Go Army, Beat Navy!

I love the Army Navy Game. Go Army!

Now, I am not a football fan. If anything I am a football widow. It is on in my house from Thursday through Monday. If there are no games on then ESPN is on & I am listening to men talk about football. Then there is Fantasy Football…don’t get me started.

I LOVE the Army Navy game mostly because of the commercials. The commercials during the Army Navy game are more exciting for me than the ones during the Super Bowl. These commercials make me love our Army ( & Navy…) even more. I am sure that I am not the only Army wife sitting & looking on with tears in my eyes during this game.

God bless our Soldiers, Airmen, Marines, Sailors, & Coasties.

GO ARMY, Beat Navy!

Tabula Rasa?

So today I was listening to the lower 80s on the FM dial & came across what I had thought was NPR. It was NOT NPR. This was a religious themed talk show.

The gentleman talking was at the end of this two week topic (topic unknown to me) however he was talking about the *fact* that we are born with sin.

Now…I was brought up Catholic & I graduated from a Franciscan University. I’ve been baptized, twice, had my First Communion & I was confirmed. I took no less than 9 credit hours of college level Theology classes. I was remarried by an Army Chaplain. Brandon & Ella have both been dedicated. With all of this said, I AM a believer. I am NOT a church going regular & due to years of Catholicism I DO feel loads of guilt about it. The reason, above & beyond Sunday morning sloth, is that I am SO unsure of exactly WHAT I believe that I cannot commit to one religion.

One thing that I am DAMN sure of is that I do now want to BE whatever religion THIS man was professing to be. The conversation that I caught, & to be fair it MAY have been out of context, was about the *fact* that we are all born sinners & that we all need to be forgiven. I am a HUGE believer in asking for forgiveness. Knowing when we have done something wrong or committed a sin is what helps so many people to learn from their mistakes. What got right up under my skin is that this man claimed that babies, children, & people without the mental capacity to ask for forgiveness since they cannot understand sin are not exempt from damnation. He claims that God’s grace should fall on these poor souls if they were to die before they could ask for & comprehend forgiveness & penance. Oh boy!

Does this mean if I never teach my children about God, if we never read the Bible, if I never teach them to pray or ask for forgiveness that THEY will suffer because I have failed them? My children will go to hell upon death because I failed at my job? This is not a religion that I can believe in.

Every Sunday comes & goes & I feel sad that I have not taken my children to church. They both would LOVE it. (They have been to church before….just not since we moved here.) They LOVE V.B.S.. I know what I can & cannot handle in a church. I just can find my fit.

I am a terrible blogger...

I cannot call myself a blogger... I don't blog I only write occasionally when I feel like I have something to say! I seldom have something to say worth writing about. I can talk until the cows come home face to face but I find it difficult to find something worthwhile to make me sit down & type.

I'll be "seeing you" when I get more interesting.

Our Anniversary

Our Anniversary

On September 12^th Jamison & I celebrated our 12^th anniversary. Here is a little play by play of our day…

• Woke up
• Ate Breakfast
• Watched our Wedding Video (on VHS) Here are some notes/observations:
• Damn we were young!
• We’ve outlasted at least 5 couples that attended our wedding. Sad, sure, but we still gave a little high five to celebrate our longevity. (A double high five should have taken place since I recently read something that said there is an 85% divorce rate for the Army Infantry Soldiers.)
• HOW did our mothers allow us to get married at 21 & 23 respectively? We looked SO young. Amazing. Now we will continue to tell our kids that they may not marry until they are 30. No kids until 35!
• Soccer Game #1
• Soccer Game #2
• Lunch
• Mother-In-Law comes to watch the kids…
• Head to St. Louis to go to the fancy-shmancy mall. (I know we are wild!) WITHOUT KIDS.
• Casino (I lost $40, Jamison won $0.02)
• Dinner – what a mess – at a restaurant near home since all of the places we wanted to go were packed with Cardinals Fans.
• Home at…wait for it…9:30.
• We are no longer young; we are far older than our 33 & 35, respectively, ages.

