Randomness: Can we count summer over now?

When it was time to leave, Alida was still hanging on to the pole and I had her horizontal trying to pry her off.

When I asked her what kind of birthday cake she wanted she said a purple one with a horse. I will learn to smooth buttercream one day.

Elaine just said she wanted a pink one. So she got the one decorated second when I only had the big fat piping tips left. It was nice to eat something not baked from a mix for the first time since deployment however.

When I picked up Patric, one of things I made sure to do was get a picture of the teddy bear on the right. Patric confirms for me that I'm in love with him for good reason--he's a great guy.

He just looks it, no?

We fed the goldfish with my parents at some point this summer.

It was as disgusting as it ever was.

My first thought: that's not even all of them.

Second thought: why don't they at least have the same hair color?

Man. When he's in the mood, he's in the mood.

Wren's birthday party.

She spent most of the cake time making sure the Chik-fil-A cow didn't come anywhere near her.

Jenny.

She came over to visit and we all played right there in the entry way the entire time.

She also came over to visit faithfully on Sundays when Patric was gone to fold my kids' laundry. That was the biggest help.

I took this picture for a reason other than to point out what a mess it was. I cannot remember now why I did that.

The latest beach game: get wet in the pool, flour yourself in the sandbox, bake in the sun.

She still comes out of no where and scares me with that baby every once-in-awile. It's creepy, and she remembers that it creeps me out.

So if I had to say I missed something from Patric being gone, it would be the out-pouring of support from friends and friends of friends and strangers. That was amazing. I will remain amazed for the rest of my days. And that will be what I remember from this past year: the year that people overflowed with good will.

Even when I took rotten pictures of them.

Dork.