Memorial Day

 I realized today that not everyone who reads this blog may know why we've sudden gone crazy.  Ben will be deploying next week.  He'll be on the Comfort (a hospital ship), in the Atlantic Ocean around the Caribbean.  I'll give more details later, but preparing for deployment makes you go a little crazy.  We've been squeezing in every family thing possible that we've talked about doing or may want to do in the next 6 months ON TOP of actually preparing nitty-gritty details of deployment ON TOP of normal life.  And then you get to throw in there crazy emotions that come with preparing for separation and the three cherries on top is preparing 3 kids for a long separation.  Fun times.

Saturday, the kids and I went to the Farmer's Market.  I was buying eggs and the gentleman asked if by chance we were a military family.  I said yes, showed him my ID and he filled my bag with eggs.  4 dozen eggs.  He said, "Please tell you husband that sometimes there are blessings to serving this Country.  Not always, but sometimes."

He is right.  This weekend, we were able to enjoy some of the blessings of being in the military, along with the bittersweet feelings that our time together is coming to an end.

Monday, our neighborhood had a bike parade/contest.  Alison worked hard to decorate her bike, assemble her outfit and painted her nails.  Monday morning, 6:40am, she was standing at the top of the stairs dressed and ready to go.

The parade started, Alison beamed the whole way, Colin trailed at the very end in his own little world and Eli, my turtle, made it a few yards and quit.  He was so overwhelmed by all the people and bikes passing him and feelings of not being able to keep up that he just stopped.  I would have felt the exact same way if I was a kid. Alison got 2nd place for her outfit/bike decorations! 

Her quote of the day, "I knew this was going to be the best day of my life!"

 

Straight from there to Colonial Williamsburg.  Military got in free all weekend and we couldn't pass up the opportunity.  We've lived here 6 years and have never gone because of how expensive it is.  The deal got even better; we got a year family membership for $65!  It normally would have been $150 and I know they do some homeschool programs so I couldn't resist the steal. 

 

Thank you Alison for this picture!

 

Then we stopped by the outlet mall.

Colin stroller selfies!

We ended our day at Applebees for free kids meals.  A story too funny not to share from dinner:  

Ben ordering, "I'll take the Triple Hog Dare Ya." (it's a sandwich)

The waitress, Alison and I all start laughing and the waitress says chuckling, "I'll have to tell the cooks that one."  

Ben looks at me really confused.

Me: "It sounded like you said 'I'll take the Triple Diarrhea"