Trip Advisor

First ride on a carousel in The Woodlands, TX

One of the advantages of being a part of the Air Force is being able to see many interesting, exotic places.  Well we have been based in less than glamorous locations, however, we get to visit friends and family who are fortunate.  Avery Beth and I are super lucky.  We have friends and family everywhere....it seems all over the United States.  When Ryan is deployed we do whatever it takes to help pass the time which inludes a good bit of traveling.  Since Ryan left we drove to Georgia to spend time with my family and friends, flew to Houston to visit Ryan's family, flew to Pensacola to visit our friends the Jacksons (and our friend Lindsay Clinton who met us in ATL for the flight) and we are traveling this weekend to the Georgia coast to visit with my "godparents."  Beyond that is Vegas and potentially Charleston with a final stop back in Little Rock.  Fun, yes.  Exhausting, yes.  Expensive, yes.  Worth it all, yes.  

All the ladies in Pensacola

This Trip Advisor Recommends...

• Purchase the best carseat on the market but keep in mind how heavy that *&^% thing will be when you drag it through the airport.
• Cover your carseat with a plastic bag if you want to check it.  The agent was happy to tell me that my uncovered carseat would be dragged through rat feces on the underground conveyor belt.  Neat.
• Check all your bags.  Bring your husbands deployment orders and 50% of the time your check in agent will slide them in for free.  
• Pack sacks full of Oreo's and Nutter Butters to entertain your child during the flight.  All the "rules" about cookies and desserts get thrown out the window when you pass through that security line.
• Train your little one to scream, "help me!"  "help me!" throughout the entire flight.  We were very popular on that leg of the trip.  
• Accept all offers of help from strangers.  As long as they can't take off with your kid NEVER turn down an offer to unfold a stroller.
• Talk a friend or family member into traveling with you.  An extra pair of hands can mean a bathroom break, someone to pick up the dirty binky off the floor and a new person for Avery to poke in the eye and say "EYES!"        
• Let's keep this simple.  Do not fly with a 19 month old.  Just don't do it.

One tired little traveler!

Bless Her Heart!

I LOVE that my seeds were planted in Georgia and I grew roots in the South. My husband feels just the same way about Texas. Ryan will never forgive me for not delivering Avery Beth somewhere over the Texas border. He said when I was pregnant, that when "the time" came we would all head to Texas so his child could be a true Texan. Well....that did not happen. So even though our little girl loves spicy food and will own her fair share of cowgirl boots, he has a house full of Southern Belles and I love it!

Avery having a "nana" just the way she likes it!

How do I know Avery Beth is a true Southerner? Avery says, "HI!" to everyone we meet and even waves at all the boats on the lake. She may not have been born in Clayton, Georgia but she certainly acts like a local. Southerners like calling people by two names...Bobby Joe, Mary Helen, Avery Beth. She is a good eater and loves fried chicken legs, green beans (with lots of flavor), fried okra, bananas straight out of the peeling as well as walking around in just a diaper, smelling flowers, and begs for more time outside. She has good Southern girl manners with please and thank you and she often calls my mom, "Mammie" (instead of Bebe) just like Scarlett called her favor servant. My mom is not her servant but she certainly bosses her around enough to be one! She loves it when I pretend to be Britney Spears (a true Southern girl at heart) and sit in my lap and help me drive. Southern girls know how to handle things on their own....Avery Beth can use a screw driver to make repairs around the house! The best thing about being a Southern girl is we are raised to be independent and strong -there will be many blog posts in my future about that. The girl was made to be a Southern Belle.

We are having a GREAT time in Georgia!

Waiting On The World To Change

When Ryan is gone it is really easy to wish my life away.  Everything is so much happier, sweeter and fun when he is around.  That is why I love him and married that hairy man.  There is still lots of fun to be had when Avery Beth is around and we certainly are making the most of our time together.  We are happy to be in Georgia and visiting with lots of people we love!  Since we arrived we have been very, very busy! 

We walked for TSC and our friend Kallan Windham in Marietta, GA

We have been to visit "Goats on the Roof" with Bebe

Avery is learning how to do hair

Avery learned how to eat like a good Southern lady...fried chicken, green beans and fried okra.

We got to meet our new friend Marlon Pruitt

And we started the summer off right with some naked baby pool time.

We have done much, much more and I will add those soon!  Happy summer ya'll!