beaches...

digging at the beach!

sweet, big, baby boy!!!  so proud that he climbed up all by himself!

just chillin'!

blurry, but i love his face!!

he just wants to be in on the action!

don't leave me behind!

she loved this game...

and i was so proud of this one!

throwing!!!

it's been a fun, busy few days.  the weather has started to "turn" into "spring" weather.  it's more sunny than cloudy and rainy.  (i know, all you in the east who just got hit with another snowstorm... i am not complaining!  i like our "weather"!)  we have been loving the beach and playing outside!!!

i asked david last night if we were failures as parents, because our kids can't clean up.  they just don't do it.  they whine and complain.  i was so frustrated.  and knowing that it's mostly my fault, since i am the one home most of the time.  and cleaning isn't high on my priority list!  (in fact, i think i would rather clean someone else's house than mine!)

so, after having horrible dreams last night, one of which included me just yelling at my kids all night, i woke up "late" for us, and came down to make breakfast.  i had grabbed a plate from the (clean) dishwasher.  nora saw that it was open, and just started unloading it.  i was so impressed!!  and relieved.  that somewhere, i am doing something right.  

not everything.  but something!!!

blast from the past!!!

my mom and me...  san diego 2004

my sweet bro and me...  probably 2004

byssa and me surfing!!!  summer 2004

on our way home from paris... nov, 2004

in amsterdam, nov 2004

if you ain't dutch, you ain't much...  nov 2004

with my mom, nov 2004 

apparently we liked this pose!!!

with my friend from 4th grade, lb!  coronado, jan 2005

with my two favorite boys!  nov 2004, vienden, luxembourg

high school friend, coronado april 2005

the night i said, "i love you" for the first time to my (now) hubby.  

april 22, 2005 (aka my birthday!)

getting promoted on the uss missouri, may 2005

out for david's birthday, may 2005

visiting lt in hawaii, june 2004

(who knew i would be LIVING here a few years later???  or that we would both be married and our girls would be besties, too??)

work girls...  disneyland  august 2004

i found my old, old kodak gallery albums the other day. i guess shutterfly took them over when kodak shut down!  anyway, it was fun to look at all the old pics... and i thought you might enjoy some of my life before i started blogging!!!  

i have gotten a few orders this week, and it's been really fun to sit down at my sewing machine quite a bit!  

i also got to do a field trip with jamey.  we had a blast!!!  pics to come this week!!!

what i wore...

earrings that were a birthday present.  and just the right pop of color!  

and a necklace from lisa leonard.  it was also a gift!!

sunday after church...  chris is in a thrifted polo shirt and hand me down jeans.

nora is in a clearance target shirt and shorts... and she loves to carry her baby brother!

and i am in a gap cardy...  from 2003.  when i graduated from college.  

and a dress that my sister left here last year.  (i also wore hand me down prada 4 inch heels to church.... those were fun!!!)

a lunch date with my hubby!  again, a shirt my sister left here (h and m, i think!), shorts that i made in rhody...  they are yellow, with a hint of grayish...  i LOVE them!

today, after a 3 mile run...  my victoria secret shirt from the NEX.  LOVE the hot pink!  and cheap old navy shorts....  and a new hair cut!

earrings that my mom gave me a few years ago... and the same lisa leonard necklace...

and, a new sticker for my phone...  a super cool company located on the north shore...

and, mixing gold and silver... i LOVE this bracelet.  it's such a good reminder for me that God is in control.  and i just have to "be still and know".  again, from lisa.  her jewelry has become a staple in my life recently! 

linking up with lindsey from the pleated poppy... hop on over to enjoy!

some fun...

hanging out with some friends...

splish splash!

not sure if i am having fun...

i think i am...  

loving the blue eyes!!!

saying "thank you Jesus"!

playing dentist...  how i found them the other morning when i woke up... playing dentist....

homework.  precious!!

happy tuesday!!!  i had a great, 3 mile run today!  i am trying to up my weekly mileage, and planning to run a 6 mile race with some friends here soon.  again, loved running with my boy!!!

on community... guest blogging today!

today, i am posting here on cara's blog!  i met cara when we worked at summer camp together...  and am so thankful that we are still in touch!

i wrote about community... she does a weekly sesh on community, and i got to be a part of it this week!  i am talking about being a military wife!  hop on over and check it out!!!

dinner a few weeks ago...  chicken avocado enchiladas!

homemade pop tarts... thank you pinterest!  pie crust and jam.  nora loved it!!!

the making of the enchiladas!  super easy... greek yogurt.  avocado.  blender.  the hardest part is shredding the chicken!  but it's so good!  hubs requested it a few weeks ago, and i couldn't NOT make it for him!  easy to throw together, or prepare early in the day!  and we love the leftovers...  

again, pinterest.  it was fun to use the recipes i had pinned!!!  enjoy....

a phone call...

eight years ago today, i went on my last first date.  i am so glad that i went on that date!!!

have i ever told you how we met?  a friend of my mom's was a friend of d's mom.  she realized that both d and i were in the navy and stationed in san diego.  d was on a six month deployment, on his way home.  he sent me the first email from hawaii...  (and sadly, i realized a few weeks ago, i have NO RECORD anymore of those emails...  sad michelle!)

he emailed me and told me he would call me when he got into port.  i loved his emails.  they were so well written (weird that i liked that?).  but i was intrigued.  and so i googled him.  and found out that he was a squash and tennis player.  he was pretty good at it, too!  but, i couldn't find a pic.  

so, this boy showed up at my door (pre-arranged of course!  i even offered to give him directions, and he didn't want them.  he didn't want restaurant suggestions.  we agreed on a time and he set it all up.  i was a little confused!  and LOVED that he just took charge!).  he was handsome, and we had fun.  i didn't offer to pay, and he didn't seem to expect me to pay (later, he told me how thankful he was that i hadn't offered!!!).  we went to benihana's, and to see "hitch".  

we decided to go out again, a few days later.  he was going to be leaving for three weeks.  we had fun. neither of us was head over heels.  i figured we would be friends.  but, he left.  and didn't call.  for a LONG time (like 1 1/2 weeks...).  so i was intrigued!  when he did call, we had a GREAT conversation.  and i bought an $800 plane ticket home for easter.  (to see him, but i couldn't TELL him that!!!)

we had fun at home, and my fam loved him!  we had a big family breakfast (just the kids), and hung out one evening.  and went back to san diego.  when he came back, a week later, that was it.  we were in it to win it!  six months later, we were married!

so, i am thankful today that i went on that date.  and that we kept dating.  and that he is reading to our kids on the couch as i write this!  he's an amazing man, and i couldn't ask for more.  thankful today, that i get to sit next to him in church and hear him sing.  that we can see a baptism on the beach and hear him explain it to our kids.  love what an amazing man of God he is.  and how he loves me and all my crazy!!!  eight years...  it went fast!

snotty noses and fun times...

we are finally over this nasty cold!

my sweet running partner...  he's such a good buddy!!!

david enjoyed riding jamey's new scooter...  jamey, not so much!

on my run the other day!

my shopping buddy after our run!

the kids got a sweet package in the mail the other day... and they were asked to be in my brother and his fiancee's wedding.  they said "yes", of course!  we are so glad that sarah said "yes"!!!

my sweet little man.  this kid could not be any cuter!!!!

busy week.  and fun week.  and i can't believe it's march!