Where does the time go????

I can't believe it is already May!! ONE MORE MONTH TO GO!!! I just hope that this month goes by as quickly as last month. I know you have been just on the edge of your seats just waiting with anticipation for that next blog...well here it is - A recap of April with lots of pictures!!
April 13th - the long anticipated 1/2 marathon that Amy and I had decided that we were going to run together back in the Caymans as we sat lazily by the pool drinking our Rum tasties!!( I would love to tell you the ingredients but I don't think Amy has put a patent on it yet) Well long story short her mom and I and a couple of my friends cheered her on that cold, rainy day as she ran it and I was sidelined with an inflamed Achilles tendon (I am still bitter about it) But you should have seen that Cali girl tackling those Whidbey Hills - She kicked Butt!!! We had a great weekend and Nano and I stayed up and watched movies each night while Amy was sound asleep! Thanks Nano and Amy for coming to see us - you brightened the weekend!!! We love you!
The following weekend Grandpa came to visit!! And wouldn't you know it - IT SNOWED!!! I think that spring did skip us after all. He finally got here Saturday morning after I couldn't make it to the airport the night before because of the weather! What a weekend.... the boys definitely had their fun with all the rough housing, playing outside, bowling, and going out to breakfast at our favorite restaurant!! They sure do love their Grandpa!!!
I had eye surgery the following week which went well...I apparently was telling the doctor and the nurses how hot my husband is!!! I was also telling the doctor he needed to support the military and do some probono work on my face and remove my sun spots(I will let you know the outcome - doesn't look promising!!)
The boys continue to keep me on my toes!!! Some days their words and actions just warm my hearts and others I am ready to go and replace Nate on the ship!! God is good though and is always there beside me each step of the way!! We are counting the days to see Nate and the all will be well at the house again!! I definitely have a Honey to do List waiting for him - Top on the list - POTTY TRAIN COOPER!!! I will let you know how that goes!!!
Enjoy the pictures!!!

Grandpa and Coop drawing sharks

Hanging out with the boyz

The boyz and I at the Holland Happenings Parade!

My girlfriends Brandi, Erin, and I at a Time and Talent Event

to raise money for the wives club! The theme was

movies and we did CHICAGO!!!

We won BEST DRESSED!!!

What a challenge for Coop.. trying to hold his snack with

a cast on - but he is a champ!!! No cast was going to

hold him back from eating his Cheerios!

The kids love going down to City Beach to throw

rocks in the water!! What a great place to explore!

Connor plays a mean game of bowling!!

Coop was all about just dropping the ball!!

Look at that form!!! Definitely takes after

his mama!!

Nano and Coop out for a drive!

YOU ROCK AMY!!!!

Just around the corner....

Some said that it was impossible, that it would never happen.. oh but it did! I saw a glimpse of the sun last week! Yes folks I think spring is finally right around the corner. I think that as it was settling across the country it forgot about our tiny island - never fail though the beauty of the island is back!!
SO we took advantage of the weather and outside we went! Our moods, our spirits have been lifted!

" I know can you believe it??? We saw the SUN!!!"

"YEAH SUN!!!! No More RAIN!!!!"

THIS IS HOW WE ROLL

"LOOK AT ME MAMA"




Connor and his road rage!

Connor and Cooper, I look forward to all our sunny days together!!! xoxo Mommy

Asthma Attack....Broken Finger... Half Way There!!!

We just celebrated the half way point of deployment and I am not going to lie.. I was feeling confident...a little too confident I suppose. I was pretty much congratulating myself that nothing had happened like last deployment. There had been no hospitalizations, no infestation of bird mites, and no sliced ears that needed a plastic surgeon!!!

Last Tuesday I picked my parents up and the kids and I welcomed them here with a big....LET'S GET SICK!!! The next day Connor, Cooper, and I were at the Naval Hospital... Cooper with an ear infection, Connor and I had viral infections and Connor was also having an asthma attack!

I thought that we were going to have to spend the night like last time but just at the last moment his levels went up to a satisfactory level - THANK YOU GOD!!!

The next couple of days we had to give him breathing treatments..which he just loves!!! On Monday morning he received a clean bill of health from our favorite Dr. Huebner - just in time for my parents to leave - RATS!!!

Connor and his breathing treatments - the dangers of smoking!!!

Wednesday morning since we didn't have bible study, a bunch of us piled in our cars and off to Jungle Playland we went. I figured Connor was healthy so why not go to a place which is filled with kids and LOTS OF GERMS!!! Cooper, who usually spends his time in the ball pit, was feeling adventurous and was living on the slides. He was the big man on the slides - conquering it every time.... well at least until Connor, Levi, and Coop all went down at the same time!! Tears were flowing down his face as he kept telling me that his finger hurt (which was swelling and turning a really pretty purple)!

It didn't look promising....so off to Urgent Care we went! Four and a half hours later we walked out with a huge temporary splint on his broken finger! Poor Connor though...when they asked Cooper what happened he would say, "Connor hit me!". Well at least he was saying that he hit him and not me... Today we are going to get the official cast on - GOOD TIMES!!! I think the biggest issue for Coop with all of this is how does he suck his thumb and play with his hair at the same time!!!

Coop and his broken finger!!

So such is the life of a Navy wife....asthma attacks, broken fingers...whatever is next... BRING IT ON!!!!

What A Weekend!!

