We actually pulled it off. The kids had a fantastic Christmas and we couldn’t feel more blessed OR relieved. That being said, I would never, ever, suggest PCSING the month of a major holiday (especially Christmas) and then hopping on a plane to Vegas for a wedding before having your household goods delivered. I know we totally could have stayed in Texas until after the hustle of the holidays but we didn’t want that… and if I’m being honest, if we had to do it all over again - we would do it the same way. I know there is no way I would have wanted to miss my best friend’s wedding either. We smooshed letters to Santa, visiting Santa, winter wonderlands, zoo lights, cookies, gingerbread houses, and so much more into the middle of unpacking an entire 10,000 pounds of our household (we were box free in 7 days, I might add). Justin and I spent Christmas Eve watching all of our favorite Christmas shows and singing carols that the girls love. We wrapped TOO many presents when the girls went down and placed them under the tree late that night.

Watching the kids Christmas morning was worth every single moment of stress or worry. They had such a magical season with our little family and extended family as well. I didn’t cook for Christmas this year, I think that's the only thing that felt weird. We ended up with lots of extended family and the girls got to run around, eat good food, and bond with SO many of their cousins. My kids are the babies of our family in Washington State, so I absolutely loved watching the new connections they made with their Ohana. It felt so good to laugh, be surrounded by loved ones, and just resonate in that Christmas spirit. That is the whole reason why I wanted to move back home. I wanted that blanket of love that only your family can provide. I really hope the kids become familiar with that feeling within our family and extended family as well.

As much as I was hoping we’d get a white Christmas, we did not get a white Christmas this year. In light of that, we plan on taking the kids up to the mountain for a day of snowball fights and hot chocolate sometime this week. I can hardly wait. Mt. Rainier is such a special place and we haven’t gone in four years. With Christmas coming to a close, my mind is completely set on moving into the new year. I cannot wait to celebrate New Years and ring in 2019. Justin and I will be celebrating eight years of marriage next month, Olivia turning three, and we get to do all of this celebrating in my favorite state! Here’s to more experiences, lots of love, and amazing connections. This season has been so good to our family. I feel so dang blessed!

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.

Not Ready

I am admitting out loud (well, writing it) that I am not ready for this move. The moment we got the news that we were moving back to Washington, I was elated. I was overjoyed, I started thinking about all the new adventures we’d make, I didn’t have a single negative thought. Then, last week, Justin was told he couldn’t leave this station until the new station commander arrived - or until the end of the quarter for USAREC. That would have pushed us out to December 12th for packing, driving cross country, and trying to get everything set up in the new house just 13 days before Christmas. There is no way I could drag my kids across the country during this season. This season is supposed to be filled with family, food, and gratefulness. This season is not for suitcases on the go, new addresses, and a bare home that doesn’t reflect just how much we embrace this time of year. My stress wheels started turning and Justin and I decided that the move would have to wait until after Christmas.

I was bummed that our move was being pushed to the right and in an effort to make the most of our holidays, I decided to go and find the most festive activities to do as a family. The polar express, the lighting of the town tree, etc. I found myself getting excited about staying put for just a little while longer. Ava would be able to stay at her school until winter break too. The benefits were piling up and with that Justin and I placed the shipping paperwork (allowing the army to move our household goods) for a date after Christmas. And then, in Army fashion, this plan soon became a bust. Justin’s replacement for station commander took over officially today, but they found out Friday night.

Are you kidding me? We had just sold ourselves on one more Texas Christmas and now we were faced with staying and losing out on time we could be taking to get settled, OR trying to get refunded for all the holiday events we just paid for and trying to switch those Army move dates. Its just a mess. This will be our fourth military move together and its turning out to be the most chaotic out of all of them. That got me thinking about other factors surrounded by moving back home. My mom, especially. We left Washington a little over two months after my mom passed. Most of my grieving and attempts to understand have happened in Texas. It was a saving grace in so many ways, but now it’ll be like pulling off that bandage once more. Being constantly surrounded by all the things my mom loved…

I now get to live the heartache my baby sister has been left with since our mom passed. I’m trying so hard not to focus on just “the sad stuff” because I know there will be a million reasons we will smile because of my mom when we move back… thats just the first thing that hit me when i thought about this dilemma with the moving. I’m moving back to a home without my mom. And then I just don’t feel ready to move back at all.

Woes

It's been over two weeks since we found out that Justin got reassignment orders for a station in Washington. Most of the past couple weeks have been filled with rejoice + preparing.... but I do have these moment where I feel sad, like I'm not ready to move yet. I know that sounds weird, right? I talk about home so much, everyone knows I miss it, and I can't wait to move back.. it's just I wasn't quite ready to close this chapter we are currently in. This season. It took me a little time to realize it, but I do love so much about our current right now.  Being right down the street from Ava's elementary school, Justin's office being less than a 10 minute drive from our home, and this home we've built being the only normal our second born has ever known. All the feelings are hitting me lately. I didn't spend enough time appreciating all the things we've built here in Texas and I wish I would have. 

