Here's the "SCOOP"

My dear friend Beth is truly an artist....everything she does just screams creativity! If I could have just an ounce of her creativity I would be one happy girl! She used to have a side business creating cards (yes, she is the one who created our previous Christmas cards - I know creative right???) Well she has since then started a new adventure.....creating blog designs!!! So If you are reading this then you have obviously seen my udpated blog design - don't you love it!!
Thank you Beth a million times... thank you for giving my blog a fresh new look - Your creativity continues to amaze me!!!
Check out Beth's new site..... www.scoopbybeth.blogspot.com

A Big Day for Connor

Sunday was "Connor's Day"! The kid's choir sang during both services, all the bribing in the world could not get Cooper up there during first service - I am thinking of starting him early on coffee - it helps me! Then during Sunday School, Connor recited all his memory verses for the entire winter quarter to receive a prize. Okay so I have to be honest, I love the fact that every Saturday (okay and sometimes Sunday mornings) Connor and I practice his memory verse but when it said "prize for reciting all winter quarter memory verses" that competitive drive came out in me and we were on a mission to recite all six verses!!!
When the doors opened to his Sunday School class, I quickly glanced at Connor and his beaming face said it all as he held up his prize - a package of Mickey Mouse crayons, a coloring book, and a certificate!! Way to go Connor!!!

Work ups....Already???!!!

Sometimes it seems like he just got home...but last Sunday the work ups started again...this time a month at a time - UGH! The good news through all of this is that this is all we have to do... and then it is smooth sailing into our shore tour where there are no deployments and work-ups for 30 months - pure heaven on earth! So while the boyz and I are doing what we do here at home, my hubby is doing what he does...landing the prowler on the boat in the middle of the ocean!

The most important rule that I live by whenever my hubby leaves is....try to keep things as normal as possible with your routine and throw in lots of chocolate as deemed necessary!! The first couple of days that Nate left, our family room was turned into a fort - which I was not allowed to be in!!

On Wednesday, Cooper and I were invited to attend Connor's Chapel service at his preschool. His teacher, Ms. Gaye, presented each child with a bible!

That afternoon was the highlight of my week...my dear friend Shannon and her husband, Forrest and son Judah came into town for the evening. I have not seen her for almost a year and I was thrilled that they were coming in for the evening! After an afternoon of catching up we headed over to Deception Pass Park for some fun and pictures of course!

Whenever the sun peaks out and lets us enjoy the outdoors, I am always reminded of how much I love living here....the boyz love everything that the outdoors have to offer and it is absolutely beautiful here!!

We spent the rest of the evening hanging out like old times and I was sad to see them leave the next morning...it just makes me anxious for the next time we can be together again!!!! We love you Shannon, Forrest, and Judah!!!
The next day was yet another beautiful day so we headed the other direction to City Beach to ride their razors and play at the park!!!

One week down...three more to go until my hubby is home!!!

My Three Favorite Valentines!

Our fam celebrated Valentine's a night early this year (which turned out to be a good thing since my hubby is currently in bed with a sinus infection). The O' Club was having a "Family Sweetheart Dance" so we decided to take our favorite valentines and celebrate!!!

With a balloon in hand, Connor was off to the craft table... he loves anything that has to do with stickers!!

Cooper, on the other hand, wasn't quite as enthusiastic as his brother and decided to take a moment to himself and take it all in.....

By the time Cooper decided to join Connor, he was on craft number three - a true artist at work!

The finished products...

After pizza and chicken nuggets and fries....it was off to the dance floor to show of those Barton moves! Connor decided that instead of continually coming back to the table for fries, he would take the fries to the dance floor!

We ended off the night at one of our favorite places, the bowling alley, for Cosmic Bowling!!!

Nothing could be sweeter than spending the evening with my favorite Valentines...my hubby and my two sweet boyz!

STAR STUDENT OF THE WEEK

What a week at preschool for Cooper - STAR STUDENT!!! Not only did he receive a cool certificate..but he made an "All About Me" poster, brought in his favorite snack (popcorn), and brought a toy to share (a jet from his Grandma and Grandpa that makes sounds and shoots bullets)!

