a walk in the park

did i post this one already?  a walk we took last week.  yes, that is the scooter on top.  and thankfully, we only had to walk like this for a block.  but her on a scooter didn't exactly raise my heart rate!!  oh well... it was fun and they were well behaved!

something new...  in our kitchen.  combining different things i liked from pinterest.

at the top of our stairs.  did i post her yet?  yes...  a little freaky!

no, the laundry fairy hasn't come to visit.  so i finally had to break down and FOLD all the clean laundry. cause we were out of underwear.  or at least a 4 year old was.  and last time, i caught her wearing "cars" unders.  i figured i'd save her that this time...  now if only someone would put it away.  i am sitting on the other couch just so i don't have to!

my boy.  he's what i wore tonight!  it was so fun to snuggle him.  love that i didn't realize you could see all three of my chins in this picture!  oh well...  we had a fun night!

my toes.  copied from a friend.  sally hansen has these cool pens you can use on your nails!  so fun!!!

tonight wrapped up vbs.  as much fun as i think the kids had, i am glad it's over!  those are some late nights!  between vbs and skyping with daddy most nights this week, the kids weren't in bed till almost 9pm.  they both took 2 1/2 hour naps today, which should help.  but going to bed at 9pm and getting up before 6am isn't okay for most adults!  let alone a 3 and 4 year old!

but, they had a blast.  it was so fun to watch them grow and learn.  

mmm... that's all i got for tonight...  

dubious in dubai...

Absolutely gorgeous sunset.

Belle and Lightning McQueen also liked the scenery. The desert was
gorgeous at sunset.

Look, Nora and Jamey! Belle and Lightning McQueen came with me to the
desert- they got stcuk just like our car did!

Our entertainment for the end of the evening- belly dancing. This
girl went on for a while- whe had to be in pretty ridiculous shape.

A casualty on one of the other vehicles- Broken Axle. Not uncommon,
from what JJ told us.

Me again at the Emirates Mall- next to a "Predator" statue.

A local with his falcon- he charged 10 AED for a puicture with his
falcon- but I snagged this one for free.

This was another group of tourists we almost ran over- you can't
really tell, but we are going about 30 mph and about to bank hard off
of a sand dune.

Riding a camel with Jason- he apparently thought the moment should be
a little more intimate...

Paul and me with the sunset in the background.

The camel and I ended up getting along just fine.

Paul gets a "tattoo" while at the bedouin camp (really a tourist
camp). He was much bolder than me.

This is a not a way I would want to travel for hours a day.

Our caravan of SUVs sets off. Like a roller coaster through the sand dunes.

Our "Sunset Safari" to the Arabian Desert South of Dubai.

A picture of me at the Emirates Mall in Dubai- next to the indoor ski facility!

Much to JJ's chagrin, our SUV got stuck in a sand dune- had to pulled
out by one of the other cars.

Our Visit, Board Search and Seizure (VBSS) Boarding Team in O'Kane's
small boat during a boarding exercise.

Our VBSS Team deploying on the flight deck.

Our camel! Forgot to ask what his/her name was, but the ride was a bit bumpy.

