SparkleShan

Since I was gone for a year I had tons of partying and going out to make up for with my friends and BFF. Here are shots of everything that went on in May of this year after I got home. Since I am way behind on Posting I am going to do everything for the month!! This picture is from the first night that Ann I went out after I got home from deployment. We went to Ultra 88 of course. This night we went to Shrine at Foxwoods and the dumbasses kicked us out because they said Ann was drunk, so not true, jerks! I then when out with my two wives that were deployed to with me. We went to a party in Bradford, but it was boring so Velez and I decided to bring Kristen to Van Dome in New Haven, since she had never been to a club. I haven't been to Van Dome since I was a freshmen in college (and I will never go again, lol). They took our picture for the website! LOL

So I got to come back to the states a week earlier then the rest of the unit because I was in charge of making sure that all the mobilization Adminstrative part was all set and run smoothly (and trust me there was a lot to be done). We got 150 people through Fort Dix and demobilzation in 4 days when it normally take a week or more for less people then that. We arrived home on mother's day. What a great Mother's Day gift to see my little girl! It's good to be home but weird to. I'm used to having people around me ALL the time and now it's just me in the house. I have the next 3 months off to spend every day with Emma once school gets out and to do much knitting and spinning. I got a brand new spinning wheel that was waiting for me when I arrived that I need to learn how to use! I also had a lots of fiber that I ordered waiting for me. Prefect to practice on the new wheel with (like I don't have enough already). And the a wonderful friend from Ravelry Meliss...

There are 4 AVCRADs in the National Guard, the one I belong to, the 1109th AVCRAD in Connecticut is the best one of all. Each of the have been rotating in and out of the war since it started in 2003. And yes the CT AVCRAD were the first one's here, we set up the Theater Aviation Maintenance Program here in Kuwait and now the unit is back for there second rotation. This is my first one here though, I was pregnant when they had a 3 days notice back in 2003, so I didn't go. Well the last two units that were here right before this rotation started a thing of painting a barrier to represent their unit. Well I must say that like our unit being the best AVCRAD our Barrier is also the best. The other two look very similar but ours is completely unique and original. This is our barrier which was designed and painted by SSG Langley. And Below are the Barriers done by the Mississippi AVCRAD and the ADMRU

A few days ago we had a sand/dust storm for two days. You couldn't see a thing. The roads were red, and no one was allowed to drive off post. Even the sun looked like a white ball (yes I thought it was the moon at first). My hair was full of sand and it took two washings to get it all out. My Chief said sandstorms mean its almost time for us to go. It can't come soon enough, I've had my fill of this place. I am eager to get home and relax for the summer, go to the beach whenever I want, and best of all not go to work! This will be my first summer off since I was 16! The morning started out a little foggy and the sun looked like a little white glowing ball. By Mid afternoon it looked like this and stayed this way for two days.

I took my first ride in a Black Hawk last week over Kuwait. It was fun and a lot less scary then riding in an airplane. Our Shadow in the Sand Me freezing my butt off, it was actually cold that day and I forgot my fleece! Mr. Bowdy laughing at me, Shouldn't you be watching where you are going!! My home for the past 7 months from the Air The coast of Kuwait and the Persian Guld areial shot

So I must say that we have one of the best First Sergeants that our unit has ever had (and I am not just saying that because we have been friends for years before he was the Top Dog). His lovely wife JoAnn emailed me a few days before his birthday and asked if we could do a little something for him over here. Unfortunately we couldn't do it on his actual birthday because he got delayed on a trip to Iraq, but we did it a few days after that. A bunch of us chipped in and got him his very first IPOD. Welcome to the 21st century! Opening the card from his wife.

For lunch we went to the chow hall and they had some amazing butter and ice sculptures. Complete with christmas dinner, I was a bit sad they were all out of egg nog though! In the evening our unit organized a unit Christmas Party.

Merry Christmas everyone. I hope you all had a wonderful holiday! I am here in Kuwait...still. This is my first Christmas away from my family and my little bean pie, Emma. I miss all my family back home, but I am thankful for a few good friends I have over here that were kind enough to spend Christmas Day with me. On Christmas Eve a few of us got together and watched Christmas movies to try and get into the Christmas spirit. Then this morning Amy and I exchanged gifts. Then at noon a few of us got together and exchanged secret Santa gifts. Our Secret Santa group (minus Amy, she's taking the picture). Perkins opening up her gifts. Amy looks happy with her gifts! Perkins got the perfect present for B, which he loves as you can tell. First Sergeant showing off his Lions presents from Rogers. He got pictures of what he got because the mail is a bit slow here around Christmas time! Natalie modeling the hats I knit her (below and above), she was my secret santa lady! Rogers showing o...

Every year around Christmas time the Sergeant Major of the Army gets famous people/performers together and brings them to Kuwait, Iraq and Afghanistan to entertain the troops. This year they had a bunch of country singers I've never heard of and LeAnne Tweeded and Louis CK. All of of us in the crowd laughing at Louis' jokes. Velez and I being silly (it was so cold out!) Miami Dolphin Cheerleaders LeAnne Tweeden (I really have no idea who she is, lol)

We had to spread some Christmas cheer through the AVCRAD in this hell forsaken country. So the First Sergeant wanted us to set up a Christmas Tree at our Airfield. Amy crocheted some snow flake ornaments for it and the rest came from the PX (yes I find it a bit ridiculous that they have decorations on deployment!). Today we got together and had a pizza lunch and then set up the Tree in the outside break area of the airfield. Everyone got involved, well mostly the girls decorated the tree while the guys sat around and watched. The Crew after we decorated the tree. We forgot to get a star or the top of the tree so someone improvised and put two blue balls as the topper.

I really like knitting simple hats, I can do them in a few hours and completing something gives me a great sense of accomplishments. Here is the 3rd stocking knit hat I have knitted. I made it for one of my soldiers because it is getting cold, yes we are in the desert, but its now about 75 at night which is 335 degrees cooler then it was when we first got here. I have another stocking knit hat on the needles in the opposite color of the picture shown, for another soldier in my unit.

Yesterday was Kristen's 21st Birthday. Unfortunately for her we are not allowed to have alcohol over here, but we wanted to make it as special as possible for her. So the crew got Neer Beer and Sparkling Cider. We decorated and had a cook out at the airfield and off course there was some fake drinking going on. Chug, Chug, Chug.... Someone's going to have fun tonight!

November 3rd was Amy's birthday. She is now an offical member of the dried up old lady crew. We got her cake and presents and had a good old time. One of the gifts was a bottle og Lube, actually she got two bottles from different people (you have to see the movie Superbad if you don't get it), Dillis got her a few pictures, one which included a picture of Kyle (her future husband) with a mouth full of 12 regular size marshmallows. Pretty, yummy Cake Amy Cutting the Cake