A request from Nathan...

I am getting SO many calls/emails about care package ideas for Nathan and his friends. As you know... he has been no help :)

He did, however, send me this and ask that I send it out and share it with those that may want to help. There are so many people that love him and want to send him the things that he needs, but the truth is... he has everything that he needs and that's why he can't come up with anything to tell us. These children don't. They have REAL needs that he would like to help with. So, I am respecting his request and passing along this message.

"Part of our counter insurgency (COIN) mission is to provide humanitarian assistance to the neighboring villages. Our efforts in Security Forces has been to Vinogradnoye Kindergarten. Recently, CMSgt Trautner and 11 other defenders went to the school to lend a helping hand. The school has a serious plumbing issue that we are working. Many of you have asked how you can help. The school employees have asked for toys, specifically “Playdoh”, school supplies, bed linen, dishes and utensils, and picture story books. The school consists of 60+ kids - ages 2-6 years old. There are also 14 workers - ages 25-30 years old and the Principal is 50 years old. They would be ecstatic with anything we donate. The principle has also requested a computer and camera. If you belong to a church, or have family back home that wishes to donate, these are the items requested. I would also request cold weather clothes for children. Coats, hats, gloves, boots, scarves. They don’t have to be new! This is a poor school and any little bit helps. If you or your loved ones would like to donate money so we can purchase those item here…we can do that too."

Nathan loves getting mail and he loves knowing people at home are thinking of him, but these children are really the ones who NEED the "care" packages.

*You can mail items to Nathan's mailing address with a note included that they are for the school* Thanks!

Disney on Ice

This was so fun! I VERY rarely get to do something with just the little ones. I was really apprehensive considering it was starting at the same time as their usual naptime and I was asking them to sit still in a very crowded suite for a really long time, but they did SOOO good!

The whole way there, Cale kept saying, "I'm going to hug Mickey Mouse! I'm going to hug Buzz and Woody and all Toy Stories!". I couldn't get him to understand that we were only going to see them, not hug them. Brynn hadn't even acknowledged that we were going anywhere so I just really didn't know what to expect. We got to our seats just as the lights were going down for the show to begin, both of them climbed in my lap. As all the different characters started coming out, Cale immediately got bashful and started saying, "Keep them out there, I don't want them!" heh. Brynn, however, went NUTS! She got so stinking excited! She was screaming, "Tinkerbell! Goofy! Daisy! Belle!". She knew everybody out there (Thanks, Sissy)! She gets an A+ for audience participation.






By the end of the first half though, suddenly my lap wasn't big enough and the lack of naps was making itself known. At intermission, we used Deda's gift money to find popcorn pronto and let each of them pick out a souvenir: he chose a Mickey doll, she chose Minnie (their favs). It was just enough to give them the burst of energy they needed. For the second half of the show, they were dancing and clapping with the best of them. I was laughing hysterically! Oh, and when "Toy Stories" came out- Cale went bananas! "I love them, Mommy! I love them!". Every time a new princess came out, it was Brynn's favorite, lol. Even Tatiana was there! It's their new princess- I was sooo excited they included her, and I'm even MORE excited that Disney has finally decided to get with it and have an African-American princess! (Seriously, what took so long?!). Brynn LOOOVES Tinkerbell (another thanks to her big sister) so she was thrilled to pieces to see her.




They really and truly had a GREAT time and it was so.much.fun to get to do something special with just the two of them. And now that I know they can handle such things, I can't wait to do more!!


Hanging in the suite with their new souvenirs, too cute!





Brynn and her new big cheesy grin with Tatiana!

Monday Night Futbol

Layla had a makeup game during her normal Monday night practice last week.

I didn't alert all the grandparents, so Cale, Brynn and I were here minimized cheering section. She actually had her best game up until that point (last week she scored her first goal- without me there!). She's getting really good at kicking the ball in and throw-ins.

And she still plays with a smile on her face :) She has gotten the "Sportsmanship" and "Christ-like" stars several times, which I'm quite proud of!

Taking a break with Maggie-


Her biggest fans (who were so hungry that Brynn was saying she was going to eat that donut right off her shirt! lol. I love that kid... ):


Thank goodness for free hotdogs! Cheering and eating at the same time-



A little mid-game stretch...


Now she's ready...


And she's off! I don't think she got very far... but it was a great effort :)


A couple of weeks ago, she seemed kind of listless at practice and her game. I thought maybe she was just "over it" or we had been doing too much with soccer and dance and school. Little did I know, she was at the beginning stages of the flu... since then she's been pretty pumped on soccer days and today she said, "Mommy, that was a blast." So I guess it's safe to say she's still enjoying it!