his allowance to buy two puppies. when he did he took them often in the mountains for walks etc. well in a few years, the female dog was attacked by a mountain lion and died. then the boy dog was so grief stricken he later died where the girl dog was burried. "to this day a red fern grows there."

sound familar?? he got me. i had never heard that story, and totally believed him!! little skunk. at that moment, i knew he'd have a role in my life.

well fast forward ten years and here we are. several moves, a new career, 3 children, and the list goes on. he is my absolute everything, and i am so thankful for him. he knows everything about me, and is okay with it.

i love you lt. herkimer.

isabelle chloe

2010-02-12T13:04:00.006-07:00

as i moved away from my family 10 years ago, i was so twitterpated i never thought of what i'd miss. my sister gillian got married 2 months after i did, and i didn't have the documents to go across the border. so i missed her wedding. then the following feb she had a baby girl. isabelle chloe. missed that too. so the following june my sister leah got married and i had recieved my visa so i was able to go and be a bridesmaid at her wedding. that week i was up was the first time i'd get to hold, kiss and cuddle my new little niece. sadly it was the last as well. isabelle died peacefully in her sleep the following month. what heartbreak for my sister. i dropped everything to be by her side through this trial.

today is her birthday, and she would be 9. i can honestly say not a day goes by when i don't think of her and her mother. i am so grateful for the plan of salvation that allows us to be together forever. i am also grateful for gillian and her strength, and example of carrying on even on the toughest days.

i know she is watching over her mom, dad and brother, and in some ways, all of us. i think of the saying "Because someone we love is in heaven, we feel a little bit of heaven in our home." and the comfort it can bring.

we love and miss you dearly isabelle.

a year of blessings

2010-02-04T08:32:00.005-07:00

a dear friend of mine, whom i miss dearly and really try to emulate, last year did her blog about all her blessings. i thought i would try it this year seeing i do have so much to be thankful for. it will really help me stay postive each week seeing what little things i am blessed with in my life. there is so much i take for granted. so each week i will post a blessing that i have in my life. i hope it's not too boring for you all!
my first blessing is family dinners. one thing growing up is we always had dinner together as a family. i actually thought everyone did until i got married and saw that some families are just "too busy" to eat together. thanks mom for enstilling this value in my life to pass down to my children.

laundry

2010-01-29T10:43:00.002-07:00

one thing us mothers know is the laundry in never ending. it a "joke" in our house that we do a dark load, a white load and a pink load. here's the proof!!

breonna

2010-01-29T10:29:00.005-07:00

only fair that i do a post for our breezy too! it's not hard to rant and rave about her. she was such a surprise in our lives. we had planned for her later than sooner, but with her we realize that we really have no say in the matter. she came, what seemed at the time like the worst time, but rather at the best time. i am so grateful for my mom and sister who were a graet help for me being a single mom for a bit while brad was gone. i couldn't have done it without them. i sure miss them and wish we could be closer:(

here are some cute pictures of our little cutester. she is a perfect mix of both hannah and ainnsley. i will be exciting to see who she morphs into over these years.

ainnsley

2010-01-09T09:34:00.002-07:00

ainnsley is my funny lil' pumpkin. she has instantly grown up since breonna was born. i'm sure a lot of moms experience this. she does however she still "need" her sooie (binky), but we've been really good with only giving it to her at bedtime. i know, i know. i totally agree that i need it more than she does. it's another item that goes in the "worry about it later" file in my brain.

ainnsley has always been completely opposite from hannah. even in my tummy. then, brad and i didn't find out what sex our babies were before we had them, but i was so certain we were having a boy. my energy was different, my cravings, my morning sickness, everything was opposite. so naturally the sex should be opposite, right?? wrong! we had never been more shocked when the dr said she was a girl. i was thrilled. i immediately thought of all the cute clothes that she could wear.

ainns has always been funny. as a baby she hilarious. playing games with her eyes, laughing a lot. she was so content as well. she really needed to be seeing she wore a corrective helmet for her first year. what a trial for me. it was a lot of money, but if we could get insurance to cover it it would only be 20% of the cost. well we were denied because they thought she has "flathead" which can be avoided. ainnsley had a rare condition in which her head plates weren't fusing together. so we appealed and a friend recommended we call his lawyer friend who represented us... for free!! what a blessing!! with his help we won the appeal, and ainnsley's head was being shaped correctly. at that time i was sure there was no end in sight. looking back, it was just a blink of an eye.

we are so blessed to have our ainnsler's in our family. she knows she's funny, so we never know what hilarious thing will fly out of her mouth, at any given moment. don't get me wrong, she can be a super -grump at any given moment as well. the picture above is a rare moment where her and breonna were getting along. she means well with breonna, but her curiosity almost always ends up with breonna crying. we love you ainnslers!!

hannah

2009-12-16T08:30:00.003-07:00

we've been in texas for just over one month now. wow. feels like two weeks. i'd say we have adjusted quite easily. hannah started school right away and is eating lunch there, taking the bus, doing all the things 'big' kids do. ainnsley has enjoyed going to nursery, and doesn't fight going. breonna isn't sleeping thought the night as well as she was in canada. that's no good, as sometimes i feel i nurse her all night long. in time.

