Ready for school to start!

Well...summer has come in the blink of an eye! Madi enjoyed gymnastics, swim lessons, and having a neighborhood full of kids to play with!

Now here we are with less than 2 weeks until school starts and it's hard to stomach that our Queenie will be a first grader! In fact I often tell her "at kindergarten" or "when you start kindergarten" when speaking to her. I think that I have not realized that she's starting 1st grade myself!

Anyhow, we're ready for her to start. She's ready with all the "gear", new school clothes, shoes, and an eager attitude! I went just went over all the 1st grade sight words with her and she only didn't know 6 out of 150!! I'm so impressed with her progress in reading and writing! She's ready, but I'm not sure if I am!

Gabi is growing like crazy! She's more than excited to see "Chicky Mouse" which is what she calls Minnie Mouse!! I also think we'll be starting a play group with her when we come back from visiting home. She runs with the big girls that Madi plays with, but I think it's important that she gets some interaction with other toddlers her age as well!

We're preparing plans, arranging flights, dog care, lawn service, house sitter, school work, hotels, and Disney plans!! I want to make sure we're making the most of this trip home and to Disney. Coming home is next to impossible from here so when we can come home we make the most out of it!! We can't wait to see you all!! take care and see you in just about a month! Until then enjoy our random pictures!!

Rough Start!!

Another week in Okinawa with the Lenz crew!!

Gabi after a long day of the beach, pool, and backyard rowdy time!!
This is my "GIFTS" the kids brought home from the park! They rode their power wheels to the park with Josh and I got "flowers" aka weeds, and a rock (from Gabi). Never have weeds and dirty rock been so beautiful!! I love it!!
Madison at swim lessons with her coach! She's doing great! I'm excited for her!
These were too funny not to share! Gabi at dinner at the club on base and this is the face we got! I love their silly girl giggles!! They're so fun at this age!!

Looks like we're off to a rough start with our blog!! Our 2 little ones are keeping things busier than usual for us!!
This week was full of volunteering, swim lessons, and play dates!

We started swim lessons which are going exceptionally well! Madison is swimming under water and is feeling a lot more comfortable swimming! She also had her first sleepover this past week and it went well! they giggled and wiggled for hours in to the night, but every one slept well and had a great time!

Josh is still on his standby, but so far things are looking extremely promising that he won't be deploying with this tasking. I'm very thankful!! and trying to expect the worst, but hope for the best. Sometimes it's hard to not expect the best, because it's simply what you want so badly.

All that happens is meant to be, so I'll have to let destiny run it's course and know that it was suppose to happen just that way!

Here's a few outtakes from the week!! We love and miss you all!!

Latest and Greatest

Josh and Traci at AmericaFest 2008 Fireworks!


Gabi's picnic at AmericaFest Fireworks



Gabi and Josh at AmericaFest Fireworks 2008



Madison and Gabi in the pool





Madison's First Lost Tooth

These pictures are from Madi's first lost tooth, everyday play, and AmericaFest. Madi lost her first tooth and couldn't be more proud! She's got some more "wigglers" which I imagine will be coming before I know it! I personally think teeth coming out has got to be one of the "yuckier" mommy jobs there is. Something associates with my mind and teeth as utterly disgusting! I keep hoping they'll either fall out while she's at school or when Josh is present!!

AmericaFest is a festival that's held on the flight line for the 4th of July. The local nationals are allowed on base to celebrate as well. I can't say that I agree with making almost the entire base population work on a holiday which in essence celebrates the freedom they insure only so that local nationals can drive on the base to get a better view of the fireworks? but, so it is. Therefore, Josh worked on the 4th, but was able to stop in for literally a few minutes during the fireworks and say hello and goodbye. Not as much as we wanted, but as a military wife, I'm thankful that he was present at all!!

I hope you all enjoy the new blog and we're able to post at least once a week to show new pictures and fill you in on the details we call life!

Bare with Me

I realized how much our family and friends back home are missing out that don't use all of the same communication sites we use. So now if you want to know what were doing this would be the place to come. We'll be blogging about the ins and outs of the our casa so that you all can be utterly entertained by the insanity that ensues to be our household!! ...more to come! It will be a minute or two before I get this off the ground, but we'll try!