Paradise Found

Scales, Guts and Skin

2011-07-25T11:48:00.000-04:00

High five to me!!
I did something I am still having a hard time believing that I did!
I spent Friday fishing with my DH and my neighbor. We caught fish all day, sometimes two at a time. Mostly blue fish and croaker.
I have had a hankering lately for fish tacos. See where this is going??
Saturday I woke early and wondered if my fishing gurus would be available for instruction on how to properly clean and fillet a fish. Then I realized I had the best instructors on the planet and lots of them! YouTube!! (How did we do anything before YouTube??)
Yep! Found specific video for blues and croaker and, with my ever- doubtful husband in tow, I set out on a mission. I removed scales, sliced carefully, laid open, used my flexible fish knife at just the right angle and filleted all those fish. They weren't all perfect by any means, but this was for fish tacos! It didn't have to be perfect and it was a learning experience.
The fish was lightly dusted in House of Autry Seafood Breader and fried to perfection. (I don't fry so this too was a learning experience!) I placed the fish in the bottom of a tortilla and topped with a shredded cabbage and carrot mix, generously used fresh salsa full of cilantro, red onion and lots of tomato, and drizzled with my own sauce creation that was a mixture of buffalo sauce and sour cream. OMG!! They were good. My doubtful DH was in awe and said anytime I want to make these again he's all for it!!
So I caught, scaled, filleted, cleaned, cooked and served MY fish!!! Woot woot!! Who would have ever thunk it?

Surf Fishing

2011-07-25T11:07:00.000-04:00

I have neighbors that finally seduced me into their world. The seduction was a long process. I spent last summer watching and explaining politely that I do not fish. I do remember saying something about "next year" and apparently they did too.
First trip out and they indoctrinated me. There was nothing even slow about their instruction. "Here's a rod, there's the bait." Really?
Fast forward a few weeks.
I rummaged around the garage and found a surf rod. In the corner, under the water heater, a tackle box sat forgotten and barely used. I picked up a couple of rigs and a few weights and for less than the price of a movie ticket, I can fish any time.
I love the beach. I think by now if you know me, you know I love the beach. The beach cleanses me and heals my soul. Everyday I go fishing I stand in the surf, rod in hand waiting for my line to vibrate. The first fish I caught, I don't even remember it. What I do remember is watching the dolphins play.
I am an avid beach goer but I can tell you honestly, that I have never seen such activity in the ocean. The dolphins were breaching, fish were jumping and as I watched a pair of dolphins go across the water and do a routine that would have brought a Sea World audience to their feet, it brought tears to my eyes. All these years I have spent sitting in a chair, reading a book, boogie boarding or playing in the waves and I could have been standing in the surf holding a rod and watching the ocean come alive. For me, it was like a religious experience. One that I wanted to experience over and over.
Yesterday my DH and I went to the beach for a day of fishing. We didn't catch much. As a matter-of-fact, we began to wonder if there were any fish left in the ocean. I caught a flounder and he caught a houndfish and a crab. We also got caught in a rainstorm. As I stood in the surf, rod in hand waiting for the line to vibrate, the storm began to move on and what did it leave behind?
A rainbow appeared, and then, for a moment or two, there was a double rainbow. The drops were passing and as the ocean smoothed and turned from green to blue the dolphins again began to dance. They were framed against the horizon by the rainbow. The beauty of nature takes my breath away every time. These are the moments that bring me back to stand in the surf, rod in hand waiting for my line to vibrate.
A bad day of fishing is still just another beautiful day spent at the beach!!!

U up yet?

2011-07-12T11:10:00.002-04:00

My DH sent me a text from the road this morning at 7am as they began day 2 of their journey to visit the Motherland.

"Were driving. U up yet?"

Of course the message comes through with a "ding". I am awake now, thanks! I acted like any good brat, ignored the message and tried to get back to the art of sleeping in late.

I listened to the dog snore. I could hear the other dog, in the next room, snoring too.
I heard a bird singing outside my window.
I wondered if Judy was still shooting squirrels.
I wondered if the trash men were going to come before I got the bins out front.
I thought about which beach I would go to today.
I thought about the squeals of delight brought about from a boogie board and some waves.
I wondered if my children had brushed their teeth. I wondered when the last time was that they had brushed their teeth.
I wondered if Rick Perry would win the GOP nomination. I thought it to be a good thing that he didn't let the coyote attack his dog!!
I thought about getting new knobs for the dash of the Jeep.
I remembered today was supposed to be the hottest day of the year.
Should I go surf fishing?
Do I really want to cut up fish for bait?
Am I going to be able to rip the hook out of their mouths without assistance or therapy?
Should I paint today? What should I paint?
Maybe I would clean? Ha! Maybe pigs would fly out of my @$$ too!
I wondered what the muted people were saying on the TV.
Bailey's or coconut creamer in my coffee?
What was I going to have for breakfast?
Would I eat breakfast?
I could live on cereal for the next 2 weeks!

Obviously, the sleeping in thing, well it didn't work out. Thanks dear. Maybe tomorrow.

You are going where? With who?

2011-07-11T08:17:00.000-04:00

OMG! My husband, in a very thoughtful, quiet moment made a huge announcement. He is going to KC to visit with family and taking the kids. ALL of them. It took a few moments for my over-tasked brain to understand what he was saying. The end product of that process and the root cause of the underlying confusion was in the details. He is taking the kids and I am remaining home. Could it be true? I had him repeat the info slowly. And then again. And by-crackity I was right! I had heard him correctly and my brain was not playing a cruel joke of "Aha- psyche! Got ya!" He is really going to take the kids and I will remain here..... ALONE!! Now, I will be working quite a few shifts at the hospital but that part doesn't matter. I will be kid-free for almost 2 weeks.
Wow!

How do I...? What will I...? Where will I....? Oh my... I don't even know where to begin.

I still need time to process this. And it doesn't start till tomorrow. Today I still have to get these kids out of bed and motivated to face the day!!

Miss this...

2011-07-01T10:22:00.001-04:00

As always, when life slows down I miss the day to day writing of the happenings in our world. I do not promise daily updates. I do not promise weekly updates. But I will make an attempt, to every now and again, post updates on our lives for friends and family that we have had to leave behind.

Here goes....
This will be a transition year for all my kiddos. The Girl will go to the middle school, Tyler will start at the intermediate and Trey will start kindergarten. Woohoo! They will all be in school! That is huge for us as parents! I can't wait, and neither can they.
My DH is still stationed here with helos and loves it. His friends from the command come and go, but they all eventually return, even if just for a visit.

I have taken a job as a school nurse but still couldn't part with the L&D position. School nursing is a great job and I am in the same school system as my children. Having the same schedules is a blessing and I love it. However, I love L&D and haven't been able to give that up yet either. I am now an extremely flexi employee at the hospital. Since I have the summer off at the school, I have been able to pick up more hospital hours. That's nice for the piggy bank!

I have again taken a few weeks off mid-summer. We had thought we were moving to New Orleans and if that were the case I was going to head to Maine on our summer camping trip. The move has been, delayed, so with gas prices being what they are I am thinking of camping locally, but as of yet, I am still unsure where. I have thought about Amish country and Hershey PA or maybe just visiting VA state parks. Perhaps the mountains? Maybe even KC to visit with Kev's family (but it is their year to come here!!). I am never good with plans. I may not know till I get to the interstate and have to choose left or right.

So that's it. That is all I have for this moment in time. I may add more today or it may be months before I sit here again. For now I need to go make breakfast for my boys.

Summer Recap

2009-09-08T09:41:00.002-04:00

So today is the first day of school for the kids. While most parents are celebrating I am lamenting over the loss of lazy days, camping on a whim and summertime fun spent with the kiddos. Trey will have his first day of pre-school tomorrow. He is very excited and I am excited for him.
Today also is the beginning of the madness. When summer was approaching I told the kids we were done with sports because the summer was OUR time. This week alone is filled with swim team, cub scouts (tigers), soccer and girl scouts (juniors). So begin the hectic schedules; shuttling the kids to and from whatever, making time for homework and reading each night and all the other activities and requirements that come with back-to-school!!
How did we spend OUR time this summer? That question is easily answered. Camping!!! If you remember we purchased a class C motor home back in March and probably spent half the summer living out of the camper. The beginning of the summer we spent a lot of time at Cherrystone on the Eastern Shore. Kevin developed a love of crabbing and this place was right on the bay with lots of piers to keep him happy. (We ate A LOT of crab this summer! Yummy!) The kids had a pool with a splash pad, pedal boats, bike trails, activities and discovered lots of other happy camper kids!
If we weren't on the Eastern Shore than you would probably find us on the Outer Banks. Just past the Serendipity House featured in the movie Nights in Rodanthe, are a couple of beach front campgrounds. Ohhh, they are my favorite! If I had chance and opportunity I was there. Working flexi and making my own schedule gave me lots of chance and opportunity. My neighbors thought I had quit work completely and just left in the camper. Although that would have been nice, I did have to come home every now and then to cut grass and work for a couple of days!
Kevin's family came to visit in July. They always rent a great big house in Sandbridge and this year they rented 2. I think there were 28 people in one house and about 10 or so in the other. Whenever you get this much family together it's always a good time. They were here for a week and the only complaint was that the visit just wasn't long enough!
Judy, Kev's Mom, arrived a week before everyone else and we all went to the Outer Banks for a few days. She got to see the famous house and we took her past Corolla out onto the sand, in the search for the wild ponies. She laughed and giggled like a little kid as we climbed sand dunes and drove through the surf. As always, we got lucky quickly, and saw several of the ponies. Two were with their colts and one was even nursing. I love that we have the ponies living wild and free so close by to visit. Another great day spent in 4WD on the beach!!
Kelly Davies and I had planned an extended trip for July-August. My childhood friend and her 3 children, took off with me and my 3 children for three weeks of camping up north. We left and went through PA. to a Yogi Bear campground nestled in the mountains that was fantastic. (The ride was scary- can you imagine a camper going up a narrow mountain, no guard rail road vertical, to the point that we weren't going over 5 miles an hour at 4 in the morning?? Yeah, never follow a GPS in parts unknown without verifying the route on a map!! LOL!) We went from PA to Niagara Falls and through the finger lakes of NY. The area was beautiful and the weather was humidity free and wonderfully cool for summertime. Niagara was awesome and the kids were all amazed at the incredible force and size of the falls. The kids had a blast playing together, sight-seeing and traveling through new places to discover. We had taken Samantha Sue with us and she became ill. Although we had a great time we had to cut our trip short. The plan was to continue north to Maine and then come down the coast but we will have to re-schedule that for next year.
We brought Samantha home and we buried her a week later. She spent 12 yrs with us and was the best puppy ever. We miss her everyday. It took about a week before we had a new best friend to love. One dog can never replace another, but they sure can make your heart smile. A friend of ours had a 4 yo black lab he could no longer keep. Being the dog people that we are and finding ourselves suddenly without one, we welcomed Niko into our home. Niko is wonderful. Loyal, friendly and well-trained. The dog doesn't beg, doesn't get on the furniture (including the beds!), doesn't jump on people, doesn't chew anything left on the floor and he usually only barks when told to speak. He doesn't run off when in the yard and loves to play with the kids. It's having all the benefits of a well-trained lab without going through the puppy hassle. We love him and after a few weeks of constant companionship, camping, letting him swim at the lake or the beach and showering him with lots of attention, I think he doesn't know who he loves the most!! He will obey commands even from my 3 yo and checks on the kids each night before sleeping at the foot of the bed. Sometimes I think he is too well-trained cause I certainly would like him to cuddle every now and then!!
That brings me back to summer's end. Although the kids have now returned to school I am looking forward to a few more trips in the camper before the season ends. We would like to go out in October to enjoy Halloween fun, up to the mountains to see the beauty of fall and of course back to the beach simply because it's the beach. The camper has become our/my escape. We spend time playing games, enjoy our time as a family and being able to leave hectic schedules behind and go where ever we choose is priceless.
Kevin is back in Iraq. The kids miss him dearly and we are all waiting for his return in early December. I am thankful he will make it home for the holidays. I make no promises but with the kids back in school, I am hoping to update a little more often. Maybe even add some pictures. Hope everyone had a great summer!

DC Part II

2009-04-19T06:58:00.003-04:00

My mother really seemed to enjoy the camper experience. This was solidified when I overheard her say to my Dad that he needed to go on the next trip to learn how to hook it all up. That's HUGE!!! Perhaps there's an excursion possible in their future???
Friday we woke again to glorious sunshine. We lingered a bit longer through breakfast and the morning rituals. It was 12 before we climbed aboard the metro. My grandfather had asked if we had seen the Navy Memorial so we made it our first stop. We found him in the archives. He retired from the Navy as an RMC in 1950 something. It was a nice tribute but I wish we could have taken him rather than just pictures to show him.
Our next stop was the Zoo. Warm weather plus sunshine equals a very crowded zoo. We walked the entire zoo. The Panda's were out nibbling on bamboo and most of the animals were pretty active. The kids were also able to catch the Octopus during a feeding so of course they loved that! The Zoo starts at one end and ends downhill at a parking lot. Big Guys little legs were exhausted. Luckily I asked how to get back on the metro.
The guide tells us we have to walk back uphill a mile and a half to the front gate and then the 3 blocks to the metro. Or, he says, we can take the complimentary shuttle back to the top.
Thank heavens! We were the only ones on the shuttle so I don't know if we caught it at a good time or if it's a well-kept secret but keep it in mind if you go!!
Big Guy pointed out a guy playing the sax on the corner. He knows it's one of my favs so he grabbed a dollar and dropped it in his case! Ya gotta love the city sights and sounds!
Since it was warm and sunny Tara was ready to set-up the outside of the camper. We pulled out the awning and set out the chairs. It was good practice since I hadn't done it without Kev and
the awning was damp and needed to dry. Big Guy and Tara were off on their bikes buying ice cream at the store and spending their money in the game room. There's a foos-ball game that gives you a bouncy ball at the end so they are now the proud owners of way too many bouncy balls. Every time the camper moves there's a little ball rolling out from somewhere!
They showed National Treasure at the outdoor amphitheatre and Tara and Mom watched the movie while I hung out with the boys. We were once again exhausted. Big Guy fell asleep sitting up at the table watching Tara play Club Penguin. I put him on the couch, Tara took the bed next to Grandma and Trey and I slept up top for the first time. The "cab over" is a queen size bed that is usually reserved for the kids. I stretched out, Trey snuggled in and there was plenty of room. The kids and I may fight over that on the next trip!
Saturday morning we all slept in and I had the camper ready to pull off without a hitch. We sat in some traffic, stopped for lunch and everything was just dandy. We were going to make one other stop at Pierce's for some BBQ that we thought we could have for dinner. We pulled off the interstate and the camper began to cough and sputter. Oh my God! I had my mother and 3 kids and my rig was broke down on the side of the road! The gas gage said we had more that a 1/4 tank of gas but there was a gas station ahead so I again tried to start her up hoping to make it that far. I turned it over and we moved forward only to die again on the corner. I was saying a small prayer when a guy stopped and asked if we needed anything. He jumps out of his truck and tells us he'll tow us to the gas station. My mother asked the question we were both thinking "Are you going to be able to tow us with that?"
He looked back with just a simple nod, grabbed chains from his truck and had us towed and next to a gas pump in minutes. Thank God for a country boy!! (If I had only had the presence of mind to take a picture!!) I pumped gas and crossed my fingers. We put 34 gallons in a 35 gallon tank. I turned the engine over and the magic of gasoline in an engine made it run smoothly!! We didn't get any dinner but we had no other problems!
So what did I learn this trip? Never let the gage get below a half and never doubt a country boy and his pick-up truck!!

DC Follies

2009-04-16T22:48:00.004-04:00

It's Spring Break!!! WOOHOO!!! No getting up early, fights at bedtime and the morning rush? Forget about it!!! At least for a week.
Kev left Wednesday for a det in Vegas. Not a lot of pity in my heart for this separation. I just can't bring myself to feel bad for him, can you?? We actually left before him for a little trip ourselves. My mom, the kids and I are staying at a campground in Maryland and are enjoying DC. This is my first time without a vehicle so we have been getting around only by the Metro and it has been fabulous.
It rained yesterday so we spent the day in the Museum of Natural History and the Museum of American History. (Amparo we didn't call Steve. Trey tends to set the tone for the day so you never know when he'll be "done" so it's never a good idea to have a set plan. Thanks for thinking of us and perhaps next year??) They are still a bit young for most exhibits but they saw enough to keep them happy and walked enough to make them tired.
Today we woke to bright sunshine. What a change a day makes. We closeted the coats and umbrellas and found the t-shirts and sunglasses and spent the day on a walking tour. Our chosen stop today on the Metro was Chinatown. When we walked above ground right in front of me was a Radio Shack. Hooray! I had forgotten my camera so I picked up a little digital that will now have a permanent home in the camper. We wandered by the Ford Theatre and we gave the kids the verbal history and made a pit stop at a hot dog vendor. It was sitting right in front of a Micky D's and yet we had no complaints! Amazing!! Next we visited the Spy Museum across from the FBI HQ. That was really interesting but again, we could have spent hours more if we didn't have to humor the little ones.
We kept walking and strolled across in front of the White House. The Washington Monument rose high and beckoned us over, so off we went. Across the lawn is the Lincoln Memorial and in between is the WW II memorial that I had never seen. Trey stayed in the stroller and the kids kept going. Tara and Mom went up into the Lincoln Mem while I took Tyler into the bathroom for a quick bath after he slid across the mud while puddle jumping. I broke out some change and played a little game of I Spy. That was cool watching them pick out the memorials associated with the back of their pocket change. We walked by the Vietnam Memorial and then headed through the GWU campus on our way to the Metro.
We made it back to the campground, had a simple dinner and the kids got to ride their bikes, play at the park and take a dip into the hot tub. I think tomorrow is the Zoo but for now they are all sleeping soundly. I am going to join them in deep exhausted sleep. Good Night!