as i mentioned hannah is enjoying school, and we jut had her chistmas concert last night. her first official one. ( ps. it's so great to live in a state that will say chirstmas. enjoy the video.)

hannah has matured so much this past year. having breonna, who looks similar to hannah as a baby, makes me realize how much she's grown. she had her first school lunch on monday, and i had to fight the tears as she walked out of the school kitchen holding her tray, walking to the table. it's going to be a rough couple of years. it's a good thing i have other children, cause this mama hen wouldn't let her baby out of her wing!!

copperas cove, texas

2009-11-25T13:39:00.003-07:00

we made it!! we arrived in our new hometown copperas cove, texas on thursday november 12 at 6:30pm mst. i tried to take a picture of the first sign we saw, but we were highway driving and we were going too fast. so it's just a blurr.

copperas cove, or cove as the locals reffer, has about 30 000 people. i never thought i would want to live in a small town, but now that i have kids, i wouldn't want it any other way. our neighborhood is awesome. it's full of friendly people and tons of kids. my girls are loving it! hannah started school as soon as we could. her school, ironically is huge. almost 1000 kids!! but the actual class only has 20 kids. she catches the bus at 7:11 and doesn't get home until 3:30. she's gone all day! most mom's would love that, but my hannah can be so sweet and calming, i miss her. it's only been 4 days, so i still have time to adjust.

ainnsley is doing so well in her new room. for the handful of people who know her habits knows she doesn't sleep well. she always falls asleep cuddling, or on the couch beside me. with all the chaos i let it go, and would "worry about it later." so we moved in and got everyone's room set up. we got her a new big, big girl bed with everything blue, her favorite. she surprised us all with no real fights in going to sleep there. however, the other problem is she always wakes up and comes in our bed. being lazy i fixed the problem...... by getting a king bed!!! still, it;s a nasty habit. so last night we made her a makeshift bed beside ours and told her that if she got scared she can come and sleep there. well, it made it okay to come in, so she had no part of it. slept right through the night. i hope this isn't a sign of rebellion!!

breonna has had a persistant cough since leaving utah. finally i took her to the dr and he concluded it was allergies. everyone's been letting me know about the texas cedars and the "cedar fever" it brings. i hope it's not as bad as it sounds! i think she's teething again, and i think it's the big ones as she's been miserable the past two nights. all this fun stuff i forgot about with babies.

it's been great to be reunited again. i neglected to think however that being reunited with brad means being reunited with his laundry, dishes, habits. so it's been "refreshing" to get acustomed to life together again. it's fun to know that there is no sign of being apart for a while so we are really taking advantage of together time. one great thing about living in a military town is the family unity that the town feels. there is so much to do as a family. what a great value to have. i say if you ever get the oppurtunity to move to town close to a base, take it. it's wonderful. that being said about a small town, the closest target is 25 miles away.

i hope this all finds you well. it's american thanksgiving tomorrow, and while the majority of america will be enjoying turkey, we'll be enjoying homemade cafe rio. i'm more thankful for that than turkey!!

here we go!!

2009-11-10T21:47:00.004-07:00

well, all the talk is finally going in motion. we have taken off! as i write this we are in a hotel in farmington new mexico. my first venture out of utah, and we stop in farmington. go figure!! i always said i'd love to move to new mexico, but now that we're here, i think i'll change my mind. it's a lot different than i expected. i'm sure there are better parts, but i'll believe it when i see it.

so, we left our dear friends this morning to set off. we are planning on three days. we'll take our time seeing it is so long for the girls. plus, we won't feel rushed to get there by a certain time, and there is an extremely high chance someone will be sick. ainnsley was the one this morning. poor thing. we were on the side of the road just before price cleaning everything with bottled water and forcing gravol down her throat. lovely. let's hope for a better couple of days.

with all that has happened in fort hood these last couple of days, it will be very interesting to arrive during this trial. i hope i can protect my girls from the hate that i'm sure will be said, but know that i can't for long. it is a really scary world we live in, and i was foolish to think that we would be safe on base. it made me realize that nowhere is truely safe. what i can keep safe is my family values that i hope and pray that my girls will understand and cherish their whole lives. hey, one can hope. i am so thankful to be together with brad again, and it has made our family values stronger than ever.

i always say i will be better at posting, but we actually have something going on now, so there is more to say. i will miss utah and all the friends that i have made over the years. i'm so grateful for this day in age where it is so easy to stay in touch. it's wonderful.

so, here's to being an army strong family for real now!! hooah!!!

summer's end

2009-08-30T00:05:00.004-06:00

as the summer is coming to a close, i'm thinking how fun my summer's have been as a mom. as a kid, they were always fun. we were lucky enough to live next door to our cousins so we always had someone to play with. as soon as we were done breakfast we were outside ready to play until bedtime. sometimes so excited one of us forgot to put shorts on!! i won't say who. but as i got older i had summer jobs, and then when i got married we worked all the time it seemed.

but as a mom i've been so fortunate to stay home and raise my girls. i have come home the last three summers and they have been wonderful! i hope my girls will remember the fun times we've had, and i hope to keep creating memories with them. with that said, what is a favorite summer memory of yours?

ooohhhh, we're halfway there...

