Since Daddy Has Been Gone....

I know that I have been MIA for a few months but life got really crazy really fast. I decided today that I need to get back to the things that gave me peace and comfort and along with spiritual matters, crafting and blogging were some of them. So here is an update of what the Winegars have been up to.

As you can see, Kevin went on his first deployment in January. He is in the Pacific. He has enjoyed his deployment because he has visited different countries, but also because he has been able to focus on more of his medical certifications and be more hands on with his wanted specialty, Anesthesia. I am so extremely pleased with my Sailor. He is such a good man and I am so grateful to be his wife. Joey has handled the deployment a little more difficult than Emma. He gets sad a lot for his Dad and looks forward to skyping with him. Emma is 2 and a girl. Need I say more? But shes still my precious little girl and we love her.

These are some of the spouses of Kevin's Squadron, VMA-211. They are such amazing and strong women. I am so happy to know them. We waited outside and watched them take off on the jets and planes and waved our final goodbyes. Made it much easier to say goodbye together.

Joey skyping with Daddy. He loves these moments and rambles on about Legos, or Thomas, or Batman, or school. He is now the man of the house.

My mother came to visit in late January and she was a great help. She has now been coast to coast and loves coming to visit me where ever we move to. She was amazing while here. The kids absolutely love her and so do I.

Its so hard to determine when Daddy will EXACTLY be home- though we have a rough estimate. So I decided to make a link chain for everyday that he is gone. I change the colors with the different months (holidays) and we will use it to decorate when Daddy finally comes home.

Our FRO is great about doing activities with the families and making sure that we get together and help each other cope. In February, we made pillow cases for Daddy. Emma LOVED painting her hand all over it.

I have been trying to keep the kids busy with gymnastics, play dates, and school. We took a road trip to San Diego and visited Sea World, Old Town, the Mormon Battalion, and the beach. It was a great weekend with David and Ana's family. It was nice to get away and enjoy a mini- vacation.

I turned 29 this year! Wow! I AM getting old. Last year in my 20's. This is Andrea, Amberly, and Megan. We went to dinner for my birthday. I have truly been blessed with some amazing friends in Yuma that have been such a great support to me and my kids. I don't think I could get through this without them.

Daddy sent the kids a package today. Boy were they EXCITED! They loved getting mail and trying on their outfits right away. Their Daddy sure does love them.

Kevin also sent me a card and I thought I would share it with you:

"Once there was this guy. A nice guy, really. And he met this girl. An incredible girl-truly amazing. So naturally the guy falls head over heals in love with her, and pretty soon they're picking out china patterns and rings and there's a wedding and the starry-eyed couple rides off into what will surely be a rosy future.

"Okay, so now some time has passed and the guy is living in the future. He's still married to this girl, but now their life includes a lot of stuff- appliances and bills and loads of laundry and home repair projects and a deployment (I added this). But between all the to-do's and have to's, there are these moments when the guy stops for a minute and looks around him.

"He looks at his wife, who is still truly amazing, he looks at their life together, all the ways and different directions it's grown, he looks at all the responsibilities he's got, and he thinks to himself, so, this is my life.

And then he thinks, I am one helluva lucky guy."


You might think this is pretty personal and maybe cheesy or maybe I am showing off. Its definitely not the latter. But this deployment has been so difficult for Kevin and I both spiritually and physically. Maybe more than I have expressed. When I read this card, I realized that it doesn't matter how much money we do or do not have, who is there or not there for us during difficult times, or where we are in the world. What matters most is our true commitment to each other, the love that we share, and the faith that we have. The days that I do not read my scriptures or say my prayers are truly the hardest. But sometimes they are still hard when I DO say my prayers and read my scriptures, but if I stand firm and faithful, the peace and comfort I gain in the long run, make this deployment seem like a blink of an eye.

So maybe sometimes I feel like I have lost my faith, maybe sometimes I need a big break from my children, but in the long run, I wouldn't trade this experience in for anything in the world. I have faith that though its not going to be easy, it will be worth it.

So starting today, no more "Woe is Me." I will go back to crafting, blogging, reading, nurturing my children, being a better runner, and the sexiest wife in the hanger when my amazing husband comes home. Everything else is Moo ;)

I love you, Sweetheart. Without wax for all ETERNITY!

Disneyland 1/2 Marathon 2010

Kevin, Dixie, Cole and I did the Disneyland 1/2 Marathon this year. It was such an amazing experience to train and run with the love of my life- knowing that we both have the same goals to be healthy and live long for our kids. Dixie and Cole started training in the Spring. I am so pleased with them. They worked hard despite working their jobs and being their for the children. We will definitely have to do it again.

5:30 am

My love. He wasn't even embarrassed to run beside me with my pink ears.

Dixie and Cole Meldrum

Running Faces. Very intimidating.

We ran all through the city of Anaheim. We were even able to run through Angel's Stadium. That was a great pick me up for Kevin. He scooped down and touched the grass. He is a Dodger's fan, but it was still exciting for him.

