Off

 The best part about being home again, is that things feel "normal".  Actually, we have almost lived here as long without Dave, as we did with him!  So being here with Nate alone is almost more normal than anything else.  But that's besides the point, it feels normal to do laundry and clean bathrooms on Mondays.  Then today as I was taking the basket downstairs to collect dirty clothes I noticed Nate.  Sitting on the sofa like this watching Sid or Barney, or whoever was on the tv.  It made me laugh. What a goof! 

Other than the funny kid on the couch, the weather is a little funny today too.  Usually I can see the Black Hills from the deck, but today I can barely see across the street.  

Everything is just a little off today, but still normal.  I like it :)

Santa Claus

2008

2009

2010

I don't know if we will ever get a nice photo with Santa.  I'm not holding my breath.

Here is some holiday cheer

Ten Years

I've been thinking alot about the ornaments on the tree.  Every year we buy an ornament for our tree.  Sometimes they are just silly, sometimes they are meaningful. Of course there are more ornaments on our tree that remind us of places we have been...The San Diego Zoo, The Hoover Dam, The Grand Canyon, a cowboy hat from Texas...and lots of other.  This year we added a Mt Rushmore and a Badlands ornament to our collection.  

I sure miss my husband.  But I also know that we are very lucky to only be spending our second Christmas apart in these ten years.  That is pretty good in the military. 

I thought I would share the ornaments... partly because no one but the Haleys have been to our house at Christmas... and partly to remind Dave that this is our tenth Christmas together.  

2001

2002

2003

2004

2005-our first year in Japan

2006

2007-the year I was pregnant with Nathan

2008- Nathan's first Christmas

2009- the year we bought the popup-Dave was gone this Christmas too

2010

2011

Remember all of them Dave?  

I wonder what our 2012 ornament will be.  

Sandbox Salutations Wk 20

Lucky Me

2 Pounds of Sour Patch kids, All the guys went crazy for them.  I don't think I have ever seen that many sour patch kids in my life.  Thank you Dad and Ruthann.

So it's week 20, I can't believe that we are under 50 days left.  It feels good to almost be done with this deployment, although we still have the holidays to get through.  It will be tough to miss Christmas with my family.  I'm going to miss Teresa and Nate opening all the gifts and having a delicious meal.

O Christmas Tree

 Our 2011 ornament

We got our tree up today! While finishing a bit of unpacking and laundry I hauled the 4 totes up the snowy/icy stairs.  I truly missed my husband and the normal Christmas tradition of sending him to fetch the stuff and do the heavy lifting.  

 Nate likes it.  He especially loved our plastic Detroit Tigers and Detroit Red Wings candy canes.  

I even got a few decent photos of him!  It's a Christmas Miracle!

A fresh morning

We woke up this morning and we were both a bit giddy.  Nathan is so excited that there is snow outside.  And I just love the view of the black hills from my dining room.  I snapped photos this am.  I forgot how beautiful it is here.  

 I loaded up the photos from my camera too.  While we were in Michigan I couldn't post any from my camera, since I forgot my camera cord.  

 Isn't he cute?  This was the first day we were in Michigan.  Before he started back talking and throwing holy terror fits. Thankfully, since we have been home he has been sweet as can be.  Hallelujah!! 

Even though he helped Grandma Brinker decorate her tree, and Jackie and Cody decorate their tree, he is still so excited about doing ours.  I think I'll pull everything out today.  

 At my mom's house Jukibird got some decorations too.... I think it was a joke, but..

he LOVED that little cardinal!  Like going on and on talking to the ornament.  I wonder if I have a bird ornament.... mmmm

It is so good to be home!