Hello to all from the port of Jebel Ali, in the United Arab Emirates.
Jebel Ali is the port for the city of Dubai, in the southern Persian
Gulf. O'Kane is docked here for a few days to allow for some voyage
repairs and to let the crew get some liberty in a beautiful, if
crushingly hot, city. Dubai is fantastic- whatever stereotypes one
may have about the Middle East (except for the temperatures), they
likely don't apply here- Dubai is a city bustling with trade, industry
and tourism. In the massive Mall of the Emirates (one of two gigantic
malls that dominate downtown Dubai), there are people from all over
the world and from all walks of life- and English seems to be language
of trade for everyone. They have an indoor ski slope and winter
recreation area inside the mall (alas- off limits to US Sailors due to
too many injuries accrued there), and restaurants from all over. Paul
Duenas and I had a delicious dinner at a Lebanese restaurant here our
first night in port (great schwarma and kebabs). Dubai is one of the
major tourist destinations for the region, and it shows in the luxury
of the hotels, restaurants and shops. This is the place where they
are constantly expanding the coastline- creating interesting shapes
like palm trees. Dubai is also the location of the world's tallest
building- the Burj Khalifa. Definitely a fascinating mix of cultures,
where all customs and religions seem to be tolerated and respected.
In the mall, we were just as likely to bump into a woman wearing a
burqa as we were to bump into someone who should have covered up a bit
more (like American malls!).
Among the interesting things we did here was to go on a "Sunset
Safari" tour into the Arabian Desert south of Dubai (just a little
north of the Omani border). There was also the option to go to "Wet
and Wild Wadi" water park- maybe next time we are here. Most of the
pictures you see here are from the tour. Among the 44 or so O'Kane
sailors who went on the tour, I shared a Land Cruiser with Paul, our
Chief Engineer, Jason, our Supply Officer, Stacy (our Fire Control
Officer and a fellow Buckeye stater), Mark (our Training Officer), and
Dustin (our Main Propulsion Officer). Our driver was a Pakistani
named JJ (his badge said his name was Faizal Amir, so we were not
quite sure where JJ came from, but we went with it). He came highly
recommended, and appeared to heavily influenced by the Formula One
drivers that are idolized around the Middle East. There were lane
lines on the highways, but JJ made it clear that they did not really
apply to him- just to all the tanker and construction trucks lumbering
around.
Once we left the highway and met up with our caravan of SUVs, we had a
fantastic time zooming up and down the various sand dunes, coming
perilously close to other groups of tourists sometimes. JJ assured us
that no desert roller coaster was complete without a soundtrack, and
he shared his own personal mix of Snoop Dogg, Beyonce, Enrique
Iglesias and Britney Spears (and of course, nothing says "Arabian
Desert" like Lady Gaga). One of the other SUVs broke an axle (JJ
assured us this was not an uncommon occurance), and much to his
chagrin, our SUV briefly became stuck in a dune and hd to be pulled
out by one of the other drivers. All in all, it was a fantastic time-
definitely something I would recommend for anyone who likes roller
coasters (maybe not for Sue Haile...).
We stopped at a "Bedouin camp"- really a stockade-like structure set
up by the tour company- where I got to ride a camel (another first for
me!). Definitely not a mode of transportation I would recommend for
more than a couple of minutes each day, but fun nonetheless. We had a
delicious dinner (somehow hummus just tastes better when made in
Arabia), and there was belly dancing for the evening's entertainment.
JJ had us back to the ship in what I'm sure was record time
afterwards.
There is a little slice of life in Dubai for a few days while on
deployment- in a few days we are back to the grind of underway life-
daily training, watchstanding and running around at the whim of the
aircraft carrier and fleet commander. Thanks again to all those who
have sent me packages, letters, emails and messages for my daily
deployment binder- I love them all, thank you for your love and
support. It means the world to me. While I miss my family
desperately (it was fun to get to Skype with them here!), and I am
jealous of those who are going to Maine soon, two and half months of
deployment is now in the books. Every day brings us a little bit
closer to being on our way home. Thank you for your thoughts and
prayers for me and for O'Kane- I will do my best to reply to all email
and letter correspondence I have been sent, although it is starting to
stack up on me.
Much love and God Bless,
David

a post isn't a post...

i tend to feel that a post isn't post without pictures.  but, this week, you wouldn't get anything if i waited on pictures.  i also feel like it's cheating how much i take pictures from my phone.  even if my big camera is in my bag.  but, they also say that the only bad picture is the one you didn't take.  so, i take them on my phone.  cause it's easy.  and my husband is deployed.  (not really sure how THAT applies, but... it's my excuse for everything right now!)