12 years & counting…

I might be crazy...

I might be crazy… Eleven weeks ago when my children got out of school I was a bit overwhelmed with wonder on how I would fill their days while trying to keep them both busy. In the past 11 weeks we have been: bowling, to the movies, to the drive-in, taken a three week trip to NY, been to the zoo, seen several little shows put on by the library, taken swim lesson, spent countless hours at the pool & even more hours at the playground.

This week I will send both kids to school. Brandon will be entering the 5^th grade and Ella will begin full time Kindergarten. For the first time in 10 years and 3 months I will be a stay at home Mom with no children at home. Most people would think that I would be overjoyed. I always thought that I would go back to work at this point in my life. Unfortunately there are no teaching jobs to be found. As of Friday morning at 8:30 I will be unemployed & BOTH of my children will be gone all day. What am I going to do with my day? I think I will volunteer for the Red Cross, volunteer at the school, and head to the gym. And then…

“And then?” All summer long that is all that I heard. We could be at the playground, or pool, or the movie & my kids always wanted to know what fun thing my planned next. The heartbreaker is that most of the time there WAS, in fact, something that I planned next but I got so angry that they seemed ungrateful for the thing we were doing NOW that it ruined the time for me.

Today, with the help my neighbors, I threw a back to school picnic at our Community Center. It was a great time & there were a lot of kids & new neighbors. The consensus between the adults was that tomorrow could not come soon enough.

Now, as our summer comes to an end my feelings are bittersweet. I am so excited to move on to the next chapter of our lives. This is the chapter that two kids are in school for the majority of the weekday and a Mom & Dad have time on their hands. I am going to miss them.

Back to the grind!

I’m home! Whoo Hoo!

Okay, that is about all of the excitement about that that I can muster. Now, while I LOVE to be in my own home & sleeping in my own bed there is a price to pay for these luxuries.

I came home to a house lived in by one pretend bachelor who was visited by 1 Army friend, 2 college friends, & 1 brother in law. AND a home that had hosted Jamison’s 2009 Fantasy Football draft. What this means is that the house was not quite what I expected. I was expecting the frat house from Animal House when I returned. In hubby’s defense it was pick up however it was NOT clean. He tried, bless him, however it was not good.

Laundry. Check. Grocery shopping. Check. Appointment to get the gray out of my hair. Check. (Note: Little cleaning has yet to be done!) Cleaning the house…soon. It is just too daunting. Tomorrow is another day.

Another Tornado!

I grew up in Western NY - Rochester, NY to be exact and in my 20+ years of residing there the WORST weather I can recall was an Ice Storm in 1991. This is cool, & memorable, since I was a Freshman in HS and it hit in January the night before we were to go back to school after Christmas break. I grew up with 4 distinct seasons, mild rain storm, CRAZY snowstorms, and mild summers.

I got married when I was barely 21 and moved to the South. Since September 1997 the closest to Rochester that I have lived was in Washington, DC. I have lived though countless hurricanes, tornados & tornadic weather, and WICKED hot weather. Each time I get to enjoy these blessings from Mother Nature I can always fall back on the good & faithful saying, "This is NOT what I am used to. I bet the weather isn't like this at Mom's!". Well, today that all went to hell in a hand basket.

We had a beautiful day. It was hot & hazy. The kids played in the pool. I went to see my Grandparents. We made dinner. As I was cleaning up dinner my mother sat down, turned on the TV, switched to the news, & for the FIRST TIME in 70 plus years there was a TORNADO Warning. NO Way! Not in Rochester!

We stopped what we were doing & joined the kids in the basement. They had NO idea why Mom & Grandma would choose to come down & watch Phineus and Ferb. We waited it out, came back upstairs, and looked outside. Feeling thankful that nothing was damaged we decided to go outside.

