The Miller Family

Photos from One Crazy Summer and Hawaii

2011-10-10T23:27:00.001-07:00

We are all settled in Hawaii and I had time to upload some pictures. Here are links to the albums.

One Crazy Summer Photos:
http://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.10150346202837114.375497.797762113&l=45f16138e2&type=1

Hawaii Photos:
http://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.10150346223507114.375498.797762113&l=d976a1812d&type=1

It really was great to see so many of you this summer!

One Crazy Summer

2011-08-15T19:56:00.001-07:00

The summer of 2011 will surely go down as a crazy one in the memory books! It all started this spring when we received Ben's orders to be stationed in Pearl Harbor for shore duty starting in August. Then we got the call that thankfully our house in GA had been rented. However, that meant we needed to vacate the house and quick. Since Ben was heading out to sea in early June the girls and I thought we would take the opportunity to visit friends and family across this beautiful country of ours.

So things seemed to be shaping up for a "smooth move" and then right before Ben left we found out he would be staying on board longer than we thought and that meant the girls and I would be going on ahead to Hawaii without him. So that meant a little extra paperwork before he left. After he left we spent a few days in sunny Florida seeing friends at the beach and our family in Orlando. Then I had the movers all lined up, but when I called to confirm they didn't have us on the schedule. So they told me they would be there on Wednesday, but then didn't show up. Regardless our house was packed up and on the way to Hawaii by mid-June. Thankfully Michelle, my mom, my fabulous neighbors, and several other friends were there to help!

From Georgia we headed to South Carolina for a few days of rest at the lake! It is one of my favorite places on earth. We got to see more family and friends in Charleston. I also managed to sell the van while we were there. I met the guy at Chick-fil-a, followed him home to show his wife the car, made it to the bank five minutes before closing, and he dropped us off at dinner. Crazy I know.

After a few days of R & R we loaded up the car and headed for Atlanta where I dropped mom and the girls off at the airport. I continued on with the critters for another two and a half days. I was able to see a few friends in KC that I haven't seen in years. I also saw some beautiful countryside along the way.

Once arriving in Denver we got right to work getting Mom's house ready to sell and had a huge garage sale. I have also been able to reconnect with lots of friends here and spent some time with family.

The girls and I didn't feel like we had seen enough of the country so we packed up and headed to Salt Lake City to visit with friends, ride the zip line in Park City, and play some Euchre! Then we headed out to LA to ship the car off to HI. Luckily we have a friend there too! He helped us drop off the car and showed us around Paramount Studios.

Once back in Denver we had a visit from Ben's Grandma and a friend from SC. We were able to play tourist in Denver and really have been able to enjoy our time! Looking back over the pictures I realized we saw friends in seven different states, swam in the Atlantic, two different lakes, and an indoor water park, saw the St. Louis arch, went to a game at Coors Field, watched fireworks on the 4th, went to Casa Bonita, drove Trail Ridge Road twice, hiked in the Rockies, rode a zip line in Park City, an alpine slide in Morrison, had a couple birthday parties, checked out a butterfly pavilion, walked the Pearl Street Mall, went to the Denver Zoo, stood on the mile high step, eaten at lots of yummy restaurants, and finished a ridiculously hard puzzle. Oh and did I mention that I drove over 3,800 miles!!!

Thank you Mom for letting us stay all summer and thank you to all the friends that made time for us! It has been one to remember! Now off to Hawaii! Hope to see you all there!

Crete July 2010

2011-06-01T10:56:00.000-07:00

This post has been a long time coming! Last summer Ben was able to make one of his few port calls since joining the Navy over 9 years ago. Lucky for us it was in beautiful Crete, Greece during the summer. The weather was perfect and the sunsets were amazing! Did I mention that my wonderful mother came and stayed with the girls? Thanks again Mom!

We stayed at this wonderful little hotel called the Porto del Colombo. It was very European! The walk up the three flights of stairs sure burned off all those extra calories.
So here is the short version of our trip:

Day 1 - Flew in at 6:30 p.m. and had a crazy drive with the girls trying to navigate through town. Managed after about four hours (should have taken 30 minutes...maybe) to find the hotel and then had dinner at the funny guy restaurant.

Day 2 - Met our guide to get on the Greek Navy base, watched the boat come in, managed to get on base then waited the better part of the day for the gangway. Drove straight to the hotel on the crazy roads and impressed the guys! Unfortunately, we didn't do as well parking and managed to get two parking tickets. They just keep giving them to you until you move your car.

Day 3 - Explored the town, shopped, went to the open air market, and had dinner overlooking the harbor.

Day 4 - Explored some more, found the gyro shop, had a crazy dinner with Nate, Ingrid, Kathy, and Mike. Did I mention that they bribe you with free wine to eat at their restaurant and then serve a free shot of Raki or Ouzo after each meal? ugh.
Day 5 - Recovered from day 4 dinner and ate bland food. Found the town beach and ate at an outdoor restaurant on the beach with the live Greek music, and watched the sunset.

Day 6 - Drove to the beach through the mountains and Ingrid almost puked. Due to the winding roads I'm sure and not my driving. Exfoliated at the very windy, yet beautiful beach. Accidentally forced a restaurant to open early. Had dinner at a small place in the back streets with the best meat balls we found.
Day 7 - Looked for a cave and found a great restaurant instead. Went on some crazy fast go carts. Walked to the lighthouse and went on a sunset cruise. Had dinner at an outdoor restaurant that was in the middle of buildings with an open roof with Nate and Ingrid.
Day 8 - Last minute souvenir shopping and checking out antique shops. Looked in a neat church with a tall tower. Had my last dinner with Ben at a restaurant on the hill. Watched the sunset and had a crazy drive to the base in the dark. Which I am proud to say I made it both ways without getting lost.

Day 9 - Dropped off the rest of the guys and watched the boat leave from the mountain side. Had a fun last dinner with the girls.To see all the Crete photos (even if you aren't on facebook) visit this link: http://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.417086662113.202712.797762113&l=eb93fbcc41

Orders: The Plan

2011-05-26T12:52:00.000-07:00

So I realize I hardly ever post and I'm not sure if anyone is even still bothering to check this, but since Ben has started blogging about his car rebuild (http://thisoldcub.blogspot.com/) I have been getting the itch. So I guess I will start with an update about our orders.

Ben's next duty station will be Pearl Harbor, Hawaii!!!! Yippee!!! We are so excited! Unfortunately, we have a deployment to get through first. The movers are coming mid-June to pack everything up, then we are headed to Charleston, SC for a few days. After that the girls and I will be spending the summer with my mom in Colorado. We are also hoping for a trip to SLC, but will see how I feel about being in the car after the drive to CO! We will head over to Hawaii sometime in August or September. Hope to see everyone along the way or you can visit us after we move!

You can reach us on my cell, email, or facebook until we get settled. If you don't have any of that contact info just post a comment on the blog. Happy summer!

Some people suck, some are AWESOME!!

2010-11-01T06:20:00.000-07:00

So we finally got out squatters out of our house in Charleston this weekend. They were messy, didn't take care of anything, never told me the air conditioner leaked into the bathroom, and broke our lawn mower...not sure how that happened being as they never used it. Anyway, I went to Charleston on Friday and met with a property manager, got some quotes to paint and fix things and it should be good to go in about 10 days. It could have been worse and at least we had nice weather!

Just as I was hating the human population a very sweet lady from the property management company stopped by and eased some fears about what needed replaced and how to get mildew out of a shower. And she is coordinating all of the repairs! Then on Saturday my two wonderful friends showed up with lunch, pine straw, and more cleaning supplies! Now you know they are good friends if they are willing to clean with you! Especially this house! Now Mary did draw the line at one of the toilets and she will be happy to know I replaced the seat. Then my wonderful husband showed up and dusted and cleaned and did yard work. The next day our neighbors came over with a lawn mower, edger, blower and even provided the manpower!! Not to mention my fantastic mother who had a terrible cold and stayed home with the girls all weekend and made sure they had a happy Halloween.

Thank you so much everyone! I couldn't have done it alone!!!

Fire Ants

2010-08-03T12:21:00.000-07:00

I realize I haven't posted in a while, but at 5:00 this morning I was inspired! So let's back up a little bit and tell you that Saturday morning I was pulling weeds and happened upon some angry fire ants. By the time I realized what was happening I had six bites on my foot and ankle. Ouch!

This was a good experience to have because this happens to the kids on occasion and I give them itch cream and keep on them not to scratch. Little did I know that those things make you want to scratch the skin right off your body! So this takes us back to this morning when I woke up at 5:00 with a crazy itchy foot!

