New diet

So we took Alex in to get some test done because she has had this cough that we can't seem to get rid of whenever she eats. So the doctor has some allergy tests run. As we already new she is allergic to milk but everything else came out fine. Well the doctor wants us to try her on a wheat free diet because she thinks that the test came out as a false negative because she is so young that can happen. So for the next month or so we will be trying a wheat and milk free diet and hopefully we will see an improvement. If not we will have to have more tests run so I hope this solves our problem. It's going okay so far it's just harder on me to try and plan meals that don't require any type of milk or wheat and you would be surprised how many there are that you have to rule out. Yes yes I know there are plenty of things I can make but trying to get a very picky 4 year old to eat it that's another story. Luckily there are a few stores that sell wheat free and milk free items otherwise I would have to do all my shopping online. So let the new diet begin. At least this means the whole family will be eating really healthy and with a new baby on it's way that's a good thing. Which means no more junk food in the house.

The latest news

Well let's see what's new with my family, as I'm sure most know my brother Jordan is on his mission. He has been gone for about 10 months now. Wow time sure is going by pretty fast. As far as I'm aware he is having an amazing time and trying to teach as many people that will listen. I'm very proud of him for the sacrifice he is making. 2 years is not something to just blink about.
In other news I am 6 months pregnant. We found out a few weeks ago that we are having a baby boy. We are all really excited to meet him and watch him grow. Alex is super excited to have a little brother. That has all she has been asking for since we told her she would be a big sister soon. Alex is now 4 years old. I can't believe how fast time is going by. She is no longer my little baby she is a big girl. She is getting ready to enter pre-school. It makes me just a bit sad to know that pretty soon she will be in school full time and than I don't know what I'm going to do. I guess it's a good thing I will have a little one running around to help fill in that time.
Well we have had to get Alex allergy tested because she keeps complaining about her stomach and she has a pretty bad cough whenever she eats. We are waiting on the results and I hope everything will be OK. It will be nice to get some answers and hopefully it's nothing worse than she has some food allergies. She is definitely our miracle baby. With everything that has happened to her since birth it really is amazing that she doesn't have more wrong with her than a few allergies. She hasn't had to have any major surgeries or repairs. I am so thankful that we have been given this wonderful little girl to raise and learn and grow from and with.
Jordan will hopefully in the next couple of months be getting a pretty big promotion. I'm so proud of him and all that he has accomplished and done in his military career. He really has been an amazing soldier and I love that he is getting recognized for all his hard work and dedication.
Well that's about all the new news that's going on with our family. There will be more to report after Christmas in just a few weeks.

I know I know

Okay everyone I know I'm a total slacker when it comes to writing but sometimes, okay okay, most times I am usually doing something better. Sorry just had to say that. Well life certainly has happened since my last post. Jordan did finally come home from Afghanistan safe and sound. We did visit Utah in July for a couple of weeks and that was really fun. At the end of September we moved to Georgia for 8 months so Jordan could do school for communications. He finally got out of the infantry and is now in satellite communications. He had really long days and we didn't see much of him. Alex and I were certainly busy with play group twice a week plus we had story time once a week. Jordan passed school with flying colors and was stationed in Hawaii. Yes I know everyone is so jealous and not to brag but yes you should be. We are loving it here so far. The weather is really awesome. I love having snow at christmas because that is what I am used to but you know I could get really used to it being 85 degrees during the winter. I really don't thing I would complain. They really do call it paradise and so far I have to agree. Yeah my only complaint really would be it's a small island with a lot of people which means it's busy busy busy. Luckily we live on the north side of the island which doesn't have that much traffic so it's quiet. Since we were basically homeless for 2 months it was really nice to finally get a house from the Army. It really not that bad. It's working out great for us. We only get 2 rooms right now but hopefully soon we will be able to get an extra bedroom. The only bad thing about getting another room is I have to move. At least it's not across the ocean or the states. We have gone to the beach, unfortunately we were only able to go once since about 9 days into being here Alex broke her elbow and was in a cast for 4 weeks. She is finally out but with moving and unpacking we haven't had a chance to go back but we plan on spending many weekends at the beach. I gotta say life has been going pretty well for us. No big complaints but that can always change especially with the military. Oh yeah and we had to get a new washer and dryer because our washer broke and our dryer was gas and they only do electric on post. Oh well at least they do give us some compensation.

