I'm so glad we made it.

Its been a week

I’m going to try and cram the last week of my life into this single blog, brace yourself! This last week has been complete madness. Three days of having our household goods packed/loaded, two nights of a family of FIVE sleeping on ONE air mattress, and a rushed, but emotional farewell to the city that has treated us like gold since we first arrived. The movers arrived on Monday to start packing up the house and they didn’t really disappoint. We were pleased with the crew we had and they were quick with their packing skills. They did forget a certain size box they needed to pack up wardrobes, I think? So they knew they’d be back out on Tuesday to finish the job. It only bothered me a little because we’ve never had movers take the two full days to pack our things. Normally it takes a full day of packing and a full day of loading, but I digress.

Tuesday two of the three movers that came the day before came out again to finish the job. I wasn’t as pleased this time around. One of them wanted to leave without tagging everything and another just randomly didn’t pack certain things in the garage/backyard/office space. I don’t know if he just assumed they were furniture items (that is the driver’s job to tag/load), but regardless, I was annoyed. I kept my cool while they were there and requested tagged/put together boxes so I could finish packing myself. And thats exactly what I did. I really shouldn’t complain to be honest. I actually like handling my own stuff and the Army is paying for this move entirely.. yet still, I just appreciate when people do their job correctly.

Wednesday the loaders came along with the driver and the driver works for the same company as the movers. That was a bonus. We knew that everything would be in house. One of the movers from earlier in the week was there as well. So we saw him all three day and Olivia grew so dang close to him. He was great with kids and that is always appreciated. Anyways, the driver pulled up a little after 830am with a dang U-haul truck. I was expecting a tractor trailer, this was definitely a first. Apparently, his tractor trailer broke down and another driver was bringing him a new one all the way from Missouri. So basically he was going to pack our things to be transferred to the working tractor trailer later. Except the U-haul didn’t fit all of our things… so they had to call the moving company, who then had to send another driver with a truck to finish the job. YIKES! All I felt was absolute panic.

I didn’t like the idea of our things being separated. Wouldn’t that just increase the chances of part of our shipment getting lost? The driver gave us other options, but you know, after Justin and I talked.. we just decided to be positive and go with the flow. Let’s hope that decision doesn’t come back to bite us. They finished loading all of our things Wednesday and we spent that night and Thursday night in our empty home with just each other. Prior to leaving, we said our goodbyes to our Texas friends, Ava’s school (SUPER EMOTIONAL), and the house we’ve called our home for the last two and a half years.

Moving is never easy, but this move got me right in the feels. And you know whats bittersweet? I’m moving back home. My dad flew in this afternoon and the kids couldn’t be more excited. They love their Opa and have made sure to keep him busy. My dad helped us clean the rest of the house, load up the cars, and get the kids ready for dinner. All three babies have been asleep since about 730 or so and when they wake up they will be in Arizona. More specifically, The grand canyon.

Thank you, Texas

When Justin and I agreed that we wanted to request Texas for his recruiting assignment, it was for one main reason - making recruiting easier for him. Here we are one day shy of being Texas residents for six whole months and I can honestly say that this place is starting to feel like home. I sometimes catch myself feeling so familiar with this community and I never EVER thought I would feel that way. For a good while I couldn't say a whole sentence without mentioning Washington State or making a "home sick" reference back to the PNW. Though I still would much rather be home - I don't find myself having to voice it outloud nearly as much. I've grown to love this Texas winter weather too. Back home, it's freezing. In New York, it's freezing. All you need is a light jacket, warm socks, and sunglasses in North Texas and you are good to go!

I think the major shift of heart here is due to Miss Ava Bug. She is only three years old and will likely be spending at least the next year or two here. So much of her preschool growth will be here in Texas. She's already changed SO much and has continued to show us the true resiliency of miltiary kids. Getting her involved in activites was the best move we could have made for her. She socializes with so many different kiddos her age, she's active, and she has a weekly routine that she anticipates each day. In turn I get to socialize with other mama bears in the community as well. It's a nice social hour for me and I think it's helped quite a bit with the move. We feel like we are apart of something bigger, something worth appreciating. 

I sit here tonight browsing online to get our "thank you" gift bags ready for Ava's teachers and I can't help but have such a grateful heart. There are so many wise, kind, and thoughtful mentors in her life right now - we couldn't be more blessed. In the absence of our extended family, I am still certain that my child is very much so involved in a village of different positive influences. What more could we ask for? It dawned on me that Texas may be bringing more to our lives than we ever expected was possible. Maybe we NEED to be here right now. So for now, I'm going to enjoy this season of our life. Christmas always brings so much out of me and this year is no exception. The Christmas tree is up, our stockings are over the mantle, and we get family pictures taken next week. Everything is as it should be right now and it feels amazing.

Here is a collage of Ava's speech, swim, gymnastics, and ballet moments. She loves each and every activity - we are over the moon she loves being so involved!

♥- Leilani

Halloween

Tonight was our very first night trick or treating with our children! Up until this point I have been extremely adamant that Ava bug was just too young.. but there was no denying that this year she was ready. For weeks we've known she wanted to be Anna from Frozen. We've known that Olivia was going to be Elsa (also from Frozen). We knew that daddy was going to be Olaf (I was suppose to be but since I'm sick - last minute change) as of a few days ago. I mean this plan has been in the works for quite some time. We told Ava that when we knock on the doors of our neighbors we say "TRICK OR TREAT" for all to hear.

