In December our mom got an assignment and left for a year. We are living in our home with our stepdad and seeing our dad.  Our grandma travels to our house from California once and sometimes twice a month to stay with us.

This is a very different life for us, at at first it was hard to talk about.  We have had many people offering to help us.

Here is how its so different we only get to speak to our mom on facetime in the evenings, when she is not busy with work, because of the time change.

Bailey taking to our mom, she was getting ready for work. we are luck to be able to speak to her, because their are many kids that parents can not talk to them because of where they are at.

We have been so busy trying to get use to our new life. We try to do good in school, dance, and cheer.

We try to  keep our minds focused on when our mom will home. She will get to come home this summer to visit us but she will have to go back. She will come home for good around Christmas.

As we were driving out to our grandparent’s house in California we passed by a small town called Blythe. Downtown Blythe has a small  park with metal giraffes statues! I was instantly in love with that park (because giraffes are my favorite animal). It was absolutely AWESOME!- Ivie

Well! It’s time! You’re parent’s coming home!! It’s a great feeling! But you’re parent might act a little different once they return.This because they lived in a different place and had a different job.  Don’t be alarmed though, they’re still the same person.  Everything they went through was a so different, and when they come home they aren’t used to a lot of it.

Our mom was different, she looked a little different, she was so happy to see us. She was not use to riding in a car instead of a Humvee. She was not use to kids being around. She had to get use to us again. And we had to get use to listening to hear instead of our grandparents.

But always remember they still love you and always will.

(P.S.- helping around the house and talking to them helps a lot)

-Ivie

On Wednesday, July 11th, 2012 my sister, Ivie, and I went to the California Sawdust festival. It was fun and it was cool to see all the artwork they had done.  To Disney artwork, to jewelery, and to butterflies. The Sawdust festival was a fun way to get closer to the artwork that people had made. My most favorite artwork was Christmas ornaments. They were hand crafted and we actually got to meet the artist, Patti Klingenmerier, that made the ornaments. They were little people, my sister got a dancer ornament, I got a cheer leading girl, she is doing the splits. She taught Ivie and I to make flowers. That was the time my grandma, my sister, and I went to the Sawdust Festival.  -Bailey

On Wednesday my grandma, Bailey, and I had a great time. It was really fun to look at some of the art that was created.  I also bought another picture of cows in meadow from him hahaha! I also got another picture of a giraffe (because giraffes are awesome) and a REALLY cool ear cuff. But of course I went bike riding later that day and lost the ear cuff -.- And as Bailey mentioned we bought ornaments from an artist named Patti Klingenmerier, her clay ornaments are VERY cool! (:

-Ivie

My favorite was a cartoon artist that drew a very cool picture of my favorite movie UP!

This is my favorite drink at Cheesecake Factory- Frozen Ice Mango drink- Bailey

On Thursday, Grandma, Bailey, my Aunt Rita, and I took a little trip down to The Grove to visit the American Girl  Store in Los Angeles, CA. Have lunch at Cheesecake factory and eat some cheesecake. My aunt (actually… my great great great aunt) is turning 91 this December and has an American Girl Store Doll. Every time we visit the big store in L.A., our Aunt Rita buys a little something for her doll. This trip she bought a cute dress for her and a bird cage with a tiny bird because Aunt Rita loves birds. She  has a bird of her own named, Alvin. Afterwards we went to the Cheesecake Factory and ate until our belt buckles exploded. We had so much fun! (:

-Ivie

Because I was nominated, the base newspaper interviewed me, it was fun. My mom was proud of me.

My sister and I are looking forward to speaking  military kids at upcoming Yellow Ribbon events- Bailey

This year was fun celebrating my birthday with my family and friends. I asked everyone who was going to roller skate to wear a neon color. Even my grandma wore a neon shirt and tried to roller skate.

My friends  knew how to skate and after the party we could skate even better. We had pizza, cake and soda. The roller rink also had video games and you received tickets which you could cash in to buy things.

My grandma took my picture before the game started. My whole family went to the Dodgers Training Camp game. The Dodgers played the Cleveland Indians. I had nachos and a root beer float.

The Dodgers won!

  The Dodgers baseball players are practicing their hitting before the game.

My sister got to invite two of her friends because it was her birthday.

When our mom deployed and some ladies gave our mom these little pillows. Our mom kissed them before she deployed. When she was gone our grandma gave us these pillows and told us our mom kissed them, and we could kiss them when we went to bed. We did that every night when our mom was deployed.

What do you do before you go to sleep?