So, for the next four months, that is exactly what I plan to do. Soak it all in. We are going to take the time to enjoy things while we still can. Like, embracing every single day of Ava's kindergarten experience here because- that matters to me. Taking Liam out in the carrier for those PERFECT fall mornings that Texas affords us because- that matters to me too. Making sure to swing my sweet Olivia Rose as high as I can on her favorite swings at the park down the street because-  those memories, all of them... they matter. Nana is flying in the day before Halloween to kind of send us off with one last visit in this house (our kids miss her SO much) and I know that'll be the sweetest visit ever. We haven't gone to New York since Liam was born, so I know being able to meet her first great-grandson will also be a treat! 

I really want to make this move special for the kids because 2/3 are able to understand whats going on for the most part. Ava never ceases to amaze me. I heard her telling her sister, "Olivia. Its okay. We are going to make so many new friends, see our family, and see Mama Lee. Washington is so great." Her ability to adapt blows me away and I'm so thankful for my big girl. The transition should be a good one and I'm hoping that once we settle into our new home, we are able to get our schedules and activities going as if we didn't miss a beat. A few things I've been doing to make this move special include:

* Letting Ava look at rental homes with me. She loves being able to give me all her thoughts

* Making Christmas plans of all the things we'll do once we've settled into our Washington home

* Possibly taking a stop or two on the way up to Washington (I really don't want to, but if the kids want an adventure, I could be game!)

For those of you who are road trippers AND/OR military, how do you make your moves "fun" for the kids? Any road games? Pit stops? Let me know! I'm always up for introducing something that might help me or my family get through a lengthy road trip

Washington?

Last night Justin and I discussed the possibility of taking a trip to Washington this fall. We both miss the Pacific Northwest terribly AND we miss all of our fall festivities even more. With Ava starting pre-school, trying for baby # 3, and our college commitments.. we've got a lot on our plate. Even still, Olivia has yet to experience Spooner farms, the girls haven't seen my family since they were so much smaller, and it would be nice to ACTUALLY experience the leaves changing, the cold weather, and all things family. After taking everything into consideration this morning... we decided that we are going to take the trip! I'm literally deciding on airfare as we speak. I keep reminding myself that picking a date and traveling whenever isn't always going to be an option for us. Ava will be in school full time (before we know it), airfare prices steadily increase after the kids turn 2 years old, and the commitments of our life won't always afford us multiple vacations a year. 

That being said, I feel really good about this decision. Ava is already talking about ferry boat rides, the "big, big, building" (Space Needle) and being able to see her Mama Lee + Aunt Regina. Nothing (and I do mean NOTHING) warms my heart more than watching my girls show love for their family. Also, and this is sort of high on the list of positives.. I am so excited to be taking my camera with us. I plan on doing some sort of family photos, extended family photos, and maybe some cousin photos for the kids! Being able to wander the green lush of the PNW is a definite priority for me, even if the weather doesn't fully cooperate! One thing I've grown to appreciate and miss is the outdoors back home - since we don't explore anything in our current state. 

So the official countdown has begun! Four months and a couple of weeks until we are Washington bound for a little while. How is it possible that I am already emotional about the departure? Gosh! We still have the entire summer to make memories through before fall even arrives. That's going to be my focus these next few months. Texas may not be Washington IN ANY WAY, but we are here and I am determined to make the most of our time.. now let's see if I actually stick to that! 


See you soon, Washington. 

♥- Leilani

Best Western Plus - Salt Lake City

This Best Western Plus was so incredibly nice... in fact, it was nicer than the Premier we stayed at in Puyallup. I recently found out that Best Western hotels are individually owned, so it is at the owner's discretion on what needs to be updated or changed in their hotel. The owners in Salt Lake City did not disappoint their guests. I found this hotel online after finally deciding on a "stop" destination for the night. When I tried to book a room online, everything was sold out. I decided to actually call instead of rely on the internet... sure enough, they had a king room available. Definite perk to being a co-sleeping family; None of us minds sleeping in the same bed (Justin and I have a queen pillow top, so this king bed spoiled us) and I think our oldest was so excited about being able to sleep so close to her baby sister. 

This hotel offered 24 hour room service through a third party provider, upscale touches to their king room, and free wifi (definitely has been a plus on this trip). We were in awe over how nice everything looked. This hotel wasn't built that long ago, so I'm sure a large part of it is the fact that it's brand new. Our experience wasn't bad at all, even though we did only stay one night. Breakfast was mediocre... but we don't ever really expect much from continental  breakfast spreads. Ava didn't eat anything from it, but I do believe Justin attempted to. We woke up late, which resulted in me missing out on taking maternity photos for a friend from high school. I'm not sure when we will be in Salt Lake again, but hopefully I can take some photos of her and her baby boy when I am!