What I have learned about ant bites is that it itches more when it is hot and humid, that leaving air conditioning makes the itching start all over again, and that prescription strength itch cream will help. This was all good for me to learn since Morgan seems to find every ant hill possible. But it also gives me some empathy for the kids when it does happen.

If you have any cures please share!

Christmas Cards

2009-12-10T19:50:00.000-08:00

Someone asked me once why I send Christmas cards with all the work and expense why bother, right? Well I love everything about doing the cards. I love looking back over the year for the perfect photo or taking one special during the year. I love that the girls will look back over those photos someday, as I look back on the one's my mom did for us, and see how much we have changed and how many different places we have lived. I love looking at all the fun card designs on Shutterfly (I must have really liked last year's because this one is nearly identical). I even like figuring out what to say on the card so I don't have to hand write everything. I love the time we spend together as a family getting the cards ready to go in the mail (isn't it fun to get mail that isn't a bill or low interest rate notice??).

But the thing I love the most is thinking of each person on my Christmas card list and thinking about how they have touched my life. I get to replay memories from how I know each person whether we worked together and at which company, if we met playing tennis, spent crazy nights at the bar, had water fights in high school, or shared just a short time during one of our Navy moves. Even if I only contact you this one time each year please know it is my way of letting you know that you are special to me.

Another reason to love living in GA

2009-12-08T14:35:00.000-08:00

One of the best things about living in coastal areas is having impromptu trips to the beach. Today I took dinner to a friend in Fernandina so we made the extra trek to the beach. It was a little cloudy and threatening rain, but that didn't stop us from playing chase the sea gulls, freeze tag, and looking for shells. I usually love to go to the ocean when Ben is gone because it makes me feel just a bit closer to him.

Here are a couple photos from our adventure. And I should note that we all managed to stay dry!

Chocolate Chip Cookies

2009-12-03T17:59:00.000-08:00

So back in about 6th or 7th grade there was a bake sale at school. A friend and I decided to make chocolate chip cookies. There was some sort of mix up with the baking soda and baking powder and we had these horrible rock cookies that never spread out. Ever since I have struggled to make a decent chocolate chip cookie and ever since discovering Schwan's frozen chocolate chip cookie dough there really is no need to make this type of cookie from scratch.

Now I should point out that I absolutely LOVE to bake and cookies especially. There isn't anything more relaxing than baking a batch of cookies from scratch.

Today I decided to use a bag mix to make some chocolate chip cookies thinking there was no way I could mess these up right??? Wrong! Again I have little lump cookies that didn't spread. I'm sure it is because my butter was too cold, but hey it's getting late and after melting the first stick I wasn't willing to risk going for softer. However, these cookies taste better than the middle school batch so someone will be forced to eat them.

Happy Thanksgiving!

2009-11-25T21:28:00.000-08:00

Everyone has been doing thankful posts on fb and it got me to thinking about what I'm thankful for...

I'm thankful I have Ben to love me even though I can't have him close all the time.
My crazy girls. They really make me laugh and remind me how special life is.
My mom (who else can you call 10 times while preparing for turkey day and she is still happy you called) and the rest of my family I can't wait to see at Christmas!
That my renters are almost living up to their name.
So thankful I have wonderful friends to share the holiday with.
To the Navy for taking us to so many places to meet so many wonderful people that I treasure.

I hope you all have a wonderful thanksgiving! Please enjoy your families and be happy they are there to make you crazy :o)

Why I should write things down

2009-10-19T19:57:00.000-07:00

So last night as I was laying in bed trying to drift off to sleep at a somewhat decent hour I came up with a great idea for a blog post on...something, I think it was about family and thinking about the future. Anyway when that one comes back to my brain I will post about it. In the mean time I will try to post on a few things I have been putting off while I was trying to soak in as much of Ben as I could while he was still around. We were really busy with the girls this summer so I will post some fun pictures soon.

Hope everyone is well...and hug your family or dog or friend it makes you feel good.

KBSWOC Cookbook

2009-09-26T12:11:00.000-07:00

In case you were wondering why I haven't been posting...I have been completely consumed with a new volunteer project. I took on being the chair of the Kings Bay Submarine Officers' Wives' Club Ways and Means Committee this year. And I am having a blast!

I remember when I worked in corporate America there were always volunteer opportunities available to me so I didn't have to put forth a lot of effort to help out. Then when I wasn't working I didn't make the effort and didn't realize how much of an impact helping others can have on your level of happiness.

So the committee and I have put together a bunch of donation drives, fundraisers, and service projects to keep us involved in our community over the next year. 100% of the proceeds raised throughout the year will be distributed to local non-profit organizations through the KBSOWC Community Grants Program in May. The application deadline is April 1, 2010 please visit kingsbaysowc.com for more information on the program or an application.

We came up with this great idea of putting together a cookbook for a fundraiser. So over the past month we have compiled, edited, sorted, proofed, proofed, and proofed 300 wonderful recipes. Meanwhile, one of our members painted a gorgeous cover for us.

In case you are wondering the cookbooks will be available in November and cost $20 +$3.95 shipping if you live out of state. The cookbook is 7 x 9 inches, bound with a 3 ring binder, and a beautiful full color cover. Please let me know if you are interested in purchasing one so we are sure to order enough :o)

And here is a recent photo of Ben the girls...Morgan's hair is finally growing out.

Things I loved about today

2009-08-31T19:33:00.000-07:00

Cuddling with my girls first thing in the morning and listening to them tell each other about their dreams.

Spending time with a good friend.

Being present for the first time a boy told Morgan he loved her...and all she had to say was "WHAT???"

Being productive.

Having dinner with the family at Chick-fil-a and watching the girls discuss whether they want ice cream cones or cups through the glass.

Playing wii with my most favorite person in the whole world...even though he beat me, again!

Okay, Okay!

2009-08-14T12:58:00.000-07:00

It is so wonderful to know that you all are actually reading my blog. I am so sorry to be behind. We are headed to Sea World this weekend, but I promise when I get back I will post about Morgan's birthday, recent visitors and whatever else has been keeping me from blogging.

Overheard: Growing up

2009-08-11T17:35:00.000-07:00

Me: Someday you will be able to trim your own nails.
Nora: When I get big?
Me: Yeah, but you should enjoy being a girl.
Her: Why? Because when I grow up I'm going to be a boy?

Super Cute Burgers

2009-07-19T17:01:00.000-07:00

My very sweet and cute neighbor Brittney made these yummy treats on the 4th of July and I thought it was too cute not to share. I'm not sure how anyone with a newborn in the house has the time or energy for this sort of thing, but they looked and tasted great!

For full directions visit http://bakerella.blogspot.com/2009/06/fast-food-fun.html

Family Time

2009-07-15T07:58:00.000-07:00

Ben recently returned from sea and had some much needed time off. We did lots of sight seeing around town and headed to Atlanta for a family vacation. I have always wanted to go to the World of Coke Museum and Ben wanted to go to a baseball game so off we went. We didn't make it to the game, but the Coke Museum did not disappoint.

The girls loved the aquarium and while they visited the gift shop I was able to tour the special Titanic exhibit. Upon entering the exhibit they give you a boarding pass with a name on it and tell you to check at the end to see if "you" lived. This really affected me as I was watching kids run around joking about how they died. But those were real people with real families that froze to death for no reason. I just felt like they deserved more respect than that.

We also toured the CNN Center, visited the Underground, & the Zoo. It was a very busy couple of days, but very fun!

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Visti from the Mayo's

2009-07-08T17:16:00.000-07:00

One of the nice things about Navy life is meeting wonderful people along the way. One of the first couples we met was Jeremy and Katie Mayo. They had their first baby just before leaving Charleston and moving to the West coast. Ben met up with them once out there, but I hadn't seen them for years. They were on their way to FL last month and paid us a visit. It was so great to catch up with them and spend some time with their adorable kiddos! We hit the pool and the zoo while they were here.

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Paradise 2009

2009-07-06T19:08:00.000-07:00

My cousin Todd seems to be missing my blog so here are some photos from our trip to Paradise. You loyal blog readers will remember that last year we were lucky enough to be invited along to Paradise last minute by my friend Mary, but this year we planned it while our husbands were off fighting the war (yes, we feel mildly guilty about this). I was worried that last year we hyped the trip up too much and maybe it wasn't as wonderful as we remembered and going again would in some way taint the memory, but I am happy to report that it was just as fabulous this year!!!

Thank you Mary and Hannah for sharing Paradise with us again this year, we had a great time!

