Happy Birthday and Farewell Katie (and Chelsey)

Happy Birthday a couple of days early to Katie and Farewell to Chelsey and Katie. Katie will be 21 on Monday (boy, my kids are getting OLD!)and Chelsey leaves for Colorado tomorrow, with Katie close on her heels(hopefully by the end of the week!) Katie is staying around here hoping for her tax refund and stimulus check, neither of which has arrived yet. She needs the money for he trip, so we are hoping "the check is in the mail."

The pool is just about ready....I think we will be able to swim this afternoon. All the numbers, pH, chlorine, etc are all good, but the water is still a little cloudy. They just opened it Thursday afternoon so it is looking very good for 48 hours out, but with the rain last night, the water is not as clear as I like it for guests so we will let them decide if they want to swim.

For her birthday meal, Katie requested Chicken Parmesan, pesto, coleslaw, & greek salad. For dessert we are having angel food cake with fresh strawberries and/or cheesecake.

Sure wish you were here, Bud...Hope your trip back from Baghdad was uneventful.
Thanks again for your service to your country. We think of you and pray for you and your buddies everyday. Everyone from the office sends their best to you along with their thoughts and prayers.

Stay safe and keep in touch.

Love you & KYHD!
the mom

I, David, do solemnly swear...

Thats right people. I have formally and ceremonially re-enlisted in the United States Army. Six more years (5 once i get state-side again). The Re-enlistment ceremony went well. Flew out this morning on a Blackhawk and got to sit in the down-wash seat (trust me, its the 'best seat' to have...lol... if you like rotor downwash (rush of air kicked down from the spinning of the rotary blades. Enough to make your uniform flap like crazy, and blow sunglasses right off your face if not careful. And good luck keeping your eyes open.

But going to the ruins of Babylon was quite the experience. It was the first (and probably last time, least for awhile) that i got to leave a military installation in a military convoy. weapons loaded, body armor, the works. But the area is very pro-america, (when Muqtada Al Sadr isnt ordering his militia to attack)... Got to see and be in the Palace of Nebe-chad-nezzer , as well as the Palace of Hammurabi. (Even got to see the holy palm tree that Saddam took one bite from the fruit). It was certainly warm, even at 1030 in the morning, especially when wearing IBA( Body armor), Kevlar (Helmet), and carrying around a SAW (my weapon) loaded with a full 200-count drum of ammunition.

Now planning was definitely jacked up. First, everyone knew I was trying to get the Green Zone, but the Battalion and Brigade weren't keen on the idea. And then even with plenty of notice, they couldn't arrange for one of my best friends to make it out for my ceremony (though having my old Platoon Leader was nice. She definitely understands UAVs better than most senior Officers. Plus my Battalion Commander and best friend since Ft Stewart was there, so it was definitely worth the trip. Well, I am going to go lay down for a little bit before heading back home later tonight

HAPPY MEMORIAL DAY!!

Happy Memorial Day to all those who have served and to those currently serving! We appreciate all you do. Also, many thanks to the families and friends of those who serve. Having been there and done that, I really understand and appreciate the sacrifices they make daily so that their loved ones can serve.

Last night I watched the Memorial Day Concert from Washington D.C.. I was proud to be able to cheer for 4 branches of the military as their songs were played: Army, Air Force, Navy, and Coast Guard. In the past when I have been asked if I came from a mlitary family, I said no because that usually means did someone in your family retire from the military. I will no longer answer no because I come from a long line of veterans, though none made it a career. I am proud of each and every one of my family who served and are currently serving and I know I am not alone when I say HOO-RAH!!

We have no big plans for today. It looks like it is going to be stormy most of the day...as it was yesterday and all last night.

So....to DA - many thanks for your service and your sacrifice. We love you and miss you. Same goes to all your battle buddies and their families.

Love you & KYHD!
the mom

Just a quick update....

I spoke with one of the gals this morning at church who is instrumental in the Packages for Troops campaign; her last count of boxes shipped out was just shy of 400 ~ but they still had a couple more to go.

We'll be meeting soon to plan the October event.

Happy Memorial Day to all our troops ~ past, present & future.

Good luck at your swearing in, Scoots! Bless you and your buddies.

Any packages arrive yet?

Love you and KYHD!

A.S.

Care Package to the Troops

DA,

Your package was put together with the ones that were finished on Saturday. I'm sure none of them were processed by the P.O. until Monday of this week (5/19/08). Would you please let me know when you get it and what you got? I didn't prepare it so I have no idea what was in it. The return address on it will say Lisa Braccio but I put Hi Scoots in the address part.

I'll find out on Sunday what the final count for packages was. When I left we had completed 284 boxes but there were still lots waiting to be taped, labeled and stamped.

Hope you're well. I went to the Red Sox/Kansas City game Monday night at Fenway and saw Jon Lester pitch his no-hitter!!!!!!! What a thrill.