Camper and Ponies

2009-03-30T20:42:00.001-04:00

Look for more pics on the photo pages!

Newbies

2009-03-30T08:53:00.005-04:00

About 3 months ago I decided I wanted a camper. I've posted about this before and the end result is a 1995 Fleetwood Jamboree Searcher. It's a class C RV and that was a must for me because I wanted to have the cubby over the passenger and driver seats that the kids could have as their own. There is a TV up there and their pillows and blankets and I don't have to convert/make beds everyday. They can pull the curtain and it's their own little world. It's perfect.
Have we used it? You betcha! We took our maiden voyage to First Landing State Park. It was just on the other side of town so if there were any major problems we could just go home. For less than we would spend on dinner we were able to spend the night on the beach. We took food from our fridge, grabbed a change of clothes and off we went. Samantha Sue came along too so we didn't have to trouble anyone with watching the dog and she still got to keep my feet warm. It was way to cold for swimming but my kids didn't care. They were happy just being on the ocean- playing sand soccer, trying to catch a fish, watching for dolphins and collecting sea shells. They made friends with other campers and had fun digging in the sand together.
Kevin and I had fun just setting everything up and playing house in our new camper. We pulled out the awning, laid down the mat, lit the fire and sat around very proud of ourselves. Around 2:30 in the morning we discovered our error. We had left the awning extended and although there was no wind the night before, it had picked up and was flapping our awning around and banging the pole into the camper. I woke Kevin and we hustled outside to save the awning from being permanently ripped away. We were new at this so I had a flashlight held firmly in my teeth while holding the flapping awning and Kevin was trying to remember which mechanism to unlock first to get the thing down. The end result? We learned a valuable lesson and gained a 2 inch tear in our awning.
The next morning we looked out at the class A beside us. They had the USA map on the side with most states filled in and were obviously not new to RV travel. They had pulled their awning in and their chairs were folded neatly and stacked underneath. I continued picking up our blown over chairs wishing I had payed more attention to those experienced travelers.

The second trip we took was up to Ocean City to Whaley Town Campground. It was their St. Patty's weekend celebration so even though it wasn't quite camping season they had lots of activities. We all made charm key chains, played nightly bingo, searched for pots of gold and hunted for shamrocks.
Our campsite was right on the lake and Kev and the kids had a blast fishing. It was catch and release so when Tara caught the first fish the antics began. Daddy ripped the hook out of it's mouth and handed it to Tara who immediately dropped it shrieking "Ooohhhh!! Gross!" Daddy then gave it to Tyler trying to convince him that he really could put his finger in it's mouth because the fish had no teeth. Tyler put his little finger in it's mouth and tried to hold on like a bull rider at a rodeo. That flopping flipping fish won but it should have just hung limply. Once it hit the ground the boys began to kick it toward the lakes edge. The water was only an inch deep, so then they grabbed sticks and began to try and flip it out to deeper water. The poor fish eventually swam away. I just hope it lived longer than the 5 min I was giving it's life expectancy.
On that trip we had no wind so we pulled our awning out and even attached the clever little lights, broke out our chairs and kept the fire lit. Along with the usual marsh mellow cooking the kids also cooked their hot dogs on a stick. What did we learn? The kids definitely needed to bring their bikes. Both weekends the camping kids all had bikes and this campground was large so the walk back and forth to the activities was a good distance.

This weekend we went south to the Outer Banks. Grandma Judy was very excited to hear we stayed in Rodanthe since she had just watched the movie. We stayed at Camp Hatteras. This and the KOA are both pricey in season but we were also able to scout out other smaller campgrounds that are right on the beach, smaller, with a pool and 1/2 the price.
The kids were out of school today so we stayed Saturday night and Sunday night. I love the nights when we go camping because we sit around and play games like Uno, Rummy and Bingo. Having cable is also a nice feature cause the kids can watch Disney till they drift off to sleep. (Nobody said the Fureys are roughin' it when they camp!!)
Sunday I really wanted to take the kids up the coast, past Corolla and drive the beach in search of the famous mustangs that have roamed the beaches there for 400 hundred years. My DH was a little leery of taking the kids out to 4 wheel drive the beach when we have had so much rain. I finally bugged him until he relented and off we went.
The kids were very excited at the prospect of seeing the wild horses. Kev and I were a little nervous. Nervous enough that as we went through Corolla I added a new number to my phones contact list. A-1 Towing. Call me if you ever get stuck and need the number.
As we headed down the beach we stopped and collected a few shells and played by the lapping waves. We ventured a little further inland and began going up and down all the little side "streets". The kids were screaming and yelling like they were on a roller coaster as we climbed sand hills and splashed through watered out roads we didn't know if would make it through. The Jeep did great and we powered through the deepest of waterholes. It was fantastic!! As we were laughing through yet another huge puddle we saw them. Four ponies, wild and free the way nature intended, were nibbling on grass outside of someones fence. We pulled the Jeep over and wandered up close. I snapped pictures and the kids watched in awe. The ponies didn't mind us and just kept munching away. We hopped back in the Jeep very excited we had seen what we had been searching for.
We headed back beach side and drove until the fence blocked us from going further and headed back driving along the surf. We stopped at on point to see what was washed up and discovered many dead sting rays, star fish and even conch shells. I was amazed. These were the largest shells I have ever collected on the Outer Banks and conch shells were everywhere. I've seen starfish in Florida but never here. The kids were again fascinated and very excited. I was beginning to wonder where in the Jeep we were going to have room to keep all their treasures. We kept driving and just ahead saw 2 more ponies. One was standing at the crest of a dune almost like it was posing. The other was on the beach. My camera was again taking lots of pictures. (Baby Trey is fascinated with his wiener so he took it as his duty to inform everyone that the ponies were boys because they had wieners!!!) We drove away very pleased and excited to come back again in the summer to play by the water's edge and watch for the beautiful ponies. I'll post pictures when I get home.
There were no lessons learned this trip except maybe the realization that even if it's windy, raining or even a tornado watch, it's worth every minute and precious memories are always made!

March 09

2009-03-26T09:41:00.003-04:00

Kevin was due home the first week of March. Due to Grampa Barney's passing, he arrived with much fanfare the 23rd of February. This is a perfect example of every cloud having a silver lining. When we got the call Saturday morning it was a huge coordinated effort to get us out of here and on our way. Kevin was catching the first flight out so he would arrive Monday morning in KC. We could get buddy passes but we wouldn't arrive till late afternoon Monday. After 4 months without Dad the homecoming is not to be missed!
That Saturday I was at home cleaning house, doing laundry and laying out clothes to pack. Joe Goz gave me a call when he heard the news and asked how he could help me get out of town. I, of course, professed that I needed nothing. He completely ignored me and came over to take The Van for an oil change. When he got back he pulled suitcases out of the attic. I have said it before but the guys in this squadron are just the best. Thanks!
We took off that evening and I drove to the West Virginia line where we woke up to 3 inches of snow. It made the drive beautiful and was a much better backdrop than driving through the rain.
When we got to the airport the whole family (immediate family I should say) was there! That's about 14 kids and 10 adults. Everyone had posters, balloons and a big huge welcome home banner. Kevin said it was the best homecoming ever!!! I grabbed my camera in my rush to get out of the house bit I failed to grab the SD card. Dear Tammy is supposed to send me pics!!!
It was wonderful to visit with everyone but I am over going to KC for funerals. It's about time for a nice happy lake visit.
When we left we decided at the last minute to head down to Pensacola and pick up the camper. LOL! Sure, lets drive south for 14hrs spend the night and then drive 15 hrs home!! Not a problem!!! We ended up driving through 15 states. The kids were counting.
We stayed with Pete and Emily and without them the camper thing would have never happened. Thanks gang for checking it out for us and going over everything with us at your house and for letting us plug in and camp in your driveway!! We are waiting to return the favor!!
So, we made it home with the new camper and Daddy. It is wonderful to have him home. It is fabulous to also have our camper. We camped at First Landing State Park right on the beach. The next weekend we stayed in Ocean City at Frontierland? Campground right on the lake. The weather hasn't been the best but both weekends were a hit and the kids had a blast!! I'll tell you more about our first camping trips later, for now I have to go!!!

Grampa Barney

2009-03-26T09:36:00.002-04:00

This should of been posted weeks ago.
We will all miss him greatly but his legacy lives on....

Robert (Barney) Maguire
1910 – 2009

Robert (Barney) Maguire, 98, passed away Friday February 20, 2009 at home surrounded by family and friends.
The Rosary will be prayed Tuesday February 24, 2009 at 5:00PM in More Hall at St Thomas More Catholic Church, 11822 Holmes Rd with visitation following until 8:00PM. Mass of Christian burial will be at 11:00AM Wednesday February 25, 2009 at St. Elizabeth Catholic Church, 2 East 75th St. Kansas City, MO. Burial following in Mt. Olivet Cemetery, Kansas City, Missouri.
Barney was born in Memphis, Tennessee on November 19, 1910. He moved with his family to Kansas City, Missouri in 1918. Barney had a deep love for automobiles, airplanes, motorcycles and all things mechanical. His tremendous thirst for knowledge was an inspiration for all.
Barney attended St. Aloysius Grade School, Rockhurst and Northeast High School. He worked for Pratt & Whitney in Kansas City and Hartford, CN. In 1948 he and Rosemarie founded Allied Concrete Products which is currently run by third generation family. He was a 4th degree Knights of Columbus in the Bishop John Ward Assembly 0292, a member of the Trailblazers Organization and More Friends. He was a charter member of National Precast Concrete Association holding several board positions.
Barney witnessed many changes in technology through his life and not one did he let escape without his full immersion and quest to understand. From learning the printing press, to building an experimental airplane in high school shop class, to reading the complete Book of Knowledge more than once, to starting his own business, to using his computer daily-- Barney was always eager to learn.
Barney was preceded in death by his parents Arthur and Cora Belle (McClure) Maguire, sisters Mary Michael Maguire and Katie Kimbrell sons-in-law Bill Garies and Mike Furey, grandchildren; Mickey Furey & Amy Furey; great grandchild Cristina Furey.
Barney is survived by his loving wife of 75 years Rosemarie; daughters Shiloh Garies, Esta Setter and husband Dave, Judy Furey, Kathy Maguire and husband Tom Fritts; 17 grandchildren; 37 great grandchildren; 2 great-great grandchildren and 2 on the way; sister Frances Cowick; sisters-in-law Marilyn Meiners, Teresa Scheerer (Dick) and brother-in-law Bob Meiners (Claire).
In lieu of flowers the family suggests donations to the St. Thomas More School Technology Fund or the St. Thomas More Capitol Campaign.

Dance Your Heart Out!!

2009-02-21T09:06:00.008-05:00

The intermediate school had a family dinner and dance last night. Tara was very excited and found a beautiful dress in her closet, tights in her drawer and the perfect pink glittery shoes scattered on her floor. Apparently in gym class they have learned every line dance ever created. The entire event was line dance after line dance with everything from the hustle to some of these new songs like the one from the McDonald's commercial that I obviously don't know the name of. Tara ran around with friends, sometimes dancing and sometimes chasing boys. Tyler and Trey? Well they stole the show. They danced and danced and danced some more. We had ice cream after the event and then I took my 3 very tired children home.

Working out the Details

2009-02-17T11:02:00.002-05:00

I received the pic below from Kevin today. Those guys are like brothers and their camaraderie, commitment and service cannot be matched. We miss them all but would really like to see the guy in the middle in some pictures that I take!!
I am still working out details but I am flying to Florida next week to pick-up the camper. Luckily Pete and Emily are close and will offer me a place to stay and unwind before I jump in the rig and head home. I am unsure of the route I will travel and I refuse to plan. (I think that goes against the wanderlust spirit!) I believe the trip is about 14 hours so it should be an easy 2 dayer. Chantelle has been kind/crazy enough to offer to stay with the kids. I need to get back quickly before the tribe makes her crazy.
We had discussed the family flying to Florida after Kev returned and making the pick-up an adventure. Airplane fares are rising with gas prices and I just think the first family trip should be local till we figure out and stock the thing with everything we will discover that we need.
I have spent most of my life here and have never explored the middle peninsula (except once with the Kelly, Bob and a bottle of tequila so that doesn't count cause I don't remember it!!). Matthews and all the little towns along the Chesapeake Bay are to some Virginia's best kept secret. That's a secret I want in on! The Eastern Shore and Assateague and Chincoteague Islands are also areas that are rural (I think) along the Bay and beckoning me to explore. Tara is dying to hit DC and there are a ton of nearby campgrounds to make sightseeing a breeze. Getting Kevin to stroll through the museums may prove to be another challenge. The Outer Banks is just an hour south and one of my favorite beaches. I am still reminding myself that although I grew up here the kids did not and I need to rediscover a lot of areas/places that I may remember as not being that great because, perhaps to my children, they will be fantastic new spots for them to discover.
I am very anxious to begin the new adventures that are just waiting for us to enjoy. All of us! Hurry home Kevin!!

No explanation needed

2009-02-17T10:59:00.000-05:00

Happy Valentine's Day Kevin! Love, us

2009-02-14T09:51:00.003-05:00

Happy Valentines Day dear. I have posted some pics for you to enjoy. The kids have opened their cards and are eating candy they don't need at this hour of the morning. Along with the candy Tara is playing with her newest Littlest Pet and the boys are playing with Bocugons (don't ask what they are- they defy explanation). Tyler has his last basketball game today and I have snacks. Since it's Valentines day, I put an apple, pretzels (gotta be careful of allergies!) juice box and candy hearts in a treat bag. They will have a little after party at CiCi's. I have to work so once again I am depending on the kindness of others for the logistics to make it all happen since I have to work at 3 and his game is at 230. Tara's swim team has a meet today but that is just not working into the time frame. She'll have to sit this one out.
In other news we purchased a 28ft Fleetwood Jamboree Searcher for our camping pleasure. The rig is gorgeous, completely hooked up with back-up cameras, stereo, TVs, new carpet and a whole list of things that promises excitement and fun for all. The seller is a retired Navy guy who has taken meticulous care of this thing and I am longing for the days of summer freedom. The camper is in Florida so the pick-up promises to be an adventure.
I have to go to get everything rolling for today but I promise to write again soon.

The end is in sight

2009-02-14T09:10:00.004-05:00

So it's been awhile. The kids can now count down in days until Daddy comes home. We aren't sure which day but the first week of March isn't far. Our prayers are with Daddy each and every day and now we are praying for Grandpa Barney's recovery too.
Kevin leaves frequently and I, and I believe the kids too, are used to the separation. But this deployment has been the worst ever. Not only are my precious little ones dealing with Daddy's absence but they are still trying to find happiness in their new environment. They will not hesitate to tell anyone how much they miss Hawaii. They are still searching for friends in the neighborhood and I thank God they have each other. They have lots of friends at school but they, and I, long for the days when they could run outside and join the kids playing the many games kids find to play.
We had a windy day two nights ago. As I was falling asleep I could hear the wind swirling through the screened porch. My bamboo chimes were playing their hollow melody and if I kept my eyes closed I could pretend I was somewhere else. As I lay there, I realized that Tara has not had one single friend that has come to the house and just sat in the floor and played Littlest Pet Shop or Barbies or Polly Pockets. She and Cassidy or Haley could play that way for hours. Has she outgrown this childhood delight? I don't think so. I eventually fought back the tears and fell asleep.
Tyler will consistently tell you he has no friends at school. I have talked with his teacher who was very surprised at his statement. I have only come to the conclusion that Tyler associates friends with the relationships he had in Hawaii. He has lots of pals at school and on the bus and the kids on his basketball team. What he's missing are the kids from school that lived around him, that he played with every day and had sleepovers with on the weekend. So if you ask him, he has no friends.
They don't complain often. Every now and then Tara will go up the street to see if Taylor can play but she is never home. Tyler will ride his bike to a friends but they are usually in after school care and by the time they get home it's dark. So for now they have each other and me and Trey. Tyler was student of the week and did a poster board of pics and they were all pics of him and friends in Hawaii. This was like salt on an open wound and there were lots of tears shared by all as they looked through pictures to decide which ones to use.
Okay, so this is a complete downer but now you know why there hasn't been a lot to write about.

Missing you on your birthday!!

2008-12-14T15:56:00.003-05:00

Live action with all the sweetness and none of the mess! Your other gift will, of course, be late!!

So you wanna see Christmas decorations?

