So Much is happening!!!

Wow the last few days have been so crazy!! So much is changing super soon :) here is something that I know for sure I can share:

My Dad has been working a horrible shift (2-10) for about 6 months now. It's not as bad during the summer, but during the school year he wouldn't see my little brothers and sisters from Sunday night until Saturday morning (THATS CRAZY!), his boss is willing to talk to him about maybe becoming a photographer (which would be a HUGE blessing for him) at his work, which would more than likely bring a shift change. So please please pray this works out for him it would be a wonderful thing for my family.

Another HUGE thing that we just found out yesterday, more than likely Ryan will be out of the army and we will be heading back to Minnesota on September first. Yes, ONE month from tomorrow!! AHHH!!! That is going to be an awesome thing if it really works out. Right now we are waiting to see if Ryan will need to surgery repeated on his ankle, if he does we might end up staying a little longer for that to get done. But either way it is going to be happening so soon and I am SO ready to be back in Minnesota with family and friends :)

and here is the last thing happening (This is a HUGE one too!!) My family just found out thursday that there is a little girl available for them to adopt. She is 2 months old, and they said yes! So very, very soon I will be having a new baby sister (it will be younger than my son haha!) I am so excited to get back to Minnesota and meet her.

seriously this has all happened in the last couple days and it has been very hectic trying to figure everything out. I am so blessed though and I have an AWESOME life. I hope you are all having a good weekend, and have a great Sunday! (its potluck at church for us :) yummy yummy)love love ♥

Wordless Wednesday

Happy Tuesday!

I know I haven't been on here much lately but frankly, life is boring! Not to much is going on other than the normal: Crabby baby, messy house, lazy mommy :)

I think I decided today Joshua will be walking before he gets teeth. He has no sign of teeth! He is almost 8 months old already. When he is sitting he pulls himself up onto the furniture to stand (I'm SO not ready for this!!) He actually was walking along the couch yesterday!! AHHHHH!!! He can't even crawl and he is ready to walk. That boy is so determined.

Ryan had an MRI on his ankle yesterday, and he has an appointment on August 12th to find out if he is going to need surgery again. This will really decide when we get to get out of the army and move back HOME. So pray everything turns out well for that whole situation :)

I need to go get the dishes and laundry (UGH) done before Ryan gets home, then it is time for TACOS!! Yummy yummy in my tummy. Hope you all are having a great week so far, love love ♥


My In Laws, with El Paso in the background

Happy Friday Friends!

We had a wonderful week with Ryan's parents and brothers. We didn't do a ton, but we spent a lot of time together and it was very relaxing. They got here Sunday afternoon and were able to come to church with us Sunday night, then we went out for chinese! We did some swimming at the hotel, played apples to apples (possibly the best game EVER), and played a few other card games and board games.
A lot of good memories :) Joshua loved having his Grandma and Grandpa strickland here, and had so much fun with his Uncles Tyler and Alex. I can't wait until we can move back to Minnesota and he will be able to grow up knowing his aunts and uncles and grandparents. Hopefully we will be back there for good soon!
Well I am off to fold some laundry and then head to bed. I have been exhausted the last couple days and I am hoping Joshua lets me get a good night sleep tonight. I hope you are all having a great Friday, and have a fabulous weekend! Love love ♥

Monday Minute

Its time for Monday minute :)



What's your real name?
Melissa

Have you ever fabricated a story or anything on your blog?
haha no? What would be the point! This is me. Like it or leave it.

When in the car do you listen to the radio/CDs/iPod/etc?
everytime! We listen to the radio or CD's usually... every once in a while the Ipod.

Describe the 'sexiest' item of clothing that you own
haha nothing?

Would you be willing to breastfeed your friend's three year old child?
Umm definitely not. That would just be wierd. I wouldn't even be willing to breastfeed my own 3 year old child. By that age they could remember someday... that's messed up!

hope you are all having a great monday morning. My in laws are here, and our AC stopped working las night so we are now stuck at home waiting for the landlord to come fix it! It is way to hot to not have AC. Have a great day friends! Love love ♥

Friday is here!!

For some reason this week has felt so long!! I don't know why, because Ryan hasn't been working late or anything. I hate weeks that drag on and on. But today especially is draggin on! Ryan has next week off of work because his family is coming to visit :)

I got my new vacuum at the PX yesterday, and we got home and realized it wasn't the one that we wanted. So we ended up going to target and getting a different one. I love it already :) Ryan vacuumed last night! It's a miracle!! Then I finished up today and I love how clean my floors look now ♥



I love it!!