And you know what? Our babe did just that. She used her manners after receiving goodies from each stop.. tonight could not have gone better. Justin got off work early so he could be apart of all the festiivites (so thankful for this). We left the house around 620? maybe earlier or later by a smidge. I took photos in our front lawn, we got our yard ready for the trick or treaters that may come when we came home, and we took off into the 80 degree weather that Texas provided us this evening. To be honest, there was a breeze and it didn't truly feel that hot. I was so thankful for this.

Our entire divison of homes is SO HUGE so we barely made it through two of the subdivisions before Ava's halloween bucket was completely full. Ava was a littl shy at first, but she quickly came around. Walking up to each door by herself, knocking, and running away with a huge smile on her face. I really loved that most of the families that were handing out candy were out in their driveway. They were prepared for their trick or treaters and were so animated! Justin, Ava, and Olivia got so many compliments on their costumes. One child even got so excited about seeing Olaf that he ran up to Justin for a warm hug. 

I had my camera the entire time - although I forgot my cell phone at home (definite blessing in disguise). We stumbled upon a halloween block party just across the road from our cul de sac and boy was that fun. Ava and Olivia both were gazing at the lights, listening to the music, and they waited to receive candy from over SEVEN different candy bowls on one table. 

I think that was the best part. Watching my preschooler light up and watching her dad love every single minute of their time together. I am so thankful for Justin. I know he was hot in that mesh Olaf costume but he didn't take it off even once while we were out with the girls. Not to mention he held Olivia the ENTIRE time. This experience reminded me of my younger years and my many annual halloween trick or treating. I can't wait for next year! 

Happy Halloween! 

♥- Leilani

North Texas, so far

I have to admit, I'm surprised that Texas has grown on me so quickly. I fully expected to be full fledged homesick for a good while. There's just something about people dishing out friendly greetings everywhere you go, waking up to the sunshine every single day, and living in a house that already feels like home... all of those things have made the transition just a little bit easier. I often think of all the future "first" memories we will have while we are here as well. Olivia will start eating actual food here, walking, talking... we'll be trying for a third little baby.. Ava will start kindergarten while we are here. So many great memories that will belong to our time here in Texas. But, I'm getting ahead of myself. The now is pretty great too. We live in such a beautiful area. Quite, friendly, and in a cul de sac. Reminds me of my childhood days. Ava has consumed her weight in water melon, we've been bbqing every week, and I think we have met all of our surrounding neighbors as of now. I wanted to make a list of things that are so great about this area, and things that I'm not particularly fond of so far. I think it'll be interesting to compare this list to the list I write when we leave. Here goes nothing!

PROS

- The house we chose. Hands down the biggest pro of all. Under 10 min away from Justin's job, 5 minutes away from major shopping centers, but also far enough out that you don't hear the sound of any city at night. Best of both worlds.

- The cost of living is SO much cheaper than we are used to. Justin paid $1.89 a gallon when he went to get gas the other day. How glorious that was! We are going to be able to save a good bit while we are here and that feels fantastic!

- There are still a ton of things to do here that are geared towards families (just like Washington). Aquariums, museums, botanical gardens.. I'm excited that we aren't sacrificing "fun" stuff due to location.

CONS

- It is stifling hot by 10am every single day. Granted, I know it's summer time.. but this PNW gal is just not ready for this type of weather (a plus to this con is that we have/are enrolling Ava into allll the preschool classes we can. The heat isn't an excuse not to help our girl flourish in the best way we can).

- BUGS. Good Lord are there bugs here. Geckos, random bunnies in our backyard, and nasty flies that swarm in by the dozen (a plus to this con is that we hired a pest control company that comes out quarterly). One night I thought I heard rainfall on our bathroom window.. turns out it was ALL the bugs smacking into it because of the attraction to the bathroom light.

- Immunizations. Ugh. I got so annoyed because a lot of the practices here won't accept new patients unless they are vaccinating their child with EVERY single vaccine on the scheduled preference.This wouldn't be a con for some, but it is for us. We do delayed vaccinations + we skip rotavirus all together ( a plus here, I did find a practice that doesn't have a policy about vaccs, so lets hope we love it).

All in all I'd say that pretty much wraps up how we feel about Texas so far. Justin started his new job today.. only to find out that he will have the next 10 days off! I definitely am not complaining about spending more time with my lovey, but it is nice to be settled in ready to start up our new normal!

♥- Leilani

Our New Home

It's been almost two week since I last blogged, but I do have a very good reason for that... We moved into our new home on the 3rd of June, our household goods arrived on June 9th, and we've since been organizing and getting everything squared away before Justin has to sign in from his PCS leave. I have to admit, that date is creeping up on us and I am so not looking forward to losing the normalcy we've had for well over a month now. I mean, I knew he'd have to go back to work eventually.. I'm just sad that our time seems to fly by so quickly when he has vacation time. Anywho, so let's see what we've been up to lately. Ava bug got her first big girl set delivered on the same day we moved in. She is in love. Her room theme is frozen.. her choice (we really thought she would pick Minnie Mouse), and it looks so fantastic. We also got our new family table delivered on the same day we moved in, so nostalgic for us! Justin's dad has the same type of six seater wooden table.. and it's just perfect for large families (or growing families in our case). 

We had to order our own refrigerator, but I'm so glad that we did! That arrived on June 6th, and then it seems as if the next week just flew right on by. We unpacked all of our things in less than 48 hours, we had the movers return to collect all the empty boxes and trash, and then we had the garbage company do another drive by our house to collect any excess trash that the moving company could not take. We've been spending our days trying to give the girls normalcy, but we have ventured out toward Dallas, Fort Worth, and other surrounding areas near our new home. Being on the road for almost a week didn't really do too much harm to Ava or her resiliency, but poor Livy bean has shown that being in the car is the last thing she wants to do. She's gotten so much better these past few days, but she still would very much prefer to be at home playing with her toys. Speaking of, Olivia has her nursery set up! I absolutely loved being able to have another baby nursery in our home. 

