It's a Small World After All

Everyone talks about how small the Army is once you've been in for a while.  We've had our fair share if "oh my gosh, you know ____" but it's all been within the Army.

Today, while Lily and I were doing a craft in the Housing Office on post, a woman and her TWO SETS OF TWINS comes in.  She's very new to post and is asking the woman at housing lots of questions about a million Ft Gordon/Housing/Richmond County Schools.

Since the housing office was fairly empty we were all talking about our upcoming plans.  I mentioned that I would be driving home this weekend with Lily, Gladys and Sapphire.  The "oh, where are you from?" question always follows.  Let's be honest, there's no point in telling people that I'm from Virginia when saying I'm from "DC" is much more accurate.

Normally "DC" is a sufficient answer but every once in a while you run across someone with a little more familiarity with the area.  I say NOVA and then she asks "Fairfax County?"  "Yes...What school did you go to?"  With some hesitation, she responds "Langley"

She graduated 6 years before I did so there weren't too many people we both knew.  However, she babysat one of the guys from my circle of friends in high school.  Also she thinks she may have known the names of my freshman year boyfriend.

It's so fun to be in the Army sometimes.  You get to meet so many people from so many different places and walks of life.  While I did run far away from NOVA when I went to college, It's now refreshing to find someone who lived a similar first 1/2 of her life as me.

AMAZING

Alright, I'm not one to post bits of TV shows on my blog... Really, if you were interested in watching my shows, chances are, you would have.  Anyways, I'm going to break my "rule" tonight.

This dance was from  "So You Think You Can Dance" and was so fun.  It was entertaining as a dance in and of itself - which is what I think the crowd was so excited about.  It's really fun to see Alex, a classical ballet dancer, not only dance hip hop but also hold his own against Twitch, a renowned hip hop dancer.  It was fast - VERY FAST and VERY entertaining to watch as a Regular Old Joe watching the show with very little dance training...sorry Ravel...  So entertaining, in fact, that I actually picked up the phone to vote for Alex which is something I thought that I would never do.  Really, who cares that much?  This dance made me care. (By the way, I've been trying to call for the last 30 minutes and the phone lines are still busy 2 1/2 hours after they opened)

As a therapist and having the experiences I had over the last year while at school and working at the Tree House,  I have an even deeper appreciation for this dance and it's concept.

In the beginning, Alex goes to see the Therapist.  You can see him struggling to overcome the difficulties in his life (represented with ballet) that he's been unable to overcome on his own.  You see Twitch trying to tell him to stick to his treatment plan (pointing at the clipboard) however Alex is unable to do so (see ballet arms while lying on the couch).  Twitch "models" for Alex to show him new ways he can transform (hello CBT).  Interesting how the dance actually followed a therapeutic model - HAHA

After struggling to find a balance, I loved how in the end Alex transformed into the person he wanted to be.  He wasn't a whole new person, but rather an improved version of himself.  He took his life experiences and made senses of them.  He incorporated these"negative" experiences into his new self in a healthy and balanced manner.

The part that got to me the most was at the end when Alex finished with a ballet move and Twitch followed him.  As a therapist, you work to help your clients change but in the process each changes you - even if that change is small.  

It makes me miss my work even more.  Man, I need to get back into things!

this is what happens:

This is what happens when I stop for a few minutes to read a friend's blog update:

goofball....

Birthday a'comin'

I have started brainstorming for Lily's birthday party but am looking for your suggestions.

Obviously, she'll be 2 an therefore complicated and/or dangerous games are not so good

I'm looking for some sort of activity to wear them out before nap time (WOOHOO) and a craft of some sort.  Food ideas are welcome too and are any cake/decorating/odds and ends details.

Start sending those ideas!  Lily is excited to wear her birthday cape again....Okay...I'M excited for her to wear the cape again!

just for fun!

Although she wouldn't actually touch the caterpillar ("ca-pil") while it was out of the jar...

She loved trying to get it out herself!

good morning

This morning we were lucky to sleep in until almost 9 - mostly because last night before going to bed i popped a paci in Lily's mouth.  When we woke up I wanted pancakes but was bummed that I didn't have chocolate chips to make them yummy,  I did remember, however, that we had overly ripe strawberries and bananas that I would have to toss in a day or so.

I went online, found a recipe and mad strawberry banana pancakes for Lily and Elbert.

After mixing the batter I turned on some music and nothing goes better with the morning activities than Jack Johnson, particularly "Banana Pancakes"

Lily, being the little punk that she is, ate nothing...well, nothing except the powdered sugar I put on top of her mountain of pancakes...

