SOS Training- Maxwell, Air Force Base

Josh has started his SOS Training at Maxwell Air Force Base.  This training is a requirement when he advances to his Majors.  The focus is to develop leadership, critical thinking and the ability to use people to effective ways to accomplish goals. They have done a great deal of talking about theory and what is call Full Range Leadership.  Josh is finding it very interesting to hear how other people are facing and overcoming different challenges. They are being taught to think as officers first and then in Josh's case, a social worker second. He is being pushed by the teachers to open his mind to how he fits into the Air Force as a whole.  Josh is going to be put in places and situations that puts him well outside his comfort zone but he loves the idea of growth and improvement. 

The last time Josh left for a five week training felt very final and devastating.   It was the start of his military career and we did not know what we were to expect from this experience.  This time is a little different.  We all miss him, of course, but I guess we are starting to understand the sacrifices of being at home without him as he serves and trains.  I am grateful for Bear and Bub who understand that they need to work with me to complete our household duties in the absence of Josh.  Pants is not quite as helpful, but she is being age appropriate for a four year old.  I am constantly grateful for my kids and Josh.

Trip to Death Valley National Park.  We love to explore the interesting aspects of the desert that we live in.

USO Events- Parent Child Fun

The USO (United Service Organization) plans a lot of fun and free events for military families.  Josh took the girls to a Father Daughter Dance in February.  He wore his mess dress and the girls looked like princesses.  They ate dinner, danced, took pictures, did princess crafts, and had prize drawings.  It was a magical night for the girls and Josh.

Tonight was the scheduled USO "Momster" event, a mother and son Halloween Party.  At the last minute, they changed the venue to accommodate more people.  The event was changed to a Sunday night.  I did not feel comfortable attending the event on the Sabbath and luckily, one of my friends arranged an alternative date for our sons tonight.  We went bowling and to a free lazer light show at Sam's Town here in Las Vegas.  Bub and I had a great time!

Gamora and Starlord, Princess Leia, Darth Vader, Luigi, Mario

Gamora's little Starlord

When a partnership is missing it's partner....

Josh leaves for Master Resiliency Training next week.  Josh and I work really well together to balance our busy lives and the lives of our kids.  When one of is unavailable though, it all falls apart.  This is what a typical school/work week will look like without my amazing partner:

Monday- Pick the kids up from school and take them to ballet (40 min away). I do homework with one and then switch while the other is in ballet.  Who is at home making dinner?  No one.  Dinner will be McDonald's take out so that we can spend the 40 min home productively and I will not have to clean up the kitchen.

Tuesday- Josh usually picks Bear up from cheer leading so that will be my job.  We will drive to Kumon Learning Center (25 min away) and try to do homework in the car while the kids yell back and forth to me from the back seat.  What will dinner be?  Pizza at Costco which is right next to Kumon.  I will have to miss the one yoga class that I get to attend a week (poor me.)

Wednesday- Drive to ballet again straight from school.  Bear will do homework in the car until she gets car sick.  Bub and I will do homework while Bear is in ballet.  I teach on Wednesday nights so the kids will need a babysitter.  Dinner?  TV dinner night possibly while watching a movie, how cliche.

Thursday- Deep breath, Thursday is my busiest day, the day I teach four classes.  Bear will have no ride home from cheer leading as I will be teaching at the YMCA with Bub and Pants in tow.  Luckily, her coach lives on base and we are friends.  I will have to remember to give Bear the garage door opener. Dinner will be Little Caesar's Pizza that I pick up on the way home.  Then it is off to soccer for Bub.  After the game, a babysitter for the kids since I teach again on base.  I will have to hire a babysitter who helps with homework because that will still need to be done.

Friday- Ahh!  I think I will finally be able to cook dinner!  Though, I may be too tired to make anything.  Maybe I should get some extra TV dinners just in case.

I wonder how long I can keep this up?  Come home soon my amazing partner, come home soon!

