hope you're enjoying...

the new look. i hope it's working on your computer! i am trying to upload photos, but maybe blogger is telling me i have done too much for tonight. or my (gasp!) mac. not sure. but iPhoto and blogger are not talking. so, i can't post the new pics.

but let me tell you... we had a good day. i got a two hour nap. we went to church. we had friends over for the pool and dinner. david and i are working on a little project for his deployment. i am videotaping him reading books to the kids. it's so fun! when i get around to downloading those, i will share one with you. cause i LOVE the way he reads to the kids.

and... work has REALLY begun on the baby's room. i am starting on the new bassinet coverings. and maybe a new carseat cover. the bumpers are done, and i have to do the crib skirt. i am waiting on some fabric and then we'll roll!

last night, hubs and i played wii sports and had a blast! (even though my butt was kicked in most sports. let the record show that we DID tie in golf, however!) i have so much fun with this man and am enjoying every second he's home right now.

nora is getting so OLD. and jamey just loves to be held. (when he's not off and running!!) at the pool today, nora was like a fish. she's deceptive in her 4 year old body. she swims better than i do. and jamey even got in up to his shoulders. and i "tricked" him into getting into the pool for a few. it was fun times!

church... we need a good one. one where we can get somewhat involved. (tough with a hubs who is gone a lot) or at least to have someone to sit next to when david's not there. familiar faces. more importantly, somewhere that preaches the Gospel. and we are begin fed. oh, the search for the "perfect" church!!

that was our weekend in some random trains-of-thought...

randomness in my life...

i wanted to quote "13 going on 30" the whole night. but really, it was so much fun. loved my handsome prince! he's such a good man. i've said that a lot recently. i am just so thankful for him.

a sweet picture of the birthday cake at the birthday party we went to yesterday. leigh made it. i am trying hard to convince her she could do this on the side. she's THAT good! she's not biting yet.

we went to the beach today. james not only got in the water, by himself, but played and splashed, putting his head in, and asking daddy to come in with him. it was wonderful! pics tomorrow...

and don't forget, the blog will be moving this weekend! don't worry, it will redirect you... but i don't want you all to miss it!!!

tonight we went on a family walk after dinner. so fun. and socialized with our neighbors. and nora rode her bike. and tried to live without our ac... since the wonderful tradewinds are back. but, i caved. mostly because i am SO HOT at night anyway, i wasn't sure i could sleep... maybe when i don't have an extra internal heater...

sweet morning...

we rarely just stay home in the morning. it's been a nice morning. my kids are playing with cars and having a great time. it's so sweet...

meanwhile, i am working on pink hydrangea stuff. this weekend, i am going to be moving the blog to www.pinkhydrangeashop.com. you can still click here and it will redirect you. or you can go directly to the site (all this is assuming that i can figure out the technology!!!). i am also going to open an etsy shop. i have been trying to figure out how to BEST make a go of a business. two blogs is a little overwhelming. especially since i was posting a lot of the same stuff.

if you WANT to hang around for all this, there will be family updates. and then some crafty updates. a good mix of both, i hope! enjoy the ride!!!!

forgot to mention...

so i really struggle with james being in school sometimes. i feel guilty. but, he likes it. he's over his separation anxiety. it's only two days a week. and... yesterday i realized that he recognizes his own name. nora couldn't do that until a year ago, when she was in preschool! i was so excited. he also recognizes some friend's names. i tried it again today in a different setting (i.e., not school), and he totally got his name! so, my two year old IS learning something!!! i feel a little more justified!

so much...

kid ASKED to eat my spaghetti tonight. he only took one bite, but he asked! that's huge. he's the kid who can't be bribed for anything. i was so excited...

my sweet new planter. i need to get some more plants. but, i want to see how my plants do first. basil on the back... nora's pretty stoked about helping me out with it! so much fun...

here's hoping they go better. cause i killed my beautiful orchid, i think. at least, all the flowers fell off. any suggestions?

and he got a new watch! so much fun. he hasn't taken it off since. and, no, there are none of the girl. sorry! but, there were a whole 20 months without james where it was ALL. ABOUT. HER!

i am not sure where to begin. i have so many thoughts i want to share. i am just not sure how or what to say. they aren't even that important or deep. just a lot going on in this head. i have been reading this blog. it's overwhelming. somehow (i forget exactly who) i got linked to it. sadly, it was a mention of this girl's death. and i started reading. and i am reading her life backwards. i know the end, and am working towards the beginning. (it's great when hubs is gone!!) it's like reading an autobiography. but knowing the ending.