Funniest Commercial EVER

2009-06-06T20:09:00.000-07:00

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MOBdTP9ZB-I

Photos from the last month

2009-05-23T17:29:00.000-07:00

So I have been trying to stay busy since Ben went underway and have been slacking on the blog again. Nora finished up preschool and soccer (finally). It has rained nearly 9 inches here since Sunday. The sun finally came out for about 30 minutes on Thursday and the girls and I were nearly blinded (notice Morgan's hat and glasses in the slide show). But overall things are going okay. Just looking forward to the summer when hopefully we will get to spend some quality time with Ben.

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Going out of business

2009-05-14T20:38:00.000-07:00

So I started selling Mary Kay when Nora was about 6 months old and I thought I might lose my mind at home. It really filled a need for me at the time and I love getting my products for cheap (because I use a lot of it), but the time has come to close my doors. So this is your last chance to support my business and score yourself a sweet deal on some make up!

So for one day only ~Friday, May 15th~ you can get any item I have in-stock for 40% off (ask me for a list) and anything else is 20% off. Just let me know what you need!

P.S. Sorry to use my blog to push my business, but this has been the only time and will obviously be the last :o)

P.P.S. Thank you to everyone that has supported my business over the last 4 years!

Sunrise by Nora Miller

2009-05-05T13:59:00.001-07:00

So the other morning Nora woke up a little early and told me she wanted to sit on the porch and paint the sunrise. Here is her interpretation. Of course I think it is fabulous!!!!

Scorpion

2009-05-02T14:07:00.000-07:00

So it turns out the south has every kind of bug known to man. Today I let out a very loud bug scream. This is a particular scream that Ben knows means there is a ridiculous creature in the house. Today that creature was a scorpion. Yuck! I've had the heebie-jeebies all day!!! Someday I long to live in a place where there are less bugs and snakes.

Health Insurance

2009-04-30T17:41:00.000-07:00

Thank God or at least the US Navy for health insurance! Here is what we have been up to lately...

April 12, Easter - Take Morgan to the ER after her fever of 105 didn't let up all day. Determined she had a UTI, start nasty tasting antibiotics.
April 16 - Take Morgan to the Dr for a follow up. She has a clean bill of health. Take Nora because she has 104.4 fever. They determine she has strep and start her on amoxicillin. Also get referred to a pediatric cardiologist because he heard a heart murmur and wants to be sure it is nothing.
April 18 - Ben sees the boat Doc for a fever over 105. Strep is blamed again.
April 21 - Take Morgan to the urgent care in Yulee, FL (inside a wal-mart no less) because she has an allergic reaction to something, we think it is either crab or chlorine. Prescribed prednisone.
April 22 - Take Morgan to the regular Dr. so we can get a referral to an allergist in GA (had one in SC, but now we are starting over).
April 26 - Take Nora to the urgent care because she is covered head to toe in a rash. They determine she is allergic to amoxicillin. Prescribe prednisone.
April 28 - Score a speedy appointment to the cardiologist in JAX. Heart murmur is no big deal, not a heart defect. But he is concerned about the rash and starts asking me a lot of questions. He said before there was a blood test for mono they used to give kids amoxicillin to see if they broke out in a rash. If they did then they had mono not strep. He didn't want me thinking she was allergic to the antibiotic if she wasn't because it is used for so many different things.
April 29 - Take Nora to base Dr. They determine that she does indeed have mono. I have to admit this freaked me out a little at first, but the Dr. wasn't very concerned and with doing some research online I'm not either. And am pleased that she was able to get this illness out of the way when she was young so it doesn't get her later. Here is a link with some information about mono in case you have any questions or concerns...http://www.webmd.com/a-to-z-guides/infectious-mononucleosis-topic-overview
June 8th - Heading to the allergist...

Things

2009-04-19T06:47:00.001-07:00

Wow I am a total slacker! 20 days without a real post...lame. Okay so we haven't been sitting around doing nothing. We went to the zoo, the beach to watch the USS Maryland to return, enjoyed opening day, hunted butterflies, a few egg hunts, decorated eggs, got some fun Easter presents (Thanks Grandma Mary, Grandpa Marty, Grandma Sal and Grandma Katie), a trip to Chuck E. Cheese, Moe's and Krispy Creme, haircuts, a visit from the Easter Bunny, Nora and Ben went to a baseball game, we all went to the ER with Morgan (just a really high fever due to a UTI), decorated some bunny houses, and visited the doctor for Nora (some crazy fever and sore throat). Since then we have been prisoners in the house as to not spread our lovely germs with all our wonderful friends and many strangers. Now Ben is down for the count.

Here are some photos from our adventures!

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Behind

2009-04-08T05:24:00.001-07:00

Yes, I know I am a little behind on my blog, but Ben is home!!! Yeah!!!! So I will post some fun things in the next few days.

A few good things...

2009-03-31T20:37:00.000-07:00

So today is a day I could complain and whine, but so many nice things happened today that I would prefer to share those.

You already know this from a previous post, but I love Chick-fil-a and have a new reason today. On Tuesday nights between 5-7 pm you receive one free kids meal with the purchase of an adult meal. In addition to all of the wonderful things in my previous post they have clowns doing face painting and balloon animals and the cow was in the house! The girls got the biggest kick out of the cow!
I won my singles league match today!
I caught the right person at my home owners office and she gave me pool keys for free (long story here, but we are being positive remember)
A new friend brought me flowers, a card, and most of all the support I needed to get through this day.
Another friend watched my girls so I could play in that tennis match.
Another friend called to see how my day was going and taught me loads about Navy stuff.
Another friend gave me a pen at the store when I (Morgan) lost mine.
I'm pleased that my hot water heater is big enough to fill the big tub for the girls and I still have enough hot water to take as long a shower as I want.
I love that my girls love their daddy and can't wait for him to be home.
Oh and this happened yesterday, but I love that my neighbor ran to get me Chinese food when the girls refused to go out to dinner.

Saint Simons Island

2009-03-25T18:13:00.000-07:00

Our sweet neighbors, Ms. Janet & Mr. Mike, invited Mr. John, the girls, and me to join them for a day trip to St. Simons. They used to live there so they know all the good places to eat! We had ice cream at Zuzu's...twice, checked out the pier, two different beaches, some shops, a playground, a lighthouse and had a yummy burger for dinner! Whew! I can't believe I can stay awake to blog about it. The girls crashed on the way home and I just put them to bed in their clothes, sand and everything. Thank you neighbors for a wonderful day!

P.S. Jen I owe you a real tour of St. Simons on your next visit. Sorry :o)

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Gnats

2009-03-23T16:58:00.000-07:00

Gnats have to be one of the most annoying creatures on this planet. We had them occasionally in South Carolina, but nothing like we have in Georgia. They swarm in huge clouds, get stuck in your ears, lip gloss, eyes, hair and everywhere else. It is amazing how a creature so dang tiny can inflict so much pain and itching on a grown person, not to mention poor Morgan (the bugs really love her). And for some reason bug spray, even 100% deet and skin so soft will not keep them off of you. I have grown to really appreciate a good breeze! I hear these terrible creatures disappear when the temperature stays above 78 degrees, so this summer when I'm blogging about how bloody hot it is just remind me that at least the gnats are gone.

You might be wondering why I bring this up today, well I'll tell you. Since Nora has started soccer Morgan and I are now stuck outside for an hour during dusk while Nora sits on the soccer field and picks flowers. Today Morgan and I were running laps to keep the bugs off. Maybe Nora playing soccer will keep me in shape too.

A few firsts

2009-03-21T18:38:00.001-07:00

So the girls and I are still trying to stay busy and have done some fun things lately. On St. Patty's Day we had our neighbors, Mr. John, Mike and Janet, over for corned beef and cabbage. It is fun to share yummy food (Janet made a yummy coconut cake and Mr. John brought some green ice cream) and conversation with friends.

On Friday we had a birthday party to go to at a bowling alley. It was the first time the girls have ever been bowling and they loved it! Well all except the part about having to wait their turn. Just imagine when they have to learn that you really have to wait for the person next to you as well. Thanks for inviting us Kelly!

Then today we bought some new kites and headed out to the park with Mr. John. This was the first tme they have done this and my first time in many years. We went to wal-mart so they could both pick out the kite they wanted and Nora picked a Barbie one and Morgan a dragon (he is really hard to fly). They had a great time, but I didn't pick a very good park...too many trees blocking the wind. So after attempting the new kites and Mr. John's two, the girls were ready to head for the play gound.

