My partner in crime...is at school.

Lil McKinley started Preschool yesterday. She goes two times a week and is gone for 3 hours. I thought I would really enjoy my alone time but I was a little sad to take her and not have my lil helper with me. When I dropped her off she was so excited running around playing with all her new friends. I went over to tell her I was leaving and her response was "Okay, Bye Mommy! See you later!" I was walking out the door and she ran to my crying saying Bye Mommy I love you!.
I am so glad that she loves me enough to be sad but also is really liking to go to school. I am just in shock with how fast my babies are growing up. Here are some cute pics of her on her first day...and of course she loves her backpack. Thank you Grandma and Grandpa!

"The Ultimate Measure of a Man is not where he stands in moments of comfort and convenience, But where he stands at times of challenge and controversy

My Jer put his next rank on this week and I couldn't be happier for him. It's a big deal to our family. This has always been the goal that Jeremy made for himself since getting into to the military and he did it!
I am so proud of the person and man that he is. He is such a strong person and always looking out for other people's best interests. I just want him to know how proud I am of him. Jeremy has been through many tough times in his life and I hope he knows that I appreciate and see all that he has done in his life and how hard he has worked to get here. Congrats MSgt Tietjens...You deserve it! I love you my man!

Love 'em

Lately when I am cooking dinner I will turn around and these two will just be sitting there waiting to talk. I get a lot of good talk time from these monkeys on the kitchen floor! Here they are after church yesterday. I love them!

BaBy, it's COLD outside!

Jeremy is gone to Vegas and then off to Utah so I am finding that I am really going to have to keep us busy. Me and the kids decided that we will go for a walk and play in the snow everyday after school that way they will be tired and won't give me grief when it's bedtime (I am no dummy!)
Riley made two snowmen and McKinley said she would help but as you can see all she did was eat snow! We had lots of fun..mission accomplished they are exhausted!

never too late to add some more pics.

We had a great time in Germany and spent alot of time with our friends. McKinley was attached to Sarah and wanted to do everything that she did. Their favorite thing to do was to go play at the park and they played hard. Kenny and Sarah would bring the kids home from the park and they would all be exhausted. Sarah and Kenny took some pics one day while at the park and I stole them from her facebook page (thanks Sarah!)
It's so nice to have a familiar face over here in Europe with us and we are so glad that we have the Love family so close. Thanks again for such a nice visit we you love guys(LOVE"S)!

Very...very...Late Christmas pictures

Since we went to Germany for Christmas Santa came early to our house and so the kids were lucky to have two Christmas'. Here are some pics of the kids enjoying their new stuff. Enjoy!






You can't tell in this picture but I had just painted her nails and she was showing me her "Pretties"

Germany

We are having a great time here in Germany and I thought I would post some pictures of where we have gone and how pretty it is here. I have been slacking on the picture taking and so I will hopefully have another post soon of some actual pictures we have taken.
The week before Christmas we went to Trier. They have a beautiful Christmas Market there and the most AMAZING food.

Christmas time is here!

I love everything about this season! I love the warmth and love that you feel while celebrating Christmas! I was so excited to put up my decorations this year. I have alot more to do but thought I would share some of it....just to get all you Ba-humbugs in mood too! Tis the Season! Now off I go to finish the rest..wish me luck!

HaPpY ThAnKsgIvInG!

I cannot believe it's here and almost gone.. This year I am so grateful for life in general. I love my kids.... all three of them. I wish that Colby was here with us. This day has been great for us and we really have enjoyed the family time but in between the laughter me and Jer have shed some tears for our Colby man. We love and miss that lil guys so much!

When I think about my surrounds and my wonderful family I know that I am truly happy and very thankful for that. Being so far away from all our loved ones in Utah I thought that today would be a disaster....but it wasn't. It was nice! When I looked at my family today I thought of the families who didn't have a family member with them today b/c they are in the military and are fighting for our freedom. I am so THANKFUL for all the troops and what they continue to do!

