java jubilee...{our} life through mY lens

java jubilees to diapers and dog tags

2012-01-31T21:11:00.002-05:00

we are moving! i have been wanting to change to wordpress and after much contemplation i decided to go for it...new blog name and all!

~ diapersanddogtags.com ~

i hope you will all hop on over to our new blog and follow the craziness there.

muah!

peace and love to you all...

just some instaGram randomness...

2012-01-20T22:47:00.000-05:00

peace and love to you all...

good intentions and milk fountains...

2012-01-06T20:57:00.000-05:00

my intention was to blog at least 3 times this week...doesn't look like i made it does it? a little someone kept me busy...

this week has been one of healing and relaxing. mama sometimes gets a blockage in her right 'milk fountain' which is very, very painful. VERY painful. this is the second time that it has happened, but fortunately it doesn't require a trip to the dr. i usually just spend the day relaxing, drinking lots of water and making sure to feed her from that side as often as possible. as painful as it is when she feeds from it, it is much MoRe painful when she doesn't. add the fact that i slept wrong on my neck the other night and now you know why this week was a week of relaxing.

well, i wish you all a wonderful weekend along with happy thoughts and pixie dust.

peace and love to you all...

goodbye 2011...

2012-01-03T10:35:00.000-05:00

hello fellow javies!!

i hope that all of you had a safe and pleasant new years. life here was low-key on new years...but then again...it is pretty low key here every new years. with daddy not being home, holidays and special occasions aren't the same. i would be lying if i didn't admit that i am very happy that the holiday season is over and that we are now into the year 2012. the year 2012 will bring more change, along with growth, acceptance, love and strength.

daddy will be heading home in a couple of months and i can't even begin to express my level of excitement for that to happen. it is time for us to be together. time for us to reconnect, reunite and rediscover.

this year i plan to focus on a few things...such as...

minimizing

creating

eating cleaner

along with laughing and loving more

what are a few of the things you hope to focus on or accomplish in the year 2012?

peace and love to you all...

one of those days...

2011-12-30T16:59:00.000-05:00

yesterday was one of those days...one of those 'no make the bed' days...

do you ever have one of those?
one of those days where the bed looks just perfect unmade?
a baby burp up cloth, baby pj's and an unkept bed...
what better describes my life right now then that? :)

peace and love to you all...

because he totally rocks!!!

2011-12-27T21:09:00.001-05:00

i am tickled pink to announce that hubby got his promotion. e-6...here we come!

prior to 'going active' he was national guard, so for those of you who don't know...when a solider goes from the reserve component to the active component (at least in the army anyway) you loose a 'stripe' or in his case, 'his rocker.'

the last month and a half he has done everything he could to earn as many points as he could...cut off scores came out a few days ago...he made the cut off!
not only did i marry a super duper smart solider...but he is hott too!

way to go lover!

peace and love to you all...

merry Christmas on december 26

2011-12-26T10:29:00.000-05:00

i hope today finds everyone re-cooping from a fabulous holiday weekend. things here were good, we had a quiet and intimate celebration, and even from Afghanistan hubby made sure that we had things to open under the tree...isn't he absolutely wonderful??? i think so.

bugg went to ca for the holidays and is due back at the beginning of next week. the boy and i snacked on breakfast casserole (thanks to laura), potatoes and cheese and tostadas on homemade sourdough tortillas (thanks to wardee) over the weekend. bugg bugg aka monkey spent the weekend in mamas or brothers arms, oogling at the christmas lights and gnawing on her hand...life is good isn't it?

we were also able to skype with family which was splendid!!! skype is great...when it works that is. :)

today is monday and so the week starts off with my usual baking, laundry, menu planning and ROH listening...what about you? what do mondays mean to you and your household?

peace and love to you all...

were you warned????

2011-12-18T23:08:00.000-05:00

when you married your soldier were you warned...

about long days and even longer nights
holidays missed
appointments forgotten
the infamous "hurry up and wait" motto

were you warned...

that you might be delivering your baby without him...again!
that you would become a MASTER mrs. fix it
that PT clothes and ACU's multiply when on the bedroom floor

were you warned...

that you would know his social security number better then you know your own
that he is known as your sponsor and you as his dependent
what POA stands for and why you must have it
that you will never know anyone by their first name

were you warned...

that "chaotic change" becomes the "norm"
that you and power tools would become good friends
that you would be the one hanging up the christmas lights while he was "in the field"
that fear takes on a whole new meaning when there is a knock at your door and you aren't expecting anyone

were you warned...

that the love of a soldier is like no other
that your life no longer belongs to you but to the US Government
that the word sacrifice is much more then just a word
that deployments don't get easier...EVER!

were you warned...

that you would begin to refer to people as civilians
that birthdays, anniversary's and holidays mean more now then they every did
that not everyone supports the military
and that marrying a solider is like marrying a superhero, but without the cape

peace and love to you all...

m.i.a. in pa...

2011-11-30T20:22:00.001-05:00

yep that is me...miss m.i.a. in PA!

where have i been you ask, well i have been running a home, changing diapers, planning for the holidays and oh yeah...i was in PA for 5 phenomenal days!!!

my family and i were invited by a very dear friend of mine...Miss X...

who lives in PA, to come and spend the thanksgiving holiday with her and her lovely family. we left tuesday afternoon and made it there in just a few short hours. i have NEVER been to PA, but i had always heard good things about it. believe me when i say this...and all those good things i heard...were true!

we started off our visit with pizza, then popped on over to see ms. hotshot soliel

get her letter.

we then ended the evening giggling and laughing and catching up, only to get up the next day to go to lunch, to window shop and to sit in on jade's karate class.

obviously on thursday we prepped for thanksgiving dinner...

tortured the animals

enjoyed a pleasant walk

along side and through a cemetary

and when dinner was good and ready we stuffed our tummies until we couldn't eat

anymore. after a much needed nap

my dear friend and i ended the evening once again giggling, laughing and just enjoying one anothers company.

off to the corning glass museum on friday...

which totally rocked! we then strolled through downtown corning...and loved it!!!

we hit the mall on saturday and unfortuantly had to pack up and hit the road on sunday. boo hoo!

this was a thanksgiving we will never forget...thank you so much X for your hospitality, your good food and your friendship.

peace and love to you all...

i h.e.a.r.t these kids!!!

2011-10-29T18:30:00.000-04:00

aren't my next door neighbors kids the cutest??? i think so!!

peace and love to you all...

a NEW look...

2011-10-11T06:00:00.000-04:00

as you can tell java jubilee has taken on a new look. i like it...but it is very different from what i am used to.
i like to change things up from time to time, so when i saw the new templates that blogger offered, naturally i had to check them out.
needless to say, this is the one that i chose...what do you think?

peace and love to you all...

insta{grammin'} it up

2011-10-09T06:00:00.000-04:00

once again let me say it...i LoVe this app...

{how can you NOT love the name of this nursing cover???}

peace and love to you all...

oH that faCe!

2011-10-08T17:07:00.002-04:00

took these two shots yesterday while monkey was hangin' out in the living room on her boppy...

peace and love to you all...

creamer, rain and veggie tales..just another normal day around here...

2011-09-23T11:28:00.001-04:00

bugg bugg and i woke to this yesterday morning...

i love the rain and the snow but I love the sun more. i am not talking 110 degree sun but normal sun...the kind of sun that makes you want to pack up the kids and go to the beach or go on a walk, that type of sun.

our routine is pretty much the same everyday. we get up, get dressed, mommy makes the bed, changes and cleans the little keiki and heads downstairs for some much needed coffee. of course coffee isn't complete without creamer right? well here ya go...

oh yes...64 oz baby! i squealed with joy when i saw this in the refrigerated section at the store. one would think that 64 oz would be enough for one woman for quite a while...but not this woman. i love my coffee and i love my creamer even more. i wonder if they have FVCA {french vanilla creamer anonymous} group...i think i have a problem.

last but definitely not least is our veggie tales CD made for us by gramma. as bugg bugg swings in her swing and as mommy sips her ever delectable beverage we play the CD via the blue-ray player. i have grown used to the off key singing of the tomato and even catch myself singing from time to time.

{this is the kind of pic you take when you have had too much coffee...orrrrr...maybe it is the kind of pic you take when you haven't had eNouGh coffee ~ food for thought}

i find it crazy that just one year ago we were in florida, no baby, no deployment, bugg was home schooled and fishing was an everyday occurrence. exactly one year later we find ourselves in upstate new york, newborn in hand, deployed husband, bugg in public school and snow is an everyday occurrence {well for 6 months it is ~ the other 4 is rain with clouds ~ leaving us with 2 months of sun and sticky heat}.

guess this is what is meant when they say that life is unpredictable huh?

peace and love to you all...

GreeN + cHeapeR + sUpeR cUTe = hAppY mAma

2011-09-18T14:03:00.000-04:00

i am sure that some if not most you by now know that i cloth diaper. i don't cloth diaper exclusively only because i have so many disposable diapers that i can't see wasting them...so i use them a couple times a week but not much more then that.

why do i cloth diaper??? i can't really explain why...i wish i could say it was because i am so involved with the 'gReeN moVemeNt and want to do all i can to save/protect our planet, but that really isn't it...not completely anyway. i do loVe our planet, but i still have a pretty big carbon footprint...sorry 'gReen moVemeNt people' but i do. i could say i do it to save us money...which part of me does, but the real reason i do it is because she is too cute with her poofy, colorful bum. i remember when i first started considering cloth diapering and how overwhelming it felt. prefolds? pockets? AIO's? AI2's?  cloth wipes? inserts? snappi's...the list goes on and on. and then one day i met a cloth diaper mama aka holly, and i picked her brain {a few times}, attended the great diaper change of 2011 and the rest is history. i am now the sunbaby/alva baby diaper qUeen! j/k...but i do own a lot of them.

as i am sure most people want to know, as did i when i was learning from the all knowing cloth diaper mama aka holly...

question: isn't it time consuming?

answer:    not really, especially if you get a system down

question: isn't it gross?

answer:    i am not grossed out by it...but some might be

question: aren't they expensive?

answer:    they can be, but it does depend on how many and what kinds you buy

question: isn't it hard to get the stains out?

answer:    no...soap, water and sun do all the work

as with anything, it depends on how determined you are to make it work, along with your desire for change. I know that cloth diapering isn't for everyone, but I am sure that if more people tried it, they just might realize it is not as gross, hard or expensive as they thought it might be.

