Another set of Random Pictures

Every couple of weeks or so when I dump my photo cards onto my hard drive and pull out pictures I want to share from one thing or another there are always some extras that just don't seem to belong anywhere else.  A lot of times these are photos that I already shared on Facebook that are just too good NOT to share here too and let's face it, Facebook may not be around forever.  Hopefully this blog will be though, at least in some format, as I do hope to have it printed up some day into a sort of family journal/scrapbook for my kids.  

It also occurs to me that some of these would be good for single photo posts, but I already post far too much and don't really need an excuse to stretch things out further.  

1.)

Each of the kids have one of these large rubber tubs living in their room to hold stuffed animals and extra pillows or blankets off their bed when they're not in use.  Lately though, Peter has taken to dumping his out and wearing it around the house on his head like an odd version of R2D2.  Honestly, I can't believe I haven't gotten a good photo of it yet, but most of the time when my camera comes out he ducks down underneath and hides so you'd never even know it was anything other than a turned-over bin.  His favorite game is actually to hide underneath and tell us to open our "present."  Then when we lift the bin off of him he jumps up and gives us a big hug and a kiss.  It's really sweet.  Or at least it was in the beginning.  Now he seems to be doing it 450 times a day. and let's face it, it got old at least 440 times ago.  

Anyway, other times he just climbs on the thing and then performs death defying leaps off of it.  Like, last week, we were watching one of the Tinkerbell movies and he seemed to be attempting to use it as his launching pad while he thought happy thoughts and tried to fly himself (I didn't have the heart to tell him we're severely lacking in pixie dust around here.)  

Then randomly he just stopped.  He climbed up there again, seemed to notice the height he was at and said to me proudly, "Mommy, Look how big I am!! I'm like.... 5!"  (He held up a few fingers as he said this to properly make his point.)  

Anyway, I laughed and told him he was right and then I took his picture.

 2.)

When we drove up to Fort Irwin for Marcus earlier in the week I sat in the third row of seats behind the children so that I could stretch out my leg beside me more comfortable.  It was an interesting perspective from back there as for once I could actually see all of the shenanigans A.J. gets into while riding in her (still) rear facing car seat and I had no way what so ever of seeing what Peter was doing.

On the way home though, I watched her bravely fight off sleep as long as she could until finally the long day, her missed nap and the relaxing "whir" of the engine were just too much for her.  It was so sweet.  Whenever she sleeps in her car seat she always tucks her beloved Bunny under her head like a little pillow.

I'm seriously considering transforming this photo into an inspirational poster for sleep.

3.)

This one is totally just random.  I'm not even really sure what day I took it, but I thought the sight of my two boys relaxing together on the love seat was just adorable.

And, so okay, I'm sorry if this next one bothers you, but I don't really see how it could:

(Then again I might have stayed awake and watched the surgery myself if they would have let me, so maybe I'm not a good judge cause I think it's kind of cool to document the progress.  Anyway, consider yourself warned and stop scrolling down now if you are squeamish about medical stuff.)

4.)

Here are my knees Thursday morning.  Obviously you can see the incision still covered in steri-strips and that is a little yucky but, well, get over it.  ;)

The swelling around my knee cap seems to have almost completely gone down on the top and aside from some left on either side of the incision.  Seven days later, I'm, pretty happy with how it looks so far (scary long leg hair not withstanding.)

A Padre's Game

Continuing with our crazy week, Wednesday afternoon we had tickets to go see a Padre's game.

The game started at about 3:30 so Matt went into work a bit early and worked through his lunch so that he could meet us in time.  The plan was to meet at one of the trolley stations right near his work and then ride the trolley together downtown to the game.

Of course, right before I got there I made a wrong turn and it took me a full 20 minutes to get back where I needed to be.  (No I am not kidding, I was stuck in an endless stream of red lights, one way streets and freeway ramps.  Ugh.)

So by the time I got there the lot was full and we were already running late.  In the end, Matt jumped in the car with us and we drove back up the street to his lot at work and just left the car there.  Then we had to walk the 3 blocks or so back to the station before heading on our way.  And it was like 97 degrees outside.  And probably 2 billion percent humidity.  The kids weren't happy.  Matt was a sweaty mess.  My knee was killing me.

But once we were on the nicely air conditioned train, things began to look up again.

Matt and Peter on the trolley.