Jer cooked an amazing dinner and we have food that will last us well over a week...tons! We are all stuffed and can't eat another thing(for at least and hour or two!) The night ends with us ready to watch Polar Express as a family with a nice fire.
Happy Thanksgiving!

"We never know the love of our parents until we become parents"

Well I am still writing what I am thankful for and today I want to take a minute and say thank you to my parents. What amazing people they are to me. I love them both very much and wouldn't be the person I am today if it wasn't for them. I thought when moving over to England I wouldn't talk to them as much but I cannot go a few days without talking to them. Even with us being in a totally different country they still have a huge impact on me and my family.

I love my Dad so much for the person that he is. He is such a genuine person and has always been there for me. There has been many times in my life when I haven't been happy with my decisions and my dad is always the first one to let me know it's okay to make mistakes. He's always there to brush me off and pick me back up. I love his sense of humor and I love how much he loves his family.

I love my mom so much too! When I think of my mom all I can say is she is a giver. My mom would do anything for her children and has. I remember growing up with all us kids and we all ate like COWS but my mom used to always wait for us to finish eating and then she would eat what was left...if any! My parents will drop anything for their kids. I really have a great appreciate for them and all they did to raise all us hula-gens. I really miss my parents and feel truly blessed to have them.

We had such a great time with them when they came and visited. Riley talks about how Grandpa and him fed the horses and how Grandma read books to him every night. Whenever McKinley sees someone that looks like them she yells...grandpa and mama! I cannot say thank you enough for how supportive they have been to Jeremy and how much we appreciate that.
Thanks Dad and Mom...we love you guys!

ThAnKfUl

I know that Thanksgiving is upon us and so I wanted to take the time each day this week and write what I am thankful. I missed Monday's and so today I will have 2 things.

I am very thankful for my husband. He knows me better than I know myself. He's my best friend. I love that I can be myself with him and he loves me for me no matter what. He's such a goof and I love that he makes me laugh and when he can tell that I have had a bad day he tries even harder to make me laugh. I love that he is mine forever! I am forever grateful to that fact that Jer worked so hard for us to get through the temple so that we can be a family forever. I know that I will always get to be with my family....which brings me to my second grateful. I am grateful for the Temple and all the blessings it has brought to me and my family.

McKinley

Ooh... how I love this Lil one! Lately McKinley has really been testing me with her terrible two's and sometimes I let those terrible moments cloud my day. I took Kinley to get her hair cut today and made the day all about her. I have to say that I LOVE my Lil girl. She has such spunk and attitude. Today I really realized how big my baby is getting and how independent she is. I am really loving the one on one time I have with her while Riley is at school and am thankful that I can stay home to be with her. She may make me crazy at times but I love everything about her and wouldn't change her for the world.

Cute kids that I have

I want to remember all the cute and sweet things that my kiddos say and so I think I will just starting posting them on here since I use this as a journal :)

Riley was in bed and we had already finished the bedtime routine when we called me into his room and said "I have something to say"
ME: What buddy?
Ry: For your birthday since I love you I will buy a princess watch okay sweetie
Me: Thank you buddy that's so nice....good night!
Ry: Good night! I love you but you only get the watch if your good...okay?
Me: OK bud...night!

McKinley's newest thing is that I am no longer called Mom to her. She only calls me Honey now and when I say I am MOM. She replies, "NO your my Honey!"

I love my kids

CrAsh,ScReeeeeecH,BOOOm and Bang

Yesterday when I was going to pick up Ry from school I was in an accident with a Lorry (British word for Semi-truck). The roads are so small and when big trucks like that go down the road it's so hard to get out of the way. I got completely off the road just not in enough time because he kept driving. The back window is completely blown out and I am so thankful that nothing happened to McKinley (who was sitting in the back). Luckily he stopped to give me all of his info and he was suprised to see all the damage...duh! Now we just wait to see when the truck companies insurance will cover the cost to fix my poor car......Keep your fingers crossed :)
Yesterday was long .I think I will just stay home today and clean...too much action for me.
Hoping to have a better day today!

Halloween

We had a great time for Halloween this year....we met up with some friends and went Trick or Treating on base and the kids definitely got some good candy. Good times!