So now that you have heard me rant and rave about the benefits to cloth diapering...maybe for those of you with little ones still in diapers...you could give it a try? Best of luck!

peace and love to you all...

insta{gram} 3

2011-09-09T17:29:00.001-04:00

it is obvious that i am still head-over-heels in love with this app. i just can't get enough of it! bugg recently got an ipod touch for her birthday, she too is addicted to this app. i will have to add some of her pics on here when i get a chance.

my brain is still in a fog and i apologize for my lack of blogging. everytime i get an idea for a post and i sit down to start writing...my brain freezes...my mind goes to mush and i end up sitting in front of my laptop with a blank stare. apparently having a baby can do that to a woman, ha ha.

anyhow, here is some insta{gram}Luv for you all...hope you like

peace and love to you all...

as i sit here...

2011-09-03T00:19:00.001-04:00

as i sit here with my fan running, my television on, my laptop on my lap, my iphone next to me on the bed, the house phone next to me on the bed and my most precious item next to me in the bed...my keiki, i find myself blogging in the early morning hours when i should be sleeping.

one thing i know is that when she is sleeping, i should be sleeping. i shouldn't be on the computer, surfing the net, cleaning the kitchen or any of the other thousand things i could do while i have a minute to myself. even though i know this...what am i doing...exactly what i know i shouldn't be doing.

~ what i can say is this ~

i love her...i love her...i loVe HeR!!! i grow to love her more every day. her facial expressions, her lack of patience, her temper...all bring a giggle to my lips. i wish i could open my heart so that the world could see just how much love i have for this precious gift that i have been given. i wish i could make every stranger i pass on the street feel the love in my heart that i feel when i see her, when i smell her, when i touch her and when she is lays her little head on my chest and falls fast asleep. i wish i could give this gift to others...this gift that i have been given...a gift that many don't appreciate nor understand. i wish i wish i wish...

i guess i should share her birth story and all the chaos that ensued, but the words just aren't 'fLowiN' for me. my thoughts are jumbled and confusing, they make no sense and there is no rhyme or reason for any of them. i will take the easy way out and blame it on the 'new mommy' syndrome, sound good???? it does to me.

peace and love to you all...

and it continues to build...

2011-06-16T18:04:00.000-04:00

what continues to build you ask, well...aNtiCipAtiOn of course!!!

hello java junkies how is this fine thursday evening treating all of you? we here in NY are doing well, just counting the days until swimmer is out of school and on her way to visit family, and also counting down the days until hubby is home on r & r and last but definitely not least, we are counting down the days to the arrival of our precious keiki. i was in her room last night marveling at all that we already have for her. so many of you have been so gracious and just gIvEn us stuff that it is very humbling. i do know that i need to get some type of travel system for her an ergo carrier and hubby wants to get a video camera so that mommy can capture every moment of her precious life while he is gone. for those of you who have asked...yes i will be breastfeeding (God-willing), i will also be cloth diapering and i am a big fan of baby wearing. i already have a chocolate brown moby wrap...which i love and believe me when i say that she has enough clothes to last her the whole first year of her life.

i am sure that some of you are not too sure why one would cloth diaper or CD as it is known in the fancy smancy green world that i so adore, but have you seen cloth diapers lately? they are so far beyond the old school cloth diapers that were used before. there are no pins (unless you choose to use them) but velcro or snaps. i have a few velcro, but majority of mine are snaps. snaps last longer and are harder for the little ones to pull off. as i stated in my previous post...or maybe that was my other blog...i really don't remember....but anyway i just ordered a big batch of sunbaby CD's which i am hoping arrive any day now, and for those of you who can't control yourselves...yes i will be posting pics of them once i get them! i also have a big batch of alva baby CD's that should be arriving by the end of the month. i am so excited! i know that a statement like that sounds weird, but if you were a CDing mama...you would understand the excitement.

the weather here has been nice. the sun has been out all week, at least almost all week. it is warm here, but not like FL or AZ. we had a pretty good rain storm the other day, but other then that...it has been beautiful!

some dear friends of ours threw a dual baby shower for myself and another preggo friend of ours. we had so much fun, and we both were very spoiled that day. it was a day of friends, food, presents and laughter...what more could a pregnant woman ask for???

here are a few pics from that day.

peace and love to you all...

insta{gram} 2

2011-06-13T12:33:00.000-04:00

peace and love to you all...

somEone hElp!

2011-06-07T11:04:00.000-04:00

hello all! i need your help. i have been having a problem with my blog lately. when i go to comment on a comment that someone has left me, after i write whatever it is that i am going to write i go to post it and it doesn't recognize me. does that make sense? it puts me as an anonymous user and when it pops me back over to my gmail sign in page...i sign in and go to post my comment...and the same thing happens. i also notice that my latest post didn't post to the facebook page that i have it linked/synchd to. has this happened to anyone else? if so PLEASE help me!

thanx

peace and love to you all...

instaGraM inSanitY

2011-06-06T23:30:00.001-04:00

i love my iphone...love love love it!!! one of the kazillion apps that i love is instagram...it is free and super duper awesome! i recently created an instaGram account under the name dynamite 5607...so feel free to follow along. for those that follow along let me know so that i too can follow you.

i plan (tentatively anyway) to post my instaGram pics of the week every monday. these pics will be anything that catches my eye, maybe a special moment in time i want to capture or something as simple as a pic of...feet...noses...hands or maybe a cup of spilled milk...who knows.

so join me peeps! join in on this weekly snap shot assignment with me and let me see what you see...through your eyes...or through your phone if you will!!

peace and love to you all...

2011-06-01T15:16:00.000-04:00

childhood revisited...

2011-05-27T20:37:00.000-04:00

When one thinks of their childhood it ususally consists of memories that will forever

be etched into their mind...into their heart.

A very dear childhood friend of mine will be visiting us this weekend. I must admit

that I don't feel like it is real yet...according to her, it has been

approximately 26-27 years since we've last

seen eachother, let alone be in the same room together.

I couldn't believe that it had been that long, but she's right...

where did the time go?

I remember our fishing trips, our camp outs and our forts.

Life at that point in time was priceless to me.

I adored being with my friend

I loved her

I cherished our friendship...

just like I do to this very day.

I plan to spend the weekend lost in childhood memories

and in

endless laughter.

Be assured that I will take many pictures to capture

this special time and I will

post them as soon as I can.

Peace and love to you all...

do you SEE what i SEE???

2011-05-25T13:19:00.000-04:00

Here she is...

our precious keiki, growing in mommy and

preparing to enter our world.

Upon her entry we will

thank the glorious Lord above for

all that he continues to bless

us with, along with an extra special

thanks for entrusting her to

us.

This picture was taken 8 weeks ago when

I could see my feet. I don't see my

feet anymore unless I am sitting on

my couch or in my rocker.

I have realized my physical limitations

along with my emotional limitation too

during this pregnancy.

Regardless of the swollen feet

heartburn

emotional ups and downs

cravings

lack of energy

inability to sleep

and my personal favorite

my ever growing

body...

I wouldn't change a thing.

All these minor inconveniences

are nothing more then that...

inconveniences.

I remind myself when I get frustrated with

my overall fatigue

that she is

taking from me what she needs...

and

I am okay with that.

Her daddy and talk about her all the time.

We wonder what she is going to look like,

who she will take after more,

whose temper she will have

weather or not she will have hair

or big brown eyes

or even short stubby legs

(like mommy).

Regardless of her physical appearance

we are all already in love with her.

We already love her little feet

her little hands

her little ears

her button nose

her smell

her giggle

and her

kisses.

Anxiously awaiting your arrival...

sweetness...

2011-05-24T01:16:00.000-04:00

sweet shot tuesday @

a yellow mosaic...

2011-05-23T21:08:00.000-04:00

join me for mosaic monday and i heart faces photo challenges...

laughter...

2011-05-16T22:48:00.000-04:00

join me @ Mosaic Monday...

laying low, a noble man and a fairytale love...

2011-05-08T23:55:00.000-04:00

hello all!

i can't believe that it has been a whole month since i last blogged. you would think that since it's been that long that i would have some great stories to tell or share some great recipes or photo ops to blog about...but i don't. i have been just laying low. i have been spending time with friends, taking extra naps during the day, rearraging my livingroom furniture for the 10th time, going to dr appts yada yada yada.

hubs is doing fine. missing his family, his wife, his girls...he is ready to come home. i tell him to come home every time i talk to him, but for some weird reason he is still there...j/k.

as of this wednesday we will officially be in our third trimester. i almost fell off my chair when at my last dr appt because she wanted to see me in three weeks. why three weeks i asked...she said...because you don't have that much longer to go and we see you more often the closer you get to your due date. as i sat with a stunned look on my face she smiled and left the room. i was left to ponder exactly what she was implying...and then it hit me...oh my goodness...i was going to be having a baby in just a few short months! what the heck happened to all the time? i remember being in florida and finding out that we were 5 weeks along and how i felt like it was going to be F~O~R~E~V~E~R before she came, heck...we didn't even know that she was a she at the time. now here we are...in new york, seperated by a yucky deployment, entering our third and last trimester...wow! that is all i have to say...let me say it again...WOW!

as silly as it sounds, the reality of my upcoming labor is slowly creeping in...what was i thinking doing this at the age of 37? was i crazy? had i lost my mind?

