KISS

Fort Hood MWR every once in a while gets free tickets to local events in Texas and a couple weeks ago they got 3,000 field level seats (right in front of the stage) for Rock N The Park in Frisco, TX just north of Dallas featuring: The Envy, The Academy Is…, Drowning Pool, Pat Green, Daughtry and KISS!!!
Donovan and I jumped on the tickets, he just went and picked them up at the MWR office, didn't even have to stand in line! We drove up the day of the event, had a really great time, drove home and got into bed around 3am. It was so worth it all.

Rodeo

We had some fun at the Central Texas State Fair which was held down the road from us at the Bell County Expo Center. The best part, other than the fried twinkies, was the Rodeo (featuring my favorite: Mutton Bustin), and the Truck & Tracker Pull, which also featured some bike and mini car racing. Fun times in Texas.

Strong Bonds

In August Donovan and I had a great opportunity to go to a Strong Bonds retreat sponsored by 1ACB. It was a long weekend, room, meals and childcare (for those who needed it) paid for at the Horseshoe Bay Resort which is about an hour south of us in hill country on LBJ Lake. There was almost 200 couples and families there and we had sessions in the morning until lunch time and then the rest of the days free! The focus of the retreat was on the book "The Five Love Languages" which really is an interesting topic on ways people show love.

shoes

This is the coolest thing ever.
And I am going to get/make/find/steal one as soon as I can :)

ahead

I've been thinking a lot lately of next year. I just got Donovan back
a few months ago yet we already know his next departure date.

It comes from a slip of the mind sometime. Thinking if the future
ahead of what we are doing now which is what I will be doing alone
next time around. It is sad when I catch myself saying "next year we
will have to do this again, or go there, or do that..." and then have
to realize it will just be me again.

Even now that they are home it has been pre-deployment training since
they got off the plane. I might have talked to my husband more when he
was deployed then now. Off to work before I wake up, home around 7pm
for dinner, bed by 9pm. What the life. I cannot wait for the 2 years
off and 1 year on schedule.

the 4th

The 4th of July is one of our favorite holidays - mostly because there is not much more that I love more than FIREWORKS!!

We went to the Freedom Fest on post this year, like we did last. There is always a musical guest and this year it was the rock band Seether. We BBQed at the Leathead's house and then headed over to post via shuttle just in time to see the rock show. 

We got the best seat in the stadium for the fireworks - they were set off maybe a couple hundred yards from us, over a fence for safety... so they ended up being right over our heads. Fort Hood always does a great show, about 30 min long choreographed to nice patriot music.

It was a great way to celebrate Independence Day and salute all those who make it the home of the free!!

Hailed

While Donovan was in Iraq he moved Companies - from HHC to Bravo where the Chinooks are. So in the midst of the welcome home festivities his new company had a Hail and Farewell to honor those leaving the Company as well as the newer guys too. It was held at the VFW in Harker Heights and BBQ was catered. Donovan and his buddy Phil were informed to wear their Class B's since they are the lowest ranking officers to in the company being welcomed, which also meant they would be picked on a lot during the evening. 

After social hour and dinner the formal portion of the evening started with a "wetting down" ceremony was conducted, during which the newbies were 'accepted' into the Company where they are required to "chug-a-lug" a hatful of beer from their Stetson.

The GROG.  

It was a mixture of about 12 kinds of alcohol, each symbolizing an important moment or significance in the Air Cav or the Company's history. Some of them included Jager, Vodka, Shiner beer, two wine coolers, After Shock, and a Mud Slide which from what I saw curtled very quickly. 

I did not have to guts to even taste it - I knew from the rumors to stay away because I'd have to carry Don home.

A little history on the grog:

Honoring the 18th Century British Army regimental mess and grog’s historical significance in the military, the United States Navy, United States Air Force, and United States Army carry on a tradition at its formal dining in ceremonies whereby those in attendance who are observed to violate formal etiquette are "punished" by being sent to “the grog” and publicly drink from it in front of the attendees. 

The grog usually consists of various alcoholic beverages mixed together, unappealing to the taste. Attendees may also be singled out and sent to "the grog" for some good-natured ribbing and teasing.

Being told to have 5 drinks from the grog for not having their uniform right. 

Formal

Back in May the commander told Donovan that because he was a big guy he was tasked to be a  "bouncer" at the the 1st Air Cavalry Brigade Welcome Home Formal. So we bought our tickets and were one out of the four couples from our Company that did. Apparently everyone forgot that he was supposed to bounce anyone who got out of hand from the event, so it was nice to just sit back and enjoy the evening. 

All the formalities were basically the same as the Military Balls we went to together during college so we knew when to sit down and stand up. The speakers were General (Ret.) Richard Cody - a Master Aviator who most recently served as Vice Chief of Staff, United States Army, and Colonel (Ret.) Bruce Crandall - who flew a Huey in Vietnam and received the Metal of Honor for evacuating some 70 wounded comrades out of the Ia Drang Valley. Both of their speeches were so great.

