All about Greg (or a little about him anyway)

(For all pictures in this post, please click for bigger for better detail.)

Greg got back home from the training on Wednesday morning. We still won't see him for another few weeks, but it's good to know he's home.

Here are some pictures he sent us of the stuff they were doing.

(He's the one with the big black leg holsters on each side.)

Road marching, which is one of Greg's least favorite ways to work out.
(Greg is the one in front on the left with the knee socks.)

This was taken right after he and the three other commanders of the battalion stepped out of a armored HMMWV ("humvee") roll-over simulator. I think the red nose is from sunburn, not from the simulator.)

This has been a great trip so far for us here in the states, and next week we'll be spending time with one of my aunt's down the shore. I probably won't post again until we're back in Germany, so have a great August, everyone! (And happy birthday to Sarcy and Joy who both have birthdays this month.)

Sweet corn and salt potatoes. There's nothing like it. In Germany, there is no sweet corn, and I was looking forward to it so much when I decided to go back home.

The other day, I stopped at the end of the road and bought three dozen ears of corn that the farmer had just picked. I actually took them out of his wagon before he even got the chance to unload them onto his roadside stand.

At the end of dinner, Joel and Joy decided to have a contest of who could eat the corn the fastest.

Joel won, and Joy ended up throwing up into the garbage. It was a little wasteful, but pretty funny.

Today, I went shopping with Hannah, Grace and Joy. There are so many things that are either only available here in the states, or just so much less expensive. Greg and I composed a list before I came here, and I've accomplished a lot of it so far.

Ever since I was little, I always planned that if I had a little girl, I would pierce her ears when she was a baby. Now I've got a little girl.
She cried a lot, and a little old lady told me that I was a Bad Mommy, but Lavella doesn't semm effected by it at all now, and I think she looks so pretty and cute, just like I'd imagined.

It was kind of sickening to have to hold her head and listen to her screaming, but she'll never remember it, and she's too young to try to pull them out or anything, so I felt like now was the perfect time. Also, little children heal so quickly. Her ears aren't even red, and this was taken just a few hours after the piercing.

Playdate

About a week before we flew back to NY, we had one of my favorite kinds of playdates. It's the kind that combines good pizza with quality spinning time.

My friend Rachel is also a fellow knit blogger. We don't live too far from each other, so we try to get together from time to time for knitting and spinning. We also happen to have some little people who match up pretty well age-wise.

A good time was had by all.

And then, just because I'm sure that I didn't post enough Lavella pictures yesterday, I leave you with this one:

(Jillian couldn't resist the swimming goggles when she found them on my living room floor!)

Small fries

Lavella is getting so big! I just realized that I haven't taken pictures in a while, so here's a little shoot that I did today. (Click for the gallery if you wish.)

(As you can see, the boys were less than pleased to pose in the bottom row there.)

I'm still quite sick, but my mom is taking good care of me. I hope to feel better soon so that I can actually enjoy this trip!