Wrapping up 2011

Looking back over the past year, it is hard to believe all the changes.  The two, even three New Year's Eves prior to this one were filled with such uncertainty.  Would Matt be accepted to ASCP (we took a huge gamble on Matt's getting in by filing for an Early Return of Dependents so the girls and I could be with family and I could start pursuing nursing during his Afghanistan deployment)?  And the past two: How would we handle civilian life for two years while Matt completed ROTC and hopefully did not injure himself during Asian basketball tournaments?  Not to mention other concerns regarding civilian healthcare, childcare and school choices for the girls, and my acceptance into--and then juggling of--nursing school on top of everything else.  And now those challenges are behind us.  :o)  The uncertainty that this year brings pales extremely in comparison: I, of course am continually wondering if/when I will have approval to test for my LPN license.  Matt and I enjoy browsing planes and potential bases he can request later in the year--we are feeling hugely optimistic after his 89er ride prior to the break.  I go back and forth a lot about the girls' school for next year too (Montessori with me working, or the public school on base with the ability to spend more time with them and be more involved with their classes by not working as much).  But these are all great and exciting--and largely non-stressful options, and we are so excited about all of them.  :o)

Our break has been wonderful.  A LOT of family time.  Prior to and immediately after Christmas, I was working a lot between my base job and holiday hours at the clinic, but after that, until Matt returns to work on Tuesday, I have had a lot of time off.  I was able to move my base hours up so that I was off every morning by about 11:15 and we have spent a lot of time enjoying the sunny (!) weather, playing with the girls' new Christmas toys, and even venturing out to our cute little mall one afternoon for a Chinese buffet lunch.  And barany chair spinning...lots of it!  I have also been working to reintroduce regular exercise into my schedule.  Both Matt and I gained a bit of stress and busy wait during our move here and adjustment to the pilot training lifestyle and I am looking forward to getting it back off with some friends during the base's Biggest Loser challenge that starts January 9th!  Plus...still hoping to get in good enough shape to knock the OKC Marathon off my bucket list, come May.  For New Years' Eve, we are heading to OKC for the day, for lunch with one of my good friends from nursing school and her new fiance, to get Matt's guitar repaired, and to pick up some fresh seafood for a yummy New Year's dinner.

Here are some pix and videos from our year-end adventures.

Christmas morning:

A holiday greeting to friends and family afar:


Evidence of Santa's visit (cookie crumbs, milk residue, carrot scraps, and a note!):

Lunch at Chen Garden:

Followed by a ride on the mall train:

Enjoying the unusually warm OK Christmas weather:

The girls out for a skate:

Cooking a New Orleans style breakfast courtesy of my oldest's new Princess and the Frog cookbook (egg in a nest and minty iced tea)...we went for a whole Tiana-themed day and made Jambalaya for dinner, too:

Of course, she had to change into her Tiana dress for the occasion!

Experimenting with their new science kit:

Making cake pops in my new pop pan!

For some reason, as much as we move, it is still hard for me to believe that we will be, in all likelihood, ringing in our next New Year somewhere else.  Even though we've moved houses each year we've been Oklahomans, 3.5 years will still be the longest we have lived in any one area since Matt and I met in 2002!  *very hard to believe* And even if Matt goes FAIP, we'll still be moving houses at the very least, although part of me wonders about committing to another 3 years here (length of the FAIP tour)...starting to get a bit stir-crazy, I think, lol.  But that could just be the holidays. 

I can't shake the feeling that we are going east coast or overseas next round, though.  I really enjoy being either somewhere totally new or somewhere near family (on that note, neither of us have ever been stationed near family).  Both overseas and the east coast are good options, although leaning slightly toward the former as far as hunches go.  :o)  And, as always, we will take and be happy with pretty much wherever & whatever we get.