A.J. had been sitting in her the umbrella stroller but once we got
on board she immediately squirmed her way right out of the straps
so she could sit next to me on the seat like a big girl.

After about a 10 minute ride we arrived downtown just outside the ball park.

This was a Navy function, so we first had to locate the Will Call office to pick up our tickets, and then we headed on in.  

As we made our way around the stadium and up to our seats we heard the players names getting called and the National Anthem.  I was a bit disappointed to be running late and miss all that, but it was nobody's fault but my own so we just went with it.

Somebody thinks she's big and wanted to walk up to her seat all by herself.

The function was being held up on the roof of one of the buildings that borders the ball park.  The roof top is basically part of the stadium, but they have special events up there and can set up tables and chairs and barbecues and things in addition to regular stadium style bleachers for folks to sit and watch the game.  It was nice.

The view from our seats.

Once we arrived we dropped our bags, set the kids down in their spots and then Matt was sent back down to the rooftop below us to find food and drinks.

The children, watching the game while they waited for food and drinks.

Matt soon returned with lemonade and hot dogs for the children.  Then we took turns running down for drinks and food for ourselves while the other stayed with the children.

A.J. clapping for whatever had just happened.  I think it was a big pop fly that had sent her cheering
but then it was caught easily by the Center Fielder so I said "Oh NO!" Matt then noticed I was stressing
her out as she kept saying "Oh No! Oh No!  OOOOOH NOOOO!" over and over for some time after that.

Me with Peter

And a pretty terrible one of me and A.J.

The whole thing was pretty fun and kind of crazy.  Not long after we arrived I asked Matt to go see about buying some popcorn.  Our tickets included all the food the roof top area offered (hot dogs, hamburgers, pasta salad, drinks, and peanuts) but we needed something easy for the kids to munch on to keep them happy.

Of course not two minutes after he left Peter had an EMERGENCY need to use the potty so I gathered everything essential up and shuffled everybody back down the bleachers to go take care of him.  Thankfully, just as we approached the nearest restroom Matt came back with a giant bag of kettle corn.  He gave the corn to me and I headed back up with A.J. while he took Peter.

When my girl and I got back to our seats some new folks had sat down behind us.  One of the ladies there commented on our bag of kettle corn and asked where we got it.  I explained that we'd bought it (and why) and the next thing I know she was asking her husband to go get some too.

So off he went and in the mean time Matt and Peter come back.  We were all back to happily eating and watching the ball game when the man from behind us returned with the popcorn.  And I sort of notice everybody around us snapping to attention a little bit (I mean, not really because nobody was in uniform or whatever, but just... you can always tell when somebody important is around) and then I hear Matt reintroducing himself to the ADMIRAL.  Like the senior Navy Supply Officer in the region.  THE GUY.  THE MAN.  Anyway, I guess Matt had met him before over in the Middle East, and now, apparently, because I'd wanted Kettle Corn for our kids, his wife had sent him to get some too.

Ha.

THE ADMIRAL.

And alright, so the Admiral's aide had been there too of course, and something tells me he'd actually been the own to go fetch the corn while the Admiral himself had been busy shaking hands and being important, but anyway it was funny.  He was all, "So this is YOUR fault," to Matt, as he pointed out our bags of kettle corn.

Hehe.

So then, alright, we're doing as we were told by the ushers and we're sitting in our assigned seats and trying to enjoy the game.  And whether just by luck (as in those were his assigned seats) or convenience/comfort (perhaps the Admiral wanted to sit at the back/top of the bleachers to distance himself,) the SENIOR Supply Officer in San Diego is sitting right behind us.  And since he's there, all the other Senior Supply Officers in the region keep appearing all around us as well.

Like Captains, and Commanders a plenty.

Real important folks see.  Everybody outranked Matt.  And yet, there we sat, unsure of what else to do.

We found ourselves surrounded by the exact people that Matt rather needs to get to know well and perhaps even impress quite a bit if he wants to keep on being a successful Supply Officer himself and get to stay in San Diego.

Now he's met most of these people before.  But of course, having only just recently returned to the area, this was his first chance to start making those important connections mean anything.

(I literally started praying that our children would behave themselves.  And they mostly did.  THANKYOUMYLORDANDSAVIORJESUSCHRIST!)

