Aidan turns 4 years old

So excited for my little man today. He is officially 4 years old. We acted as if his birthday yesterday so that Josh could be in on the whole day's festivities. It was a great day for everyone.

 His door way got "creped"

 He had lots of fun getting out

 Little man ready to open presents

(lol, some didn't get wrapped, he didn't mind)

 MONSTER TRUCK SHIRT!!!

 Oreos from Papa

 A real toolbox with real tools 

 Papa was a creative genius with his gifts this year. Handmade letters with different sized holes to fit specific bolts. Came with a coordinating board to learn how to spell his name. 

 Excited to see his cousin Mae on his wrapping paper

 Autoblox!

 Personal wrapping paper is so fun 

 4 years 4 candles... 5 cupcakes

 "Happy birthday, Dear Aidan..."

I hope he made a good wish! 

The day was filled with his every request including cereal for breakfast, time at the park and Mac&Chz with hotdogs for dinner. 

It's hard to believe that he's 4 years old already, but when I actually think about it, it's not that surprising as I am pregnant with his 3rd younger sibling :-)

When we went to the park he patiently and generously let me take some 4 year shots of him. He was super cute in the process. These are my favorite.

 (remember if you are on a computer you can click on the picture to enlarge it)

HAPPY 4 YEARS TO MY SWEET & ORNERY LITTLE MAN! 

Erdbeeren!

Strawberry pickin'

I don't know if it's just because we are in the country or if it's a popular thing in Germany but there are strawberry patches EVERYWHERE! I've been eyeing them since the signs went up on the country roads and finally we got to go.
The Tabblet's and I went with our troop's mama meet up group. We are trying to get out and meet new friends for both myself and the little ones. Looks like I get to be a part of a great group of ladies.

On to the Erdbeeren. I was thankful they had boxes to use at the farm as we are still lacking HHG's and I didn't have any cute baskets for the kids to carry. Aidan and Teagan were so very excited to be picking their own strawberries. After a quick lesson on "good strawberrry vs bad strawberry" they were off!
I think Teagan (who takes after her mother and has an obsession with eating strawberries) taste tested a few along the way.
Killian enjoyed the view along the way from my back as this baby belly is big enough to prohibit him to be on my front.

In the end we ended up with about 50 strawberries all for about $6 after conversion, that's including the boxes. Not bad I say. We ended up having a strawberry tail gate party as we were talking with everyone before heading out. I had a few myself and I must say between Korea's AMAZINGLY sweet strawberries and Germany's freshly picked sweet soft strawberries... I'm never going to like american strawberries again.

It was TONS of fun and I can't wait to take Josh out with us next time.
Here are a few of my favorite shots.

 Aidan and (SUPER EXCITED) Teagan ready to go picking

 Looking for a good one

 Aidan found some!

 Teagan searching for some, she saw some green ones and said "no big red ones" 

 YAY! Strawberries!

 Cheese! 

 Maybe it's because I'm sentimental or maybe just because I'm pregnant and hormonal but I love this picture. I have my mother's hands and all I see in this picture is her hand helping ME (Teagan has my hands) pick a strawberry. I'm getting this one printed for sure. 

 Aidan "eyeing" his freshly picked strawberry saying "hmmm... yeah it's a good one" 

 Off to find more!

 My Tabblets 3

 She would just NOT look at me....

 and then I get this.... stinker!

Aidan says "all done, let's go eat our strawberries! Yes I think so!" 

Feeling like home

Things are finally coming together here in the Tabbhold. The Tabblets 3 are meshing into a nice routine that helps our days come together. 

Josh is blooming in his new position, as we all know he would. I'm so proud of him. No one in this world makes me beam like him. 

We've completed the kids' rooms, just waiting on their hangers and some other extras that are coming in HHG's. We painted the boys' room blue and the girls' room light purple. Aidan is super excited about his bunk bed, it didn't take but a few minutes to master the top bunk ladder. Once Killian starts walking he'll join the fun and claim the bottom bunk, but until then he's using the crib we bought for Imogen. 

Teagan is very happy with her bed choice as well. She also is still in awe of her purple walls. 

Very eager for the arrival of HHG's, about another 2-3 weeks out, I'm assuming. Once they get here we are headed back to IKEA for our living room furniture! 

For those who missed the post, we finally found the car for us. A '03 Ford Expedition XLT. She's very nice and we got an incredible deal. I love driving her, named her Elektra. 

Josh is gone for about a week so we're trying to find things to occupy the time while he is gone. So we've been spending lots of time in our back yard and at the park on base. Hoping to make it to the Schwimmbad, here in Vilseck, next week. That's the city's public swimming pool. 