NO...NO...NO...none of the above...what had happened was that i met a man, a wonderful, sexy, smart, handsome, noble, honorable, loyal, devoted, fun-loving, understanding, compassionate, forgiving, God-fearing man. i met a man who cherished me like that of a princess, and still does. i met a man who is devoted to serving his country and his family. i have a met a man that has taught me to not only love, but to love unconditionally...so to answer my own questions...

what was i thinking...i was thinking that i would be honored to bear this mans children

was i crazy...crazy in love

had i lost my mind...i lost myself in him...

as cheesy and fairytalish as it may sound, it is so very true.

peace and love to you all...

fun

2011-04-07T19:48:00.000-04:00

what could be funner then climbing a tree...

climbing a tree with the coolest cousin in the world...

L is for laughter...

2011-04-06T15:28:00.000-04:00

{self portrait}

2011-04-05T23:10:00.000-04:00

diaper delightedness...

2011-03-28T18:29:00.000-04:00

aren't these the cutest

most adorable

deliciously delectable

diapers you have ever seen?

add to that, these homemade baby wipes...

and this girl is...

in love!

peace and love to you all...

stepping out of my comfort zone...

2011-03-25T20:08:00.000-04:00

if you have followed my blog for any matter of time you will know that i love clickin' pics.

i don't post what i capture much, only because of my own insecurities as a photographer. i am guilty of looking at the work of others, longing to shoot like they do. the problem with this type of thinking is that if i spend all my time longing to shoot like others...i will never learn "my style."

this in itself is pathetic.

art is in the eye of the beholder, and i am the beholder...so i have vowed this very day to shoot what i want...and post it here. r.e.g.a.r.d.l.e.s.s!

now that i have shared all of that i have decided to post a couple of the pics that i took of myself today and our ever growing baby girl, which is something i would never normally do...hence the name of this blog post.

any how i hope you enjoy because i know i did.

peace and love to you all...

just another reason to hate laundry...

2011-03-24T12:40:00.000-04:00

when you ask women what the one household chore they despise is, a good chunk of them would say laundry. laundry is one of those things that just never seems to end, right? the piles of dirty clothes growing, the smell of fabric softener sheets, the constant cleaning out of the lint trap...we've all been there. if you were to ask me prior to my beloveds departure what household chore i despised the most, it wouldn't have been laundry...it would have been...dusting or something. but if you were to ask me right now that very same question...my answer would be laundry. definitely laundry.

why you ask, this is why...

do you see it?

how bout now...

his clothes are in it...his smell is there...

this laundry basket sits at the top of my stairs (for now). the past few days i have been very busy, so the thought of laundry was the farthest thing from my mind. it wasn't until last night around 1030 that i remembered that i wanted to get a load done. as i headed out of my bedroom towards the laundry basket it, it was then that i saw it...i saw his clothes lying in the basket and i felt the dark cloud of loneliness and pain quickly come over me. it only lasted for a minute or two, but it felt like an eternity. i feared touching it because once i did i knew i would cry. i knew i wouldn't be able to NOT smell it...so rather then fight it, i gave in to it. i pulled his hoodie up to me and took his smell in, my eyes spilled over with hot, salty tears, but i didn't mind.

this missing and longing to be with him is very normal...healthy...and expected. it isn't easy at all, but neither is life itself. as these moments arise, there are times i succumb to them and times that i don't. i have learned that tears come and go, but a love like ours doesn't. it is our love that keeps me going, our love that encourages me to finish the laundry, our love that helps me get up and face the day when i just want to stay in bed and hide. it is because of our love that this type of pain is tolerable. it is because of our love that i am the wife, mommy, daughter, auntie and sister that i am today.

my only desire for those of you who read this is this...

appreciate every second you have with your man (no matter how mad he makes you)

appreciate the socks that are lying on the floor

appreciate the toilet seat being left up for the gazillionth time

appreciate all he does, because you just don't know

when the day will come that you too will hate laundry as much as i do.

peace and love to you all...

no more ACU's on the floor...

2011-03-16T12:09:00.000-04:00

i titiled this post what i did because it is true. just one week ago today my home looked like an ACU bomb went off in it. there were combat boots, ACU pants & jackets, ruck sacks, soft caps, berets, patches, sleeping bags, shaving kits, socks, towels, PT shorts, water canteens, camel backs, name tags and anything else that MIGHT be needed when deploying covering my floor. there were times i felt myself getting frustrated because i couldn't even vacuum my own living room. now i would do anything to have all that crap laying my living room floor again.

it has been officially one whole day since my beloved dh headed out on another deployment. this time he was sent to the sunny state of Afghanistan (his words, not mine). yesterday morning was by far the worst morning i think i have ever had. add on top of his leaving to my VERY emotional pregnancy...and boom...you have an explosion of tears, frustration and resentment.
after dropping him off yesterday i received a phone call from my dr giving me some news i wasn't expecting...once again the tears came and went.

i love this shot of my deliciously handsome man...

i spent majority of the afternoon on the phone with my lovely sister-in-law and my very devoted mother. these two ladies helped me more yesterday then they will probably every know. they calmed any fears i had, they reminded me that i am not alone and most importantly...they spent time with me.

by early evening i had a throbbing headache and i could feel my stress levels rising due to not talking to my beloved dh. after a much needed home cooked meal, and quite a bit of laughter shared between my daughter and i, i headed up to bed. while writing an email to my hubby my cell phone rang with a number that could only have come from out of the country (you fellow military wives know what i am talking about). my heart jumped and my stomach had butterflies and as i answered it...i heard his ever comforting voice. we only had a few minutes together, but those few minutes were all this armywife needed. i now knew he was safe and i was able to hear him tell me that he loved me. after a few more moments together he told me he had to go, as we said our goodbyes he reminded me that because of our love for one another and our commitment to our Lord, that our Lord blessed us with a child, and regardless of we are told, our Lord is greater then any dr.

these words penetrated my heart and reminded me once again of why i love this man. his commitment, his devotion and his faith are unwavering...even in times of stress, war and uncertainty.

so as i finish this post i can honestly say that even though my day started out rough, he made sure it ended with him telling me about his love for me and reminding me that he would be home soon.

peace and love to you all...

what moves you???

2011-03-03T09:38:00.000-05:00

innocence...

adoration...

togetherness...

commitment...

tenderness...

silliness...

love...

these are just a few things that move me...what moves you?

back with the green...

2011-03-02T11:38:00.000-05:00

for those of you who don't know...i love green smoothies! i think they totally rock and when i do them consistently, i see and feel a difference in my energy, my skin, my hair and my overall attitude.
since being pregnant with this oh-so-lovely-bundle-of-emotions i have not stuck to my routine of green smoothie drinkness... i know, i know...bad mommy right? i could be like many others and blame the move, the stress, the busyness of our life, but that would be lame. i am not the type to blame others for my shortcomings, my mistakes or my less-than-stellar decisions. i take full responsibility of me and what i do, so with that said...i fell off the green wagon but now i am back baby! does anyone remember from what tv series that last line is from? betcha don't know.

anyhow, i am back on my green machine and can't wait for the benefits to start kickin' in. today i made a smoothie with fresh spinach, fresh pineapple, OJ with calcium, a banana and freshly ground flax seed. it is currently in the frig chilling, as i work on my glass of water sitting on my desk and as i type this. hubby is heading home soon, and after a quick lunch, we will be headed to pick up ms thang from the airport.

i haven't posted many pics lately so i will put one on of my daughter and her dear friend. it has absolutely nothing to do with my post...i just really like it.

peace and love to you all...

alive & kickin'...

2011-02-22T22:29:00.000-05:00

hello hello hello all my lovely lovelies...

i know that it has been fOrEvEr since i have blogged and i apologize for that, but it has been a crazy whirlwind of traveling, visiting family, settling in and learning how to adjust to life in the upstate NY.

as you all know we were in florida and were waiting on orders...orders came and to our utter surprise we were told that we were moving to NY. hubby is now stationed at ft drum which is in upstate NY. there is LoTs & LoTs & LoTs of snow!!! we get anywhere from 2 inches to 2 feet...in one day! we found a super cute townhouse just a few miles from post, and since kadie is back in school (and loving it), she only has a few feet she must walk to get to the bus stop, so all in all life is good.

kadie and i were fortunate enough to be able to fly out to AZ to visit family and to also take a trip to disneyland. now for those of you who don't know me very well...disneyland is my favorite place in the whole wide world. my parents took my brother and all during our childhood, and now they are taking their grandchildren...no matter how old they are. kadie's first trip to disneyland was before she even turned a year old...fast forward 13 years and she is still just as excited to go now as she was when she was just a wee little tyke.
we had a great trip and i will post pics soon.

i hate to cut this post off, but i must get going. time seems to go by faster here in NY, i don't know why but it just does. know that i send happy thoughts and hugs to all of you dear followers and readers.

peace and love to you all...

i will be posting an updated pic of my growing belly as soon as i get a chance

patience is not a virtue of mine...