So Matt went on introducing me to everyone and I did my best to be charming and endearing, which is funny actually since it has been said that with my somewhat, um, "unrefined" personality, I might be the LAST thing Matt's career needs.  Ha.  I'll show all of you!!

Matt told all the leafs and eagles where he worked and I joked to Mrs. The Admiral (who of course I already knew well because of the popcorn) that I didn't know what any of that stuff meant any more.  She laughed and agreed with me and then we became best friends forever and made a date to go shopping together.

Or not.  But you know, we'll get there.  ;)

Peter did his thing, messing around and being silly, but in a charming way that made everyone around us actually seem to long for those crazy days when their own children were 3....

A.J. just busied herself by looking cute and eating a lot.

But that was good.  Captain Almost-as-important-as-the-Admiral and I chatting happily about our young daughters and their inexplicable LOVE for cute shoes.  (Thank you Jamie for the hand-me-down cute sparkly shoes A.J. was wearing that he wanted to get for his own daughter and therefore started that whole conversation.)  From there the Captain and I got to talking about his teenage son and the complex world of competitive little league baseball which then bridged me over into a whole thing about education and the arts which then got me going in depth with Commander Second-in-Command-behind-Captain-Almost-as-Important and his wife about the importance (and fun) of music education and... of course... marching band!

Mrs. Commander Second-in-Command was in marching band too and we talked at length about reading music and learning to play instruments.

Somewhere along the way several people inquired about my knee and the bandage which of course led to a lengthy discussion about my running training, and Matt's as well.  Before long they we were all trading running stories and recommending races to one another and they were inviting Matt to join in weekend training runs with a bunch of other important Suppo types.

I was just, you know, doing my social butterfly thing, chatting happily with whoever happened to be interested in chatting happily and later Matt would be all, oh?  That guy?  That guy you were just joking with?  Yeah, he's in charge of of this big important Supply Command or that's the head Supply Officer on that big important brand new air craft carrier.

Wow.

Anyway, I hope it all did Matt some good.

Obviously, we went to the game because we wanted to take the kids to a Padre's game but we were also hoping Matt could start politicking some and make some meaningful acquaintances 

Hmm... I'm no expert of course, but seems like we accomplished our mission.

The Admiral may well always remember Matt as the kettle corn guy, but it could certainly be worse.

Somewhere around the 6th inning I took the kids down to get some souvenirs.  They each got a Padre's baseball plus A.J. got a cute pink Padre's hat.  Peter also got a foam finger.  Apparently we're collecting them now.  He actually really wanted an orange one, but it turns out the orange ones were just pink ones that had faded in the window display from the sun so we got him a blue one instead.

When we got back, Matt had found us some cotton candy.

Peter with his foam finger and me looking like I'd just eaten way too
much ball park food and gained about 40 pounds...

40 pounds or not, beer and ball park treats make me a happy girl!

This was supposed to be a cute photo with A.J.
modeling her new hat but she was apparently feeling sleepy
and refused to smile.

The game itself, started out pretty slow and was scoreless until the 4th inning.  Then things started to pick up and the Padre's went up 4 to 1 by the end of the 5th.  Then in the 8th inning they put 4 more runs on the board, making it 8-1!

With only an inning to go I wanted to stay and see our "home team" win but suddenly, right at the start of the 9th, A.J. decided she was leaving.

Literally.  She just climbed down and started on her way out.

With the score the way it was, everyone around us seemed to be packing it up as well so we went ahead and followed her cue to head home.

It was difficult to get my score board shot before we left because of where our seats were, but here it is.

In the 9th inning, as we were hitting the restrooms and making our way back down to the street level the Braves did put one more on the board right before the end, but obviously it was too little too late and we took home the victory 8-2.  Yeah!  And stuff...

It was a good time.

I had been wanting to go earlier in the summer but it had just never happened so I'm happy that the Navy pulled this family day together for us.  

Change of Responsibility Ceremony

Alright, so remember in the last post when I said my calendar had exploded?  (If you don't scroll down and click the link for previous posts.)  We haven't even started scratching the surface of everything that's been going on....

So basically, after we got past my surgery on Friday and Peter's t-ball pictures and game on Saturday, we had our last swimming lesson on Sunday.  Sorry, but I don't have any pictures from that as basically I spent the entire time sitting on the couch with my leg elevated.  Go figure.  Monday was a "free" day for us except we went to Target since I needed to get the kids some new clothes.  They just keep growing (darn it!) and a certain little boy is starting preschool next week.  We had t-ball that evening as well.