2009-08-24T22:33:00.008-06:00

can anyone name that tune?????

but it is true. we are halfway through bolc III. yeah!! it's been interesting. we have had a fun summer, colder than we are use to, but fun. granny had the backyard all ready for the girls with a swingset, playhouses, a sandbox and a little pool. they don't play out there as much as i would like, but when they are out there, they have a blast. we have been at the quarry in canmore a couple of times, reilly park a couple of times, cousins' houses. plus we had hannah's and ainnsley's birthdays in there. alot of fun times. i will say we are all a little anxious to have a routine again.

speaking of routines, hannah starts grade one on thursday. how exciting! we actually went out to the new mall to do school shopping today, and i think it became a little more real for her. she starting saying that she was a little nervous, but knows she'll do okay. such a big girl.

brad will finish bolc III oct 30. then will see eachother for maybe a week before he's most likey off again. we both agree that it is best for us to do as many schools as he can while i'm home and spend more time together in the end. i am busy with the girls and he's busy with school, so it's been a good thing.

the girls have been great. we have had fun, and we are so lucky to have mom and dad to help us, especially me. breonna is getting bigger by the minute! she is a smiley thing, and loves her sisters. she has slept through the night beautifuly, and made me a better mom. mommies need their sleep!!

so my battery is running low, and since my sis prettied up my blog, i'll update in a few.

crazy busy!!

2009-06-29T19:02:00.002-06:00

well, on may 14th 2009 breonna claire herkimer entered our lives. we are so blessed to have her. i decided, with much fear, to have an epidural and wow!! much easier. i can see why people have so many children. my stance on the number of kids to have has changed!! my friend said with epidurals she enjoyed giving birth. i thought she was crazy........ before I had an epidural!!! breonna was the first baby i could really enjoy taking in. the other girls i was being stitched, and i don't have to say how unpleasant that is!!

we brought her home 2 days later and have enjoyed having her here. however, her birth was the begining of the craziness. we had to pack house, enjoy time together, adjust to the baby, bless her, and send brad off, and go to calgary all in 12 days. yikes!! that was a white knuckle experience for sure!! we made it, but i couldn't have done it without our wonderful friends, who we will miss dearly, and our family. my dad flew up for the blessing and to help with the girls, and my mom and brother made a quick drive up to be here and to help bring us up to calgary for the summer. we honestly could not have done it without everyone. thank you so much and we love you all.

now we are nestled up here in calgary, enjoying a break from the heat. the girls love my mom's big backyard and all the cousins. my mom has been really cute in making the backyard their little neighborhood with the playhouses. i had my first night alone with all the girls on saturday, and there is no way i could do this alone. i have to give all the single mothers a huge shout out for there constant hard work. i am so blessed to have a family that is willing to help out so much.xxx

brad is in ft. knox for four months. this will be the longest we will be apart, and so far it's only been a week. this will be hard but i know we can do it. we are able to skype, and email and call more than his other trainings so we should be okay. i at least have the girls to keep me busy.

my goal this summer is to update as often as i can to show you guys the fun we will have. i'm still so lame at this, so hang tough.

we love you all, and once again thank you for all your support.

top ten ways your life isn't like a reality show.

2009-06-05T13:47:00.002-06:00

i saw this in one of my parenting magazines and thought it was cute. i hope you enjoy it!!

1. your morning weigh-ins are mercifully private.

2. no hope of trading up to a multimillionaire, housecleaning husband who lives to give foot rubs in wacky wife-swap episode.

3. you drive a ford, shop at target, and drink diet coke all the live-long day, but no one gives you a damn dime for product placement.

4. you endure hours of grueling photo shoots- but they're all at sears and come out in wallet size with a faux-nature background.

5. the only extreme home makeover you're getting is courtesy of a 5-year-old with markers.

6. you'd like to see top chef make three different dishes (one kid food, one vegan for your tween, and one that actually tastes good for you) every single night.

7. you really did marry you big fat obnoxious fiance. (and what's worse, no one paid you.)

8. you never get voted off- even if you beg.

9. you're surrounded by "real" housewives- but like you, they haven't shaved their legs in days.

10. you know what not to wear, but nothing else fits since you've had kids.

now how is it i can't remember dr's appointments???

2009-05-02T22:27:00.003-06:00

Here you go mommies - a different kind of survey for a change - it's all about your children!

Let's see how much you remember!

1. WAS YOUR FIRST PREGNANCY PLANNED? yes, but it happened really fast.

2. WERE YOU MARRIED AT THE TIME? yes, for 2 years

3.WHAT WAS YOUR REACTION? excitement, curiosity.

