remembering...

the uss michael murphy passing by the arizona memorial.

a close up of the michael murphy.

with the uss tuscon behind it.  

at waimea beach.  

my beach baby!

loving the water.  he was mad that he couldn't go in further!  (they were waves that could knock me over!)

my family.

love this beach baby!!!

and my beach angel!

Christmas time is here...

the boy!!!

we were on our way to bootcamp on dec 7th.  and the f-22s flew over in the missing man formation.  and we pulled to the side of the neighborhood to watch the ship and sub pass by the arizona.  and remembered.  how it might have felt 71 years ago to wake up to bombings.  and felt so thankful for the freedom we currently have.  to be watching and having my husband next to me.  

however, today is my sissy's birthday.  and i am wishing i could be with her.  she just had a beautiful baby girl.  and i am dying to hold her!  but, i have to wait six weeks...  and be patient!  so until then... happy birthday sissy!

dedication...

our good friend, j, is a chaplain.  and his wife (a good friend) was saying something about him doing a dedication for friends at the beach.  and i had a thought.  we had nora dedicated by david's grandpa when she was a baby.  but we never had james dedicated.  and we LOVE our church, but we also know that we won't be part of it forever.  so, we had j dedicate our boys with our parents and friends.  it was a fun and special afternoon...

they stay so much more still when they are babies!

so thankful for our families that raised us, and our kids....

i got to have these three girls spend the night a few weeks ago...  they were so sweet!

all five kids... they didn't stay that way all night...

the kids were playing outside and wanted to play with the hose.  i told them they could if they washed the car!

at the beach!

pushing up the log so they could sit!

trying to stand...

and he made it!!!!

surfing again!!!

my boy would go!

a haircut from his sissy!

the professional version...

high and tight!!!

mandatory family fun!

thanksgiving turkey trot!

keiki dash...

all the kids getting ready!

love my little racer!

my sweet boy!

doing so well!

running so fast!

the five of us!

and the rest of us!

my parents working hard in the kitchen!

almost done!!!

dinner time...

really good friends!!!

wow... i am a month behind.  but we had a great thanksgiving!!!  and today starts david's post deployment/Christmas vacation!!  whoo hoo!  we have two weeks worth of fun planned for the fam.  it's the first time he's taken time off and we have just been us with nothing to do.  guess who's excited??

we are in a stage.  a messy stage.  caused by diarrhea.  and i am sick of seeing it.  and smelling it.  and cleaning it up.  but, i keep telling myself, it's just a stage.  and this, too, shall pass.  i am so thankful for my children who can do this (just wish they'd do it less!).  not sure i am going miss this part of this stage of life we are in... but i am going to miss this age!

i also am overwhelmed by the amount of laundry in my life right now.  yes, some of it is part of this stage.  the poopy stage.  but, some of it is that i have five people to do laundry for.  when chris was a baby, and we were just getting used to it, d was still home.  then he left, and chris got messier.  and now, chris is bigger, d is home, and laundry seems to have exponentially exploded!  again, love this stage... my hubby is home.  my three kids are growing.  but, i feel like i could do laundry all day and never be caught up!

and quite honestly, there are things i want to do other than laundry.  like go to the beach.  every day.  (which we have been doing.  and it's wonderful!!)

i sound like i am whining.  i really don't mean to (except about the poop...).  just a realization.  and trying to live in the moment!!!

waimea fun...

hale'iwa beach park...

waimea falls...

not wanting to brave the water quite yet!

all in!

getting brave!

my sweet girl!

my daddy...

watching the michael murphy pull in.  (named for one of the seals that died in operation redwing.  you can read about it in the book "lone survivor".  it's a great read!!)

between our race and thanksgiving dinner on thanksgiving day.  ahh... the life!

loving life!

enjoying his breakfast cinnamon roll!

yummy!

watching football with daddy!