Presidential Visit!

President George W. Bush visited Fort Campbell on Tuesday, November 25, 2008. I was lucky enough to get to go!!! My friend, Merideth, and I were able to work our way right up to the front barriers and a female soldier said that they weren't allowing any 'civilians' in the area, only soldiers. Well, anyone who knows me knows that one of my soapbox issues is that without supportive families taking care of things at home, soldiers wouldn't be able to focus on their jobs. We are just as much a part of the Army as the soldiers! I turned to Merideth and said that if they came to ask us to move I would not go quietly so if she didn't want to get in trouble she might just want to walk away! We moved back to about the third row of soldiers, still in great view of the President's podium, but not so high profile. Nobody bothered us.

The President talked about the great things the Screaming Eagles have done and commented that the thing he'd miss the most as he left office was his visits with the troops. It really was very cool! I've posted pics here...the last one is Air Force 1!!!

Woo Hoo!!!!

Hooray! We finally have John home!! He arrived yesterday morning (Nov 18) at about 9:00 AM. We waited for them to get into formation and be marched into the hangar. A General spoke for about 2 minutes (honestly can't tell you one word he said!) and then we got to see John for about 20 minutes.

Funny thing, I really thought I was cool with this. I mean, I was excited but thought I was ok. As soon as he started coming up those bleachers towards me, I lost it! I started crying and just couldn't stop. The emotion of the whole thing can just be seriously overwhelming.

Anyway, after we got to see him for aminute we had to let him go again. We went to the dining facility for about 2 hours and waited for him to finish what he had to do with the company. He called at 12:15 to say he was ready and FINALLY we got him back!!!

I can imagine he is probably overwhelmed. For 14 months he hasn't heard little kids talking and then one day he comes home and they all want to tell him everything that's happened while he's been gone. Plus, he had a fever yesterday and has the flu or some other bug. He fell asleep at 7 or so and then woke up at midnight. We stayed up talking until 1:30 and then went back to sleep. I had to be up early to take Keegan to Vanderbilt for an endoscopy but John was up before me!

There will be some adjustment period as everyone falls back into their roles, but we are sooooo happy to have him back with us again!!!

Thanks to everyone for their love and prayers and well wishes while he's been away!

John!!!!!

FINALLY!!! They have actually posted a manifest for flights! Of course, this can (and if anything like the last week, will) change at any time. But, for now, I actually have something in PRINT that says he'll be here at 8:40 on Tuesday morning. This changed from yesterday when we were expecting them on Monday. I'm tired of the changes but think it will finally be over soon!



I took the Jeep to get it detailed today. Yeah, no detailing shops are open today. Must be Sunday or something?? So, I went to the $3 car wash with free vacuums. I paid for the big'un! $10!!! Went to vacuum and the angle of the nozzle makes it impossible to get into the nooks and crannies. The hose isn't long enough to reach the back. AND the ENTIRE back of the Jeep looks like I drove down a muddy gravel road going 40 MPH in 4-wheel drive yesterday...cuz I did...but still, shoulda cleaned it, right? Nope. The window is even still smeared with mud! But we got it vacuumed a bit and now when I take it tomorrow to get it detailed they won't think I am a complete pig because I got the bulk of the french fries and MCDonald's evidence out!



My friend from work, Brandy, went with me. We worked so hard yesterday that we decided we needed a treat. So we went to get pedicures after we got the Jeep partially washed. She was laughing saying that the parts that were clean were really really clean...ha ha...but the pedi's were MUCH needed after running yesterday for 14 hours. Then we went to the PX to do some shopping. Then we went to the mall to return some stuff and to Rafferty's to eat. I had a filet called the Jackson Hole filet! How cool is that! I actually said, after taking a bite, that it really tastes like Jackson Hole!



Meanwhile, you have to know that today, while it was cold, it was still about 10 degrees warmer, not windy, and very sunny. Of course it was. The day AFTER I needed nice weather...argh!



This video is from when they introduced me and the others in the office at the ceremony yesterday. I only post this because I think I don't look horrid and fat in this particular video and when that happens I have to share it. It's the only time anyone gets to see photos or videos of me!

Ribbon Cutting!

Saturday was the Ribbon Cutting and grand opening concert for the Viceroy Performing Arts Center. This is the new amphitheater that was built by Oak Grove Tourism. I spent months planning this event and trying to make sure everythin was perfect. I had plaques made for several of our supporters: Fort Campbell, the City of Oak Grove, Christian County, and the architect, Brad Martin. I had 3 opening acts play who were all really fantastic. And the headliner was one of my favorite, favorite artists! Aaron Tippin!!!

I left the house just before 7 AM to go get some portable heaters and pick up a van I had rented to carry around Aaron's band as needed. Then to the park by about 8:30 to start working. Meanwhile, we had all been at the park from noon until 5 on Friday setting up tents and getting things prepared. The bands started arriving at about 8:45, first Tippin's bus and then about noon the openers showed up to do sound checks. We had a VIP tent set up, catering brought in, food vendors and a beer tent. We also had inflatables (like a moon walk) set up for the kids. The whole project cost my budget just over $40K. It was fantastic. Well organized and executed. The problem was, the weather decided that after being in the 60's and even 70's for the past weeks, it was going to drop to the mid-40's, rain all day, and have 25-30 mph winds blowing. It was a miserable day!!