Again, feeling thankful as we went next door to see the garage door completely off of the track & their backdoor blown off. WHAT THE HECK.

I think I brought a bit of the midwest charm (ie tornadoes) to NY.

I think the Mayor is calling...he's asking me to go home & take the weather with me.

I'll be on the road in the morning. Damn!

A typical Ella "train of thought"

Anyone who spends time with Ella will quickly learn that she ALWAYS has something to say. There is never a lull in conversation.  The following is a typical conversation.  (And I use the term conversation lightly as she really only needs one other person to say things like uh-hu and yes.)  

"Mom, do you remember a long long time ago when I tried meatloaf?  I didn't like it.  I was in daycare & I tried it.  I try things in preschool it is called a taste test.  What are you drinking?  Can I taste it?  Taste is a funny word.  Do you think I am funny?  Ha ha ha ha.  Would it be funny if I really laughed like that?  Laughing is fun.  I laugh & it makes my belly shake.  Do you know the road at Aunt Lisa that I call the belly road.  It feels funny in my belly when she drives fast down the hill.  Dad drives fast...Daddy's a crazy driver, driver, Daddy's a crazy driver WHooo! ..........."  

And this could go on & on forever.  I wanted her to talk...now I just NEED her to stop talking.  

Ella turned 5

Elizabeth Catherine Hines..5 year old!

I meant to, and forgot, to post information about Ella's 5th birthday.  Much to my chagrin I ended up with birthday week instead of birthday.  It all began with a very informal party with a few friends at Monkey Joes (jump houses inside...) and lunch at McDonalds on Wednesday the 1st.  We picked up my parents at the front gate on the way home from the party.  Jamison & I were able to go out & shop for Ella gifts without the kids.  It was nice to shop with him instead of having to go by myself.  

Before we knew it it was the 4th.  It was a dreary day in St. Louis & all fireworks were canceled.  This was upsetting to the angel since she likes to think that the fireworks are for her.  (Yes! She does know that they are not but come on, she is only 5!)  We only found out about the cancelation AFTER we got ready & went down into Mascoutah to ride some rides & have some fair food.  

On the 5th, her actual birthday, we got in the car & headed to NY.  We stopped about 7 hours in for the night.  We found a restaurant & while they did not sing to her they DID have a bathtub ice cream sundae bar.  No, you did not misread, it was, in fact, a sundae bar IN a bathtub.  Good times were had by all.  This was not the ideal for my 5 year old's birthday but I am sure that I will have many more to overcompensate with in the future.  

There's no place like home...

There is no place like home...  As an Army family we always live by the philosophy that home is where the Army sends us.  With that said, coming back to Rochester is always such a treat.  The day after we got here there was a crazy sun shower & this rainbow was reward for waiting it out!  

New York, New York!

Did you know that there are, in fact, other cities in New York state than New York City?  =)  

I am from Rochester, NY.  When I meet someone new, oh this crazy Army life!,  they often ask where I am from.  I answer, New York.  "Really?" they ask.  "Yes, I am from Rochester, NY."  "Is that close to NYC?" "No, I've never actually been."  "No, Way!" "Way!"  

I was lucky enough to have my parents come to Scott AFB for Ella's 5th birthday.  They left their car at my house & we all got in my van for the trip back to Rochester.  It was a long 2 days but we arrived safely.  Now...if I could just find some friends for my boy to play with all would be well.  

New Pictures

My kids can be so photogenic!  They did not disappoint this time.  It has been months since I last had their pictures taken professionally (okay over a year) and I could not be happier with the outcome unless they had been free too!  

Army Ball 2009

 We attended the Army Ball in St. Louis this weekend.  My brother-in-law, Don, was able to get us a room at the Hyatt for a discount. THANKS DON! My mother-in-law drown down from Indianapolis to watch the kids.  We got almost 24 glorious hours to be just "Jayme  & Jamison".  It was wonderful. 

