Six Awesome Years

Six Years ago today was our big day! I still can't believe it's been that long. And for those of you that know us well, it's really been a lot longer than that. We first met in 1993 I think, in basic training at the Air Force Academy. I had the most awful awful hair at the time- a spiral perm of long locks that some Academy barber butchered into a fuzzy bowl cut. Regardless, when I first saw Brian I had eyes for him like no other.

It took a lot of years, moves, assignments, aircraft and deployments later for us to get it right and realize that as a couple we have the Right Stuff. Here is a picture from the day Brian proposed, back at our first house in North Carolina with our then puppy, Euchre:




Now, 6 years later, we've just moved once again and have a crazy fuzzy headed 3 year old, a one-year old (tomorrow!) and another little one on the way.

My mom gave me something once which was titled the 'Secrets to Happiness'. The first secret was "Marry the Right Person. This is the one single event that controls your life and Happiness".

I am so happy that I know, and I really know, that I married the right person. I go to bed at night and the first thing I do is thank God for my husband. And I don't even think about it, it just pops into my head. And that's how you know you've married the right person folks!

Xmas Eve!!!

It's a little rough getting everything going for Christmas this year. With all the boxes to go through, it was nearly the last one that we finally found our stockings. Which can't really go on our mantel at this new house! Regardless, we got a tree up, got the ornaments we could find on it, and just enjoyed the Charlie Brown aspect of imperfection since we have a nearly 1 year old trying to grab and eat them!


Here are Brian and Keegan working together. Note: nasty beard=gone



Maggie dressed up in her shades to decorate the tree:


Even the little guy doing everything he can to help out:


And, making Xmas cookies on Xmas Eve for Santa tonight! A year ago I was very ripe and one day from my due date. !

The last month....

or two have been kind of chaos. We've lived in like 4 different places and traveled across state and country lines. But now we're settled. We think! This past month we got to spend Thanksgiving with our new nephew Brennan along with a handful of family. Then we hit the road for our official Colorado move.

Maggie is really missing Papa and Nana. Here she is talking with Papa on the phone while we were in Park City:



Brian had 70 days of use or lose leave. Through that time I swear his age varied by 10 years if he opted for the clean shave, the old grey man beard, or the ugly giant mustache. Here he is with Nana showing off the winning Mulloy family beard. It wasn't tough competition to beat Papa and Mike and their adolescent scruff:


Lastly our 2 monkeys helping unpack. Maggie's scar is starting to heal but always draws questions from teachers and neighbors. She loves explaining that she hit her head and got 'Titches' from the doctor.
Oh, and as for the Blog background picture, Brian tried to wear an Ugly Xmas sweater to our squadron party. However, most people thought it was for real. No, it's a joke from Goodwill. His taste isn't that bad (Nikki!!!)!

We made it!

Blog has been ignored as boxes have been unpacked! Just found the camera cord and will post about the last month or so of chaos and fun! Happily settled!

The Winner of Mustache 'Mo-vember' is....

MAGGIE!!!!




Luckily we got a healthy amount of snow to entertain the kids the last few days in Truckee. Maggie also got a 50 cent mustache at Safeway to make her fit in with fuzzy faced Dad while he's still on his Terminal leave. Those two previous pictures make me laugh out loud anytime I see them! When Brian shaved his mustache before we went to Mexico Maggie cried! I know I didn't cry!

Here are some snow shots. Maggie enjoyed it a lot more than Keegan did!

Life in the Cold Mountains

As part of our transition from California to Colorado, we decided to try a few weeks up in the mountains. Yesterday we got a pretty decent dumping of snow!



Maggie vacuuming with her cool french braid


The cleaning lady and our poor son that wears a lot of pink just because sometimes it's all I can find!




Our friends the Walsh Family opted to drive into their first California snow storm last night. After being on the road way too long they stopped in half way to their destination for diaper changes and a quick meal.

911- we had an emergency.

So leaving our kids was tough. And it took a village, from friends, sisters, godfathers, nanas and papas to great aunts to make our trip happen. But when you've got a village, someone got to be the Village Chief, and my little, pregnant with no kids sister, Lisa stepped up to this role. That meant no breaks for her, for 7 days of 2 little kids. It also meant she had to be the one to break the news to us upon landing that Maggie was in the hospital getting stitches! She was a super trooper and (from what I hear) everyone at the hospital loved her.

Lisa and Mags pre-stitches



Maggie getting 5 star treatment at the Truckee Tahoe Hospital



5 days later and the possibility of a modeling career still alive...


Our little ham: she'd walk up to anyone at the hospital and say "I HURT MY FOOOOOORE HEAD!"

So we went on this Honeymoon...

and except for a fading tan and some leftover pesos, I don't have much to show for it! I just downloaded my pictures and apparently I didn't bring my camera along to much that we did. Maybe that's because we spent the majority of the time honestly just relaxing, not talking about naps, not trying to get kids to eat their veggies, and not exhausted at the end of the day!

So here is one shot of us out on our balcony... I'm relying on Nikki for some other shots hopefully!



And here's the gang on night one. First round of Modelo Lights, prior to even a mention of Mexican Train, Edgar, and pepper grinders. Honestly it was the best trip ever and it couldn't have gone more perfectly. Thanks to the Z's!

Cuatro Cervezas, por favor!

We are on day six of our delayed honeymoon/vacation in Mexico! SO MUCH FUN and so weird to have all this time to talk to each OTHER and not worry about naps, kids meals, etc!


Here we are with the Zemans at sunset- way too much fun!



