tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12016337343261345512012-01-30T15:30:10.924-08:00This blog is about the Life and Times of our Navy Family. We are a typical Navy Family, trying to make wonderful memories and meet life's challenges through moves, deployments, and making do. We learn new things, make new friends and make it up as we go along, hoping and praying for the best.Islandallihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16763717963820762756noreply@blogger.comBlogger2921100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1201633734326134551.post-69753949123186516802012-01-29T17:04:00.000-08:002012-01-29T17:04:18.602-08:00

 It's been a long few days at our house. Last week the little one decided he wanted out, kind of. I went in for a regular appointment and sat on the monitor for my required 20 minutes when they came back and asked me if I was feeling those contractions. Yep, sure am. Been having them like that for a while. Not the answer I should have given. Over at Labor and Delivery a few minutes later I was

Islandallihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16763717963820762756noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1201633734326134551.post-46740656409872995372012-01-07T08:22:00.000-08:002012-01-07T08:22:18.029-08:00

A little background here... the neighbor boy next door who is about 9 got into a motorcycle accident while on with his dad a few weeks back. The cast just came off and we were talking about that earlier in the day. While in the backseat of the car, Meg notices a Guy and Girl riding a motorcycle. He was driving, she was on back, both wearing helmets. The converstation went like this... Meg: Mom

Islandallihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16763717963820762756noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1201633734326134551.post-26187285887941113442011-12-31T19:07:00.000-08:002011-12-31T19:07:21.021-08:00

I always thought that was an odd term, Babymoon. Meaning having a little get-a-way before the baby comes. Odd that you don't have a little get-a-way before the wedding, but after, called a honeymoon. In any case, Justin and I took one this week, a babymoon that is. {Mission Valley, San Diego, CA} For Christmas this year I gave Justin a years worth of date nights. 12 dates. Some are fun, some

Islandallihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16763717963820762756noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1201633734326134551.post-84431064973946189292011-12-29T10:00:00.000-08:002011-12-29T10:00:02.136-08:00

Adam turned 11 this year. He had a fun birthday, even though it was just family. He requested pumpkin pie over cake this year, which was great. He even helped me make it. We gave him a huge wall map, knowing there was more coming for Christmas. He had fun playing games with his sister, and she was eager to help him open gifts. We also took him out to dinner and to the National Comedy Theater. He

Islandallihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16763717963820762756noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1201633734326134551.post-83808918715573106252011-12-28T10:00:00.000-08:002011-12-28T10:00:02.740-08:00

Here are a few of my favorite Christmas things this year.  A 12 Days of Christmas anonymous gift of a new Nativity. It's really cute and fairly child friendly. That's the best kind. Big blessings go to the family who gave us this. Being able to display some of my Nativity's this year without having to worry too much about them being manhandled to death. It brings a nice Christmas focus into our

Islandallihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16763717963820762756noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1201633734326134551.post-28157313598080134662011-12-27T10:00:00.000-08:002011-12-27T10:00:03.311-08:00

 By this time in my last pregnancy I was on bed rest. Actually I had been for a week in the hospital and was  waiting to go home and be on bed rest. I was very worried about getting to this point in this pregnancy, but things have actually gone pretty well. We've had some minor bumps in the road and I am on "light duty" and really watching the things I do and don't do. I have had some great help

Islandallihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16763717963820762756noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1201633734326134551.post-41077174820151482072011-12-26T20:24:00.000-08:002011-12-26T20:24:52.475-08:00

We had some fun Christmas projects this year. I hope the people who received them enjoyed them as much as we enjoyed putting them together. First up was the Super hero aprons. I first saw these on Pinterest and loved them, but couldn't really afford the price tag. I looked up the Etsy shop and saw that she had patterns for sale that looked incredibly similar to the super hero aprons and thought

Islandallihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16763717963820762756noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1201633734326134551.post-24191605860702299582011-12-08T07:44:00.000-08:002011-12-08T07:44:00.213-08:00

Yesterday my table looked like this: Jealous? I can honestly say that packing up all of that fun stuff is just about the worst part of the entire season. Besides the standing in line at the post office, which I have a strange phobia of. I  have to talk myself into it a few days in advance. That's why my shipping date can't change, it then takes me forever to talk myself back into it. Today is

Islandallihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16763717963820762756noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1201633734326134551.post-11851173785000610652011-12-04T16:22:00.000-08:002011-12-04T16:22:46.716-08:00

We had a 5 year old birthday party to attend last week for a couple of twin friends. I usually make a black apple doll for the little girl birthday parties we attend, but that go-to gift wasn't going to work out this time. I searched Pinterest and found these adorable bags from a fun blog called Hideous!Dreadful!Stinky! I loved the idea and more importantly, had all of the supplies on hand. (I

Islandallihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16763717963820762756noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1201633734326134551.post-90050895358208773292011-11-25T17:54:00.000-08:002011-11-25T17:54:38.638-08:00

Meg has picked up some great basketball skills lately by playing with her brother and dad. When the next oldest player is more than a foot taller and 6 years older than you, I guess you learn quick or get out of the game. Today she showed off for me a little. She's getting so big... how do I slow down time?

Islandallihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16763717963820762756noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1201633734326134551.post-32235939950107328112011-11-18T20:50:00.000-08:002011-11-18T20:50:28.191-08:00

A few days ago Meg came and climbed on my lap and asked to look at the ultra sound pictures of the baby again. We went through the pictures and came to this one: We got into a discussion about what it was she was looking at. We talked about the difference between boys and girls. "Oh," she says. "that's his penis." Yes, that's how we know it's a boy. "Ok." she said and climbed down and

Islandallihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16763717963820762756noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1201633734326134551.post-47655046399578001592011-10-31T21:05:00.000-07:002011-10-31T21:05:12.983-07:00

It's a good year to be a skeleton. At least the kids thought so, and we ended up as an entire skeleton family. I made the Mom and Dad costume and the pants for the Big Kid, although the paint I had just got soaked up in the fabric, although it did still glow in the dark. Meg got an awesome face painting at the library a couple of days ago and I was not even in close to making it as cute

Islandallihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16763717963820762756noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1201633734326134551.post-25570311020298487562011-10-20T15:44:00.000-07:002011-10-20T15:44:39.137-07:00

 Our Little One seems to be doing great. All the fingers and toes are there. Heart, kidneys, stomach and spine all look pretty good at this point. We are scheduled for a fetal echo cardiogram in a few weeks to really make sure that heart is working correctly. Can't wait for another sneak peek at this growing guy. In case you were wondering if there was any doubt about the gender guess, see the

Islandallihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16763717963820762756noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1201633734326134551.post-35122268014187720972011-10-16T16:39:00.000-07:002011-10-16T16:39:14.128-07:00

After messing around on Pinterest for far too long the other day, I found myself at a favorite quilting blog I had forgotten about. I used to pop in there all of the time, but somehow I forgot about it over time. Ryan Walsh over at I'm Just A Guy Who Quilts has some fun, easy ideas that are very do-able and turn out amazingly well. He is also great at reviews and I love his occasional post with

Islandallihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16763717963820762756noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1201633734326134551.post-62000390294304847322011-10-10T17:29:00.000-07:002011-10-10T17:29:12.121-07:00

I have decided that I can complete one gift quilt a year. That doesn't sound too intimidating to me. This year the quilt is for Christmas (I know, the end of the year) for an unnamed family member. Lots of love goes into a quilt so I thought I would explain my creative process to you. Maybe it will help you get a project to two finished. Step 1: Start months in advance. I started thinking about

Islandallihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16763717963820762756noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1201633734326134551.post-29982458855449202062011-10-06T08:43:00.000-07:002011-10-06T08:43:50.420-07:00

Have you ever had a bad day? Not a horribly bad day, but bad enough that you are overwhelmed ill equipped to handle another moment that day has to offer? Days like that seem to be happening to me more and more these days. Maybe it's the added stress of pregnancy or the difficulties I seem to place myself in but life is getting harder and harder. It's days like these that I am grateful for the

Islandallihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16763717963820762756noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1201633734326134551.post-6734437432007854062011-09-29T13:56:00.000-07:002011-09-29T13:56:43.318-07:00

Meg has been pretty consistent in her choices of occupations for when she grows up. For over a year now she's decided that when she grows up she's going to be a mommy and a helicopter pilot. Ballerina, baker, or landscaper were never even an option. Today, while we were in the car running errands, she surprised me with a new twist on her carefully planned out future.   "Mom," she said, "When I

Islandallihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16763717963820762756noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1201633734326134551.post-3877222330144767082011-09-03T14:55:00.000-07:002011-09-03T14:55:12.982-07:00

  I have an awesome family who is generous beyond belief. A few months ago my cousin Sarah sent me her Wishblade to use for as long as I needed it. It took me a while to get it together, but finally it's working with new blades and mats that stay put. After a few trial and errors, my first project was to cut out this quote and put it on the mirror in the bathroom.    It's my husband's favorite

Islandallihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16763717963820762756noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1201633734326134551.post-36411462185327836572011-08-30T16:05:00.000-07:002011-08-30T16:05:17.180-07:00

5 Neighborhood kids + gardening spades + dirt + a well connected hose = tons of summer fun.

Islandallihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16763717963820762756noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1201633734326134551.post-92003989147714649102011-08-19T14:50:00.000-07:002011-08-19T14:50:38.154-07:00

A little over a week ago I woke up in the middle of the night to put Meg back to bed and was three steps away from the bed when I ended up on the floor. It took me a minute to realize my world was spinning. Fast and clockwise. When I woke up in the morning I knew something was very wrong. The next day I spent in the hospital undergoing various tests and checking on the peanut happily sucking

Islandallihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16763717963820762756noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1201633734326134551.post-4239212032292712842011-08-07T16:48:00.000-07:002011-08-07T16:48:33.348-07:00

Some things are hard and some things are easy. One of the things we talk about in our family all of the time is our ability to do hard things. We have the ability, the faith and the support to try something new and scary. We may not succeed the very first time, but we can try again and again. We also talk a lot about not making others feel bad for thinking something is hard when we think it may

Islandallihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16763717963820762756noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1201633734326134551.post-31077587430844983222011-08-06T19:03:00.000-07:002011-08-06T19:03:51.664-07:00

    Just after Meg's birthday party a friend sent me a note that Pinkalicious, the Musical was coming to our area performed by the Junior Theater. I bought tickets in May. I waited over a month to tell her about it, but I should have waited longer. It's an eternity when you are 4 to wait more than 3 days for something fun you just can't WAIT to do. Today was FINALLY the day.  We headed out to

Islandallihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16763717963820762756noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1201633734326134551.post-65909981145404110142011-08-03T07:36:00.000-07:002011-08-03T07:36:49.334-07:00

The Big Kid spent the week at Cub Scout Day Camp this week. As crazy as it is to be at camp with 300 of your closest friends, it was really well organized. He complained that there was too much down time waiting for activities to begin, but I think they did an amazing job this year running things. As part of your week at camp, it's required that a parent come and volunteer at least one day. My

Islandallihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16763717963820762756noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1201633734326134551.post-51982478526565899102011-07-17T18:15:00.000-07:002011-07-17T18:15:43.904-07:00

7 week Ultra Sound picture I am not all that sure suprise is a big enough word or feeling. We certainly weren't expecting to expect another baby. After all of the trials and heartache we went through to have the children that we do, we didn't even think it was a possibility. My doctor said it was a one in a million chance. The Lord has greater plans that I do for my family though and I am

Islandallihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16763717963820762756noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1201633734326134551.post-89869109994330561722011-07-06T11:35:00.000-07:002011-07-06T11:35:41.024-07:00