2010-12-29T01:52:00.000-05:00

hello lovelies!!!

it has been about a week since i last posted...i must admit that my love for blogging has taken a back seat to my lack of energy as of late. i know that i probably sounds pretty pathetic doesn't it...how hard is it to just pick up my laptop and start rambling on??? believe it or not...the mere thought of getting up and actually moving drains me. once again, please do not misinterpret my words...i love being pregnant. i love knowing that our child is growing and that my body protects it, nourishes it, loves it and will defend it at all costs.

we have our first doctors appointment in a couple weeks...and it seems as though it is taking forever!!! i want to hear the baby's heartbeat...i want to see a sonogram...i need these things. i have had what appears to be very normal, but not normal to me, feelings of nervousness and even anxiety. i worry about the baby, and if everything is alright...i worry about everything with the baby. i have read in books, articles and on websites that these concerns are very normal, and to try and not let them get the better of me. easier said then done. needless to say...i am very impatient...it is not a virtue of mine. can you relate?

on to other things. kadie is due home very soon, and then before you know it...our trip to disneyland will be here. i haven't been there for a few years, so the excitement is killing me.

there are a few "new" things on the horizon, but i won't go into them until they are confirmed...until then...you will have to wait. smile!

all in all things here are going well. it has been SO COLD here in florida...i never thought florida could get into the 30's but it does...go figure.

i hope all of you all doing well, i wish you a happy and safe new years and as always...

peace and love to you all

blah...

2010-12-23T02:54:00.000-05:00

8 weeks

the title of this post describes how i have been feeling lately. i don't feel bad per se, but just...blah. i have no energy, i am still not sleeping well and i have noticed that after eating (only sometimes) i feel a little nauseous. please don't misunderstand me...i love being pregnant and i wouldn't change it for the world, i am just explaining to you all how i feel.

there is not much new around here...as you all know kadie is in ca enjoying the holiday season with her dad and his family. they are currently on a cruise right now and should be heading home (hopefully) some time on saturday. other then that, things around here have been pretty quiet. we have done a little christmas shopping and have just enjoyed this time together.

i am such a spoiled wife. my hubby waits on me hand and foot and i find myself feeling guilty because of it. i know that it is because of his love for me and our child that he wants me to take it easy, but i still struggle with it...in a good way. he insists on making dinner every night, he rubs my feet, my back and he does the laundry. i could go on and on...but you get the point. i marvel at him every day and his devotion to our marriage and our life.

i was asked by a friend of mine today (via text) if i have purchased anything for the baby. i have gotten a few onsies, a lot of books and some washcloths...other then that i have done my best to refrain from buying anything until we know what we are having. believe me when i tell you...it is so hard NOT to buy stuff. thankfully hubby is there to remind me that it is best for us to wait just a little bit longer. i LOVE looking at baby stuff and any chance i get to stroll through a store and gaze at all the cool stuff that they have for babies...i take it. my hubby is a trooper and tolerates the shopping...but i always bribe him by telling him that i will take him to dinner so...we both win! j/k

anyhow...i should get going. before i do i will make sure to post an updated widget of our beloved chitlin.

peace and love to you all...

classes, fellowship and food...

2010-12-15T22:47:00.000-05:00

hello lovelies...

i find myself siting in front of my laptop, typing away with the television on and one of my favorite shows playing in the background...leverage...love it!!!

christmas is quickly approaching and before we know it...we will be in the year 2011. 2011 is going to be a great year! we will be enjoying a much needed vacation with family, we will be moving and our little bundle of joy will be joining us in early august. i can't help but bombard myself with thoughts of diapers, cribs, blankets, car seats and so much more. i know that it is early to be thinking about such things, but i can't help it. this is what our baby looks like now, still a little alienish but still lovely...

we went to a bundles for babies class offered by the military, and it was awesome. hubby was able to go, so at 830 in the am, we walked into the airmen and family readiness building with smiles on our faces, coffee in our hands (decaf for me) and our minds open. we played a bingo game and i won...yay! we then discussed finances, stressors and received a lot of helpful information. the class ended by us all receiving a gift bag with the following items...

isn't it wonderful?!?! what a wonderful blessing this class was. not only did we learn a few things, but we walked away with $60 worth of baby stuff. sweet! there are a few more classes that the military offers that i am interested in taking. a prenatal nutrition, a prenatal exercise and then some classes available only after i reach 30 weeks.

sunday church services were wonderful...our choir performed for us and they were phenomenal! after church services we attended a pot luck and once again enjoyed some wonderful fellowship. we ended the day doing a little shopping and then came home and cuddled on the couch while we watched movies. a perfect end to a perfect weekend.

i hope this post finds you all doing well, and as always~

peace and love to you all...

a new life, fatigue and pilates...

2010-12-13T21:41:00.000-05:00

today my brother and his lovely wife had their baby girl. her name is emma, and she is absolutely precious! she was born via c-section, with no complications and as beautiful as we all expected her to be. thank you Lord for this new life.

i am seven weeks along and loving life. the only downfall is...i fatigue very quickly. i was telling hubby the other day that i don't remember being this tired with kadie...but then again...that was 13 years ago. being 37 and pregnant is different then being 23 and pregnant. nonetheless i am so happy to be with child. i still have to pinch myself from time to time, because it doesn't seem real, and we thank the Lord everyday for this miracle that he has blessed us with. even though i fatigue easily...i can't sleep at all! i toss and turn and find myself awake at two or three in the morning. i have learned that the more i stress about it, the worse it is, so i just sleep when i sleep.

as i stated in my previous post it is important to me that i stay as healthy as i can during this pregnancy so i am careful as to what i eat and what i do. i try to exercise everyday, either by walking or yoga or pilates...but sometimes that fatigue kicks in and gets the better of me. hubby found a prenatal pilates dvd for me and i love it. i do enjoy yoga also, so i try to mix up the pilates and yoga when i can. i love to walk, but it has been so cold here i just can't muster the courage to venture out.

anyhow, i need to end this post, hubby and i are going to curl up on the couch and watch a movie.

peace and love to you all...

goodbyes...lights...the best christmas present ever!!!

2010-12-07T22:22:00.000-05:00

hello all my lovelies...

i apologize for not blogging sooner, but there has been a LOT going on around here.

as you all know, ms kadie is gone for the holiday, she is spending it with family in california. we were up early early last saturday to get her the the airport so she could catch her 645am flight. as i stated in my previous post...i didn't sleep at all, so by the time we got back from dropping her off and going on out breakfast...i was exhausted. i was only able to sleep for about one hour, because i had somewhere i had to be later that morning. needless to say, once i was done doing what i had to do...i was on my couch crashed out. unfortunately when i do that...i don't sleep that evening, so you can see how this can become a problem.

anyway...on to other things...

we have our tree, our home is decorated, i never turn off our christmas lights (the inside ones) and my three wise men are up, so life is good.

one more thing...WE ARE PREGNANT!!! we are sooooo excited we can hardly contain it. i am officially 6 weeks along and loving every minute of it...except for the sleepless nights. we have been praying for the Lord to bless us with a child...and He did! what a wonderful and blessed christmas present. i am so humbled by my Lords love and blessings. i am walking and doing yoga in hopes to not only maintain a healthy weight, but to help with an easier delivery. i am taking my prenatals and trying to make sure i eat from all the food groups regularly. i attended an ob orientation class which is a requirement this morning and i really enjoyed it. it has been 13 years since i had a child, and 18 years since hubby had one, so i know that a lot has changed. i am on the older side so i know it is so very important to take care of myself...because in turn i am taking care of the baby...our baby! kadie is stoked and can't wait to be a big sister. for now i will leave you a widget which gives you a visual of what our baby looks like...it looks kind of alienish but then again...we all did at one time.

peace and love to you all...

insomnia~airports~coffee

2010-12-04T04:43:00.000-05:00

it is 330am here and the house is very quiet. as it should be due to the time of day right? well the only weirdo awake is moi! what else is new? i have not slept one wink since going to bed last night at midnight...i now sit here with coffee in my new starbucks mug, sitting on my living room floor writing this with my christmas tree lights off in the distance.

i love our tree! we just bought it yesterday and i am head over heels in love with it. i love lights, i love white lights, i love color lights, i love ornaments...i love it all.

a very dear friend of mine gave me a starbucks mug for christmas which is super duper awesome...i will snap a shot or two of it soon and post them. gotta love starbucks.

anyhow back to my sleeping issues. i have never slept well, and have always had to take some kind of medication in order to sleep. i recently stopped taking it and low and behold...it has, and still is a struggle. i envy my hubby and how he can lay on the couch and be OUT. how does he do that? can he show me how do to that? if i fell asleep on the couch for even 20 minutes...my night would be screwed and i would be up at some ungodly hour blogging...like i am now!

to add to my sleeping issue...my daughter is traveling to california today so she can spend the holiday with her dad and his family. i am happy and excited for her because they are going on a cruise, but i am dreading dropping her off at the airport. she has flown before and has done great...i just absolutely despise when she leaves. it's a mommy thing.

anyway...i should get going, i need to wake everyone up so we can get ready to head out.

i hope all of you are doing well and as always...

peace and love to you all

products for good...

2010-12-01T14:00:00.000-05:00

hello all!!

i received an email yesterday from a lovely woman named Anna who works for the company products for good . she told me about her company and the wonderful work that they do. you can find their website here.

part of Anna's email telling me a little about their patriotic company...