2008-12-09T08:14:00.003-05:00

Tyler has started b-ball. Their fist game will be Saturday. In an effort to prepare for the upcoming game, they had an additional practice this past Saturday. Saturday was also the day for the HSC children's Christmas party. My kids wanted to go to the party to see Santa and Tyler had no problem skipping practice. Unknown to me was the fact that Tyler had some idea in his head that Santa might be bringing Daddy home on the helicopter. Apparently Tara convinced him, I am hoping very gently and in the nicest way possible, that Daddy would not be arriving with Santa.

The morning of the Christmas party Tyler looked at me as if I had lost my mind and said he was going to practice. I honestly believe that faced with a similar dilemma, Kevin would have also chosen sports over a Christmas party. Tyler did make me promise that he would see Santa some other time.

So Tara, Trey and I did the party without him. They had the usual stuff- crafts, face painting, bouncy house, food and Santa arriving on a helicopter. Trey watched everything very carefully but he would not get near the man in the red coat. Nuh huh- no way. Hopefully by the end of the season, and with his dear brother's influence, we'll make it happen.

Tara had songfest last night at school. We all gathered in the cafeteria to listen to the 5th graders play their string instruments and then we stood outside while the 3rd graders sang Christmas carols and we nibbled on cookies and drank hot apple cider. It was very cute but very cold.

I got an email from Kev and he asked to see pics of the Christmas tree. If Kev had been here we may have rearranged everything to put the big tree in the family room. Instead we moved out the chaise and put the big tree in the living room/office and the lil itty bitty Hawaii tree is in the family room. It works and the Martha, buried deep inside me, likes it because it is very visible from the front and side of the house because it is surrounded by windows. The giant snow globe is in the yard and we have a new wreath and garland around the door along with a small lighted tree on the porch. The bushes and trees are lit with white lights. It's actually very sweet and very traditional. It keeps the kids happy and the neighbors are thrilled someone here now decorates.

I was given Christmas dishes one year as a present. Each year Kev humps the heavy box in and out of storage. For the past few years we haven't even unwrapped, much less used them, for lack of space. This year I am proud to say they have all been washed, are in my cabinet and we use them daily!!

So, you got the scoop on the decorations and there are a bunch of pics too. There are parties and functions coming so I'll keep you updated!!

Justice, the Y and Verizon (oh my!)

2008-12-04T10:34:00.004-05:00

I got a phone call yesterday from the local PD and the neighborhood hoodlum responsible for looting so many vehicles has been caught. I don't know the particulars but apparently he was brought down by Mom. Mom was in his room and wondered about the lovely Vera Bradley bag (mine!) he had stashed wherever a boy stashes an obviously female bag. When she opened it she discovered lots of GPSs and a Kodak camera (mine!) with the SD card intact. Mom turned him in. Muhuhuhuh! Although I applaud her for doing the right thing, I am sure it was a struggle and has ripped her heart out.
On the other hand, I am oh-so-very excited to get my work bag back and the SD card. When I was describing my camera to the detective in the property office they had originally thought it belonged to someone else. I described how the lens was loose and he professed it was a nice tight fit. As he turned the camera facing down so he could look at the pictures I was describing, I heard the lens fall out and hit the desk.
"So was that the lens?"
"Uhh, yes ma'am. Maybe this camera is yours." Ya think??
Now if I can convince him that one of the GPSs is mine I'll be back in business. My advice: WRITE DOWN THE SERIAL NUMBER!
The GPS is a very corrupting little device. My entire life I have been excellent at directions and finding my way around. If I have been there once, I can get there again. No problem. After owning a GPS I now feel as if I will be horribly lost forever if I can't see the streets displayed as I approach them. My son learned left and right from the not-so soothing voice that dictates direction. I feel cheated that I never got to actually try and drive while just looking at the 4 inch screen. (I swear it can be done!) I WANT my GPS people!!!
***breathe in, breath out***
We belong to the YMCA (can you read that with out singing the song?) and I workout there while the kids play in their respective "zones". Once in a while, when they are swinging from the dining room light or climbing the curtains, we'll go up there to swim/wear them out. Trey will now happily go straight into the toddler area without a whimper. Tyler loves to color and play in the tubes and in the I zone they have a WII and a rock climbing wall. He has made it about half way up the wall. I love to watch the determination that overcomes his little features each time he climbs into the harness.
Tara learned from Grandma Linda that she was old enough to go into the fit room. She discovered this and has approached it with the same passion she does most things- balls to the wall!! (Pardon my slang!) She made an appointment with the fitness instructor and was oriented to the machines. Now she sits and adjusts the seat and the weights like a little pro. They have Disney on above the treadmills and she walks/runs happily watching Waverly Place. She has recently discovered the rowing machines and says she likes to row "like we did in the water at Kaneohe." I love it because she now hounds me about going which keeps me on more of a schedule. Tyler starts b-ball practice there tonight so opportunities will be endless.
Verizon has laid cable on our street. I can't wait to call Cox and cancel my cable subscription. They have had a monopoly in this area for too long. Maybe as with most businesses, a little competition will force them to make needed changes. I could have hidden lots of bodies in the holes that were dug in my yard but they did a fine job of covering them up.
Okay, this is where the rambling ends.
Wait! Kev if you are reading this, I found the lil green book in the playroom. Who would have thunk it??

Pictures have been posted!

2008-12-03T09:53:00.001-05:00

Can you believe??

2008-12-03T09:10:00.003-05:00

This is Barnie and Rose. Kevin's grandparents. These two kids just celebrated 75 years of wedded bliss. Can you believe that?? I am speechless and in awe of their dedication, accomplishments and commitment to family. Congratulations to you and we will see you soon!

Thank You!

2008-12-03T08:43:00.003-05:00

Just when I began to realize why some animals eat their young- I found these at my door. Thank you and it was just what I needed.
I LOVE YOU!

Not Alone

2008-12-03T07:47:00.002-05:00

I love Christmas. I love the spirit of the season, I love the lights, I love the decorations and I love the look of wonder and joy in my children's eyes.
Kevin has never been away for Christmas. Now there has been many a year when he has been gone up until a few days before and he has come home just in time to enjoy the benefits of my labor. Uuuggghhh. My labor consists of a slight remodel to make Christmas come alive at home. We haul out 3-4 Christmas trees, string lights in the front and in the windows, hang stockings on the mantle, place poinsettias on the steps and each room gets pictures, trinkets, music boxes, snow globes or some other Christmas goody. Needless to say it's a process. It's a process I would rather not do alone. Even if he arrives just in time to say "Merry Christmas!" he's always taken the time to be there for at least part of the process. This year it's just me.
My father came to the house to help get the 20 or so boxes out of the attic. They lined the halls upstairs for days until my children could take it no longer. I was trying to unpack a box when they realized it was time to do the decorating.
My precious, precious boy began trying to bring boxes down by himself. Tara joined in the effort. Together they worked as a team and began to do what I had avoided for days. I had no desire to begin the labor of Christmas alone. I should have realized I was not by myself. Even when the boxes were too heavy for their combined efforts, they didn't let that stop them. They opened the boxes and began carrying stuff down one thing at a time till every box was empty. Each item they carried was like a treasure and they ooohhhed and aaaahhhed over every little thing and they took the time to show Trey all the little magical things they cherished. Watching them brought back some of that magic I feared might not be there this year.
Tyler turns the key on the back of the music boxes and just listens to the songs. He said to me, with his little chin quivering and tears in his eyes "Mom, Christmas songs make me happy. Will Daddy have Christmas songs over there?" Tara was debating which tree she liked the most when she stopped to ask if Daddy had a tree in Iraq. My answer to both "I hope so."
So the house is mostly decorated and we have begun to enjoy the season. I am not alone and neither is Kevin. He is with us in everything we do. My hope is that he and the guys will find a little magic in the season too. Even if it's just a Christmas song or a few lights in a palm tree. We miss you!!

Happy Turkey Day!!

2008-11-27T07:56:00.002-05:00

Happy Thanksgiving everyone!!
Each year my kids are quizzed about what they are thankful for and this year I will answer that question too.
I am thankful for my family. My husband and children for the love they generously give and being who they are, my family for the support, love and encouragement they have always shown and my husbands family for the welcome I have always received and the fine example of family they have always portrayed. I am thankful for my friends for being there to listen, cry or laugh. I am thankful I have a part-time job that allows my to put my family first. I am thankful I have a wonderful house with kind and caring neighbors in an outstanding school district. I am thankful my van keeps going and going and I am thankful Samantha and Gizmo are still here to greet us and love us and keep us warm at night.
I am thankful for all these things and many more!
Hope you have many things you are thankful for too and have a fabulous Thanksgiving!!

She has my soul

2008-11-18T17:37:00.003-05:00

This year Tara's teacher has assigned a writing journal. She is given a monthly calendar with a topic for each evening. One of the topics was to write to your Mom and Dad. This is what I found in her journal:

Dear Mom and Dad,
Mom your blue-green eyes look like the blue-green ocean in Hawaii. Dad your brown eyes look as gentle as swaying palms. Mom your brown hair looks like the pretty brown shell on the green sea turtle. Dad your black hair looks like the black of the night with the bright moon.
Love,
Tara

I love her too!

Chaos, grades and keeping busy!

2008-11-18T08:07:00.003-05:00

My Atomic clock (thanks Judy!) says it is 34 degrees outside. The weather guessers had mentioned the possibility of flurries this morning. Well the sun is bright and shining and since that completely voids out the probability of flurries, I have no use for the near freezing temperature that is painfully obvious when I step outside to get Tara off and speak to the neighbors. Can't we just see a few flakes? Please??
I have been keeping the thermostat on 68 and I have discovered that if I turn on the fireplace it completely heats up the family room and kitchen in about 15 min. That is very nice. On the downside, I can't turn the fireplace on just to look at the pretty fire. It gets very warm very quickly. It is also non-vented. The not having a chimney flew to open makes me a little nervous so I have various CO2 detectors around the house. I have been told that it's very energy efficient because no heat is lost. Regardless, if you don't hear from us in a while have someone check the house, k?
Kev has been calling or e-mailing very often and he is doing well. They are staying busy and he mentioned eating cheesecake in bed so my sympathy is fading. He has flown over 40 hours this month so if Joe feeding him cheesecake in bed makes him happy so be it!! Hehehe!
Report cards came home last week. Tara gets real grades this year and has all A's. I'm going to brag for a moment because her A's are a 103 in Social Studies, a 99 in Science, a 99 in Math and a 98 in Reading/Spelling. Wow!! That is just awesome!! Her teacher gushed about what a joy she is in class. Awwww!
My dear lil Tyler did very well also. His teacher had wonderful things to say about him, his report was great and my little Student of the Month is doing very well.
Kelly came for a visit on Saturday. She always laughs about the noise level in my house. She has one 14 yo daughter and when she calls she says she hears the noise before I say hello. 3 kids screaming, dog barking, TV on. Woohooo! Welcome to the chaos! We spent the day exploring the aquarium, doing a little shopping and had dinner out. It was fun but over way to soon. I think she only stays for the day cause her senses are all over stimulated!!
We hit the Zoo on Sunday. Don't laugh but it was an awesome day at the zoo. The animals were all on the move and very visible. The male lion was even roaring and we've never heard that!! I hear the Richmond Zoo has a petting area for the giraffes so we need to do that very soon.
Dad is the one who takes the boys outside to play baseball, soccer, basketball or challenges them on the Wii. With Daddy gone the boys energy level is often through the roof. It's getting a little cold for the long walks or bike rides that Mom likes so I am looking at other options. I am thinking of putting both Tara and Tyler in martial arts. I had considered just Tyler but I have this fear of Tyler practicing daily on his sister so I think I need to even the playing field. Besides she needs the exercise.
Yes it is a quite boring update but Kevin has been reading daily and he likes to hear about the little things! More later!

Heheheh!

2008-11-10T09:04:00.003-05:00

My daily giggle.... LOVED this!!!!

Order your t-shirt here: http://www.emergencystuff.com/401215000000.html

The missed and the missing

2008-11-10T08:31:00.003-05:00

Well Dad has been gone now for almost 2 weeks. Tyler really misses him. I am getting the daily question "How many more months is Dad gonna be gone?" It is so hard for a 5 year old to understand the concept of time and it is heart wrenching to hear the baby announce "Daddy's home!" every time we pull up in the driveway and he sees the Jeep.

**sigh**

In other news- some punk teen with unobservant parents is plaguing our neighborhood. (Sorry to offend but I see no other way to describe the situation when a teenager is out at 2AM during the week and awaking each morning with new bags of stolen goods!!) The offender is hitting our very comfortable in their environment neighbors who feel no need to lock their vehicle in their own driveways. Myself included. I donated my camera, my GPS and the heathen dumped my work bag so that he would have an empty sack to carry his stolen goods. I guess he needed something to conceal the 4 GPS units, the camera and the Blackberry he picked up off our court. Yes, we know it is a teen because we have a video image from a savvy guy with video surveillance but his vehicles were locked and the image was way to quick. The good guys from CSI could stop the footage and give us an accurate still shot but the city's finest couldn't be bothered. The Civic Assc is updating us on his latest acquisitions but so far the little booger hasn't been caught.
For this reason there will be no fall pumpkin patch pics. You will not see Tara dressed as a Fancy Witch, Big Guy as a gallant knight or the baby as a rough and tumble football guru. I hope as you go to take an important picture the lens falls out of the camera ( haha it was broken!) and I hope you feel a twinge of guilt as you see the family pictures you have stolen on my SD card. May the fleas of a thousand camels infest your mop of uncut brown hair and I hope the college of your dreams denies you and crushes your spirit. Spineless turd!! I miss my work bag!!

Uugh.... I feel better anyway.

Neptune Festival (Forgot about it!)

2008-10-07T07:51:00.004-04:00

While I was uploading pics I forgot to mention we hit the Neptune Festival last weekend.

Long, long ago I found a fake cake adorned with fresh fruit and cool whip that people instantly see and want a slice. So whenever possible I go back hoping to find another fake cake with a fall look. (yes I know-it is absolutely ridiculous of me, sort of Martha-ish if you will!) Well, no luck. Lots and lots of food stands and people hocking their crafts but no cakes. A couple of pies that were candles but not what I wanted.

Any hoo, I got everyone there under the pretense of seeing the amazing sand castles. The professionals had been there, gone and had already been judged. To see what these folks made from sand boggles my pee brain.

There were locals on the scene building the day we were there to be judged as amateurs. I could have stood for hours and watched as these people cut through the sand with every and any tool you could imagine, sprayed with water bottles and then blew with a straw to remove any grains that shouldn't have been there. The kids were fascinated and instantly dropped themselves into the sand and wanted to build the castle of their dreams. Even Kevin did a little ohhhing and awwwing. Check the pics if you want to see some of these amazing creations.

Been Boo'ed?

2008-10-06T19:43:00.002-04:00

We've been boo'ed! What a fun tradition!
Don't know what I'm talking about? Check it out here:

http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/400784/boo_your_neighbors_with_a_boo_gram.html

You never know who may be leaving treats at your door!

Wedding Bells!

2008-10-06T12:20:00.005-04:00

Congrats to Bryan and Jackie! Saturday they said "I do" with family and friends gathered to share their special day. The wedding was just outside of Pittsburgh in the backyard of Aunt Margie's and it was absolutely beautiful. Lots of friends from the HCS/HSC community gathered from Virginia, California and Louisiana. It was fabulous to have everyone together for a wonderful weekend of celebration. It was just like old times and I am very thankful to have had the opportunity to reconnect with old friends and to meet new ones. I look forward to seeing everyone again soon and hope the wait won't be as long as it has been.

Kevin and I left on Friday and very much enjoyed having a weekend without the kids. It was a little strange but very nice. My dear parents took on the challenge of keeping the knuckleheads and they had lots of fun and kept busy. Thanks to everyone who made the weekend happen and for the hard work that made the wedding the beautiful day that it was. Check the photo page for more!

Go Tigers!

2008-10-06T11:18:00.003-04:00

Tyler has now had 2 soccer games. We are playing AYSO which is a bit different than the base leagues. We didn't learn how different until the kids were on the field and they were missing one obvious player. The goalie.

In game 1, they were beaten badly. Both of my kids love to play goalie and instantly noticed the unoccupied net.

"Mom! Where is the goalie?" Tara wanted to know.

One of the parents told me politely that they didn't use them in this age group.

"Play goalie! Get in there Big Guy!! Go!" She kept yelling. Big Guy was trying to hang back as his coach tried to get him to move forward.

I tried to tell her that they don't use goalies in this age group. Other parents were giving her the look. She looked at me as if I were completely stupid.

"Why!?" she asked as the other team ran down the field and kicked yet another goal into a completely unprotected net.

She was still looking at me as if I had announced that ice cream would be banned forever. I gave up on the little speech I had formulated just seconds before about learning techniques at appropriate age levels. I threw up my hands and said "I don't know!"

She kept yelling and I didn't stop her.

Tyler was all over the field and in the action whenever possible. He and the rest of his team made a great effort but they had to admit defeat.

But of course, no one keeps score (wink! wink!)!

Game 2 was a win! The DH and I were out of town but the Grans took them. Big Guy once again gave it his all and even scored! I don't know about the yelling to assume the goalie position but I have no doubts that if Big Guy had the chance he danced around the net in an attempt to play that treasured position- even if it was on the sly.