Her theme colors are coral, white, and mint. She has a faux lambskin rug to accent, and all of her furniture are cherry wood colored. I can't wait to watch my babies grow in this house..especially since we'll be here for the next three years. I can't believe it. I can't believe that we live in Texas... again! We are making this home an incredibly place already. I am so excited. Oh, Justin also got some fun new goodies for the new house as well. He gave his old grill to a former soldier so naturally he got himself a charcoal grill! He also got a weed wacker, A CAR, and a man cave complete with a brand new 55 inch television. Yes this man is well loved and taken care of. 

Here's a short video I put together since we got into our new home!

♥- Leilani

Best Western Premier Crown Chase Inn & Suites

Without a doubt the nicest hotel we have stayed at to date within the chain of Best Western. Everything is bigger in Texas and this hotel was no exception. We felt like we walked into a resort of some kind. Every single about this hotel was updated, shiny, and so glamourous. Our room looked like a room that belonged in a major city of some kind that would have cost (Easily) $400 a night. We got a deluxe room which was basically two queen beds with a lot more room than a non-deluxe room. We were on the second floor (which I loved because we were directly across from the laundry room and ice machine AND elevators). The room came with direct tv cable (so we were familiar with all the channels) huge flat screen, updated decor/bedding, farmhouse type sinks, upgraded shower with sauna effect. I mean this hotel pulled out on the stops. Come to find out later on that this hotel was actually featured on a few televised shows as well. 

Who would have thought? Anywho, it was conveniently located just 10 minutes from our new home that wouldn't be ready for two days. It was also directly across the parking lot from the Red Lobster, Olive Garden, and some other well known restaurant. The staff was even more incredibly than the rooms, so sweet and definitely presented a certain Southern Charm. The breakfast was pretty good - I never say that about hotel breakfast meals. I mean seriously. They had a buffet style breakfast layout and the food was really good. They even had two cooks on hand to cook you an omelet or any egg meal the way you'd like it. The breakfast rush wasn't terrible at all, and the staff working downstairs were so sweet. 

Although we didn't utilize the outdoor pool, it was so beautiful. Something like out of a movie or as I mentioned before, a resort. Very pretty, but our to do list and the hot weather just didn't really provide us enough time to head down to the pool. This hotel is definitely family friendly and if ever we were in need of hotel services again in our area, this would be a go to for us. As great of an experience as we had, I think i speak for my entire family when I say we are so ready to hang up our road hats. Thank you, Texas for giving us such a warm welcome! 

♥- Leilani

Texas Home

That's right. I'm not totally sure that I shared the news of Justin's next recruiting station.. but if you didn't already guess by the title of this blog, it is Texas! This was the location that we decided as a family to head to, rather than Justin's home state, New York. While being near his family and familiar places would have been ideal, living in a state with a lower cost of living and a better opportunity to find recruits was a better choice. We have known that Justin was going recruiting for about 8 months now, so our mindset has been mostly positive. He was DA selected and apparently only a really small percentage of the ARMY actually qualifies for recruiting details. They go over all of your financial situations (past and present), your background, your driving record, etc. It's both a privilege and an amazing career opportunity for Justin. 

We have lived in Texas prior to this occasion.. but that lasted about a month. If you are a long time reader, you know that a compassion reassignment was granted for JBLM just a week after we arrived at Fort Hood. Justin never did make it to his unit and we never really got to explore Texas the way we intended. We are so excited about all the opportunities that will arise for our growing family while in the South. It's funny actually because most of my marriage has taken place in the South as well. If you recall, we lived in Georgia for just about three years prior to moving to Fort Hood for a month. We have lived in Washington now for just over two years.. and although Washington is home for me, I am so excited about this change. 

I'm definitely not ready to be moving there in the dead of summer... but I am SO excited about getting central air back into a home of ours... which brings me to our home.. We have been working with a real estate agent for about 1.5 months now? Aaron has been absolutely fantastic and has actually compiled a house list with homes 5 miles or less away from Justin's workplace. I have seen well over 100 homes from his list and out of over 100 homes.. ONLY TWO have actually made me scream: YES! I WANT TO LIVE HERE. Thankfully for us, one of those two homes is the home we will be living in. The process started on late Friday afternoon (when I first noticed the listing) and we just found out on Monday afternoon that we got the house! 

Finding a house when moving is always a big stress for me. I need to *love* the home we move to, it helps with adapting to change for me. I also love being able to have an address for forwarding mail, the movers, and for our family/friends. My favorite part about this home is hands down the backyard and the kitchen. The backyard can be seen from the kitchen and I envision long summer days watching Ava bug play and run around having the time of her life. There are also three big windows with plenty of opportunity for light.. which means awesome for picture taking.

Overall, I am just so completely excited about this move and what it will mean for our family. 

♥- Leilani

Two moves in two months & 3000 miles

It's been awhile since I've been on here (busy, busy) and I feel like things are slowing down just a bit. As most of you know, my family went from the State of Georgia, to the state of Texas, only to move to the state of Washington just over a month later. While all of that was going on, I was (and still am) fully enrolled in college courses, raising and practicing attached parenting methods with Ava, and trying to keep every spark lit in my marriage. It's definitely a lot to take in all at once, but somehow we made it, and everything is just fine. My biggest fear with moving was that it was going to cause Ava's development to slow down. We haven't had true consistency in our home since the beginning of December, and Justin and I feel just awful about that. Luckily, with each move, Ava bug has advanced even more. I still can't believe how much she's grown since we've been in Washington. Pulling up on things, crawling, sitting in restaurant highchairs... I'm shell shocked at how rapid her growth has been. Even with being busier, we make sure to spend time with Ava at home, just hanging out, allowing her to play on the floor and grow.