As you can imagine, the stage is newly constructed so we have new baby grass growing in lots of places, some places have straw covering the ground and some places just have dirt. Well, yesterday it was like a 4-wheeler's dream. I had mud up to the middle of my shins just from running around yesterday. I went from one side of the park to the other in a constant sprint. The only down time we took was when Aaron was on stage. Then, we stood on the stairs next to the stage and watched a few of his songs. We didn't get to stay long, the guys showed up to take down the VIP tent and we had to get the rope lighting and hors d'oeurves out that we had set up.

I have learned that there are things I cannot control. The weather is obviously one of them. I can do a lot of things. I can plan an event so that it is executed perfectly, I can make sure all the right people are invited, I can squeeze and maneuver my budget so everything works, and I can bust my butt to make sure it all goes smoothly (or bumps get addressed quickly) on the day of the event. However, 40-degree weather keeps people home. No matter what their intentions, no matter how much they wanted to come or planned to come, when it's freezing outside they stay home. We had expected about 45 in our VIP tent. We might have had 20. We had phone call after phone call about the concert, from Louisville even! We expected 2-3,000 to show. It was, after all, FREE to the public and was a welcome home concert to the soldiers as they are returning home from lengthy deployments. We had 100 people there...maybe 200 for Aaron's show, but that's a stretch. For the openers there might have been 20. It was awful. I felt so bad. But, again, I can't make people come and I can't change the weather.

Next summer...get ready for some great shows and WARM weather!

The video here is me singing the National Anthem during the Ribbon Cutting Ceremony. COL Swope, Garrison Commander, Fort Campbell, actually gave me a coin for it! Enjoy!

Lazy days and Tuesdays always get me down...

Oh, wait, that's not what I meant to say! It's rainy days and Mondays, right? Well, today is Tuesday, it's raining, and I have been COMPLETELY lazy. I woke up 3 hours ago and only got out of bed to let the dogs out. Pathetic. My darling is coming home to me soon and I have to get up and get the house in shape. I wish I could drag my arse out of bed!!

Funny thing, I work better under pressure. If I wait until the last minute then I will panic and get my house the cleanest it's ever been. The problem is, I have this big concert that I have been planning coming up on Saturday. I will be working from 7 AM until probably 10 PM. And...I think John may be coming in on Sunday. Nothing official yet, but according to the new timelines I think that's a distinct possibility. So...figure this...I have to work Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday. I have the big event (Aaron Tippin!!!!!) on Saturday. All day is an understatement. And then John home Sunday. If I do not clean today, when will I be able to? All that working under pressure needs to start today because this is my LAST DAY!!

Freaking out.

Meanwhile I got a fabulous new purse after much lengthy searching. That may not be a big deal to many but I am uber picky...I got one from HSN and sent it back immediately. I peruse them at the malls and the discount stores. I hunt on eBay. This process has been going on for about 2 months now while I have looked for a new one. The one I got is from HSN and is a pebbled leather hobo. I had to watch the video because I have to make sure there aren't any dividers inside (hate that!) and that it opens wide enough. I hate trying to shove stuff into a purse that you can't pry open. I realize these are odd things, but it's how my mind works. Scary, huh?

OK...gotta go find my excedrin and take my zillion pills I have to take. Can you tell I haven't taken my ADD meds today? HAHAHAHA!!

Halloween and Spirit Week

I was a bit delayed because I lost the cord to my new camera about a week after I got it. It's around somewhere but meanwhile Kodak made another $30 off me...

Cecilia had spirit week and the final day they had a read in. They were allowed to dress up as a character from a book. It was the week before Halloween and they weren't allowed to just dress in random costumes...that's all out of the question these days. No more school parties. They are allowed 3 per year. So this is a way of having a party but making it educational sort of.

With Cili's red hair I couldn't help but suggest Pippi Longstocking. She was all for it. Love these pictures of her!!! She's here with her friend Morgan who was Ashley Tisdale. Next, Halloween. Cecilia was Scarlett O'Hara (gee, her mother's influence? never!) and Samantha was a "punk" girl.Cili's friend Morgan was Belle from Beauty and the Beast. It was funny, Cili said, "She's Belle and I'm a Southern Belle!"

Sammi is 12 and some of her friends were dressed in the most seductive trash I have ever seen. I told her that I was happy she didn't ask because I'd have to be dead for her to wear some of that stuff. Check out the pic with her and her friend and you'll see. This friend won't be 12 until next summer...yeah, seriously, 11 years old...what mom would??? It was Sammi's last year trick or treating. We had fun. Cass passed out candy to the kids in his Naruto costume and then put on the Michael Myers costume my neighbor had and made me about pee my pants when he walked out from behind a truck. I was at my friend's house and we watched him all night just standing still and scaring the crap out of people. At one point we heard a herd of kids running and screaming. There were about 12 kids running from the park and here came Cass in the costume just walking through the park. He was slow and he never said a word but it sure had the effect!!! He was truly in his element...kind of scary...