Overall, I was impressed with this facility. Far enough outside of the city where you didn't have to hear major traffic or noises from the city, but close enough to the freeway that we could get on with our trip without major delay. The best part of leaving Salt Lake was arriving in Wyoming to meet up with Justin's dad and Uncle Jimmy. His dad has been driving trucks for Prime for well over two years now, so he's usually all over the place. We ended up meeting them in a really small town with a truck stop... it was the first time that anyone from Justin's side of the family met Olivia. 

♥- Leilani

Best Western Premier Plaza Hotel - Puyallup

The two remaining days we spent in Washington state were spent at Best Western Premier Plaza Hotel in Puyallup. Best Western is never usually our first choice, but after our experience with them, they are our go to now. Before I go any further into this review, let me just say that Best Western has a three tier type of establishment that is available in the areas we plan to travel in. Best Western, Best Western Plus, and Best Western Premier. I know there are a couple other types of establishments they offer as well, but again, not in the area we'd be in. Any who, our experience was great. The hotel room was a little more on the pricey side, but definitely worth it. They do offer government rates which is always a bonus. A full service restaurant was located in this hotel, on location laundry services, and an indoor pool. So many amenities that pertain to our interests. Since Washington is my home state, I didn't really need help looking for things to do around the area, but the location was definitely great for those that were visiting and needed to be between the city and heart of Olympia.

The housekeeping staff was so incredibly nice, having the elevators located closer to our room was nice as well. I loved that the bedding didn't feel cheap or dated. The air conditioner in the room worked wonderfully, and when we needed anything extra (like towels) the runner was extremely quick to aid our needs. I'm not the biggest fan of being on the road and using sheets that hundreds have used before me, but I didn't feel that way about this hotel. I also really liked the seating area they had outside of my room. One of my best friend's came to wish us off and we were able to chat outside of the room without waking the babies. 

I have nothing negative to say, aside from the size of the bathroom. The bathroom was extremely small for the room size. Justin hated that he couldn't shut the door without hitting his knee on the door.

♥- Leilani

Family

I've always been someone that appreciates and loves being apart of a huge family. Whenever turmoil struck, or we celebrated super happy moments, I always remembered having so many loving people around me. As I got older, got married, and had Ava bug, I realized even more that family really is the root of it all. That being said, being a military family has definitely presented it's challenges when it comes to our families. Being in Georgia meant that we were closer to Justin's family, but 3,000 miles away from mine. Being in Washington state means we are literally minutes away from my family, but close to 3,000 miles away from my in-laws. The scenarios haven't been ideal for "win win" situations, but we have been making it work none the less. I call and talk to Justin's relatives on a weekly basis, and often times face time, video chat, and send about a million photos. I am so grateful for all of the capabilities we have in this day in age. Being able to keep our family on the East coast involved in Ava's growth and my pregnancy is so important to us.

That being said, with our impending move arriving sometime next year, we have decided to find a way to spend time with BOTH families throughout the year. Christmas time will be designated for Justin's family, and the summers will be designated time for my family. It really is a win/win situation in our book. Ava bug will have white New York Christmas' and sunny (non yucky rain weather), with my family. We want our daughter to build relationships with everyone in her family, and the biggest way we see ourselves achieving this goal is by having her make memories with them during Justin's block leave times each year.

I think we even decided on having me fly out with the kids to visit a couple times each year. I have never flown with two children, let alone toddler Ava bug, so I know that will be different, but I am more than willing to take the chance if it means my kids have growing relationships with their families. This Christmas will be the first Christmas we spend in the state of New York as a family, with Justin's family, and words cannot express how tickled I am. I can't wait to build snowmen, decorate the Christmas tree, and watch Ava make a million new memories with her grandparents, aunts, and uncle. Christmas will also be the first time Justin and I meet our first born niece, Ariana. She's grown so quickly this past year, and we are delighted to spend time with her. I'm also excited to show up with my HUGE third trimester belly! Justin's family have never seen a pregnant Leilani, so that will be a lot of fun.

Overall, I'm just happy that family has become a huge deal for my growing family. I plan on taking about a million pictures (as usual), and I can't wait to share our experience with you guys!

That's all for now, off to spend time with the husband.

Happy Sunday all!