Oh and one other exciting first...the first and hopefully last time the girls ate food coloring. I'm pretty sure they thought it was frosting.

Happy St. Patty's Day!

2009-03-19T12:35:00.000-07:00

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Soccer

2009-03-17T10:52:00.001-07:00

A while back I asked Nora if she wanted to play soccer and she said yes, so I signed her up. By the time we started to go shoe shopping for her she decided she didn't want to play. She even colored a ball on a paper and wrote NO and hung it up on the door. Then she found out that Kenneth was on her team and her tune changed again. So we went out and bought her cleats, shin guards, big ole socks, and a pink ball in size 3 (who knew there were different sizes??).

Yesterday was supposed to be Nora's first soccer practice so she got all dressed up in her gear, had a talk about playing nice (she told me she would have fun and try her best), posed for some cute pics for me and then off we went to the field. We searched all over for her coach with no luck. All the other teams were running in nice lines and kicking balls. About 20 after the coach comes wearing flip flops and she doesn't even have any balls. I think lucky for her it started pouring so she was off the hook...until Thursday. Nora and Morgan had a blast kicking the ball around anyway.

The Pig

2009-03-16T06:25:00.000-07:00

Saturday night was the 19th Annual Silver and Gold Auction to benefit the Dolphin Scholarship Foundation. The Dolphin Scholarship Foundation provides scholarships to children of submariners based on academic and financial need.

So all the submarine crews and other commands on base all get together and dress up and create centerpieces based on the theme. This year the theme was "Game On" and the USS Georgia Gold crew went as a bowling team and Bree and Trisha created an amazing centerpiece.

The command that shows the most enthusiasm for the theme gets to take home the pig! The pig?? Yup, in 1998 the pig was the prize for a pie eating contest and has since been the prize each year. The pig has been out to sea and many other crazy places. Each group that wins him gets to paint him and show him off with great pride. This year the pig went to the USS Georgia Gold!!! The cake was so yummy I'm pretty sure that is what sealed the deal! Our cool bowling shirts that my friend Kevin designed for us helped too! Thank you Kevin!!!!

Can you believe this is a cake?

USS Georgia Gold with our pig

Froggy Friend

2009-03-13T08:49:00.000-07:00

Much to my surprise Nora's little froggy friend returned to our porch this morning. Nora was very pleased, but I really think it is bad for the the poor frog for her to play with it so much...especially in the sand. We need to work on setting some boundaries for the frog I guess. For now he is off to safety in the corner with the vine.

Spring: The good, the bad, & the ugly

2009-03-12T18:37:00.000-07:00

So Spring has definitely sprung in the South! The birds are chirping, the bugs are flying, the azaleas are beautiful and it has been absolutely gorgeous here lately. Sunny and 80 degrees! So I figured I had better get the yard work done while the warm weather is still exciting and before it gets too hot to go outside. I know some of you are like, I thought they bought that townhouse so they didn't have to do yard work?? Yes, but we still have to do the flower beds and there is a big one in the back that was overgrown. Morgan was sick this weekend (Sat-Mon with a stomach bug, yuck!) so in order to enjoy the day, but not share our germs we decided to hit the yard. I meant to do all this when my mom was here, but we were just too busy.

So I started on Sunday in the two small beds in the back and got through part of the big bed before the girls had had enough. The next day I finished pulling all the stuff out of the big bed. Tuesday we hit up Lowe's for some pots, soil, a few flowers, and a trellis. Then on Wednesday I bought the first 17 bags of mulch. Today I pulled all the weeds from the front and side and put down another 18 bags of mulch. Whew! No wonder I'm so sleepy!

So in the midst of all of this Nora made a new froggy friend which has now gone off to find more bugs in the woods and we had our first run in with a black snake. Man those things are FAST!!!! I don't know enough about snakes to know which ones are poisonous and those that aren't so I have a shovel on the back porch just in case. However, there is no chance I would have caught up with this one. Did I mention how fast he was? What about how long? Or how creepy???? Luckily we have wonderful neighbors like Mr. John, and Mike & Janet to bring a shovel too. Mike assured me this snake wouldn't hurt us, but I'm still not a fan. And I'm pretty sure I scared the girls for life because I came across this snake for the second time as I was coming back into the yard and it was in front of me. I ran like crazy to get between it and the girls and then started hollering at them to get in the house. Then Nora asked me if snakes tickle and I said no, they bite. I don't think they are too scared because they did go back out looking for the frog today, but I think the mulch made him move away...sorry Nora. At least I'm telling myself it was that and not our other visitor.

If you look closely you can see the flowers that Nora and Grandma planted

Silver Lining

2009-03-10T18:41:00.000-07:00

Okay so if I have to find a silver lining in Ben being gone it would be that I don't have to turn on the air conditioning. It has been over 80 here the last few days and even I will admit that the house has gotten a little warm by late afternoon. While I call this cozy, Ben is usually sweating to death. And I think the girls have his temperature not mine so I did turn on the air tonight, but I set it to 78 and am seriously considering turning it off now that it has cooled down.

Oh and did I mention that Tuesday is my new favorite day of the week? I am very excited to sit down with a yummy snack and watch American Idol, then I can watch AI and the Biggest Loser tomorrow night. I know it is an exciting life I lead, but somebody has to do it!

Boat Ride

2009-03-08T17:37:00.000-07:00

The other day our very nice neighbor Mr. John took my mom, the girls and me on a ride in his electric boat. The girls loved jumping around the boat and looking for jellyfish. It was a very relaxing afternoon even though we almost had to swim back. The girls turned the heater on and we noticed a funny smell. Then John noticed that the battery was being used up faster than normal. So we thought there was something wrong with the boat turns out that the heater just uses up the battery faster. Whew! Thanks for a very fun day!!

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More Silly Girls

2009-03-06T16:39:00.000-08:00

The girls and I have been spending time watching videos and looking at pictures lately and they watched this video about 15 times in a row and were laughing hysterically! It wasn't until the next day that I even heard Ben's laugh in the background. So cute!

Reality TV

2009-03-06T16:37:00.000-08:00

Okay everyone knows I love a little reality tv and this week I was completely torqued off when the Biggest Loser was to be continued and completely thrilled when Anoop and Matt made the top 13!!

Silly Girls

2009-03-03T10:50:00.001-08:00

Here are some silly pictures of the girls I have been meaning to post for a while. Morgan is defiantly our comedian!

Riding the horse

Modeling the new shoes (Nora hasn't worn another pair since)

Everyone needs a cookie the size of their head once in a while

Yup, those are underwear!

Killin' Time

2009-03-01T16:38:00.000-08:00

So today is tennis day, unfortunately it is windy and cold so the group cancelled, but it was too late to cancel my sitter. So that meant that I had 3 whole hours to kill in Kingsland, GA. Wow that was a challenge! Gas - 2 min, Lowe's - 15 min, ATM - 3 min (only because the first one was out of order), Belk - 15 min, Wal-mart - 45 min, and Zaxby's 30 min. I finally gave up and went home early.

On another note I know there a few military wives that occasionally read my blog and I was wondering how many pouty days it is normal to have during deployments and if the deployments will get easier the more we do? I feel like mostly I'm doing okay and the girls have been great, but I have moments I tear up over stupid stuff and sort of feel like a piece of me is missing.

Quality Time

2009-02-28T16:43:00.000-08:00

So during the month Ben was home between underways he spent some serious quality time with his girls. Ben took them camping (so I could host bunco at our house), to the zoo, baked a princess cake and rocked out! Here are some fun photos from their adventures and even a video.

I really hope the girls appreciate what a wonderful daddy they have! He loves them so much and it is so hard for him to leave them.

Busy, busy

2009-02-27T18:46:00.001-08:00

I know who isn't right? Well my cousin Todd pointed out (at my request) that I haven't posted in a little while, so here is a post I think he will enjoy.

My mom came into town to keep us company and give me some time to myself and we decided to head up to Charleston to see my Aunt Carol. I got to play some fun tennis with my old team, have lunch with a great friend, and spend some time with my Aunt! Sorry to those of you we missed this trip, but we will be back soon I'm sure. Mom had a great time too, she won 70 cents at her Friday poker game!

The girls always love to go to the lake and this time was extra special for them because my aunt was fostering some baby bunnies for the SPCA. Before long they had them named (Honey Bun, Lacy, and Button) and Nora kept referring to Button as her bunny because "he was the cutest." So I had to be very clear that we did not get to keep the bunny so Nora was not disappointed. She actually handled leaving very well because we got to go see Hannah, Mary and Mark for lunch. Unfortunately, Morgan came down with pink eye on the way to Mary's so we had to take her to the urgent care, but they saw her quickly and the medicine works fast. Sorry again Mary and thanks for keeping Nora while we went to the Dr!