I've also managed to maintain a 3.9 GPA with my university. I have gone, (and still am without) wifi for the past eight days.Thank Jesus for mobile hotspot, because I really don't know how'd I'd be blogging, let alone getting my school work done. Century Link is working on getting a crew out here, but I'm growing really impatient. Apparently the lines to our home were cut, so a crew has to come in and dig a new line. Even though I've got the okay from my professors to turn in my work late, I haven't taken advantage of that. All assignments and essays have been turned in on time. I'm pretty proud of the stride I make when it comes to my studies.

I have to say how impressed I am by my husband. If I had to to this type of move, or arrangement with anyone else, I would probably have failed miserably. I have learned the true meaning of patience during our move. I have learned what take it day by day really means. Justin has reminded me that romance does not take the back seat in our lives. Intimacy does not take a back seat. Even with everything we have going on, love in our home is a priority. I am so thankful for those reminders. When you become a mother, a student, a military wife, apart of a military family, a lot of things take the back seat in your life. Justin is an everyday reminder that our marriage and "dating one another" never takes a back seat. So even if it's extremely late at night, we always make sure to do something together. Watching a movie, cuddling by the fire, you name it, we do it. I fall more in love with the love my marriage presents, daily.

Last night I got a knock on the door, and it was a flower deliverer. I hadn't expected any flowers this year, but I actually got more than roses. Justin created a custom vase for me, with the most endearing words I had ever read. In those moments, I cried, and I just held him close. Without a doubt, my husband surpasses a best friend or soul mate. That man is a piece of me. A piece I am so grateful to have. Yesterday we celebrated three wonderful years, and I know this year is going to allow us many more wonderful moments.

Well I'm off all! We've got a busy day, and I'm already behind schedule! Oh, on the upside all of our Jppso shipment arrives in just five days! Yay for no more airbed sleeping!




 ♥- Leilani

Crunchy Mama

I've heard this term thrown around quite a bit since I had Ava bug. I think it's more entertaining than anything, but I have found that this definition is fitting for my family, and our parenting styles. The term crunchy really just describes a parent who fosters a strong, positive bond with their children through natural living. What could be better than that? I feel all warm and fuzzy knowing I am a part of a parenting generation, where people are going back to the basics. What worked for us all those years ago, still work for us today. Parenting is getting thrown into our modern habits, and I honestly resent it a little bit. In an effort to make the time slow down, or at least capture the moments I have with my lover bug, I have booked a natural "lifestyle" photo session for Justin, Bug, and I. I want black and white (maybe color) photos of our baby wearing little Ava days. I want photos of the sun shining down on my little Princess, while I nurse her in the morning. I want photos that show how attached parenting methods have produced this little vibrant being I call my daughter. A lot of pressure on a photo, right? Hopefully, the photos turn out somewhat how I'm imaging them to be. We aren't doing these until we get settled in Washington, but I'm excited for them already.

Speaking of photos, I am already on the hunt for Ava's birthday decor. Seems like there is so much to do when planning a little's first Birthday. I know Ava's will be a bit more intense, because we will be near family and friends. I am ready for this challenge! I have already located the venue, and found the company to make the cake, smash cake, and cake pops. I settled on a theme this morning too. Don't ask me why Im making all these decisions four months in advance, I just cannot contain myself. My little girl is going to be one year old this year.

We took bug into pediatrics today. With the flu running rampid in central Texas we just wanted to make sure she was still healthy, and good to go. Ava now weighs 15 lbs and five ounces. She is also 24 and 3/4 inches long. WOW! Drastic change from the 5 lb 11 ounce baby I gave birth to. She is perfectly healthy, and is a bit more advanced for her age. I know Justin was feeling great after Ava's appointment today. The doctor was impressed with how comfortable Justin was with Ava. He knows how to do everything I do, and that impressed the doctor. She said a lot of dads aren't that comfortable with their babies, that they are all okay with mom running the show. She made a comment as we were leaving, she said we should have ten kids with how mellow and in sync we were. While the compliment was flattering, I don't see us ever having 10 children.

The movers come in just two days, and then in seven days, Ava will be on her first plane ride. This week is going to consist of a lot of packing, school work, and prepping for our big move. I hope everyone stays warm this week! It looks like a huge cold front is coming in towards the states that aren't so used to this freezing weather.

♥- Leilani

Another year has past (almost)

Happy New Years Eve! We are just hours away from welcoming in the new year and I couldn't be more ready to take on 2014. So many (more) changes for my little family, and a lot of new adventures ahead. Today has been a busy one, we put in our 30 day notice for our Texas home, reserved the u-haul, purchased plane tickets, and more! Ava bug and I leave for Washington in just two weeks! Everything has gone by so incredibly fast, I can't believe I'm finally going back to my home state after three long years. We're in the process of getting everything set up with the new house, looks like the move in date will be a few days after we arrive in Washington. I am so nervous about flying without Justin, and Justin driving with Cooper without us. We have never done anything like this apart, and I don't like that we won't be seeing him for a few days. All in all it's what's best for our family, so I'm trying to just get on board, and be optimistic. We start packing today, (Which won't be hard) Once we got the call about the compassion reassignment, we stopped unpacking, and just kind of let everything we didn't need stay in boxes. The kitchen is the only thing we are really going to have do to work on, which is fine with me. I'm a little nervous about being in my second week of courses while all of this moving is going down. I did it while we drove from GA, to TX. but that was a much shorter time to be without internet, and in our new home. I'm not requesting a break, so hopefully things will go just fine.