Homecoming

So Jordan has officially been home for 9 days and approximately 4 and a half hours. It has gone by pretty fast these past days. Jordan is already back at work. Not really full time more like part time. He has been getting off early everyday except for the first 3 days he was home he didn't have to go into work at all. Homecoming went really well. We had to wait for about 2 hours before the guys finally showed up. One of the generals gave a pretty quick speech and then everyone ran to find their husbands,sons,fathers, brothers, etc... The funny thing about this was Jordan was about 10 people away from me but he didn't see me and I lost him in the crowd. He was with David Fletcher and they ended up calling so we could meet up with them. I came with David's wife Heather. Alex was really shy with him at first but after about the first hour or so she warmed up really well to him. Now she won't leave him alone, which actually is really nice for me since I now get a break. Let me tell you after a year with her with no help, this has been a much needed break. She is really cute with him always jumping on him and making him play with her. Although he does like to tease her and get her all worked up. It's pretty funny because she just fights back with him. She definitely lets him know what is acceptable and what isn't. Well it has been really nice having Jordan home. He is in this big cooking phase so I really haven't had to do much. For memorial weekend we had David and Heather over for a BBQ. The only thing I really had to do was make the pasta salad and start some things for homemade ice cream, which we never actually got around to making. I lost the booklet on how to work it and I have never used it before or it wouldn't be a big deal. Playing catch up with him has been really fun, to say the least, plus I love watching him with Alex. They really are so cute together. She may look like me but she is Jordan in her attitude and she has his facial expressions.

In Town

So my mother in law Kris came in to town on Tuesday. She has been a real big help. Alex has loved having someone else besides me to boss around and play with. I love it because if I need to run upstairs or to the bathroom or outside Kris is there to watch Alex. Boy am I going to miss the help when she leaves tomorrow. Well yesterday was mine and Jordan's 3rd wedding anniversary. He couldn't be here to celebrate with me but he did send me a fruit bouquet from Edible Arrangements. It was totally cute and really yummy. It has some grapes, tons of strawberries, and pineapple in the shape of hearts. Some of the pineapple was dipped in chocolate. So good. Well since last night was our anniversary and he couldn't be here to do anything with me I decided to go out and celebrate anyways. I took my friend Heather and we went to a concert at this place called The Black Sheep. We saw 4 bands play, Ten to None(amazing), A Fall To Rewind(ok), As Told By(good), and Dance Gavin Dance(amazing). I had a great time. These bands fall under the scream-o catagory for music type so they are loud and play hard. So that being the case there was needless to say a giant mosh pit in the middle of the floor. We were on the outskirts of the mosh pit and as a result a few times we were hit, elbowed, fallen into by the guy that would trip and fall or generally not know where they were going. I don't have any bruises today so far but my right arm is killing me. It's really sore like I worked out sore. You know if my arm is going to hurt like that I would prefer it if I really was working out. Well Jordan will be home in about 17 days. I can't wait to see him and I can't wait for him to come home for a couple weeks. It will be really nice to spend some time with him and for him to get to know Alex again and for Alex to get to know her daddy. She was too young to really remember him when he left so hopefully now that she is older when he does leave to go back overseas she will remember him a lot better. Well I better go have a crying baby to tend to.

Yes I know

Yes I do realize that it has been like 6 months since my last post. Apparently I am really bad at it. I guess one of my new years resolutions will be to post a blog more often. What is new with me you may want to know? Well I came home to Utah for 3 weeks to spend the holidays with the family. I came out on the 15Th of December and sad to say I leave today. As much fun as it has been to be out here with my family it will be really nice to be at home in my own bed. I'm sure Alex will feel the same way since she has been sleeping in a porta-crib and not her bed, which I'm sure is much for comfortable. The wonderful thing about her being so small is she doesn't know that she can complain and she can't really talk so that is another perk. Well I was able to talk to Jordan today for a little bit. I found out that yesterday afternoon (Sunday) that him and 13 other people went out on a patrol and two IED's went off and killed 4 people and seriously wounded 2 others and many more scrapes and bruises to the rest of the platoon. Jordan received some injuries but he will recover from them. He had a ruptured eardrum and he hurt his knee pretty badly. No one ever said that war was easy and pretty but I never knew what it was like till now. No one knows what it's like until they have to experience it. It's very sobering to hear these things. My heart goes out to those family of the 4 killed and others wounded.

Jordan is gone

Well Jordan left for Afghanistan on Tues the 26th of May. He flew out of Colorado Springs, landed in Maine from there he went to Leipzig, Germany. He ended up in Kyrgizstan, from there he flew to Kandahar. Tomorrow he will fly to FOB Terminator. Where that is I have no idea but the general area is in the southern region. He is doing well and is safe for the most part. I have no idea what he will be doing out there. I don't know how much or how often we will be in contact. He won't know till he starts getting settled in. I'm sure for at least the first month things will be crazy busy for him and he won't be able to have much free time. Their First Sergeant is a bit extreme. This is Jordan's second deployment but his first one was in Iraq. This one will be a lot different. They won't be doing the same things. When I have an exact address for him I will let you all know as well as the approved and non-approved items that you may send if anyone does want to send out a care package.

As for Alex and I we are doing just fine. She is still young enough that she doesn't realize that daddy is gone but I do talk to her everyday about him and I show her his picture. Hopefully one of these days she will retain a little bit of what I am saying. I'm doing great. This time around isn't as hard because it is my second deployment, but is almost harder because I have Alex to look after and he is in a different area and I don't know what he will be doing and what it will be like for him. But all of us are safe and well.