Playing with the bunnies

Honey Bun and Button

The Lake - Sometimes I forget how beautiful it is

Poor Morgan looks like she got punched in the face

Visit from Jen

2009-02-23T11:49:00.000-08:00

Over Valentine's weekend my friend Jen from Denver came out for a visit. We got to do some fun things with the girls. We went to downtown St. Marys for lunch and checked out the submarine museum, the tabby ruins, visited the sick sea turtles, checked out an old fort, baked some cupcakes, swung by the beach and of course fed the swans. Thanks for coming to visit Jen! It was wonderful to have company and stay up late playing :o)

Driving the submarine at the museum

On watch at the periscope

Checking on the sea turtles at Jekyl Island

At Fort Frederica in St. Simons

A chilly Fernandina Beach

American Idol

2009-02-18T14:23:00.000-08:00

Yes, it is that time of year again. I wasn't able to watch it live last night because I was dog tired, so I watched it this afternoon with the girls and really wish I could have voted. However, being tone deaf is a problem and I am used to having Ben around to tell me when people are good. If they are really bad I can tell, but I really missed being able to peek over at him. He always knows when I look at him even if I try to be discreet and will give me a little nod if they are good. When he was at prototype working strange hours I would always cue it up for him the next day and then he would tell me.

I will say that being a day late watching it means I get to see the results in just a few short hours. I hope that Anoop, Brent, and Danny make it (yes, I know that isn't possible). If I have to pick a girl from this group it would be Alexis or Ann Marie. Poor Ricky did get the short end of the stick by people not hearing about him more over the last few weeks. Oh and for the record they made a mistake with Jamal. He was awesome!

Here is the link if you need details about the contestants http://www.americanidol.com/top_36/

Horrible Headline

2009-02-16T18:19:00.000-08:00

So what is a headline you don't want to see when your husband is underway?? Nuclear Submarines Collide in Atlantic. I almost puked. Then when you click on the link it has space for the entire headline and you notice it says British and French, but what the heck! The whole idea of it makes me nervous and I apologize to the other submariner wives reading this because you probably don't want to think about it either. I would like to think if this were our boat that I would have heard about this before reading it on Yahoo, but you never know. Darn reporters!

Update

2009-02-16T05:48:00.000-08:00

So for future reference that post did not help my emotional state. However, a late night phone call to my good friend Mary and a visit from my friend Jen did the trick. Jen, the girls and I have been running all weekend so there will be pictures to follow in a day or two.

10 Things I love About Ben

2009-02-12T16:00:00.000-08:00

A while back some of my blogging friends were making lists about how happy they were to have married their best friend. So I am having a little bit of a pouty day today missing Ben so I thought this might help to remind me that he is totally worth it.

1. I love that he is such a good daddy. He really loves the girls so much and hates to leave them.

2. I love that he went to CT for two months, lived like a bachelor, and golfed regularly but he still couldn't wait to be with us.

3. I love the way he smells.

4. I think it is so cute how much he loves to play rock band, especially when he plays with the girls.

5. I love that he watches my tv shows with me.

6. I love that I can't wait for him to come home and not so he can help me with the kids, but so he can give me one of his wonderful hugs.

7. I love how competitive we are with each other. That reminds me I better get to work breaking all his wii records.

8. I love how supportive he is of me. Whether it's tennis or deciding to work or whatever.

9. I love that he always runs to the store for last minute things and takeout. And that he pumps my gas.

10. Mostly I love that he is my friend.

11. I needed one more to mention how much he makes me laugh.

Okay, your turn! I’m sure you have your own list of why you’re glad to be married to your best friend, and I’m sure he would LOVE to hear it!! If you’d like, post it here… or on your own blog… or write it out and give it to him!

Sara Smiley

2009-02-10T21:35:00.000-08:00

Sara Smiley is a military wife that is now stationed in Maine. She writes a very funny column that they send out in a weekly military email. They are usually entertaining, but this one gave me a serious chuckle. Enjoy!

http://www.military.com/spouse/fs/0,,fs_Smiley_020909,00.html?ESRC=family.nl

Taxes

2009-02-09T19:16:00.000-08:00

Yippee!!!! I am so proud of myself for not procrastinating! I have someone prepare our taxes, but I still have a bunch of Mary Kay stuff, house stuff and what not to get together and then fill out the big packet for the accountant. And it is going in the mail tomorrow!

Booster Seat

2009-02-08T10:09:00.001-08:00

So yesterday we got Nora a new pink booster seat for the car because it was $20 off. I'm not sure how I feel about this because it gives her a little more flexibility in the car, but she meets all the requirements. If you know me well than you know that it is really important to me that everyone be safely buckled in the car. So I don't really like that she can just reach down and unbuckle herself, but she could do that before anyway. She is so excited about it! Here is a picture of her in her fancy new seat (fighting over a scarf with Morgan) and one from the park today. I am loving this nice warm weather!

Slumber Party

2009-02-07T18:31:00.000-08:00

So last night was the boat "holiday" party, but since Ben is out to sea I volunteered to watch my friend Sunshine's kids. Our kids get along great so it was a lot fun! Well at least until I tried to get them to actually fall asleep. Which they finally did around 9:30 (sorry Sunshine :o). But I guess it wasn't too bad since it is 9:30 now and I can still hear Nora singing in her room.

We had tacos for dinner and popsicles during the movie they sort of watched. Then Adrianna read the little ones some books and Morgan tried to decide where to sleep. Which ended up being with me about midnight. I will say I have never slept so lightly. Melvin was sleeping on the couch and was having dreams and I could hear him making noises then whenever Tweeter (our 22 lb cat) would walk around I had to get up to be sure it wasn't a small child.

Then this morning we had some monkey bread, the kids played a lot and it was even warm enough today to go feed the swans. They left about 11:30 and the girls were asleep by noon...me by 12:30. It was awesome!

Blogging

2009-02-07T18:30:00.001-08:00

I am going to try to post more often over the next little while so that when Ben gets home he can read this to catch up on what we have been doing. So if you catch me slacking let me know! Sorry if there is some boring stuff :o)

Flashback Friday: Gas Money

2009-02-06T17:21:00.000-08:00

So after the move I was going through some old boxes and ran across this certificate that my creative and funny sister gave me, I assume, for my 16th birthday...wait maybe graduation. Either way I'm pretty sure I never collected.

Cookie Brownie Bars

2009-02-05T16:18:00.000-08:00

So last time my mom was here she ran to the store and was sucked in by some buy one get one free deals. So I had this box of Cookie Brownie Bars in the pantry and used them for a last minute dessert to take to a friends house. Ben loved them sooo much they are now at the top of his baked goods to take underway list.

I'm not usually for mixing these things. If I want a chocolate chip cookie then I will go to my freezer and pull out some frozen Schwan's cookie dough and if I want a brownie then I will hit up the pantry and make a box. But I have been craving these things like crazy! So next time you need a chocolate fix give them a try. I still stand by my statement that Betty sure knows what she is doing.

Patrick Dempsey

2009-02-02T09:26:00.000-08:00

So we all love McDreamy right? Well a while back I was scanning the tv for things to watch (I think when we were in TN so the options were limited) and there was an 80's movie on and I love my 80's movies and music. So I left it on. Then it hit me the scrawny little nerd in the movie was Patrick Dempsey. I couldn't believe it and truthfully now I have a hard time finding him as sexy as I did before. I wonder if the producers of Grey's saw this movie.

Closet Update

2009-01-29T10:52:00.000-08:00

Some of you may recall that our closet imploded on me back in December. Well thank god or at least the federal government for 3 day weekends! Ben and I got all the holes patched up, sanded, primed, and then painted the whole closet. Which it needed, but I could have lived without the need for this. Then we hung the shelves and put in lots of extra supports. After all that we had to put the piles of stuff back in the closet, but now I have no faith it will hold anything and the girls play in the closet a lot and the cats practically live there so I had to find some new storage places for all my stuff. But at least it done!

Gatlinburg...again

2009-01-28T12:04:00.000-08:00

We just love the Smoky Mountains! It is so beautiful up there. While our accommodations weren't quite as fun as last time we went it was still better then a regular hotel room. Having a townhouse when traveling with the girls really makes the vacation go smoother! Of course one not infested with lady bugs would have been nice, but the girls sure loved to play with them.