I wanted to do a fun little " Look at 2013" video (classic Leilani style), so take a look at my past year and all the wonderful moments the Howland family experienced:

2013 was one heck of a year, and I have high hopes that 2014 will be nothing short of amazing for the Howland clan. I hope everyone is spending tonight with the people that care about most in this world. I know I will be. We bought party favors, 2014 tiara's and even fireworks to bring in the new year. The best part about this year? I get my midnight kiss. Make sure to stay safe and warm! and once again, Happy New Year all!

♥- Leilani

Technology Hiatus

I have been away from the computer, my phone, and even the t.v. for most of the last few days, and I have enjoyed every minute of it. Personal time is very important to my little family, and I'm glad we know when to step away from all that is technology. So what exactly have we been up to? Let's indulge! Board games. Yes, one of the most basic, old school activities. One day while out shopping, we stumbled upon an entire selection of board games. Sorry, monopoly, twister, etc. You name it, it was there. We decided to purchase a few, and to be honest I had no intention of actually playing all of them. Well, I was wrong. We have played almost every game we purchased. It's been great to see Justin's competitive streak come out, as well as my own.

The Howland's also took some gift wrapping lessons. Before I go any further I have to say I have a lot of strong suites, but wrapping gifts is just not one of them. My gift wrapping looked like it was mauled by wild animals. I can't believe my husband actually did this with me. He actually followed the instructions a lot more thoroughly than I did, and his presents were wrapped beautifully. All of Ava's gifts (with the exception of her toy box) are wrapped perfectly under our tree. I know Bug is a little too young to actually unwrap her presents, but we plan on letting her play with the wrapping paper, and let all the pretty colors fascinate her.

Since the weather has cleared up a bit, we have been spending quite a bit of time outdoors. Cooper loves the backyard in our Texas home, and he constantly has his paws on the door. This is his new way of signaling for us to let him out. Rather than staying cooped up in the house, we have been dedicating a little bit of our days to playing with our pooch. Justin throws the ball around, Ava tugs on his ears, it's really a great time. I know since bringing Ava into our family, Cooper doesn't get the same kind of attention he did before. I actually feel really bad about this. To make up for the past few months, (aside from outdoor play), I jam packed all of his favorite treats in his stocking, we took him to the groomers to be pampered, and the lucky little pooch manged to get a small plate of spaghetti this evening. Cooper seems to be enjoying life a lot more this week.

I just mentioned how the weather had cleared up, but it managed to rain on Saturday. I was so bummed about this because I thought we'd finally be able to make our way to Belton Lake. Why is Belton Lake so special? Well it's the nature in lights tour. It costs a whopping five dollars (per carload) and you get to enjoy the drive through over five and a half miles of holiday- inspired scenes.You even get to stop by Santa’s Village for hot chocolate, homemade cookies, seasonal crafts and a photo with Santa. They pass out free ornaments, and you can get a pony ride, or even stop by the petting zoo. I know Ava isn't old enough to make these memories, but I thought this event would be so great for our family, especially with Justin home for the holidays this year. The nature in lights lasts all the way until January 5th, so I know we'll make our way down there before December is over. If anyone is in the central Texas area, and wants a special holiday treat for their family, definitely give this place a look see!

Well it looks like I'm off! Christmas is 3 days away, and I haven't even finished wrapping Justin's gifts. I'm cooking an entire Christmas meal on my own, and I am so excited about it. I've added a few special side dishes on our Howland dinner menu, and I plan on attaching pictures, and recipes to a Christmas dinner blog post for all my readers to possibly try.

♥- Leilani

Five days

We've almost been in this house a week, and I just can't believe it. We are still settling in and getting familiar with this new area. So far, we have fallen in love with this city living. Everything is conveniently close, and I don't feel like I'm in the middle of nowhere. It's definitely a huge adjustment from where we were in Georgia. Yesterday, we explored Fort Hood... oh my lanta, it is a HUGE installation. If we didn't have the map from the welcome center, we would have never found our way around post. I located shopping stores, restaurants, and ten different fitness centers on this installation. Another good thing we noticed is how close one of the gates are to our home. This means Justin will be able to come home during the day, and I'm glad for that.

So a little update with Princess A. Teething has hit hardcore, and it is full blown. I have never had a fussy baby... until teething made an appearance. She isn't running a fever (thank god) but she is definitely feeling discomfort with her swollen gums. I've had to give her teething tablets, but that's the extent of what we've done to help alleviate pain. They seem to work really well, and I'm hoping they continue to work, as cutting teeth is soon going to become our norm. I believe Ava will be crawling within days. Once you put her down on a mat, our bed, anything really... she is off! She is so strong, and I have enjoyed watching my little girl develop so rapidly. She is also independently sitting up. We don't assist her anymore, she does it on her own. She can pick herself up when she falls back, she is refusing to stay down, and I LOVE IT! While we are on the subject of independence, it looks like our co-sleeping days are coming to a hault. We have purchased her crib, and it should be here any day now. I'm not going to just rip the band aid off, but we are starting her off with napping in the crib. I won't lie, I'm fully prepared to camp out in her nursery if it helps Bug adjust. Justin bought her a baby Einstein jumper the other day, but I am partial. I hadn't planned on using jumpers, bouncers, etc. She has played with it a couple of times, and it seems as if Bug really enjoys it. I think I'll be okay with her using it here and there, but not as a regular thing.