Then on Tuesday, Matt was off again so we could drive up and go see Marcus at his new command.

You see, originally, Marcus's next assignment was going to be something back home in Ohio.  Except then he got selected to promote again and so they had to find something else for him in his new rank and that's how he ended up here.  Well, not "here" but, about 3 hours away from here, up at Fort Irwin....

So anyway, back in July when he came to visit he had mentioned that he was going to get his promotion in October sometime and that we should all come.  But then last Friday, he said that it was going to be happening "early" so he could take over his own group of soldiers now and did we think we could make it up on Tuesday?

Matt sort of choked.  If he'd been on a ship he would have just had to clear it with his chain of command.  But in his current assignment the chain of command is all mixed up and confused with him reporting to a variety of civilians and assorted senior Naval Officers and such and, really, he needs a good week AT LEAST to get a day off.  But he went ahead and asked anyway.  I guess, his attempting to get permission to miss work on Tuesday actually sort of ended up dominating a great deal of his Monday as everyone kept passing his request higher and higher up to increasingly important people.

Anyway, somehow, in the end, he got permission to take the day off to go promote his baby brother.  (Aw, how sweet.)  Almost 15 years ago, Marcus gave Matt one of his first salutes, so everything really does come back around.

So that morning we drove up to the base, which is, STRAIGHT UP, in the middle of nowhere.  The post itself seemed nice enough with newly constructed looking schools, housing and shops but it was just, seriously, surrounded by nothing but mountainous desert.  

And it was hot enough to prove it.

Oh and by the way, Matt forgot his cover, so please forgive him for that.  He was so embarrassed and spent as much time as possible indoors or hiding under the cover of awnings and shade tents to semi-make up for his mistake.  Anyway, that's why he doesn't have a hat on even when he should.  

Also, until we got up there, it didn't really occur to us just what a big deal this thing was.  Sure, he was getting promoted to E-8, which is a First Sergeant, and is the second highest rank for enlisted personnel in the Army.  But basically, he was also being given the enlisted version of command.  There was an entire ceremony just for him as he took over control of his troops.

Now... forgive me here, because I've been surrounded by mostly the Navy for entirely too long and don't properly understand how the other services work.  But Giselle explained it to me and Marcus is now the top enlisted guy for his Troop.  Basically, he's the guy that is responsible for ensuring all his guys act appropriately both at work and in their off time.  As I think I understand it, he's the one that gets the phone calls whenever anybody screws up.  He is then supposed to sort it out and then report his Superiors about the resolution.

Seriously, immediately following the ceremony he had to go take care of a few things before going to a meeting about one of his soldiers who had flaked on a dental appointment.  

The whole thing, was just... wow.  Our little Marcus is all growed up.  And now he's suddenly just so darned important!

Hehehehehe.

Anyway, I felt sad that with all the short notice Matt and Marcus's parents couldn't be there for his big day, so I did my best to remedy this by taking lots of pictures for them.  (Terri, I also saved you a program if you want it, and can send it along to you soon, maybe with a couple of these pictures printed up for framing.) 

A.J. with her Daddy

Peter

Isabella

First there was his frocking.  Taking off the rank of Sergeant First Class and putting on First Sergeant.

The Colonel making some remarks.

While the Colonel talked the children busied themselves with running
around and messing with the pool balls.  It was sort of ridiculous as there was this official
ceremony going on, and all sorts of men standing at attention and then there were these three
little rug rats going wild all the while.

Marcus, sweating all the attention.... or possibly just sweating.  It was like 98 degrees outside.

The boys standing at attention while the official promotion words were read.
(Poor Matt without his hat... at least all the Army guys were nice about it and didn't give
him too much of a hard time.)  

Matt putting on Marcus's new insignia.

(I missed the salute... darn it.)

Shaking hands, and Marcus thanking  Matt for coming out for him.

The Colonel putting the new Insignia on Marcus's cover.
 (He actually ripped the hat right off his head to do it, which I thought was pretty funny.)

Replacing his cover, with the new insignia.

If you're wondering, during all of this, the children were still milling around like crazy.

Silly Isabella, posting for me.  