i was telling my dad about this girl's blog and he asked why i was reading it. it's been so moving and so... this girl was diagnosed with an autoimmune disease. eventually, she hadn't left her condo in two years. and when she was delivered flowers, that she didn't even accept, she had an allergic reaction that lasted the next week. she could barely move, barely walk, barely talk. she wrote at one point about preparing for visitors to come. she prepares a week in advance. showering. eating. medications. not skyping or talking to anyone else so she could have visitors. she couldn't see visitors if there was any chance they could bring in a germ. she was allergic to air, chocolate, life.

and what attracted me to her was that she chose joy. she wasn't mad at God. she had a wonderful relationship with Him. so many times, i wanted to link you to a specific post, but the list got so long. you might never be able to go back and read the whole thing. (i am only a year back...) but here's the thing...

it could change at any second. my life is pretty darn good right now. i met david's captain on saturday night. one of the first things he said to me was apologizing for how much david is gone right now. don't get me wrong. i want him home most nights (one or two is nice for getting some sewing done...). i would rather be with him. but the few times he has been gone recently haven't been bad. maybe it's knowing that something bigger IS coming. that he will leave for seven months. so four days is no big deal. but it seemed to me that some are disheartened about how much the guys are gone right now.

when david was gone last week, my friend (who's hubs has been gone for 4+ months) asked if i was so ready for david to come back. how could i say that 4 days was SO BAD when she's been a single mom for FOUR MONTHS! (side note... i am not trying to compare my life, or say i am better, or have it better. but, i don't have much to complain about.)

i don't want to take that for granted. i want to choose joy. i want to show the world God living in me. doesn't mean i won't have bad days. doesn't mean i won't dislike david's job or being gone at a certain point. but i want to choose joy. and find ways to demonstrate my joy. and not be so overwhelmed and wrapped up in my life that i can't see beyond me.

we went out for froyo the other night. there was a family with three kids there. as i was leaving, the mom looked at me and said, "good luck with three". and it was not a friendly "good luck". i was so disheartened. not because i am having three. but because she was so discouraging.

on the upside... i got a new cousin this week! so excited to meet the sweet boy! and, i got david's Christmas present. mostly because it was WAY more expensive than i expected. and i know he wanted it. and i can't wait! i think i should be able to show you this weekend. he's getting it tomorrow.

and... i finished the new crib bumpers! i can't wait to show you. but, i want to have them in the crib first! oh, and the trades are coming back. that's local for saying we are getting our winds back. it's pretty still in september. and i am quite excited about the winds being back.

this morning, i watched david's ship leave. not for long, thankfully! but it was still a little sad. i got in the car to drive from preschool to the landing. leigh and i were going to walk on the path there, and david's ship had just passed. as i got in the car, there was a song on that makes me think of david. "crazy girl". and then, getting back in the car there was another song that he sings a lot. "God gave me you for the ups and downs". it was so fun. such a good reminder that he loves me. and that God loves me more than that!

also, i got to catch up with a friend who has been living on the other side of the world for a few months. so good to hear her voice! wishing i could catch up with so many more. a little over the time change here!!!

also, we are discussing nora's schooling next year. should she go to preschool or kindergarten. because if it's kindergarten, our applications should already be in. and that thought scares me. that my baby could be in kindergarten. prayerfully trying to consider what's best for nora. not just right now, but 12 years from now. what makes the most sense for OUR family.

last week...

we went to the pool! i had my camera on super cool settings, cause it was more overcast and almost rainy that day! and, i think, the coolest day of the week...

sweet girl. i forget what she was so intent on!

he was enjoying marching in sissy's boots...

for some reason, laying out, wrapped in a towel, was way more fun that being in the pool. (i didn't get in, cause it was FREEZING!!! and jamey doesn't usually get in past the second step, so it was okay!)

playing in the spray area just outside the pool...

they have figured out that if you step on one, it makes the others bigger!!

and it is so fun to just run through them!

today, the firemen came to school to show the kids the truck, talk to them, etc. they seemed to have a great time! i am hoping to get some pics. i took one or two on my camera phone, but didn't stay through the time they played on the truck.

after a week off, i think i was most excited to have kids back at school!! i went on a nice walk with a friend, then ran errands and lunched with her. it was such a lovely morning!

a few more pics...

i love this sweet boy!!!

the live band for dancing. they were GREAT!! in fact, only redline is better!!!

my date and me! he's so handsome... did i mention how wonderful my sweet friend is for taking my kids for the whole night?? it was awesome.