Birthday Boy's!

Ryan and I made a quick trip to Virginia to take care of a few things and it just so happened that is was 2 of his cousin's boy's birthday's while we were there. Of course we HAD to go out to dinner for Zachary's. He is now 13 and thinks he is grown. Then for Tyler's, we had cake and ice cream at his house. Since he is 5 he got tons more toys than the teenager, but Zachary understands. Tyler LOVES cars, racing, and transformer's. He is the cutest little man EVER! If he said it once, he said it 100 times..."you know your my girlfriend, right?" It was just too cute! I must admit, his PSP was ALOT of fun and for sure something you could really get addicted to. He loved his transformer game Ryan and I got him, so guess that makes us the favorite's for the day! I think I can say I really liked it too! Of course, I have no pictures of either boys. I am HORRIBLE, especially when everyone else had their camera's out, I just thought I would get pictures from all them. Well guess that never happened either. I do have a few pictures from Zach's dinner and it was very nice.

Kampai Japanese Steak House

The fire was huge and HOT!

The flaming volcano!

The huge pile of food for all of us!

One of our many self-photos!

Our Home Away From Home...

On July 17th, Ryan and I loaded up and headed down to Edelweiss for a little weekend away from home. We love going down to the tip of Germany and having to drive through Austria to get there. The view really makes the trip that much better! No matter what time of year it is, the mountains are always BEAUTIFUL and the weather is for the most part very comfortable. This trip it rained pretty much all day Saturday, but that just meant we had to stay in and spend some quality time together. We had some friends that made the trip too, so we had a great time hanging out in the evenings with them, and then just us being together during the day.

Home Away From Home

Middle of July and still snow on the mountains!

Hanging out inside on this rainy day!

Later that night hanging with friends!

He loves to play pool!(Nick, Ryan, Tom, and Bradley)

The guys!

Giving my boy some lovin'!The car is loaded and we are headed home! =(

Loving our quality time,

YAY! I think I have it!

Thank you Courtney for the website! Thank you Ashley for walking me through it! My sister Angie swears up and down I don't need a computer. I don't know much about them, but I know how to pay bills, talk to friends, and search for anything that needs me to buy it...=) Chelsea, I can't pay someone to do this for me, but your name sure is cute too! Thank you all for all your help and patience with me while I learn all about this blogging bit!

Loving my new signature,

Due March 10th!

We went to the doctor on August 3rd to actually see our new little one. It was the most amazing thing I have ever seen. My doctor visit went great after a little(HUGE) scare. I go into the doctor's office, which is on the German economy-they are SUPER nice, and had to do lots of paperwork and then of course the urine sample. When I entered the lab, she had to take blood, do height and weight, then figure it all out from cm to inches and kilograms to pounds. While she was doing all this, she had dipped a little strip of paper into my urine sample. As I was standing there I glanced over to see what the little strip was saying. Of course, I had no clue, so what do I do...I ask, "just what does this say?" She looked over and looked up at me to tell me very calmly, "you have blood in your urine." I immediately broke out in tears and the worst thoughts ever began to rush through my mind. As I stood there collecting my thoughts and really wanted to just get on my knees and pray pray pray, I asked to be excused to the bathroom. Cullen, my step-son, was there with Ryan and I so I knew I couldn't go to the waiting room all upset without freaking him out. He is the sweetest and most concerned kid you will ever meet. After I got myself together, I headed out to sit and wait. Ryan of course knew something was up but I tried to play it off like everything was fine. About 5 minutes pass and the doctor called me back. I knew I had to have an exam before the actual sonogram, so the boys waited in the waiting room. Our doctor, Dr. Sparn is the BEST. He is so nice and very informative. If you ask Ryan, he says he talks too much, but Ryan is not much of a talker at times. So...exam is complete and it is time for the ultrasound. I am beginning to get really nervous, but praying and praying. Ryan comes in and Cullen waited in the doctor's office since it was a vaginal sonogram. I knew he would just see the picture when we were all done. Dr. Sparn, found the baby, checks out my ovaries, and then back to the baby. Yes there is only one in there! Then baby did this little jump, swim, "hey, what the heck was that" kind of movement that was so CUTE. As I am laying there, he is talking about the baby's measurements and how we are going to have to change my due date. We first thought February 11th, NOPE the new due date is March 10th. When he came back to the baby, I could clearly see on the screen a head, body, and little arms beginning. I was such an emotional wreck, just crying and crying. Dr. Sparn then asked if I could see the heartbeat and I couldn't up on the screen being that it was so far, but he then turned the monitor right beside me and there is was...THE CUTEST LITTLE HEARTBEAT I HAVE EVER SEEN! So fast and super strong! I am so ready for our next visit on the 26th of August and hope to have more pictures. Hope you enjoy our lil' peanut until he/she is here! As we continue with doctor appointments, Dr. Sparn said we might have to change the due date again, but he think March 10th is pretty close for now. Guess we will see when baby finally arrives.