The two guys who just KEEP making me laugh this whole trip:



My life partner! Congrats on almost 6 years of marriage!


Major shout out to Lisa, Tom, Grandma K, Nancy, Dennis, Catherine and everyone who helped make this happen! We love you guys and although we miss our kids this experience is priceless!

Moving on

Let's see, I went on my first date with my future hubby maybe 13 years ago? In this very truck. Which has now left us and gone on to somebody's high school kid. It was a perfect truck for many years, but we couldn't put any kids in it and it became my vehicle to commute 2 hours in 100 degree temperature so it was time to say goodbye!




Next round of goodbyes is for our awesome house in which we've become a family in during the past four years! Bye Bye Lake Wildwood and all our good friends here in Grass Valley! The packers/movers are here and we're realizing how different it is to move with KIDS, and how much crap we've accumulated in the past 4 years!



Next up, our cute little Doggie, who loves wearing her costume!



And, a HAPPY HAPPY birthday to Maggie's Godmother, Aunt Molly! Celebrate well in Hong Kong and we can't wait to see you this winter!


Next post will be from a new location!

Final 'Fini Flight' in the 38!

Monday Brian had his last flight in the '38 and on Active Duty. Kind of unreal for us, but we're really excited for what adventure is next. Here he is taxing back:





Showing Mags the cockpit:




Trying to entertain both kids while on a major taxiway! :


And another failed shot of everyone looking at the camera and smiling!



Next up is Colorado Springs, where hopefully we will be for a long long while. Cheers to over 1000 hours of doing loop de loops over Tahoe!

How many married couples can taxi a B1 together?

Honest. This was legal.

But still pretty cool.

Back then, dating for however many years, but not yet engaged, we didn't have a plan at all. Now, we picked a path, and with our family of 4, Colorado, here we come!

High Flight

So tomorrow is a big day for us. Brian has his last Active Duty flight. M, K and I will drive down, squirt him with champagne, and celebrate the many years, with many, many flights with some In and Out burger on the way home. Brian flew up super dooper high in a space suit last week with his bud Bam Bam. Here are a few shots from that cool flight.


Is that the moon in the background? Or Saturn? how high are you??

NINER

Keegan is 9 months old. Which means we only have 3 months until Xmas! This kid, man we just love him so much and he's such a cool little guy. He loves to stand up, and turn around and smile. He still only has 2 teeth, but we swear weekly that more are coming in. The only thing he says is "DAH DAH DAH" and no real affiliation to Daddy. He will wave bye bye, but again, we think it's just luck that he does it when we say Bye Bye. (Interruption- Brian just walked in and said "What's on your face?" to which I looked in the mirror and saw Destin on my my cheek and forehead. The job of Mom just never ends)

Keegan is a carb baby, happy with Cheerios, crackers, and any sort of 'snacks'. Yogurt is also a hit! Still on the bottle, not a fan of the sippy, although the straw version we can get a hit or two. He crawls up on all fours, and sometimes stands alone for like 5 seconds. He is really so easy, we just sit and smile at how great the little guy is. Again, his grin is so wide, and he laughs like an old man. His hair is sparse, but what's there is super blonde like his big sis. He loves it when his Nana watches him and likes to listen Papa play guitar. Knock on wood but he's been super healthy with no ear infections. Boo Boo bear, we are so happy that you turned us into a family of Four. We love you!

Another Bday party

Maggie had a semi- 'real' bday party at this huge old gym nearby, 21 kids and then their associated parents showed up:




1/2 the kids just liked making Bri sprint around and they chased him!



Even the Mulloy side made it out for the event. Mike flew up for both this and his 20 year reunion and one of the parties gave him a hang over, guess which one?!




Sweet Mags had to wait until AFTER her nap to open all these! Then WE had to write the thank yous! Next party, year four! (fyi, those are not my toes...)

A pic of Mom for once

So for once Brian had the camera so there is proof I do really exist. Mom and two kiddos, Mom, Mags and crazy Elmo cake, and then just a mom and Mags shot all posted below. Enjoy!

SHE'S THREE!

We officially have a three year old in the house! And she knows it! Magpie is full of questions, still takes good naps, prefers fruit to any other food, loves playing and smushing her little brother, sleeps in a big girl bed, loves going on walks with her Nana, and wrestling with dad, and likes unloading the dishwasher with Mom. Her favorite color is pink (uggg) favorite THING is Dora, and her favorite buddy is of course Sadie. She'll be the oldest cousin on dad's side, and will soon be getting two new cousins from Kiki and Lisa (who, by the way she can't really tell apart, and the fact that they are both pregnant with curly brown hair and freckles makes it even harder for a 3 year old). She's our favorite little monkey and we had such a great Labor Day birthday with her!

Mags started off the day with a new apron!


Next was cooking whole wheat blueberry pancakes with Uncle Billy, Mike, Dad, and Kiki


Opening gifts from Mike and Jen before they headed back to San Diego for Jen's new school year and Mike's cancelled Fed Ex trip!


Showing off her new puma track suit from Lisa and Tom. She said "It has kitty cats on the back!!!"


Heading down to the village for some birthday bouncing and ice cream with the gang: (check out Kiki's 30 week belly!)


Bouncing on the super tramp contraption for a whole 5 minutes! (worth every dime to see her catch on!)


Special day = her OWN bottle of Gatoraid and a matching orange mustachio


Blowing out the candle. Her shirt says Life Is Good and aint that the truth! Thanks Nana and Pops for hosting us! More pics to follow!