It has been over a week since Ava has been out of cloth diapers, and I've got to say I am going nuts. Each time I change her, I make a comment about how much money is going in the trash. Granted, we haven't experienced any type of rash with these biodegradable disposables, but it still feels weird having my baby out of her soft, cloth diapers. Before I left Georgia, I purchased a few more, and I am ancy to use them. I will say that this is the perfect time for me to strip Ava's diapers before I use them again. That will be an all day thing I plan on getting done this weekend (look out for my routine). I have found a handful of cloth based stores in our area, and I'm excited to have tangible stores for all my cloth needs

Yesterday we became Sam's Club members, and I could kick myself for not doing this sooner. We decided to start buying things in bulk, (in an attempt to save money) and although replenishing our fridge was spendy, we are stocked up for the next four weeks. Sam's club also has a rewards system; for every five hundred dollars you spend, you get ten dollars back. A lot of people don't think it's worth it, but when you add up the amount of money you spend on groceries, getting any type of money back, is a nice little incentive. Buying in bulk is going to cut down a lot of expenses for us, and I'm glad for it. On another note, we are seven days away from picking my mother up from the airport! I am jumping up and down (literally). I am so excited to spend quality time with her, and to have Ava get that time as well.

Things are going well for us. I did have to deal with a slight hiccup with the rental agency in Georgia this morning, but that was only a minor situation. I'm just glad I keep all paperwork, including our in-inspection at the rental property in Georgia. They tried to charge us for some of the damages that were already present in the home upon move in. This is the part of renting that I am not fond of in the slightest. Hopefully everything will work itself out! I hope all of my readers have already dove into the festivity that December offers. We are taking Ava on a car ride of the most decorated homes in all of Central Texas, and I am so giddy about it. With our tree up, and the stockings hanging, the festivity is all around me.

Hot cocoa, Frosty the snow man, and toasty fires are now our normal so far. I can't say I have any complaints about that. Happy Tuesday all! 

♥- Leilani

Moving day!

I can't believe I have the energy to write this right now. Wow! While my memory is fresh, here goes nothing. I woke up at 7 a.m. this morning, as did Ava bug and Justin. We didn't start the day off with breakfast or chit chat, we just got right to business. Justin took apart our bed, and we finished organizing and packing several things before the movers got here. We ended up getting breakfast, and picking up the u-haul at like 930 a.m. and immediately came home afterward. I finished our final loads of laundry, tended to bug, and started taping and writing on our things. I guess that took about three hours or so because at around 1230 p.m. the movers came. The next two hours were kind of a blur. I got visitors from my good friend, Victoria, and my new parent support program rep, Christa.

We got a 26 foot truck.. which we originally thought was going to be too big. It was perfect! Next time around we could go a little smaller though. The movers were able to pack Justin's motorcycle safely, and I think that was his biggest worry. Oh, for anyone moving locally, or even a PCS I strongly suggest finding a local business company to assist with your move. For over two hours, with four workers, we paid $150.00. In the grand scheme of things we saved over 100.00. I was thoroughly pleased with their work. I think that's one thing I'll be missing about Georgia, that Southern hospitality.

At around 2:30 p.m. the movers left, and we were surrounded by bare walls, and an empty home. I was able to nurse Ava without all the chaos of moving, and Justin and I were able to have a real conversation. We were able to get lunch in, and run a couple errands before it was time to get the dolly for our car. I think Justin and I have been more nervous about driving the u-haul with a dolly, more than anything else pertaining to this move. The truck is huge, and with the car on the dolly, it's just so long. Since this is our first DITY move, I think we did overall pretty well. There are a few things I would change the next time though.

Things I loved that we did

• waited until the finance funds hit to arrange dates for moving
• packing before we even knew which day we were moving
• finding a home in the area where the next duty station is located

Things I hate that we did

• procrastinated organizing and taping all the boxes we had
• not doing laundry prior to moving day
• not allowing enough time to say goodbye to all my friends I made in Georgia

Since we pretty much can't drive anywhere with our car being hooked up to the dolly, we ended our night with dinner at my neighbor/friend's home. I was finally able to have a salmon night with her, and given the rushed, tiring, fast paced day, dinner turned out okay. I've got to say Ava was a trooper all the way up until the end of the night. It was past her bedtime when we had dinner, and she was ready to nurse and KO. We were able to say goodbye to a few more of our friends here in Georgia this evening, and that was nice. I know I didn't get to see everywhere, and I feel terrible about that. 

As soon as we got home, we got Ava ready for bed. Tonight, she pooped in her bath! It was legit, hard poo. It was so gross! I was in a rush to get her rinsed off and out of the tub. I didn't double check to make sure Justin adjusted the water (I already assumed that he did) so I went to stick Ava's foot underneath it, and the water was hot. I felt SO SO SO bad. She fussed a bit, but no major tears. I immediately stuck her little foot under cold water after that. On top of an already stressful, and tiring day, I did that. I beat myself up over it, and consoled bug until she fell asleep.

So that was our day. Justin knocked out as soon as he got a free moment. I had to wake him up, just so he could wash the filth off from today. I'm really proud of how well I've stayed up on my school work, and my home life. I never thought I'd be able to balance so much at one time, but I have! Oh wow, it's almost midnight and I am still awake! I'm going to be writing a little something each day about our experience with our first DITY move, and our second road trip with Ava! Happy Wednesday all! 

   ♥- Leilani

72 hours

I can't believe we are just days away from leaving. It still doesn't feel real. I have been spending my time with the good friends I have made here in Georgia, and I've got to say, it's been tugging at my heart strings a little. On the plus side of everything, my mother is going to be spending two glorious weeks with us once we get to Texas. YES! my mother will be spending Christmas with my little family. It'll be the first time she sees Ava in person, and it'll be the first time we've seen one another in over two years. I still can't believe either of us has gone that long without seeing each other. I plan on making the holidays this month, extra special for my mommy. I want to tie in a birthday celebration, since she'll be leaving us just a few days before her birthday.

