"Armpit of the Air Force"

That's right, we got our orders and we are going to be headed to what is considered the "armpit of the Air Force"...Cannon AFB, New Mexico (Clovis, New Mexico). Rikk is not happy about it at all, quite upset actually! We hear that the summers are really hot and the winters can get up to -10 plus wind. The way I see it is there is no point in forming an opinion just yet, because I have never been there. We are supposed to report no later than 17 Jan 2009. This can change to a later date because we are trying for baby #4. We got told by my OB (the head doctor for high risk patients) that if we get pregnant before we go that he can write us a letter of extension so that we can stay until after the baby is born. So, we will keep you posted on that and when we will officially leave. Here is the official website link for the base http://www.cannon.af.mil/ so feel free to check it out.

Home safe and sound!!!

Hunter, Kyler and Walker waiting as patiently as they could!

Rikk hugging Hunter and Walker

Rikk hugging Kyler and me

Rikk hugging Hunter and Kyler and me apparently with my hand up Hunter's bum!

If you couldn't tell by the pictures...RIKK IS HOME!!! We are soo happy and have just been spending every waking moment together. He got home on the 21st at 3:38pm and the boys and I just couldn't wait. We were there at the airport and he was almost one of the last people to come out. Hunter and Walker took off running and smothered him with hugs and kisses. Kyler ran over as soon as he could get a hug and was hugging and kissing too. Then it was my turn and I can't tell you how nice it felt to get a hug from Rikk! There has been a little bit of transition, nothing bad though. Rikk is getting used to the 24/7 attachment of the boys, but they seem to be enjoying everything they do together.




We took the boys to Anchorage for a fun little vacation. We packed a weeks worth of fun into two days. We stayed in a hotel that had a pool and a hot tub and the boys really enjoyed that. Kyler loved the "bubble bath" aka Hot Tub and didn't want to get out. We went to the Alaska Zoo there and the kids had a lot of fun. We spent at least two hours there and had to go and check out EVERY animal, some even twice. We hit Chuck E. Cheese which no doubt was a hit. We went there with my sister Kathy, her two kids and my brother David and his wife Marissa. I think a good time was had by all. We also hit Toys R Us and all the kids (cousin Trinity included) got to beat up Rikk with swords. We also got all the boys some new Sunday clothes (which I will show pics of in a later post) that they look freaking cute in. We also got to go to a really cool indoor water park with David and Marissa called H2Oasis. It was sooo much fun and we are so thankful to David and Marissa for going with us because we wouldn't have been able to do it without their help. They have a pirate ship which is set up for kids with smaller slides, a small twisted slide and barrels with holes in them shooting out water. There's also a bigger twisted slide and yet an even bigger slide that goes around the whole park that made Rikk, David and Marissa scream! The have a wave pool and a "river" that you could float around the whole park. Hunter took to the water right away, he's our little fish. Walker was a little timid at first and then warmed up to the pirate ship and the wave pool. Kyler just liked plugging the holes in the barrels and saying, "Aaaargh Matey" to whoever passed by him to go down the slides. Kyler even used different parts of the pirate ship to brace himself to mess his britches when it was time to go! We wanted to hit Bouncin’ Bears in Wasilla but ran out of time, so we will have to do it next time.

Since we have been home, Rikk has been the best with the boys. No matter what he is doing, they can go along to. If he's out cleaning the garage, they are out there. If he's mowing the yard, they are out the playing. If he's going to pick up little things here and there, they get to go. It has been quite nice...I have been able to fold laundry without "little" helpers, do dishes without the dirty ones being taken back out of the dishwasher and ran off with, etc. We have been enjoying every minute of him being home and are sad that he is going back to work tomorrow. Rikk had to explain very carefully that he would be back tomorrow before dinner (every time he leaves the room or the house without Walker, Walker breaks down and bawls for his daddy).

Rikk will get on here sometime and fill everyone in on what he did over there. We had a "don't ask/don't tell" policy between us until he got home. It was really bad over there and the boys and I are thankful he made it home safe and sound...finally!

what the crap?!!