actually, if i take pictures on my phone, i can email them directly to him.  and not have to upload them first.  so, he gets lots of pictures that way!!  and, since we have skyped with him twice this week, i am foregoing pictures... (actually i got an extra third Skype!!!)  can i tell you how great it's been?  he's been "helping" me put the kids in bed.  reading to them.  talking to them.  and they love it.  granted it's at 8:30 pm when we get home from vbs and the kids are SUPER overtired and hyped up on whatever sugar they feed them there...  but it's great!

speaking of vbs, that's why i haven't posted recently.  we get home at 8:30, and by the time we are doing talking to daddy... i am tired!  and don't want to go in search of a camera cord.  or even my camera.  or my phone... currently not sure where it is!

since i have KNOWN when i was going to talk to david the last few days, i haven't even worried about my phone.  i went a whole four hours this afternoon without looking at it!  or even having it close to me!!!  it was a freeing feeling!!

it's been a good week.  except for a sore throat that has come back.  not a fan!  but, i changed up the car seat situation.  chris is still in his baby seat, but i took out the base.  now, i have to buckle him in every time, but he goes on the outside.  james is in the middle.  i don't have to reach over, and break my back, to get him in and out.  and the kids like it.  j wanted to be next to n.  it makes me so happy!!  (side note... design flaw... cannot put the carseat in the base in the pilots in the two outside seats...  the front seat person ends up sitting on the dashboard...)

i got stung by something, and there is still a stinger in my toe.  and i can't get it out!  and it itches/hurts and is oozing.  fun times.  yes.  i am a nurse.  yes, i have my tweezers out.

i have had some good times with some friends.  and generally been enjoying life.  including my (overly tired) kids.  they are loving vbs and learning so much.  tonight, i needed a break from the (awesome) vbs cd that's been on repeat.  i had on the country music station.  that song about "toes in the water... it was almost over, and i didn't think the kids were listening. they were busy chatting away.  when, nora goes, "mommy, what's jager"?  (they reference the alcoholic beverage "jager" in it.)  i told her it was a daddy drink and just started laughing.  (a- cause daddy doesn't even like jager.  or any alcohol!  b-cause THAT was what they picked up on in the song.  c-cause they were just so cute!!)

the teachers at vbs keep telling me how great the kids are!  i am so thankful.  even though we go to bed at 9pm and wake up, for a certain 3 year old, at 5:52 am.  every day.  not okay!!  here's hoping for a later morning!!!

christopher has been the sweetest baby.  he's really easy to get to go to bed.  and he's really getting to that fun, interactive stage.  he is grabbing at things.  and playing.  and laughs all the time!  we go back in a few months, when he can really sit up, for his hearing test, but my test says he can hear.  he totally turns to listen when you talk to him.  his brother and sister ADORE him!  he has the sweetest little personality.  and, we switched to cloth diapers.  for some reason, even changing in the middle of the night, it was still wetting the bed, so i do one disposable a day, and cloth the rest of the time.  figured that was better than changing sheets every morning!!

that's all i got for now... i am going to bed.  david is uploading pictures as i type (obviously, on the other side of the world...) for a coming blog post.  he's been having a blast, and actually gotten some down time on this port call.  i am a little jealous!!!

swimming...

she may look like she's drowning, but she was floating!

back float...

rainbow at the beach.  it was the most beautiful thing... and you could see almost the whole thing!!!

playing...

more rainbow...

love that boy.  

and his cheese...  really, this is his "good" smile!

getting ready for sunset.

it was such a perfect evening.  

the kids played the way i remember playing with friends growing up.  just playing!

can you see diamond head in the background?  

chilling out with her cookies!!

i got to see the love of my life today!  that always makes for a good day!!  sadly, the kids were in bed.  we are hoping for another date in the morning.  

it was a good day.  the kids were a little whiny getting up this morning.  then, they went downstairs and were super quiet.  they came back up and stood side by side and told me how they had been whiny and went downstairs to change their attitudes.  and then they "showed" me their happy hearts with the cheesiest smiles.  it was so precious.

we had some attitude problems the rest of the day.  but, as we worked on it, i found the guilty party in her bedroom, praying to ask Jesus to forgive her and help her change her attitude!  so precious!  and we got some good snuggle time in after that!!!

