Spring is here!!!!!!

Wow Where to start. I am sorry I have not been posting. The kids have been a blast. Caitlin wow she is just so Caitlin! She is acting very 2 these days with a little bit of teenager mixed it. She still calls Nathan “Boy” and her favorite thing to do is take off all her clothes five minutes after I get her dressed and two minutes before we have to walk out the door. Unfortunately she is not totally potty trained so an extra thanks goes to Nathan for bringing all the wonderful surprises to my attention! Nathan has been great lately he is sharing with Caitin (giving her anything she wants and realizing she does not share) and helping (cleaning up after his sister) and the past few weeks I just can’t say enough great things about him.
Grandma Poe came for a visit last weekend and we had so much fun. We did a playground tour of eastern NC so if anyone needs directions we know the way. It was so nice to have an adult in person to chat with! THANKS MEE MAW

In other great news Nathan is doing so well eating. Today he tried scrambled eggs, and he said “ I LOVE THEM” . We just can’t say enough great things about Leah. It has been such a long slow process. We started feeding therapy just after Nates first birthday in St. Petersburg and have been seeing Leah for about a year now, she is a so awesome with Nate . THANKS LEAH

Carl is almost on his way home, he is enjoying some time with the family. We can’t wait to see him soon, and one month from today we will be in FLORIDA !!!!!!! YIPEEEEEEEE




Yes a dress over her jammies

We started the week with winter......

and ended with SPRING!!!!!

MY HELPER!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Caitlin and Grandma on our playground tour!

Making muffins!

More fun with Grandma!!

Nate eating with Leah!

Not long now!

Sorry isn't this a cute picture of Carl as a kid, Nate has the same grin! Lets take a vote, leave a comment if you think Carl looks better with HAIR!!!!!!

Carl says its cold and windy in this picture. I believe the wind because his shirt is puffy but cold ... come to the east coast!

Lets just say I can’t wait! Given that the weather was horrible all weekend, rainy and cold we made it through another very lonely weekend! Grandma Poe is coming to the rescue on Wednesday and we are trying to talk Aunt Ali into coming down for the following weekend (LOTS OF PRESSURE). Everything is still on schedule for Carls homecoming this month! Of course he is going to wait until the very end but I have made it this far I guess I can hold on for a few more weeks!
The USS Iwo-Jima went though the Suez Canal today and will be stopping for a few days so Carl can fly to England and see his family (okay maybe its not for Carl).

I REALLY MISS WARM SUNNY FLORIDA!!!

It has been cold cold cold here. Did I mention it has been cold, even the kids came back inside after a few minutes this morning. We really have not done much, which I think is harder on mom but everyone is well and happy so life is good. I do really miss Florida, I think Carl would be happy if he came home and found we had moved back to Florida! At times I think he expects it!
We had a birthday party for Granddad last week. Granny left for England today and Carl will meet her in a week to visit with the family. The kids and I are going to have a party on Sunday because it will finally be MARCH!!!!!!!!!!!!
All those friends and family feel free to call anytime!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Or come visit!!!!!!!!!!!!!! PLEASE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!



Happy Birthday Granddad

Nate jumping into the pool tonight.

Nate playing trains.

Caitlin getting ready for a trip outdoors, she dresses herself, I wish I could say the same for Nathan! ALL MEN ARE THE SAME!!!!

Caitlin getting her diva shoes on.

Time for church, she likes me to do her hair, I just wish I knew how. Aunt Ali come help!

Valentine's Day

The kids ready for school on for Valentine's Day Parties

Caitlin needs her heart stickers.

Nate makes a Valentine the night before.

Nate gets a Valentine from Kate Wahlgreen

Nate gives a Valentine to Katherine Scott

Caitlin decorates herself on the way to school! (THANKS FOR ALL THE STICKERS GRANDMA!!!!!!!)

Ms. Tina always does Caitlins hair. Tina says she loves getting it done. I am so horrible she sees me coming and runs.

Well its been a very very quiet weekend!!!! The kids are with Granny and mom is at home all alone. I really can’t thank Granny enough. She took two sick kids and has spent the weekend cleaning up, well you can guess what. I put my back out on Saturday but maybe a few days on my back was just what I needed! THANK YOU GRANNY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Here are some pics from Valentine's Day.