They kept teasing me because of all my medals. See, I ran the Disney World Full Marathon in January. Disney has a Coast to Coast challenge where if you run but a race in Orlando and one in Anaheim, you can get an additional medal. So I had on my Marathon Medal, my 1/2 medal, and the Coast to Coast challenge medal. Its one thing that I am actually very pleased with in my life.

Joey goes to Preschool

Joey is attending Preschool this year with the sweetest teacher, Mrs. Bybee. She is so good and patient with him. It truly is a blessing for us. He looks forward to going to school and I am so excited to see what he has learned.

We were late the first day cause I thought it started at 9:30. But I got there at 9:15 to take pictures. We knocked on the door and said, "Sorry we are early, but we just wanted to take pictures." She, so very politely said I was late! OOPPS!!

Its just preschool for 6 hours a week, but I sure miss him when he is gone.

Back to Crafting

I have been getting the craft bug lately. Maybe its cause I made a great friend, Megan who has helped me find my inner crafter again. Whatever it is, I am glad for it.

I have had this lamp since we got our first home in 2004. Its nice and simple. But its simple. I wanted to give it some character so here it is.

Before

After

I also love the fall and holidays. I have a Christmas wreath but don't have a fall one. I bought the plain wreath at good wilGoodwill l for $2.00. The other accessories I bought at Joann's for 50% off. I also got a couple of spray cans at Walmart. And....

Here is the finished product!

I may not be the most talented out there. There sure is so much more talent out there. But I love to see the product of my hands. Its just so rewarding.

Scentsy

My Super Star Director and Super Star Friend, Andrea

So I have never done anything like this before! I used to work retail at Nordstrom and loved being a make-up artist. Then I worked at the bank and though that had to do with sales, I did more behind the scenes things like audits.

When I moved to Yuma, I would take Joey to this fun drop in day care place called the Treehouse. Its a fun place and he loved it. It always smelled really good and the girls who worked there said it was Scentsy. I had never heard of Scentsy. Its a wickless candle company that uses a light bulb to melt scented wax. I found it intriguing but didn't want to buy from someone I didn't know.

Months went by and Andrea came into my life. It was her first Sunday at church and she had just moved with her family from Lehi to Yuma. She introduced herself as a Scentsy consultant in Relief Society. As soon as RS was over, I ran to her, introduced myself, and then said I needed to order Scentsy. I went to her house and ordered over $100 worth of stuff. See... I love my house to smell good and like a home-especially since we move so much. I want it to always be a place of comfort for us so I always searched for a good candle and was never statisfied. Anyhow... she was happy to make a sale and a new friend and so was I. She went to Denver for her Scentsy convention and kept putting on FB how much fun she was having and all the free stuff she was getting. I felt like I wanted to be a part of that. When she came back, I went to pick up my order and told her I wanted to join her team. She was shocked because, well it was shocking! It was sudden and we didn't even talk about it. Anyhow.... I signed up that night and the rest is history.

Call me crazy, but it has been a true blessing. I have met SOOO many new people through it. Great people. I have also been able to help contribute to my family. Kevin has NEVER made me feel like I need to contribute more, but going from working since I was 16 to a stay at home mom, was difficult because I wanted to still contribute. So I have been able to pay for my starter kit ($99) 10x over and for that I am truly grateful!

Check out my website or my blog. I promise you will love it.

http://www.doorly.scenty.us/

www.doorlyscents.blogspot.us

Sarah Newbold, my first Scentsy Party, my first friend in Yuma, my life long friend. Amazing woman she is.

Julie Smith's party. Girls from the world. Some amazing women there.

Kinney Visit and Lexi's Birthday 8/2010

Anyhow... I am updating galore cause the kids are asleep, Kevin is playing Call of Duty, and I am ignoring my craft room that is a disaster. So keep reading for all the new updates.

I am so glad Shauna and her amazing kids came to visit AZ in August. She hadn't been here since November 2006 so it was long overdue. We drove up from Yuma and spent the weekend with her and the kids. Amy's little girl (well not so little anymore) was gonna turn 7 the following week so we took advantage and had a cousin birthday party. Can I just tell you that family is my favorite thing ever? Whether we are in NY, CA or, AZ, my heart is always so full when family is around.

Lindsey not very excited to jump off.

Way to go, Mason!

Fun day in the sun!

Check out that hot bod!

Papa enjoying his posterity.

Uncle Kevin was teaching the boys to surf. They did really good.

Feed ME!

We had a lazy afternoon so I decided to give the girls pedicures. They loved it. Grammy even got a polish change.

We love Wii!

Too cute, Bailey and Ryan.

Here is Lexi opening her birthday presents. She loves little, cute toys and art so that is what she got. Happy Birthday Lexi Girl!

Analise and Kevin

What's a birthday without a pinata and lots of candy?

As much as we love eachother, we never know when we are gonna see eachother again so I wanted to make sure and capture this 3 generation picture. Its Mom, Jean, with her Daughters Amy and Shauna, and their daughters, (Left to Right- Lindsey, Lexi, Analise, and Bailey) Beautiful Winegar women.

Definitely good times.