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.

Timing is everything.

It's not what happens that matters, it's when it happens that makes the situation.

Like giving birth, once your pregnant you know birth is going to happen, that's not what you are anxious about most... your anxious about when it happens.

Like death, it's going to happen no doubt, but when.

Like dating that special girl and you get so nervous with your ring in the pocket because you want the timing to be perfect.

That moment that you shift from 1st to 2nd gear in the big race. If you miss it, you miss that lead position.

Did you know there is a theory that the order in which you were born into your family has a big impact on who you are today?

Timing is everything.

I've been battling in a war within myself for a few years now. It seems timing has been a soldier on both sides.

I've decided to use timing against myself in little ways to start a battle that I have been procrastinating.

I feel like I will win the war in great proportions if timing is on my side.

The word I've been ignoring? SCHEDULE.

I have my kids on a pretty set schedule, it's flexible enough for spontaneity but structured enough for well balanced kiddos.

I, however, have not had myself on a schedule in years. Since before Aidan even.

I believe it is the key to my renewing.

So here it is. Like it or not (and I don't) my new schedule.

420am- Get up with husband. His day starts then, mine needs to too.

445am- see him off to work

446am- DO NOT GET BACK IN BED. Rather eat some breakfast, take my vitamins and do something other then relaxing. Do something that takes effort.

I'm thinking I can use this time to put away the dishes from the wash the night before. Start a new load of laundry, fold whats done. Organize the pictures off my iphone into their respective picture folder on my laptop...

I may even decide to use this time to do my low impact step aerobics.

As long as it's mind stimulating I need to do it. I need to be ready and alert for the day by the time the kids get up between 730-8am.

Once they are up it's breakfast time, followed by showers and getting dressed.

At this point I have no idea what we'll do. Aidan no longer goes to school due to intense car problems so it's time to get creative. No movies and no long periods of free play. (free play ends up in a great mess and bored cranky kids)

1200 noon- Lunch time and then nap time for 2 hours afterwards.

Insert more creativity until Josh gets home around 5:30pm in which I already have supper cooking. After supper it's playtime/rough house/sillyness until bedtime at 7pm.

After they are in bed depending on the night will be determined whether I will go to the gym for a cycling class or if Josh and I will spend the evening doing some of the things we love.

My goal is to be sleeping by 9pm.

Since I am in the 1st trimester of pregnancy I am hoping my long war with insomnia will have a peace treaty going at least for a few weeks.

I'm going to do my best. I need to. I need to feel comfortable in my own body and in my own head again. For myself and for our little (ever growing) family.

Because timing is everything.

Pretties half existed

small sweet flowers on top of candy colored ribbon clipped in her soft hair.

Pretties. Or at least that's what they are in our home.

hair clips nontheless.

Teagan has been very fortunate to recieve many handmade ones by a very close friend and her Aunt. However as time goes by and they get chewed on, mangled, misplaced, food on them ect I feel the want to make her some more rather then asking those sweet ladies for more.

So I did it... well yeah about that.

When we were at Dongdaemun (textile mexaplex) I got some of these kind of clips and some of those kind of clips. These and those flowers, a plethora of ribbon and some gems. Then the next weekend I got a glue gun and some glue.

That was 2 weeks ago.

It's all still in the bag.

The good news is...

I was going to blog about how it was yet another project gone on the shelf BUT as I was writing I decided to google such pretties. And now 4-6 "how to instructions" later I have motivation back! Whoot! haha. I'll post a few pictures when I've made some.

On other note.

I drank 3 water bottles...

This week. (no lie... I am THAT bad at liquid intake)

But I have only had one "treat" a day, which is a single serving of icecream after the kids go to bed. (oh I lied, I also had 2 starbursts today)

AND I have been eating MUCH better during the day. Real oatmeal and raisins for breakfast, homemade turkey wraps with a side of raw almonds and dried apricots for lunch and a reasonable dinner.

I however have not touched the cupboard or made a kids drawer....

(I guess the question is "What HAVE I done this week?")

::shakes head::

Intimidated and overwhelmed

Have heathy eating habits in 21 days!

Ditch the Drive thru!

Smart ways to SLIM down!

Eat what you love & lose those unwanted pounds!

Clean eating action plan!

Eat Well LOSE weight!

slimmed down slow cooker!

Then I saw it. DIET.

No. Huh uh. Not going there.

IMO (in my opinion) Dieting is crap. Stupid. Useless.

We have decided, well trying to decide, how to eat healthier this year. I do not want to diet, nor do I feel like that's my answer. I want to eat my way into a healthier lifestyle not eat a new fad.

To quote a dear friend, "I'm not an emotional eater, I'm just an eater". That couldn't be any more true if she was describing me. Everyday I stare at 30lbs I never intended to have. 30lbs that could have been easily avoided if I hadn't eaten them to begin with. Some say "but you just had a baby! It's no big deal!" only for my answer of "my prior 2 babies I ate better, healthier and the lbs never lingered".... nontheless, they are there AND no matter what is said to me about them. I want them gone.

So in order to start this new way of living I grabbed 3 or 4 "Better eating" food/health magazines, to get some pointers of where to start and some low calorie recipes to help ease us into. I read everyone from front to back only to be in what seemed to be a better eating coma not knowing where to start, where to go, what to buy.

Every recipe (ok so not EVERY one) was at least 14 ingredients with spices I've never heard of and entree's with funny names.

I have a hundred different things to think about when looking at the nutrition label.

Did you know that there is a LONG grocery list of "health food staples" that should always be in your cabinet?

Oh and the food guide pyramid is now a plate showing portion size?

I feel like I'm drowning in a pool that I have yet put my toes in.

But I need to brave the water and just get in. Even if it takes a few mins to fully submerge.

This week my goals are:

• Clean out all the "snacks"
• Make a Only for the Kids area where the cookies and treats will be stored. They still can have them, in moderation of course.
• Reorganize my cupboards
• Choose 3 new reasonable recipes to try.
• MOST important, WATER WATER WATER! Like I said I'm an eater... I don't do liquids of any kind very well. So I'm setting a timer, every time it goes off I need to drink a whole bottle of water.

This list ^^^ isn't so intimidating. These goals are reasonable

I've gotta start somewhere.