Hello Hello,
Carl called today to say he is late. Amazing he is already late even though he has not even given me a return date. Only the Marines can be late for a date they have not even set! Gotta love it!
The kids are doing great. I had two goals for Nathan and Caitlin before Daddy comes home.
1) Potty train Caitlin – I thought this was going to be so easy HAHAHAHA She is potty trained, when Caitlin decides she wants to use the potty she does, if not she goes where ever she wants. I think I reached rock bottom when I went around the side of the house and she was trying to pee in the woods. I was explaining to her that she does not have a wee wee and that only Nate can pee in the woods (This is something his father let him do, Mommy makes him pee in the potty!). I thought we were alone until I heard laughter coming from the street, glad I am keeping the neighbors entertained.
2) Swim Lessons- Nathan wanted no part of this and I thought he was going to be that kid, the one that screams when anyone try to get him in the pool . HAHHAHAH Was I WRONG! Kid loves it! He is doing great, my little fish.

In other great news Nathan is eating pasta! Nathan is making real progress. He has been checking out the food on Caitlin’s plate and I see him checking out dinner as I am cooking. His OT Leah is awesome. She uses a technique called food chaining and always has the next great idea.



Nathan with his new lego car.

Caitlin wants Mommy to Dance!!!!

Not long now!

Hello

Caitlin uses her potty to reach the DVD player to put in videos of DADDY

Getting ready for Sunday school, everyone loves Sunday!

The kids are still buddies and actually at times I think they would do okay if I left them alone for a few days! HAHHAHA

Hello,
Well sorry for the lack of posts but I am exhausted. Everyone is still happy and healthy but MOM is moving slow these days. We are waiting for some warm weather to move it this weekend to hopefully give mom some much needed sunshine. Lets see what happened this week.
Caitlin is still potty training. She has learned she can carry the potty around the house and get into all sorts of fun things!
Nathan said to me this morning as I sit in the office “ Mom we need to vacuum” Humm that does not sound good . I came out to find he had given the cat a haircut!

We have been in touch with Carl and he is full of positive reinforcement. You can do it, you can make it, you are doing great. I think I can I think I can!

The kids are watching a video of daddy reading. It is so cute see Cailtin say " Watch Daddy DVD"

TIME TO START COUNTING!!!

The countdown has begun. Of course I am not allowed to tell you how many days until Carl gets here but we see a bright light at the end of the tunnel. Don’t worry we know better then to get excited as far to many times those ships have started the long long journey home only to be turned around and sent elsewhere. So we sit and wait ready to bid January so long and get February over with!!!!

LONGGGGGGGG Weekend

Well the weekends with Carl gone are the worse but this one just will not end. Off on Monday for MLK, now off on Tuesday and Wednesday for 1 inch of snow. Whoever is making these decisions needs to spend 6 days inside with my children . A GREAT TIME!!! Well we have played legos, playdough, chase, hide and seek, cars, you name it we have done it. Right now the kids are painting yes painting inside the house and unsupervised !!! I HAVE LOST IT!!!!

In other great news, Nathan had French Toast today with Leah, at feeding! She makes it so easy!

Donuts and Giants!

We were reading books at bedtime. Tonight we were reading "Daddy Loves Me". I asked Nate what he wanted to do with Daddy when he gets home. He said " I want us to go get a big big donut with sprinkles and give it to a giant. " Oh really " Yeah but we will have to climb up a beanstalk to do it, but I am brave and strong so that will be no problem"
He must be reading Jack and the Beanstalk at school because we don't own that one. How funny!

We had a very nice weekend, we got to spend time with Uncle Jeff whom the kids adore!

The Bathroom or something like that!

Warning this post is only for moms or for Carl to try to understand a day in my life:
I have started potty training Caitlin this week. Finally today I asked Nate to help me, Caitlin really dosen't listen to a word I say. First, Nate had a fifteen minute conversation with her detailing how to use the potty. He even grunted during some of the conversation as I listened from the kitchen. I was laughing so hard, as he was talking to her and she continues to call him Boy. She said "Boy look at my Diego panties" Next Nathan takes the potty out to the living room. I should have known no man would stay in the bathroom to teach a lesson when he could do it in the comfort of his living room. He taught her how to pull up her training pants and so far she has already peeed on the potty twice. Hey, we might have something here maybe I could have Nate start his own business.

In other bathroom news: Susan's (my bros fiancee) brother in-law was here for breakfast this morning. I asked him if he wanted a cup of coffee . His reply " Water will be fine" Nate says " Yeah you better drink your water or your poop will be hard and it won't come out! " What a nice conversation over breakfast for our guest! Would anyone else like to visit.

Nathan Reading

Hi Dad.

Nate wanted to read you a book. Here is a clip the whole book wouldn't fit we will send you a DVD.

Its been very quiet.