Pants - Nellis Thunderbug soccer team

Bear- Varsity Cheer for Lomie Heard Desert Hawk Flag Football Team

Bub- LDS church soccer team coached by Josh

Nellis Air Force Ball 2015

September 26th was a big day for Josh, the day of the Nellis Air Force Ball, which he has been planning for a year.  Since he was large and in charge, we knew that he would be unavailable for a bulk of the night so I took my friend and neighbor, Christie Bloom.  Her husband is TDY completing SOS training at Maxwell Air Force Base so it was perfect for us both.  The ball was held at the South Point Casino and airmen were lined up through the casino to lead the way to the ballroom.  That was a nice touch.  We received a challenge coin as we checked in.  That was a nice little gift too.  There was a heritage room filled with displays from the wings and flights on base.  Josh found us (he looked great in his mess dress) and led us to the ballroom so that we could have good seats.  As we waited to begin, I had three people come seek me out because I was Captain Turner’s wife; TSgt Langley who did the decorations, SMSgt Lancaster who was in charge of ticketing, and Colonel York who oversaw the process.  I felt pretty special and little intimidated by the ranks.  They all had good things to say about Josh and the ball. I was really proud to see the year's worth of hard work by Josh and his committee. 

Josh and me

My "date" Christie

The night started with the posting of the colors, the national anthem, introductions of the leadership, and the ceremony of the POW/MIA table.  Colonel Boutwell, the 99th wing commander, thanked Josh by name for the preparation of the ball.  That was fun to hear!  I like the solemness of the military ceremony.  I was impressed looking around and seeing everyone dressed so well and all the uniforms of blue.  I felt privileged to be attending an event that belongs to an exclusive group.  The entertainment was Matt Goss, a world renowned headline singer at Cesar’s Palace.  He had all the flash of a Vegas show.  Then we ate and Josh checked in on us periodically.  The speaker for the evening was Major General Thomas Deal.  His speech went right over my head but I am sure those who deal in warfare were impressed.  Then they brought out the cake and had the oldest and youngest airmen cut it together.  The night concluded with dancing, either with a DJ in the main ballroom, or the Spasmatics, an 80's cover band, in another room.  Josh continued to come and go as he dealt with things.  The huge event cost $144,000 (all raised from sponsors and ticket sales, no tax payer dollars were used for this event) and served 915 people. I know that Christie and I had a great time at the ball! All of the people that spoke with Josh and I said they were having a great time and that it was full of great energy and a lot of fun. I think Josh will be happy with the event as well. This was an amazing event for Josh to lead.  He has learned a great deal and has met some very amazing people.  

Elegant ballroom

Vegas style entertainment

The Spasmatics

Party people!

  

Zombie 5K

I participated in the Zombie 5K put on by the Civil Engineering Squadron and Air Force Emergency Management. It is annual preparedness month at Nellis AFB and we must all be ready for the impending zombie apocalypse.  I arrived at 0530 to sit for my moulage, the blood and gore.  I had three other zombie partners in our "unprepared zone" and we chased down the humans to steal lives from their belts. Zombie Abby- 14 lives.

I drove home, getting blood all over my car, and was really disappointed that the gate guard did not make any comment. I guess he sees all types.  The kids had not left to school yet so I got to show off. Bear was way excited by the makeup.  I chased her into the house.  Bub pretended to be scared but was really ok. Pants would not come out of her room.  I am so strange.  I know my mom did not traumatize me this way!  Anyway, let the Halloween season begin!!!

What Kind of Mom and I?

We have been in our home on Nellis AFB for one year now and it has been a time of introspection.  Things in Las Vegas are very different for me than they were in Springville, Utah.  Mostly, I feel that my time is running through a sieve constantly and I am running to keep up.  A lot of this is due to my choices.  I choose to drive for 45 min to get to ballet across the valley because I value classical instruction for my children.  I choose to teach seven yoga classes and one ballet class a week because they feeds my physical body and my soul.  I choose to take my kids to Kumon Learning Center 25min from home because I saw a deficit and I value their education. This added an hour's work of homework every day, all summer long, and will continue in the school year.  All of these things take time and I find myself constantly analyzing what kind of mother I am and who I want to be for my family.