I'm feeling pretty good other then being super tired. I turned 22 weeks pregnant today. Can't wait to meet the newest, and last, addition to our perfect little family. 

As I was driving home I realized it was a great day to snap a few shots of our gorgeous little country town we live in. 

 The Infamous Vilseck Tower

 In most of the little towns, the streets look very similar to these two pics. I LOVE the colors. 

 Vilseck Tower

 ^^^We live on the hillside of the city. This is over looking the town ^^^

 Our house backs up to the countryside 

 Playing in our backyard

His flat grin gets me EVERYTIME. 

Settling in

Whew! What a few weeks it has been!
Filled with teething 9m olds, passing driving tests, getting our new home, brand new busted rental cars, learning German, regressing 2.5yr olds, driving on the Autobahn, looking for a permanent car, exploring IKEA (a few times) and trying to stay as upbeat as possible while living in one of the most trying times... The in-between time. The time where you have a house but none of your furnishings, you have a kitchen with none of your cookware. The time where you are back in the swing of things after a vacation but no schedule to lean on. The time to go back to work but not have everything in line for daily life to work smoothly.
It's the time when you spend money like you have an unlimited supply but worry you are running out. When you want to take a walk about the town but not only have no way to get there but if you did you wouldn't know how to get back. The time you want to visit a friend but haven't made any yet.
The InBetween time is hard but thankfully does not last.

We love our 3 story house, it has a yard, a garage and room for everyone to play. Looking forward to making it a home.
Hoping to have a car, our car new to us, in possession by the end of the week.
Seeing an OB for the first time, finally, this pregnancy this week.
Lastly UnAccompanied Baggage came today and the contents, you ask? The Tabblets' toys! Very relieved for them as they get a break from the nothing to dos, the uncertains and the not sures.
Our InBetween time is finally showing a light saying the end is coming. Carry on strong.
I leave you with my strength midst the chaos.

The ______ Journey

long. interesting. exhausting. intriguing. never ending.

It was indeed quite the trip. 2 airplanes, 1 of which was MIA to everyone including the airline for several hours, long layovers, many unexpected delays, several security checks, over 48hours of continuous travel and, thankfully, 3 happy patient kids.

Aidan was so overwhelmed with glee when our plane to Germany approached the gate in Baltimore (the one mia for 4 hours) that he broke out into song "I'm so happy, so happy. I'm so happy the airplane to Gemany is here! I'm so happy!"

Once in Germany and after a long wait of inprocessing at the airport (due to our plane being 4 hours late) we were shuttled to a German hotel called the Barbarossa Hotel. It was gorgeous. We we on the 3rd story of what should have been called a country cottage rather then hotel. Below are pictures of our room.

The tiny water closet

Living area

The "King" bed (two twins sitting close)

The kids' room.

Aidan LOVED his tall bed!

The bed was hard but we rested very comfortably with the down pillows and comforters provided. It just proved to us that bedding can make the bed. For dinner that night we ate at the hotel restaurant where Josh had his first "wiezenbeir", or wheat beer. I had a taste as wheat beer is my favorite and I fell in love. The kids enjoyed their sausage and fries.

Upon arrival in Vilseck, our final destination, we were checked in, briefed and sent to the hotel. Finally a resting place for more then a few hours. It's a nice room, enough beds for everyone and a little kitchenette for cooking some food. After a few days of in-processing Josh met with housing and we were found to be lucky to have a choice of 2 different available places. I'll get to the one we picked later this week (we move in on Wednesday!)

The Tabblets will leave you with one last picture.... They were dying for a "bath" but all we have is a shower.

Good thing little sister is still cooking.... not sure if she would have been able to join in the fun!

Obsess much?

Do you know the official definition of obsession?

Obsession:

a persistant idea or impulse that continually forces its way into consciousness, often associated with anxiety and mental illness

2. a persistent preoccupation, idea or feeling.

Truth box: my obsession. Facebook/social networking.

It is fully my obsession that causes anxiety and, yes, mental illness. It has become unhealthy for all of us in our household. No one likes a momma that continuously has her phone stuck in her hand checking the latest "up to do's", see who said what about that, what was commented on that picture, ect.

Since we moved and are starting over in many areas in our lives, individually and as a whole, this is my start over.

We have both agreed and will make a effort to eliminate social media within our day. I will focus more on the kids and the house, Josh will focus more on us when he gets home.

We had a trial of said "less social media" while we were on leave and WOW what a difference! I'm so in love with my non facebook/social media days.

I am so looking forward to just writing the occasional blog about our "up to do's" mixed with some pictures of our Germany adventures and only signing into THAT website periodically.