The kids playing with puzzles from Blythe and Claire!

Nate outside at Granma's house.

The kids playing with Arnold the turtle .

Well 2009 is off to a great start. Everyone is healthy and happy and thats all I ask. We are just trying to get through January as fast as possible so we can start counting the days. Thanks so much to those that still call and keep us company -- we can get a little lonely at times!

Uncle Jeff moved to town yesterday we are giving him a few days to get organized before we go crash his new pad! We can't wait!

We have heard from Carl he is doing well. He is in Kuwait and lets hope he stays there. We heard he is actually working! Amazing huh

I thought I would share a funny Caitlin story.

Caitlin calls everyone by name no problem with Uncle Jeff, Mama, Daddy, Papaw, Granny, Shelly , Aunt Ali you name it she knows it but Nate well his name is "Boy". It doesn't matter what the situation she calls him boy. It is just so funny I have explained to her that his name is Nate. She calls her favorite baby doll Diego but Nate is "Boy". Last night I hard a loud bang and ran out to the living room to find a mess, I looked at Catilin and said " Who did this?" Her reply " BOY!"

Where in the World is CARL PRIECHENFRIED?

Hi Honey,
How are you? We miss your emails and talking to you! We hope you are safe and we hope we get to talk to you soon!
Nate says " Dad I am at Grandma's and I am playing playing with Grandpa's Fire Truck it was his when he was a boy" " I also love to play with Arnold" ( the turtle Dad found in 1967).

Caitlin has lots to saybut right now she is busy eating Grandma's bran muffins. She has not stopped eating since we got here she loves Grandma's cooking. She has figured out how to get up on the counter and spends most of her day eating Grandma's great food!

We love you and miss you!
Amy, Nate and Caitlin!!!!!!

MERRY CHRISTMAS CARL

The kids decorating houses before leaving for Grandma's last week.

Nathan singing Christmas songs at his school party. Granny came with us and we had a great time. Thanks for coming Granny!

As soon as we pulled up in the drivway to Grandma's Santa came by on the firetruck!

Caitlin opening a book from Aunt Shelly, thanks!

It is Christmas Eve. We put the kids to bed early. Nate was sleeping by 11:00pm!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Mom had to sleep in Caitlin's room because we had a full house. At 1:00 am Caitlin woke me up singing her sunday school songs! By 4:30 I was praying to make her stop, after yelling at her to stop singing she sang two more verses of the wheels on the bus and finally stopped. This was after I tried to sleep out in the living room but ...... its a long story. Lets just say Mom is a bit sleepy today! HAHAHAH

Ali holding her new pink fishing rod!

Catilin opening gifts!

Catilin in her new pink car!

Nathan opening a garbage truck!

THE FAMILY PICTURE!

NATHAN IN HIS NEW JOHN DEERE TRACTOR !!!! THANKS SANTA HE LOVES IT!!!!

I am cutting it close but I promised Carl pictures on Christmas, this 8 hour time difference makes it close but I think I did it! MERRY CHRISTMAS CARL! WISH YOU WERE HERE. WE MISS YOU!

We have had a great time at Grandmas wow where to begin.

Christmas/Birthday

It feels more like summer than Christmas. The kids and I go jogging with them in the stroller but we can only run to houses with lights, and we have to walk by them. Last weekend we spent Sunday at Granny and Grandads. We celebrated Carlie's birthday with a unicorn cake made by me. I must admit when Caren asked I was a sceptical. The kids had a great time with their cousins and the food was yummy!



LOOK AT THAT CAKE!

Granny and Nate look at decorations.

Nate plays iwth his mega city pack from Caren

The kids painting out in the garage.

Will I remember?

There so many cute things the kids say everyday. I always say I will remember but within days I usually forget. The past few days Nathan and Caitlin have said some good ones.

On Sunday evening I got off the phone with Granny and I said to Nate and Caitlin " Guess who is coming for dinner" Caitlin looked at me an threw her hands up in the air and said " DADDY HOME" Those were the last words I would have guessed coming out of her mouth. I almost cried! That is the last time I say guess who!

On Friday evening I tucked Nate into bed and said goodnight. As I reached down to kiss him he said
"Mommy I am going to dream about my John Deere Tractor"-- thats all he wants for Christmas.

Today we were at a birthday party for Nate's cousin Carlie. The kids were all gathered around the cake and Aunt Caren said Carlie make a wish. Nate says " I am going to wish I could visit my daddy on the ship" OH I wish I could make his dreams and wishes come true! Santa will not let us down and we know daddy will be here soon! We MISS YOU DADDY!