I recently read, Real Moms: Making it Up As We Go by Lisa Valentine Clark, an LDS author.  She made me laugh, cry, and cheer as I read.  I have been craving someone to speak real life to me, not just encouraging platitudes.   She understands that moms do "all the things" and sometimes we feel that we have to justify why we are busy.  I wish we didn't.  Her book did not really offer suggestions to this conundrum because it would be different for every woman, but it offered a perspective for me to ponder to determine what kind of mom I am and to be grateful for that.  Sometimes I look at blogs and Facebook and I see all the good things that moms are doing for their families.  I have to remember that these images are just one moment in time and usually the good moments.  Just because my moments do not look like these, that does not mean I am any less of a mother, I am just a different mother.

I will probably never be a Pinterest mom.  I love what Pinterest has to offer, I just do not tend to make time for it in my life.  I am not the "crafty" mom.  I am a mom who enjoys planning outings with my kids.  I am always excited to find the local museum, art gallery, or factory tour that we can explore.  I am the "field trip" mom.  I am a mom who values physical activity. I love putting my kids in lessons. Currently that is ballet, kids classes at the YMCA, and soccer season is starting soon.  I am the "active" mom.  I am also the mom who cares about teaching my kids core values of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints.  I try to stick those moments in wherever I can.  I am the "Spiritual" mom.  I value work and we work hard on our home because I like a clean place to think in.  I want my kids to know that we all work together.  I am the "working" mom.  I am really good at keeping us on a schedule. I do have a hard time when we deviate from the schedule because I crave a sense of order.  I am the "schedule" mom.  Mostly, I am a real mom, making it up as I go.

Flamigo Habitat- Las Vegas, Flamingo Hotel

Hogle Zoo, SLC, Utah

Snowbird, Utah

Payson Temple Open House, Payson, Utah

Shark Reef, Las Vegas- Mandalay Bay

End of Year Summary

We have finished our first school year in Las Vegas.  It was full of ups and downs, lots of car travel to and from ballet, tutoring and church activities, and shuffling my classes with dinner, homework and carpools.

Bub as the Incredible Hawk for January

Bear as the Incredible Hawk for March

Pants and I took a cooking class together at the Library

Bear sang in her school choir- for kids 3-5th grades

Bub and Bear auditioned for and were chosen to perform in the school talent show.  I choreographed a dance for them to "I Won't Grow Up" from Peter Pan.  They are lost boys.  They performed twice for their peers and school and once for the community.

Bear was awarded most improved student of the 3rd grade.

I am teaching ballet at my house again to 3-5 year olds.  Here is Pants at the recital.

Ballet Recital for Bear and Bub

Travel

When Josh joined the Air Force, we felt that we wanted to take advantage of the areas that we were stationed.  Living in Las Vegas means that we are five hours closer to Southern California and I grew up using Las Vegas as the gateway to Disneyland.  The military makes it so easy to visit Disneyland due to the Military Salute discount tickets.  So, I could not resist taking my girls to the happiest place on earth for their birthdays.  It was a truly magical weekend.

During Spring Break, we took advantage of the military two for one discount to Legoland.  We had a wonderful time with our Berger cousins.

I like this version of Las Vegas almost better than our own!

Sea Life Aquarium at Legoland

Pier in Oceanside, CA

Look mom, we are the same size!

Beach time in Carlsbad, CA

So, when I look back at our time in Las Vegas, I will remember fondly Southern California!

Exploring

One of my favorite things about moving into a new area is exploring what it has to offer.  We really enjoy taking day trips to State museums, State parks, and National parks.  I am starting to enjoy some of the beauty that the desert of southern Nevada has to offer and January is the perfect time to explore.  Sometimes I get excited, thinking about where the Air Force might take us.  What natural wonders and cultural events might we be able to enjoy!

Seven Sisters Rocks at Valley Of Fire State Park

Mouse's Tank at Valley of Fire State Park

Natural slot canyon at Valley of Fire State Park

White Dome hike at Valley of Fire State Park

Valley of Fire State Park

Here are some of the other natural wonders we have discovered since we have moved to Nevada:

Hoover Dam, April 2014

Red Rock Canyon, November 2014