TLF

Alissa trying on Remi's shoes

 While we have been in TLF we have been through more shoes than anything. The first week one of Broden's flip flops broke, then we lost his other pair of flip flops. We lost Alissa's only pair of church shoes besides boots, Remi lost a strap to one of her new shoes and Broden has grown out of the brand new school shoes I bought him. Not looking forward to buying shoes here. They are the same price, except in pounds, which is almost twice as much!

Parker enjoying the view

Watching some more

He loves his toothbrush that lights up

Alissa playing on the shelves

Remi and Alissa's room. There are drawers under the beds and a huge closet.

The living room/Broden's room.

 Broden sleeps on the pull out couch in this room and keeps his clothes in the drawers under the TV. When he is doing something and we ask him to stop we say you need to stop or you'll have to go to your room. He gets the biggest kick out of it because he says he is in his room.

View to bathroom and kitchen

Kitchen and dining area

Our bedroom.

View out the window. It is right on the edge of base

Parker sleeps in this crib in our closet

Parker loves when we pull out the bed. He love sitting on it and bouncing on his bum.

Broden playing with something he found on the tree outside

Showing me his thing that has a fish inside of it.

The kids found these our first few days here and came up with the idea that they will turn into fish. So they thing they are things that have fish inside of them and if you keep them in water they will hatch into a fish. Too funny. They do look like puffer fish.

We will be leaving TLF and moving into our house on Thursday. I have been thinking a lot about what really matters in life. I actually haven't minded living in TLF. I think the hardest part has been that our cell phones don't work because of the security of the building and they charge us to call of base on our room phone. So when I want to make a phone call I have to literally hang out the window to get service.

We have huge closets here and I actually like not having all of our stuff. The kids have had to actually be creative. They have some toys, but they also build forts, play hide and go seek, and we even played games like London Bridge and the Farmer in the Dale.

We have decided to put Remi in British schools. I am excited for her. Its funny but one of the reasons why I am excited is because she gets to wear a uniform. I like the fact that all the kids wear uniforms and I think it makes them equal. It takes the clothing issue out of things. I don't want Remi to think that she is better than anyone, or not as good as someone based on her clothes. I want her to not judge because of what people are wearing and not be self conscious because she doesn't have certain clothes. I think uniforms are good for this.

After being in temporary housing I have realized how lucky we are. I am fine here, except that it is like a hotel, so we have to come up stairs to get to our room. We are so lucky to have a big home though. It has a laundry room and more rooms than we have had in any other house. We get to have a yard, we have cars to drive and the list goes on and on.

I think back on the way I was raised and I am so grateful for the things my parents taught me. They didn't have lots of money and I don't remember if we had tons of toys or not. I do remember playing in the fields on the ranch, playing with our animals and being creative with what we did have. I remember taking one of the eggs from my Grandma's chickens and wrapping it in socks and putting it on the heater hoping it would hatch. This is when we lived in a doube wide trailer. There were 8 of us there and I don't ever remember being unhappy having to share a room with my sister. I loved sharing a room with my sister Julie. We would talk and talk after we were supposed to be sleeping. Then when my little sister was born I got to share a room with her. This was HEAVEN!!! I got to get up with her at night and take her to my mom to eat. Then I would bring her back to her crib. I didn't mind at all that we lived in a trailer, I never remember being self conscious of it or caring what my friends thought. We were happy.

I hope somehow I can teach my kids the same things. I don't want them thinking they get anything they want. I don't think they should learn that their happiness is based off what they do or don't have. It is a choice they make. I want them to learn that we just need to be happy with what we have and not always want more. So if I seem like a strict mom that doesn't give my kids anything this is why. They don't NEED everything they want. They do NEED to learn to be happy with what they have. Yes it is ok to want things. I want things too. Everyone does. But they do NEED to learn to be happy even though they still have wants. What we have and don't have isn't as important as how we treat those around us and what kind of person we are. We have been working on this while we have been here in TLF. We have told our kids multiple times when we get back from doing something fun for them and they ask for something. Our answer is can't you just be happy with what you just got to do. Why do you always need more. We have started saying no to them when they immediately want more. We get them a treat at the store and as soon as its gone they ask for something else. So our answer is now no. Well anyway. We are those strict parents, but hopefully our kids grow into happy adults anyway:)