Rikk is stuck in Seattle tonight and it sucks! He called at around 11am and told us he was in Michigan and that he would be stuck in Seattle for the night. Hunter instantly started bawling his poor little eyes out. He was soo upset that he wouldn't even talk to Rikk, the poor kid. He has been crying here and there throughout the day and is sad again now that it is bedtime and Rikk isn't here. We talked to Rikk again tonight and he said that he is for sure a go to come home tomorrow at 3:38 pm. He promised Hunter that if he wasn't he could punch him as hard as he wanted!!! Such a dad! Rikk gets to see his parents and brother who all happened to be in Seattle for business, so that should be nice. But we will just be soo thrilled to see him walk off the plane! I personally think I am jinxing everything by telling everyone when he's coming home, because every time I do he ends up not! And yet again, please keep Rikk, his pilots and our boys in your prayers. I don't know what I am going to do if I have to break their little hearts again tomorrow.

delayed...again

So Rikk was delayed getting out of Germany. On the way to Germany he said their plane was making all kinds of noises that just didn't sound right. Then as they are getting ready to land the pilots announce that they have lost control of the steering, that the steering wheel (don't know the official name for it) wouldn't move, so to basically prepare themselves for a bit of a bumpy landing. Rikk says as they are getting closer to the ground, he looked out the window and their were about 30 fire trucks lined up and waiting for them to land. Not a very comforting sight! But they landed okay. He called as they were heading to the airport to leave Germany and were hoping that the plane had been fixed...fixed, I'd be getting on a different one! He said that if they didn't make it out on time and were stuck in Germany he would call me back later, if not, I should hear from him when he hits U.S. soil in Baltimore tomorrow. It has been almost 8 hours and I haven't heard from him yet, so hopefully that means he is on his way. Once again, please keep him and the pilots in your prayers and the boys too...I don't know what they will do if he doesn't get in sometime tomorrow.

Another Rikk Update

No, this is not due to another "blonde moment" although I am sure some are probably thinking so! Rikk left Iraq late due to a sand storm. STUPID SAND!!! So he will now be getting in on Friday the 20th at 1538 (3:38pm). I am sad that it is 15 hours later, but happy that the boys aren't going to have to stay awake ALL night to see him. So...everyone please say a prayer and cross your fingers that there are no more delays, that his pilots stay alert and awake and that he just gets home!!!

A late Happy Father's Day

I realize that this is late, but I felt that I should post anyway. I wanted to post this on for my dad and Rikk, for they are they two dad's in my life.

My dad has been the best example of what a father and husband should be...not just when I was little, but still to this day. My dad has been there many times to help whenever needed, to give blessings to me and my kids when Rikk has been deployed and a daddy's blessing to me even though I am married with my own family. My dad has been a great example to Rikk (and every man I know) on being a worthy priesthood holder and for that I am thankful. When I was having my c-section with Kyler I told my dad that he could look if he wanted. His response was, "I am right here to take care of you, to make sure you are okay and to keep you company." How sweet was that?!! My dad always says to me when with my boys, "I'm glad I'm the Papa!" I am glad you are the Papa too! I couldn't have picked a better Papa for my boys and dad for myself. I hope that you know how grateful and thankful I am to have you as my dad and how much you mean to me. I LOVE YOU BIG MUCH!!!

Rikk is my best friend! He is such a wonderful daddy and husband. The boys want to be just like him when they grow up and why wouldn't they. Rikk can be rough and tough with the boys and he can be sweet and cuddly too. In fact, he says that he can't wait to come home and cuddle with them. I am so proud of Rikk and all his accomplishments with work. I am proud that he is a worthy priesthood holder and an example of that for our boys. Rikk, you have no idea how thankful I am to have you in my life, how proud I am to be your wife and how glad I am that you are the daddy of our boys. WE LOVE YOU BIG MUCH!!! Now hurry and get home, we are missing you like crazy!

gettin' it straight

So the last couple of days I have been way confused about when Rikk was coming home. I was telling my dad that it was Thursday, the 19th at 0013. My thinking was that it was Thursday night/Friday morning...but then he said, "You mean Wednesday night/Thursday morning?" I said, "Oh...I guess you are right." So all day today I was telling people that he was getting home Wednesday night at midnight and I was wrong. He is getting home Thursday night/Friday morning at 0013...I double checked his itinerary!!! So, I would prefer to blame my confusion on being overly excited about him getting home...although it was probably just a blonde moment!!!