Atlanta to Alabama

A couple weeks ago on our way to Alabama, the kids and I made an overnight pit stop near Atlanta to visit Lindsay, Joey and their girls. Greta and Ella spent the "night" in the same bed. After being put to bed at 8:00. they finally fell asleep at 10:00 and then Joey and Linds took Ella to bed with them at 11:00. It was cute to hear them giggling and playing on their first kind of sleep-over. :)

I had bought a pattern online in hopes of Linds to help me make this Jenny skirt with suspenders. We tried for a couple hours, cutting, taping, sewing and eventually just duct taping. Ha ha. See my suspenders? Luckily, once I got back home I was able to pass it onto Mama Ward who was willing to take on a challenge.

The next day in Atlanta, we spent time at the mall while waiting for my dad to fly in that afternoon and then my mom to fly in that evening with Angie who were all coming in town to see Bernie graduate from officer training school in Montgomery, Alabama. I'm pretty sure this was Will's first time on a carosel. He loved it, but his sea-sickness stricken, swing hating, carnival ride despising mama kept her head down the entire time. :)

These two nap-skippers played up a storm until G-Pop came in later that afternoon.

Will was so sweet with Dad and kept clinging to him.

All 4 of the kiddos, including little Miss Eden whom Greta and Will took every opportunity to push her as high as they could in that swing. Sweet baby never said a peep.

Once Angie and Mom flew in, we picked them up at the airport and continued our adventures to Alabama to meet up with Bernie. He had been gone for 2 months at Officer Training School and everyone was excited to see him.

Thursday night, there was a cocktail party for all the graduates and their families the night before graduation. My dad was the man by booking a room in the same hotel the party would take place in. That way the kids and I could "attend" the party and head on upstairs once it got to be a little less child-friendly. Did I mention all 7 of us stayed in one hotel room? Ha ha. It was booked to the max and so Bern and Ange slept in one side of the suite while my parents and I slept in the other room with Greta. Never say never. Where there's a will, the Kale's will make a way.

This was the view of the lobby of all the airmen in their blues. Greta said as we were going down in the glass elevator, "I see G-Pop!" and then you could see her scanning all of the "waldo's" in the Where's Waldo room. To a 2 year old, I bet they all looked like her G-Pop.

I kind of hate to admit this, but I thought I had a pretty good tan going. And then I stood next to Angie.

Me and the kids before we got banished to the dungeon before dinner. I fed them leftover quesadillas from earlier room service while my parents were ushering up chocolate cake and cheesecake from their fancy schmancy dinner down below. To their credit, they did order me a turkey sandwich and fruit from the cafe which Mom also brought to me while I hung out with the kids.

The next day was Bern's graduation which he was voted to be the class speaker for.

I was armed with all the ammo a mom could need: sippy cups, gummi bears, gum, grandparents, camera, anything to occupy the kids so I could hear the speech.

This is where we ended up...

This is how I saw the speech...
I'm just glad I got to hear Bernie give it to us the night before. We kept trying to figure out ways for him to slip in our names in the middle of the speech. "It's nat going to be easy..." or "Our future's so bright, we could get a sunbernie." Well, I made that last one up, but you get the idea.

The kids and I took a walk around the base. It's funny growing up seeing this stuff all the time and then you see it new again when your kids see it for the first time.

At the parade ceremony where all the soldiers march.




G-Pop telling Greta secrets.


Bern in the middle.


Bern, 3rd from right.


One proud mom.

One proud wife. (and baby too! They find out what they're having May 17th!)

Dad saluting Bernie. Why? Because he has too. :)

Lemme tell you something. Bernie cleaned house at the award ceremony. He got 3 awards. One for 100% physical fitness (only 16 people got that award), one for class speaker and one I've dubbed the MVP award. Bernie described it as, "For some reason they thought I was the guy who was the best example of who they'd like to see come out of this school." These two generals on the right came right up to Bernie and shook his hand after the ceremony. We were so proud of him.

I think Will has a new BFF.

Will got a little battle scar after a fight with the bathtub. He climbed into the slippery wet tub with his crocs on and slipped. His tooth hit the side of the tub. He only cried for a couple minutes, but I noticed this chip as I was putting him to bed that night. Hope he doesn't mind it since he's got about 5 more years of it! It doesn't seem to bad, but if the doctor recommends we might have to get it filed down.

Angie's cute baby bump. They're due in October!

"Deeeeee!" (cheeeese!)

Swimming at the hotel with Kiki.

It's one thing to slosh through the hotel lobby in your wet bathing suit and towel. We all do it. However, my mom cracked me up by looking all business up top and party on the bottom. With her button up shirt and purse slung around her shoulder, she looks like she's living out someones worst nightmare where they're in a business meeting with no pants on.

And while we're on the topic, here's another crazy mom story. We stopped at a truck stop with a Wendy's on our way back to the ATL airport. My mom gave Greta a Ken doll head out of nowhere. After asking where she got that, she replied, "On the ground. It's a good distraction for the kids!" She actually stopped in the pouring rain, at a truck stop to pick up a body-less head for my kids. I had to take a picture because this was just too classic. I can't say that it worked as a distraction since I threw it in the trash as soon as I could, but I have to say that it was soooo fun to hang out with everyone for those few days. What a whirlwind and perfect opportunity for the kids to hang out with their grandparents one-on-one.