4. WAS ABORTION AN OPTION FOR YOU? no way!

5. HOW OLD WERE YOU? 27....did i say that out loud??

6. HOW DID YOU FIND OUT YOU WERE PREGNANT? missed periods and then puking then dr's.

7. WHO DID YOU TELL FIRST? brad, of course. then my mom.

8. DID YOU WANT TO FIND OUT THE SEX? no, i wanted to be different.

9. DUE DATE? july 15 2003

10. DID YOU HAVE MORNING SICKNESS? everyday, even on the delivery table.

11. WHAT DID YOU CRAVE? salads, snickers and dr pepper.

12. WHO/WHAT IRRITATED YOU THE MOST? i worked for jenny craig...... need i say more?

13. WHAT WAS YOUR FIRST CHILD'S SEX? girl

14. DID YOU WISH YOU HAD THE OPPOSITE SEX OF WHAT YOU WERE GETTING? nope, totally okay with it.
15. HOW MANY POUNDS DID YOU GAIN THROUGHOUT THE PREGNANCY? 30

16. DID YOU HAVE A BABY SHOWER? my mother in law had one for me in utah, and my auntie meg had one for me in calgary.

17. WAS IT A SURPRISE OR DID YOU KNOW? my mother in law's was a surprise.

18. DID YOU HAVE ANY COMPLICATIONS DURING YOUR PREGNANCY? no.

19. WHERE DID YOU GIVE BIRTH? timpanogous regional hospital.

20. HOW MANY HOURS WERE YOU IN LABOR? i was induced at 5pm, needed to push at 9pm and she was born at 9:15pm. 4 and a half hrs.

21. WHO DROVE YOU TO THE HOSPITAL? brad and my mom.

22. WHO WATCHED YOU GIVE BIRTH? my mom was there right until i had to push then she had to leave, so brad was there.

23. WAS IT NATURAL OR C-SECTION? natural

24. DID YOU TAKE MEDICINE TO EASE THE PAIN? no. my fear of needles is bigger than my pain tolerance.

27. HOW MUCH DID YOUR CHILD WEIGH? 8lbs 4oz

28. WHEN WAS YOUR CHILD ACTUALLY BORN? july 15 2003

29. WHAT DID YOU NAME HIM/HER? hannah isabelle

31. HOW OLD IS YOUR FIRST BORN TODAY? 5

Let's see how much you remember!

1. WAS YOUR SECOND PREGNANCY PLANNED? yes, but took almost a year.

2. WERE YOU MARRIED AT THE TIME? yes, for six years.

3. WHAT WERE YOUR REACTIONS? excitement, but i was distracted with a 2 year old.

4. WAS ABORTION AN OPTION FOR YOU? no way.

5. HOW OLD WERE YOU? 29

6. HOW DID YOU FIND OUT YOU WERE PREGNANT? same old. missed periods, puking...

7. WHO DID YOU TELL FIRST? brad

8. DID YOU WANT TO FIND OUT THE SEX? nope. i like the surprise.

9. DUE DATE? august 11 2006

10. DID YOU HAVE MORNING SICKNESS? of course, but it only lasted 16 weeks this time.

11. WHAT DID YOU CRAVE? homemade chocolate cake. i made one every other day.

12. WHO/WHAT IRRITATED YOU THE MOST? i worked part time and needed my mother in law to babysit. that never went smoothly.

13. WHAT WAS YOUR SECOND CHILD'S SEX? girl, but we were so convinced it was a boy. everything was opposite, everything!

14. DID YOU WISH YOU HAD THE OPPOSITE SEX OF WHAT YOU WERE GETTING? not at all. i'm so blessed to be able to have children.

15. HOW MANY POUNDS DID YOU GAIN THROUGHOUT THE PREGNANCY? 60. remember the chocolate cake??

16. DID YOU HAVE A BABY SHOWER? no. another girl in the same season.

17. WAS IT A SURPRISE OR DID YOU KNOW? total shock!

18. DID YOU HAVE ANY COMPLICATIONS DURING YOUR PREGNANCY? she was posterior and the dr had to turn her. ouch!!

19. WHERE DID YOU GIVE BIRTH? cottonwood hospital.

20. HOW MANY HOURS WERE YOU IN LABOR? my labor started at 6am, was at the hospital at 7:30am and she was born at 1o:55am. so about 5 hrs.

21. WHO DROVE YOU TO THE HOSPITAL? brad

22. WHO WATCHED YOU GIVE BIRTH? brad

23. WAS IT NATURAL OR C-SECTION? vaginal

24. DID YOU TAKE MEDICINE TO EASE THE PAIN? nope. fear of needles.

27. HOW MUCH DID YOUR CHILD WEIGH? 8lbs 7oz

28. WHEN WAS YOUR CHILD ACTUALLY BORN ? august 11 2006

29. NAME? ainnsley mae.

30. WHAT IS YOUR CHILD'S AGE TODAY? 2

be...