About us: Products for Good is a philanthropic business that sells commemorative gifts honoring our men and women in uniform. The gifts feature liberated Iraqi coins that represent freedom and the sacrifices made to preserve it. Products for Good donates 20 percent of each purchase, before any other business expenses are paid, to charities that support those who have served our country and their families...

my husband is a veteran as well as currently serving as an active duty member of the armed forces. so this company's mission is near and dear to my heart.

why not show your support of this company by purchasing a coin and then show your continued support by giving the coin to a veteran or current member of our armed forces.

this time of year is a time for giving, so why not give to the very men and women who deserve it.

excitement!!!

2010-12-01T02:17:00.000-05:00

thanksgiving thankfulness...

2010-11-29T12:28:00.000-05:00

hello lovelies!!!!

how was everyone's holiday? were any of you crazy enough to go out on black friday? for those that did...way to go!

we had a wonderful thanksgiving. we had hoped to make a trip to georgia, but unfortunately that didn't work out as planned. we bought food and had every intention of staying at home for the holiday, but due an invitation that we could not refuse...we enjoyed dinner this year away from family, but with family. we had the privilege of sharing thanksgiving with our pastor and his lovely family. they were so compassionate and caring...just thinking about it brings tears to my eyes. we had a feast for kings and then ended the evening playing games...what fun! thank you mcmahons for your generosity and your hospitality.

the remainder of our weekend was spent being together as a family and doing a little shopping. today we are putting up our christmas decorations and i already feel all giddy inside. i plan to watch elf about ten times, and hope the rain stops enough for us to put up our lights.

peace and love to you all...

love...

2010-11-24T08:16:00.001-05:00

got me thinking...

2010-11-24T08:07:00.000-05:00

about a week ago i was surfing all the cool photography blogs that i have listed in my favorites and i stumbled across a post that caused me to stop what i was doing and ask myself...what kind of photographer do i want to be? photo freak posed the question here.

after much thinking and pondering i think figured it out.

as one who LoVeS photos and more importantly LoVeS taking photos, i know that i want my photos to speak. i want them to tell a story that words could never. i want to capture those very moments in time, exactly how they are and exactly how they were meant to be. pictures of children laughing, playing and just being themselves is absolutely priceless. families walking along the beach, newborns on the bare chest of their fathers and newlyweds kissing under a willow tree all are snapshots of love...and i want to capture those.

a few things i do know and don't have to figure out are these...

i prefer working with natural light
i don't mind editing, but i don't want to go overboard
i love close ups
i love black and white photos the best
a relaxed person in front of the camera is the best person
and i finally figured out what aperture is and how it can work for my photos...

on a serious note...there are a lot of wonderful photographers out there, all whose work i admire in one way or another. each person has a different vision, idea and outlook, and that is what makes it so great. as i surf these blogs i learn from each and every one of them...so thank you!

so to answer the above question...what kind of photographer do i want to be???

i want to be one that people trust
one that will never charge family or close friends
one that will gladly give any advice if asked
one that wants to bring awareness to others with her work

one that will always give a discount to military families (old and new)

and

one that will throw in a few freebies, just for fun

this isn't everything, but it is a few things that describe me as a person and as an aspiring photographer. i hope to one day do this part time, but until then i will continue to snap my shots and learn what i can.

peace and love to you all...

mellow yellow monday...

2010-11-22T12:40:00.000-05:00

whatcha think?

2010-11-20T22:37:00.000-05:00

i have noticed on oodles and oodles of blogs that people watermark their photos. i knew that it is something i should do, but i never got around to it...until now. what do ya think?

you capture...

2010-11-18T22:10:00.000-05:00

today's photo challenge comes from beth at i should be folding laundry and it is...what inspires you.

this one was hard because i was focusing on who inspired me and not necessarily what inspired me. after i began to think outside of the box i decided to not put too much thought into and to just let it flow, so here i am...flowing...

what inspires me is~~~~~~~~

silly nephews...

