Soooo close...

We are soveryclose to Daddy's return home and yet still so far away.  With 9 1/2 days remaining, I'm finding it harder and harder to fill up time.  Have days always been this long??

So, I did what I normally do when I don't know what to do with my kids.  I put them in water.  Fortunately, Cort and her kids were up for the adventure too.  We checked out a new-to-all-of-us pool, called Twin Lions, on post.  What struck me (and I believe Cortney as well) was the incredibly buff life guards they had walking around.  They were all men, all about 30 years old, and ALL could have posed for some sort of swim suit calendar.  Is this some sort of sick, twisted game a bunch of Navy dudes pull on the spouses of deployed Army guys?  Because it was kinda working.  Ha ha... just kidding.  But really, I should've taken a picture so you'd believe me.  It looked like GQ was about to hit up that joint for their annual "Buff Bodies 2012" calendar.  But let's get back to the point... what 30 year old men are still lifeguarding anyway-- on a military installation no less?!  Weird ones, that's who!  (Okay... I threw that in for Chris.)

Without further ado or any more discussion of lifeguards, here are the pictures of the day....

First order up!  James and Nicolas passed the swim test and were allowed to jump off of the high diving board!  Awesome!  Here's James giving it a go...

Splash!

Proud boy

The cheering section

God love this child... Nico got up and decided he didn't want to jump off.
So he crawled off the back.  Love it... and him!
He did end up jumping off before we left and we all cheered and gave high-fives!

Henry looks like a giant in this picture, doesn't he?  Funny.

Sweet Pete trying to catch up...

Loving another water day

"Woman, if you take ONE more picture..."

So that was most of our day... a fun-filled afternoon at the pool.  And a less fun, but still agreeable trip to the commissary (on PAY DAY no less for all of my military friends gasping at the thought!).

For any of you wondering about Allie, she's a keeper.  I feel like we won the lottery with this dog!  Trained, sweet, and loyal to the nth degree.  Wherever we go, she goes.  When I take a bath, she is beside me on the mat.  When I am on the computer, she is underneath the desk.  When I make dinner, she is literally at my feet.

I know the "togetherness" may seem like it might be annoying, but it just isn't.  Her presence is large enough to be noticeable and sweet but small enough to not bother.  Not to mention it is wonderful to have a dog who is completely trained.  She listens to commands and actually OBEYS them.  We.hit.the.lottery  with this dog!  My fingers are crossed that the veterinarian who "gave" her to us doesn't want her back.  Allie has eye surgery in Raleigh next week so we'll have to give her back for a few days.  I know we have to, but I certainly don't want to.  She feels like ours already.

I keep reminding myself... tomorrow when we wake up, it's only 9 more days.... and then 8.... and then it's only a week!!!!.... and then just 6, just 6 little days.... and well, you get the point... we are excited!!!!