Thanksgiving 2012

For thanksgiving this year, we decided to go and see some sweet friends that live up in Atlanta, Georgia.  We met the Ray's when we were in Gulfport last year and while we were back home, Jenny and Chris moved to Georgia so Chris could finish his seminary courses.  We love Jenny and Chris to pieces, and hated to see them go.  We always spent the weekends with them, and not having them here this time just seems strange.  When we heard they were staying at home this year, we jumped on the opportunity to see them!

 

Easton was a huge help packing...rather, he enjoyed taking out something as soon as I got it in the bag.  He does the same with laundry when I try to fold while he is up!



 

Happy Thanksgiving from the Sallee family 2012!  This was our first holiday that we celebrated since Josh had returned home from deployment.  With it being Thanksgiving as well, we were especially happy!  I have so much to truly be thankful for!  I have been so blessed with an AMAZING family!  Even though we weren't able to celebrate with them this year, we are so, so, SO excited about spending a month up there for Christmas!  I am also beyond thankful that Josh made it home safely!  There are no words to truly describe how thankful I am that we have made it through our first deployment.  He made it home to us without any injury, any serious transition problems, and fingers crossed that will be our only deployment.  We are so thankful that we have a healthy, happy, active baby boy!  He has been such a bright light in our lives!  Our list of thankfulness could go on and on and on...

 

 

We weren't too crazy on Black Friday.  We contemplated going late Thursday or midnight Friday, but we decided that we were too lazy and just wanted to sleep.  We did end up getting out about midday on Friday, and hit some shops.  Easton hated riding in his stroller, but he loved pushing it!

 

 

Friday night, we met up with The George's.  Funny story.  Ryan and Heather were also in Gulfport last year while we were here, and we spent many weekends and Sunday lunches with them as well.  About two months after Jenny and Chris left Gulfport, Ryan and Heather and their girls took a job up in Georgia and just happen to live in the same town as Jenny and Chris.  It was great to get to see them while we were up there!  Easton was amazed with Ryan playing the guitar.

 

 

Ryan and Heather were pregnant when we left last year, and had Darcy in April.  This was the first time we got to meet her, and she was so sweet, cute, and cuddly.  

 

 

Easton wanted to be one of the guys so badly!

 

The ride home Sunday wasn't quite as fun as our weekend had been.  The traffic was horrible, and Easton screamed about the last hour.  But we finally made it home.  Easton has super excited to get home and loved helping Mommy unpack.  We are cramming in unpacking, cleaning, and laundry before we do it again in two weeks!

 

Hope everyone had a FABULOUS Thanksgiving!

 

Blood, Sweat, and Beers

Last night, Josh and I went to the Blood, Sweat, and Beers tour featuring Kip Moore, Justin Moore, and Eric Church.  Josh had never been to a indoor concert, and when we heard Eric Church was coming to Biloxi, we had to get tickets.  We bought the tickets back in June, while Josh was still in Afghanistan, so it was the perfect coming home gift. 

 

We had amazing seats on the floor, 15 rows back.  Josh had no problem seeing (see problems you don't have when you're 6'9'', I on the other had constantly had to find holes to see...but they were still great!)

 

 

 

 

Justin Moore did an amazing tribute to a guy he had worked with through the Make-a-Wish Foundation.  When singing one of his biggest hits, "If Heaven Wasn't So Far Away," he had everyone get their cellphones out, light them up, and sway as he sung.  Unfortunately, the young man didn't make it to see him in concert here, but it was an amazing gesture that his family in friends got to witness in the crowd.

 

 

 

As Josh said, we had a great time unleashing our inner "redneck" and just having a great date night!  I will have to say, Church's "I love your love the most" acoustically was the best...Josh disagrees....

 

Happy Saturday!

Behind

One of my best friends called me yesterday to complain that I haven't updated the blog in (her words, not mine) FOREVERRRRR! 
I started blogging for many reasons, but since moving back down to Mississippi, many family and friends use it as a way to stay connected with us (ok, so mostly Easton) since they can't see or talk to us on a daily or weekly basis.  So, everyone, I promise things on the blog will continue to get more active! 
Josh has finally went back to work on his "normal" schedule, so that should help, too!  Those first 5 or so weeks that Josh was home, we couldn't soak up enough family time.  It is amazing for me to look back and realize that the whole first month of Josh being deployed seemed to go by so slow, but the first month of him being home flew by!  Time can be such a funny thing sometime. 
So, to play catch up from where we have been, the past month has been so much fun, but pretty low key at the same time.  We have mostly stayed home and just played and had a great time! 
(Please ignore the massive amounts of pictures that will follow)...