family

beauty

faith

~~~~~what inspires you?~~~~

i want to live at the north pole!!!!!

2010-11-18T13:43:00.000-05:00

i know that the title of this blog sounds silly but it is true!

if i had it my way we would have christmas all year round. the music, the lights, the smell of cookies, hot cocoa, the decorating of snowmen, reindeer, gingerbread men, angels, the hanging of wreaths, mistletoe and tinsel...how could anyone in their right mind not want christmas year round? who doesn't want a fat, jolly old man sliding their chimney leaving presents under their christmas tree to leave? a crazy person that's who!

it isn't even thanksgiving yet and i am already itching to get my christmas decor out. i love the color red, so that is one more reason to love christmas.

back to the name of this post. i wAnT tO LiVe aT tHe nOrTh pOle. i want to live where it is always snowing, where i could wear red and white stripped tights, have rosey cheeks, make toys, play with reindeer and be surrounded by lights, colorful wrapping paper and cookies!!! i want to dance all night to merry christmas music and i want to drive to work on a snow mobile. i will pass on the pointy ears though.

christmas brings out the warmth in people, the compassion, the giving and the forgiving...things most people don't do all year. christmas reminds me of when i was a child and the excitement and anticipation that it brought along. i looked forward to writing to santa and most importantly leaving him cookies and milk along with carrots for the reindeer. i will never forget my most memorable christmas ever...it was the year i got my very own holly hobby easy bake oven...pure bliss!

christmas time makes me happy. how about you? what is your favorite thing about christmas? what is your most memorable christmas? what do you enjoy about christmas?

peace and love to you all...

connected...

2010-11-17T10:27:00.000-05:00

this photo was taken by yours truly back in august. we were in arkansas city, kansas lookin' around and i fell in love with the buildings. as were walked around doing the touristy thingy i snapped this pic of my beloved hubby and swimmer. aren't they too cute?

i didn't blink...

2010-11-16T13:44:00.000-05:00

*weather*

shutter love tuesday...

2010-11-16T13:01:00.000-05:00

today's theme is {bIrThDaYs} at the trendy treehouse...

my handsome nephew on his 4th birthday.

RAW (e)

2010-11-16T12:25:00.000-05:00

ONE (5) is the photo challenge theme over at sailor and company today. so got to folder number oNe on your computer which holds all your photos and take picture number FiVe and post it on your blog.

the best part of this challenge is that there is no editing or cropping allowed of any sort...hence the word rAw. i absolutely love this challenge and look forward to doing more of them.

after looking in folder number oNe on my computer and pulling out picture number FiVe, i came up with this...

it is not as cool as the red door or as precious as this one, but it will do. i snapped this shot outside of my parents house when we were staying there while hubby was in alabama. hope you enjoy!!!

photo luv...

2010-11-16T12:06:00.000-05:00

do to the fact that i LoVe photography and am constantly trying to improve my work and still learn from others, i have decided to participate in a few photo events/blog hops or whatever you call them.
yesterday i participated in mellow yellow monday, and today i will participate in a couple more. i plan to do a photo a day aka a photo challenge (hopefully), in hopes to grow more confident in my photography and to be willing to show my work to others. this is a big step for me, but one i think is necessary. so if you would like to join...please do. i will post the link at the bottom of every photo i post so feel free to click on the link, read the rules of the challenge and then snap...snap...snap away.
before i go any farther let me make sure i give credit where credit is due...i am only participating in these photo challenges, i dId not come up with the ideas. like i said above, click the link and you will learn about it and learn about the very smart/creative individual who came up with it. so without further adieu lets get snappin'.
peace and love to you all...

mellow yellow monday...

2010-11-15T14:32:00.000-05:00

can you relate?

2010-11-15T13:06:00.000-05:00

do you want to know why i started this blog? i started it so that i had a place to go to and write. a place that i could ramble, vent, confess, explore and create. a place that i could be me, and even though i love writing in my journals, something about writing on the insane train that we now call the internet was quite intriguing. i enjoyed every moment of it until i made the dreaded mistake of comparing my blog/posts/photos/ideas to other bloggers and their blogs. silly i know, but as i surfed the unending blogs and fell in love with each and every one of them, i began to look at my blog as nothing more then just plain. i know better then to do this to myself, but i can't lie...i did it.

my beloved husband noticed i hadn't been blogging, and after his inquire as to why, i grudgingly told him. i explained to him that i felt my writing/work was nothing compared to "others" out there. i confided in him that i felt inadequate and that i wasn't too sure i wanted to continue the blog. after my pity-party was over, he looked directly into my eyes and told me that my blog was for me, and that i shouldn't compare myself to others, but rather learn from them. after some much needed hugs and kisses from him, he reminded me why i started my blog. my blog is my place to express myself, whether that be in the form of words or photos, it is my place, my ideas, my loves...

peace and love to you all...

birthdays, anniversarys and baptisms...

2010-11-10T00:14:00.000-05:00

Me & the girls at our church Harvest Festival

October has been a event-filled month. In the beginning of the month we celebrated Kadie's 13th birthday. In the middle of the month we celebrated my 37th birthday and our 2 year anniversary, and last but definitely not least, we ended the month off with our baptisms! Busy busy!!

For my birthday I was spoiled with presents, cards, kisses, hugs and a quiet evening relaxing on the couch.

For our anniversary hubby and I went out to a lovely lunch in Destin and finished the evening off with presents and cake. We spent good, quality time together which we both know is so very important.

I wish I could put into words the love I have for my dear husband, but I simply can't. As each day passes, my love for him grows stronger and stronger. I am head over heels in love with my man! Can I get an amen?! J/K

For now I must end this blog post, but I promise to post about our blessed baptism along with plenty of photos in my next post.

Peace and love to you all...

ugh...

2010-11-04T13:59:00.000-04:00

Hello all!

As you can tell, my blog looks pretty....boring. I am in the process of giving it a new makeover, but have yet to find what it is that I like.

All is well here. The holiday season is quickly approaching and I can't wait.

Peace and love to you all...

good times...

2010-10-05T12:49:00.000-04:00

This weekend we celebrated Kadie's 13th birthday...

We rented kayaks...

After we kayaked around for a few hours we decided to hop in the boat and go fishing, per Kadie's request...

All in all we had a GREAT day!! She caught a bunch of fish, I got to hang out on the water and hubby got to fish and have a cold one...

Believe it or not, when asked what she wanted to do for her birthday her exact words were..."I don't care mommy as long as we get to fish." I love the fact that fishing is still cool in her eyes. I hope that she never grows out of thinking that things like fishing and camping are fun. I want her to enjoy life, the outdoors and all the beauty that surrounds her.

bbq...head biting...life is good...

2010-10-01T22:34:00.000-04:00

If you are wondering what it is my husband is doing to my daughter let me tell you...he it biting her head. Of course he does it out of love, but to the normal human, this would be a form of child abuse. :) Silly moments like this are necessary in life, especially ours. The unpredictability of what each days holds can take its toll. We know that there are more deployments in our future, more long days away from home, but at this very moment in time...life is good.

Family playtime...with our dog Lizzie.

Moments like this warm my heart.

Yes this is our very mini bbq. I can't help but laugh every time I look at it because I remember the day we bought it. We didn't have much money at the time so we needed something cheap...and this is what we found. I can't complain because it does the trick. Hubby cooks up great burgers, hot dogs and chicken on this thing.

I am so thankful for our mini bbq, our one income household, and everything in between. I am thankful for air conditioning, bug spray, a working dishwasher and java. I love our life, I love our home...and thanks to Him, life is good.

Peace and love to you all

eat real food...

2010-09-24T18:55:00.000-04:00

The time has come for us to eat real food. No more processed, dyed, pesticide infected, genetically modified, hormone injected foods. It is these very foods that are killing us, and we allow them to. Just because it is convenient doesn't make it healthy. I have been slowly adding real food to our diet for a while now. I have rid us of "yucky" food and replaced it with delicious, nutrient dense, flavorful food. I love it and so does my family.

Preparing real food isn't difficult. It takes a little planning and before you know it, you are well on your way to eating real food.

Hop on over to Kristen's blog, The Food Renegade, and check it out. She has a lot of wonderful information and resources and you can even receive her blog updates via email.

Watch The Future Of Food, it is about an hour and a half long, but it is something I strongly recommend everyone to watch.

Real food is good...fake food is bad!!!

Peace and love to you all...

homemade = um...um...good

2010-09-21T17:52:00.000-04:00

I love making things from scratch. I love the adventure of trying new recipes and I love knowing that what I feed my family is not only yummy but nutritious too. When I make our food, I know each and every ingredient that goes into it. There are no hidden additives or preservatives or dyes...which is very important to me. My families health and nutrition is at the top of my list. I have slowly begun to rid us of pre-packaged, store-bought, mass-produced items and have replaced them (if at all) with homemade, nutrient packed foods. I LOVE making our food from scratch. Not only is it fun, but it is healthier, cheaper and packed with love...from me!

I recently made some homemade sourdough tortillas that I learned about from the GNOWFGLINS e-course that I am taking. My first attempt was a failure, but my second attempt was a success!!! The tortillas were sooooo good. I made chicken and cheese enchiladas last night and they were a big hit. Right at this very moment, I have some dough souring right now. Once I am done with this post, I will be headed into my kitchen to make another batch!

I recently made some homemade ketchup too.

Swimmer was my taste tester. After making homemade french fries and serving them to her along with my new homemade ketchup...I anxiously awaited her verdict. After a few dips into the magic ketchup, she looked up, smiled and said, "Mommy...this is delicious!" My four favorite words. No more store-bought, sugar-packed ketchup for this family.

Making from scratch rocks!!!

Peace and love to you all...

red...

2010-09-15T08:05:00.000-04:00

Where were you???

2010-09-11T19:38:00.000-04:00

Photo credit

Do you know where you were exactly nine years ago today? Do you know what you were doing that very moment when you heard it or saw it? Did you receive a phone call from your mother, like I did, asking you if you were in front of your television watching it unfold? Were you making breakfast for you family? Were you getting ready for work? Were you hitting the snooze button for the second time, hoping for just a few more precious moments of sleep? Where were you?

Exactly nine years ago today, our country...our freedom...our security...and our faith were attacked. The catastrophic events that took place on September 11 2001 are forever etched in my mind. The images on the televion...the pain, the horror, the terror, the smoke and the tears were overwhelming. I remember sitting in my living room in complete disbelief at what was before my very eyes. How could this be happening? How did it happen? How could someone hate so much? How could someone...something do such a horrible, evil, unexplainable thing? We are the United States of America...nobody attacks us...right?

As these questions swarmed around in my mind, I remember my toddler daughter (at the time) asking me what was wrong. I remember her leaning against my leg as I sat in disbelief watching the television. She asked why people were crying...why were they so dirty...why was the building on fire. At first I didn't hear her, but once I did, I feared answering her. How was I to explain to such a precious being that there were men in the world that would do such things? How was I to protect her from such darkness?

I remember that things were different after that day. People realized how vulnerable we really were...including me. I realized that I had taken advantage of my freedom. I didn't appreciate it the way I should have. I didn't appreciate the men and women who were already fighting for our freedom and for our country. I didn't appreciate anything...until that day. I realized that bad things do happen, and that innocent people pay with their lives.

And it is for those very people who lost their lives on September 11 2001, that I write this post.

You are not forgotten...

You are loved...

You are missed...

You are forever cherished...

You are forever in our hearts...

Today as you continue on, remember all of those beautiful people who we lost nine years ago. Pray for their families and their friends. Pray for our soldiers who so bravely protect our country and our freedom. Pray for their families, for their friends...for their safe return.

