Chuck E. Cheese homecoming

Hinks was dying to take his daddy to Chuck E. Cheese. So off we went!

MY FAVORITE PIC

More pictures of R&R

Here are a few more pictures!

Things have been crazy as usual in our house! My brother and his five kids stopped by on their way to Wyoming (they are moving there) and we have just been busy. I am getting closer to unveiling my BIG SURPRISE! Okay really I am probably going to trump this up to be huge and its not really huge but kind of huge for us? Does that make sense?

Here are a few more pictures of Troys trip home. This was our family home evening one night. Gosh this brings warm fuzzies to my heart!

Chandlers job is to pass out the maracas. He didn't fail this time either!

See maracas!
We acted out Daniel in the Lions Den.
I was a lion and so was Grandma
I think Chandler was a lion too... This is one of my favorite pictures
Troy was Daniel and I can't remember what the other sign said.
Saying our closing prayer
Playing DUCK< DUCKHinks chasing Daddy....
Chandler being the ducker
Yep still the ducker
Going on our treasure hunt
Oh and a walk after family home evening
Must be nice to hitch a ride

CLARIFY

I just want to say myself that I usually check my email/facebook 2 or 3 times a day. Its not that I see a problem checking it like 10 times a day its when you sit on the computer ALL DAY LONG that I think is wrong. Please dont take offense to my words. It is just my personal feelings on things. I mean if you are constantly texting,emailing, facebooking, calling, skyping, twittering (still have no clue what that is), etc dont you think that something or some one is getting neglected?

Hold the computing...

RANDOM blog post AHEAD!

So I just wanted to share something that has been running through my head lately... I really truly believe technology can be such a blessing in our lives. It has kept us so connected with Troy that without it I do not know how we would be surviving this deployment. Cell phones, texting, getting the internet on my phone, voicemail all these wonderful communication technologies have been such a blessing for me in my life. Gosh how many times do we say, "oh I can google that." Or let me just shoot an email off to my to so and so. Now we have these wonderful blogs and facebook and all these other great technologies that inform us on how our family and friends are doing. And SKYPE, man what a wonderful tool that can be used for GOOD to stay in touch with friends and family. But some of all this good can be for the bad can't it?

I am not talking about pornography, online gambling, prank phone calls, credit card stealing, etc. I am talking about the lost of time being used for these technologies. I mean honestly how often do you check these technologies everyday? I panic if I dont have my cell phone next to me, why? Well, because I never want to miss a phone call from Troy. Sometimes I feel so lost if it has been 3 or 4 days since I have checked facebook or even weeks like when Troy was home. But is that such a bad thing? I enjoy seeing what my friends are up to. About 9 months ago I went through my friends list on facebook and went from over 1,000 friends down to 230. And I try to hold it at about 230. I didn't feel the need to stay in touch with people who I briefly were in touch with or who I went to Elementary School, Middle School, or High School and I didn't even really know. I think it is great to stay in touch with people and have these technologies. WHAT BUGS THE HECK OUT OF ME is when people are using these technologies 24 hours a day 7 days a week. I mean do you really have no life? What about loved ones that live with you like your spouse or kids or even a pet? Do people get so caught up in this cyber world that they forget what is really important in life?

Do you constantly check your phone or text someone or instant message somebody? Don't get me wrong I think it is okay to stay in touch with people but seriously do you constantly need to be in touch with your best friends uncle who you met once four years ago? I mean what do people talk about if they talk 24 hours a day? I mean life has to be going on around you and you are missing it. Maybe we are missing an important point in this life and that is to find a good balance for things we enjoy. Like instead of checking facebook 300 times a day or texting 300 times a day or talking to somebody for hours on end every day that it is okay to just do it in moderation.

Do you know people who are like this? Am I just the crazy one who sees people are ignoring their duties at work, home, or school because they are so wrapped up in cyber space?

2 peas in a pod

Hinckley and Troy were BFF's while he was home. I love this picture!

Silly computers

So our silly computer has decided to go to the doctor twice in the past week. I sure hope it decides to behave after almost $300 and that doesn't include the $200 we put into last September.

Anyway, I want to clear something up that its not that I dont love and adore the people who read this blog (almost all of you) its just that some of our family experiences were so touching and personal that those things will stay with us forever. I will share some fun things that happened while Troy was home, I promise.

For example we had Troy knock on the door to surprise the boys. I have the video of it and it was pretty epic. I will try to upload it. But Hinckley says to us, "Daddy, I thought you were a statue." Oh it just about melted my heart. HE WASN'T A STATUE HE WAS HERE, HE WAS REAL!

Hug for my dad, this was after about a million from Hinckley

Troy has been gone half of Chandlers life! Chand wasn't too sure of his daddy... BUT he did give him a hug because brother did
Sweet hug
Hinks has a new Iraq bear he can snuggle with at night. You can see it in his left hand
Troys first drink of ICE COLD CLEAN water
Troys first homemade meal! TURKEY!
HUGS!
Reading books before bed
Yes, Hinckley slept with us like almost EVERY night. He wouldn't let his daddy out of his sight.