 

 We have enjoyed finally being a family again!!

 

We also HAD to get new family pictures taken when Josh got home!  Forever Yours Photography did an amazing job and we were so pleased with the outcome!

So there's a new update :)  Hopefully I can jump back on regular posts soon :)!  Happy Wednesday!

He's Home!!!!

So, it's been quite a while since I last blogged, and I have a lot of catching up to do.  First, and most exciting, HUSBAND IS HOME FROM DEPLOYMENT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  It was our first deployment, and our first homecoming experience, and it was simply amazing!

 

 

 

 

Their flight came in around 10:30 at night, so after a long discussion, Josh and I decided it would be easier to just let Easton sleep normally and wake up in a good mood and see Josh for the first time.  It was instant and they have been inseparable ever since.

Our Weekend

Hello All!  Another weekend is here!  Going through a deployment, I've been counting how many Sundays we have left.....and while I can't say the exact number, we got some exciting news this weekend that changed how many we have left :) :)  I love weekends, and in about 4 weeks, we will be moving back to Gulfport.  While we are here, we are trying to soak in being this close to family while we can.  My parents have been gone the past couple weekends with my brother.  They travel with a Big Shots basketball team to national tournaments to play for scouts.  My hope is that one day, Easton will have the same love of sports that Scott does, and Josh and I will be doing the same thing :)  So, while they have been gone, we have enjoyed weekends spent with my grandparents.
Friday night, we went to my "guilty pleasure" spot....CHILI'S!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  I love me some Chili's and I could eat it everyday if possible!  After we got home, Kait helped me start working on another homecoming sign.  I have made several signs, trying to find that perfect one that I want to take with us in a couple weeks :)  My goal was to incorporate something with me and Easton both.

Here is the sign that we have started.  I am still going to am some text, more or less thinking something simple like "Welcome Home, Daddy!" Don't want too much as not to take away from the handprints

 

This is a sign that I made the other day while just playing around.  Like I said, I am really playing to get that "perfect" sign.  While I know to J, what sign we have won't matter, I still want it to be perfect.
Besides being in shock over the news we received about Josh and coming home and being all excited, Easton and I went shopping to get him some "big boy" tennis shoes.  Most of the shoes he has right now were all sandals and Toms.  He has extremely fat feet, so they are really hard to fit, but with him becoming more active, I wanted him to have a pair of tennis shoes.  And what shoes are better for a little boy than an adorable pair of Nike Air Max shoes?!

Ahhhh...I am in love... and I know a Daddy that will be, too, along with an Uncle that already is :)  Uncle Scott is really trying to mold Easton into his little athlete :)
The rest of our weekend is expected to be low key.  I have exams for my summer classes due on Wednesday, and will spend the majority of tomorrow focusing on that.  Tomorrow is also "All American Sunday" at our church.  We already had something scheduled for the Sunday of the week of July 4th, so they scheduled it for this weekend.  While we don't make it to church every Sunday due to Easton's nap schedule, I am really striving to make it tomorrow.  I've always been proud to be an American, but having a husband serving overseas, makes your heart swell with pride that much more.  I love my husband more than words could ever express and I am so proud of the work that he, and everyone over there, is doing!!!!!  Have a wonderful Sunday, Y'all!!!

Wednesday

Life hasn't been very blog worthy here lately.  We've been doing pretty much the same thing, just a different day.
However, we have had some fun days.  Last Thursday, Easton went to the "big pool" for the first time.  We are members at our local country club, and hadn't taken advantage of the membership thus far this summer.  Easton LOVED the pool!  There were several kids in the baby pool when we first got there, so I took him to the big pool first.  He splashed, kicked, and had a ball!

Saturday, we had our annual Crowder Family Reunion.  It was a great time, however, we were sad that we were missing several family members this year.  Since it was so close to the 4th of July, they used patriotic decorations, and Easton had a blast while they were cleaning up.

Other than that, we have hung low.  I have worked on school work, worked on homecoming signs, and finally broke down and ordered Easton and I homecoming shirts for Josh's homecoming!  I am so anxious to get them in!!!  It makes me so excited to finally be to this point.  We are constantly looking at houses, condos, townhomes, and apartments trying to find the perfect place to call home.  We have yet to find it.  Once we finally get that finalized, I will finally be fully excited!!!!!!!!!!!  (I'm slightly stressed that nothing has came up yet....)
Happy Wednesday, Y'all!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!