After that, all the men in their uniforms shook hands and gave congratulations for a few moments before we all headed out into the sweltering heat for the official ceremony.

Peter walking with his favorite Uncle.

Neat hat Marcus.  I don't understand the Cavalry hats either, but all the
important types had them on too, so I guess that's just what they do.

Gosh, under one of the shade tents we had reserved seats and everything.

One time, long ago, I was able to attend one of the Change of Command ceremonies for Matt's Skippers on one of the ships.  This Change of Responsibility thing was really pretty similar except of course the uniforms were different, the group was a bit smaller and there was no ocean anywhere close.   (Seriously... middle. of. the. desert.)  Otherwise though, it was all the same: an opening prayer, the National Anthem, some official business, and some speeches.   Oh, except I guess in the Army they sing.  They don't sing much in the Navy, at least not that I've ever heard, but those soldiers, they all proudly belted out their unit's song and the Army song with, like, gusto.  (And while they sang, Peter sat grumpily in his chair and stuck his fingers in his ears.  Wow.  So embarrassing!)

The Troop leaders at the start of the proceedings.
 The outgoing First Sergeant, the Troop Commander and the incoming First Sergeant
(Marcus, who is standing closest to the camera.)  

The troops saluting during the Star Spangled Banner.

The leadership saluting as well.  

Isabella, couldn't have cared less.  She just wanted to watch her show on
her Mommy's phone.

After the Anthem, the outgoing and incoming First
Sergeant's families were given flowers.

Then the leadership marched over to the formation to officially change responsibility.

The passed a saber around to do this.  It went first to the old 1SG (First Sergeant, forgive me for abbreviating, but I just can't keeping trying to remember how to spell that correctly,) then to the Troop Commander, then to the new 1SG (Marcus.)

Marcus receiving the saber..  and all the responsibility.

And okay, it might not have been a saber, but that's what it looked like to me.  I'm pretty sure that in the military the officers of a certain rank carry swords for official ceremonies and the non-commissioned officers (higher ranking enlisted personnel) carry sabers... which are shorter and curvier.... or... something like that that somehow makes them different.  The official program says they passed the Guidon, but I'm pretty sure that the Guidon is the flag and they definitely didn't pass around the flag, so... I don't know.   Look at the picture for yourself and maybe you can figure it out.

Or maybe ask Marcus....

Anyway... next came the speeches.  First came the Commander and the outgoing guy, then came Marcus.  Gosh, he just seems to love public speaking, but he did a good job.

Once the talking was done, Marcus marched down to the formation and took his spot at the front of the group, replacing the guy who he, um, replaced.  :)

Out with the old....

And in with the new.

Large and in charge.  :)

And say what you will about this, but I'll admit, when I wasn't DYING of embarrassment that my son stuck his fingers in his ears after that while all the soldiers proudly sang their anthems I got a little chocked up.  My mother in law, I'm pretty sure would have too, so, as the only attending Mrs. K at the time, I suppose I did my duty. 

Once all of that was done, the ceremonial stuff broke up.  Once again there was more hand shaking and congratulating before everybody was directed to head back inside for some food.

I don't know what they're talking about but I'd like to think Peter is reminding
him where we needed to go to get the cake!

I kept trying to get a photo like this of him with Isabella but that little girl
does NOT like to stay still....

This was the best I ever managed to get, and you can tell neither of
them were very happy about it.

Getting ready to cut the cake.    I just love military  things where they use
the swords to cut cake.

Of course, everyone enjoyed the cake.  Nothing beats butter cream frosting!

I had a good time loading Isabella up with sugar from bites of cake as well.  I told Marcus I owed him for buying Peter that extra birthday cake and this was the best I could do to get back at him.

I guess this command is Tanks so the cake had this tank on top.  Peter
thought it was pretty fun and enjoyed pretending to blast everyone
with it.

Anyway, that was about it.  After the little reception Marcus had to go start doing his new job and get yelled at and we needed to be heading home.    Six hours of driving round trip in one day is a lot but it was worth it to be there for the baby brother's big day.

(Is anyone else taking bets on just how thoroughly Marcus kicks my butt later for repeatedly referring to him as the BABY brother?)

So that was that.

It was a good day.  It is exciting to have family "close" and to be able to be there for each other on important occasions.

Congratulations Marcus.  I still think that hat is sort of silly,
but you somehow manage to wear it well.