Go Hawks!

2008-09-27T09:04:00.004-04:00

Anyone been to a high school football game lately? I took the kids to see the Hawks vs the Wild Cats last night. It was raining when we got there so as we huddled under the umbrella I got a chance to observe.
I was curious. I probably haven't been to a high school game in about 20 years. With all the talk of gangs and the violence in schools, I was a little nervous when we arrived and had to go through a metal detector. Once upon a time when kids walked around the track they would stop and chat and visit with others as they made the loop. Not anymore. Now there are security/sheriffs/cops that remind all to keep moving. Like a momma lion I kept my little cubs close.
The game began with the band playing the Star Spangled Banner and I forgot my fears. The kids here were like any other. They talked and cheered, the team played hard and the bands performed. The air was filled with the smell of hot dogs and popcorn and if I hadn't had my own kids with me, it could have been a scene from 20 years ago.
The kids loved it. The local news had a helicopter that landed behind the field, the dance squad performed, the cheerleaders cheered and the band had a great show. It was a live football game and we all yelled and stomped along with everyone else!
It may have been a little more cautious than what I remember, but I saw nothing to fear. No gang colors, no fights among rival students and I didn't even hear a bad word. I am sure this stuff goes on, but I can happily report I saw none of it here.
My children loved the excitement, I loved that they enjoyed it and we will happily return!!

It's all in the details...

2008-09-26T16:37:00.003-04:00

Anyone recognize the picture above? Maybe not "recognize" but I am sure you understand that it is a picture depicting Hawaii. Let me explain it as told to me by Tara. (Picasso she is not so the explanation was needed- and a little surprising!)
The structure is not a basic house- it is an ancient Hawaiian thatched hut. The grey area is Tapa cloth covering the doorway and the square is a woven welcome mat.
The big tree is just as it appears. A large palm that Daddy is climbing to retrieve the coconuts.
The other tree is hanging low with bananas about to be picked.
The person to the far left is a marine biologist collecting samples of marine life to study the stability of the ocean. (I am not making this up people!)
The person under the house has collected fronds and is making Tapa cloth like the ancients.
The people fishing are trying to catch Mahi and Ahi.
The 2 girls are sitting and waiting for the coconuts so they can crack them for milk and fresh coconut meat.

Do you think she misses Hawaii? Just a little bit? Maybe she's feeling a little displaced?
Just when I think were all a little better, I get a very detailed reminder of what we lost.

Jamestown

2008-09-24T10:53:00.003-04:00

The second graders here have a field trip each year to Jamestown. Tara missed out on this so we are doing our part to help her catch up. I don't want to admit it, but I don't remember ever going myself.

Last Saturday we loaded our van and made the drive to Williamsburg. The weather was perfect. We sat through the introductory movie and we all got our history lesson for the day.

We spent a couple of hours roaming the grounds and I kept my fingers crossed that the Furey kids wouldn't destroy any National Landmarks.

They climbed across ruins, stared into old wells, and really wanted to dig in the current archaeological dig site. We wandered through the museums and got a feel for what life was like for the first settlers. The kids sampled Brunswick Stew and declared it "yummy". They watched the fairy go back and forth across the river and spotted (and stalked) lots of deer. Tara was amazed at the pictures of Pocahontas after she married John Rolf and went back to England. Tyler wondered how all those people traveled on the little boats in the display case. Trey was just happy to get out of the stroller and run free.

Kevin and I enjoyed the awesome weather and watching the kids happy and carefree. I took advantage and snapped some pics. Look for those on the Photo page.

Fall

2008-09-24T08:33:00.003-04:00

September is almost over and October is approaching. I have succumbed to my urges and have gleefully been cooking pots of pinto beans rich with ham and potatoes, chili with black beans, kidney beans and chunks of beef, and cornbread baked in a cast iron skillet. Yes, I have embraced my southern roots and have been enjoying my journey through the seasons and the approaching crisp and coolness that is fall.
My house has been filled with the wonderful aroma of baking bread. A friend from work gave me a starter for Amish Friendship Bread. I have now been baking bread every 10 days. My freezer will soon be full and my neighbors will reap the rewards during the holidays. I have been experimenting so now the basic recipe has expanded to include cranberry, blueberry and pumpkin. Pumpkin you say? Yes, pumpkin- blame it on fall, y'all!!
I have even been able to dig through my closet and find clothes that aren't specifically designed for island life. I am adjusting well. When it really gets cold- check back. I may recess back into the depths of my brain and remain comatose till spring. Hibernation I think they call it. But for now I am okay.
I am looking forward to driving through the mountains to gather apples in the orchards and play in the fallen leaves. My brain will get a visual boost of adrenaline while I stare mesmerized at the beauty the trees display as the leaves change from green to fall's assorted color palette. Hopefully the kids will stop watching that DVD of Tom & Jerry long enough to notice too and if I am not interrupting an important NFL game schedule it may be a good day for all!!!
Tara and Kevin both share my enthusiasm. Sort of.
Tara wakes each morning and asks "Is it cold?" I think it has more to do with the boots she's not allowed to wear yet, but I can interpret any way I want.
Kevin asks the same as he bundles sweats over shorts. His daily question and answer come from anxiety over the cold ride he knows is coming in his Jeep- with no back window.
Each morning I decide on what the kids are going to wear and leave it on the sofa. Tyler came down one morning and sleepily grabbed his clothes. I was in the kitchen preparing lunches and not really noticing his struggle.
"Ma!" His tone was that of a question so I was still making a PB&J.
"Ma!!!!" This one got my attention. I looked up to see my boy with one hand on the waist band of his pants practically to his armpits. The other hand was yanking on his pant leg trying in vain to make it stay above his knee.
"Ma!!! Why I got to wear these long shorts???!!!"
While I yanked on the adjustable tabs at the waistband I tried to explain the concept of shorts vs pants. He continued to call them "long shorts" for days. He is still asking on a regular basis if we can go to the pool. I should take him and throw him in. Then he might realize it's just a little too cold for the pool but I doubt the good people at the Y would understand the lesson I would be trying to instill in his pee brain. That's my boy!!
The AC is now switched to OFF. The windows are open. There's a scarecrow on the porch and a pumpkin in the flowerbed under the little garden flag that says "Welcome Fall". There is a bird feeder hanging under the eaves of the porch next to a window so the kids can watch. Grass is beginning to grow in the dust bowl of my backyard. The kids are looking forward to a Friday night high school football game. The geese honk as they fly over and we are anticipating a visit to the pumpkin patch.
Shhhhh!!! Don't tell anyone! I love this time of year!!

First Week Down

2008-09-05T10:31:00.003-04:00

The first week is coming to a close and we have adjusted well.
Big Guy says he likes his new school and he loves being able to ride the bus. He has computers in the classroom and he is meeting friends. He gets a stamp daily if he has had good behavior and he has one everyday. He hasn't forgotten his name tag so he gets a new sticker each afternoon also. The play ground is apparently nicer than the one at Mokapu so that is a huge bonus.
Tara is very happy. She has been to the library, kids do morning announcements, and they have a real gym. She has no worries of ants attacking her lunch and she loves the air conditioned classrooms. But most of all she says her teacher is fun!!!
Tyler is to play AYSO soccer this year. We have team assignments and practice starts next week unless Hanna or Ike cause too many problems. The teams are done by area so it will most likely be full of kids from BRP.
Tara got a call from her troop leader and she will be involved in Brownies. Hiking, camping, ice skating, crafts and general "do-gooder" stuff is right up her alley.
Work has been crazy. I have been pulling some extra hours but when it's 4 hrs at a time and it's only 5 min away it's easy! (And when they pay me time and half it's way worth it!!) Kevin has been doing some late flights so when he's around in the morning I can do these little extras. I am hoping these night flights continue so I can get up to the school and do a little volunteering. When the kids jump on the bus each day and I never see their teacher I am feeling a little detached. Communication seems to be okay though because both emails I have sent have been almost instantly answered.
My job has truly been a blessing. I get to be home all day with the kids and I am only gone 3 evenings a week and then Gramma or Daddy is with them. If you haven't been updated I did turn down the GS position. They were very nice and said when I have more time they will pass my resume around if I am interested. I hear they are supposed to make L&D nurses a GS12 next year so maybe then.....
Kevin says he will be leaving in October rather than January. He'll be gone for 4 months and miss the holidays and Tyler's birthday. I can't complain, in 9 years he has never missed a Christmas. He is loving being back in helos. He attended a reunion of the Vietnam H-6o guys in Nashville recently. I have never heard Kevin so humbled by any event in his life. He was inspired and awed by the stories, lives and medals these guys had attained. What an awesome experience for him and the rest of the guys that attended this event!
The weather gurus say we are in few a rough few days. Hopefully nothing too serious. I have battened down the hatches though (plants off the front porch, umbrella off the table, and I had to save the bamboo chimes!) in preparation for the wind I am sure we will have. Not too many worries since we took all the trees down! The kids are excited by their first storm. I am just hoping not to be sitting around in the dark for a couple of days!!
I hear Gramma Judy is coming in October! You'll have to send me your itinerary. We can't wait to see you!

First Day of School!!

2008-09-02T21:30:00.003-04:00

Woohoo! Yeah! First day back to school! Mom was sooooo excited! The kids? Well, yeah, they were excited too!

Tara had me drive her since that is what we did on her first day in Hawaii. Tyler skipped all that and jumped right on the bus.

Trey was a little disappointed that he didn't get to go to school. So when Big Guy waved good-bye Trey and I went inside to pack his backpack. We fixed a snack, added a sipee of chocolate milk and threw in a diaper and a few wipes just in case. He put his little shoes on the correct feet and loaded himself into the van. I was explaining how much fun he would have in his "classroom" at the Y (okay it's just daycare for the length of time I work out but what does he know?) and he was genuinely excited.

I drove all of 3 blocks before he fell soundly asleep.

My plans are normally veered off their desired course so I easily found things to keep me occupied in the van for an hour of nap time. I found my way to the gym and a very rested boy had a great time playing with others and new toys too!

Tara and Tyler ran off the buses with smiles on their faces and wonderful stories of their first day. Yeeaaa! I so hope they stay this happy!

Picture Alert!

2008-08-31T22:38:00.001-04:00

I added more pics. Some are old and some are recent. Check 'em out!

Crabbing

2008-08-31T21:26:00.005-04:00

When I was little I remember going to the Lesner Bridge, throwing out a line and catching crabs. We would stay all day and go home and spread newspaper on a picnic table and pick crabs for hours. It was yummy and delicious and most of all it was fun!

Kev and I did this years ago but the kids were too young to remember. So we have re-introduced this little activity and they are fascinated, as is my DH. Fortunately for us, the area is riddled with waterways and we are able to go about 5 miles from the house to the Inter-Coastal Waterway and we have been in crab heaven.

The kids get to thread chicken on a line, throw the line in the water and then pull it out and net a crab. Crab is also an absolute favorite meal for them all, so they have the added advantage of knowing they get to eat them.

Tara was sitting next to our 5 gallon bucket explaining, very matter-of-factly, to the crabs how very soon they were going to meet a big black pot just before they were dinner.

Big Guy goes from line to line and pulls them in and each time he is yelling

"I got one! I got one!". Sometimes he does, sometimes he doesn't.

Trey just stumbles across the deck and points out the ducks, waves to the boats and yells with enthusiasm when the draw bridge begins to open. I am just thankful he hasn't yet fallen into the water.

I, being the type "Z" person that I have been dubbed, am just happy my kids are outside enjoying the day, making family memories and not sitting in front of the TV. They don't care if we catch 1 crab or 10 crabs, it's just fun!

Kevin, on the other hand, has taken this to a whole new level. His competitive spirit has taken over and he is thinking and rethinking and buying new and better equipment. No crab should escape him! He shall be the crab master! Okay, maybe not the master but definitely a wanna-be. We have gone from chicken on a string to this clever little pot that opens on the bottom and then closes as you pull it up.

Poor crabs! It used to be game to see if the crabs would notice being gently lifted out of the water while they nibbled at our offering and then scooped into a net. Now they are just rudely trapped in a cage and yanked out of the water. Added to their torture is a little drooling girl telling them about a black pot, boiling water and being dinner!

Oh what fun it is!!

Moving on...

2008-08-28T07:27:00.003-04:00

Alright already! I am done whining about that place. Time to move on.
School starts Tuesday. Tara will be in Intermediate school and Big Guy will be at the Primary school. Neither seems to share my concern that they won't be together. We have open house tonight and in the morning.
I am hoping they will find lots of friends. Adjusting to not living on base has been the hardest for them strictly due to the lack of kids. Don't get me wrong. There are a ton of kids in the neighborhood but only one lives on our court. They are used to a steady flow of kids coming in and out of the house all day. Big adjustment. They have basically had just each other.
I got guilted into Tara getting her ears pierced. She barely flinched and is very excited to add another element to her wardrobe.
Speaking of clothes, the school shopping has been maddening. We began as street urchins. They had nothing suitable for school. Slippers, or flip flops, aren't allowed and my children didn't even own a long sleeve shirt. Tara always had one pair of jeans each year but she had long ago outgrown those. We now have shoes. Real shoes. And multiple pairs for each child. Long pants seemed a good idea so they have those now too. The principle, who once moved here from that place, suggested a sweater since they will now have air conditioning, so those too have been purchased. The school supply list here is much shorter so that was a nice change. Apparently Virginia schools have enough money for teachers' supplies, toilet paper and paper towels so that will make for a less cumbersome first day. Tick tick tick! Almost time!

Tyler will begin soccer with AYSO. He is most excited. Tara, my dear dear daughter, has said she would like to pass on sports this year so that she "can focus on her studies". (what is that crap and from where does it come????) I did talk her into Brownies/Girl Scouts so I guess she will be out hocking cookies this year. If you forget to order, no worries, call me. I am sure I will have a freezer full!

Trey will be hanging out with Mom for one last year. I hope to head to the Y each day and put his little butt in their childwatch program. I am hoping to eradicate the phrase "Mommy do it" from his vocabulary. It is not spoken to me as a command. It is spoken to everyone else who would make an attempt to do something for him. The phrase would be "No! Please don't bother doing that for me! My mother will do it!"
If Tara gets his clothes- "No! Mommy do it!"
If Daddy wants to make chocolate milk- "No! Mommy do it!"
If Grandma wants to get him out of the car- "No! Mommy do it!"
Mommy is done and hoping that a little stranger time will help him cut the cord and move on.
That's all for now! Check back later....

The Beach

2008-08-28T06:41:00.002-04:00

I have a confession. I haven't wanted to go to the beach.
Yes, I said that.
How could the beaches here even slightly compare with those in Hawaii? I hadn't been able to muster up the courage to set myself up for such disappointment.
My children proved me wrong.
We found ourselves at Sandbridge running an errand for Gramma Judy. How could I possibly go to Sandbridge and not go to the beach? I knew where I was headed that morning and had mentioned it to the kids so they were suited up beneath their clothes but their lack of enthusiasm for hittin' the beach fueled my uncertianty. We parked and trudged through the sand without even taking towels 'cause everyone said they weren't getting in the water.
We got to the top of the last berm and saw the waves crashing into the shore.
Tara took a deep breath and surveyed the scene.

"Ahhhh! The smell of the ocean! Mom, I have missed that!!"

At that moment Tara and Big Guy began ripping off their clothes and disappeared into the murky water. How right she was. Later they came out splashing and happy and collapsed into the sand to begin digging in their continuous efforts to create a hot tub from a mere hole and the water that sneaks in.
I, too, had that wonderful feeling of calmness that washes over me in the presence of the ocean. The beautiful hues of blue dotted with black rocks and reef, palms and the glorious backdrop of the mountains was not there but the ocean remains a constant.
How could I have been so foolish?

The Pics

2008-08-11T08:04:00.003-04:00

We made the big move and we have been busy. If you remember, the house was very white with lots of stained wooden trim. There is still painting to be finished on the steps and I haven't begun the upstairs. Appliances were mismatched, there was a lack of ceiling fans, the lights were outdated, there were huge boxwoods in the front and there were 34 trees in the backyard. We still have a bathroom we would like to redo and the yard we will hit hard in the fall. The back is a huge dust bowl now but with 3 truckloads of topsoil grass will grow. Kevin and my dear Dad built a fence around the entire backyard. It's a 6 ft privacy fence except next to the yard where city ordinance required it to be a 4 ft fence. We found a huge play set on Craigslist and we need to mulch around it. The garage is still a wreck but we have furniture that needs to be sold/trashed and when that happens we'll have more room.

We love our new home. The neighbors are wonderful and we have received muffins, cookies brownies and one even made us a lasagna. These people are awesome!

Judy has been wanting pics so here are some and the rest will be on the photo page.

Saying Goodbye

2008-08-11T07:47:00.002-04:00

The following obit was copied from the KC Star. Mike was a great man, one of the absolute best and will be missed by many. The sadness is suffered by those he left behind but there is comfort in knowing that one day they will all be together. Another blow to the family was that a long-time good friend, died one week later. I know Mike secured his place in heaven long ago. I know he is surrounded by friends and family in heaven and I have a feeling that when Mr. Myer joined him in passing, Mike was seated at a big table shuffling cards. I can hear his big booming voice greeting his old friend- "I always said cream rises to the top! Are we going to play cards or what??"

