Texas Summer '08

Kate did awesome in the car for 12hours! She was a doll. She loved the beach again! And playing with her cousins. She thought she was such a big girl. Her cousins are all around 6-7 yrs old. It was the first time I think she ignored me for days! LOL!

Aaron's Accomplishment's to date

Mike Battery lights up the night
by Cpl. Ryan Tomlinson
PATROL BASE EL DORADO, Iraq (Aug. 23, 2008) – The enemy can’t hide in the dark if the night sky is lit up like a light bulb.

Marines with Mike Battery, 3rd Battalion, 14th Marine Regiment, 2nd Light Armored Reconnaissance Battalion, Regimental Combat Team 5 support the service members conducting patrols through the city Rutbah, Iraq, by firing illumination rounds from M-777 Howitzers to discourage insurgent activity after the sun goes down.

“It provides (insurgents) with limited options to move around freely,” said Capt. Shane E. Murphy, 32, executive officer of Mike Battery, from Grande Prairie, Texas. “We’ve also been able to use the illumination rounds for seeking out caches by finding tire tracks in the desert.”

Mike Battery is a reserve artillery battery based out of Chattanooga, Tenn. The battery is attached to 2nd LAR Bn. as a provisional infantry element in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom.

“We have to maintain artillery presence to show that we’re still here,” said Sgt. Mike D. Maurer, 23, a cannon section chief with Mike Battery, from Woodstock, Ga. “There has been suspected insurgent activity in the areas we’re illuminating, and it’s good to catch them in the act.”

When not firing the cannons, the Marines with Mike Battery provide security, assist the Iraqi Police and help with rebuilding the infrastructure in Rutbah. So far, the unit has been able to fire their Howitzers more than 20 times this deployment for the purpose of night operation illumination, and they look forward to it each time.

“It’s a good change of pace from our normal operations. It’s fast paced when you’re moving to get that round down range, and that is exciting,” said Lance Cpl. Justine R. Burch, 23, a cannoneer with Mike Battery from Virginia Beach, Va. “Insurgents love to hide in the desert to exchange weapons or oil, and when we light up (the sky), they will be found.”

Beach Trip 08

How cute is she at Ft. Walton Beach. Her very first trip to the beach. She smiled all day long. Her favorite was splashing in the waves. I wish everyone could have seen her. Aunt Barbara, lets take her to Beaufort!

Penguins!

Kate loves penguins! Here is our last weekend with Daddy at home. He took us to the aquarium with Brad, Lou Lou, and Grandma!

Circus Time!!

Mimi, Uncle Dewayne, and Mommie take Kate to the Circus! The little daschunds were soooo cute!

Easter Egg Hunt

Here is Katelyn having a great time coloring and hunting Easter Eggs. She loved it!

Shoes Part Deux

Ok, those with doubt...here is segment two on road shoes! This work boot was found on Gunbarrel Road near Target. The second boot was found about 50 feet down the road. How did that happen????





But I am not finished yet!!! Check out the next addition to my collection. It is one of my favorites. The below picture shows a flip flop found off of Amnicola Highway.

Baby Mallory

Here is baby Mallory at Christmas 2007. She is Aaron's brother, Brad, and his wife, Lou Lou's newest addition. She was adorable!!

Kate's First Ballet Class

Katelyn started Ballet and Tap classes on Monday, Jan. 8, 2007. She is a natural! Now Mommy has to learn all the Balley terms so I can try to help her practice! Oh my, do I have lots to learn!

Aaron Leaves for CA

Aaron left for his seven weeks of training on Monday Jan. 8th, 2007. This is the family at the battery before he left. He will return early March before shipping out to Iraq.

Shoes

Something you may find weird...but that has fascinated me for the past year of my life, is how shoes end up on the side of the road. I started noticing shoes...lots of shoes, just scattered through-out Chattanooga on the side of the roads. How does something so strange happen. I envision Chattanoogians with their red-neck feet hanging out the passenger side window and their shoe flying off and hitting the windshield of the car behind them! This could be dangerous! I wonder if this event has ever caused a 52 car pile up! So I wanted to share with you, that I am not making this up... Whether the shoes cause pile ups or not is another story but some how they find their way to the side of the road frequently. I have not convinced Aaron of this yet, but I am a true believer that there are millions of shoes lost, without a mate all across the world. I will not be able to find all the shoes around the world on my own but I will prove to you and America that in Chattanooga, it is a mass occurrence! If you ever find one for yourself, please send me a picture. I want to write a book about this!

Shoe Number 1 was found on Igou Gap Rd.

Shoe Number 2 was found on East Brainerd Road.

Shoe Number 3 was found on East Brainerd Road, near E. Brainerd Elementary.

Well....now what do you think. And I have two more shoes I have found saved on my cell phone.

Not to count all the shoes I have seen and haven't been able to get a picture of.

Cataloochee Ski Trip December 07

This is little Katelyn enjoying her day out in the snow in N.C. for Christmas '07. She was so excited playing in snow for the first time. We even let her endeavor a little in skiing. She was a natural.

Check out the video of Kate skiing with Daddy!