Little punk...

spanish

Yesterday we decided to practice speaking Spanish with Lily.  Elbert turned around to her, waved, and said, "Hola." to which Lily replied (and continued saying for about 5 minutes) "Bye Hola!"

Not sure she gets it ;)

Thanks Lily...

I was going through some of our junk trying to purge some of it when I ran across an old picture.  Lily was in the room with me so I called her over to me.

I pointed to my self and asked "Who is this?"

Without any hesitation, she responded, "COW."

Thanks Lily...

Slacker

Again, no excuse but I'm back

Things around the house are coming along.  We hope to get the last load from the old house tonight or tomorrow.  We found someone to take the old washer and dryer we inherited when Elbert moved to the old house.  Who knew the thrift shops around here wouldn't want a W/D set even if we dropped it off.  Thank goodness for Craig's List.

We set up houses in 3 phases.

Phase 1 - furniture in place
Phase 2 - find a place for our mountains of crap
Phase 3 - curtains, pictures, decorations

Right now we're in the transition from Phase 2 to 3.  We've gotten most of the stuff from the old house and put it away and some of the decorations are going up.

This move has been difficult because our stuff came from 3 different places.  Since we moved stuff in stages back to Augusta from Athens, nothing is as organized in boxes like it would have been had we done one big move.

Once we finish the house, I'll take some pictures and post them.

We went to a farmer's market this morning.  It was lots of fun.  There was a booth that had a crazy amount of strawberries and a line to match.  They have a farm about 30 minutes from here where you can pick strawberries and blackberries in the summer.  We're very excited and I think Lily will really like it.

It's been a while...

Alright, I know it's been a while since I last posted.  I've been moving, setting up the house and waiting for internet service.

Other than setting up the house there hasn't been much happening for me.  The house is coming along although we still have a LOT of stuff.  We had almost everything set up until we started moving stuff from the other house.  HOLY COW we have a lot of stuff.

I'll post pictures once the house is more in order but my attentions have shifted from moving and unpacking to packing for my final trip to Athens for graduation.

I'm so excited to finally be done with my masters.  The last day I was at the Tree House I changed my email signature from something Tree House related to "Lori Nieves, MSW" - very exciting stuff!

As I was packing the car this morning, I carried my graduation regalia to the car.  I was oddly proud just carrying it.  I cannot imagine right now how I will feel on Saturday (or even Friday for Arch pictures) wearing it!

That's all I have time for right now.  We're still  trying to get the house ready for the family coming back to Augusta after graduation.  A full weekend to say the least.  Athens until after graduation dinner on Saturday and then driving to Augusta on Sunday for Mother's Day brunch and going to the shooting range.  An odd combination, I know, but a fun one none the less.

Professional Mover

Growing up my housing situation was very stable.  I moved twice during my childhood: once at 2 and once at 16.

Since going to college the story is different.

During my 4 years at UGA I lived:

426 Church

218 Church

421 Church

203 Stone Mill Run (2 WHOLE years, the most stable my living situation has been since leaving home)

After graduation, the story is very similar

Aspen Dr, Clarksville, TN

Inver Lane, Clarksville, TN

Anthony Rd, Augusta, GA

Jasper Ct, Ft Gordon, GA

Cedar Shoals, Athens, GA

Golden Camp Rd, Augusta GA 

And now we're finally moving back to post at Ft Gordon to yet ANOTHER address

If you lost count that's 7 houses since graduation in 2007 and 11 dwellings since leaving for college in 2003.  My family and I have done every single one of these moves our selves.  We don't need no stinkin' movers.  This list doesn't even reflect the times I moved home each summer during school when the dorms closed.

All in all, I have packed up and MOVED my stuff 13 times in 7 years, the longest time between moves being from August 2005-May 2007. 

Well, at least if this social work thing falls through I could be a professional mover

The End of an Era

Lily's apartment box is not coming to Augusta with us.  She got the box for her first birthday.  She's done some interior decorating (see below), hide and seek, storage, easter egg hunting, and most recently mountain climbing with her box apartment.

Sadly, we will not have the space in our new house (not that we did in this house) for the box apartment.

I know there will be other boxes, but this was Lily's first box love.  It will not be forgotten *sniffle*

You Know You Might Be a Social Worker if...

you jokingly tell your daughter you're going to call DFCS on her for mistreating her baby doll


in other Lily news, last night she had a dream about her paci.  When i went to give her a kiss before I went to be she practically screamed "PACI" at me while still fast asleep.

