After a break from blogging (moving from Germany to Bossier City Louisiana), this is my attempt to catch you up on our life and where-abouts for the last five months.  I'll have to apologize for the order of the pictures, they go from oldest to newest - and it was going to take way to long to flip flop them all.

Just before leaving Germany, we picked blue berries.....YUMMY!

Can you believe the size of these things!?!  I miss them already!

The last weekend in Europe, a friend of mine took me on a river cruise down the Rhine to see castles and all the cute little river towns along the way.....something I had wanted to do since first arriving four years prior.  I took TONS of pictures that day, but here are a few of my favorites.

Thanks for the trip Stephanie!

The last market day before leaving Germany with Michelle and Emily.....several friends met at Bagels and Beans for a coffee, but I didn't get a picture of everyone there.

The last day we spent as a family in Geilenkirchen.....

We were truly blessed with the time we lived in Germany.....two children, several dear friends, travel, and experiences I never could have imagined for my life.  To the friends we left behind, or that that had moved on prior to us leaving, you will always hold a spot in my heart.  Big hugs to you!  Miss you!

The LONG plane ride back to the USA!  The kids didn't sleep a wink!  Logan was lovin' the fact he got endless juice and snacks....and a TV and headset all to himself.

Cousin Oliva with Connor.....he's always got to be holding someone's neck and sucking that thumb.

We visited the Bush Beans headquarters in Tennessee.  

Helping Grandpa water the flowers.....

.....and stopping for a drink....

....and if Logan does it, Connor has to do it too!

Gettin' some sugar!

Fishing on Mom and Dad's pond.

Logan got one!  I love Connor's face here!

Awe.

A water gun fight with Grandma and Grandpa.....it got pretty intense when grandpa went inside and got a cup of water to dump on grandma!

Matching outfits are so fun!

Just because......we were visiting a farmer's market.

Cousins!!!  Oh what fun!

A splash pad near my sister's house.  My kids LOVE these!

Really, they love them.

Saturday morning kids' project time at Lowe's.

The finished product.

Does that look fun or what?!

Bass Pro shop.....and the Duck Dynasty dudes!  While living in Germany, I had no idea what a sensation these guys actually are! 

Sisters.

Even McDonnald's is fun with this many kids!

I took the boys to their first football game.

They got to stay up WAY past their bed time, but really enjoyed cheering for our team.

I also took them to their first baseball game....the Tennessee Smokies. 

Uh, yeah, I got a hot dog!

Mom and my Grandaddy went too!

Doctoring Grandpa.

Concert time with cousin Isaac.

Doesn't Logan look like Doogie Houser????

Fireman Connor.

Lunch at Firehouse Subs....the boys' favorite.

T-ball with dad out in Grandpa's back yard.

Pond fun for the entire family!

Just because....

.....he's cute

A teaching moment.

Brothers are the BEST!

This is a great shot of the Hickox Beach.....dad put just a small strip of sand into the pond so the grandkids don't get yucky feet coming in and out.

Yep, Logan got another one!

We went to the Gatlinberg aquarium with my sister and her kids.

Mom took us to the Dixi Stampeed one night....notice the medal around William's neck...he was chosen to go down into the arena for a ring toss game (using toilet seats) and he WON!  That's my man! 

We went to two outdoor concerts with family.

My niece, Olivia and I at the concert.

William and Connor.

Raspberry snack with Grandma at Dollywood!

Riding the rides with cousins at Dollywood.

William and Justin putting together the activity board for the boys.

The finished product....I think he likes it!

Boat riding on Douglas Lake, Tennessee.

The kids each took turns driving.

Connor REALLY enjoyed that.

Waiting for your turn isn't always easy.

FINALLY - pictures from Louisiana!  Our first week here we found this great splash pad!  I think most folks thought it was too cold to play in the water, but my kids were used to German weather, so they had the whole thing to themselves!!!  

Did I mention they LOVE playing in the water!?

Wrestling with Dad in our temporary housing on base.

My little super heros!

Hotel bed jumping!

We found a little farm filled with kids activities for the fall season.  

They rode tire swings,

played games,

rode horses,

played in a bin of corn,

and ran through a corn maze.

A family picture after completing the maze.

Playing super hero.

When we bought our house and were ready to move in, Dad came to watch the kids and bring Jackson back to us!  We stumbled upon this cute place, Sweet Frog.  It has since become a weekly stop for the boys and I to get a small treat and enjoy a mom and sons date!

The Bass Pro Shop here in Shreveport has live alligators - pretty cool!

Playing together in Logan's room.

And in the hallway between their rooms!

We visited a chimpanzee haven one weekend.

CHRISTMAS DECORATING before Thanksgiving!!  

I put up six trees this year early, and it was GREAT!  

Connor had the football tree. (Side note:  the decals in his room have changed slightly since this picture.  I've added football slogans and spread the footballs out to look less like a meteor shower!  hee hee)

Logan had the construction tree.

William and I had the "special memory" tree with homemade ornaments and a few special ornaments from friends.

The living room had the big pretty tree.  And there was a small one with just lights at the front door, and another in the kitchen.

Guest bath.

Master bath.

You'll have to look at the kitchen sideways because I can't figure out how to turn this dang picture! (the tree is in the corner behind the table, but you can't see it in this picture)......

Here's the front of the house.

We went to Florida for Thanksgiving.  Here the boys are helping Papa Bill make his corn bread dressing.    

Papa Bill played football with the kids while William and I registered our car.

Shucking oysters with William's brother, Andy.  Unfortunately, I don't have tons of pictures from this visit since my camera battery died, and I didn't pack my charger!  BUMMER.

Just a cute pose.

We met William for lunch one day.

Lovin' on my boys!

Hot chocolate one day after a cold bike ride.....but the fact that we're even able to ride bikes in December is GREAT!

Watching TV with the boys.

Playing at the park down the road from our house.

Snack time at the lake 10 minutes from our house.  Again, amazing weather for December!

Cypress Lake, Louisiana just minutes from our house!

The view from our garage one afternoon after a storm.  Beautiful.

Craft time with Dad....making a race car.

This is where Jackson sits when the boys eat lunch....just hoping they drop something!

Christmas at church.

Thanks for the matching shirts Grandma!

He was hunting ducks....

Precious.