Peace and love to you all...

cousins...

2010-09-08T12:10:00.000-04:00

bugs, bubbles and monster fish...

2010-09-02T11:35:00.000-04:00

BUGS...

I have been infected! Sometime last week I was hit with a bug. My body started aching, which was a sure fire sign that I was getting sick. I was homeschooling Kadie at the time, and even though I tried to make it through the rest of the day...I just couldn't. Luckily hubby got home early, so he picked up where I left off. I laid down on our couch, turned on a movie and passed out. I woke up off and on, and each time I woke up, I felt worse. I didn't have a runny nose, or a scratchy throat or even a cough...not yet any way. The weekend came and went and I spent majority of it on the couch, under my blanket. I started feeling a little bit better on Monday, but that quickly went away. I was once again on the couch Monday afternoon, but now I had the cough, runny nose, scratchy throat, a low grade fever and the body aches. UGH!!! I wasn't eating, not because I couldn't eat but because I didn't feel like eating. All I did was lay down and drink ice cold water.

It is now Thursday, and I still feel horrible. I can move around, but my head aches, my body hurts, my throat hurts and my nose has decided for itself when it wants to work in my favor, and when it doesn't. I am sitting in front of my computer, typing this very post, drinking coffee and even though I feel like garbage...I am thankful. I am thankful that I have such a wonderful family who pulls together when mom doesn't feel well. I am thankful for a husband who doesn't get grossed out when I blow my nose 20 gazillion times during a movie we are trying to watch. I am thankful for a husband that will get up at midnight to get me a glass of cold water to help get the tickle out of my throat. I am thankful for a daughter who tries her best to clean mommies kitchen when mommy doesn't feel good. I am so thankful for the family that the Almighty has blessed me with.

BUBBLES...

Even though I am feeling under the weather I decided that it was time to start a starter. For those of you bakers and non bakers out there let me explain. All throughout history moms/wives/grandmas and so on have used starter for their baking needs. When baking bread (and other baked goods) a leavening agent is needed to help it rise. There are two ways to do this. You can either buy store bought yeast, or you can use a starter which has captured the wild yeast from the air. Sounds weird to some, but I find it fascinating.
I have made my own starter in the past, but didn't appreciate it the way I should have. I have recently enrolled in the GNOWFGLINS Sourdough e-course...and I love it!!! It is a pay as you can type course, which is great for me. I have printed off all the materials and am in the process of putting it all together in a binder, which Wardeh recommends. I just started the "Starting a Starter" process. Above is a picture of my starter as of this morning. As you can see, I have some bubbles...and bubbles are good!!! I will periodically journal on here about my progress with my starter, and I will share all the nourishing, baked goods that I make.

Monster Fish...

This is Kadie's Monster Fish. She caught this last night when she and Ricky went fishing. When he sent me the picture via iphone, I honestly thought it was some strange creature that they stumbled across. Little did I know that it was a fish!! We don't know the name of this kind of fish, but for now we call it... Monster Fish.

Peace and love to you all...

Kansas 2010...

2010-08-28T16:13:00.000-04:00

As I sit here at our dining room table, I can hear my dishwasher running, my AC on and I can see the hot cup of Lipton Green Tea Superfruit Purple Acai and Blueberry calling my name. J/K

Believe it or not, this is the first chance I have had to sit and actually try to blog. Once we got back from KS, which was ABSOLUTELY WONDERFUL, we jumped head first into school and between hubby's crazy schedule and our homeschool schedule, I haven't had a moments peace. But, I am not complaining, actually I am voicing my thankfulness to the Almighty. Thank you!!!

Let me back up and try my best to update you all. As you all know, we went to KS for Rick's youngest daughters wedding. We had a wonderful time meeting everyone and getting to know them better. We got to play "dress up" and celebrate in the union of two beautiful people. Sarah was breath taking in her gorgeous gown, and her hubby Jesse looking devilishly dapper. Here are some photos from our trip.

Mr and Mrs Smith

The guys

Proud papa

Amber, Becca and Brooklyn

Brooklyn is doing this during the ceremony...awesome!!!

Scott and Becca

Linda (proud mama), Ricky (proud papa) and Nate (proud brother)

David (proud step-dad) who couldn't be there due to his deployment

Kadie and Brooklyn

Kobe, Silly Gavin and Army Papa

Father daughter dance

US!

Now we are back into the swing of things. There are a few changes coming our way, but I will post on those at another time.

I can hear my timer going off on my oven, telling me my oat bread is done, so I must bring this post to a close. I will end it by saying that the Lord works in mysterious ways, and I'm glad he does.

Peace and love to you all!!!

hugs and kisses...

2010-08-09T18:23:00.000-04:00

Hello all!!!

It has been a while since I last blogged, but it has been crazy around here.

Our household goods finally got here...what a mess that was!!! We welcomed Kadie home from CA...that was great!!! And now we get to look forward to taking a small vacation to KS. Rick's daughter is getting married, and by the grace of God, we are able to attend...and we are so excited!

This last week has been a busy, but lazy week. Is that possible? I have spent most of the week going through boxes. If I couldn't find a place for it...it was either thrown away or given away. UGH!!! What a chore!!!

Found a swim team for Kadie..YAY!!! We will check it out when we get back from KS...but it looks good. Homeschool to start up again full force when we get back too.

Life is good, God is great and love to you all.

cousins...

2010-07-28T06:29:00.000-04:00

love one another...

2010-07-26T09:31:00.000-04:00

Photo credit

"A new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another. By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another." John 13:34-35

That's it people...love one another...simple. Christ loves us even though we don't deserve it. We are sinners who are self-absorbed, self-gratifying, self-loving, self-commited and on and on. Christ came on this earth, lived for 33 years, and did more with His life then all of us put together. Pretty sad when you think about huh?

Here we are trying to do things our way, and all that that type of thinking does is cause chaos. If we stopped putting ourselves first, but put Christ first and then others second, could you imagine how great things would be? There would be no greed, no arrogance, no selfish acts, no murder, no fighting, no divorce, no child support, no nothing.. If we stopped living for ourselves and started living to serve and please God, which in turn means that we serve others, then we wouldn't have the the world that we do today. Of course there will be people who argue and try and convince you that if they are serving others, then how is that right if those that they serve are selfish, or ungrateful, or taking advantage of them. Well, isn't that what we are all doing now? Aren't we selfish and ungrateful? Do you truely appreicate what Christ has done for you? Because if you do, then you will do all you can to please Him right? Well if Christ tells us to love another and we all know what love is (1 Cor 13:4-7), then we have no argument.

Believe me when I say that it isn't always easy, because it's not. And keep in mind that we all have an old sin nature, so sin comes easy to us. But the more you delve into The Word, the more you learn, read, study, pray and most importantly apply, the easier it will become.

The reason I chose to blog on this subject today is because over the past few days I have been harboring some anger towards some individuals. I would catch myself throughout the day thinking ugly things or getting irritated or frustrated or even angered by these individuals and their actions. When I allow that, I then allow my OSN (old sin nature) to take over, and I don't want that. I reminded myself, numerous times that I too am a sinner and like me, they need forgiveness, which through clenched teeth, I did. Smile!

I'm not saying that living the Christian way of life is easy, but it is my hearts desire, as I hope it is yours. It is my goal to continue down this glorious path of love, compassion, forgiveness, humility, modesty and joy...even if from time to time it is done with clenched teeth! :)

Peace and love to you all

school, chlorine and wishes hoped...

2010-07-23T10:16:00.000-04:00

I had hoped that I would blog everyday this week, but as you can tell, I haven't. Believe it or not, I sometimes find myself stumped as what to write. What do I want to blog about? What does everyone want to read? Am I repeating myself? Questions like that have a tendency to swim through this brain of mine.

I can update you by telling you that hubby is doing well in school. I know that it takes A LOT out of him mentally, and I know that by the time he comes home from school and PT, he is ready to relax. I do my best to keep our evenings uneventful. I don't want him to come home and have anything to worry about. I don't want him to have any cares or concerns when he walks through that door. I want him to enjoy coming home to his wife who loves him, a clean house (that is more for me then him, because he could really care less how clean the house is), and dinner cooking. I know that that last one may sound weird, but have you ever walked into someones house while something is either on the stove or in the oven and found yourself completely intoxicated? I know that I have, and I want my husband to have that experience every (well, almost every) time he walks in the door. I know that school takes its toll on him, and I know that it is only going to get harder. I keep him in constant prayer...constant.

Kadie is due home on August 1, and we are excited. She has had a GREAT swim season, and I am so happy that she was able to enjoy it with her friends. She has made some really good friends on the swim team, and that is awesome. I wished I could have been there for at least one of her meets, but unfortunately it didn't work out that way. Kadie has done phenomenal this year! She placed first in numerous races and I really enjoyed and appreciated all the pictures that were either sent to me via cell phone, or uploaded on FB, by the moms of Kadie's friends. Thank you Libby and thank you Sandra, it meant the world to me that you took the time to do that. Two great ladies!!!

Life in FL is just wonderful. The heat is horrendous, but we are so blessed to have a working AC unit that I have nothing to complain about. I have spent quite a bit of time in some personal bible studies, and let me tell you, it has changed my life. I love learning about my Lord, and I love reading my bible. I love learning about His life, and I love learning how to grow in my spiritual walk. All this learning has been a nourishment for my soul. I feel closer to Him and only long to continue to grow closer to Him. I want to pass along to Kadie all that I have learned. I want to teach her what true biblical womanhood is, and I want to see her grow closer to Christ also. I know that she will learn best by watching me, so in order for her to see me walking in a godly manner, I must learn, study and apply. Sounds easy right? The learning and studying part is easy, it's the applying part that is a little bit harder. Not as easy as it looks...

I want for Kadie to learn all that God desires for her. I want her to see me living as a true biblical woman, and I want her to learn to love the Lord as I do. If I teach Kadie nothing else, I wish to teach her to live a godly life for not only herself, but for the whole world to see.

renaissance fun...

2010-07-21T08:29:00.000-04:00

now is the time...

2010-07-20T12:15:00.000-04:00

Photo credit

I have recently delved into my study of The Word. I felt a longing, a desire to learn more about the Word of God and how I was to apply it to my life. As I began my venture, little did I know the peace, the love, the encouragement and the forgiveness that I would experience. I never imagined being where I am today. As I have stated in previous posts, I was in a restless state for a very long time. This restlessness caused insecurities, inability to commitment (to anything), lack of self-acceptance, a self-destructive way of thinking (and behaving), abandonment issues and worst of all...a guilt that was overwhelming...crushing...that is a better word.

I had been a Christian for as long as I could remember, but what my beloved dad spent countless hours teaching me (biblestudies and life lessons), I had thrown to the side. I was convinced that I could handle it on my own...and that is what I did. I took my humanistic, sin-filled heart and mind and used it in every situation I encountered. Long story short, that didn't work. I fell and stumbled and then tried to pick myself up, only to fall and stumble again. After countless sprains, strains and band aids...I finally got it. I finally realized that He was the one to handle my situations. He was the one I was to rely on, not myself. He died for my sins and the sins of this world. What a slap in face for Him...here I was, a wretched sinner, telling Him what was in my best interest and how I felt or believed things were to play out. Just thinking about my arrogance shames me.

Thankfully He saw fit to shower me with His grace. And it is because of His grace that I can stand here today and thank Him. I thank Him for loving me even when I didn't and still don't deserve it. I thank Him for the forgiveness, humility and grace that He shows me everyday. I thank Him for his physical sacrifice not only with the beatings and the mockings, but also the actual act of hanging on that cross. I am forever indebted to his ultimate sacrifice...that of being forsaken by His father (Mark 15:34). I can not imagine the torture, the anguish or the excruciating pain that was put upon our Lord. His sacrifice was so great and yet as a people we feel "wronged" when something doesn't go our way. We feel we have a right to things, but no responsibilities. We believe that we are worthy, when we are not.