2009-04-17T16:13:00.001-06:00

Back in the day, I had a “frenemy” who, as it turned out, was pretty hell-bent on taking me down. This person really did what they could to hurt me. I was deeply upset, I was angry, I was all of those things you feel when you find out that someone you thought you liked was venomous and dangerous. I restrained myself from fighting back. I tried to take the high road. But one day I heard that something unfortunate and humiliating had happened to this person. And my reaction was deep relief and…happiness. There went the high road. So, why does it feel so good to hear something bad about someone you don’t like? Or someone you DO like? Or someone you don’t KNOW? I once asked the editor of a newspaper why all of the stories had a negative bent. He said that when the headline was positive, the paper didn’t sell. Why is that? What’s wrong with us? I asked the sages to shed a little light.

Here’s to washing our mouths out with soap...

Love,

Bethany

The wait is over!!

2009-02-19T13:36:00.002-07:00

At long last we have some answers. First off, Brad has worked so hard for us and we are so grateful for him. He has tried numerous times to have the dates of his trainings etc. to cater to us and our children's needs. It's been wonderful having him working so close and being home for dinner every night, no homework or papers to run to, coming home for lunch and just having more time as a family. I can't get to comfortable with this.

It's looking like the first of his training is May 10th, five days before our baby's due. We've talked about inducing and are a little on the fence. He may be able to come home for a day, he may not. Regardless I have a wonderful, supportive family that is willing to come down and help out. It sucks to maybe have him gone, but if it needs to be done, what can we do?

The second of his training starts June 1st. This is in Kentucky and will be about five months. We just learned today that we will not be going with him. I will go home for a bit, and he'll have weekends off so we can go and visit. It will be hard however I will have a newborn that will take all my attention. This is the part of an Army wife I am not looking forward to. Needless to say, no more kids!!

The best news is where we will be living. I'm anxious to get settled and get our girls happy in their new life. And we will be doing that by the end of November at Fort Hood Texas. This is exciting for me because my sister lives near Dallas so it's only 4 hours away. I have not lived close to my family for nine years and am thrilled to be close to her. Hannah has never lived near cousins and I am excited to have her close to Madeline. Although I will ensure she is not brainwashed with High School Musical!!! JK

It's a relief to have answers, however one thing that is the same with the Army is it's always changing. So lets keep our fingers crossed that it will all work out.

Thanks for your support, we love you all, and we'll keep you posted.

Love,

The Herkimers

Waiting Game

2009-01-26T13:37:00.002-07:00

Those of you who read this, all three of you, know what we're still waiting for. We were told that we would know our post three months ago. We still know nothing, and I've made peace not knowing. At first we tried to stand back and not really get involved with a lot because I thought we'd be gone sooner. Well it's hard in our neighborhood. The four months we've been here I've been given two callings in our ward, joined a book club, was walking with a friend, and gone to several Enrichment activities. That's more involvement since Draper which was three years ago. So my plan backfired, but I couldn't be more grateful. The friends I have made in this short time will always be remembered. In fact, me and my friend Kathryn did so much we ended up with the same due date!!

With this in mind it got me thinking of everyone I've dealt with since I've moved here. This year is my ninth year here. I can't believe it. When you first move away you think it will never be the same. You'll always miss home, you think everyone's lost without you and you're counting down to every visit. I have been lucky enough to go home a lot, and I do love going home. There is a point where you are just content visiting those closest to you. I have come and gone without telling any of my old friends I've been, and do feel terrible, but there is only so much one can expect. With the kids, schedules, plus everyone still does there own thing without you, you just can't visit everyone.

So my life will consist of moving and I'll have to deal with making friends and leaving friends. I think that's why I enjoy Facebook more than my husband. I enjoy friendships but he can take it or leave it. He always says "why do I need friends when I have you, my best friend." Barf!! Sorry honey. I need friends.

Thank you friends, for being my friends. Understanding the chaos of my life, seeing me when I visit, understanding when I can't. Here's to all of you, and the friends in my future. I wouldn't be who I am without you!!

Love Bethany xoxo

Holiday Bliss

2009-01-03T20:56:00.002-07:00

Well they've been and gone. As quick as a flash. The Holidays. As I get older the season goes faster, so this year I'd thought I'd make it last and my decorations up early. It didn't work. It still went just as fast. And I was ready to take them down on the 1st.

I was really excited to wake up Christmas morning in our own place this year. One of the little things you take for granted when you live with others and travel for Christmas. This year we had alot of Christmas festivities planned thanks to Crazy Granny. Some cities re-enact The Polar Express on some old trains. The city Heber does that here. However Heber is just south of Park City, and the night we had tickets a blizzard blew into town. They had closed down the canyon and we were unable to go. We were disapointed. We were able to go last year so we knew what we were missing. Hopefully we will be able to make that a Christmas tradition where ever we end up.

The next on our list was The Nutcracker. We got tickets to the local theater and it was kid friendly, the important part. It was put on by a local dance company so the dancers ranged from 3 to about 60! It was really well done and would make that a tradition for sure. I made the mistake by recording Nutcracker on Ice that was on TV so Hannah could see it seeing she really enjoyed the play. Well she watches/ dances to it about 5 times a day and begging anybody to dance with her!! Bittersweet.

