Hot Car

Yesterday, when we stopped by Wal-Mart, we spotted this car in the parking lot.  Of course we had to park next to it, so Tristan could check it out.

London Plane

They had a gift shop at Bays Mountain, and I told Tristan he could pick something out.  He wanted this space shuttle.  After we got home, he sat in the floor and made up a song about it. It went like this...

London plane is falling down,

falling down, falling down.

London plane is falling down,

my fair lady.

London plane is burning up,

burning up, burning up.

London plane is burning up,

my fair lady.

Where does he get these ideas???

Bays Mountain State Park

Yesterday morning, we went to Bays Mountain State Park.  It was a beautiful day for it.  We walked on the trails, and visited the outdoor animal exhibits.  We got to hear the wolves howl, and see a doe feeding her 2 fawns.  Tristan was especially fascinated by the locusts!

FYI - Matt's Mailing Address

Stephen M. Perciful

D. Co. 1-151 Cav

APO AE 09331

Greetings from Iraq

Hello all from dusty, sandy Iraq.  I am posted in Tallil, but currently, I am in Baghdad sanded in on a convoy.  So far it isn't bad at all.  I am now a platoon leader in the cavalry.  I have been in country for about a week and have spent most of that week at Camp Victory on the northern side of Baghdad International Airport.  I went out on convoy with one of my 2 convoys and we have been stuck here.  This isn't a bad place to be stuck in.  The PX and dining facilities are better here than Tallil, which isn't bad.

We were in Kuwait for over a week, and it was hot, hotter than here.  I saw my first camels and bedoins there.  They can have it all...

I was one of the rare few that got their original posts.  My company commander and first sergeant are great people.  They are as advertised.  I am really pleased with my platoon.  My platoon sergeant is also a first rate guy with a varied wealth of experience to draw from.  I have some really wonderful people around me and I'm as pleased as I can be being as far away as I am from home and the people I love.  So far, so good.  Keep up the prayers for all of us, and our families.  Thank you all, and I love you.

Matt 

Pictures for Matt

Here are a few photos for you.  (I've been playing with the iPhoto application on Jennifer's iMac.) Hope you like them!

Zzzzzzzzzzz

Yesterday, after the haircut at Wal-Mart, we went to the library for a while.  This was the scene in the back seat on the way home from the library.  Too bad it didn't last!

Haircut

For about a week, I'd been telling Tristan that he needed a haircut.  The other day, I suggested to him that we both go get haircuts.  He said how about if we just both stayed at home and had crazy hair. Well, I went ahead & got my haircut, but was still trying to talk him into his.  The thing is that he's sort of afraid of haircuts.  He d0esn't like the clippers, or the noise they make.

Enter bribery.  (Yes, I'm a bad mommy!)  I finally told him that we would get his hair cut at the salon in Wal-Mart, and that as soon as we were done, I would buy him a new, BIG car.  That did the trick.  He even told me exactly what kind of car he wanted.

When we got to the salon yesterday, he told the woman at the desk that he wanted to get a haircut, and then he was going to get a big new car, with flames on it.  During his haircut, I kept telling him that I was so proud of him.  He told me that he was being very brave, just like his daddy.    :)

More Dead

This morning, I was in the kitchen doing dishes, when Tristan noticed a roly poly on the floor. He kept telling it to crawl, but it wasn't moving.  I figured it was just scared, and had rolled up in a ball.  When I finished doing dishes, I leaned over to get a closer look.  Uh-oh.  It was dead. So I told Tristan, "I'm sorry, honey, but that roly poly is dead."  Tristan looked up, and said, "But, but, Mommy..."  I'm horrified at this point.  How upset is he going to be?  Is he going to ask me to make it alive again, so he can play with it?  How do you explain the finality of death to a 3-year-old? Then, Tristan finished his sentence. "Mommy... can I make it more dead with a wheel?"  Here are the pictures!

June 15th - Happy Father's Day

Matt,

From our very first date, I knew I wanted to marry you - even though you didn't agree until our second date!  :)  That has turned out to be one of the best decisions of my life.  You have been a rock for me.  You have always believed in me, even when I didn't.  You have loved me, even when I was unloveable.  You truly bring out the best in me.

I remember when I found out I was pregnant with Tristan, I cried.  I didn't believe I would be a good mother, and I was scared.  You told me to be happy, that I would be a great mom.  You believed in me, and in a part of me that I didn't yet know existed.

Fast forward several years.  I have never been happier in my life.  Having children, with you, has really made my life complete.  You know, I loved you so much before we had kids, but seeing you as a father has made me appreciate what a really wonderful man you are. You are a great leader, provider, and nurturer for our family.

So today, as we celebrate Father's Day, even though you're not here, I want you to know how much I love you.  You mean the world to me, and to our children.  Today, I want to honor you, for the amazing husband, father, and man you are.  Thank you, a million times over!

All my love,

Jana

June 14th

Yesterday morning, we decided to head for Warrior's Path State Park.  They have what is called a boundless playground.  This is a $3 million playground designed to be accessible to all children, including those with disabilities.  It was amazing!  As soon as we arrived, Tristan declared, "This is the best playground I ever saw!"  I have to agree.  We spent the entire time in just the front part of the playground.  There were several more areas that we didn't even get to visit.  (I'm sure we'll go back again, though!)  Logan was asleep when we arrived, but it wasn't long before he woke up and wanted to play, too.  I took tons of photos, because I know Matt will love seeing his boys having fun.  Enjoy!!

   

I was so proud of Tristan!  When we first got to the playground, Aunt Jennifer was helping him climb this "rock wall", to get up to the "bumpety, bump slide".  But before long, Tristan had it all figured out, and was climbing it with no help at all.

A little bit dizzy after spinning around and around!!

I decided to take Logan down the "bumpity bump slide", as Tristan called it.  Aunt Jenn was going to take our picture, but for some reason, gravity caused me to go down the slide pretty fast, so she only got the top of our heads as we landed at the bottom!  :)

Logan has a hair fetish these days.  Anytime I'm holding him on my shoulder, he's always playing with my hair.  It's sweet, except when he pulls it out!  Ouch!

After the playground, I called a beauty salon in town & made a 3:15 appointment.  I've been growing my hair out since last fall, and it had gotten pretty shapeless.  So I went in, and told Sheena (she said her dad named her that) that I was in her hands.  I told her I just wanted something that was easy to fix, with some kind of shape to it.  She gave me a "stacked" haircut.  She spent close to an hour cutting my hair, using several different techniques.  Then she spent about half an hour showing me different ways to style it.  It was luxurious.  I felt like I was on What Not To Wear.  When she finished, I was expecting Carmindy to come & give me a makeover!  I love my new haircut!