'tis life

Time for some updates and pictures. I think everyone already knows, but we have received orders for Whidbey Island, Washington. We'll be going probably at the very beginning of October. It's still a tad complicated, but it pretty much always is. Nathan has to go to yet another school, but it's also in Washington, so that's a little better. Unfortunately it's not on Whidbey Island, but beggers can't be choosers. We'll make it work. More details will unfold, I'm sure. Don't know yet when his first deployment will be.
In other news, Levi and I experienced our first car crash a couple weeks ago. It was somewhat tramatic, but only because we're both dramatic and whimpy. We rear ended someone. That's raelly the extent of it. Busted up the front of our car pretty good though. Our insurence ended up deeming it a total loss, so we had a lot of stuff to deal with there. A pretty stressful week. Plus, Levi's take on it was as follows:
"Everybody broke our car! I broke my neck in my car seat. I almost died."
We scrambled around, let down by the struggling economy, for several days until we bought a mini van from some friends at church. I think Nathan's comments on that are almost the same as Levi's. He almost died. He really didn't appriciate that the mini van ended up being the smartest plan. It's a 2000 Mazda MPV.
Anyway, that's what's been up in the Shalz Hizouse. Now time for pictures.
We went to a birthday bbq for some friends at the park in the midst of our vehicular termoil.
Levi loves the park. One of his many BFF's. He's big enough to do everything and he takes full advantage anytime I take him out.
Levi loves him some girls. Not in a girlfriend kind of way. None of that now. All his friends are girls and he just goes with it. He'll be sad to leave JoJo this fall.
Oh, our treasure we found at Target, for $1. I remember having one of these as a child and preforming with it every chance I got. He decorated his. I think in order to have greater stage presence.
Playing his own version of Chess/checkers.
Here's the rental we had for a week while searching for a replacement car. It was nice. I think it made it even harder for Nathan to buy a Mini Van. This is what he's wanted...forever. Levi enjoyed playing in the back.
Ever since our accident, Levi has been very aware of our speed and all the cars around us when we drive. He told Nathan the other day, as he sped up to pass someone, "Slow down Papa. Be careful." He was traumatized apparently. Also, when we had the truck, he was so excited to have something new. That was the saving grace of the situation for him. He said, "Everybody broke our car. (gasp) We'll buy a NEW one!" So, now every day he asks, "can I play in the new big car?" He wans to "drive" it. Plus, our van has a sun roof, so he wants to open that up, climb on the seats, stick most of his body out the top and say, "To Infinity and beyond!"
More Hawaiian trees. I took these while Nathan was test driving an old used SUV we almost bought. Too bad I never know what kind they are. Ah well.