♥- Leilani

Thanksgiving

I'm attempting to write this during an intense football game and a full stomach, so bare with me guys. Today has been nothing short of blissful and heartwarming. As I've mentioned in lots of other posts, this was my first Thanksgiving back home since 2010, and it was nothing short of what I thought it would be. We did get a late start with our turkey prep this year (we forgot to thaw it correctly), but we were able to put the turkey in a sink full of water all night and that did the trick. My parents came over bright and early to help us get a head start on cooking all of our side dishes... this actually turned into my parents cooking pretty much everything. I loved it, but at the same time, I felt a little bad. Each and every time my parents come over they always cook and tidy up my house! The kicker? They do this while spending time with Ava bug.

It is a rare occasion that absolutely nothing is required from me. so I do appreciate when I get time to really relax. As I enjoyed the company of my family, Justin somehow suckered us all into watching three full games of football today. I honestly didn't mind it all too much because after four years you'd think that'd I'd know that my husband eats. breaths. lives for football. I think it's safe to say that we all ate way more than we probably should have. Justin made his Nana's chocolate pie, and that was a huge hit. It was so fun watching my baby girl eat her first Thanksgiving foods this year. Watching her indulge in all the yummy food really made me realize how grown up she is getting on us. This time last year, Ava was barely a pro at purees. I'm glad she wasn't picky with anything either! That was a definite bonus.

Aside from family, food, and football I got some "cyber sale" shopping done for Christmas gifts. I'm trying to be thoughtful and as inexpensive as possible with gifts this year. We literally move within the first two weeks of January and there are so many things I want to do to our new place. I plan on painting Ava's bedroom, our bedroom, and potentially an accent wall in our new living room. More on the moving later, as I'm almost positive I haven't updated my readers on that situation quite yet. I think that pretty much wraps up our Thanksgiving. It was exactly what we needed. I even saw on the news that we might be getting hit with snow in our area on Saturday?! How magical will that be? I can't wait to build a snowman (zero Frozen puns here) with my baby girl and her daddy. Last year Ava got a little taste of it, but this year she'll actually be able to play and enjoy the snowy season.

What did some of my readers do to celebrate Thanksgiving? Does your family have any special traditions you do? I'd love to hear from you in the comments below or by email!

Happy Thanksgiving all!

♥- Leilani

Thank you

I hadn't planned on blogging today... but how I'm feeling is too much to stick in a Facebook post, so here I am. I've been feeling extremely grateful this morning guys. Like I literally spent a good twenty minutes weeping because I am filled with so much joy. There isn't a particular reason for this, in fact we've had a pretty "normal" few weeks here... I got a text from my husband a while ago and all he said was, "I love you baby." I've heard him say that two million times, but for some reason it just got me today. I had been thinking of him at the exact moment he sent it; I couldn't help but feel super synced! I'm sure it wasn't just that, but a mixture of things. I've been spending quite a bit more time with my family and Ava bug has been absolutely loving it! Watching my parents build strong relationships with Ava is really emotional for me. With Justin's constant moving in the military, I never thought we'd ever have an opportunity to do this  the "traditional" way. I have found the significance in having family so close, and trust me when I say I savor every moment.

Then, of course, there's my kid. You ALL know how deep my love runs for my sweet girl. She's just been so in tune with mama lately. When I need to cuddle or a sweet baby kiss.. there she is. When i'm stressing out about homework or some other obligation.. there she is, reminding me that there are sweeter things to consume my thoughts with. Sometimes I feel like my heart is literally going to burst from all the love her and I share. I'm so grateful for Ava bug, and I don't know what I'd do without the love of my daughter.

Friends have also been a big thing I've been grateful for. Those who have know me for 15 years, 10 years, 5 years, 3 years.... you know that since moving back home I've had a bad habit with not following through on plans (especially since I conveniently moved over an hour away from most), and I am so sorry. Thanks for loving me anyways. Thank you for the calls, texts, Facebook messages, and breakfast runs! Thank you for not giving up on your friend that has made major life adjustments through marriage,motherhood, and military. I love you all!

an even BIGGER thanks to those who still care to ask me how I'm doing. Our lives get so busy, busy, busy, and I am guilty of sometimes taking a listening ear for granted... but I will ALWAYS ask you how you are doing, even with the crazy stuff I may have going on. That's the most important quality in friends. Being able to be there for one another. For that, I am eternally grateful for all the friends and family members that offer me their listening ears.

Again, I didn't plan on posting this, but I think the message is a good one for a Monday. Having lots of love, good energy, good vibes, and positive relationships make life so much more worthwhile. I am a very grateful woman indeed! Here's a sweet baby smile to add sun rays to your rainy Washington day (if you are in Washington of course).

Happy Monday all!

♥- Leilani

Okay, July can get here now.