We went to the Ripley's Aquarium...twice, (the girls LOVE it and they have a sweet military discount), the Ripley's Odditorium (skip it), and Wonder Works (expensive, but very entertaining and fun!). We also went up to Ober Gatlinburg so the girls could play in the snow. We attempted ice skating too, but Morgan wasn't a big fan. She had this same issue with a trampoline recently. She wants to try it, but is so terrified she screams to get off, you get off, she screams to go back on. It could go on all day. So we will try again in a couple years. We did ride the ski lift up to the alpine slide and both girls enjoyed that quite a bit.

Of course we went swimming. Ben gets the good Dad award for actually going in the freezing cold water with the girls again. I tried the first day, but I'm just a wimp. I finally asked about the temperature and the last day (the day I remembered the camera) there was actually steam in the pool room so they must have turned the heat up. And the last day was also the day we forgot to take the room key to the pool and locked ourselves out in the cold. Whoops.

All in all it was a great trip and wonderful to have so much time with Ben!

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So different

2009-01-19T20:07:00.000-08:00

So I was picking up these apples the other day and it reminded me how different Nora and Morgan are. Nora is sensitive, thoughtful, serious, and adventurous. She likes princesses and the color purple. Morgan is really funny, easy going, likes to stay home and is very polite. Her favorite color is green and she loves babies. It is so fun to watch them grow and change and become individuals. I also love that no matter how different they are they still love each other and like to play together.Nora eats one strip all the way around and Morgan just keeps munching straight through.

Morning Coffee

2009-01-14T05:36:00.001-08:00

So this morning I was getting ready to go to a Kings Bay Submarine Officers Wives meeting with some other Navy wives (most of which I don't know) and it dawned on me that I haven't had a haircut since we moved to GA in October. One of the worst parts about moving is finding someone to cut your hair and I have particularly crazy hair. So bad my last two stylists laughed and said good luck when I told them I was moving.

Back to my original point is that I am going to the meeting today and I want to look presentable because I am still trying to make some new friends here. So I was trying to blow dry my hair and finally, after 33 years figured out that if I hold the brush in my right hand and the blow dryer in my left they are much easier to use together. And if you remember that your wonderful husband bought you the perfect round brush a few years ago you could dig it out from the back of the drawer. Then if you still can't get that one piece right there is this thing called a curling iron. And the other wonderful invention I rediscovered today...hairspray!

This still seems like a lot of trouble when I could just leave it wet and tuck it behind my ears.

Fishing

2009-01-13T12:51:00.000-08:00

So ever since we moved to GA the girls love to feed the swans and our neighbor Mr. John asked them if they had ever been fishing. So Nora sent her dad on a hunt for a rainbow or purple fishing pole. Can you believe he found it? So ever since they want to go "fishing" all the time. We haven't graduated to hooks yet, but they are pretty good at casting. They fish everywhere they can...at the lake, off the side of the bed, and even the tub.

Portrait of Mommy

2009-01-05T13:13:00.001-08:00

So Nora says to me that she wants to do some art. Then she asks me to sit so she can draw me. If you noticed her rendition of the nutcracker in the Christmas photos you know she is pretty spot on, so I decided to let her have a go with me. Here is her result. I think it is just beautiful!

Liberty Call, Liberty Call

2009-01-05T12:13:00.000-08:00

While Ben was on his first underway they came in to Port Canaveral for a few days. We had only seen Ben for a couple of days before he left so we decided to make a mini vacation and head down since it is only a few hours away. We got to have some family time together like swimming in the cold at night, swimming in the cold during the day, going to the beach to dig holes, watching a holiday light boat parade, checking out the space center, and swimming when it was finally warm. Even though it was only for a couple of days it was sure great to see Ben and the girls had a great time.

Flashback Friday: JAX Zoo

2009-01-02T15:19:00.001-08:00

You know you are behind on blogging when you can use a flashback friday for something you have been meaning to blog about...

While Ben was gone on his underway the girls and I went with our new friends Sunshine, Kenneth and Lilly (Adrianna was at school) to the Jacksonville Zoo. It was the best zoo I have been to in quite a while. The highlights were feeding the giraffes, the huge snake that was actually moving and the great ape. It was a very fun day and I didn't even take a stroller! Yes, the bummed a few rides in Lilly's stroller, but she is so light I didn't mind the trade!!

Lilly, Morgan, Kenneth, and Nora...so cute how they lined up by age

Morgan is always stealing Lilly's hair bows

Christmas

2008-12-31T11:51:00.000-08:00

Well I am a little behind on blogging, but who isn't this time of year. We were very fortunate to have Ben home with us this Christmas and his Uncle Don joined us as well. We had a relaxing couple of days and our neighbor Mr. John joined us for dinner on Christmas Eve and Christmas. It was fun to have people around and play some games. We have especially been enjoying our new wii fit!!!

Over the last few weeks we were able to make it snow (Thanks Miranda!) and decorate ginger bread houses.

It is so nice to have Ben home and the girls still want daddy to do everything. Here are some pictures from the last few weeks.

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Santa

2008-12-22T06:24:00.000-08:00

So a couple of weeks ago the girls and I were in the Exchange (base department store) and they spotted the man himself and had to sit on his lap. Nora asked for a flute and Morgan a trumpet. Nora has since changed her mind to some real butterfly wings to help her fly. I'm guessing she will have better chances of getting the flute.

It doesn't really feel much like Christmas down here in the South, notice the girls are wearing sundresses.

Winter?

2008-12-20T19:58:00.001-08:00

So not to irritate those of you that are buried in snow, but I think it is absolutely ridiculous that it is the 20th of December and I just turned on my air conditioner because my kids are too hot to sleep. They decided they wanted to sleep together tonight and it isn't going too well...

Visitors - Miss Jennifer

2008-12-19T15:30:00.000-08:00

Shortly after we moved to GA my friend Jennifer came down to see us and we got to do some "sightseeing" (I'm not sure if a driving tour of the area and a trip to the airport count), shopping, and fun crafts with the girls. It is nice living so close to friends. Hopefully we will have visitors often!

Closet Shelves

2008-12-17T15:51:00.001-08:00

So last night about midnight I went into the closet to pull some Christmas presents off the top shelf. I was reaching way up high for one last thing and it was brought down to a level I could reach it. The shelf came down and like dominoes brought the others with it. Of all things the Bible landed on the top of the heap. I think this helped in my decision of laughing instead of crying. I did utter a few expletives however. So here is a list of the things to be happy about in this situation:

No small children or animals were in the closet at the time of it's self destruction.
My numerous boxes of photos did not spill out.
Most everything stayed on hangers. A few broke, but nothing major.
It will motivate me to paint the closet the same color as the bedroom, however, I'm not sure what will motivate me to patch the 85 holes left in the wake. Oh wait the pile of clothes in my bathtub might help. If not that then the piles of crap on my dresser and dinning room table might do the trick.
My Mom and Sister both got a huge belly laugh out of it.

Ben's First Underway

2008-12-11T20:15:00.000-08:00

A while back the girls and I went to the beach at Fort Clinch State Park to watch the USS Georgia head out to sea with my new friend Sunshine and her sweet kids. While I was amazed at how close the boat (submarine for non-navy folk) was to the shore and what a neat experience it was, I probably would have enjoyed it a little more if Ben had been home for more than a week before he had to leave. Here are a few photos from the day. Oh and for my cousin Todd...It really was cold and windy we weren't just being wimps. Okay, maybe I was. Yes, that is a towel around my neck.

Our best attempt at a group photo of the kids

Nora's Sand Angel

Family Photo

USS Georgia

We have had a few emails from Ben, but it is hard not being able to talk to him everyday. It is nice to know that while I don't need my husband for the everyday that I want him to be home with us. I know a lot of people were surprised by how quickly we got married, but I think we have done alright and I would marry him again today...even with the Navy.

I was a little sad that I wasn't in Utah when Miranda was pregnant or in SC when a dear friend was going through a rough time, but I have to remind myself that if it weren't for the Navy I wouldn't have met those wonderful people and many others and for that I am grateful. Wow, I don't think I meant to get that deep. I think I better get some sleep now. Hugs to all my friends!

Slacking...again

2008-12-10T17:12:00.000-08:00

My Mom pointed out yesterday how behind I am on posting. Sorry to my 3 loyal readers. So since I have been out of touch we have had visitors, a husband that felt like he was visiting, a deployment, a visit to Santa, a trip to Charleston, silly girls, fishing, a baby, and a trip to the zoo.

