Rant

Here is an email I sent to Dollar Tree Stores today after heading straight home from their store because I did not want to make someone else's day miserable due to this one person.

"I went to store #2572 in Fountain, CO today. The Sales Associate, Kenyatta, made a comment to me that was very rude and inappropriate. My 3 1/2 yo kiddo was not behaving through the line and began taking things out of the bag so I tapped his hand and turned him forward. During this I didn't realize that I needed to push a button on the keypad. She did it, I apologized. She responded, "It's much more important to beat your child." Being the non-abusive parent that I am, I was greatly offended and found it hard to be the bigger person and not say anything right at that moment. However, I did want to let you all know the attitude being portrayed by this store."

I am not one to take things to heart but this woman just pissed me off and I couldn't help but think this was not the first time nor the last time. Whether anything happens or not is not the issue...I just needed to voice what happened to me.

Yuck...

I have not been feeling well and finally went to the dr this morning when I woke up feeling pressure in my chest. The doctor said I have an upper respiratory infection along with acute bronchitis. I'm really hoping the four medications he gave me help clear it up because I don't have time to be sick right now. Of course, that could be why I'm sick also. Little down time...Now I have to make myself sit down so I can get better so I can start going again. I've been very fortunate this year as this is the first real sickness I've had. Bucky has been on and off sick so I've apparently been doing a pretty good job steering clear of the nastiness. Oh well...time to rest and drink water...

Retreat

We had a "marriage" retreat this weekend except everyone's hubby is working far, far away at the moment so it ended up being a wives retreat. While the retreat part wasn't the best, the time with friends was wonderful. We were able to leave our kiddos with the childcare folks for some much needed adult time. The first night we hung out in the May's room drinking and talking the night away. The following night a few of us went to Breckenridge for some women time and then hung out in our room so our kiddos could get to bed at a decent hour since we had paid all day for keeping them up so late the previous night. They did wonderful considering but we just didn't want to push them anymore. In fact, when Julie got back to her room, all of her kids had already sacked out :). All in all it was a good free vacation but was not like any retreat I had ever been to before.

Lil Dragons

Family Day at Lil Dragons was last Thursday. Parents were allowed to enter the classroom and film/take pictures of the class and all the activities. Bucky was very excited that his mama was watching. He kept looking at me with the biggest grin on his face. Sometimes he just melts my heart. Here are some pics I took to show what he has learned.

Here he is getting his green stripe put on his belt by Sensei Mark, his teacher. He was very excited and has sense mentioned this stripe several times. All I know is that he has two very proud parents!

Come and Gone

Well, R&R has come and gone...and now I am alone again. Don't get me wrong, I love spending time with my kiddo but it's just not the same after 800 pm when he goes to bed. I like settling in and watching my missed shows or catching up on laundry or dishes or whatever was pushed to the side while he was awake. However, I miss knowing my hubby is here and knowing he'll be here in the morning. It sucks! I have several friends and a couple of really good friends in the area that I talk to or with or listen to but it's just not the same. I'm not undermining these relationships and what's great is that these women know that because they, too, are in the same situation. We laugh, bitch, cry, talk about everything...or nothing. It's the Army way of life.

Back to R&R - he arrived on Jan. 31 in the late afternoon after several days and delays but none of that mattered once he came through the doorway. I'm sure there were other people coming off the plane but quite frankly he's the only one I remember. We did my usual day to day stuff until that weekend when we went into the mountains to go skiing. Well, one of us went skiing. Bucky got sick so I stayed with him while Buck enjoyed the slopes. We figured out the next day that Keystone is not small child friendly. After getting off the 2nd shuttle (yes 2nd), we realized it was another 15 minute walk...in the snow...wearing ski boots...carrying Bucky...and our equipment. Needless to say that Buck turned to me and said "I'm exhausted"...to which I replied "Then let's go home." I wanted to try to ski again after my big catastrophe last year but there was no way I was going to kill myself or torture my kiddo to get there. Bucky was upset later that he didn't get to ski but while there he decided "I don't like see-in (skiing)."

We continued to enjoy some activities around town and dinners out so that he could enjoy eating whatever he wanted while he was here. We (hubs and I) even got to enjoy a couple of nights by ourselves. My good friend Lisa was kind enough to watch Bucky for a couple of nights while we enjoyed a bed & breakfast. Her kiddos and mine enjoy playing together and everything turned out fine. All in all we had a good, relaxing time...until the reality that it was quickly coming to an end started to catch up to us. We both saw ourselves pulling apart but we couldn't do anything about it. We are just the type of couple who push away when imminent separation is rapidly approaching. It doesn't mean that we love each other any less...it just means that's how we cope with it. We made the best of our time together and can't wait until he is home for good.

We Have An Awesome FRG

When you are an Army Wife you hear some horrible stories about FRGs. It's definitely one of those situations where you only hear the bad, never the good. A Co,  however, is definitely the exception. We have a wonderful FRG. No drama, good talks, good venting without being looked down upon, and a variety of personalities that mesh well. Everyone is very willing to help out a fellow wife if needed or help us laugh if that is what is necessary. I am very thankful for all the ladies and what they have to offer and bring to the group. They make it so much easier to get through very difficult times. We truly are a big, dysfunctional, loving, supportive family and I love it!

Bring it On!

So...less than 12 hours after arriving in CO, it started snowing. Less than 24 hours after arriving in CO, it looked like this. As much as I would like to whole-heartedly say that it sucked, it really kinda didn't. Granted, I would much rather be in a bikini on a nice warm beach somewhere sipping on a cocktail...but it is what it is. I don't want Bucky to have such an aversion to the cold and snow so we played and threw snowballs and ate some snow and played some more. While we both had "fun" we were really missing daddy. He was here last year to play with in the snow. Bucky is really looking forward to throwing some snow balls at his daddy when he does come home.