Can you believe we are already in the month of June? I'm seriously so stoked for this summer! All I can think about are days on the lake, countless baseball games, and tons of fun traveling the West coast with my sweet little family. This weekend was definitely one for the books. Washington decided to finally give us more than just a day or two of amazing weather, so you know we were taking full advantage. We ended up going to a park literally just minutes away from our house. The park is actually sitting on a lake, so aside from the playgrounds and trails, we had a pretty awesome view. There aren't too many things more precious than picnicking in the sun, and watching our little one in complete fascination with her surroundings.

Cooper also had a blast today. He ran out into the lake (first time in a body of water.. thank you gators in Georgia) and he just went to town on the water! The labrador in him came out, and he just loved swimming around. Justin and I decided that every weekend, we are going to take our kids out to enjoy the lush evergreens of Washington. There are literally a million things to do with your pets in tow, and I know Cooper loves being included. I'm almost positive that I'm booking a weekend getaway at Ocean Shores this summer...best part? We get to bring our pooch with us! I'm ready for huge red kites, sand in my toes, and waves for days.

Did I mention that a certain Mr. Howland asked if I was ready to try for a baby this July? I wasn't shocked (he has baby fever pretty bad), and I'm definitely on board! Ava has her one year check up this week, so it looks like I'll be making an appointment for myself as well. The last time we went through this process, I wasn't blogging as traditionally as I do now. From start to finish I plan on making vlogs about our fertility process, ultrasounds, and more. I don't know what it is with us and baby number two. Seeing how perfect Ava is, and how great parenthood has been, definitely is a huge factor. Justin keeps bringing up mini vans, and more little ones.. I have a feeling we'll end up having a much bigger family than we initially planned. The best part of this entire conversation? Knowing that we are ready. Our marriage is in a very healthy place, and so are our parenting abilities. Stability in our lives is such an important factor in why we are okay with this decision.

When I say stability, I don't necessarily mean income. Of course that's important too, but having a healthy relationship is vital as well. I know that our family is healthy and ready to add another little addition. I was a little nervous about what our loved ones would say. Baby # 2 already? Leilani, you're only 23 years old!? What about school? Surprisingly, all we've received is excitement and joy! Having the support of family and friends is important to me, and I'm glad we have that. Being back home in Washington will also add to the excitement of this journey. Knowing that I'll have family and friends visiting after I deliver, being able to (hopefully) hold our new baby with Justin and Ava beside me... Man, I'm getting all choked up just thinking about it.

Look at this picture.. Can you believe it's very possible that I'll soon be taking photos of two Howl babies during bedtime stories with daddy? I can hardly wait.

Happy Sunday all!

♥- Leilani

Last one

This is going to be my last post for the month of April! I'm pretty pleased with how well I've managed to maintain my blog, while juggling all that I have going on in my life. I can't believe we will be in the month of May this week. It's completely crazy how fast this year has flown by. Going through my newsfeed on Facebook this morning, I came across something pretty hilarious. If you know me, you know that I have a strange obsession with 90's boy band N'Sync.

 Is it sad that I knew exactly which song this came from? None the less this picture is hilarious, and took me straight to my "happy place" for the day. Yesterday, I finally finalized the venue for Ava's first birthday. This has been a major stress for me lately. I had originally picked a park that I went to often as a child. Turns out the city of Auburn is having a pet palooza weekend? I had never heard of it, but apparently it's an annual fun day for pet owners to get together and all that jazz. I was so bummed, but I'm glad I found an even better place (closer to our home), that's very accommodating. The weather in Washington has been absolutely beautiful lately, and I'm remembering why I call the Evergreen state my forever state. When the weather is nice, it's really nice. It isn't too hot, it isn't humid, it's perfect.

Ava enjoyed being out in the sun Yesterday, an she enjoyed socializing with a really good friend of mine, and her daughter. There are so many things to do outdoors in this state, and over the next few weeks, I plan on taking full advantage. Ava had her first pool day yesterday, and that was entertaining to say the least. She had so much fun splashing in the water with her daddy, and her cloth diapers held up so nicely. I'm really glad we invested in one of those baby pools. Pretty soon we won't be able to keep our little bug, or should I say, fish out of the water. On another really good note, I found out on Sunday that a good chunk of my extended family will be present for Ava's birthday. My grandmother's sister (Aunty Waki) and brother in law (Uncle Lee), their kids (my first cousins), and their children (my second cousins). I have really fond memories of that side of my family, and I'm thrilled that they will be joining us in the celebration of Ava's first birthday.

that is the real reason we moved back to Washington, to be with family, (more specifically, my mother). I know I've talked about leaving Washington state (soonish), but I have to let my readers know that apparently this isn't the case. I assumed with how often Justin and I discussed a potential PCS that we were talking within the next year or so. Turns out he has some career goals he'd like to execute here, so the soonest we can see ourselves leaving (if the Army doesn't send us packing sooner) would be two or three years. I'm actually more than okay with that.