View/Sign Guest Book
Michael J. Furey
Michael J. Furey, 68, of Kansas City, Mo., passed away Monday, July 21, 2008. A Rosary will be said at 6 p.m. followed by visitation at St. Thomas More Catholic Church, 11822 Holmes Road, on Wednesday, July 23. Mass of Christian Burial will be held at 10 a.m. on Thursday, July 24, at St. Thomas More Catholic Church, with burial following in Mt. Olivet Cemetery. The family requests no flowers, but memorial contributions may be made to The Cristina Furey Heart Foundation, or St. Thomas More Building Fund, or a charity of your choice. Mike was born on Nov. 7, 1939, and spent his entire life in Kansas City, Mo. He graduated from Hogan High School in 1956. After attending college, Mike worked for Melody McGilley Eiler Funeral Home for 10 years. He then went to work for Allied Concrete Products which he and his wife Judy purchased from Barney and Rosemarie Maguire and then headed the business for 30 years. Mike and Judy are also co-owners of Residential Sewage Treatment Company. In 2002, Mike and Judy retired to pursue their love of travel, the Lake of the Ozarks, relaxation and family. Mike was a long time member of the Knights of Columbus, the National Precast Concrete Association, Missouri Concrete Association and the Missouri Concrete Industry Board. Mike was a very active participant in parish life at Coronation of Our Lady Catholic Church, Grandview, Mo., for 28 years. Mike is preceded in death by his parents, Norris and Mabel Furey; brother, Joseph Furey; sisters, Betty Lutz and Martha Stoerman. Also preceding Mike in death are his children, Mickey Furey and Amy Furey; and his granddaughter, Cristina Furey. Mike is survived by his wife, Judy, of 50 years; his children, Bernie Furey (Kristi), Pete Furey (Amparo), Tammy Beatty, Pam Thurman (Doug), Kevin Furey (Maria); 15 wonderful grandchildren, which he cherished; sisters, Sister Jane Ellen Furey, SCL, Leavenworth, Kan., Mrs. Norrine Baggett (Frank), Shreveport, La., Sister Roberta Furey, SCL, Denver, Colo.; and sister-in-law, Faye Furey- Comeaux, Houston, Texas; mother and father-in-law, Barney and Rosemarie Maguire. Arr.: McGilley State Line Chapel (816) 942-6180.

Our first night in the new house!

2008-07-09T06:41:00.003-04:00

"The children were all nestled all snug in their beds while visions..."

Wait!! It's not Christmas! It just feels like it!

We stayed at the new house as a family! All of us! The boys stayed in their room, Tara was in hers and we stayed in ours! The dog and cat were in heaven because they didn't know which bed to crawl into. I probably shouldn't say bed. We still haven't received any shipments yet but we purchased another air mattress and Tara made a pallet on the floor. (For all you city people a pallett is a country word for layering blankets and sheets on the floor to provide comfort while sleeping.)

What prompted the big move from all the comforts and conveniences of Mom's house? Nothin' really. We just felt like it was time. Tara and Tyler have made some friends and I really want to finish this painting marathon I started. Monday our express pack should arrive which means the WII can be moved from Grandma's house too. The kids have been watching movies on the computer and Kev and I have been pilfering some one's WIFI so I feel no need to connect cable just yet. I may change my mind quickly but it's been nice without the idiot box always on.

One thing I have always loved is thunderstorms. Due to the temperate climate of Hawaii that is one thing that I dearly missed. This week Mother Nature has welcomed me home with some wonderful storms with lightening that turns night into day and thunder so loud you can feel it rattle your bones. It is very nice to swing on the screen porch and watch and feel the storms blow through the neighborhood. One more thing to love about this house that is still not ours.

The YMCA is becoming a daily adventure. I even got my parents to join. They have a super cool splash pad around the pool for the kids to enjoy and they are all of age now where I can leave them in one of their childwatch areas and work out. Some one else will watch my kids for 2 hrs so that I can do nothing but work out! How awesome IS that? The church that we used to drive from Virginia Beach to get to is just around the corner. We really need to make a conscious effort to get back into the habit but it has been difficult with the lack of routine. Some semblance of a family with a routine or schedule is what I am hoping for now that we, and our few belongings, are all under one roof.

I think we are settling in....just a little bit.

We are here!! Sort of....

2008-07-01T11:56:00.003-04:00

Okay so for a brief explanation of what's been happening.

We stayed at the Hilton Hawaiian Village for our last days on island. They now accept pets and since it was right next door to the Hale Koa it was fabulous. What better way to spend our last days in Paradise. (I do so miss it and would have stayed forever!!)

I have 2 great jobs.
One is a GS at Portsmouth Naval doing the same job that I did in Hawaii in the OB Clinic. The hours are M-F 0745-1600. The hospital is 15 miles away and through a tunnel which means a half hour to 45 min commute.
The other is a L&D position at a hospital in Chesapeake. Hours are 3p-11p 3x a week and it is less than 5 miles away. No traffic and no commute time.
As much as I want the GS I would be foolish to turn down the other. Believe it or not I still haven't decided. I am currently working in Chesapeake (had to have a job to make the mortgage people happy) but my paperwork is processing for the other position also. Decisions! Decisions!

The house on Dolph is a short sale (Ha! That's an oxymoron!). We have been pursuing this short sale since May. We have painted the entire downstairs, added a light and a ceiling fan, cut down trees and we still don't now if it is ours. The sellers 1st mortgage paperwork has gone through. We are waiting on the second. Our furniture should arrive next week along with the Jeep.
We have been living in the house since we arrived. (Sort of, my mom lives around the corner.) The kicker is that until the house goes into closing we pay nothing for rent. Zip, zero, nadda dime! I have talked to people that have said a short sale can take up to 7 months. I say bring it on!! I am just pocketing cash that I can use to do more to the house later. So for now we are just waiting.... and painting. But hey! Paint is cheap and it's just a little sweat equity on my part!!

Kevin and the kids are in KC. They stayed busy there as always. They went to a Royals game, took a train ride and the kids have spent lots of time with all their cousins. They went to the lake for a few days and the kids (Tara and Tyler) learned to water ski. Baby Trey learned the joys of a life jacket and spent his days jumping from the the dock into the water and climbing out to do it again! I flew in last Thursday to celebrate Mike and Judy's 50th wedding anniversary. It was a wonderful event and I hope to be able to go back in October to celebrate Barney and Rose's 75th wedding anniversary. Wow! I am in awe and very proud to be a part of the family.

So, I am now back in the house we don't own and Kevin and the kids are driving back as we speak. I may take the kids to the Outer Banks for a few days and Kevin finally has to report in to his new command. He is very excited to be back in a functioning command that serves a real purpose and back amongst longtime friends. For both of us, it's like coming home. I'll post pics later and I hope to get some from their KC adventures.

First Communion

2008-05-12T04:18:00.002-04:00

Kalua Pig

2008-04-07T12:12:00.002-04:00

I've had several ask and I am finally gettin to it! Here is the recipe for Kalua Pig.

2 Tbsp Hawaiian salt
1 (1/2 inch) slice ginger, crushed
1/4 C Soy
1 Tbsp liquid smoke
1 tsp Worcestershire
2 cloves garlic, crushed
1 4-5 lb pork butt
Ti or banana leaves (opt)

Mix together first 6 ingredients. Place pork on leaves, rub with seasonings and let stand one hour. Fold leaves around pork. Wrap in foil. Place in baking pan and bake at 325 for 4-5 hours. Unwrap, shred, serve.
-Best of the Best From Hawaii

When I do the Kalua Pig I use a crock pot with or without Ti leaves. When the roast is done I remove the meat and leave the juice. Skim the fat off the top of the juice and add sliced cabbage. As I shred the meat I add it back in and allow to sit for 15 min or until the cabbage is crisp-tender, not soggy. Serve with white rice!!

Big Guy up to Bat

2008-04-05T23:29:00.003-04:00

Big Guy is playing T-ball but the rules are a little different this year. The league is allowing a coach to pitch to the kids. After three tries they can hit off the tee. Tyler hit the first pitch each time up to bat. After this swing the coach high-fived Big Guy for almost knocking him in the head!!

Aloha Spirit!

2008-04-05T23:01:00.003-04:00

Tara participated in the International Aloha Spirit Cheer Comp at the Waikiki Shell. They competed for 2 days and their score was based on both days of competition. The MCBH D Dogs took first place in their division. This video is day 2!

2008-04-05T22:39:00.002-04:00

Another ride on the flowrider but this time it was tandem with the guy who runs it- wait for the end! He's a ham!

Da' Flowrider!

2008-04-05T22:29:00.003-04:00

Hawaiian Waters Adventure Park has this cool ride that creates this continuous wave so you can surf or boogy board. If you watch till the end you may appreciate how much control Big Guy has during the ride, by the force that spins and spits him out at the end!

Hula hula!

2008-04-05T22:18:00.002-04:00

This video from Paradise Cove is a video of the kids doing the hula on stage. Jamie, Tara and Trey are right in the middle and Big Guy is hidding behind the "coach" in the grass skirt.

Mr. Obama- your response please!

2008-02-20T17:05:00.002-05:00

This came from a friend and neighbor. Nate is stationed here in Hawaii and his response is one I would love to hear answered. What awesome rhetoric from a true American hero. He, along with many others on this base, risk their lives for people some say we have no business fighting to protect. He characterizes the Iraqi nation as "people that are important to me". If you believe in God and that all men are brothers there is no argument here. Thank you Nate! This is why I am proud to be part of the US Military!

Feb 19, 2008 8:02 PM
My name is Nate and up front I will say that I am not an Obama supporter. I am in the Marines and I have served in Iraq.

I just finished watching Obama giving a speech about hope. He spoke of having a different mind set then the one which led us to the war in Iraq. Then he spoke about hope.

The hope our founding fathers felt when facing the British...the hope the slaves felt...the hope women had to have the same rights as men...the hope our "finest generation" had while taking on facism and evil in Hitler's Nazi Germany, (not to be likened to Sadam's dictatorship at all, that is the wrong mindset and totally different).

Mr. Obama forgot about some people that are important to me...what about the hope that the Iraqi people have to one day be free from oppression and terrorism? The hope made possible by our "wrong mindset." By our Marines, Soldiers, Airmen, and Sailors. By our commitment to helping them to get out from the dictatorship of Sadam and to conquer the radical muslims. By President Bush's determination to not abandon our effort and to stand by freedom and democracy.

Mr. Obama was against helping these people all along, dont forget that, he always brings it up when it is popular. I wonder if he would stand by that comment if asked, "what about the hope of a nation in need of our help?"

.

Blogstipation

2008-02-04T16:43:00.000-05:00

I apologize for those that search and find nothing new here. I admit it. I've been blogstipated. Although I love this island with every ounce of my being, the simple fact that I know we are leaving has left me without anything new to say. My thoughts have moved to the future and all of the HUGE changes that are going to occur to me and my family.

How long will we be without housing?
How do we make all of these trips occur in a timely manner?
Can I really travel across country with my children and not kill them all?
Can we live in a pop-up on the beach until we get housing??
Will the base be as I remember?
How are the schools?
Will Kev be gone all the time?
Where will I work?
Will I be able to put Trey in the CDC?
Will my kids be happy?
How long will the blogstipation last?
Are you still reading this list? Hehehe!!

These thoughts and many more have turned my brain to mush. See? Blogstipated!!

Tara has really started concentrating on cheering. Her comp season is approaching and I just hope they will do as well as last year. After 2 1/2 years of trying to persuade her to take gymnastics she finally said yesterday she wanted to start. Great timing! She is still growing so fast she doesn't even have time to break in her clothes. I swear she has legs from her neck down. Another thought from the future: We will live close to the Outlet Mall in Camarillo and a Target. Hoorahh! I can't remeber if there is a Kohl's in Ventura. Gotta check that out.

Tyler has been seeing the docs about his ongoing speech issues. He has improved but not as quickly as we had thought. He had a hearing test and he passed but the doc said his R drum was not vibrating as much as it should so now we are waiting for our appointment with the ENT docs. I certainly hope he discovers something that is fixable. Audiology doc thought perhaps a drain if there was fluid but I am not sure how that works if there is no infection to build up the fluid. Pshew...guess that's why we see an ENT. I sure hope it is something as simple as a blockage/fluid etc.

Tyler has become a football savant. He sat on the couch yesterday and watched almost the entire game. Enthusiastically I might add. I really didn't care who won but cheered for the Giants simply because they took down the Cowboys. Tyler would come into the kitchen and inform me of the score if I wasn't watching. When I told him I was rooting for the Giants he scowled at me and walked away. He got to the door, turned and said "Ma! Giants gonna lose!" Ha! Joke's on him!!

Baby Trey was very happy with my birthday cake. The cake was very cute BTW. My dear friend Emily had Happy Almost 40th Birthday Maria! written on it. When the kids came back for seconds after the game Trey was egged on to take a big bite out of it. He was a cake monster! I am waiting for Em to send me the pics so I can post 'em. Baby Trey is amazing us everyday with all he has to say. His letter recognition is getting better and anytime he sees letters he is pointing them out and telling you what (some) they are!!

Kev is still in Dallas and won't be home for about a month. We actually connected to Windows Live Messenger so we can video conference with each other. The kids love it cause they can see Daddy. It is very cool and something I wish we had done sooner.

So I am now 39. No big deal. I'm looking foward to 40!!

More Family is Coming!!

2008-01-22T15:52:00.000-05:00

Ok so the craziness shall continue!! Pam and Doug left Friday evening. I think they had a great time. There is not much on this island they didn't do. Even Michael managed to snorkel and boogie board with a broken leg. In case anyone needs a waterproof caste cover Google Protectacaste and you too can order one. Very cool product indeed! So the Thurmans left and re-entered the world of ice and snow. I went to the Hale Koa yesterday and lounged around the pool watching the palm trees sway while hoping I wasn't burning beneath the bright blue skies in the heat of the sun. Hahaha!!!
Somehow the moon and stars must be aligned in some perfect order allowing all things to be wonderful. I called this morning and was able to make a reservation for yet another cabin here on our beautiful beach. The B Furey family will be vacationing here Feb 8-17. These dates are rather significant because they include the weekend of the Pro-Bowl. Pete Furey made plans last year to be here for the Pro-Bowl and will have 3 friends with him. My- what a fab time that will be!! Sorry Kev, do well in school!!! ;) We will miss you!
Alicia has sent an email with plans to come in late Feb for a few days. Mom is coming Mar 4th and Barb keeps claiming she will make it out here too before we move. Kelly and Lexi want to come again in April and Judy will be here in May. I need to find some time to escape to California before we leave too.
Speaking of California it is looking more and more like the Dillon's may get orders to Mugu also. Em and I have joked that once again she shall be the social coordinator and I will be the activities director. I like to go go go and she meets people and draws in friends like flies to ...... well you get the idea. Looks like the Am Coffee Club will continue!!
My dear children are getting excited about moving. I have no idea how this will all pan out but I believe we will be traveling most of the summer while waiting for housing. This is a caution to any and all- I may show up on your doorstep with the children in tow so make plans now to skip town! It may be your only escape from us darkening your door!!

MySpace.com - View Photo

2008-01-20T22:48:00.000-05:00

Stole this from the Beatty's but it is perfect!! MySpace.com - View Photo

Happy whatever the occasion may be that I have missed lately!!

2008-01-06T12:30:00.000-05:00

Happy Thanksgiving!!

Merry Christmas!!

Happy New Year!!

Yes- I suck! I've been gone a while and I make no promises for the future but...... I have been posting pictures. Check those out if you haven't.

Kevin is now gone for 2 months (boooo! hiisss! come home! We miss you already!)

We have family coming in on the 8th. Yeah! Time for some island fun!!