I made Donovan dance one dance with me before we could leave :)

Birds

This week I actually put good bird seed into our bird feeder on our porch. The other stuff had been in there for a good year and I realized I hadn't seen any birds lately so I replaced it with some new seed that promised to attract a variety of birds - and it is working! 

The cats have been loving the increased activity and beg to go out on the porch everyday. We do let them out just about everyday and they love to watch them. I have even seen Tiger try to go after one once, but I think the birds will always be faster than him :)

Birthdays

This year Donovan and I both turned 25. 

Instead of buying each other gifts we made the other's 

favorite meal and dessert.

Don: pulled pork and carrot cake cupcakes

 

Etta: sloppy joes with baked beans and apple pie.

Yes he made the pie from scratch, crust and everything!

Promotion

June 1st Donovan got promoted to Captain! 

His number was up as the Army promoted about 2,500 officers the first of June. 

His Lieutenant rank did not want to come off.

This is when it was pointed out to him by the COL that he forgot to thank me during his speech, 

even though I was standing right next to him.

Biking

Donovan and I have started biking! I have been taking free spinning classes through MWR on post the last couple of months. I enjoyed spinning in college and finally got back into it. Bike riding has always been a favorite of mine, so I got a new road bike and Donovan shortly followed as he realized it was hard to keep up with me on his mountain bike. 

A couple weeks ago we participated in a bike ride on Fort Hood: Tour d' Hood and did the 16 mile 'family fun ride', where we met some members of "Team Army - Fort Hood" and "Team Roadkill" (a group out of Copperas Cove). They plan at least two group rides a week through Facebook, we met up with them for a nice 34 mile ride in Kempner. 

We are enjoying riding together and finding new rides in surrounding cities. We are learning to wake up earlier on weekends to get an early start as it has started to get hotter and humid to get as much riding in as we can.

Austin Art

This past weekend we went to Austin with our good friends Phil and Emily. Emily and I became close through the deployment and Phil and Don were stick-buddy's from Fort Rucker and then deployed together with the same unit, and then came back from Iraq on the same day. A coincidence.

While cruising the city we found an art show going on - the Austin Art Festival.  Emily and I checked it out while Phil and Don got tattoos.

This is probably my favorite artist that we found out of the hundred or so there. Jeannie Maddox. 

This photo is a close up that I took of one of her pool/water pictures. I love her 'paint by numbers' technique to achieve what she calls 'photorealism' - her painting are so big that standing back it looks like a real photo. 

The other artist that I loved was Mickie Bellah.

She uses a technique with thinned oils to create the movement and feeling she wants to achieve. My favorite thing she does is a visual representation of the zodiac signs.

Etta = Gemini

Many pastel colors grace the canvas for the Twins of Gemini. Words to best describe this sign are inquisitive, quick, bouncy, clever, disinclined to be serious! There’s a tad of seriousness in the images in the painting, even though it shows a playful attitude. Gemini is a Mutable Air sign.

Donovan = Taurus

Taurus’ color is green and since it is a Fixed Earth sign, earth tones. There is a lot of Earth energy in this painting. Impressions of this sign are stubborn, determined, practical and realistic, persistent, loves plants, tends to habits. Taurus is ruled by Venus and affects the neck and throat.

I think it is funny to see as I don't think I am much like my painting, but Don's actually looks like the color of his eyes. She also does customizable paintings where she will paint your astrology birth charts. You send her all your information and she is directed by 'Spirit Guides' which is kinda cooky but I still think it sounds fun to see what you may look like in paint form. 

So... if anyone is in need of a gift idea :)

Home ♥

1CAV is finally on their way home. 

Donovan flew a Chinook to the dock and got it ready to be loaded on a boat to come back to Fort Hood, then sat around in Kuwait waiting. First he was waiting for more 1CAV guys to fill up a plane so they could leave, and then the volcano erupted. By that time I just laughed when I heard the reason for the most recent delay. Nevertheless, they found enough guys to fill a plane, and a way around the volcanic ash that was keeping them grounded and made it home! Tomorrow night is the last of the Main Body flights and then it is just the last few Soldiers on their way home.

Two of my good Army wives and I made this sign "your wife" and each of us used it at our own Welcome Home ceremonies so our Soldiers would be able to easily pick us out of the crowd and find us, which is much easier than the other way around, they all are all wearing the same thing.

Some banners we made at the last Bravo Company FRG meeting.

Welcome Home 1st Air Cavalry!

Emily welcomed her husband Phil home that same morning as me, about two hours earlier.

On a cloud. He is finally HOME!

Thanks to all who watched the ceremony online - I hope you saw us waving :)