As often as I gripe about being home, I really do love it here. I've had to redefine some of the relationships I have here, but all in all, everything has been okay. We are never bored here, that's for sure. Alright all, I'm off. I have some last minute preparations to make for Justin's birthday... It's on Friday! Yes, my Woobie is going to be twenty-four years old! I can hardly believe that it's been four years with him already. Last year, Justin was still deployed during his birthday and this year he was away for training during mine. That means I plan on making his special day that much more special since we will be together. I'm pretty stoked for my May babies and their special days. Happy Wednesday all! If you need some laughter, refer back to the picture in this blog post throughout your day!

♥- Leilani

Easter

Today was simply wonderful. I had a house full of family, laughter, and lots of love. Aside from it being Ava's first Easter, it was also my dad's birthday. I knew from the start of the year that I wanted to host Easter at my house, and I'm so glad that I did. I'm proud to say it went very well, and I'm thinking about making this an annual tradition (each year we are in Washington). I made an Easter ham, and other side dishes. We have a lot of leftovers, but everyone left pretty full and content. Having my family with me on special occasions really tugs at my heart. Getting us all in one room can sometimes be difficult, but when we are, it's always such a great time.

It's safe to say that Ava pretty much loves her Aunt Regina. Seeing their relationship grow seriously makes me misty-eyed. She is so comfortable with her, and you can tell that she loves her. It's the little things that makes me never want to leave Washington. This blog post is so short, but I am completely tired. I spent all weekend with some serious ligament pain, and Justin is going with me for my blood test on Tuesday. I will seriously be shocked (and worried) if I am not pregnant. I have had so many symptoms, it's crazy!

I hope everyone enjoyed this special holiday with the people they love most, and I hope everyone spent this holiday giving thanks to Jesus Christ, for without him, the lives we have would not be possible. His redemption on the cross, will always leave me feeling the ultimate grace and comfort.






 ♥- Leilani

Army Wife

I realized today that I have been back in Washington for almost three months. In that time I haven't seen or hung out with more than half the people that I expected to. Nothing is like it was when I lived here four years ago. That was to be expected because I am not the same. The crazy thing about being in a place where I have friends and family, is that I'm actually hanging out with more Army wives. I never in a million years though I'd still want to be apart of the military spouse community once I came home. Truth is, they really are the only people that understand what I'm going through. Don't get me wrong (most) of my family and friends are really supportive and considerate, but they just don't get the situation I'm in because they aren't going through it.

Fort Lewis has shown me some pretty great women so far. It's nice because Ava has a good variety of littles to play with. That's another big difference for me. Coming home, a lot of my friends don't have babies. I'm not saying that's an issue, but the dynamics of my friendships are different. I'm not a club hopper anymore. I don't stay out till midnight, I don't drink and get drunk. An outing is based off of Ava's mood or schedule. That's definitely not always easy to work around. The most obvious difference marriage, is another biggy. I just turned twenty-three years old, and I've been married for over three years. Where I'm from, that's not very common. I guess I didn't take the time to realize, just how I changed, so did the people in Washington. Me moving to Georgia didn't mean that their lives stopped. It kind of feels like they are so used to me being gone, It hasn't really made that huge of an impact with me moving back.

The reason we are here is so I can help take care of my mom while she battles pulmonary hypertension. If it wasn't for my mama being sick, I don't think we'd have come back to Washington in just three years. I try to keep that as my focus. My mother is dying, and she needs us now. She's gotten really bad since I've been home, and I'm actually really worried about her. We got into a disagreement so I haven't talked to her in a few days, I honestly hate that. I know she's my mom, but I'm pretty protective of her.

Seeing how things are in Washington, makes me more willing to relocate. I'm not saying I want to, but if I had to leave again, I don't think it'd bother me as much this time. I know how to make friends, and I know how to adjust to new surroundings. I highly doubt Justin will be reenlisting again, but if he did, I'm glad I feel this way.

♥- Leilani

From soldier, to civilian

Yes, you read that correctly. I know this transition isn't happening overnight, but I am 99.9% positive that my husband is getting out of the Army after his current contract. We've got less than two years until that happens, and I am honestly excited. This topic has been such a huge one for us lately, mainly because we've been here before. Justin was all set to attend ACAP classes the last time he thought he wanted to get out... then overnight (while in the field), he changed his mind. I'm trying to be supportive, but I have to keep an open mind.

I'm trying not to get overly excited about this, because Justin could very well change his mind again. I got to talk to him for quite a bit last night, and he brought up Howl baby # 2. Because he'll be spending quite a bit of time away from us in the coming months, we are trying to plan the "perfect" time for conception. Talking about another baby right now has made it feel even more real. I'm nervous about it (only for the fertility route we are taking). What if we have multiples? What if it takes us months (we don't have together) to conceive? What if it takes the first time, and Justin deploys during my pregnancy? There is definitely a lot of uncertainty here. One thing is for sure, I'm glad I have my family by my side this time around.