I hope you are all having a great Friday! And have a wonderful, blessed weekend. Love love ♥

Grocery Shopping Thursday :)

I am in the middle of making a HUGE grocery list. We haven't been grocery shopping in about 3 weeks (maybe even longer!) So Today, I have the honor of going major grocery shopping with Mr. Joshua, while Ryan is at work. Oh Joy! No really, its not that bad, I just strongly dislike going on my own. Even more than going on my own, I HATE putting groceries away. At least I pick Ryan up from work on my way home so he can do that :)

Before the grocery store, I am going to the PX to (hopefully) get our new vacuum! I just hope they have it in stock and we don't have to wait forever... our old vacuum died the other day. After 3 year. 3 years with a $30 vacuum isn't to bad though!

Well my crabby boy (who still is showing no signs of cutting his teeth!) is telling me its nap time! Which means as soon as he lays down, I have floors to sweep, dishes to wash and laundry to put away. Ryan's family is coming on Sunday so I want to make the house sparkly clean to impress my mother in law :)

Have a great Thursday everyone! Love love ♥

Our Deck :)

This has been our little project over the last couple weeks. Our back yard is all sand... so not to inviting to go outside and just chill. So we decided to build a little deck so we have somewhere to go :)



Got this all done in a couple hours



I just realized we don't have a picture of the completed thing... here is Joshua laying on it. We are going to get indoor/outdoor carpet on it eventually but for now its just a blanket :)



My guys hanging out on our new deck!

I hope you are all having a great monday :) Love love ♥

Five Fact Friday

I was browsing my bloggy friends today and came across this idea from Ria Thurston @ Life as A Wife! You should head over and check out her blog, she is such a cutie. And I am even more partial because she is from MN and goes to the church that I love and miss very much!

Here are 5 facts about my life :)

1. I started dating my husband when I was 15 years old & he was 16


2. He joined the army about 4 months after we started dating, and was gone the whole summer before his senior year at basic training.


3. Ryan moved to Japan 2 days after we got engaged, and came back to Minnesota a week before our wedding and left to go back to Japan about 4 days after we got married. I moved to Japan after he had already been there for 6 months, in August of 2007




4. I left Japan in October of 2009 when I was 33 weeks pregnant, to go to Minnesota to have my baby boy! Ryan got to Minnesota in November, about 3 weeks before Joshua was born.



5. We drove for 4 days when Joshua was 2 weeks old, to get to Ft. Bliss, where Ryan was being based next. It was a LOOONG drive with a 2 weeks old and a dog.




Those are just a few facts about my life :) A few of the times that stick out in my ind the most. I hope everyone is having a great friday. I am! I got my cast off this morning. I am so super happy (I have a tan line from it). Now I need to do some therapy 2 times a week for 3 weeks, then see where we are at after that. Have a great weekend friends love love ♥

Wordless Wednesday

I had THE perfect picture for wordless Wednesday, my baby boy was laying on his towel at the pool this morning drinking his bottle with his legs crossed. It was too cute :) but then I got home and realized I didn't have a memory card in my camera!! I took like 10 pictures of my friends kids and Joshua, and NO card. :(

So here's my 2nd choice :)



Joshua with our pastor (his honorary Gramps while we are in TX) at an El Paso Diablos baseball game on the 4th of July.

im back!

Sorry I have been a little MIA lately. It's been a 5 day weekend for Ryan and we were going non-stop! And when we weren't the husband stole the computer. Once he's on I have no chance of getting on :) I haven't put pictures on the computer in about a week so when I do I will update you on our weekend and all of our "doings". We had a lot of fun things planned and also had some time to just sit around and relax!

Joshua was 7 months old on Saturday! He is getting so big, and so mobile. He's sitting up and rolling everywhere. He is starting to crawl! Can you believe that? He only goes backwards but he gets where he wants to go and that scares me. My baby is getting way to old. He is babbling non-stop and starting to laugh. But one thing he does not have is teeth!! He's been teething for a couple of months but those bad boys just will not break through. I am so ready for them to make their appearance and give me back my happy boy :)

Well its bath time in the strickland house! I hope you are all having a great Monday!! Love love ♥

What's for dinner?

I ask myself this every night. Then when I don't know the answer I ask my husband! He usually says "whatever you want to make". The problem is I never feel like making ANYTHING. When it is hot out I don't want to turn the oven on, our air conditioning is AWFUL. We have it on as high as it goes along with every fan in the house and a few portable ones and its STILL hot in here. Drives me insane!

So... What's for dinner? I'm thinking chinese. But I know I shouldn't! So probably spaghetti. Something easy and delicious!! Ryan had CQ last night, then came home and worked on our little deck we are making (Pictures to come). He just got done and layed in bed... pretty sure he's sleeping! I'm gonna wake him up for dinner soon :) But I think it's going to be an early night for everyone. Joshua was up every hour last night, so of course I was too. He is FINALLY taking a nap right now. He has been awake for 10 hours! What a crabby little boy.

Hope everyone is having a great Thursday and is ready for a nice LONG, relaxing weekend. I know I am! Ryan has Friday-Monday off :) have a great weekend friends. Love Love ♥