Love you and KYHD,
Shennie

Armed Forces Weekend

I'll fill in more details tomorrow, but today was pack up day for Care Packages to the Troops. There's a gal here in town that's been doing this since 2004. Today there were 2 tents and dozens of workers sorting and packing and labeling and filling in customs forms. I did that. I'm on a quest to figure out a more efficient way to fill them in without getting writers' cramp! My knitsters and I completed 126 Pocket Prayer Shawls that will go to the troops for whom we have real names. Many of the packages go to folks on anysoldier.com; however, we have many names of people to whom someone locally has a connection - like you, Scoots. There's a package with your name on it. Please, please, if you know of anyone who doesn't get the mail, phone calls, attention that you do who could use a little encouragement, let me know. Don't be shy about it. You can email me.

The packages contain amazing things from Twizzlers to crossword books to shaving cream to letters from local 4th graders. Please let me know when you get yours. It will say that it's from Lisa Braccio but down under your address I wrote, "Hi, Scoots!".

The Blue Star Mothers are going to do a mailing in July. I'll be working on that as well.

I was going to come home and contact some of the TV stations in Boston but 2 things stopped me: 1) my computer couldn't talk to the Internet; and 2) Teddy Kennedy was taken to the hospital so EVERY station within a 100 mile radius is camped out at Mass General Hospital. Gee, I didn't get that much attention when I was admitted to MGH!!!!!!

As you can see my computer is working again after 1 long call to Verizon and a long call to India (aka Dell). We finally did a restore as a last resort. THAT worked.

Well, attitude adjustment hour is 11 minutes old so I'll close now and go back to working on more Pocket Prayer Shawls and laundry. I lead such an exciting life!!! Aren't you jealous?

So, from all of us here in Southborough, MA, to all of you over there for us

THANK YOU!

Love,
Shennie

Happy Armed Forces Day!

My heartfelt THANKS to ALL our brave men and women serving our country today and always!

Sue

What is this bright light??

Hey - Just wanted to let you guys know there is a big investigation going on in southwest IL to determine the origin of this very bright yellow light in the sky! Some "Ancients" say it is the sun, but is has been so long since it shined here, we just are not sure...will let you know as soon as I can what it is!!

Actually, it is the sun and it is sooooo good to see it again! I think we are actually supposed to have 4-5 days of sun! How awesome is that?

Hey bud...it was great to talk to you last night! You sounded good. I was a little surprised at the caller ID, but even more surprised when I answered and it was you! (he called using the military phone service so the caller ID said Scott AFB!)

I wish I had my pictures from Wednesday evening so I could post some. I will get my memory card from Jess this weekend and get some posted for you. Wednesday night was THE BEST! Gov. Huckabee and LeVar were personable, friendly, receptive, and great speakers. We have received several phone calls and emails from people who attended saying that it was the best forum of this kind they had ever been to. How about the timing??? ABC News and Yahoo have information on Vit D and breast cancer within 48 hours of the forum?? Also, channel 5 in St Louis did a health piece on Vit D and breast cancer research last night. This could not have been timed more perfectly. I just wish we could take the credit for the timing!! God does work in mysterious ways!

Well...going to have breakfast with the dad so ttfn.

Stay safe and KYHD!

Love you lots,
the mom

PPS

First of all ~ Happy Mother's Day to the Mom and Happy Mother-to-Be Day to the Big Sis!

Keep your eyes out, Scoots, for several things. My friend, Carol, in Ct ~ and old, old friend from Silver Lake, has added your name and address to a cookie brigade. So, if you get some cookies some day ~ not from Illinois, you'll know where they've come from. Next, while working on the PPS's (Pocket Prayer Shawls) up here in Massachusetts and with all the emails flying back and forth, I got an email from the woman who is President of the Blue Star Mothers here in Massachusetts. She was writing to thank me for my efforts. She was even interviewed by one of the reporters from one of the TV stations in Boston and it supposed to air this morning for Mother's Day. Unfortunately, I have no idea how to tape a program. I asked her if I could be a Blue Star Aunt and she's making me an associate member of the Blue Star Mothers. How awesome!

Anyway, I've had all my knitsters plying their needles and yarn and, thus far, we have well over 100 PPS's made. We dedicated them this morning at church. We've got them in all colors and shapes and (small) sizes. Most have a cross sewn on them but several have a Star of David. Each is in its own little baggie with a card stating where and why it was made and that it was dedicated in our church. I gave one to a family whose son is in the USAF stationed in Pensacola. Another one went to a mom and dad whose daughter is being commissioned in the USA Corp of Engineers at the end of the month. After the service I had 2 people come up to me and each ask for one because they have someone in their family who is in the service as well. AND, I have one just for you that I will mail later on this week. It's small, it's personal and meant to either be carried in a pocket or put somewhere close. It's meant to let you know that you are thought about a lot and loved even more.