Our little bundle of joy at 9 weeks!

Guess who is going...

to be a MOMMY??? Yep, I am! We have know for quite some time, but I have been dying to not scream it from the top of every mountain. We wanted to make that "safe zone" before sharing the exciting news, but when we continue to go places and see friends and not have a glass of wine or a drink, we are getting some questionable faces. I, of course, told Momma and we have been so so so good to keep this between us. Man has it been HARD! When Ryan and I went down to Garmisch, he announced our news to our friends at dinner time. Now, we are in Virginia and he shared the news his family. That is when I called home to let my sisters and Jessica know. Momma told Daddy, since I am such an emotional basket case when I talk to him. It is just easier on me that way.

I had an idea that I was pregnant and took a home test July 3 that was rather questionable. So, I waited 1 week and on July 8th, 3 years to the date that Ryan proposed, I took another home test. I don't think it even took 2 seconds and it was a for sure, very positive! I then told Ryan who was excited, scared, and worried all at the same time. He was so cute and so concerned. The first thing he did was hold me and then asked if we could wait to tell anyone. So, of course I have been overflowing with excitement, but trying to play the cool card too.

I when to the medical clinic on July 10th and had a positive test there too. So from there, I am now removed from the deployable status and enrolled in the pregnancy pt program. =)

On the 21st, I had my OB orientation. This is when the OB nurse on post gives you all kinds of helpful information for when you have to go out onto the economy for all your appointments. In the area in which we live, the Army hospital does not do the delivery's anymore. The Germans have been working with Americans for many years, so we all go out onto the economy for all appointments. I have had 2 very good friends that have delivered here and both have had wonderful experiences. I actually got to choose the doctor in which I want. We have our first doctor's appointment on August 3rd, so I will be sure to keep everyone updated. Please add us to your prayer list. I am still super nervous, but letting HIM handle EVERYTHING!

Thank you all! XOXO

How do you?

I want to put a cute little signature block on my blog after I make a post, but have no clue how to do it. Anyone want to share their secret with me? I am sooo not good at this blogging thing, but love keeping in touch and love how everyone is so real with every day to day life.

Also, I would like to have 3 columns and unsure of how to do that too. I have seen several that has things is alot of different locations on the blogs, but I can't seem, to figure it out without being scared of really messing things up.

Thank you for any help or words of wisdom!

One of many...

Sunday, June 28th, Ryan woke me up and told me to "Get up and get ready!" I was a little confused at first, but as I was getting ready we were talking. He said, "we never go anywhere," seeing how that is what I seem to say ALOT. We do go a lot of places, but seeing how we are in Europe and so close to so many places, I would love to go somewhere at least once a month. So, for this day we headed to one of the many castles we have passed many times. We are not sure what the name of it is, we just knew that every time we pass it we always think...when are we going to go see that castle? After we got in the car, keep in mind I still had no idea where we were going, we got on the autobahn headed toward Ramstein. As we got closer to the mountain we have to go up, Ryan started looking around like he was trying to figure something out. That is when I knew where we were headed. We took the next exit and drove out over the country side. Not really knowing what road to turn on to get us to the castle, we just drove and drove. It was so nice to just be together with not a care in the world. No set time on when we had to be home and a tank full of gas. We went through many little towns that had wine fests going on. We really wanted to stop, but as you know the wine around here, you just can't have 1 glass. After we finally found the castle, we were able to climb all the way to the top and look out over the country side and little towns all around. I love getting to see all of these places!


When Ryan and I go places, I always take a million pictures of him, but I am hardly in any of them. If there is ever, and there normally always is, someone else there taking pictures, I always ask if they mind taking our picture. We just trade camera's and I take a picture of them and they take pictures of us. It is just how you have to do it, if you want both of you to be in the pictures.

Headed up the stairs to one of the wings left standing.

A little more of the top of the tower!

Looking out to the rest of what is left of this castle.

A view of the whole inside, where the wine fest was held.

Looking out from the top, down to the entrance into the castle!

One of the many self timer shots. We are headed down to the courtyard

to look out of the edge to see just how far we could see.

One of the many little towns.

Rows and rows of grapes. We are in wine country!

Another view! Absolutely BEAUTIFUL!

Down inside the courtyard was a little playground. Being the big kids that we are, we had to play on the swings! Then there was a teeter-totter, some wooden wall that you could climb, and a dome-like jungle gym, but we just did the swings. Gotta love the self timer. I must say my hubby is becoming the best sport when it comes to taking pictures for me and with me! =)