Fall Pics

Isn't it amazing what a year will do?!?! Thanks to Portrait Innovations we have proof~

Playing Catch Up

...nipping this in the bud before I get nasty emails about how its been a week since I posted... There is good reason, I was one busy woman this week. I'd almost forgotten what it was like to have plans and things to do and I liked it!
I spent last week doing plates, I'll be updating the website soon, then headed to DC! Its was a whirlwind weekend but seemed to get more calm once Grant wasn't up for the trip. I got some overdue me time and realized just how long it had been since I went and did something alone.
Friday night was with Brian, got to see his pad (even though he had to parallel park for me), went to a fancy-schmancy dinner (Mie N Yu-for those familiar with Georgetown) got a fruity drink, and met some of his friends. Saturday morning we did the neighborhood tour before finding a place to brunch before conquering the million traffic circles and random squares to make it to the Breitbarth's! Valentine and I caught up, walked the Eastern Market, headed into VA to grab dinner and fruity drinks before hitting the Martina McBride concert. It DOWN POURED, we were SOAKED but in the end scored up grades from the lawn (a.k.a. mudfest seats) to nicely covered chairs - on an aisle no less! We rocked out to the power ballads and had a great time. Sunday was church and a brunch meet up with Rory that turned into a 4 hour girl chat -Tim was a great sport and indulged us! We spent Sunday night over ribs and more catch-up before I got to laugh at all of the nut jobs stuck in monday morning traffic heading into town as I zipped by them heading back down to NC. -whew-
Grant spent the weekend recouping and perfecting his walking skills. He's gotten taking 4 or 5 steps down like a champ (as long as hes not in a rush) More recaps and updates to come but for now its laundry and playing catch up with school work! I'll leave you with a picture of us girls....

Hakuna Matata

...it means "no worries" for the rest of your days...

I just couldn't resist snapping this picture of Grant as he napped with his friends~

Plate PickUp

I picked up a huge order at the kiln today so you know what that means....

I'll be spending this week with the detailing pen in hand!

(((insert Laura's happy dance here)))

15 months!

I can hardly believe that little man just turned 15 months old. We have been around several 2 year olds who are smaller than him so I guess it just makes it harder to wrap my brain around.

Yesterday Grant was feeling particularly photogenic (well, its not like he had a choice, I guess I should just say that he was a good sport) so we took the camera along with us to the park to document some of our adventures, then this morning we went to the farmers market and Durham's Street Fair called Centerfest. There was a display from the firefighters and Grant climbed right on board!

The whole album: http://picasaweb.google.com/laurabchilds/15months#

The Most Important Lessons

I'm in the process of teaching Grant the most important lessons he'll ever learn, how to be a good husband one day! Here's a sample of the curriculum:

How to help with the housework and how to make a few staple meals to give her a break:

How to make cute puppy dog faces for when you're in the dog house:

And how to put the lid down:

(yes, this is his new favorite, sneaking into the bathroom and playing with toilet water...GROSS)

Breakfast of Champions

Grant has quite the adventurous morning...

...but at least he helped to clean it up!

L2L

Summary of the day yesterday from the Captain, via his wife:
Mail drop yesterday morning.
Geoff got two packages.
Thats it.
That was the whole mail drop for the entire Squadron! (500+ people)
I'm guessing that Geoff was feeling the love when all of his guys were expecting him to share his goodies!

4 Happy Things

Here are 4 things that made me happy today:
1) Grant slept until 8am! Poor fella has 7 teeth all trying to break through at the same time and has been a very unhappy camper but he let Mommy sleep in this morning!
2) This is for all you Durham folks- on 15-501 I made it from New Hope Commons through Garrett Road up and over the MLK exit to my turn off at University Dr (751) without touching my breaks! even more amazing, it was a Friday at lunch time
3) Geoffs comments while talking about care packages and stuff to mail. I was fun to hear him laugh again! (who knew bug stuff could be compared to gold )
4)I have to write a mini autobiography for my class at State and while I was searching for a particularly funny report card I stumbled upon this paper. It is from 2nd grade and you'll note that I was very excited about art and was quite the suck up! (my spelling hasn't improved much either)

Translation: If I were a tacher I wolud get to tach pepole. I wolud do a lot of art for the classroom. i wolud have to see wath the kids do. Some bad things are I might have to see some unplasint things. I might have to disag with kids. On the first day I might have to ware a nametag. my colos wolud be ragerler colos. What wolud be inportint is grad parpers right and kids wolud be inportint. The End by Laura Bartholomay P.S. I got the ide from my wanderful techers.

Neither Rain, Nor Sleet, Nor Snow or Wind...

Dear USPS,

I have a situation for you. I need to take a trip.