I'm so thankful for the friends and family I have. I really am. Yesterday I got to spend much needed time with a good friend of mine I've known since high school. As soon as she walked through my front door, it was like a burst of fresh air. I missed her so much. Ava took to Aria right away as well. It was so sweet. She actually reached out for her.. which if you knew how much my daughter loved being in her mama's arms, you would be shocked. She let Aria play with her, and give her kisses. It was like Ava had met her before. I can't begin to express how much it means to me that my bug will grow up around the people I love most. Justin's in the field right now, and i don't even feel lonely.

I don't feel like I need to him to hurry on back. Don't get me wrong, I miss my snuggle bears, but In his absence I have found myself filling my days with friends, family, and constructive projects. The time is flying by, and I feel like he just left yesterday. We have talked every single day since he left, so that definitely is an added bonus. If we were still in Georgia, the amount of talking time would either be non existent, or slim to none. He's definitely still busy, but we chat throughout the day, and have lengthy chats at night.

Yesterday, I had a really emotional mommy moment. A random couple stopped me in Fred Meyer, and said that Ava's smile had made their day. I looked down at my innocent little nine month old, and I just started crying. Someone so small continues to make the biggest impacts in my life. It was refreshing to hear perfect strangers have kind of the same thing occur. I hope Ava continues to be a "ripple" in the lives of others. I am reminded (daily) that somehow there is more room in my heart to love my daughter more than I did the day before. I am so lucky to be her mama, and I am so grateful for the pure joy she brings Justin and I.

On that note, I am off. In daddy's absence, I have been having tea parties with my little love bug. Enjoy your Sunday all! P.S. I'm going to be 23 in five days!

 ♥- Leilani

Back to REAL Army life

These last couple of months have felt like such a dream with all the time Justin has been able to stay at home. Today, that dream ended, and full blown reality is now a go. Justin called me this afternoon to let me know that he will be heading off to training as soon as he is done with in processing, and shortly after that he'll be heading off to a learning school for his promotion he received this past summer. Now, before I go any further, I want you all to know this is indeed a rant, and I am indeed being a bit selfish. We have gotten extremely comfortable with Justin being home so much, and I hate that it had to come to an end. This is the Army life we live in though. I will say even with our impending separation there are some definite pros for Justin and for his two girls.

Pros for Ava bug and I

• Family and friends are near by to keep us company
• I am completely familiar with the area I live in 
• There are more than enough activities nearby that are baby geared to keep Ava growing and busy

Pros for Justin

• He enjoys gunnery 
• he doesn't have to worry about me needing help
• he doesn't have to worry about me being alone in a foreign state
• This is a good way to get to know the soldier's in his unit

So we've definitely got some great positives to this situation. I'm pretty excited to see what the families in this unit are like. I wasn't going to dabble with the FRG this time around, but I'd like to (at the very least) stay in the loop about training dates and company events. Apparently this FRG is nothing like the normal. Women don't try to wear their husband's rank, and the gossip is shunned, not encouraged.  That's always a plus in my book. Previous experiences have caused me to approach with caution, so I really don't have expectations.

A few bonus points for Justin would be the facility his unit is located in. Fairly new, upstairs/downstairs, TA50 lockers, showers, and a small workout area. When I heard that his Army gear wouldn't be taking up the garage, our room, or the cars anymore, I was elated. I think it's great that he'll have what he needs on hand at the company all the time. The second thing I loved was the shower and gym right there at the company. Since Justin can't come home for lunch anyways, he won't have to go far to get a workout in or get washed off.  Aside from spending time apart this installation seems 100000000 times better than the last one. Hopefully, a month in, he'll feel the same way.

Well I'm off all. Hopefully while Justin is away, I'll find something productive to do. For now, I'm spending each minute I can with my lover and our bug. Happy Tuesday all!

 
♥- Leilani

Snow day

Yes, you read that title correctly. For the first time in over three years I was able to watch snow fall. I woke up to my husband calling for me to come outside. Seeing Ava's curious little eyes fascinated by snow, made me beam. I'm really hoping we get a good amount. I'd love to make a snow man with Justin this year. This is my favorite part of being a Washingtonian.. It's still sweater weather! I'm thinking today is going to consist of a warm fire, some hot cocoa, and lots of cuddle time. Here lately I've been crushing on my husband hardcore. Last night we stayed up past 12 (yes, 12 am is late for us) and watched movies all night. Even after we decided to head to bed, we stayed up talking and laughing. It's moments like last night that make life worth living.

Well, I hope everyone enjoys their day. Happy Tuesday all! 