Another highlight this season was finding out what we are having. I was so excited but Brad was not. I felt that because of our uncertainty it was best for me to be better prepared. Brad likes the surprise, as do I, but I've done that twice. This time I can know without the hours of excrutiating pain!! So pull out the pink, it's another girl!!!

New Years for us consists of the TV, remote, and couch as it does every night, but this time we tried to stay awake to see the ball drop. I know. We're lame.

We are always reminded this time of year about our loved ones near, far and gone ahead. You all were missed dearly and are constantly in our hearts. We love you all and hope to see you soon.

All our love, Pots and Pans, etc.

B&B

Goodbye Student Life!!

2008-12-15T12:50:00.002-07:00

Some of you already know the story, but about two years ago Brad came home from work one day and stated that he was quitting his job, going back to school and joining the Army. He had worked his way up in the Hotel industry and we were simply working to gain experience to manage a hotel. You can imagine my shock, anger, frustration, confusion and every other feeling imaginable. I had just had Ainnsley, and we were changing everything?? But as anyone who's married knows they need to have a happy husband in the home. And honestly I was very side-tracked by being a new mommy of two. I trust my husband and I said I would support him.

Well in those two years it has been full of ups and downs. The biggest down was having to move in with his family for a year. It was necessary and we were very fortunate to have a family that was willing to help us. I went home about every three months it seemed, which was great, and did what I could tho keep myself sane. I am so lucky to be close to my husband and knew that when I needed to vent, which was very often, he would listen with understanding. The year was tough on both of us, and it was important to remain close to each other. Now looking back, we're even closer.

Now the biggest up just happened this weekend. On Friday Brad graduated Summa Cum Laude from Weber State University with a Bachelor of Science. That means a 3.9 GPA for the four year degree. (I had to look that up.) Then we rushed over to see Brad commission as an Officer in the US Army. He commissioned with DMG, Distinguished Military Graduate, that's in the tenth percentile of all commissioning Officers in the US. Needless to say he worked extemely hard.

We couldn't have accomplished all this without the love and support of our family. To make the day even better we were blessed to have Mom and Dad and Auntie Meg and Uncle Wayne come all that way to celebrate with us. With them here it made the day perfect. Well it would have been perfect if all our family could come, but we understand of course.

Now Brad started his "real " job today with the Army. "Real" health insurance, "real" income, now we're "real" grown-ups. It's nice to be at the end of student loans, final exams and term papers. I'm sure it's nicer for Brad.

It's been a wonderful journey. Would I do it again??? I'll have to "real"ly think about it!!!

We miss all your faces, and we hope to see everyone soon.

Pots and Pans, All our love,

Bethany

Trying.

2008-11-15T19:22:00.002-07:00

This is really not my thing. Blogging. But I'm trying. For those who know me, I prefer the phone. I can talk for hours! Ask my mom and sis. As much as I wish I could talk to all of you for hours at a time, the 3 people who read this, I can't.

Last I posted a lot had changed. Since then, nothing. I was hoping to know where we'll be posted, and I don't. I was hoping to know what dates we can look at, and I don't. I was hoping to have Ainnsley potty trained, and I don't. So what can I tell you?? I'm not sure.

Anyways, we celebrated our birthdays these past weeks. Brad and I's birthdays are only a week apart so we generally celebrate them together. Usually with his acual birthday being forgotten. Sorry Brad! I'm sure he cares.

So with birthdays of course we ponder. I think I've lost my youth somewhere between the summer and now. I read and loved the Twilight series last year. This summer with the final book coming out I listened to the series again, seeing I had an hour commute each way, and got slightly irritated the characters. Then the final book came out. It was pulling teeth to get me to finish it. And I wasn't reading it. I was listening to it!! I found myself groaning and rolling my eyes. I couldn't wait to get it over with!! Weird.

Another thing is High School Musical. 1&2 came out last year or so and I kept them on my Tivo to watch over and over. We watched them on our movie night. Knew all the words. HSM3.... I fell asleep! And couldn't force myself to stay awake! I thought it was lame and ridiculous. Troy drove me nuts. I can't explain this. I'm slowly turning into my mother. I sing ABBA while I'm doing dishes, I count to 3 in a threatening tone some days, all day. Can this be happening? I think I need an intervention.

Well I'll stop loathing. Hopefully soon I'll have all that good news I wished to tell you this week. If not all of it, at least where we're going. That's the one I'm anxious for.

Love you all. Pots and Pans. Etc, Etc.

ps. I think my spell check took a night off so I apologize for all the mistakes. Another old thing!!

What to say?

2008-10-25T19:28:00.002-06:00

So it's Bethany. I'm so lame at this, however I was surprised at the requests I had to update this in my point of view. I've avoided it for too long and now I have too much to say.