No, I know that size and weight aren't the issues, I got a flat rate box so "if it fits, it ships" and I fit, see?

Heres what I need, I want to see Daddy but need to make a pitstop first to see Aunt Roars. That would make me very happy.

So I need a ticket, or stamp or whatever it is, to Gaithersburg Maryland and then Middleofnowhere Iraq please. Hows it gonna work?

I don't know, thats your job silly. I'm just going along for the ride!

Thank you,
Grant William Childs

How the Heck

Now that he has mastered going up the steps (he beats Mommy most times) Grant is finally wondering how the heck to get back down! I tried holding his hand and having him step down like a big boy but that was a little too scary... so he got on his tummy and inched his legs down slowly, stood straight on the lowerstep and tried again. He got down 6 steps before he'd had enough!
I would post a picture but hes plum tuckered out to re-create it. We're 3 nights in to an "I'm tired but am going to scream like a mad man if you try to put me in that crib" streak so the days are quite interesting. Wish us luck!

Creativity for a Cause!

Today's Creative Blog is holding an auction of super crafty things (for a GREAT cause)here: http://todayscreativeblog.blogspot.com All of the benefits go to help Stephanie and Christian who were seriously injured in a plane crash about a month ago. They are in the ICU at an Arizona hospital after Christian got burns over 30% of his body, and Stephanie over 80%. The couple has 4 young children! (read about them here: http://www.nierecovery.com/) I first "met" Stephanie when I started reading her blog, http://www.nieniedialogues.blogspot.com/ but since this accident other blogs that I frequent have been participating in this auction and then this morning the auction and their story was featured on the Today Show!

Our Atlanta Trip

Grant and I had a WONDERFUL visit to Atlanta last weekend. He did wonderful in the car both ways and except for that pesky cold that won't go away, was quite the little trooper. We played a bunch, discovered the joys of Tupperware, learned how to "mooo" into a cup (Barry tried to turn it into a Turkey call but we have to keep practicing), recovered some cornice boards, ate a whole bunch of yummy food, saw lots of friends and family and even picked out our Halloween outfit for October (you'll have to stay tuned though, I'm not giving it away now) Here is Grant's version of the weekend:

I wanted beer like the big kids, but had to settle for some Coke (it was Atlanta after all)


I made Grandad "mooo" with me and was very excited about seeing all of my Atlanta friends

I even learned to see the world from a new perspective!
http://share.shutterfly.com/action/welcome?sid=8BZMmzJw5aN1m

"Let me guess...You want me in the front?

This morning during breakfast I saw Matt Roloff from Little People Big World in the DFAC. We understand he is here as an advocate to the Iraqi medical community on behalf of people dwarfism (or something to that effect, we are going off of rumor and conjecture). Anyway, SFC Reyes and I spoke to him outside the DFAC and asked him to take a picture with the platoon. He was very nice and appreciative, he joked that he assumed we wanted him in the front and was very upset that he had forgotten his camera. He thanked us all and we promissed to e-mail him a copy of the picture, attached is that picture and the letter I sent with it.

Matt,

Thank you so very much for taking a picture with my platoon today. You have been blessed with a rare opportunity to see first hand the state of the American Armed Forces in Iraq. We are a trained and motivated group and hope that you have met more Soldiers’ like mine in 2nd Platoon, Bandit Troop, 1-9 CAV. This is my first deployment and you are the first celebrity I have met while deployed, but not until today did I realize the full impact of a celebrity meeting on our morale. Seeing a familiar face from TV made us all feel a little closer to home. For me the meeting conjured images of coming home from work to see my wife working around the house while watching your program on DVR. SSG Davis had a strong recollection to watching your show with his son. I could go on with these little memories.

As you asked I am attaching the picture that we took together, I wanted to include the Soldier’s names in case you were to post this on your website; I know it would be a boost to the morale on the home front which is the most important thing to my Soldiers and me.

Front Row From left to right: PFC Joshua Veguilla, SPC Jeffrey Hillman, Matt Roloff, SSG Wayne Whitbeck, 1LT Geoff Childs
Second Row: SSG Ricardo Mendoza, SGT Wayne Moon, SSG Michael Davis, SFC Heriberto Reyes, PFC Alfonso Cacho
Back Row: PV2 Charles O’Dowd, SPC Devilan Cunningham, PFC Joshua Hughes, SPC Eric Landry, PV2 Adam Hmeidan

We are 2nd Platoon, Bandit Troop, 1st Squadron 9th Cavalry, 4th Brigade Combat Team, 1st Cavalry Division, Fort Hood, TX.


GEOFFREY D. CHILDS
1LT, AR
Platoon Leader