October...The Month Of Shaking Celebrations

Well...another October down. 
We got to experience our 2nd good earthquake here early this month.  I had just fallen asleep and dozed into a dream of Tim trying to wake me up by vigorously shaking the bed.  When I opened my eyes I realized...uh oh another earthquake.  According to Uncle Howard it was all in my head and it was actually Tim passing gas, but I told him Tim is the silent yet deadly type, so there is no way it wasn't an earthquake...lol.  This one wasn't quite as strong as the one we experienced in August...but it definitely had some kick to it and lasted long enough for me to consider waking up the kids and pulling them into my room with me.  Tim slept through the entire thing of course!

Tim and I celebrated our 7 year anniversary on October 12th along with Madalynn's 5th birthday.  I had a humerous revelation when I realized that this is only about the 4th anniversary we have been able to celebrate since Tim was deployed for our first anniversary...I had our daughter on our 2nd anniversary...and I was 9 months pregnant ready to pop on our 3rd anniversary...we sure know how to plan things huh...lol.  Tim and I chose our anniversary present to each other was a piano...which is something we both have wanted for a very long time.

We were able to go out to an awesome Japanese resteraunt where you had the choice of cooking your own food at your table or they would cook it for you.  It was a little interesting and scary at first when I seen uterus and stomach on the menu, but we were both able to find something we were willing to try and it was delicious!  Still don't know exactly what it was but the menu said it was chicken so I think we are safe.  My friend Aubrey watched our kids and they made us an awesome anniversary cake...

So obviously...my friend likes to make cakes...so I took full advantage!
                          A few weeks from the party...
                                       Me:  "So will you help (you notice how I say help) me make Maddie and Joe
                                                cakes for their birthday?"
                                       Aubrey:  "Sure, I would love to, what did you have in mind?"
                                       Me:  (not having any knowledge of what goes in to cake making)  "Well nothing
                                               too big, but I (you notice how I say "I") want to make Maddie a castle cake
                                               and Joe and ninja turtle cake."
                                       Aubrey:  "OK, lets do it!"
                           So about a week before the party I show up to her house and say lets do this.  (you notice
                           how I say "lets" because what I was really meaning was "I hope you know your on your
                           own on this one...because I really dont have a clue!"  I've worked in management before
                           and I know how much better "lets" sounds than "please make this for me")  So are you
                           noticing the pattern yet...when I say "lets" or "I" I really mean her and when she says "lets"

                           she means "you and I"...well she soon figured this out and as I sat back in awe as she

                           created these masterpieces...

                               I am very proud to say that I did contribute a little.  You see that little tree in the back

                               ground and the flowers in the grass on Maddie's...that was all me!  She is truly an

                               amazing person, and I am so fortunate to have her as my friend here!

The party was a hit and the kids had a wonderful time.  We kicked it off with some snacks...

Then some cake and icecream...

Then a little pin the tail on the donkey (which Maddie so cheated at!)...

And ended it with the never fail pinata

I have to say that the people here are amazing.  We had many friends come and got to meet new friends also.  Everyone was so wonderful and we had a great time.  It is definitely shaping up to a wonderful time here and I think we will really enjoy the next 3 1/2 years here.

So until next time (hoping I can report on the massive amounts of snow they get), we will report back in November...