So a few days ago I was given a task. I was suppose to come up with one value to teach my daughter, that my parents/elders taught me. I have finally decided which value I'd pick (aside from the basic, normal values). I would encourage Ava to always use her OWN judgement. There are good people in this world, there are bad people in this world. We can't separate the two based on the sole opinion of someone else. I would encourage her to base an opinion off of her own interactions; this way she isn't missing out on a really great human being. Too often, people are willing to base their opinions of someone, off of an opinion from someone else. That's no way to live, and that certainly isn't right. I'm glad I was raised that way, and I'm glad that Justin and I are going to raise Ava that way.

As the year is closing, I have noticed a lot of changes in myself. I can't tell you the last time I had to deal with legit chaos. I'm thankful for that. Minding my own business, and steering clear of those who don't has definitely worked in my favor. Justin and I have had such piece of mind, and that's exactly what we need, as we approach this big move. I'm nervous about networking in Texas. It isn't home, and it's still the South. When we first arrived in Georgia, I was a bit of a hermit. This time around I don't want to do that to myself. I don't want to do that to Ava. She's getting older, and socializing is going to be really good for her at this age.
I do know a few people that are down in Texas, but they are either distant relatives, or people I went to school with back home. I guess it's better to see a familiar face, than to not have one at all.

Well, someone has some packing to do, so I guess on that note, Happy 1st of December all! Thank you to all of my Washingtonians and Georgia readers, this blog has reached an all time high on views these last two weeks. Thank you for taking time out of your day to read about my family, and the obstacles we face.

♥- Leilani

Lifehouse

Thanksgiving could not have been more perfect. The food was great, the company was awesome, it was just an overall great day. I haven't had that many people in this house.. like ever. It felt like grand central station, with people coming and going. It was nice though. We had a couple soldiers that were 3 weeks out of basic show up as well. It warms my heart through and through that they were able to have Thanksgiving at our home. The thought of any soldier cooped up in the barracks on such a joyous holiday.. it doesn't sit well with me. This year was also the first year I have never had Thanksgiving leftovers! All of the food we made was devoured with a quickness. Justin and I were pretty stoked about that (moving in like 4 days) because we don't have to throw out a whole lot when moving day comes.

Friday was a good day. I didn't participate in any black Friday shenanigans, and that was completely fine with me. We woke up kind of early to try take two of our family pictures... they were a success! I couldn't be more pleased with how they turned out. We should have them in about a week or so, but I'm debating whether or not I want to share them (I want to frame some of them). Yesterday, I was introduced to a cloth diapering/eco-friendly store, here in Georgia (thank you Victoria). I was so ticked, I hadn't found this store prior to having Ava. I purchased a couple more cloth diapers for Ava bug, and I bought bug her very first security snuggle. It's made by Aden and Anais, and it's called bamboo musy mate lovey. Ava loves this thing already!

Oh, Ava's currently in sposies until we move. I washed all of her cloth, all that's left is packing it up. We are using bamboo nature again, and I am in love. Super absorbent, no rashes, and they fit her great. It's weird not seeing a fluff bum on my child, but sposies are going to make our Texas move just a little bit easier for me. In our final days in Georgia, Ava is getting her "my first Christmas" photos done, and I'm feeling nervous about those. Her Thanksgiving photos didn't come out how I'd expected. No smiles from her! Hopefully this round of pictures is better than the last. 

It looks like my day is going to consist of cleaning,homework, and more packing. Packing is so not fun. I seriously start lactating every time I pack a box. I'm getting more emotional about the move. I really go back and forth. Some days, I'm all excited and ready to leave, other days I'm reminded that I'm leaving the only state I've been married in! It's kind of surreal. Either way, I'm trying to accept that sometimes change can be really good. On a happy note, I have managed to stay on top of my thankful Novembers, and as of tomorrow, we roll into Dedicated December! It's not an official thing, but I figure, I should keep the momentum flowing. Alright guys, It looks like I'm off for now. Justin will soon be walking through the door with breakfast, and I need some energy food! Enjoy your Saturday all! 

Day 29- I am thankful for truth. Without a doubt, the truth always sets us free. 

Day 30- I am thankful for sports. Without them, I don't know how Justin would feel about his Sundays. 

♥- Leilani

It's going to be okay

I feel better today. Knowing that our chances of being relocated to Washington aren't diminished have a lot to do with that. The main reason I feel better today is because I am a mother to a six month old. Today my precious Princess is half of one year old. I can't believe how fast these six months came. Pretty soon I'll be writing a post about being a mother to a one year old Princess. It's completely insane how quickly children grow.

Today I am steaming sweet potatoes for Ava! I'm also (FINALLY) thawing some of my frozen breast milk. A lot of my readers know that due to my enzymes breaking down too quickly, Ava refuses to drink any thawed breast milk. I'm glad she drinks freshly expressed milk, (I plan on bringing out the pump again) because I plan on using my milk to give Bug's purees the proper consistency.

I won't lie, I'm excited about house hunting. This next house will be the home my family spends their first Christmas. It will be the first home we have in a new state. Change can sometimes be really good. As many emotions as I have going through my mind, I am finding some order in my life. This move is allowing me to focus on something that is time sensitive, I need that right now.

I didn't think I wanted to do a big Thanksgiving after finding out the news of our move... looks like we will be. We bought a 25 lb turkey yesterday! I'm so excited about it! Roasting pans, basters, stuffing.. Ahh, I can't wait to wake up at 5 a.m. to let the cooking commence. There is something about the holiday season that completely keeps my mood out of the slums!