We were so lucky to spend three wonderful months with my family in Calgary this summer. As you all know Brad has Army camps to do, so I go home. However this spring we decided to jump ship from Brad's parents house and relocate for a few months. Family is family, but sometimes you just can't share a roof. That's all I'm going to say about that. That's a whole other blog.

While we were in Calgary I mooched a job off of my sister in law and worked for her. What a wonderful experience. She works with Adults with disabilities and opened my eyes to the true love in the world. I met so many amazing people that I will never forget. People who have touched my life and encourages me to live better and be more grateful for what I have. It was a job I will never forget and will hold dear to my heart.

During the summer Hannah turned five and Ainnsley turned two. It was fun to have birthdays with all our family however I fear with both being summer babies they will always be short changed with the parties. So one thing about my girls is as long as there's gifts, they don't care. With them turning older, their actions are older. I didn't think a two year old knew how to upper cut without being coached. At the end of the day the do love each other and are each other's best friends. We'll see how long that lasts.

After the fun summer we packed up and went back to Utah. Adam and Stacey were so thoughtful to bring us back as Brad had to leave to start school. We thought it would be smart if we drove through the night so the kids could sleep mostly. That worked until three am we were visited again by the "Baconater". Thank you Ethan. Thank goodness it wasn't in our car.

Brad and I had an apartment lined up, but we had about three days before we could take possession. We have a wonderful friend in our old Draper ward who was so kind to let us crash there. I love Julie. I could stay with her forever!!

We finally got into our apartment and got settled rather quickly. Hannah started Kindergarten at Grandview Elementary. She's in Mrs Crane's PM class and takes the bus everyday. I can't believe she's as big as she is.

With Hannah starting school and me not working it is just me and Ainnslers in the afternoon. I thought I would be lost with things to do but we were lucky enough to receive a big screen HD TV, thanks to hubby. So not much gets done, but allot gets watched!!

As we are approaching the end of Brad schooling it means our future is becoming more real. He has worked so hard and is graduating first of his class. DMG is Distinguished Military Graduate and will be on his Military Resume his whole career. So with that said he received his first choice for his branch which will be Armor. (tanks etc.) We don't know yet the base we will be stationed, but I've been assured it will be soon. It's exciting and scary at the same time.

Allot of changes ahead of us, but the biggest will be a new addition to our family this spring. The timing will be difficult, but all the mothers out there knows how wonderful having a baby is.

I'm all typed out. I can't say that this may happen again, but I certainly will try. Thank you all for your love and support. We miss you all dearly, and I will let you know where we're headed!!

Love
The Herkimers♦

King for a day...Actually, more like a week.

2008-08-21T00:04:00.002-06:00

I have successfully returned from LDACISTAN and served a tour in Polomas. Actually I got home on August 11, which was little Ainnslers birthday. I promptly hopped in my rockin Ford Focus and drove 13 hours up to Canada to see my wife and kids. Now you may be thinking, "they were seperated from each other for over 5 weeks and they couldn't make the trip down to pick him up from the airport?!?!?!" No, no, this totally looks like one of those relationships where the guy is totally enamered with the girl and she could give two craps about him. I mean, she had a very good reason for not being home after I arrived in Calgary at Midnight after driving all day on 4 hours sleep. I also totally understand the headache that she had from helping these guys out at the local clubs. Come on, you would have one too if you worked as hard as she does.

Actually, my family treated me like a returning hero after months of seperation. My kids actually adored me and I know what it feels like to be a King. Everything I said was funny, and my girls hung on every word that proceeded from my droll mouth. Ainnsley actually wanted me to pick her up when she fell down or was sad. Hannah wanted to spend every minute with me and we went to Calaway Park together last Friday. It finally got to the point where I felt like all the unsubsiding attention was getting a bit creepy like an old twlight zone episode where the family is just fattening up their father/husband to make him the main course at a banquet in his honor.

Ok, there is no episode of the twlight zone where the family eats their father after a week of prolonged attention, but I'm sure you catch my meaning, by things being a bit out of place. I mean, don't get me wrong, I'm sure my kids love me and want to spend time with me, but 24/7 rock-star status is not normal.

Actually towards the end of the trip Ainnslers started wanting mommy (smart choice, as I still don't know how to lay her down in her crib) over myself, and Hannah, stopped saying "Yes daddy" like a robot, and started saying, "but, but...PLEEEEASE."

Unfortunatley, I had to return to Utah today as I have drill this week-end and school starts on Monday. One more semester and we are threw for awhile. Then our real adventure begins with far off places and exotic locations. My wife will get to see Hawaii, Italy, and Germany, while I will visit such destination locals like Afghanistan and Iraq. Soon, it looks like I might get to go to lush Russia or even visit the forrests of Georgia.

My last blog until I return.

2008-07-05T09:42:00.003-06:00

Well, I leave Canada and my family on Monday July 7th, which is the anniversary of my marriage to my wonderful wife. I will travel back to Utah and tie up some loose ends and get my things together and leave for LDAC on July 10th. As mentioned before LDAC is 32 days and I will return home on August 11.