Catching Up

2007-10-31T17:15:00.000-04:00

I've got lots of catching up to do! We all left Oahu behind on the 21st and headed to Maui.
I must say the 20 min flight was much more enjoyable then the usual 6 hrs we spend on a plane when leaving the island. The kids sat next to the windows and enjoyed pointing out the places they knew on our island and watching the other islands as we passed over.
Maui was beautiful. Imagine this- It's a lot like our island, only different! He he he!!!
We stayed at the Grand Wailea. It was a fabulous resort with 9 pools, a water park, swim-up bars, amazing restaurants, gardens and beaches. It also has the designation as being the spot for the most expensive lunch ever. But that's a story to be told by Mike Furey!
We ventured out for a few excursions. We went to downtown Lahaina and visited Banyan Tree Park, the Marina and browsed through shops.
There are a ton of pics to view.
Our other family outing was over before it started.
The Road to Hana is described as an adventure that is the journey, not the destination.
The journey involves 617 turns, over 50 one-lane bridges and 62 miles of beautiful scenery.
The Road to Hana's journey is supposed to be filled with stops along the way to photograph or swim in waterfalls, hike along breathtaking trails and visit remote beaches.
During our dual van journey, our Road to Hana quickly turned into our Road to Hell!
The road is nothing but switchbacks along the side of mountains on the East side of Maui. The switchbacks yield to one lane bridges with breathtaking views into deep gulches or down the sheer mountain cliffs.
Big Guy was the first, but then the others began to get sick in quick succession. We (I should say Judy since I was holding a sleeping Trey) had just cleaned up from Big Guys puking extravaganza when Van I pulled over and we pulled in behind them in Van II.
I was excited. I sprayed everyone in Van II with bug spray, grabbed my camera and headed over to Van I ready to hike to what I was sure would be a great waterfall.
I got there excited and ready to go and what to my wondering eyes did appear? But pukers, pukers everywhere!
Kathy was bent over the fence losing her breakfast, Ellie was about to begin and Kevin was just thankful the car had come to a stop before he lost his eggs and bacon too. Judy then admitted she was feeling a little green around the gills.
So began the road to hell!
The next puke stop we made I hustled some Drammine from some other tourists but Kathy was too far gone for it to help.
The sad part of this story is that the road ends at the Seven Sacred Pools. Then you have go back the same way you came.
The journey along the road to Hana turned into a "perilous, non-stop, get the hell out of here as fast as you can" road trip that only paused for more puking, a brief lunch stop for those that weren't queasy and a much appreciated break as we hiked to the Seven Sacred Pools. Poor Kathy!
Needless to say there wasn't a chance of me convincing anyone to drive up to Mt Haleakala the next day!!!
Kevin and the boys golfed, we stayed by the beach or the pool and the kids loved every minute!
Thanks Allied! What a great place for a concrete convention!
Mike and Judy flew over after the Convention came to an end.
They spent the week hanging out with the kids. Judy must have played 50 games with Big Guy, Mike taught Baby Trey the "tickle tickle" game and Tara chatted non-stop.
Judy and Mike had the joy of attending the annual Mokapu Halloween Parade, Judy joined us for trick-or-treating and Mike had so much fun passing out candy that when we got home he was passing out cash to the kids!!! (True story!)
As always, we were sad to see them go!
They got home just in time for Mike's birthday- HAPPY BIRTHDAY MIKE FUREY!!!

Hello? Hello? Are you there?

2007-10-18T16:32:00.000-04:00

I have a confession to make.

I bought my 7 1/2 year old daughter a cell phone!!

Yes, I have lost my mind! Yes, she will probably lose it!

Before ye cast the first stone- let me plead my case.

I went shopping with the sole intention of utilizing my new every two phone deal with Verizon. Kevin made a huge deal of informing me before I left that all he needed was a phone. He needed to be able to open it, close it and make and receive calls. Simple.

The simple phone included pictures. (I new I was in trouble when I had to get a phone that included a camera.) With this simple phone they were giving away 2 additional phones. With me now at work all day I like to be able to call Tara and ask if they are on their way to school or are they home yet. One of the older kids in the neighborhood watches them but I still worry. So when they offered the extra phone, for free, I thought why not? As I was standing there contemplating the idea and how my DH would react the salesman honed in on my indecisiveness. He began to describe the child watch program they offer. The child watch is a GPS locator for kids. I can set up safe zones and if the phone leaves the safe zone I will be notified via text message. I can also use the GPS locator in the phone and zero in on her on a map using my phone or a computer.

I was hooked. He didn't even have to go into the fact that the phone could be set-up to only allow calls from the pre-programmed phone book. Mr. Salesman, you did your job well. I had a momentary thought of getting one for Big Guy but that would have been true insanity.

She even got a cute little pink phone case. There. My confession is complete.

I also set up her phone so that she she can only call out from her contact list. If you are on her list beware.

100_4540dbl

2007-10-15T22:37:00.001-04:00

100_4540dbl
Originally uploaded by shrimptruckplatelunch

Are these not the cutest kids ever?? We had parent teacher conferences today. Both of their teachers gave them glowing reports! I don't know why I am so amazed but I am near speechless. When I got home to tell them what good kids they are they gave me these pictures. Great pics and great report cards! What a day!

Teachings, Pink Palaces, Air Shows & Birthdays!

2007-10-15T00:24:00.000-04:00

Friday Oct 6

The kids were all sick. I thought Big Guy had gotten better but he proved me wrong. I felt so bad for them! They had the entire week off and they were all miserable! How fun is that?
Kevin and I had been checking for room availability at the Hale Koa. When something finally opened I jumped on it! I had been off the week so we could hang out and do fun stuff. Instead I spent the week taking care of sick people! I don't even do that at the hospital! My DH had been going to work every day and playing softball every night so I stayed at the Hale Koa the first night by myself. No kids, no husband, no cooking, no diapers, no puking and no crying!! Aaahhhh. I even managed to have a massage. Double aaahhh!
Anyway, the family tracked me down with their GPS locater I am sure they embedded in me some night when I was unaware.
Hale Koa Day 1 they spent like zombies around the pool. I asked them all if they wanted naps and each one readily volunteered. Everyone woke up four hours later in a much better frame of mind. The DH and I decided we had better take a nice long walk to burn up some of their new found energy.
We meandered over to the Hilton to watch some of their pool-side Luau and take in the sites. They have a caged area set up with pools and rocks where they keep several penguins. We stopped, of course, because Baby Trey was screaming and pointing and demanding it of us. While I was holding him praying he wouldn't jump in the pool and tackle the poor penguins I heard my daughter talking to Big Guy.
"Tyler, do you see those two penguins hiding in the cave? They are mating!"
I was frantically giving my DH the LOOK as I was backing away hoping he would decipher the "Quick! Grab them! Let's go!" vibe I was sending him telepathically. I wanted to be out of there quickly before she went into more detail about penguin mating. My daughter is an expert on all things from Animal Planet or Discovery Kids. The crowd had collectively quieted and was waiting for her to elaborate.
We made a hasty exit before she was able to give the other sweet children an anatomy lesson.
Hale Koa day 2 the kids were once again enjoying the salty waters of the pool. We always plant ourselves in the gated area of the kiddie pool. Baby Trey can splash with no worries. Little children are best kept happy by bringing toys to the pool. The usual are balls, the whole sand castle building bucket of stuff and small floaty things.
On this day a little boy brought a bucket of plastic fish in amounts that boggled the mind. They were in every variety and every child there had a handful. Tara, the knowledge sponge that she is, was surrounded by toddlers as she named the fish and explained where they lived.
I was sitting in the pool scooping fish off the bottom and putting them back in a bucket. I looked at one and gave it to Tara.
"Look Tara! A sword fish."
It had a long sword-like thing on the nose. Sword fish right? Oh no! This wasn't a sword it was a twisted sword-like thing.
"Mom. That's not a sword fish. I can't remember the name of it but it lives in the Antarctic with the Beluga"
Who am I to argue with the Discovery Kid?? (To her credit, I don't remember if she said Arctic or Antarctic and I am just happy I know a Beluga is a whale!) I determined right then I wasn't needed and left her to her teaching.
_______________

I have wanted to visit the The Royal Hawaiian and never gotten around to it. It's the big pink hotel along Waikiki Beach that's been around since the 1920's. It was designed for the Hawaiian royalty. The kids and I took a walk and found our way to the beautiful old hotel. The boys didn't really care where we were. Tara was quite impressed with it's opulence. I must confess the decor and architecture was overwhelming. You could feel and touch the history of the place but.... it seemed incredibly small!
There is no sprawling lobby adorned with local flora and island plush furniture. The pool was tiny, the lounge chairs, while nicely embellished with pink pads and thick terry cloth pink towels and pink umbrellas, were crammed together with little room for walking. The beach beyond it's borders was narrow and over crowded.
I had promised the kids an ice cream when we finally reached our destination. Of course there were no simple ice creams at the Royal Hawaiian. No ice cream sandwiches or fudgesicles here! My 3 kids dripped Hagaan Daas happily down their faces and begged for drinks I refused to buy. I left the Royal Hawaiian very pleased to have seen it but I had a new appreciation for the Hale Koa. One more site crossed off my list!

Fri Oct 12

This is the weekend of Blues On The Bay! Yeeaahh! (Pardon my ambiguity but I was stationed at the winter home of the Blue Angels and have personally seen them enough for a life time. Barb and Suella- I am sure you understand!) In honor of the festivities the kids were once again out of school. This holiday was labeled Waiver Day. To celebrate Waiver Day we went to the Air Show. It was military appreciation day. The masses were kept off the base till Saturday and Sunday. The private chalets were not yet private so we had the run of the place.
Kevin had been taking the kids to a nearby hill almost daily to watch the aircraft's practice. I didn't think I needed to force the kids to watch planes they had already seen but the Blues are much better if you can hear the narrator's chatter that accompanies their show. We skipped most of the day and showed up for the main event.
We stood directly in front of the blue F-18's as they fired up their engines and made their way into the air. I was concerned about the noise bothering the kids but they were so enthralled with the excitement they didn't mention the screaming engines.
Trey was so excited he didn't know where to point or look. I was fearing whiplash as fast as he was turning his head! Big Guy was laughing and full of Oohhs! and Aahhs! My DD watched, but you could tell she would have much rather been doing "girl" stuff. As we left they were still flying and I proudly told them they were listening to the sound of freedom. They are pretty awe inspiring!
_______________

Today is Trey's birthday! Yeah! He's two! He's also rotten, adorable, spoiled, mischievous, smart, bad and absolutely perfect! He had ton's of presents (thanks everybody!) and a huge bowl of ice cream cause that's what he loves best. When we sang he buried his head in whoever was closest and if he could have crawled under the table he would have. As usual he was the center of attention. Happy Birthday Baby!! Pictures have been posted. Lots of pictures....

Buffett, Remotes and the Dentist

2007-10-05T14:05:00.000-04:00

The DH and I went to see Buffett last night for the Honolulu stop of the Bama Breeze tour. I apologize to any and all that I called while there to torment with me yelling "Listen!! I'm at Buffett!" and then holding the phone in the air for them to hear the show on their voicemail for at least 5 minutes. Kevin and I left the house with no idea where the Waikiki Shell was even located. With the help of friendly Parrotheads we found the stage and even snagged some Jello-shooters on the walk in. Once upon a time it was illegal to bring cameras or video recording devices into a concert. I wanted to be able to snap a picture so I smuggled in the DH's small digital camera. People everywhere were holding their huge DLRs with their ginormous telephoto lenses. I guess I need not have worried. So lots of people probably have spectacular images of Jimmy on stage and I have a barefoot blurr in a yellow shirt and blue jean shorts. Yoohoo!
Chantell arrived at the show around 4 in the afternoon to get in line to get in, an hour and a half later. You go Chantell! She got the best lawn seats in the house! Great job and thanks!
I love to go to a Buffett concert. People are there of every age. We had teens on one side and a group that had to be in their late fifties on the other. Buffett is timeless. There was a guy that I chatted with that was bringing his daughter to her first concert. She must have been all of 10-12 years-old. That made me laugh. My DD had told me a couple of hours earlier
"Mom! That's not fair! I want to go! He sings the Cheeseburger song!"
That made me proud. My seven year old knows who Jimmy Buffett is. Sorry Paula- I met no one from Utah. The place was packed. The usual beach balls and balloons were a flyin' around, the smell of Maui was everywhere, and Jimmy commented on how awesome it is to be on the beach and then walk over to enjoy the show. The music was as it always is- fantastic. I hope he tours for many more years!
_______________

Emily stayed with the kids last night. We were almost late leaving because we couldn't find the remotes to the TVs. FYI- Kev went into Tyler's room this morning and found 5 remotes and a phone. The question is not just why but also who???
_______________

We all went to a new dentist yesterday. The kids were great. Tara expressed her concern over the fact that she has only lost 2 teeth. The dentist assured her she would lose more. He told me she would probably lose them rapidly around the same time. He did point out that Tyler would probably be the exact opposite. His roots are already deteriorating. He might actually beat his sister at something! Usually when I go to a dentist I open my my mouth and I see $ in their eyes and can hear the "Ca-ching" of money flying from my account. I loved this guy! He said
"Your teeth look great!"
Holy guacamole! No crown? No artificial bone grafting surgery? No root canals? No belittling for not doing something that I do already? I wanted to add him to my Christmas card list right there in the chair! The entire place was friendly! I never get this excited over a dentist!! I am still in disbelief. Not that anybody wants to know this, but the bone graft worked! My pockets were reduced from 7-9 to nothing but 2-3s. If you have no idea what I am talking about that's good. If you do then you know that's great!! Okay, I am going to quit gushing about a dental visit now. Don't forget to floss!!

Pity No More!!

2007-10-04T16:03:00.001-04:00

100_4497
Originally uploaded by shrimptruckplatelunch

I hate feet! Feet are gross. I have a pedicure every now and then just to have a pound of flesh removed from the bottom and sides of my too often bare and quite neglected feet. The women stuck performing this task often shake their heads and as the pile of dead skin grows higher and higher they have been known to call friends over to marvel at the mounds of sloughed-off skin. I am like a carnival side show when it comes to pedicures. I always have my toe nails painted in a very blah french tip style. I want no one starring at my feet ohhing and ahhing over a selected color because with the prolonged look they may notice what I have always known- my feet should be chopped off and donated to science.
On my last visit for skin removal I took my dear daughter. She has her father's feet. For this I am eternally grateful to the little bits and pieces of DNA that determined her parts distribution. She proudly picked the brightest bottle of polish on the shelf. She sat perfectly still and enjoyed the massage chair and didn't mind one bit while someone labored over her feet. She didn't wiggle or squirm and sat very stoically through the entire procedure. The lady assigned this task was quite impressed by her behavior and added a very beautiful flower to her toes at no extra charge. She loved every minute of the fuss over her feet!
I noticed something too. While everyone was marveling over the beautiful young lady I had beside me, my feet were not the center of attention. The lady merely looked at me and I got the pitied head shake and tongue "tsk! tsk!" but I was not barraged by the normal group of oglers. I may take this wonderful distraction with me more often.

Yet Another School Holiday!

2007-10-02T17:52:00.000-04:00

One of the perks of being contract is that I am able to take off when my kids are out of school. Here in Hawaii they have "year round" school. I think that is actually code for "take as many holidays as you want" school. We are currently enjoying Fall Break which began with Sept 28th being Waiver Day, Oct 1-5 being Fall Break and Oct 8 being Teacher Institute Day. I could be wrong but Teacher Institute Day used to be Columbus Day. In an effort to be politically correct, it became Discoverer's Day and, for the life of me, I haven't a clue what Teacher Institute Day represents. Any guesses that don't involve the obvious joke of teaching and their right to being institutionalized?
If you read this you know my boys have been sick. PUKING, FEVERISH, MISERABLE sick. Today has been a complete change. I have been on the computer doing things people do on the computer while my children run wild and rampant through the house.
-Trey has brought me no less than 3 Halloween sized candy bars from the bag that is hidden. I have tried to finish what I am doing and happily opened each one and sent him away with smiles on his chocolaty face
-Tara has finished her Christmas list. I tell her that her Christmas list can only be 10 items long so that we don't overwhelm Santa with our requests. She has met my requirement by making a new list, 10 items long, daily.
-Tyler has been grazing through the kitchen eating everything in his path. He hasn't touched solid food for 3 days. He is making up for it now. Obvious sign of wellness!
-After each candy bar, Baby Trey opens the fridge, grabs the gallon of milk and drags it to me. Than he finds a sipee cup and does the same while yelling "Mom-myyyy, milk, and Barrnneeeyy! Thank heavens for Time Warner and Kids on Demand.
-Trey is my touchy feely child. If you remove his diaper he pushes his button. If you take off his shirt he plays with his circuit breakers. Now he has discovered the joy in pulling up Mommy or Daddy's shirt and playing in their belly button. That is what he is doing right now. I must go do something fun with my children!

Happy Birthday Kyle!!

2007-10-02T01:53:00.000-04:00

Great Job!

2007-10-01T21:11:00.000-04:00

Tara and Cody English, Citizens of the Month for Mrs. Holliday's 2nd grade class!

Surf Lesson Video

2007-10-01T20:13:00.000-04:00

After a very long wait we received our video from Heath Thompson. Heath, of Waterlogged Productions, made a recording of the kids surfing when the Beatty's were here. I have embedded it at the very bottom of this page. It 's a wonderful video and a beautiful display of many of the sites here in Paradise. Scroll all the way to the bottom. Enjoy!

Tara's Season Opener

2007-10-01T18:00:00.000-04:00

100_4464

2007-10-01T17:55:00.001-04:00

100_4464
Originally uploaded by shrimptruckplatelunch

Does this even need a description? Ya gotta love this guy!