Ava bug has a little bit of a cold this morning. I think she's going to be like her daddy, always getting sick with the weather changing. She's stuffed up! No fever, but she has this dry cough that makes me want to cry. I hate when she's sick. She's a champ though. My daughter is the only baby I know that smiles when she's sick. She's giggly, and happy. I love it! Best sick baby ever! I hope it clears up though. I get extremely OCD with germs, and hand washing, and people when Ava is sick.

Alright, I'm being summoned by my husband for football. Enjoy your Sunday all!


 ♥- Leilani

Well, I guess it's Texas

I had to take some time to let this sink in. Due to the Brigade taking it's sweet time, my husband pulled the compassion reassignment packet. DITY move funds have already hit our account (Texas funds), his leave has already been approved... It looks like we'll have to submit the packet again once we get to Fort Hood. Hopefully it'll actually makes it's way to HRC. I cried about this when he told me. Just when I thought I was feeling better, just when I thought things were looking up, I get knocked back down.

I'm more upset that this means living near my mama is prolonged. I'm already looking at plane tickets for Ava and I to be with her after our move in a few weeks. I can't believe I didn't just go sooner. I feel horrible, and I feel like I got everyone's hopes up for no reason at all. I'm really trying not to go back to that depressed, emotional state I was in just a couple week ago. Knowing my family needs me to be strong, forces me to put on a tough face. Sometimes, it's tiring.

I feel so crappy! I kind of lashed out on Justin a bit when he told me he pulled the packet. I reacted irrationally.. but he is right. It's just sitting at brigade not going anywhere. Apparently if they did send it to HRC and it got approved (we'd already be gone), and he would have to go through the in-processing and out-processing steps all over again, in Georgia. As much of a hassle as it would have been, I still wish he wouldn't have pulled the packet. I apologized to my husband, and I don't plan on taking my anger out on him. He doesn't deserve it, and he's been such a trooper through all of this with me.

I never thought I'd be writing this post. I honestly thought we'd be packing our bags, heading to Washington. In an effort to keep my spirits high, we are having a Christmas shopping day tomorrow. I so desperately wanted to spend the holidays with my family... Now that we know that's not going to happen, it's time to focus on Ava, and how we are going to give her the best first Christmas ever! No matter what I'm going through, I won't allow my mood or emotions ruin Ava's "firsts"

Getting through Thanksgiving is going to be super rough. I don't feel all cheery, I don't feel all "warm and fuzzy" I just feel sad.. Man, I'm a wet blanket! Thank god for Ava. Seriously, If it wasn't for this little girl, I would have had a major break down today. She keeps me so sane, and I am so incredibly blessed to have a constant reminder that even when I feel like it is, life isn't all bad. As much as I want to stay away from those "thankful" feelings, I know I won't be able to for too much longer. I spaced on doing my "days of thankfulness" so here they are...

Day 12 I am thankful for skype. Being able to see my family makes me happy
Day 13 I am thankful for our home. It may not be Washington, but we have learned how to make a home, where ever we are
Day 14 I am thankful for music. Words that aren't my own that describe my every feeling
Day 15 I am thankful for Chinese food. (It's just too bad I haven't had any edible Chinese food since we've lived in Georgia)
Day 16 I am thankful for yoga pants. I pretty much live in them on comfy days.

Well, It's time for me to get some sleep. We've got an early day tomorrow, but I can't sleep. So much stuff on my mind, I hate when this happens.

Mama, if you are reading this, I love you very much! I can't wait to see you, and I'm very sorry it's taken me so long to get on a plane and come home!

  ♥- Leilani

Texas, Us & Ava

I have never felt so alive before. This weekend has been so enriching and I am so thankful for it. I remember blogging about spending every waking moment with my family this weekend, and I'm so glad I did. I got to see more of Justin's paternal instincts, Ava is definitely showing signs of distinguishing strangers from people she sees on a regular basis, and I was able to find "me time" "Justin and I time" and "family time" All three of those are very important. It'll be a hard process not being around Ava every waking minute, but eventually it does have to occur. I'm starting out with little things. Going to get a mani or pedi AND actually enjoying myself, rather than rushing through it. Taking longer showers, catching up on reading, etc. You get the picture. Something that isn't Justin related or Ava related. "Justin and I" time comes very easily to me. My husband and I have a very strong connection. A lot of my positivity is reinforced by Justin. Once Ava has a nap or she goes down for the night (rare lately, due to her four month sleep regression) we take full advantage of that time. Last night Justin got a full on back massage out of me and I got a fantastic foot rub! We started watching a new series together, Grey's Anatomy! He loves it (I love that he loves it) Things that we are able to do together, with just one another is important in maintaining our healthy relationship. When it comes to family time, with Ava being still very infant like, we stay in more. We do things like, tummy time, singing, and gabbing with her (great development tools) When we do go out we make sure to point out bright colors for Ava. It's so cute the way her eyes get so big and curious. She is a very alert baby, and it's nice to see her so intrigued by her surroundings. I keep going back with feeding Ava rice cereal. I said no, I said yes, then no.. With finding an organic brand, I'm trying to push myself to at least try it as a stepping stone for Ava. Feeding time will be great family time when we do decide to start solid food. It can involve both parents. As of late our move to Texas has been a major topic of discussion. We have already found a home that we LOVE and it will be available The month we plan to move. Take a look:

granted pictures are completely different than in person, so we have lined up a couple other properties to view with the realty company we chose to go through. Looking at homes has made me more excited for our upcoming PCS. I can't wait to document my experience on my second PCS, this time with having an infant. This post turned out to be much longer than I was expecting! I'm off, football is on, and that's a major deal in this house! Happy Sunday all!