This morning I was eating cookies for breakfast - yet another bad Meghan rabbit - and I tell Lily that I'll give her one cookie.  To which she responds, "two cookie"

I also think it's time to start introducing big girl panties as Lily was caught trying to put on a pair of my big girl panties this morning.  I have other reasons based in shame but I'll expend on that in a later post.

checked out Becky @Glee

Becky's auditioning for Glee. They are having a nation wise casting and she needs your votes.

checked out Becky @Glee

Click the link, sign up/log in on myspace. Search for Becky Henry.

Once you listen, give her a gold star.

Hoe cool would it be for someone you know to be on Glee. Yes, Meghan, I'm talking to you :)

Ready

so we got home from our day and Lily started asking me for everything under the sun.  Juice?  Cookie?  Side? (outside)

After I said no to all of the above (except going outside) Lily finds her purse, slings it over her shoulder and goes to the door to try to open it.  Here is the conversation that followed:

"I ready go"

"you're ready to go?"

"des" *nods*

"okay, where do you want to go?  the park?"

"park"

so we went to the park :)

tents

any suggestions for buying a tent.  we're going to the lake this weekend it will will cost about as much to buy our own tent as to rent and share a camper.

it doesn't need to be huge but it would be nice not to have to buy another tern when we have another kid or 2.

any brands you would recommend?  anything to look out for?  anything to avoid?

thanks for the input!

WOOHOO

we got a house on post! we move in on April 29 which is cutting is SO close since we have my house in Athens until April 30. Either way, we're set!

It's an older house (like the one we had on post before I moved to Athens) but it's not in Ghetto Terrace so that's all that really matters!

We still have to finish out the lease on the other house in Augusta but it's only a month so it won't hurt too much financially. At least we'll have peace of mind because Elbert or someone else that we know and trust will be patrolling the area to make sure we're safe.

We will have THREE houses for 1 day. I consider our selves lucky because there are so many families that can't say they have 1 house on April 30.

BLIZZARDS

DQ has buy 1 get one for 25 cents blizzards now through April 25.

That is all

This is why I don't ride the bus...

Holy cow, I got on this bus 45 minutes ago I all we've done is drive around in mini circles that eventually take me further from my car and a bathroom.

I guess there's construction going on but this route is so long. Not to mention terrifying. The detour is taking us down roads vehicles the size of the old truck were not meant for. Every turn I swear I hear the bus scarping all the cars in it's path.

I've seen the freshman dorms 3 times now and the arch twice. The bus driver has gotten on and off shift since I've been on the bus...I know East West goes to the east side of town, it just hasn't yet...

packing and the house

So I'm packing packing packing.  The big move is on Saturday.  I basically get to keep an air mattress, 2 lawn chairs, a basket of toys, and a laptop... no joke

As most of you probably know, our house in Augusta was broken into 2 weeks ago.  They took a TON of stuff including our shotgun and the spare jeep and house key.

We've been working on getting a house on post like before I came to Athens but the list is a little long and we're getting anxious about having a safe place to live once Lily and I get back to Augusta.

Well in an added complexity/scary event, Elbert went to the house the turn off the lights after being on all night and found a strange man snooping around in the back yard.  Long story short, he said he was looking for odd jobs and when he knocked on the front door no one answered.  Now when I knock on someone's front door and they don't answer, I don't go snooping around in their back yard unless I know the people and they're expecting me.

Given his course of action was different from others who find themselves in similar situations, I highly doubt he was looking for work.  We're looking into a storage unit on post to get the rest of our stuff out of the house and for a place to put everything from the house in Athens.

I just can't wait to be rid of this crappy house

Trying something new

Alright, here we go with this blogging thing. This is probably the 3rd time I've started a blog but hopefully I'll be more diligent with this one. I was also pretty bad about sending monthly updates about Lily (I think the last one was when she was 5 mo?) so I'm thinking that more regular updates will occur if I'm not waiting for an entire month to post something.  My monthly emails also got pretty long so this will help give you bite-sized and candid chunks of our lives.

I've ripped a lot off from Meghan and will probably continue doing so until I get the hang on this.  Hope you don't mind :)

This blog will help keep family and friends updated on our lives despite the distance.

I'll do my best to notify people of blog updates in the beginning but once we get the hang of it, you'll be on your own.

Let me know if there's anything you want to see on here.  ENJOY!