Photo a Day: playing catch up

I have a very good, but unfortunate excuse for being so far behind on my photo posts... Hospital. Any who, lets just get after the days we have missed and get caught up just in time for my big 2-6 Birthday tomorrow!!

Day 8: Window

Another surprise weekend trip to Raleigh/Durham from the hubby.

Day 9: Red

My purse, nothing special. A little desperate.

Day 10: Loud

Last minute decision to drive home from Raleigh meant cranky kids on a 3 hour drive, at the worst time of the day to travel, and needing lots of attention. Hunter claimed the iPad, my iPhone, and his DVD player. All at the same time. 

Day 11: Someone you talked to today

This was the day I took Riley to the ER in Jacksonville, which led to ambulance transfer to Wilmington. I literally talked to 50 different people that day. Doctors, nurses, family, husband, friends, hospital staff, and EMT people.This is a picture of my pillows in the hospital room... where I finally got to close my eyes, calm my mind(sort of) and talk to the one person I needed to talk to, God.

Day 12: Fork

Hospital food!

Day 13: A sign

UNC Children's hospital... I wonder if the parents in other rooms actually save their urine?

Day 14: Clouds

Hospital view of Chapel Hill

Day 15: Car

Finally, car drive home from the hospital!

Day 16: Sunglasses

My beautiful Emma has become the biggest sweetheart lately... well she's always been one, but on a whole other level now!

Day 17: Green

Happy St. Patty's Day

{H sported his new Gap Toy Story shirt with his favorite green army men}

(Emma in the top left, Riley on the right)

Day 18: A corner of your home

The greatest, most important corner in my home.

The corner that gives me life in the mornings and "pick me up's" in the afternoon.

And that's that. I apologize... I'm still mentally and physically drained from our 6 days in the hospital and now packing up the house for our move in a week.

Info/Photo dump

What happens when your husband gets to take off work for 12 days and this is the last month you get to spend with him before he leaves for 8 months? 

You get out and do as much as you can and have as much fun as possible... and that's exactly what we did during his leave block!

Here's what we have been up to:

 Emma fell in love with playing dress up.

 We looked super, super cute at our first trip back to church since being home.

 Enjoyed our first Sonic cream slush...

 ...then we laughed when we dumped them all down our car seat.

Lost Riley... then found her playing upstairs in the sink with q-tips.

 Decided we actually DO love the beach!

 And eating the beach...

 ...and running from the waves.

 We toured the USS North Carolina.

Mommy and Riley got to spend the afternoon together in Wilmington after her appointment at the urologist. We shopped, shopped, ate lunch, and shopped some more.

{Riley's kidney reflux is a grade IV out of V meaning it is rather severe, but we will be on a preventative antibiotic until we decide to get the procedure to correct her ureters.}

 This past weekend we drove up to Raleigh and got settled into a super convenient and comfy two room hotel suite for the kids to run around in before we headed out for shopping, swimming, and the children's museum.

 Emma enjoying the observation deck.

 Emma enjoyed relaxing in the hotel room as much as Jake and I did.

 Point taken, extra big hotel room is the coolest!

Wear your kids out over the weekend and you'll get a peacefully 2.5 hour car trip home.

Okay, is this not absolutely precious and heart warming?

I always wonder what they think about having a sister that is always around and looks exactly like them... I guess they kind of enjoy it.

As soon as we shut the door after placing each girl into their own beds, we hear Riley run across and jump into her sisters bed. Sometimes they play a while first, but every time I go to check on them and cover them up, Riley is always is curled up with her giraffe and doggie in Emma's bed.

  

 We have been having so much fun and enjoying every second of Jake while we still have him home with us. I am so thankful for all the special trips and fun times we got to have together before it's time to say our goodbyes.

Day 7: Something you wore

Day 7: Something you wore

My stinky, favorite Toms. ALWAYS!

Day 6: 5pm

Day 6: 5pm

Every single day, at exactly 5pm my children turn into demons. Whining, crying, wanting to be held, and begging for food when all I am trying to do is make them a delicious dinner. The bottom picture may be a little exaggerated, but of course I was just trying to make my version of 5pm crystal clear.

Day 5: A smile

A smile... or three smiles from the babies who share my dimples.

Day 3 and 4

 Day 3: Your Neighborhood

Is yours heavily guarded with guns? Do you have to show your military ID to enter?

Can you not talk on your cell phone either?

We actually enjoy our active neighborhood on base.

Day 4: Bedside

Mommy reading material, a junk basket, baby monitor, a few waters, and my brand new, incredibly meaningful jewelry box from my aunt and cousin with our great grandmothers beads made into jewelry.

{Mine and Jake's room looks like a scene from the movie, Signs, where the little girl has a ton of half full water glasses everywhere. We get thirsty during the night.}

Day 2: Fruit

Chocolate covered strawberries and blueberries that the girls and I made daddy after dinner tonight.

They're ugly but oh, so delicious.

March: Photo a Day Challenge

Here's my super easy/spell it out for ya/no excuse for ideas challenge list. Last month I lived vicariously through a fellow blogger's "February" challenge and fell in love with this entire idea. I am desperate on my blog entries lately, but also completely consumed with my family right now. This is a quick, easy, and informative way to still post but enjoy this last month with Jake before he deploys again. I'm not making any promises on posting every day since we are starting to pack up the house now too, but I'll get each picture a day on here in the month of March. Wish my luck and hopefully I can keep you entertained enough.

Day 1: Up

Every morning we stumble down the stairs, cozy up on the couch with sippy's and coffee, and turn on Up, the movie, while we try to wake up for the day. Mickey Mouse Clubhouse tries to sneak in on the morning line up, but H always manages to switch it to Up by 8am.