His poster highlighted everything that he likes to do: dress up in costumes, go fishing at Nana and Papa's, playing in the snow, driving his truck, camping, making pirate faces, and of course hanging with his best buddy Connor!
He also had to answer questions about himself....he said that he likes to play at home, his favorite color is red, he wants to be a fireman (which is fine - he can still think that when he flies for the Navy), his favorite food is spaghetti and macaroni and cheese, and that he helps his family by "hurting bad people". He originally said, "Killing bad people" but I thought that it was a little too violent for a STAR STUDENT! And my favorite - the most important person to him was ME!!!
I watched from the door as he talked to his class about his poster and my heart melted...my little boy is all grown up!

February Already??? Where did January go???

I can't believe that we are already into the month of February....where did the time go? Well I can tell you what I was doing the month of January....in one hand was the Twilight book and the other hand a paint brush!!! So allow me to go on my soap box about the Twilight Series....I LOVE THEM!!!!

Yes, I know I am 33 and I will admit I am obsessed with these vampire books! It got to the point that when Nate left for a week he asked if I would be done with them so that I would start paying attention to him...oops! If you haven't read them let me offer a few suggestions.. Read them...
1. when the hubby is away
2. there is nothing around the house that needs attention
3. when there are left overs to be eaten for dinner
4. when you have a really good LONG movie your kids can watch!

Other than that we have been busy painting the house to get ready to sell!!! Fun, Fun, Fun!

As for the boyz.....Cooper is now officially in preschool where Connor goes to school!! I thought for sure he would have a difficult time the first day..you know -something new...being away from me two days in a row...well he is so sweet he put on a good front for me as he walked into class, hung up his coat, and told me bye (without turning around)! He is so strong trying not to cry for my sake!!! Yeah right!

So he was in preschool not even for a month and he comes home one day to tell me he was put in time out...TIME OUT!!! My sweet Cooper! I guess what happened is that his best buddy at school (who he doesn't know his name) touched the radio and was told not to and so was Cooper but since his best buddy did so did Cooper! I mean I see the logic...I guess! Connor quickly reminded me that he has never been in time out!

As for the fam..... We have been enjoying the time we have left together before Nate starts to leave again for work-ups! The rain let up for a weekend and allowed us to enjoy a wonderful brisk Saturday morning together...the perfect Saturday for me consists of eating at our favorite breakfast place and enjoying the beautiful outdoors! I love the Northwest!

Our family Saturdays are going to be put on a hold for awhile....such is the Navy life! It makes being together now that much more special!!!

The Show Must Go On.....

Right before Christmas, our island was trampled with snow! Don't get me wrong, I love snow but I like the kind that when it falls you see the trucks outside putting salt down and beginning to plow - NOT HERE!!! Obviously they are not used to all the snow we had and they don't salt because of the salmon or something like that... I mean I like salmon and all but I would prefer salted roads over salmon any day!
Anyways due to the weather different events were cancelled at the church - One was the kids singing and the other was the Grassroots pageant...so we made them up on Sunday!
Cooper dressed up as a lion (after a lot of convincing that he couldn't wear his Spiderman outfit to the Christmas Pageant...but who knows there could have been one there) and Connor was a sheep!

Before the pageant started Connor was worried where the shepherds were because he wanted to know who was going to take care of him!!! The pageant was a success and Connor was the cutestsheep and Cooper was the toughest lion there (yes, a very biased opinion - but it's my blog!)
Earlier that morning the kids sang in front of the church during both services! (Don't mind the moving camera - part of it I was laughing because during the second song Cooper was following the director's directing movements). Connor had to be bribed with tootsie rolls but you gotta do what you gotta do!

The comment of the day was by Connor as we were driving away from the church that night..."I can't wait for tomorrow because Santa will be here!" I guess that would be confusing to a little boy...I guess another tootsie roll will have to do!