So let me start with the baby since that probably freaked a few people out. My dear friend Miranda and her wonderful husband Zach welcomed a new baby boy into the world on Tuesday. Anthony Jon weighing in at 7lbs 5oz. He is such a cutie! And she is a trooper! I have never met anyone as terrified of childbirth as Miranda and it sounds like she made it through beautifully. Check out Miranda's blog for details. Even if you don't know her, her blog is wonderful reading.

Here is a picture of the silly girls to tide you over until I can get my Christmas cards in the mail. Can you believe they were just chilling in the chair together and then both gave me a smile?

From Boxes to Beautiful

2008-11-21T06:57:00.000-08:00

So as far as moves go this one was a piece of cake! Mostly due to my wonderful Mother and Aunt Carol keeping the girls for a couple of days while I got their rooms ready. The unpacking definitely went slower once they arrived, but Mom was still a huge help taking the girls out and working on projects with them so I could keep working. By the time she went home we had all the boxes unpacked, the pictures hung, and curtains on order. Now all we need is for Ben to come home!

So far Georgia is treating us well. Our neighborhood is quiet, the people are nice, we love feeding the black swans, and I have even played a little tennis.

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Computer Desk

2008-11-17T06:15:00.001-08:00

So everyone has probably figured out it takes me a while to decide about big ticket items and even longer when Ben and I have to agree on a style of something. So I had been on the hunt for a computer desk for our new place...I looked online, craigslist, stores, and finally decided it would be worth the drive to Jax to see one I might be interested in. Between lunch and the store we got a little lost and luckily happened upon an Office Depot. They had a desk that was the same finish as the one we were going to see, but a little smaller...I still headed to the original store and liked the Office Depot desk better so after our excursion to the beach and dinner we picked up the desk and headed for home.

So of course it is assembly required and has a million parts so this would need to be a project attempted after the girls are in bed. So my Mom and I start out about 9ish bringing it in piece by piece from the car because there is no way we can lift it. Luckily all the pieces were in the box and it went together quite easily as long as you read the directions...Mom.

About 9:15 with all the pieces

Mom's fabulous parts chart

About half way

Enjoying our celebratory ice cream at about 11:30

Flashback Friday: DNA

2008-11-14T05:54:00.000-08:00

So I was looking through some old photos that my Aunt Betty gave to me and found this one of me. Looks a lot like someone else I know.

Overheard: Modesty

2008-11-12T06:27:00.000-08:00

Mommy - "How is your face today?"

Little Girl - "Pretty."

Nora's 4th Birthday Party

2008-11-10T13:49:00.000-08:00

Nora had her 4 year check up and she was 41 inches tall and 41 pounds. We were lucky to have lots of friends and Grandma come share her birthday with us.

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Facebook

2008-11-09T18:14:00.000-08:00

So I joined myspace a while back and much to my friend Denise's dismay I didn't do much with my page because I have this fun blog. But a few weeks back while I was trying to fill some time I decided to sign up for Facebook because a couple of people had sent me notifications. Turns out Facebook is very fun! And much, much easier to find people. So if you want to check it out please invite me to be your friend :o)

P.S. It might be easier to find me under Ciezadlo.

Trip to Jacksonville

2008-11-07T20:12:00.000-08:00

I am behind on posting, but we had such a fun day today I wanted to share! We were in need of a computer desk for the new house and there isn't much shopping in this cute tiny little town we now call home so my Mom and I loaded the girls in the car and headed for Jacksonville. What I thought would be a few hour trip turned into and all day excursion. We started with lunch at Red Lobster then hit up some stores, took a wrong turn, found more stores, went to the beach, got soaked, had to find more stores to buy dry clothes for the girls, stopped for a late dinner at Micky D's, bought the desired computer desk and headed home. Whew!

Here are some photos from the beach.

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Update

2008-10-27T18:18:00.000-07:00

Well I would love to be posting cute pictures of Nora's birthday party, but I have a lot to do before the movers come in the morning. So I hope you are all doing well and we will be back in touch sometime next week after we get internet back and I can see past some of the boxes.

Making Cupcakes

2008-10-21T07:19:00.000-07:00

My cute friend Miranda sent the girls some very cute Halloween shirts and me some fun sprinkles. So of course Nora insisted that we make cupcakes. I'm not really one to pass up a cupcake so we had my friend Krystal and her kids, Miranda and Andrew over and all the girls helped make the cupcakes and then they got to frost their own and choose the sprinkles they wanted. It was very fun!

It's Behind the Mustard

2008-10-18T11:57:00.000-07:00

So remember when you were little and your older sister would make you go upstairs to get something they needed right that second. Then when you are up there searching for an eternity they threaten your life if you can't find it. You end up not finding it then they come in the room pick it right up off the shelf which they said it was on...you know right there behind the whatever. So things don't really change much as you grow up. I was at my friend Liz's house many years ago and she asked her husband to get something out of the fridge (which was nearly empty) and he said it wasn't there. She promptly walked to the fridge, moved the mustard and low and behold there it was. This often occurs around our house as well.

I have come to the conclusion that the reason the requester can always find the item is because the location is stored in their memory bank. They aren't actually searching for it. Not only that but they have the exact picture of it in their recent memory. I just wish my memory bank would update its self every time we move. So I guess the point is to be patient with your searcher.

Painting the new place

2008-10-15T10:35:00.000-07:00

This past weekend Ben was able to take a long weekend from school so he met the girls and me in GA to close on our new house. After closing we got right to work painting. I can't believe we got everything we wanted to done! I am so excited about the new house! Now if I could just wiggle my nose and skip the next three weeks that would be great.

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Matching Dresses

2008-10-13T18:53:00.000-07:00

So I always said I wouldn't dress my kids alike... When I was at Old Navy before Valentine's Day I was trying to pick the girls out some cute shirts, but didn't know which one of them would prefer a red one and I didn't want to get them both pink. I struck up a conversation with the lady next to me and she said "My girls like to match." I thought sure they do lady. Well it turns out mine do too. Nora will pick out a dress in the morning and tell me Morgan wants to wear the same one. And Morgan is at the stage where she copies everything Nora is doing. So when I was asking Nora what dresses she liked (since she grows like a weed) this is what she picked out for her and Morgan.

Mr. Mantis

2008-10-09T06:48:00.000-07:00

The other day the girls and I were outside coloring with sidewalk chalk and running around in the yard when Nora brought Mr. Mantis to my attention. I have never seen a praying mantis up close and man are they cool! They are huge for starters and can actually move their little heads to stare at you. (You will note I think this bug is cool because it was outside of my house and therefore I did not have to round up my rubber gloves to help him escape.)

Pumpkins

2008-10-06T16:58:00.000-07:00

On Saturday the girls and I were invited by my nice friend Krystal to go to a pumpkin patch on John's Island. The girls had a great time picking out pumpkins, feeding the animals, "riding" the horses, and playing on Mulch Mountain! I dressed them up all cute thinking I could get some cute pictures of them in the pumpkin patch, knowing full well they would get dirty...what I didn't account for was the 80 degree weather. Poor girls got so hot and sweaty digging in the dirt.

On Sunday the girls would not stop asking me if we could carve the pumpkins, so I finally gave in. Not that they had to twist my arm too much as carving pumpkins is one of my favorite things to do. The girls drew the faces on and I carved for them. I had to guess a little what Morgan wanted. I'm pretty sure now that the pumpkins are carved they should start stinking up the porch any day since it is still so hot here. Then after we carved the pumpkins we roasted the pumpkin seeds. This recipe is how I love them and remember them from being a kid http://www.landolakes.com/mealIdeas/ViewRecipe.cfm?RecipeID=12491.

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I know I always post the cute pictures and fun things that we do, so here is a little glimpse of my reality.

Time with my girls

2008-10-03T11:33:00.000-07:00

So over the past few weeks the girls and I have been trying to stay busy to distract ourselves from the fact that Daddy is out of town. Here are a few photos from our recent activities.

Nora loves butterflies

Nora teaching Morgan the fine art of butterfly observation at Cypress Gardens

Seconds after this was taken Morgan poked Nora in the side
and she jumped about a foot off the ground

We went see Elmo at the Charleston Air Force Base and they handed
out these spinning light up Elmo toys...genius!

Craft time

Nora was very proud of her "girl" jelly fish (note the eye lashes)

My Wonderful Friend

2008-09-27T18:11:00.000-07:00

So the one good thing about the Navy is that we get to meet wonderful people all around the country. Last time we lived in Charleston I met a wonderful girl named Jennifer. We met at Blackbaud and have managed to stay close over the years we were away.