At Random

2007-10-01T03:36:00.000-04:00

Tara was Citizen of the Month at Mokapu for September. Woohoo! Way to go Tara! She wore one of her fancy dresses for the occasion. Her good friend, Cody, was also Student of the Month. They are both in Mrs. Holiday's class and he lives just up the street. They are so cute!!!
Big Guy had his first football game Saturday morning. He had on his jersey, mouth piece in place, with the "black stuff" smeared under his eyes. He looked like such a little man!! He played hard and there was vast improvement from some of the first practices that I saw. They were able to actually make plays that didn't involve a dog pile. This is going to be one good season to watch!
Tara had her first performance of the cheer season shortly after Big Guy's game. The did a half- time routine that was done very well and even included some stunts. Very impressive for a first show! Last year they were the MCBH Bulldogs. This year they have changed their names to the D-Dogs. (Yep, we're on a Marine Corps base!) Gooo D-Dogs!!
__________________

Tara is my child that tends to be on the creative side. If she is bored she will find something to do. Tape does not last long in my house. Most of her projects involve the use of tape. She tapes up the end of empty paper towel tubes to make shakers or tapes various items inside of boxes that become houses for pet rocks, etc. etc. I'm sure you get the idea. For the last couple of days I have noticed a new flower decoration taped to my wall. It's very pretty. It has a a big leaf with several other leaves taped to it and a gorgeous red flower taped in the middle. The entire creation is taped very securely to my wall. I get it. It's pretty and she wanted it to be a beautiful decoration displayed on my wall. What I am baffled by is the new addition I found taped next to her lovely arrangement. A calculator. A small hand held calculator is taped to the wall right beside the flower. Why??
_________________

Last night was one of those evenings one spends reminiscing about the years before children. Kev and I were exhausted. He scampered upstairs about 7:30 mumbling something about watching TV. I knew what he was up to!! So I rested my weary head on the side of the couch and told the boys to lay down and go to sleep. Hah! That didn't happen. Who knew they would be up all night? I am pretty sure they must have been drinking coffee and eating sugar. Finally when I was done being awakened by toys bouncing off my head and Trey poking his fingers in my eyes and up my nose proudly showing off his anatomy skills, I got up and pulled the big bad Mom routine and made them go to sleep. Since my adrenalin kicked in I was hopelessly awake and began to do a little internet surfing. An hour or so later the real fun began. Big Guy woke up crying, hotter than Hades with the temp he was suffering from and complaining of a headache. ( I was waiting for this to happen. Emily's kids had it first so there were no surprises when this little virus surfaced!) Motrin had to be searched for in the medicine basket I pretend is organized, the thermometer's whereabouts I am still seeking, the puke bucket had to be recovered and I had to put on my Mommy nurturing smile and hold my now feeble child as he suffered through another late night illness. Just as I got Big Guy settled down guess what? It was Trey's turn to wake up miserable. About 3am I kicked Kevin out of bed and said "Tag! Your it!" (At this point he had been sleeping for at least 6 hours. How is that fair and why do I feel it is my sole responsibility to provide care during an illness? I know it is embedded in the mommy gene but I swear it is some type of genetic flaw that needs to be eradicated!) He spent the rest of the night holding Trey and keeping him comfortable. I can't stand when my kids are miserable. I am typing this pretty late on the following evening and Big Guy is still groaning and moaning in his sleep. I have a feeling this is going to be another long night. Remember when if you stayed up all night it was fun and then you got to sleep in the next day? Sometimes I do long for my misspent youth.

That's Love

2007-09-22T23:42:00.000-04:00

I am double dipping today but I am feeling rejuvenated! When Baby Trey woke up I was really yearning for the beach. Tara and Tyler were out playing and I was tired of waiting for them. Since I have been working (I won't take that statement any further because I know you are tired of me whining about working) we are all growing quite pale. We are beginning to look as if we live in Alaska and not Hawaii. I was killing time, pacing back and forth when my DH said "Honey if you want to go to the beach why don't you go..." At this point in his sentence I took off like the wind, raced up stairs, changed into my favorite "no one will see me suit", grabbed a book, my keys and a towel and was almost back downstairs before he could finish his sentence with "...and I'll bring the kids if they want to go when they get home." That my friends is love. He earned huge brownie points for that one statement. I don't know if it was love for me or love for football, but really, does it matter? I was out the door before he could reconsider. I heard him say something about look for them as you go up the hill but I ducked my head and hoped for a clean escape. I drove on auto-pilot to Secret Beach. Apparently the secret is out (I'll blame that on Melissa and Ray!!!) because my spot was full and I was in search of quiet solitude. I drove a little more and found a nice deserted patch of sand further down. I spent an hour in deep thought about life and things when I noticed a beautiful girl walking the beach. That beautiful girl was Tara followed by Tyler, Trey and my DH. The few moments alone were nice, but the joy I felt in seeing my family, and the fun we had playing in the water and throwing around the clay we dug up with our hands and feet, was priceless. Aloha...

Too old....

2007-09-22T19:43:00.000-04:00

Nothing makes my morning brighter than starting my day with a reading from this web site. This morning while laughing out loud with my coffee flavored hazel-nut concoction, Kevin came limping, moaning and whining down the steps.
"I am too old for this!"
He played softball last night. His elbow has a layer of skin removed and has begun to crust over making it painful to bend. He collided with a big ole' Marine as he ran for home and is now stooped over like an eighty-year-old man on a calcium-free diet for the last 50 years. He has a big old bruise on the inside of his thigh, right at his groin where his boys used to be. They got grazed and are still in hiding. He whined and moaned as he feebly stretched out on the couch. I looked at his softball schedule posted by the desk. "Hey dear! Today is Saturday! Just think on Monday you have two more games!" He replied with a groan. Hehehehehe! It's a great morning!

2007-09-18T00:47:00.000-04:00

Wow! So much to say! So much to write about!
I have bad news. Work has asked me to extend my contract. They now want me to remain in the clinic through the end of December. Monday through Friday. I became a nurse so I didn't have to work 5 days a week. I don't mind the job, I sort of like it. They need the help too. So, if you do a good job, your are rewarded. The term that applies here, as with most things in life, is karma. My company has always treated me justly and fairly so I will do this favor for them. (Hey, I just found out I have accrued PAL time so I feel as if I owe 'em!) I will bite the bullet and stick it out. It's only 3 more months. Three more months of not languishing on the shores of the beach and enjoying the peace and the beauty that comforts me there. (What am I doing?!?) It's okay though, I know the warm sands of tranquility are there and will be at my next duty station too!
Not much has changed here. Tara is enjoying cheering and Big Guy is loving football. Football for 4-5-year-olds is a comedy in the making. Whichever poor child ends up with the pigskin is the base of a massive dog pile. It is play after play of the dog pile that moves down the field. They haven't yet grasped the concept that they are on the same team, nor that they are playing flag football and there is no tackling in flag football. Tara is participating in drama club. I don't know why she has to go to school to find drama, but it is an extracurricular activity and if it makes her happy, it makes me happy. Both are attending CCD. Big Guy wasn't real excited about it last year. This year he has lots of friends from his sports endeavors and from the CDC so he is very comfortable. It's a big year for Tara. She will receive First Holy Communion. She is very excited and a little too motivated. My dear daughter has the ten commandments posted on the refrigerator and is quick to point out the difference between right and wrong. My DH has been standing in for Mom and making the rounds at school for family lunch days. Gotta love the Dad that makes family a priority.
Tara and I had a Girls Afternoon Out. Saturday we took in a performance of the Lion King. The show was absolutely breath taking. The costumes and theatrics were incredible. Tara was wide-eyed with amazement and appreciated the story so much more because it was one that was familiar to her. She laughed and clapped and we all stood together for a much deserved standing ovation. If you get chance and opportunity this is one not to be missed.
I must now extinguish the power of the pen. It is back to work time for me.

Remember 9/11

2007-09-11T16:49:00.000-04:00

Aloha! It's Sept 11. Please take a moment today to remember the tragedy that unfolded 6 years ago. Remember the horrific images of explosions, fire, death, dust and rubble. Remember too the hero's that were made and lost. I also remember, in the days that followed, how united we were as a country. It was amazing to look around and see Old Glory on cars and on homes, lapel pins, magnets. Spirits were high and the military was an icon of honor, courage, commitment and integrity. Now? People are done with the war and the military. It's a common theme of both conservatives and liberals "to support your service men and women" even if you don't support the cause. Why do people have to be reminded to support the men and women that are serving their country so that these same idiots are allowed to voice their stupidity? This is where I have to stop. It could get ugly. No politics today. Today is for remembrance. Remember the pride and hope that united us all after 9/11? See if you can't relive a little of that!
REMEMBER !!
NEVER FORGET !!

Citizen of the Month

2007-09-03T17:33:00.001-04:00

100_4423
Originally uploaded by shrimptruckplatelunch

Tyler is having lots of firsts! He has started kindergarten, went to his first school friend's birthday party and at his very first assembly he went up on stage and accepted his first award as citizen of the month! Daddy took time from work, mom went in late and baby Trey was there too! He had cookies and punch to celebrate and then went quickly back to class just so he wouldn't miss anything. We were very proud of our Big Guy. Now if we could just get a real smile!!

Worst Parents Ever

2007-09-02T16:04:00.000-04:00

My daughter is a sap. It's been confirmed before and there is no end in sight. She cries over movies, stray cats that aren't with their family and even flowers that die after being picked. This weekend she went over the top in the drama queen game.
Kevin and I have a 19" TV that we have had since we were married. It was actually left in his old apartment by one of his roommates that moved out too quickly. The name brand is Crozely. It's wrapped in a faux wood tone and is so old it has one port on the back to which you can hook up cable. We had to buy a special RF modulator thingy to be able to watch DVDs. In the last year, the picture has become snowy and it was just time to be rid of the old eye sore. This past weekend I had time to hit some yard sales in search of a replacement. I got a great deal on a 29" Panasonic TV with a built in DVD player. The DH and I did the juggle, move and replace thing and finally put the old TV out by the road for the trash to pick up. All is well, right?
WRONG!!!
We found our DD crying hysterically with her arms wrapped around the TV. After Kevin and I got done giggling over the situation while watching through the window, I bit the bullet and went to talk with her. Amidst the sniffles and sobs she proceeded to tell me that it wasn't fair. She had been with this particular TV since she was a baby and why couldn't we keep it? I tried to talk of living and non-living things and she wasn't buying any of it. Why couldn't it stay in a closet until we moved and then it could be put in a play room again where Baby Trey could watch it too? I shook my head and went back inside knowing I couldn't win against this particular chain of thought. I later discovered that my DD had rolled the thing back into the house and I almost tripped over it as I came down the stairs. It is now back in the yard and she periodically sits with it. I can only imagine the conversations are about how mean and evil her parents are for throwing it out. I am sure we are the worst parents ever! Drama Queen!

Why are you here?

2007-08-28T02:44:00.000-04:00

I am working in an emergency walk-in OB clinic. Some of the things I hear are amazing. Some of the things I would like to say aren't very professional. Personally, I think I could cut down on our workload if I could just tell it like it is. For instance.....
Me: "What brings you in today?"
Pt 1: "I have a cold. I have had this cold for 3 days. I don't know what to do."
(You have a cold. A cold has to run it's course. A normal cold lasts 5-7 days. Go home.)
Me: "What brings you in today?"
Pt 2: "I am tired and and always feel as if I could puke."
(Sounds like you're pregnant. Oh! That's right, you are. Go home.)
Me: "What brings you in today?"
Pt 3: "My gums are bleeding and my tooth hurts."
At this comment I just stared at her. Really. I couldn't say anything! (Hey dumbass! You need a dentist! Not a doctor! DDS not MD! Go find a phonebook and look under dentist! You're in the military stupid! You have insurance! Please leave!
Me: "What brings you in today?"
Pt 4: "Well I need an STD check."
Me: Looking confused "Your admission paper says cramping and spotting."
Pt 4: "Yes but my boyfriend was with me. He's not very faithful so I would like to be checked for STDs."
Me: Just staring. (Wow. You're stupid. Get checked. Go home. Find a new boyfriend.)
and finally....
Me: "What brings you in today?"
Pt 5: "I was in a car accident and I think I hurt my wrist."
Me: "How many weeks pregnant are you?"
Pt 5: "Pregnant? I'm not pregnant. Why would you think I'm pregnant?"
Me: ***Deep groan*** (Because DA this is an obstetric walk-in clinic. Not only does your wrist hurt but you are stupid. Someone will be able to fix your wrist but my diagnoses is you're always going to be stupid!!! Please leave!)
I bet I could get people in and out pretty quickly if I could triage the way I want to! Where do these people come from??

Bye! Congrats! And California it is!

2007-08-26T23:29:00.000-04:00

The weekend is almost over. The house is clean, laundry is done and we were able to hit the beach both days. Soccer was over Saturday. Tara had her end of season party right after the game but Tyler will have his trophy day next Sunday. Where else do you have a soccer party in Hawaii? Why the beach of course!! It's a potluck so I have to think of something delicious to bring. The Reyes are leaving tomorrow for a wedding. After they return they will be at the Hale Koa for a few days before they are gone for good. :( Big Guy was already whining today about how he was going to miss Ray Ray. Tara and Cassidy have spent every minute of every day together. This is going to be one rough good-bye!

Kevin has said that he will take the orders to California. (big surprise!) I don't know what we will do about schools. We may have to send them to private school. That sort of takes care of that bonus he will receive. Yikes!! We won't have to worry about a big change in wardrobes. A light jacket with a couple pairs of pants thrown into the mix and they should be fine. It will be nice to be so close to the beach and if we make a little effort we can go to the mountains and play in the snow. Julienne is a wonderful little town nestled in the mountains around a lake with little shops full of antiques and apple pie. I can't wait to be able to drag the kids to all of these places to see and experience new things. One of my favorite places, the San Diego Zoo, will be just a few hours down the freeway and we can visit all the theme parks in the area too. My big geek daughter wants to live in the same house she lived in when she was a baby. I try to explain that a two bedroom just wouldn't work these days.

Speaking of new houses, Kelly Nixon closed on her new house on the 24th. She is now a happy home owner and she did it all on her own. She is probably at this very moment painting! She and Lexi are now in a 3 bedroom house with room to grow! I have a picture here. She already has Cracker Barrel rockers for the front porch!

One last thing: Mom, those pictures you have been waiting for are posted! Aloha and have a great day!

Florida or California??

2007-08-23T14:48:00.000-04:00

There is actually a moment here at work where I am able to post. I have pics of Tara's room but I haven't had a chance to sit at my own computer to upload. Remember I said Jax was an 85% sure thing? Well as with anything military, the 15% chance of elsewhere has changed. A bonus has been dangled in front of my DH if he will take orders back to Pt. Mugu and become a flight engineer. The orders are a sure thing for Jax- if he wants them. The orders for Mugu can be reality- if he wants them. I, being of gypsy blood, really don't care. The money would be outstanding. We spent a couple of years at Mugu and we were very happy there. We often commented on how wonderful it would have been to have had kids because the base was very family friendly. Jax would be nice because it would have been wonderful to have been in close proximity to so many of our family and friends. So for me, I am good with either. The decision is all his. ***uuhhhmm**** Any guesses on his choice?

Work Week II

2007-08-18T14:37:00.000-04:00

Week 2 of work has come and gone. I still enjoy the job but I have serious issues with being away from the kids when they get home and do their homework. Kevin has done a great job of helping with laundry and when I came home yesterday he had vacuumed, put away dishes and straightened up the house. We have gotten pretty good with preparing meals on-the-fly and the crock-pot is a life saver. I did Kailua pork yesterday before leaving and it was delicious.
The house is under contract and we should be closing on the 28th. Gerry said she put a sold sign on the property and sees nothing interfering with the sale. The more I read/hear about how bad the market is and how it is going to continue to deteriorate, I am very thankful we sold when we did, got the price that we asked and am hopeful that there will be good deals in Florida in another year. And no Tammy, I am not going to quit now that the house is sold. (I think about it in an "I wish" sort of way :) ) It would be lovely if I could, but the greed factor kicks in and the extra cash is always needed. Trey breaks my heart when I have to leave him but the cure to that is having Kevin drop him off. Emily swears he's a great kid and said if this past week was as bad as he gets, than he's a dream. (He had that stomach virus we all had when Macy was here and was a puking nightmare!) Kevin leaves work at 3:30 and he is fortunate to be able to come and go to take care of doctors appts, etc. I am very thankful for all of the above and will continue to work as long as the clinic lets me.
The Harrington's are getting settled in their new home and the Reyes are getting ready to leave theirs. I try not to think about it. I asked Melissa if I could have custody rights in the summers. Apparently, I have to get in line behind the grandparents! What kind of crap is that? They will be in Florida near Disney so no matter where we go I guarantee we will see them!
The upcoming months appear to be busy. People are making plans for their last rounds of visits. Judy, Mike, the Fritts and the P Furey family will all be in Maui in Oct with Judy and Mike coming here to stay for a another week. The Thurmans are going to visit in January and the B Fureys are mumbling about coming over Spring break. Busy times ahead!

100_4375

2007-08-14T11:37:00.001-04:00

100_4375
Originally uploaded by shrimptruckplatelunch

All the curls are gone!!

Closing and Curls

2007-08-14T03:03:00.000-04:00

We have a contract on the house!!! What a relief! Closing will be on the 28th of Aug so no more mortgage payments! Yeeaahh!! I really didn't expect a contract this soon so I am relieved and excited. The day they presented the contract they had already scheduled a home inspection. I'd say they are ready and expecting no problems. Makes me happy and I am sure my father will be thrilled not to cut the grass. The house was a nice place to call home for a while, but it was time to sell. The next house we purchase will be open, bright and updated. Oh, and it will be in Florida! The market is so bad there I am hoping houses will be even cheaper in a year.
Trey got his first haircut today!! Melissa was cutting mine and when I got up from the chair, he climbed up and looked to Melissa and pulled on his hair. That was her cue and she started cutting away the curls. He did well until she was almost done. My baby now looks like a little boy. I bagged some of his precious curls to keep forever.