In June our family took a little adventure to the Grand Canyon. A few days before I took a trip down memory lane with my sisters about camping trips of our youth. Funny for us, not so much for my mom, who just shook her head and said "Just wait. Your turn is coming." As my sister often reminds me "You don't get to choose what your children will remember forever." So true.  The kids woke up

Islandallihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16763717963820762756noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1201633734326134551.post-73880752808855177732011-06-08T11:14:00.000-07:002011-06-08T11:14:45.691-07:00

 Justin's pining ceremony this morning was short and sweet, without a lot of hoopla. Just the way he likes things.  He was only surprised by two things... the kids giving him a new Senior Chief coin for his collection and the command's decision to make me an honorary Master Chief. Yes, I can be the boss of him. Listening is still optional though. Thanks to all who have helped him on his way and

Islandallihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16763717963820762756noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1201633734326134551.post-61043901386482648232011-06-01T15:32:00.000-07:002011-06-01T15:32:04.037-07:00

Islandallihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16763717963820762756noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1201633734326134551.post-11754675923679217082011-05-31T08:07:00.000-07:002011-05-31T08:07:15.124-07:00

  It seems that life in the Military is full of waiting. Waiting for the ship to leave. Waiting for it to come home. Waiting on the Detailer. Waiting for orders. Waiting for housing. Waiting for your household goods to arrive or your car to be shipped. Waiting for space at the local military clinic. Waiting at PSD for ID cards or updates. Waiting at the pharmacy (that's a long wait). Waiting at

Islandallihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16763717963820762756noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1201633734326134551.post-31303387843597814612011-05-29T17:20:00.000-07:002011-05-29T17:20:55.843-07:00

{Photo taken at Rosecrans National Cemetery. May 2010} A few days ago I attended an assembly at my son's school. As I looked around I became very emotional at what I saw around me. For all the horrible things in the world around us, I was able to see some good and hopeful things. I stood next to a Vietnamese family who was next to a Korean family. Several Mom's and Dad's in uniform were there

Islandallihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16763717963820762756noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1201633734326134551.post-47302577935268423592011-05-24T09:04:00.000-07:002011-05-24T09:04:45.132-07:00

Ever have one of those days that go better than expected? Where you end up being way better than you thought you were capable of? Hard work pays off and this great day it paid off for our Big Kid.   He was invited with his Math Club at school to attend a Math Field Day sponsored by the Greater San Diego Math Counsel in our area. 31 schools attended with 4th and 5th graders participating. There

Islandallihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16763717963820762756noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1201633734326134551.post-28245202224185672062011-05-10T19:26:00.000-07:002011-05-10T19:26:13.038-07:00

"Mom," the Little Girl asks, "what do snails eat?" Distractedly I reply, "Grass and bugs and stuff I guess." She goes away. A few minutes later she pops back in. Mom, do snails sleep?  Ummm, yes, I suppose they do. Mom, Where do they like to live, in the sun or the shade or both? Both I guess. Mom, do you think they eat rolly pollys? Probably. Mom, do snails like to be with their friends? Ok-

Islandallihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16763717963820762756noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1201633734326134551.post-61460378977987039192011-05-03T08:58:00.000-07:002011-05-03T08:58:25.405-07:00

"Mommy," says a little girl in what sounds like a whine, "I made toast for you and me, but it came out black." Time Out. It was the last loaf of bread in the house, and the last two pieces. It also means some Small Child decided she was big enough to use the toaster by herself this morning, without Mom's help or oversight.  And I didn't ask for toast, that was just something she decided she

Islandallihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16763717963820762756noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1201633734326134551.post-54416292795142658132011-04-27T10:15:00.000-07:002011-04-27T10:15:37.231-07:00

I have been horrible about keeping up with my little blog. Not that all 7 of my readers don't really know what's going on in our lives anyway. I do want to re-assure you all that we have been busy around here learning some life lessons and having some fun. Lessons like: Don't leave your Raingutter Regatta boat to do the day of the competition. The glue has to have time to dry or you will just

Islandallihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16763717963820762756noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1201633734326134551.post-65783538154239942882011-04-08T18:26:00.000-07:002011-04-08T18:26:33.302-07:00

Please tell me your road trips sound something like this... I can't be the only one. Mom, the GPS says you are going the wrong way. Turn around. At about 35 miles in when it barely starts raining, I realize I have no windshield fluid and a smeared mess on my windshield making in difficult to see, at best. So, the next small town, I stop to buy some. While opening the foil covering, it splashes

Islandallihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16763717963820762756noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1201633734326134551.post-33134318062262231462011-04-06T07:28:00.000-07:002011-04-06T07:28:24.058-07:00

Seriously, I should be doing 7 other things right now including packing for at least an overnighter. I also have a class to teach in about 2 hours and need to find something respectable to wear. I just felt like I needed to fill you in on some of our latest adventures a little. I have bigger posts planned, but they aren't quite ready to go yet. It's on my list.... really. For our 19th

Islandallihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16763717963820762756noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1201633734326134551.post-76224656829529921082011-03-24T08:01:00.000-07:002011-03-24T08:01:58.631-07:00

I am not quite sure how she went from this.... To this in the blink of an eye. I am sure it was only yesterday when I held her for the first time and was ecstatic to be out of a 7 week bed rest prison. I honestly don't know what my life would be like without her. She's stubborn, independent, creative, loving, knows her own mind and silly. I guess she has good roll models. Happy birthday Baby. I

Islandallihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16763717963820762756noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1201633734326134551.post-26816010076409322272011-03-16T10:03:00.000-07:002011-03-16T10:03:44.985-07:00

Either he really is the cutest kid with braces ever or they have come a long way with the metal mouth gear in the past 20 years since I have worn it. This is just phase 1... I almost can't wait to pay for phase 2.

Islandallihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16763717963820762756noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1201633734326134551.post-53546268581875063922011-02-24T08:34:00.000-08:002011-02-24T08:34:29.056-08:00

Recently I was able to take the kiddos to go and visit my Grandmother. She's a pistol, that one.(The one on the right.) She's strong, independent, incredibly intelligent and would do just about anything for her family. She's brought us all through some hard times and given us reason to laugh. She's creative and good at whatever task she sets her mind to. She's totally computer literate and will

Islandallihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16763717963820762756noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1201633734326134551.post-82508553324537144812011-02-15T10:14:00.000-08:002011-02-15T10:14:54.446-08:00

This is our new face of Ehlers-Danlos syndrome. Aren't they just the cutest things? In all fairness, Adam is the one who was diagnosed this week and Meg hasn't been examined yet, but based on my statements to the geneticist, she has the same genetic disorder. As far as genetic disorders go, this is an easy one to have. I am glad to finally have something to point to and show the doctors from my

Islandallihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16763717963820762756noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1201633734326134551.post-42045198937895802722011-02-10T14:12:00.000-08:002011-02-10T14:12:08.017-08:00

Last weekend we finally made it to the Zoo Safari park in Escondido. The kids had so much fun. I love the picture at the bottom left where they are both laughing. We were at the live bird show and they were laughing at the Gray Parrot doing his show. Megan was impressed he could talk "like a human" she later told dad. I am a little sad we haven't gone up there before now. The zoo pass we have

Islandallihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16763717963820762756noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1201633734326134551.post-66070935648194921522011-02-08T16:56:00.000-08:002011-02-08T16:56:33.403-08:00

Happy Birthday Grandpa Joe. Sometimes life has a way of placing people at the right place and right time to help you be the best person that you can. I am thankful for this Grandpa who has adopted my family and loves my kids like his own. We know you don't like to make a fuss out of this age thing, but we just had to let you know how much we love you. Hope this year brings wonderful, marvelous,

Islandallihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16763717963820762756noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1201633734326134551.post-59333584532651146422011-02-01T13:20:00.000-08:002011-02-01T13:20:00.163-08:00

My kids are just so darn cute. I had to share. Thanks to Jodi at MCP actions for these cute FREE Valentine's card downloads. I had them printed up and will be sending them out to family soon, since I missed Christmas cards all together. Sorry about that folks. Life doesn't always fit the "want to's" in. Enjoy these cuties.

Islandallihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16763717963820762756noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1201633734326134551.post-54869839707363445522011-01-20T08:50:00.000-08:002011-01-20T08:50:16.539-08:00

What I want to do is always so different from what I have to do. Do you run into that problem? I want to sit and sew. These lovely dresses from At Second Street are adorable and I want to make one or three. I have nieces that need cute things too. (Can I just say, I love Kalleen, even though I have never met her? What a generous and talented woman.) I also want to make those Valentines bags. I am

Islandallihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16763717963820762756noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1201633734326134551.post-44523893209068827032011-01-15T21:44:00.000-08:002011-01-15T21:44:29.943-08:00

   In a few short weeks I will have been married 19 years. I have been with my husband longer than I have been without him. We have been through a lot as a Navy family and as a couple. For the first 6 months of our marriage, we did not live together, thanks to the Navy. When we did move in together it was in a far away place, with no family close and no friends in the area. We didn't know the

Islandallihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16763717963820762756noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1201633734326134551.post-83328319755327034322011-01-07T09:07:00.000-08:002011-01-07T09:07:43.253-08:00

I do love a good deal. Especially on something I know I will use or I really love. While wandering around a store I hardly ever go into anymore the other day I found some of their fabric on the clearance rack. It was Christmas flannel, and it was marked $.86 a yard. Yep, Eighty six cents a yard. Amazing. I have been known to stand in line at JoAnn's Black Friday sale for flannel at $1.75/yd for

Islandallihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16763717963820762756noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1201633734326134551.post-36550230856742234642011-01-03T19:50:00.000-08:002011-01-03T20:03:08.473-08:00

I have posted before about Dear My Kids patterns and I just finished up another one. This is the reversible tunic pattern, although I didn't make it reversible. I love that her patterns are so easy to modify. I tried it on my little one for size before she went down for her nap and she was very serious when she told me "I need a pocket on this before I will wear it. And it needs a button." She

Islandallihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16763717963820762756noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1201633734326134551.post-19982663068288828902010-12-29T12:52:00.000-08:002010-12-31T18:51:46.186-08:00

I admit I am a crafter. I like to create, I like to make messes and I like to see the reaction people have to my creations, good or bad. I love to learn new things and in the crafting world it's easy to learn things one step at a time. I also have a dark side. {no comment from my family, please...} I am a procrastinator extraordinaire. I have the best of intentions and worst follow through ever.

Islandallihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16763717963820762756noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1201633734326134551.post-17234892764134491802010-12-01T09:19:00.000-08:002010-12-01T09:19:43.222-08:00

 Duane Francis Colwell passed away this week. He was my Grandpa, and a Great grandpa to my kiddos. He was full of optimism, even when life was hard and his greatest joy was to bring smiles to the faces of those around him. He loved to joke and always had a zinger waiting for you when you might not have expected it. His life was not easy, and he didn't expect it would be. He lived and died on his

Islandallihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16763717963820762756noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1201633734326134551.post-40080499876073076112010-11-23T07:55:00.000-08:002010-11-23T07:55:32.183-08:00

    Isn't it wonderful how a way is always provided for us? How we are prepared for things to come without always seeing the preperation or understanding it's purpose? That is one of the things I am most grateful for right now. Over and over in my life I can look back and see how I was prepared to handle something, how someone came into my life at just the right time, or a job or volunteer

Islandallihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16763717963820762756noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1201633734326134551.post-23704055285421937172010-11-17T07:23:00.000-08:002010-11-17T07:23:28.479-08:00

   We have known for a long time that our kid was brilliant. All parents think that, right? We knew it at about the age of 20 months or so when he would memorize and give us correct directions to and from a certain place. Like the commissary to home in HI where I would turn the wrong way every.single.time. We knew it when he was 2 1/2 and was adding up the beans on his plate and stacking the

Islandallihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16763717963820762756noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1201633734326134551.post-61903647633918615772010-11-15T09:45:00.000-08:002010-11-15T09:45:54.220-08:00

Some things in life are just hard. Unfortunately there is usually no way around them. Like the game says "can't go over it, can't go under it, can't go around it, guess we'll have to go through it..." One of the hardest things about being a Military Kid is that you move, sometimes a lot. When you move you have to make new friends, and the worst part, leave old friends behind. When we left WA, Bug

Islandallihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16763717963820762756noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1201633734326134551.post-51619492141422747232010-11-02T18:21:00.000-07:002010-11-02T18:21:52.767-07:00

 Aren't they cute? Meg wanted to be a Rodeo Princess after I showed her a picture of my cute cousin Jaime as Princess of the Benton County Fair some number of years ago. She loved the hat but was even more excited about the boots. The child has a thing for pink boots. Can you blame her? I kind of love them too. I have had the suede pink outfit stashed for some time and the belt was Justin's when

Islandallihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16763717963820762756noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1201633734326134551.post-89542506930645638452010-10-22T15:12:00.000-07:002010-10-22T15:12:09.714-07:00

This week has been a long, long week. This poor kid has been sick, sick, sick. He didn't move off of the couch except to bed from Sunday through Wednesday. He has bronchitis. Finally, today, he is feeling better. Except now he has a mysterious rash. So, what did we do to keep busy while being house bound this week? Meg played and tried hard to antagonize her brother, which didn't work well. I

Islandallihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16763717963820762756noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1201633734326134551.post-53047083048199518892010-10-21T09:53:00.000-07:002010-10-21T09:53:03.911-07:00

Someone thought we may have left the Big kid at home on our latest Arizona adventure. No pictures of him, he said. Well, there was one picture of him in the collage. Top right, just so you know. The problem is that the kid is getting bigger. He doesn't hold still, and he's good at avoiding the camera lens. I hate to post horrible pictures and as a result, he's not represented as much as the short

Islandallihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16763717963820762756noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1201633734326134551.post-85191851138079219182010-10-19T20:39:00.000-07:002010-10-19T20:39:14.941-07:00

A couple of weekends ago we took a little trip to Arizona to visit the kids Grandpa. We love visiting there. The kids think it's a great adventure to stay in his travel trailer (where he lives) and they love to go play in the desert. Meg asked him to get out the "penny finder" or metal detctor. We searched for gold or other treasures, but found only tin cans and other odd and old metal pieces.

Islandallihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16763717963820762756noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1201633734326134551.post-61372757637114079112010-10-08T13:56:00.000-07:002010-10-08T13:56:48.242-07:00

{source} Sarah Kang  My sweet cousin Becky lost her valiant fight with breast cancer today at the University of Washington Hospital. She fought very hard against a very aggressive and difficult cancer. She kept her sense of humor and good spirits to the very end and everyone who was around her felt of her love and the joy. Her husband and young children will be very, very sad for long while, but

Islandallihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16763717963820762756noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1201633734326134551.post-76201069225734958992010-10-07T08:00:00.000-07:002010-10-07T08:00:05.472-07:00

Yeserday was a busy day. I had reports for church due that evening and was struggling to get all of the needed information together so that I could finish them. Laundry was mounting again and dishes remained undone in the kitchen. We are getting ready for a little weekend trip and I had gathering things together on my list of the "to-do's".  To keep Meg occupied while I was compiling data, I

Islandallihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16763717963820762756noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1201633734326134551.post-36898918675535799252010-10-06T09:51:00.000-07:002010-10-06T09:51:25.523-07:00

{source} After almost 19 years of marriage, I love my husband mow more than ever. I never would have foreseen the journey we have taken to get where we are. I also have absolutely no foreshadowing of what's to come. But, today, after all this time, I learned something about my husband.  If you know him at all, you know he is a man of few words. What he says carries weight because he doesn't just

Islandallihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16763717963820762756noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1201633734326134551.post-87897224198523854662010-10-01T11:27:00.000-07:002010-10-01T11:27:49.353-07:00

What could be better on a stormy, cloudy and grumpy day than hot, fresh chocolate chip cookies cooling on the table. And bread rising in the kitchen? It was a grumpy day at my house yesterday, everyone was out of sorts. Maybe it was the lightening, maybe the thunder, but probably not the rain. We like rain. In any case, fresh baked goodies made everyone feel better though. Ahhhh, the power of

Islandallihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16763717963820762756noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1201633734326134551.post-38699928930246071042010-09-27T10:19:00.000-07:002010-09-27T10:19:24.296-07:00

Sometimes you just wake up in a bad mood. This morning my darling Meg was at my bedside at 6 am, just 7 minutes after Justin left for work today. She wanted her Dora surprise. I had no idea what she was talking about and she was getting mad about it. A few minutes into the incoherent conversation she decides she's going to be happy with a yogurt instead. About an hour later she comes up to me and

Islandallihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16763717963820762756noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1201633734326134551.post-56065370454585431862010-09-23T09:00:00.000-07:002010-09-23T09:00:07.869-07:00

After staying out late the night before with my darling hubsand at the community theater, I headed out bright and early the next morning for a day of shopping and girl talk in LA at the Fashion and Garment district. That was tons of fun. At the Michael Levine's loft, where you dig through bins and buy your fabric not by the yard, but by the pound, I found some yummy white and bright yellow

Islandallihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16763717963820762756noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1201633734326134551.post-57815073009208895952010-09-22T10:00:00.000-07:002010-09-22T10:00:02.999-07:00

You didn't really think he took me to see G-Force at the park did you? On my birthday, when we had a babysitter we were paying for? Not. Going. To. Happen. The next thing that came up on the reader board was this... Much better. I love community theater. He's never given in and gone with me. That was the biggest surprise of the night. That he chose something out of his comfort zone that he knew

Islandallihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16763717963820762756noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1201633734326134551.post-74685695857394377302010-09-21T09:57:00.000-07:002010-09-21T09:57:40.578-07:00

Any time my Dearest Husband plans something without my input it's a gamble for him. After all this time, I think I am still a bit of a mystery to him. I think that's a good thing, right? So, for my birthday this year he planned a surprise. He snuck around all week trying to get things accomplished. He erased his browsing history on the computer and cleared the cache every night. (Why do you think

Islandallihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16763717963820762756noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1201633734326134551.post-31388251695584211442010-09-11T16:18:00.000-07:002010-09-11T16:18:18.770-07:00

What's Summer without running in the water in the backyard? It's been hot here, and we don't have AC in the house. There's only so much our old rickety fans can do. This hot afternoon Dad convinced the kids to come and play. It wasn't really that hard as they are always up for fun with water. What's better than good, clean, family fun? Ignoring the neighborhood water

Islandallihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16763717963820762756noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1201633734326134551.post-49198473232181190152010-09-06T08:52:00.000-07:002010-09-06T08:52:40.276-07:00

I just wanted to send some more love to my cousin Becky. She's in a fight for her life and she's doing amazing. She's bringing people together in love and support and showing her never give up attitude to everyone. I have no idea how hard this really is for her, but I do know I send her my prayers and support every day. You don't want to miss the event coming up tomorrow, Sept 7. Not the first

Islandallihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16763717963820762756noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1201633734326134551.post-37692140863976900102010-08-25T09:10:00.000-07:002010-08-25T09:10:16.188-07:00

 For Family Night this week we decided to have Big Fun. Or at least Big bubbles. We invited some friends over and talked about families. We talked about how we all have our own strengths and different qualities and how when we work together with our family we can create something better than ourselves. The kids all got one ingredient to mix together to make a giant bubble solution and told us

Islandallihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16763717963820762756noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1201633734326134551.post-36631941951074653512010-08-22T17:51:00.000-07:002010-08-22T17:51:58.036-07:00

Thanks to my understanding husband (who lets me sew and takes care of drinks and snacks while I do), I was able to finish one of the projects on my list of "want to's" yesterday. Well, this morning. I had it finished yesterday and when I went to put it on her today she decided that she couldn't wear it without pockets. So I made pockets and stitched them on this morning. It's adorable. One of the

Islandallihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16763717963820762756noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1201633734326134551.post-20973564995276268172010-08-19T08:59:00.000-07:002010-08-19T08:59:39.450-07:00

I have my eye on some new projects. People are so creative! I am grateful for it, now I can skate by with just making it and not have to come up with the idea on my own. Here are some things on my "list".  (You know, the one with the stuff you want to do that comes below the stuff you have to do, and usually gets pushed to the back burner? That list.) First: This Bubblegum jumper from From An

Islandallihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16763717963820762756noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1201633734326134551.post-60180888067908678292010-08-18T10:53:00.000-07:002010-08-18T10:53:50.227-07:00

Islandallihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16763717963820762756noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1201633734326134551.post-16146216347568098352010-08-09T09:42:00.000-07:002010-08-09T09:42:47.857-07:00

Remember this? I got it at the DI in WA for $4.00. Yep, under 5. I loved it, but I knew it needed some TLC. Shortly after we moved to CA, I painted it to match the little red rocker we had. Still, it needed the seat recovered and I couldn't find something I was in love with. I found some curtains hanging at a friends house that I did love, but she wasn't ready for  new curtains yet. Oh well.

Islandallihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16763717963820762756noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1201633734326134551.post-78955560764006289852010-08-08T09:15:00.000-07:002010-08-08T09:15:51.489-07:00

Mom's are Superhero's. There's no other explanation for surviving our children's childhood. We must have some sort of super powers bestowed on us during pregnancy, just to make it through childbirth. I was laying in bed today, fending off children this morning thinking of all of the ways mom's have to have super power. Super Mom's have super food sense. They can make breakfast out of bottled

Islandallihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16763717963820762756noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1201633734326134551.post-34097009208290704022010-07-31T19:26:00.000-07:002010-07-31T19:26:58.971-07:00

Meggy just got her first big girl haircut. Where all the baby  hair went away and made her look like a preschooler instead of a toddler. She wasn't sure she wanted to sit in the big chair until she was promised candy, but bribery once a gain did the trick. A couple of weeks ago I had put her hair in buns and we went to church. After coming out of the bathroom and noticing herself in the full

Islandallihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16763717963820762756noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1201633734326134551.post-9412244178853746722010-07-26T21:59:00.000-07:002010-07-26T21:59:33.413-07:00

We are home again, almost. The plane leaves tomorrow. We have had a great time with cousins, friends and grandma's. My kids love thier Grandma's. And of course Great Grandpa, he was pretty funny according to my 3 year old.Here are some pictures to tide you over. I know you were waiting and waiting for them... :)

Islandallihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16763717963820762756noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1201633734326134551.post-45898793000597795812010-07-08T08:01:00.000-07:002010-07-08T08:01:54.559-07:00

I love my life. The good, bad and ugly of it. These past couple of weeks have been a whirlwind. I have been invited into the lives of others to do some really fun photographs and spend some time with some amazing people. The twins actually took two sessions to do, but there are two of them, so that makes sense. The Sweet Three year old here has been a part of my photography since I took his

Islandallihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16763717963820762756noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1201633734326134551.post-9392676530171192232010-06-18T08:48:00.000-07:002010-06-18T08:48:46.324-07:00

Since I have been doing some quilting lately, I decided to do a small wall hanging for Bug's teacher this year as an end of the year gift. She was gracious to give me some class time and I took some fabric into the class and had them write their names on them with pastel oil crayons. It's a version of a yellow brick road pattern, and I think it's a little busy. I love the colors though, so

Islandallihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16763717963820762756noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1201633734326134551.post-20461579833054164262010-06-11T12:36:00.000-07:002010-06-11T12:36:07.854-07:00

Aren't there days when you feel like running away? I know being a Mom is the best thing in the world, and it's all I ever wanted to be when I grew up. Some days are just hard though. Today I woke up at 5 am with a certain little girl cuddled up against me in a puddle of pee pee. She's been doing so good at night, and hasn't had an accident at night in over a week. For someone just potty trained

Islandallihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16763717963820762756noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1201633734326134551.post-52223865607513826582010-06-09T10:12:00.000-07:002010-06-09T10:12:52.945-07:00

We took our kids on a camping adventure this weekend. They had a blast. Bug was deemed old enough and responsible enough (with supervision) to light the camp fire and keep it going. He was thrilled. Meg was just thrilled to play in the dirt. That's her favorite thing. She's going to grow up to be one heck of a gardener.  Some highlights were sleeping without the rain fly on to watch the stars.

Islandallihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16763717963820762756noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1201633734326134551.post-90526802472476593052010-06-03T15:04:00.000-07:002010-06-03T15:04:05.054-07:00

I may have mentioned my cousin Becky has had a youthful diagnosis with breast cancer. She's a great mom with 4 cute kids and an adorable husband. I love her happy outlook on life and her ability to see the good in things. I know that she will make it through all of this a stronger person, no matter how much it sucks. And it really does suck. So, Becky, in my effort to help make things a little

Islandallihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16763717963820762756noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1201633734326134551.post-69301549436378441032010-06-01T08:00:00.000-07:002010-06-01T08:00:09.157-07:00

We had a fun little mini road trip the other day. We were looking for possible camping places for the summer and wanted to get to know the area better. We stopped and took in the view. We had a pic-nic. It's amazing how every one sees something different when we go out together. We went to an observatory and looked around. We found some old logging equipment the kids thought was

Islandallihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16763717963820762756noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1201633734326134551.post-87065607068755362562010-05-30T21:36:00.000-07:002010-05-30T21:36:56.161-07:00

This years Memorial Day concert was a tear jerker. I have tried to make it a point to watch for the last several years. This one was heart wrenching and heart warming and wonderful. If you didn't get to watch it, I hope you can catch some of it online here at PBS.org. Wonderful, really.

Islandallihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16763717963820762756noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1201633734326134551.post-83983126937819336942010-05-30T21:01:00.000-07:002010-05-30T21:01:06.427-07:00

This is the second half of the Mother's Day piano gift. I think I like this part even better. It's the table my sweet hubby built to put the electric piano on. He built the bench a number of years ago when we had the big high back grand and no bench. I loved it, and so when it came time for this table, he made it to match.  They both have the same coloring, same detailing and were built with

Islandallihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16763717963820762756noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1201633734326134551.post-92213667614049858312010-05-15T18:29:00.000-07:002010-05-15T18:29:02.619-07:00

I came in the dining room today and found this.... No wonder my tension is always an issue when I sit down to sew lately.

Islandallihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16763717963820762756noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1201633734326134551.post-10262326804950378412010-05-14T17:22:00.000-07:002010-05-14T17:22:43.528-07:00

It's not like I don't know who the card was from, I do. I only have two kids and they are both pretty cute. It's that I wasn't quite sure what exactly the sentiment meant. I hope it's a nod to the priority we set to service to others around here. He didn't really have much to say about it. When I asked what it meant, he said, it means what it says. Just like his daddy. They don't say much, but

Islandallihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16763717963820762756noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1201633734326134551.post-28298423361420977762010-05-10T09:53:00.000-07:002010-05-10T09:53:35.462-07:00

I am pulling this from my sweet cousin's blog. She's an amazing woman and her her entire extended family are in need of prayers and support. Her sister, and my cousin, Becky has been diagonsed with breast cancer at a very young age. She has 4 young kids. If you can, please include her in your prayers and meditations. Thanks so much.

Islandallihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16763717963820762756noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1201633734326134551.post-16243956156089146562010-05-10T09:45:00.000-07:002010-05-10T09:45:07.758-07:00

I have these unfinished projects hanging around, don't you? I hope I am not the only one. Sometimes I get back to a project in a matter of days, or weeks. Sometimes it takes a bit longer. I started this quilt for my son, when he was very small. He's 9. I got it finished this week. Finally done and all of the guilt that went with it for not finishing it, that's gone too. Yippee! He loves it. Even

Islandallihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16763717963820762756noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1201633734326134551.post-18854842761417847052010-05-03T10:14:00.000-07:002010-05-03T10:15:57.774-07:00

Mother's Day never was one of my favorite holiday's. Not that I don't love my mom, mother in law or grandmothers, and it's not that I don't love being a mom. I have had my fair share of over the edge and crazy days as a mom and times I wanted just two minutes without anyone needing anything from me. I do appreciate thoughtfulness and kindness. I just have issues with the whole thing. Father's day

Islandallihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16763717963820762756noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1201633734326134551.post-53536069932040501362010-05-02T18:11:00.000-07:002010-05-03T07:40:25.981-07:00

A couple of weeks ago my sweet cousin and friend had a great tutorial on her blog about stamping on fabric. She's so creative and makes such cute things! I entered to win in her drawing and actually won. Not because I am related either. The greatest thing about it was, unlike me, she acutally mails things off. I have post office phobia and getting things mailed out is a major undertaking at my

Islandallihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16763717963820762756noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1201633734326134551.post-2625246820559961222010-04-29T11:10:00.000-07:002010-04-29T11:10:06.450-07:00

For the record, she won't do this if he's not touching her. He's tries to not help her, she just needs that extra security that dad will catch her if she falls. I love that for so many reasons. She's an independant little girl who makes our hearts melt.

Islandallihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16763717963820762756noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1201633734326134551.post-68357318657752656582010-04-26T09:45:00.000-07:002010-04-26T09:45:53.641-07:00

Hey look, I actually finished the whole thing, binding and everything. It's even cute, at least I think so. Except the back, of which you will find no pictures here. At least I learned a few things about how to do that better next time. It's my first free motion quilting attempt, and despite and learning curve, I think it turned out adorable. My favorite part is the scrappy border. It really made

Islandallihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16763717963820762756noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1201633734326134551.post-24754439354874499832010-04-23T06:33:00.000-07:002010-04-23T06:34:20.788-07:00

Learning new things is hard. Tying your shoes, getting potty trained, learning to free motion quilt (a little advice, Lia?) and learning to change the oil in the car. I am so grateful that is something my amazing hubby learned how to do some time ago. He prides himself on taking care of our cars whenever he's home to do it. So I went to find and talk to him the other day and found this.... Adam

Islandallihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16763717963820762756noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1201633734326134551.post-64244995407746318832010-04-20T19:38:00.000-07:002010-04-20T19:38:27.253-07:00

Why is it when my table looks like this.... And my floor looks like this..... (those aren't red blocks, just bad lighting. I really did pick colors that went together) Does this silly machine decide to STOP working??? I think maybe some little hands have "helped" my tension out of whack and for the life of me I can't get it working again. I did get it very clean and all oiled up. Any tension

Islandallihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16763717963820762756noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1201633734326134551.post-72642144795871961362010-04-19T08:00:00.000-07:002010-04-19T08:02:45.627-07:00

This is really a mystery to me and I need some input. I am not sure the right course of action here at all and it's sparked some heated debate at my house. Here's the situation: My big kid hates peas. Hates them. Won't touch them on a bet. Sunday dinner is Dad's night to cook and he came up with something yummy, but different than our normal fare, and it included peas. There we sat, long after

Islandallihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16763717963820762756noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1201633734326134551.post-56088067738664507322010-03-30T20:01:00.000-07:002010-03-30T20:01:49.460-07:00

You know your kids is a Military Brat when you have a conversation something like this: Kid: What are the eggs for Mom?Mom: The Egg hunt with play group tomorrow.Kid: Does Megan about egg hunts?Mom: Last year she was pretty little. She might need a reminder.Kid: I think she needs some training. I guess it's my duty day.

Islandallihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16763717963820762756noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1201633734326134551.post-32211726411042677202010-03-24T18:49:00.000-07:002010-03-24T18:49:20.929-07:00

It's Meg's 3rd birthday and she was so looking forward to a Dora Party. She informed me of that the Sunday before her birthday. What does a Dora party entail? A cute Dora outfit, of course. Do you think you can just walk into any old store and find orange pants? Wrong. A purple backpack and a map. She tried hard to talk me into making Swiper too, but it didn't work.  It can't be a birthday party

Islandallihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16763717963820762756noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1201633734326134551.post-73439274894827724492010-03-13T08:34:00.000-08:002010-03-13T08:34:13.920-08:00

(Her sad face is from me taking pictures instead of giving her another one.) Chocolate Peanut Butter Molten Cupcakes from Diabetic Living Magzine (Spring 2010) Makes only 6 cupcakes (so be sure and double it-- also I found that the batter didn't quite make enough, so you may want to make an adjustment there.) 2 ounces milk chocolate, chopped (I used chocolate chips) 1 Tbs creamy peanut buter 1/

Islandallihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16763717963820762756noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1201633734326134551.post-3331018038505623922010-03-10T15:48:00.000-08:002010-03-10T15:48:17.033-08:00

It was a windy but sunny afternoon and we just couldn't resist the pull of the park. Dad pulled the kite out and the kids had a blast. So did the parents. Don't you just love watching your kids faces when they are trying hard to do something? In the lessons learned category, I have to say it's really nice not running a million miles an hour all the time and being able to take time to go to the

Islandallihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16763717963820762756noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1201633734326134551.post-19387351433244756652010-03-08T09:25:00.000-08:002010-03-08T09:25:27.764-08:00

Sunday morning, while mom was getting things ready for the day, Meg went to the garage to be with dad. When I came to get her for lunch, this is what I found. Like my friend MB says, Kids have a lot of fun with dad. So I asked him if the funnel was at least clean. To which he replies "It doesn't have any visible oil or transmission fluid on it." Ok then, must be clean enough to become a trumpet,

Islandallihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16763717963820762756noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1201633734326134551.post-32493217538855525712010-03-04T11:06:00.000-08:002010-03-04T11:08:25.166-08:00

Today I took the timeto go for a walkto play in the parkto hunt for lady bugsto watch her smile, and discover. Today I took the timeto ride a bike,to dance with dad, to make silly facesto hear her laugh and be joyful. Today I took the timeto draw a pictureto make up a storyto watch her faceto see her imagine, and wonder. Today I took the timeto read some books,to build with blocks,to take a nap,

Islandallihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16763717963820762756noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1201633734326134551.post-91545131611814122292010-03-02T09:33:00.000-08:002010-03-02T09:33:47.623-08:00

We actually had a family night that didn't end up in tears. That's a rare thing at my house, for no good reason. We don't set out to make our kids cry, really. In any case, this was a really fun night. We visited the Mormon Batallion historical site and museum on Old Town San Diego. It's recently been renovated, has tons of fun talking pictures (think Harry Potter, except cooler), a great view

Islandallihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16763717963820762756noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1201633734326134551.post-75447164142370790832010-02-24T07:10:00.000-08:002010-02-24T07:10:58.058-08:00

Meggie: Why am I wearing this shirt? Me: Because it says 'Navy' on it. Daddy's in the Navy. Meggie: No, he's not Mom. He's in the garage. Meggie's trying to learn the basics of potty training. This conversation made me laugh and laugh. Meggie: I have to go potty Mama. Me: Ok. Let's hurry to the potty. Meg undresses and sits on the potty and strains her little face. Me: Are you going to go pee

Islandallihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16763717963820762756noreply@blogger.com1