Today she brought her friend Jason and his cute daughters Brittnay and Brooke over to help me cross some things off my "to do" list and man did we ever cross some things off! We painted the deck, cleaned out gutters, picked up branches, sprayed weeds, removed the birds nests from my chimney (Jason gets 100% credit for that one!), moved boxes down from the attic, and a bunch of other things I'm too tired to remember. And Jennifer even made yummy taco soup for lunch.

Then we got to celebrate the successful day of work with dinner at Andolini's!

Brittnay, Nora, Morgan, Brooke, Jennifer, & Jason

I am very grateful for my wonderful, sweet, caring friend! She is the kind of person that does a million things all the time and still makes time for little old me. I can't thank you both enough for all your help today!

Why I love Chick-fil-a

2008-09-26T12:20:00.000-07:00

Today the girls and I went to Chick-fil-a for lunch. Before I had kids I was a big fan of the Chick-fil-a original sandwich sans pickles, waffle fries, Coke with the perfect syrup balance and would eat there anytime I was close to one. Since having children I have grown to love it in a new way.

Here are all the reasons I love it:

The cows are funny
The play area is clean and they provide sanitizing wipes and other moms to strike up a conversation with when you haven't seen another adult in days
They have plastic place mats for babies
Kids love the chicken nuggets (made with chicken that looks like chicken) and fruit
The toys are educational and fun
They give away free balloons
They have bendy straws
They offer to carry your tray for you when you are juggling two kids and a diaper bag
One time I looked so stressed out the cashier even gave me free brownies, yummy brownies that make everything better

So I guess what I'm saying is that Chick-fil-a is my comfort food.

Morgan's Recent Mishaps

2008-09-23T06:32:00.000-07:00

So everyone knows that Morgan is more accident prone than your normal child...here are a few of her latest feats. Okay I'm pretty sure Nora had a part in the first one, but the second she did all on her own. I'm glad she is interested in potty training, I just really wish she would learn what things are gross!

"Look Mom no arms! Aaarrgggh!" says the dragon while running full speed after her sister.

Yes, the seat was completely around her head. How do you explain that at the ER?

Five-Lined Skink

2008-09-20T17:49:00.000-07:00

So about this time last year I posted on the blog about a lizard...so I didn't think another lizard story was blog worthy until I saw one again today. Luckily this time it was in captivity. So here's the story:

A few days back Nora says "Mom there is a bug under my chair!" I look for the bug and see nothing. A few minutes later Morgan comes out of the playroom "Mom there is a bug." still I see nothing. A few minutes after that they both come running out of the playroom "Mom the bug has stripes and a tail and big eyes!" I figure if they describe it this clearly there must be something, but it sounds like a scary bug. So I go into the playroom and there is a very large lizard (that gives me the creeps still just thinking about it!) and I run for my rubber gloves and long duster to try and shoo it outside.

I imagine it was quite a picture to see the girls sitting on the couch laughing hysterically while I'm screeching like a little girl every time the lizard goes back and from under the tv to under the couch. I even tried to grab it once with my gloved hand, but it was fast and big and creepy so I went back to the duster route. After about 15 minutes and working up a good sweat I got it out of the house...sort of. It crawled into the bottom of my screen door, but I'm sure it found it's way back home.

When I was putting Nora back in bed tonight I told her I was looking for a picture of the lizard and she said the lizard that was in the costumes that ran back and forth? I said yes...the costumes? So does anyone want to come and shake out my costumes to make sure they don't have any lizard eggs in them?

Since I didn't have time to stop and take live photos of the creepy lizard here is a link to the famous Five-Lined Skink!

Kingsland, GA

2008-09-18T11:06:00.000-07:00

So we drove straight from the wedding in NC to Georgia to look for a new house and as luck would have it we fell in love with one. It was built in 2005 and is beautiful! It is a townhouse and is a little smaller than what we have now, but I think that will be easier to keep up with while Ben is at sea. Especially since they mow the yard!!! Yippee!!!! And there is a pool close by and tennis courts. So now I just have to close on the house, throw a birthday party, move and find a job. I think that should keep me busy until Ben comes home in November. But I'm still up for visitors if you are in the area!

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The girls have been absolute troopers through all of the road trips this summer! I think all the play places have helped make this possible! Thanks Ronald and the Cows!

Morgan, Ronald & Nora

Announcing Matt & Kristen Trogdon

2008-09-16T11:20:00.000-07:00

I first met Matt and Kristen this summer when they came for a visit over the 4th of July. Ben and Matt went to college together in NC and apparently spent one crazy summer living together in CO. So Ben was best man at the wedding and it was absolutely wonderful! They were very generous to ask us to join them at the bed and breakfast for the weekend and the girls loved it!

They were married at the Shady Wagon Farm in NC on Saturday, September 6th. Luckily for Hanna she made her way through on Friday night and the wedding was perfectly sunny and probably a little warm for those wearing nice dark tuxedos. The ceremony was very nice and the vows brought tears to many eyes. It is easy to see how in love they are!

Best wishes!

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Michigan

2008-09-15T18:33:00.000-07:00

Okay so here I am making excuses again for why I haven't blogged in forever. Well we went on a 20 hour road trip to Michigan at the end of August to see Ben's family, my Dad and Stepmom and some friends. We really had a great time hanging out with everyone!

Due to the time lapse since the trip and the blog post my brain is struggling with all the details so here are a few highlights.

It was great fun watching all the cousins run and play in the yard and watch all the brothers try to figure out how to get the arobie (fancy frisbee) off the roof.
We got to let the girls fish a little off Grandpa's boat before it rained on us.
We went to Holt to see Stuart and Kathleen Goodrich and were joined for breakfast by their son David. Then we hit up a farmer's market, got ice cream, and happened across a parade! Turns out Stuart and Kathleen are celebrities! Small towns are so fun!
Ben got to spend some father-daughter time with Nora and the rest of the gang on the river.
Went to the Silver Lake Sand Dunes and broke Ben's truck. Then had to stay in MI five days longer than expected. Oops!
Decided to make lemonade and headed for Mackinac Island (one of my all time favorite places).

Thank you Justin and Laurie for opening your home to such a crazy and fun filled weekend!

Here are some pictures of our travels.

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Reasons to Root For Andy Roddick in the US Open

2008-09-03T06:25:00.000-07:00

Now I have to admit I wasn't always his biggest fan, but I do find myself pulling for him now and here's why:

He needs to take advantage when poor Roger is slumping and it isn't a good surface for Nadal.
He's getting up there (you know as far as pro tennis players go) and deserves a few more slams under his belt before his career is over.
He's funny. Very, very funny. See the latest issue of Tennis magazine for a funny remark about a sweater Roger wore at Wimbledon.
He's American. This alone should be enough.

Memory Post

2008-08-31T19:17:00.000-07:00

I am a little behind on the blog due to an unexpected extended stay in MI (expect details in a few days). So since my friend Layne posted this on his blog I thought I would give it a try.

1. As a comment on my blog, leave one memory that you and I had together. It doesn’t matter if you knew me a little or a lot, anything you remember!

2. Next, re-post these instructions on your blog and see how many people leave a memory about you. If you leave a memory about me, I’ll assume you’re playing the game and I’ll come to your blog and leave one about you.

My Husband Rocks!

2008-08-19T12:44:00.000-07:00

Ben has been working his tail off for several years now going from one school to the next and yesterday he completed his officer nuclear power training! This make me very proud! Now he is off to submarine school and then school should be behind him for some time.

Playing Possum

2008-08-19T12:31:00.000-07:00

So a while back I wrote in my blog about how crazy our pets are...well Melvin did it again. So it was late and dark and Melvin was not wanting to come inside for the night. So I walked out into the yard to see what he was doing and there was a possum laying in the grass. Melvin gave it a nudge and nothing happened. Being as I don't do dead things I made Melvin come in and let Ben know it was waiting for him. So Ben went out and it was gone. Ben then reminded me of the movie Over the Hedge where the possums do this acting bit in several scenes. So Melvin and I were had...thank goodness!

P.S. Apparently there is some debate if it should be possum or opossum either way they are good actors.

Flashback Friday - Nora Baby

2008-08-15T05:33:00.000-07:00

So I couldn't resit taking this picture of Nora last week because it reminded me of her as a sweet little baby.

Nora July 2008

Nora January 2004

Overheard: At a seafood Restaurant

2008-08-14T12:07:00.000-07:00

Her: Oh my god. Oh my god, I just killed a crab.

Him: That's okay, I just ate like four.