We're still collecting them; next weekend there will be an all out packing effort to send Care Packages to our Troops overseas. I don't think we'll have enough to put one in each package that we send, but we'll be able to send quite a few. I don't even know where the packages are sent, except that the woman who does this each year has been doing it for quite a while.

{Just an aside ~ I'm still getting used to 21st C technology. I've got the golf match on (yes, I'm Grandpa's daughter) and I was fussing that I should have waited to start this message until after the match was over cuz I was sitting at my desk in the dining room. Then, DUH, I've got a laptop and wireless! So, now I'm sitting in the living room with the laptop on my lap (how novel) and I've got the golf match on the TV.}

Back to the PPS's ~ The Blue Star Mothers will be doing a mailing in July and I've promised them as many as we can make, so ~ amongst all my other projects ~ I'll be making these for quite a while.

So, after a bunch of paragraphs and a lot of words and a promise here and there, suffice it to say that we love you, miss you and are praying for you and all your buddies.

Not much else exciting here in Massachusetts. Talking to the Mom so I'll close.

KYHD!

Love you ~

Shennie

Thank You!

To DA & Chelsey - Thank you so much for the beautiful flowers! They are gorgeous. They came while I was at work this morning, but our neighbor kept them safe and sound until I got home. What a nice surprise. As a mother and mother-in-law I am blessed with great kids who picked equally awesome husbands and wife!

Thank you again for everything!

Love you lots,
the mom

Re-Enlistment

Ok, so I managed to sign my soul over to the Army once, and that was ok. Now I've really done it. And voluntarily (NO GUN TO THE HEAD, new development eh? lol) So anywho, around the end of the month, I will be heading up North to be re-sworn into the United States Army for an additional 6 years... Wait!? Did I say 6? Damn, thats like more than a quarter of my life I will be giving (9 years in all. and thats almost a third. ) And I have 2 options, have my XO (executive officer: kind of like a vice commander) swear me in. Or have the AMC (The Mom and the Dad know what THAT IS) 4 Star swear me in. (and that would be at the Al Faw Palace (which i've been to before, but wouldnt mind revisiting especially since it would be on the exact day that i left for basic 3 years ago (damn, 3 years. Needs to wake up or something... That cant be right).

So, Chelsey (The Wife), when can ya post pics of the house (before we move in pics). I want to know what the house looks like:)

Well, anywho I am tired and hungry and want sleep then eat. So everyone have a great day!

Hey Bud! How's it goin'?

I just wanted to say hi! It's been a while and I have a few minutes while supper is heating up...just soup and sandwich tonite.

It sounds like Chelsey and Katie found a place in Colorado Springs, near Ft Carson I guess. Now they are on their way to Phoenix to pick up the kitties and then head back to IL. Then the fun of packing begins...I sure DO NOT miss those days! But Colorado Springs is beautiful and I look forward to visiting many times while you are stationed there. When Katie called yesterday she said she was looking @ Cheyenne Mountain. She was excited of course from seeing it on Stargate SG1 and Atlantis. You can see it from the highway if you know what you are looking for. She said they had also gone by the AF Academy and Pike's Peak. It will be fun to see all the sights and reconnect with several AF friends in that area.

We hope that you are well and keeping busy. We are looking forward to the May 14th Healthcare Forum. It should be an exciting and educational night.

Do you need anything? What would you like me to send your way? Just let me know and I will get a box or two out to you. I have Tuesdays off now so that is my shopping/errand day. There is a new WalMart in Belleville, across from SWIC, that I like going to now. I still will NOT go to the O'Fallon one. Just give me some ideas of what you need, want, could use, etc....

Stay safe and keep in touch.
Love you lots,
the mom

Height ~ Or Lack Thereof

I was going to post this on my blog, but figured that DA would get the biggest kick out of it. However, if I hear one snicker from any of you, I will punch you in the knees!

After church this morning, I went grocery shopping. I was just about done (not a huge list) and I decided to go find some of those disposable aluminum pans. Well, I finally found them ~ hanging ABOVE the top shelf in aisle 5!

Now, just to refresh your memory, I am only 5' tall - on a good day (unless you measure me when I first get up and them I'm over 6' ~ check with the Doc). I have trouble reaching the second box back on the top shelf in the grocery store.

So, where do they put some items - ABOVE the top shelf. When I stood on my tippy-tippy toes, I could touch the bottom of the pans in their rack. But, in order to get them out of the rack, you had to push them up about 3 inches over the lip. Not in my wildest dreams. Even if you goosed me, I couldn't have reached them! And, wouldn't you know it, as busy as the store was, there wasn't another soul in that same aisle. Oh well. Another sale lost.

Smarten up, Stop & Shop. Not everyone is Wilt "the Stilts" Chamberlain!

Shennie