He Has Risen!!! Yes, I know it was four days ago but even now, the words still have the same meaning as we joyfully said it to each other on Sunday. The words of our Pastor still echo in my mind as he shouted, "The tomb is empty!!!" during a wonderful and powerful service. What an amazing sacrifice that our Lord made, as he died for us so that we may experience the power of forgiveness and even more so His love for us! Thank you Jesus!!
Easter - I wish those words that we say to each other would have meaning to my boyz but for right now it is all about the Easter Bunny and...CHOCOLATE (I am afraid I have created Chocolate Monsters!!!) That's okay though.. as long as it is Hershey's!
My sister in law, Jackie, came to visit for the weekend and I loved every minute of it - she was a breath of fresh air in this house!!


FRIDAY:


Connor was in rare form as we came home from church that night. I honestly have no words to describe it.... the video says it all!!

Yes, he is definitely following in his Daddy's love for RAP!!


SATURDAY:


It was a cold morning but we braved the weather to see who else but... the EASTER BUNNY! An egg hunt was held on base so we went with our good friends Bryson(his real name is Bryce but for some unknown reason this is what my kids call him) and his mom, who is also my good friend, so that works out perfectly! The boyz had a great time and were truly content with each grabbing five eggs!

The boyz, Mama, Bryson, and Brandi

Cooper was all about the duckies!

One happy boy after the egg hunt!

SUNDAY:



What a day! Our church had a wonderful service...the music, the sermon...everything! The kids also had an egg hunt which was held in doors...yes it is hard to believe that it rained that day!

The Church gang getting ready to hunt for the eggs!

Cooper and Carter ( I am all about an arranged marriage with these two!)

The boyz and Carter!

LOT AND LOTS OF EGGS!!!

We ended our Resurrection Sunday with a great evening with our friends who are also without their husband/Daddy! We had more than enough to eat and we had yet another egg hunt.... I guess you can never have too many - well at least in the boyz's minds!!
Connor and Cooper - Thank you for making this weekend so precious! Not only was it meaningful because of what Jesus did, but also because you brightened the rainy days with your laughter and smiles even though Daddy wasn't here! I love you both - xoxo Mommy

Chocolate...It cures everything!

Today was just one of those days that I was feeling sorry for myself... it could have been for a variety of reasons: I watched my dear friend walk out of the sanctuary this morning with her husband knowing that in an hour she was going to say goodbye to him for the next seven months. There was a pit in my stomach knowing that all too familiar feeling...deployment! It also could have been because I had bathrooms awaiting my cleaning! The other day Connor asked me if I had cleaned his bathroom when I answered No, he asked me to come upstairs so he could show me that it was dirty - Thanks buddy!! But basically it came down to.... I miss Nate!
So what is the cure for missing your hub??? Why Chocolate of course!!! I waited patiently for the kids to wake up and when they did.... THE CHOCOLATE PARTY WAS ON!!!!

Connor and Cooper - Thanks for being a part of my Chocolate Party... I can't wait for the next one! xoxo Mommy

My Buddy Levi!

It is amazing how Connor and Cooper already have a sense of what friendship is all about. One of Connor's ultimate buddies is Levi! Levi is eight days younger than Connor and they are like brothers in every sense of the word. Everything that Levi does Connor wants to do. Connor started wearing big boy underwear because that is what Levi was wearing... Levi actually taught Connor how to pee standing up (yes I taught him to sit down - hey what's a mom to do my hub was gone!) He even actually taught Connor to hit his bottom to shake off the excess pee (Melissa taught him that :) )but Nate quickly put an end to it saying that it was cute now but not when he is ten going to the bathroom with other guys!

Swim lessons... I would say that they definitely did not rank high on Connor's "fun list" - that is until tonight. Last Thursday Cooper was sick so our friends took Connor to swim class but brought him back before the class ended because he refused to go into the pool! Long story short I moved Connor into the next class with his buddy Levi and also his instructor was going to be a girl. I knew the night looked promising as we drove to swim lessons and Connor is in the back singing.."I am going to swim lessons and I am going to have a girl teacher, and I am going to see Levi!"

The whistle blew for classes to start Connor walked with Levi - not even looking back at me and into the pool he went. For the next thirty minutes I watched Connor and Levi walk across the pool using their arms practicing swimming strokes, lying on their backs floating with a tube, and playing games! This was one happy mom!!

Thank you Levi - thank you for being such a great friend to my little boy! Thank you for making this world a brighter place -Connor, Cooper, and I love you to pieces!!

Okay Mama I have a plan......

"Okay Mama, I have a plan....." Connor is infamous for saying this when he has this fabulous idea that he knows I will jump at! I love how excited he gets when he is ready to tell me - he has this certain expression that lets me know what is coming is the next best thing to a great shopping trip where everything is on sale and better yet I am miraculously in a smaller size! What is even more amusing to me is that some of the ideas I will just have mentioned to him, but two seconds later I am hearing that phrase........

Nothing beats a great cup of hot chocolate with lots of marshmallows (because Daddy likes them!!!)

YEAH CHOCOLATE!!!!
"I know... how about a smoovie!" "You mean a smoothie Connor??? "No, Mama a smooooovie!"

"How about a picnic in the family room while watching Pocahontas???"

I can't wait for the next, "Okay Mama, I have a plan....."

Con-Man - I hope that you will always find joy in the simplest things! You make everything fun!! xoxo Mommy