Poolside

One last check on the Tetris bookshelf before it gets moved into its final home at Jessie and Bryan's apartment. Didn't Daddy-Man do an amazing job? And Aunt BB, your painting skills are fantastic!

This morning, we spent some time poolside at Aunt BB's house.

Eventually we'll use up our underwater camera and I will be able to post all of those cute photos I know are on it. ♥

And for lunch, a picnic inside {out of the ever-increasing heat of the day} with Dumbo to keep us entertained.

Thanks Aunt BB and Cousin Morgie for helping us have fun at the pool today! ♥

Cow Appreciation Day | 2011

Last year, we went all out for Cow Appreciation Day. This year, it kinda snuck up on us. And since we knew we'd still get a free meal, as long as we were mostly dressed up using their paper costumes... well, we just used them!

We didn't go for breakfast, but after cutting out eight {yes, 8!} costumes, Aunt BB joined up and we headed up to the closest one for lunch with Nana and Marlene after they finished up garage saleing.

Both kids were pretty excited about getting to dress up as a cow, Noah more so than Ellie. On the way to Chick-fil-a, he mentioned that he was going to be a cow and that Nana was going to be a dolphin. Why a dolphin? We have NO clue.

Noah was a big fan of the cow and was the one who brought up taking a picture with him - of course I willingly went!

Ellie, on the other, was not a fan of the Chick-fil-a Cow. Apparently she feels about him like she does about Chuck E. Cheese himself: "Stay-away-from-me-before-I-have-a-total-panic-attack-and-mental-breakdown-from-the-weirdness-of-it-all." She was totally fine though, once she had food and was sitting in the corner with Aunt BB.

We also went for dinner. To a different one. And at this one, even though we had the same costumes on, we didn't get a full meal free - just the entree. The kids, however, did. I'm fairly confident that it was because of the tail. Or maybe it was Noah who kept telling the employee, "MOO!" and "My sisters' a cow too!" heh!


One of the other highlights of the day was Nana's best find of the day {and perhaps her entire garage saleing career this summer}:


a train table.

Both kids have played non-stop with it, all day. Noah's first words when he woke up from his nap {before which, he didn't get to play with it} was: "Mommy, I'm awake! {gasp!} MY TRAIN TABLE!" He was out of the room before I could even remind him to potty first.

Everyone has been asked to play at it today... at least twice! Thanks Nana!

{Thursday}

We didn't do very much today. It's just too blasted hot to do much of anything! We did stop by Aunt BB's house before naptime so we could check on the progress of the Tetris bookshelf...

and her fabulous new Corian countertop {swoon!}.

And, as a special treat, just for me {and her too!}, dinner with a Dear Friend that I haven't seen in years! Heather, I can't wait for our playdates with the kids!

Movies, Cookies, Robots and More

After lunch today, I dropped the kids off at Aunt KK's house and Mom, Marlene, BB and I went to see Transformers 3 in the balcony at Warren.

Haven't seen it yet? You should - I think it's my favorite of the three.

{BB got her ice cream just as the lights were coming down... I love the balcony!}


We picked up the kids and decorated some airplane cookies in honor of Daddy. Thanks Nana for helping us keep up some of our traditions and routines... and for encouraging thoughts and talk of Daddy in the process!

"I just love the icee, Nana. I just love it!"

When we brought to his attention that he had icing in his hair, I asked him to turn his head and let me take a picture. In true Noah form, he turned his head and yelled out, "CHEESE!!".

After I got the kids in bed for the night, Daddy-Man was pouring over some plans for work, Jessie, BB, and Mom worked on putting together the programs for the wedding, so Bryan and I finished up the mugs we've been etching on for his groomsmen. I think they turned out pretty great:

Lost.....Again!

When Sam asked me to create blog posts I immediately felt tired, like when it's time to start chores on the weekend. Not that I don't like to write, I just hate to write about myself and Sam is so much better at telling our family story. However, since I love my wife more than my stubbornness and pride, here it goes....my very first blog post.

Like most tropical islands the landscape is amazing here in Guam, so I decided to go for my second hike (called "boonie stomping" by the locals), this time to Sella and Cetti Bays which are connected by almost a mile of exposed coral. First I had to hike 1.5 miles down steep jungle terrain to reach Sella Bay and a 19th century Spanish bridge.

View from the start of my hike

Little did I know that the point (called Pinay Point) just to the right of the ridge wasn't even half way to Cetti Bay

Ok, so confession time, on my first hike I got lost and this one was no different. I ended up off the trail and in some dense jungle brush. I heard a stream and knew it dumped into the bay, so I decided to follow it. My improvised plan was going great, except being lost and alone, until I came to the edge of a 50ft waterfall with no way to climb down on either side. I had no choice but to backtrack. I finally made my way to higher ground and stumbled back onto the trail.

I finally made it to the bay and found this

Standing on top of the bridge looking out into the bay

Saw this blue starfish on my way to Cetti Bay

The view looking back from Pinay Point

I hiked over 5 miles round trip, including the last 1.5 miles up a steep 450ft elevation. It was a great afternoon but I was determined to avoid getting lost again and to get something to eat!

Today, I'm Thankful...

for sisters who love my kids like their own and in the process, allowing me a few "quiet" moments.

And for Little Ones, who love them right back, calling them "My Aunt BB", "my Aunt Jessie", "BeeBee", and "Nana" {lol... sorry Jessie! She'll get it!}.

Fourth of July

Let's be honest:

Today was a tough day.