Happy Birthday Suella!

2007-08-13T11:15:00.000-04:00

When I move to Jax you better come see me or I'm going to bring all my kids and come see you! That's a promise!

Happy Birthday Bernie! Happy Anniversary Bernie & Kristi!

2007-08-12T12:35:00.000-04:00

Spring break is Mar 14-30. Two long weeks to choose from! Hope you had fun at the fair....

Have I mentioned....?

2007-08-11T20:15:00.000-04:00

I don't know if I have told many of you this but we are pretty sure (85%) we will be moving to Jacksonville, Fl at the end of next school year. I am not too keen on moving, since I am pretty positive I could live here for the rest of my life without any regrets. But...if I have to move, Florida is okay in my book. The ocean isn't far, and the weather is a whole lot better than Maine. Kelly D lives few hours away on the west coast, the Reyes family will be moving just a little south of us, CC is in Atlanta, they have a professional football team and my DH has an in with one of the coaches. The kids are at a perfect age to enjoy all the attractions of Orlando (military season tickets to Disney are half price), air fare to Va is fast and fairly cheap, I love the Keys, it's a great place to come visit and the winters are wonderful. There are no state taxes, the neighborhoods are built as communities with their own schools, pools and water parks and the housing market isn't ridiculously over priced. The base has a hospital on post along with childcare and all the amenities to which we have grown accustomed. I am excited to again be able to shop at Target!! I am also trying to convince myself of how wonderful Florida will be by writing all the "pros" down. To be sure, I have to jot down the "cons". Hot humid summers, traffic, congestion and once again returning to the rat race which is known as life in the big city. I am going to repeat over and over "It's going to be wonderful, It's going to be wonderful, It's going to be wonderful.."

Happy Birthday Doug!!

2007-08-11T20:10:00.000-04:00

Are you guys still coming out for a visit? The final year is counting down!

Tears, Work and Puking

2007-08-11T12:53:00.000-04:00

First-off and the most important news is Big Guy had his first day of school on Thursday. He had a brand new Mokapu t-shirt for Spirit day, 2 full bags of supplies, and a whole lot of excitement. The DH and I were able to walk him and he loved every minute of it! I packed him a lunch and when he got home he requested, with wide eyed amazement, that he wanted a school lunch because they looked yummy. He saw lots of friends at recess, including Ray Ray who was also having his first day. I didn't linger. I had to leave quickly. As I said good-bye and have a great first day I got the required hug but when he quickly gave me the second, just a little tighter than the first, I had to quickly retreat out the door to hide the tears that were filling my eyes. My premie, my little boy that lost part of a finger, my little guy with the big heart and the speech that has been a little slow to come had grown into school age. (I am fiercely protective of this one and God help the child/teacher that causes him any pain.) Kevin laughed at me but wasn't surprised. He promptly announced that we had one more to go and we pushed baby Trey home in the stroller.
Some how we have made it through the week. Everyone made it to school, swimming lessons and soccer practice without a hitch (thanks Melissa and Emily) while I labored away like the rest of the working stiffs. I have to admit that I actually like my job. I have always loved OB but this is a whole different aspect. I am doing OB registration. That means I sit down with any and all pregnant moms new to Tripler and give them an outline of appointments, labs, what ifs, no nos and recommendations. I will also be giving answers on the Nurse Advise line for those that call in with questions. I have been to a seminar on IVF pregnancy and have also sat in on a prenatal class offered to our new moms. The people are very nice and I am enjoying my time there. An added bonus is that I pack a nice big healthy salad everyday with fruit, crackers, yogurt and water. I have been drinking lots of water and I have a 2L of Diet Coke that is still half full after an entire week. Way better than my nearly 2L a day habit!
After 7 years of various illness' that strike the children at any given time, my husband stayed home with a sick child. The first day Trey stayed at Emily's he reacted to her kindness by puking all over her. As he continued to puke that evening and into the night I was lamenting about how he had to get sick right after I went back to work and Kevin said "I can stay home with him tomorrow." Could it be true? Did my ears deceive me? He grabbed the phone the next morning and went out front for a hushed phone call. He came back in and said "Have a good day at work dear." My mind took a few moments to grasp the fact but it was true. He stayed home and played Mr. Mom. Wonders will never cease to amaze me.

Every dog has it's day!!

2007-08-08T02:10:00.000-04:00

Ha! Ha! Ha! LOL! Who would have thought that dog's would get their revenge?? Whoever thought this up, I tip my hat to you!! For a mere $10.99 plus $2.00 shipping you can order the newest doggie chew toy that is a must have. The Vick Chew Toy is now on sale here. It is advertised to be the only thing left you can still buy with Vick's name on it (you know, since he lost all of his endorsements...)

"Is it different you ask? You bet it is!
The Vick Dog Chew Toy is made of state
of the art “dog” material. The Vick Toy
Doll is so strong and flexible, it will challenge
even the most aggressive breeds. Especially
Mike’s Favorite Breed, The Pit Bull.
Unlike Vick, our manufacturer is so sure of
its durability they guarantee it against the
most aggressive dog destruction. It Bends.
It Bounces. It Flies. It Floats. And best of all,
it lasts through the whole season and more!"

Might I recommend getting yours today? Apparently there has been such a tremendous amount of activity on their site that the toy is on back order. Better hurry though, I hear their was no permission given by Vick or the NFL for use of their logo or name. Proceeds will be anonymously donated to "local" animal shelters. He! He! He! Yeeaahh dogs!

Craziness, Sadness and Pasta

2007-08-05T14:32:00.000-04:00

What an idiot I am!! As much as I know I passionately dislike working during the day I am now working full-time, Monday thru Friday 7:30-4:30 in the OB clinic. I start Monday. As in tomorrow. The silver lining here? It's only till September 28th. In the interest of financial security while trying to sell our house in Virginia and the trip to Maui in October, I thought it prudent to make some extra cash. My DH is elated. (Of course!) Tara and Tyler will both be in school and baby Trey should be fine on his own. Just kidding!! :) Emily Dillon will be keeping Trey till my servitude is up. How bad can it be? It's the OB clinic! I love OB! Clinic work is always a tad boring but I would be making the same amount of $$ even if working in L&D. So I will now do a lot less work for the same rate of pay. Not too bad, huh? **sigh** What have I done?
Friday we went up to the Hale Koa to say farewell to the Harringtons. The kids all played around the pool and had a fantastic time. We dined under the stars and as we began hugging our last good-byes the fire works exploded overhead as if the grand finale was marking our sadness. There were lots of tears and sniffles on the way home. Tara said she wasn't going to cry because we would see them in a year when we passed through California to a destination still unknown. Robert, Celeste, Kayla, Mary and baby Ryan- we miss you all already!!
Anyway, I have some video from yesterdays soccer games I need to upload. Saturdays are always filled with soccer. Four games left!
Today is a family picnic sponsored by Kevin's squadron at the superpark. He actually made the pasta salad for this event. All I have to do is add the extra ingredients that make it more tasty. There should be more pictures posted later.

Happy birthday Tammy and Pete! You guys are old!!

2007-08-02T18:53:00.000-04:00

The Big Boy Room

2007-08-02T18:44:00.001-04:00

100_4361
Originally uploaded by shrimptruckplatelunch

Ok Mom, here it is! Ta daa! The curtains are even hung. This is the finished product of Tyler's new Big Boy room. He loves having the top bunk as his bed so much he didn't even complain about not having the fire engine bed. His trophy's, pictures, and little boy treasures are on top of the old toy shelf. There are more pictures loaded so take a gander at those if you want to see the border!! He is so proud!

2007-08-01T19:56:00.001-04:00

Originally uploaded by shrimptruckplatelunch

2nd grade has begun!

2007-08-01T15:36:00.000-04:00

Just to keep you in the know...
-The Reyes family will be moving to Panama Beach, FL at the end of the month.
-The Harrington's moved out of their house as of Sunday and are staying at the Hale Koa for a week before they move to Lemore, CA
-Scott and Pam will be transferring to Andrews in Sept. Link to their site here!
-Kevin is doing some pre-negotiating for orders. Of our choices, he has said our top 3 are Florida, New Orleans and Texas.
-Macy! You left your yearbook and as expected, some clothes.
-Happy birthday tomorrow to Pete and Tammy!
-Big Guy's room has been painted blue. Now it has to be put together again.
-Kevin has finally been put on blood pressure meds. After years of tricks prior to his doctors visits, he had to accept the fact that he has high blood pressure. It is just on the upper end of the normal range but it is still considered high. Maybe that daily run will be more appealing now and I should put away the salt shaker!

Today is the first day of school. Tara was ready but I think the summer went way too fast! She must have been very excited. She had gotten into the habit of sleeping till 9 or 10. This morning she bounced down the stairs at 6 with her clothes in one hand and a brush in the other. Her breakfast of choice for the first day of school? Waffles with bacon (turkey bacon, of course!). Her lunch? Ham sandwich with cucumbers, celery, and green peppers (thanks Macy!) with Ranch for dipping and sliced oranges for dessert. We loaded her favorite backpack, plus two shopping bags, with supplies. Big Guy, Trey and I walked with her to help carry the load and meet the teacher. Mrs. Holliday will be her 2nd grade teacher and she was Mary's old one. Tara is thrilled because she is so pretty and nice! I ran into Robin (who works there) by the front office and she informed me that while she is a very nice teacher, she's also a good one. That's encouraging considering Hawaii's school system isn't the best. Kindergarten doesn't start till next week so we will have another first then.

I've got the whole bed to myself! Sort of....

2007-07-29T04:41:00.000-04:00

Another Saturday has come and gone. Soccer was this morning. The kids were great. Kevin was here so that made it more special for both Tara and Big Guy. I finished up the last of the school supply shopping. I don't mind buying the usual supplies. Paper, notebooks, pencils, erasers, glue, etc. is all the stuff you expect. But...when I have to buy dry erase markers and other supplies for the teachers there seems to be a problem. Tara needs 6 rolls of paper towels. Every child has to bring in 6 rolls of paper towels. What in the name of Pete are they going to do with all those paper towels? Why are the students bringing in dry erase markers for the teachers and paper towels to last into the next decade? Whatever **sigh**. In assessing the kids wardrobes I discovered that Tyler didn't own a pair of tennis shoe. I can't remember the last time I bought him a pair. So, in addition to the school supplies, paper towels, hand soap, boxes of tissue, dry erase markers and drinking cups I found Tyler some really cool tennis shoes. By some stroke of pure luck, they fit too. The bright spot I have in the yearly ritual is Tara. She is overly attached to anything from the year before. She does not want a new backpack. She is using the one she had in Kindergarten and even refuses to let me wash it. She is very protective of her "stuff" from last year. I'm not arguing.
I am sure my DH thought I had lost my mind today. We had one of those family cleaning days upstairs. (And no! Company is not coming!!) I rearranged Tara's room. I took the bookshelf off her desk so there would be room for homework. I then put the desk under her loft bed and moved all of her toys from the playroom into her room. That enabled me to move all of Tyler's stuff into the playroom and now the playroom is no more. It is officially Tyler's room. He is absolutely thrilled. A room of his own. I am ecstatic. My bed will only have to sleep me, Kevin, Samantha, Gizmo and the baby after his 4am wake up. Yeah!! So, after all of this rearranging I am exhausted and going to bed. G'night.....

The bird

2007-07-27T19:57:00.000-04:00

Tara and Cassidy are our resident tree huggers. They want to save and keep everything. When we go to the beach we come home with buckets of fish or sand crabs. They stay on the lanai till the fish go belly up or the crabs disappear. Tara took a bucket to her room once. I found the bucket, empty, and my child playing in front of her big, multi-story, Barbie house.
"Tara, where is the crab?"
"It wanted to play in my Barbie house."
"Tara, where is the crab now?"
"I don't know. (looking sad, almost in tears) I moved the steps and heard a big crunch. I think I smooshed it."
Buckets of creatures are no longer allowed in the house.
Yesterday they found a bird that couldn't fly.
"Can we keep it?"
"Absolutely not!! And do not touch it!" I've had a bird. Been there done that. And wild birds are nasty and carry nasty germs and stuff.
They disappeared outside.
Today Kevin came home for lunch. He walked in laughing and told me to come outside and look. There we found a perfectly made, very realistic looking bird's nest. In it was the bird. Dead.
"Tara, did you make this bird's nest?"
"Nope. I found it in the bush where we find all the bird's nests. We tried to get the bird in it all night. This morning we found it and wanted it to be comfortable and be in it's real house. We didn't touch it though. We moved it with rocks."
Can't argue with that logic. They didn't touch it either. I just wonder if the whole moving it with rocks thing is what actually killed it. I'm curious what they will bring home next. I guess it is only fair. I know I brought home my fair share of critters.

Potter Finale

2007-07-26T11:50:00.000-04:00

I'm done! I finished it. The end has come and gone for me and Harry Potter. The end was so final. No more of Potter and friends and their escapades at Hogwarts. All of my patients rooms had a copy of The Deathly Hallows on their bedside tables. I was their sleepy nurse who had given up her nightly slumber to diligently read the final chapters. I couldn't begin with the new book. Nope. Had to go back and read #6 so the story lines were fresh. I am usually not one to reread(?) books. This time I may make an exception. But not yet. Tara is becoming fascinated with the movies. I long for the time when I can sit with the kids and read to them this enthralling tale of magic and muggels and mythical creatures. I hope it is as magical a story to them as it has been to the rest of us. Thanks J. K. Rowling for the incredible stories of courage, strength, friendship, love and imagination!!

Bye Macy!

2007-07-25T12:59:00.000-04:00

Macy is gone. The house doesn't feel much different- but it will. Big Guy and Tara both slept in her bed last night. Macy broke-up with Tyler. She called him her boyfriend and made sure to kiss him several times a day. He didn't like it and was glad she broke it off before she left. Tara said she was glad she was leaving. Macy was so mean because she made her clean her room and pick up the house. She was the first to say she missed her at dinner last night. The neighborhood kids were here asking about her. They thought Macy was the coolest cause she was so pretty, almost 14 and the queen of IMing, texting and an IPOD!!! I am glad the kids were able to hang out with a cousin and form a relationship. It's hard when we live so far. I won't be buying any cake/cookie/brownie mixes for a long time. Macy baked a lot while here. Out of boredom? Probably. Did we eat it? Definitely. I probably gained 6 pounds during her stay. We got her to the airport and Tammy said she arrived home just fine. Hungry, but chattering non-stop. I'm sure she is very glad to be back with her friends. She still has a month of summer to hang out before school starts. I hope she enjoyed her time with us and came to love Hawaii as much as the rest of us. Thanks Macy! Send me a text some time!!

National Monument?

2007-07-23T16:08:00.000-04:00

Have you heard? There is a proposal in legislation for a new national monument. The subject? The military spouse. Can you believe that? After years of being told "If the military wanted you to have a family, it would have come in your seabag" someone has finally realized that spouses deserve something other than just being called "a dependent". National monument? Not quite sure how I feel about that. I am in shock. The stautue has been sketched to show The Two Faces of Courage. One of a woman and her children anxiously waiting for the return of their loved one and the other side shows the same woman clutching a folded flag with her children after her husband has given the ultimate sacrifice. I will be keeping a close eye on this one. It reminds me of a story that has circled the internet and Melissa has a framed copy in her house. I love it.

When God Created the Military Wife

When the Lord was creating a military wife He ran into His sixth day of overtime. An angel appeared and said, "You're having a lot of trouble with this one. What's wrong with the standard model?"
The Lord replied, "Have you seen the specs on this order? It has to be completely independent but must always be sponsored to get on a military installation. It must have the qualities of both mother and father during deployments, be a perfect host to 4 or 40, handle emergencies without an instruction manual, cope with flu and moves all around the world, have a kiss that cures anything from a child's bruised knee to a husband's weary days, have the patience of a saint when waiting for its mate to come home and, have six pairs of hands."
The angel shook her head slowly and said, "Six pairs of hands? No way." The Lord answered, "Don't worry; we will make other military wives to help. Besides, it's not the hands that are causing the problem, it's the heart. It must swell with pride, sustain the ache of numerous separations while remaining true, beat soundly even when it feels too tired to do so, be large enough to say 'I understand' when it doesn't, and say 'I love you', regardless.
"Lord," said the angel, gently touching His sleeve. "Go to bed. You can finish it tomorrow." "I can't," said the Lord. "I'm so close to creating something quite unique. Already it can heal itself when sick, on a moment's notice it will willingly embrace and feed total strangers who have been stranded during a PCS move and it can wave goodbye to its husband understanding why he had to leave."
The angel circled the model of the military wife very slowly. "It's too soft," she sighed.
"But tough," the Lord said excitedly. "You cannot imagine what this being can do or endure."
"Can it think?" asked the angel. "Can it think?! It can convert 1400 to 2 p.m.," replied the Lord.
Finally the angel bent over and ran her finger across the cheek. "There's a leak," she said. "I told you that you were trying to put too much into this model." It's not a leak," said the Lord. "It's a tear." "What's it for?" asked the angel. "It's for joy, sadness, pain, loneliness and pride." "You're a genius," said the angel.
Looking at her somberly, the Lord replied, "I didn't put it there."