Saturday, December 31, 2011

Our 2011 in Review...

January 2011- Year started off in NY with some of my best friends and family! Nana Kiki and Papa Stub babysat for Greyson. Garrett was in the sandbox in Iraq. We started off with family!! Then I had Mama time and had a huge hangover the following morning. (Not a pretty one either)..... I spent the rest of January with my family and watching cheesy reality TV at night with my friend Traci.

Sondermann's House

February 2011- We decided after spending money on getting the radiator fixed to head back to Tennessee with sad faces.  (did I mention we spent from Dec 17th-February)   We went about our daily lives when we got back there.  Play dates and shopping extravaganzas. Friends house party for the super bowl where the Packers won. Daddy still in the sandbox in Iraq.

Me and My Baby!

March 2011- We welcomed home our friends Brian and Michelle Elwood from Afghanistan.  It was Greyson's first welcome home ceremony. Daddy was still in the sandbox in Iraq.  We played outside and Greyson got to experience bubbles for the first time!!  LOVED Them!

 Beaching It!
Shirt from Papa!

Swimming...just keep swimming.



April 2011- Ah yes!! The mommy and son vacation to Myrtle with my Parents!! We spent 10 days in beautiful South Carolina. My HP laptop crashed, with a majority of my pictures on it. Thank god I was smart and did/ do back them up. We spent lots of time with cousin Elle! They had swim dates every night to tire them out. Grey had his first Easter Egg Hunt inside due to rain! He found them all by himself.  Daddy was still in the sandbox in Iraq.





May 2011-  Where the Tennessee heat does not mess around.  HOT, HOT, HOT!!  I bought a pass for unlimited days at the Nashville Zoo!  Which is where we basically spent most of our days,  They have a huge wooden park that has a splash area inside.  Oh lets face it on the days that weren't too nasty hot we were outside every chance trying to keep our tans from Myrtle.  The days that were nasty hot we found air conditioner's in library's, Chuck E Cheese, The mall you get my point. We started the countdown for the arrival of the Daddy.

Water Park on Post.

Swinging him in the water

 Swings!!  I love this picture!
Picnic Lunch with the daddy-o

CMA Fest in Nashville with Matthew and Heather

Pointing at a  BOAT

First Battle Scar!

He's HOME!

He will ALWAYS love his Mama!

Lil Soldier...
JUNE 2011-  The 13 month long awaited arrival of the Daddy-o.  Lunch dates his first week of inprocessing and of course the Park.  A year and a day before the homecoming of his daddy Grey decided to give me heart failure with a blow to the head when falling down a friends stairs.  A trip to the ER and 2 stitches later, We were both fine.  Even better the next day when we got to pick up daddy.


Of course after a soldier spends a year away from his/her family the get 30 days of leave.
WE SPENT 30 DAYS ON GRINDSTONE ISLAND.
JUNE 2011-

Playing at Potters

Watching Fireworks from Papa's boat

Helping Papa mow.

Tubing

riding in the boat

summer loving...

loving Elle

Yankee pride @ Old McDonald's Farm

Learning from Uncle Josh

he has a whole river and he loved the puddle



After an amazing 30 days and finding out our next PCS was to Germany, saying goodbye was the hardest thing to do.  We surrendered Yukon to a family friend, who has 2 beautiful daughters and I hear he keeps them busy.  We, when I say spent 30 days on Grindstone...It's the truth we only went off on Tuesdays for groceries and golf.  Then we would head right back.  Where Grey kept everyone busy and on their toes.












August 2011-  Baby G...moves on up to Lil man toddler g.  That's right folks he turned "2". (and I am still waiting for the terrible twos)  We had so much fun in August and got to finally after 3 years venture to Memphis to partake in the Elvis Presley week and got to visit Graceland.  Of course we also hit up the Memphis zoo and on our way home we came upon a Safari park in which Nana Kiki got to partake in with us thanks to the Bluetooth.  Grey was hilariously scared of the animals when they came to the car windows.
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We also got to check out the history of Casey Jones!  and Grey got to play on his trains.

September 2011- We started the count down for Nana Kiki's final visit to Tennessee.  Started prepping our first home for rent.  I got recognized by LTC Hamilton for being an FRG leader and dealing with the stupid wives shit.  We went to a VMI soccer game in Nashville.  We made a trip to the science center which was pretty much a romper room for Grey, but we had fun.  We did our first Jeep run in memory of SFC Charles Adkins, whom was killed by a suicide bomber in Afghanistan in April.  He was one of our neighbors.  Garrett was in a soccer league so it pretty much took p our traveling time on the weekends, but you were able to find Lil g and I I playing on a near by park or cheering on at the field. 








October 2011- Was filled with many potential renters, which meant trying to keep the house somewhat organized with a two year old.  We took Grey to Disney on Ice....where he never made a move or a peep.  We got to pick Kiki up at the airport, Grey waited patiently for her with a diet coke in hand.  She took us to the Nashville Circus and we took her to the Louisville Zoo.  Two wonderful fun filled week with the Nana Kiki. 

November 2011- bring us to Germany.  Where we will be stationed for up to 3 years.  November consisted of getting to know the area and finding our rental house.  Oh did I mention learning to live with limited things.  I turned "31" the boys took me to dinner.  We had our first Thanksgiving in our Lil abode and I cooked a turkey with the prep work help from Garrett.

Brings us to the last month  of 2011....December.  We ventured much of Germany...Dusseldorf, Heidelberg, Homburg, Trier, & Blieskastel. I took and passed my drivers test with a 95.  The Subaru arrived as well as the rest of our home goods.  Greyson got to experience his first choo choo train ride.  I found love at the H&M stores.  Had a very spoiling 4 year Anniversary.  Garrett turned "37", and we had a wonderful snow less Christmas!


That's our 2011 year on review.