The ball was nice.  The food was fine & the music was fun.  We snuck out before the speaker with our friends from our table & headed to the bar in the hotel.  Another friend, who stayed in the ballroom, sent texts with updates. (Thanks Jackie!) Once the formal part was over we went back to dance.  

This morning we got up & did the tourist thing in St. Louis.  We had breakfast at a little restaurant downtown that was about 6 blocks from the hotel. Then we walked around, saw the Arch, & went to the Louis & Clark Museum housed below the Arch.   

Army Ball Hairdo?

WHAT do I do?  I have all of this hair...bucket loads even.  While I am not complaining I do need to say that I often have no idea how to fix it.  

We are attending an Army Ball on Saturday.  Since I need to go & take care of the gray hairs & get my hair cut on Friday I do NOT want to go back on Saturday & pay more money to get it done.  

What to do?  Any suggestions?  

I am not a fan of tornadoes!

Several years ago I was visiting my sister-in-law, Lisa, in Indianapolis.  There were sirens, news reports, & a crazy storm & my very calm sister-in-law told me there was nothing to worry about. Being the BIG storm baby that I am I was not all that convinced.  

Yesterday Jamison left with Brandon for baseball and ended up coming home about 15 minutes later due to a raging lightening & rain.  About 10 minutes later the power went out, the post tornadoes went off, & the rain came down SIDEWARD. 

Being the BIG storm baby that I am I decided to take the kids, dog, a futon mattress, the radio, and my laptop into the interior bathroom. For the next 30 minutes the kids, dog & I waited for the tornado warning to pass under the mattress.  

When I was done I asked Jamison if he is trying to tell me something.  He has taken me to SC, home of the hurricanes, DC, one of the most dangerous cities in America, and now to the midwest for the total tornado experience.  I jokingly told him that I was going to home to live with my mother.  There are no tornadoes in Rochester, NY.  =)

The pictures are from the Belleville News paper.  The tornado did, in fact, touch down in 4 places around Scott AFB & Mascoutah.  

Camera Lost!

I think that I have lost my camera. Good Grief! I am so disappointed.

A few weeks ago I bought a Vera Bradley handbag as my own Mother's Day 

gift. I love it because it has so many cool pockets to store things like my phone 

& camera. After a trip to the Zoo with Brandon's 4th grade class I have misplaced

my camera. UGHHH. This is right on the heals of finding out that Jamison 

borrowed my iPod and ended up having it in his pocket of his gym pants when they

were washed. Did you know an iPod cannot survive a wash & dry? This has not

been a stellar week for the Hines & electronics.

Spring in in the Air

It is about time we got some more photos up here!  This Spring has been busy but fun.  It began with a USO sponsored trip to the St. Louis Zoo.  It was a fantastic, busy, LONG, day at the zoo. *Support the USO, that do such nice things for soldiers & their families.*

Easter was a lot of fun. Unfortunately Jamison had to work but we still had a nice weekend.  We enjoyed brunch at the Scott Club with a few neighbors.  We had decorated eggs earlier in the month & while it was a MESS it was a lot of fun.  

The ID makes the man.

In the military, the children celebrate their 10th birthday with a little more umph.  THIS is the birthday that the children get their very own Military ID.  Brandon turned 10 on a Sunday & we were at the ID card facility first thing Monday morning.  I cannot believe that they let me take his picture.  

Brandon is 10!

                                    

                          

Brandon turned 10!  Who allowed that!  

I remember being so young, 22, when I found out that he was going to make me a Mom. SUCH an overwhelming feeling.   Then, when he was born it was BY FAR the hardest & most wonderful change a person can ask for. 

 

I AM home... for at least 50 more weeks...

 I got home from a wonderful trip with even more wonderful girlfriends one week ago today. I hope this means that there are only 50 weeks until we go again! It has been hard jumping back into reality. Like my friend Laurie said..."No one cut up my oranges at home."