It is hard to describe some of the feelings about leaving. On one hand I'm happy I'm going to LDAC because it is the capstone of a cadets ROTC experience. After this I will soon know where I rank out of all the cadets, what I will be doing in the Army, and where I will be stationed first. On the other hand, not being able to see or speak to my family for a month almost makes me physically ill. I think I have grown closer to my wife and kids as Bethany's and I roles have been reversed some what since we've been in Cananda. She is the bread winner and I am the stay-at-home Mr. Mom. Taking care of my children's basic needs every day for the last couple months has been such a wonderful experience that has given me more patience and instilled in me a greater appreciation for what Bethany deals with and will deal with on daily basis. In addition, my love for my children and spouse has grown and I already am homesick for them.

So on Monday the 7th I will leave my wife and kids in symbolic gesutre of celebrating our 8th year of marriage. Pagans would probably say that is a bad omen, but it cannot be helped. I will also miss my dear Hannah's 5th birthday as she turns 5 on July 15th. I will also physically miss sweat Ainnsly's birthday as she turns two the day I fly back to Utah.

So, how do you deal with being seperated? I at least try to focus on the present and the tasks at hand. The worst part about being seperated is going to bed at night where you are alone with your thoughts until you fall asleep. During the day you are so busy that it is not difficult to forget your troubles for the time being. I also try to think of how great it will be when we are reunited (images of slow motion running towards each other arms extended and jumping up and down cannot be helped).

Well, I'm off. I'm going to miss my family more than they know, but I will also not let them down by being a baby. I will complete my mission and kick some ass at LDAC.

How can someone as ugly as me produce kids like this?

2008-06-24T14:26:00.004-06:00

Well, that is my wife... Mrs. Nice. Someone in our relationship has to be. She always tells me it's "nice to be nice". I always ask, nice for whom? I'm glad she is nice, particularly to me, but her best feature is her uncompromising charity for others. If someone has a chance at salvation it is her. She wants people to feel good about themselves. I want people to know the truth. The truth is that they're idiots and their kids are ugly.

Speaking of which...while your kids are ugly and untalented, my kids are beautiful geniuses. I'm kidding....but your kids are not as cute as mine and I will come to blows with anyone who fights me on this point. We're still working on brain wash...erm, behavior modification on some days, but overall they are great kids who have a great future ahead of them as long as they listen to ME. I just dont understand how someone as ugly as myself helped to produce beautiful kids. It's all Bethany. There is no other explanation... well there is another one, but Bethany assures me...

LDAC is fast approaching, and while I'm getting a bit nervous I usually use that energy towards studying land navigation or going over squad tactics in my brain. For those of you who don't know what LDAC is you can google it. No, I'm not giving you a fricking link! Are you that lazy? Would you like a piece of cake as well? Kidding, kidding....kind of. No, LDAC is the final testing ground for our official Army ROTC education. If your going active duty and want a highly requested branch in the Army then you must do well at LDAC. LDAC is 32 days of leadership evaluation and training. Most of the time, your just a "joe", but there are specifically four times where you will be a leader in some capacity and you will be graded on several different dimensions.

Anyways, I digress, I should be concentrating on making you bloggers feel pathetic...which you all are. I realize that your dad and mom never really gave you the one on one time that you always felt you deserved, and you have channeled that feeling of neglect into a blog that gives you an overinflated sense of self worth. AHAHAHA. I'm kidding of course, I hang on every word you post. ;)

2008-06-18T10:45:00.001-06:00

Our family...

My husband

2008-06-18T10:15:00.002-06:00

Well yes folks that's him in all his glory. The anti- people guy. He really is a great guy. A great husband and a great father. He's in his last semester of school and he will graduate as an officer with his degree in Criminal Justice. Then he will commision and we will take the world by storm. Who knows where we'll be stationed but it will be exciting none the less. Right now we are in Calgary for the summer. I'm working for my brother and his wife seeing we're here for so long. Brad has an Army camp this summer for a month so I always come home to get support from my family. I always have fun when I come home, but I'm not sure about Brad.

We have two girls. Hannah,5. Ainnsley, 2. We are Republicans and I'm a Vegan. Those two points right there are the reasons why some people love us and some people hate us. Take your pick. We have amo for both.

Enjoy our blog. We don't get offended easily, so have fun with us!!

Love,
B&B

First blog....EVER

2008-06-17T15:43:00.002-06:00

I know about blogs, I've read blogs, and for the most part I hate blogs. So why did I decide to create a blog for my family and I? I really don't know. I guess I'm tired of bloggers putting their stupid thoughts out there like anybody really gives two craps. Which is kind of ironic since I'm essentially doing the same thing. So, I really don't expect you, the interested reader, to be logging on everyday to see what I in all my wisdom have to say about anything. This I do know: This will be somewhat of an anti-blog, a blog for people who hate bloggers and want to make fun of them. In addition this can be a quick stop to see what our family is up to.

Ugh....I think I need to take a shower now. Oh and by the way... No body cares about your stupid life or what you think about so stop blogging you idiots.

-Brad