What time we have here on earth is short lived. Now is the time...let's not spend our days angry, resentful, discouraged, vindictive, sad, and the list goes on. Take this moment to stop and look around you. Look at your children playing, listen to their laughter, marvel at their energy and their innocence. Take your wife or your husband in your arms and look into their eyes and tell them just how much they mean to you. Tell them that you forgive them if they have hurt or betrayed you. Tell them, as you hold their hand that your marriage is worth the fight, it is worth the hard work and it is worth the commitment. Kiss your mother, your father, your brother and your sister. Hold the door open for the person behind you, and pull out your wife's chair when you two sit down to dinner. Tell your teenager that they are a special gift from God and play pirates with your son. Stay up late on Saturday night camping in the living room with your nephews, and sleep in on Sunday morning, suprising them with heart shaped pancakes for breakfast. Don't miss your niece's dance recital and scream as loud as you can at your grandson's soccer game.

Stop fighting, stop screaming those hateful words you say all too often. Stop comparing and start complimenting. Stop accusing and start forgiving. Stop hating and start loving.

We only have one shot at this life, so let's make Him proud. Let's forgive one another, show compassion for one another, show selfless acts of love towards others, support and encourage one another, go out of our way for one another...let's be Christ-like towards one another, for now and until he calls us home.

all because of Him...

2010-07-16T12:20:00.000-04:00

If you would have asked me four years ago where I would like to see myself today, I would have told you something like this...still working as an RT in the ER and the ICU's. I would most likely own my own home, be debt free and just enjoying life as a single mom and woman. I can't say emphatically that would have been my answer, but I'm pretty sure it would have been something along those lines. Fast forward to today, and where am I? I am at a place I never could have imagined I would be. I am a full-fledged army wife. We live on a military base, in military housing, I am a SAHM and wife, I have two dogs, a devoted husband, a phenomenal daughter, I home school her and I am not debt free. I no longer work outside of the home, and obviously I don't own a home. I spend my days getting up at 0430 to see my husband off and to spend some quiet time with the Lord. Even though I find myself getting sleepy during the day, this personal time of devotion is vital to my spiritual growth. I clean, cook, water my plants, blog, read, teach, nurture, take photographs, make lists along with a hundred other things. And let me tell you right now...I wouldn't change any of it!!!

Four years ago I had a "restlessness" within me that I didn't even know was there. I would have denied it if someone would have tried to bring it to my attention, and I would have avoided any future conversations that could possibly touch on such issues. At the time I was in my own world, worrying about things that really didn't matter, and ignored things that did. I was self-destructive and very, very sad. Fast forward once again to today and I can honestly say that the "restlessness" is no more, the self-destructive lifestyle has been abandoned and the sadness has been lifted. All of these things have occurred because I finally realized that I was living my life for me, and not for the glory of Christ. It is through him that all that has taken place has, and that complete surrender to him is the only way to live. Thankfully by grace I have been saved through faith...and it is because of grace that I now have the inner peace that was never there before. It is because of Him and his incomprehensible sacrifice that I have this...

eternal life...

freedom...

frogs in my garden...

unconditional support...

beauty...

compassion...

love...

honesty...

laughter...

hope...

faith...

With that said I will end with this.

Life is good...and...God is great.

a girl and her dog...

2010-07-14T12:08:00.000-04:00

an auntie's hurting but thankful heart...

2010-07-13T10:03:00.000-04:00

As I sit in my living room, listening to Mercy Me and their song Back To You, from their newest album, "The Generous Mr. Loveall", which I love by the way, I fight back tears as I type this. I have a HUGE lump in my throat that seems bigger and more painful then any bug bite that I have ever had. The two precious boys whose picture sit above this very sentence are my rambunctious and so very dear to my heart nephews. Looking at this picture causes the tears to spill over, then down my face, and I realize that it is inevitable and I might as well stop fighting it.

I miss them so very much... and believe me when I say that writing this post is difficult but necessary. Ever since we left AZ, I have avoided dealing with my sadness at having to leave them (the boys). When we moved to AZ, never in my wildest dreams would I have imagined building the connection and bond with them the way that I did, especially in such a short period of time.

I miss Jayden and his grumpiness in the morning, and I miss hearing Grayson playing in his pack and play when he first wakes up. I miss the very wet and full diaper that Auntie would volunteer to change once Grayson decided that it was time to get him up. I miss watching Jayden dip his carrot in his ranch with every bite that he took and believe it or not, I miss Grayson's temper. I miss the cars and the Mr. Potato head pieces laying all over the floor. I miss the slobbery kisses and the "push me higher Auntie" screams from the swing set. In all this "missing that I am doing, I too am very thankful for the time that I did have with them. I am thankful that the Lord opened my heart to completely embracing my role as an Auntie, as a nurturer, as a woman. I am thankful that the Lord blessed me with such beauty, such innocence and such purity. My nephews taught me more then they will ever know, and more then I ever thought possible.

Thank you so much Jayden and Grayson for barging into your Auntie's room when she was on the phone with Uncle Rick. Thank you for your giggles, your hugs, your color crayons and your unwillingness to turn off the Disney channel. Thank you for your little t-shirts, your dirty boy hands, your sweaty heads, your contagious laughter. Thank you for allowing me to see the world through your eyes and for giving me the chance to live life the way it was meant to be lived...without fear, doubt, hesitation or regret. Thank you for your beauty and your selfless love.

This military way of life that we now live will at times be very difficult. We will have to say goodbye to those that we love, and those goodbye's are very painful, but they also allow us to grow. There will be many tears in our future, but with those tears comes laughter, memories, sacrifice, understanding, compassion, hospitality and a commitment to cherish those people in our lives...those people who touch our hearts, our souls, and who love us unconditionally regardless of how many times we have to say the one word we all hate to hear...goodbye

bug bites are like sin...

2010-07-12T18:04:00.000-04:00

Photo credit

Prior to having Kadie, bug bites took their normal toll on my body. If I was bitten, I would notice it and remind myself not to itch it. After a day or so, it was gone...no big deal. I can't say that anymore. Ever since I had Kadie bug bites have taken on a whole new meaning to me. When I am bitten my body reacts almost instantaneously. The bite grows and becomes very sensitive to any type of touch. The area around it will swell and become sensitive too. I was attacked by mosquitoes the first week we were here, and ever since I have been very careful. I spray myself down with OFF and do my best to not go outside in the evening, because for some reason, that is prime time for them to wage their ugly attack. I tease my husband that the reason they like to bite me is because my blood is so sweet, but I don't think he is buying it. Last night while at Walmart he bought me an OFF clip on repellent. I wore it last night while we were outside and I only have one bug bite today, so does it work? I think so. I will next time spray myself down with OFF and then wear the OFF clip on and see if that helps.

I started thinking...bug bites are like sin (sort of). The bite (sin) is there, it is swollen, irritated and red (the guilt)...if you itch it (succumb to the guilt), you will have a moments relief (self-pity) but in the end the bite gets bigger, more swollen, more irritated and redder. The healing time is longer and more painful.

Now look at it from this perspective. The bite (sin) is there, it is swollen, irritated and red (the guilt) if you put itch stopping gel on it (confession of sin and instant forgiveness), you will experience relief (God-given)and by leaving it alone, it will heal. If next time we walk outside we spray ourselves down with OFF (arm ourselves with the word of God), we will be better prepared for the enemy (the mosquitoes) and maybe, just maybe fend off a bite or two.

Mosquitoes are nocturnal blood-suckers, and Satan uses his nocturnal blood-suckers to suck the life right out of God's children when they give in to sin (per my DH). Christians know better then to go where sin is. We all know our weaknesses and must avoid those places that pose such pitfalls.

Once bitten, twice shy. We've all been bitten by sin and we must do all we can to fend off these infectious bites that can kill us spiritually.

2010-07-09T10:46:00.000-04:00

settling in...slowly and steadily...

2010-07-08T14:05:00.000-04:00

Hubby is officially back in school. Even though I am happy that school has started, I hate being away from him. Yesterday was filled with briefings and so forth, so he got home a little earlier then he normally would. He was home long enough to eat something, and was then headed back out for PT. Fortunately, it was too hot outside so PT was cancelled.

We both know that this schooling will not only be time consuming, but it will be very challenging and very stressful. I know that it is important for my husband's mental and emotional well being that he have personal time with the Lord, good sleep, along with good/nutritional food and quality time with the family. That may sound easy, but when working with a limited amount of hours in the day, it poses quite a challenge. I am constantly working on my daily routine so that it works right along with his routine. He is up very early in the mornings, and I know that if I get up with him, make his coffee and bring it to him while he is getting ready, that will mean a lot to him. Even though we won't have much time together in the morning, some time is better then none right? After he leaves for school, I will then have my time with the Lord, which in turn will prepare me for the day. I know that he will come home exhausted and ready to relax. As his wife, I long to make sure that he comes home and considers his home a place of refuge. I never want my husband to dread coming home. I want him to open the door, walk in, smell dinner cooking and have him showered with smiles, kisses and love.

One struggle I do have, and have had for quite some time is my sleep. I don't sleep well, nor do I have a normal sleep pattern. I guess having worked nights for over 15 years has a tendency to mess up one's sleep schedule. I sometimes take OTC pills for sleeping, I drink tea to help me sleep...sometimes they work, and sometimes they don't. Last night was a perfect example of them not working. When I can't sleep, my stress mounts and then I have an even harder time sleeping. I read, and read, and read, and often times this doesn't even work. I have begun praying, asking for the Lord to help me with this.

In the mean time, here are some photos of our place, before and afters...

The bathroom...before...

After...

Our back patio door...

Trying to decorate on a dime is a challenge, but I enjoy doing it. Patience is not a virtue of mine.. this process will be a slow one but one well worth it. Peace and love to you all.

bugs, rain and being thankful...

2010-07-01T15:17:00.000-04:00

Life here in FL is just dandy.

I love being a SAHM and a SAHW (wife). Even though our household goods won't be arriving until sometime in August, this cute little place is already feeling like home. We purchased some furniture over a week ago, it was delivered and I love it! We are still waiting on a recliner to come in and also a Bakers Rack. They should be in sometime at the end of this month...fingers crossed. I would love to post some before and after photos, but my connection here is pretty sloooooooooooooow. Hopefully hubby can do something about the connection, but we will wait and see.

The weather here is crazy, one minute it is hot and humid, the next minute it is pouring rain with very loud thunder rolling through. The bugs here are HUGE!!! We are doing all we can to prevent them from getting in the house, but that is proving to be harder then expected. They are tearing down old homes near by, so that definitely doesn't help. All in all, life is good and we are so thankful for what the Lord has provided.

We are going to GA this holiday weekend to visit Ricky's sisters. I have never met them, at least not in person anyway, so I am looking forward to it. Last year at this time, Ricky was deployed, so this holiday is a much needed one. I look forward to taking lots of pictures, eating lots of good food, making lovely memories and basking in the thankfulness of my/our freedom.

We are headed out to the BX (again!). It looks like the rain stopped for a few so I guess we better get going. Peace and love to you all, and may you all have a wonderful day!

this is our life...welcome to it!!!

2010-06-25T13:04:00.000-04:00