race day...

the kids and i with our bibs!!!

getting ready for the keiki dash...  it was a totally overexposed picture, but i kind of like how it turned out.  

the keikis!

chris and his favorite courtney!  she came to cheer us on!!  (oh, and have a garage sale...)

my girl.  look at her go!  and the smile on her face.  it might have been all the adoring fans (parents) on the side of the road....

little man ran the whole time, too!  i was one proud mama!!

my sweet friend... we walked the whole race together.  so thankful for her!

chris and me with courtney, another sweet friend!

on of our friends is bidding to be mrs. america.  she is currently mrs. hawaii.  so, she held a fundraising 5k today (and keiki 100 yd dash...).  i figured i would sign up, and attempt to do it, even if it just meant entering the raffle.  i mean, three kids, one mom, 5k, that's 90 pounds of kid...  plus 50 pounds of stroller (two strollers...).  wasn't sure it was going to work.  some other (not pictured, sadly!) friends offered to push one of my kids, and WONDERFULLY took the heaviest!!

so, the boys and i started.  and did one lap.  then another.  and l decided we were doing the last lap, too!  (i think i would have given up far earlier!!!)  i was so proud of my boys for making it that long.  i expected someone to lose it.  we finished in about 42 minutes (the time keeping was super exact!!!  it was a neighborhood race!).  i was pretty excited.  we all had a great time!

james won some honolulu cookie company cookies.  and nora's pusher won first place in his age division!!!  all in all... a great day!  and our first race as a family.  (well, most of a family...)  here's to many more like it...

and, here's to me, not letting deployment stop me!  and my friends for being SUPER helpful!!!  

yes, my son is running in chucks.  i mean, it's hawaii... he's lucky he has those!  i thought he was going to be running in slippahs!  (flip-flops...)

interesting...

nora has decided to nurse her baby.  (the doll that's as big as she is!)  she follows me.  switching sides when i do.  

it all started because james had been nursing his puppy.  i haven't had the heart to tell him he can't physically nurse!  

we went to the beach on monday with some friends.  

the kids had a BLAST!

aren't they cute??

look at that sweet boy...  we were at lanikai.  one of the best beaches in hawaii!!!

we had dinner tonight at a friend's house.  the kids LOVED being there.  and played so well.  and it was just so fun.  to be served while my kids played so happily.  to eat and talk with other adults.  to just enjoy it!  it was really a nice night!

it's hard sometimes to ask for help.  or even see that i need it.  (don't get me wrong, a break from single parenting is ALWAYS nice!)  i can "do" this.  we are surviving, and quite well, i think!  we can go to the groc, or target and live!  (even get complimented on our behavior!)  i have had so many offers recently.  to watch my kids.  to have dinner.  to just help.  asking me HOW i need help.  and i am working to swallow my pride and allow the help!  

i didn't think i was a super prideful person in that way.  and i think, i am perfectly able-bodied to do this.  my kids are relatively good kids.  it's not that bad.  i don't want to be the opposite and not do anything cause my husband is deployed!  so, i am saying "yes" to help.  and taking advantage!  and enjoying it.  feeling so blessed by those around me!

and a little sad today.  that's me being honest.  i miss my husband.  and nora started crying the other day, missing her daddy.  i want him home with me.  jealous of others who have their hubby.  (and knowing that roles were reversed not too long ago!)  wanting that man to play with my kids, in a way only a daddy can.  thankful that i have a husband who can play!

(okay, don't judge...  but i was watching a certain show where people try to win the affections of a certain lady, and one of the guys was complaining about having left his son for 9 weeks and how awful it was...  i just wanted to throw something at the screen and say, "you had a CHOICE!  you could stay home.  and you aren't roughing it.  get over yourself..."  but, i didn't.  and he went home anyway...  )

and, yes, we made a choice.  a choice that i still love.  but it can be hard, right?  

all that to say.  we are doing so much better than i anticipated.  and it's only because of prayers and support!  thanks, all of you!