Every year since Ben and I have known each other, I've been able to count on one thing: that we'll be spending the Fourth of July with my family. It kinda started out as a fluke, but has grown into a tradition that none of us wanted to break. Living in Oklahoma for the July Fourths 2003-2005 made it easy {though, impossible to put photos on my blog seeing as at the time, my camera was film and I didn't have it developed onto CDs... and all my photos are in storage at the moment}.

July 4, 2006 was spent on Waikiki Beach in Hawaii. Probably my most favorite 4th. Ever.

July 4, 2007 was spent in California - partially in San Diego, partially in Los Angeles.


2008, 2009 and 2010.

It was a tough day because Ben was missing from our little group. Being able to talk to him daily has really helped, I think, with easing the separation, but on big or special occasions like today, well, seeing and talking with him on the computer just isn't the same as having him here in person.

I just keep reminding myself that he's safe. He's able to talk and see us daily. And the situation could be so different. And is, for so many military families this Fourth of July. So while I miss him and wish more than anything that he was celebrating with us today, I'm grateful. Grateful for a husband who so willingly serves. Who didn't turn away when he was asked to do this, despite the requirement of being away from us. And sacrifices for our amazing country when asked. For you, for me, for our kids. For freedom.

***

It was SO hot today. And while my car did come down from the 112 that it originally said when I got in {to a meager 104}, it. was. hot. We're on something like Day 14 of over 100 degree temperatures.


Amazingly, despite the heat, Daddy-Man worked more on the bookshelf - awesome, right?

The heat, however, was too much for us. We stayed mostly inside, playing trains, cars, and PlayDo.

Oh, and coloring a little too.

Doesn't mean though, that a certain Little Boy wasn't dreaming of playing outside. "Mommy, can you make me a s'ide?"

Or that a certain Little Girl wasn't dreaming of playing with a "baaaa-ll!".

"I love my orange PlayDo, Mommy!"

Circumstances aside, it was a fun and relaxing Fourth of July - hope yours' was just as good and blessed!

♥

The Third of July

After a patriotic service at church this morning, we came back home for lunch and everyone went on their separate ways to work on various things. Dad's special project of the day?

A Tetris bookshelf for Jessie and Bryan's new apartment.

It's not finished yet {the top isn't nailed down, for example}, but if the in-process shelf looks this great, I can't wait to see how amazing finished product looks! I feel so lucky to have TWO amazing carpenters in my life! ♥

In previous years, we've celebrated the Fourth of July on July 4th. But, since it falls on a Monday this year and everyone will have to go to work the next day, we decided to have our cookout/fireworks on the Third of July instead. Grami and Papa Snow also came over to BB's house for the cookout.


The food was amazing. {I love few foods as well as a steak!} The kids were just anxious to get outside. But it was SO hot.

Plus the grill was going, so we had them just stay inside until after we all finished eating dinner.

Fireworks were a little bit of a hit with Noah this year. Like last year, he loved the poppers and the sparklers too, but with a pool and a "playground" vying for his attention too, he only made it through three boxes of poppers and two boxes of sparklers.

Everyone was full, tired, and ready for bed by the end of the evening!

DressUp and Special Gifts

Aunt BB gave Noah a special surprise this morning... and the little guy couldn't have been more excited about it.

His very own box of dress-up clothes.

He didn't stop playing with them all day. His favorite thing to be? A cop.


Thanks, Aunt BB! At least now he's got a choice! ;)

And, speaking of Aunt BB, we went out for dinner tonight to celebrate her birthday. Usually, we go out after church on the Sunday after someone's birthday, but since we're planning a big meal tomorrow night to celebrate the Fourth of July, we went tonight instead.

Since it was her birthday celebration, the waiter kindly gave her a huge bowl of ice cream.

Noah didn't waste any time getting over to her with his own spoon.

About one minute after I snapped that photo, I wondered aloud what flavor the green ice cream was... long story short: it was pistachio. BB is allergic to pistachios! Thankfully, she hadn't eaten any of it and immediately took some Benadryl, just in case. We all felt so bad and couldn't help but shrug and giggle a little at the irony and rotten luck of it all.

Ben has been doing some hiking, snorkeling, and scuba diving while he's been deployed {must be rough, eh?} and has been telling us about and showing us the various things he's been finding. One of Noah's favorites is the first shell Ben found. Ben told Noah he'd mail it to him and since then, Noah has been super excited for his shell to get here to him.

When Noah saw the package sitting on my bed, he could not contain his excitement, "Mommy!! MOMMY! My shell! It's my shell from my Daddy from my ocean!" and immediately tried to rip into it.

Poor thing, I made him wait until we were able to Skype with Ben.

And once he found a small package of Legos, he forgot all about the shell {and other goodies} and ran to find someone to help him put it all together.

But Ellie loved her bracelet and we loved all the rest of the goodies too. {I'll leave the photos of the shell to Ben's storytelling - especially since I haven't taken one yet!}

Thank you, Dearest One! We love and miss you!

Friday Fun

This morning, we went over to Aunt Connie's house so that the kids could play with their cousins and I could spend some time with my Aunt. It's nice being here for this extended time because on our usual trips, everything is so rushed that we don't often get to just sit and relax and enjoy each other's company.

Noah was not at all pleased when it was time to go.

We made it up to him {and Ellie} by letting them play in the sprinkler after dinner and before baths.

And Nana had lots of fun being ornery to them:

After I put Ellie down for bed, I found Noah relaxing and enjoying a snack with Nana while he was sitting on his and Ellie's newest acquisition:

I love our silly and fun kids! ♥