   ♥- Leilani

Ready

I didn't realize it until Tuesday afternoon, but it has been over a year since I started this blog. My, how the time does fly. I remember sitting alone in the house, writing about anything and everything while Justin was deployed. Crazy to think that I had all the time in the world to write back then, now it's a miracle if I had time to do any recreational writing. These last three days I have spent all my time indoors getting our home in order. All of our household goods arrived Monday morning, and everything was in one piece. I think it took the movers over six hours to get everything in and set up (not bad). We've been on the go ever since. The decor is on the walls, Ava bug's nursery is almost finished, and Justin's man cave is complete.

 I'm really impressed with the jyppso move we just did. All I've ever heard are horror stories, and complaints. We had great movers on both ends, and none of our things were missing or broken. I think a lot of the time it's how we process certain situations. If you have an optimistic outlook, optimistic results occur. Besides, when you pack your things they ticket everything, and document any scratches, or damages. I mean they do a pretty thorough job. When the movers in Washington arrived, one of the first things the driver did was give Justin a clipboard to check all our numbered boxes/household goods off. We were able to ensure that nothing was missing, and that everything was in the condition we left it in.

I'm actually really looking forward to this weekend because of the Superbowl! Justin and I are having our first Superbowl party.. the icing on the cake? Our Denver Broncos are in the bowl this year! I'm really going to chalk this occasion up as a Superbowl/house warming party. This will be the first time a lot of my friends have seen Ava since we have been in Washington, or the new house for that matter. I can't begin to express how much I love being back in Washington. I feel like I'm finally aligned with the universe! Speaking of being aligned, we are all set on actively trying for another baby this summer. We are going to meet with an endocrinologist at Fort Lewis to see which route would be best for us to take. Justin has had baby on the brain for a few days now, that's a classic sign for us, that we are both on board, and excited. God willing everything will go smoothly, and we'll be welcoming a new Howl baby May 2015. That's actually really specific, but I wouldn't mind having another May baby!

I'll make sure to update everyone on how our consult with the fertility doctor goes, and the method we are going to utilize. Happy Friday all!

P.S. A line for internet is being dug as we speak! I can hear the hallelujah chorus!

♥- Leilani

My Saturday

I cannot believe I am still without wifi. This is some kind of record for me. We have been in the state of Washington for over 11 days, 9 of those have been spent in our new home, and still, we have no wifi. I am beyond irritated with Century Link and their customer service. Not being able to use social media sites has been refreshing, while feeling rushed to write papers or work on assignments for school, has not. A tech should be out Monday (hopefully), let's hope we'll be up and running by then. Today was a really good day. It was a really calm day too. We didn't go anywhere. It felt weird. I really wanted to take Bug and her daddy to the zoo ( I wanted to see the elephants), but Justin needed a "chill" day. Moving back to my home state has caused our entire family (yes, even Cooper) to be on the move every single day. Although I don't mind the fast pace, I'm glad my husband knows when to call a relax day. We took a walk in our very large neighborhood, and I discovered a little gem, just minutes away from our home.

Yep, it's a park. Although Ava bug isn't old enough to play on this thing now, by the time the summer hits she will be. Or we can push her on the swings at the very least. I am thinking of having Ava's first birthday here. It's location couldn't be more perfect, but it's also kid friendly. There are a good amount of park benches, and we could bring the grill from our home to the park. The idea is still in the works. I know Justin loves the idea of a free venue. Speaking of Ava, and growing.. we started giving her finger foods. Food is definitely  a big deal in this house, especially when our girl is such a picky eater. We gave her organic yogurt melts from Gerber, and a couple other organic canned finger foods. Turns out they are a hit with Ava, and we love watching her pick them up and feed herself. Also, Ava has been sleeping over 13 hours each night, and I love it! Teething has cut our little bug a break, and she is back to eating all her meals again. We put her down for bed at 730 and she stays in bed until 830 or 9am. I'm so happy with how consistent her sleep schedule has been. 

I think I've also come to decision about future giveaways.. I have decided to end that part of networking. Don't get me wrong, it has definitely been a privilege to review and giveaway baby geared items, but my attention and focus is needed elsewhere. I'm still going to blog, and write about things we love and use with Ava bug, but I think that may be the extent. I have already scheduled to have my facebook page deleted and anything else I get from any company, I plan on giving to friends or family that are interested. On another note, we put up our first piece of decor in this new house. It's a decal, a very cliche decal, but I found it to be very fitting. 

In an effort to not up our data plan again, I'm going to call this a wrap! The movers come Monday morning ( I may have already mentioned this in a previous post) and I am singing the hallelujah chorus. I can't wait to have my furniture, my desk, my bed! Happy Sunday all! Make it a great day.

♥- 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