OUR LIFE AS AN AIR FORCE FAMILY

Prayers Needed

2010-01-04T23:46:00.003-05:00

If you could send some prayers to my family I would greatly appreciate it. My dad is in ICU right now and I feel completely helpless. I am half a world away waiting by the phone for news.

Also my grandfather, Poppy is down the hall recovering from gall bladder surgery.

Thanks

Happy New Year: Part 1 of 4

2010-01-03T01:45:00.001-05:00

A year in Pictures.

January 1, 2009

Joe leaves us for a 6 month deployment. He had already been gone for three months by this point.

February:

We are able to Skype Joe. We are all so excited.

Bryson is awarded his second award of the year.

We are 8 months pregnant with boy number 3.

March:

My sister gets married. Joe and I celebrate another year of marriage.

I took the boys to a Monster Truck Show.

April:

Chase is born. We miss his daddy terribly and are so sad he isn't here to share this moment.

Mimi comes out to visit and help with the boys. She is only able to stay a week, but we are so thankful.

Bryson gets his third award of the year, I turn 30, and we find out we are moving to JAPAN.

May:

Carter turns 4. We have a small cake for him. He says he wants to wait until daddy comes home to have a party.

I am coaching the boys T-ball team. The boys are doing so well.

Happy New Year: Part 2 of 4

2010-01-03T01:41:00.001-05:00

June:

Bryson gets his fourth and last award of the school year.

Joe awards me with a new computer. I fall head over hills!!

Carter has a head scan.

We fly home to visit family. Chasers goes on his first plane ride and meets grandparents, aunts, uncles, cousins, and great friends.

On the plane

I meet my nephew Daniel for the first time. Cheryl and Luis' son.

Bryson loses his third tooth.

Chase meets Papa, my dad.

My brother, Uncle Jimmy

Joseph's mother, Grammie

Joseph's father, Pop Pop

My Grandparents: Gigi and Poppy

Cheryl's Husband Uncle Luis

Joe's sister Aunt Cheryl

My sister, Aunt Sha Sha

We meet my nephew Beau for the first time. Jimmy and Amanda's son.

My niece Sarah, Cheryl and Luis' daughter

My brother Uncle George

My best friend Lindsey Lou. Who was about to deliver her second daughter Grace.

Another great friend of mine Steno. She is going to have a baby in July.

Our first shipment to Japan goes out.

Happy New Year: Part 3 of 4

2010-01-03T01:40:00.001-05:00

July:

Daddy came home!!

We have Bryson's birthday party 2 months early and

we have Carter's 2 months late.

The movers come to pack us up.

We had our going away party at the lake.

We move into TLF (Temporary Living Facilities).

We pack up the car and head to Charleston, SC.

July 26th time to fly to JAPAN our new home.

July 27th, we finally arrive in Okinawa.

Happy New Years: Part 4 of 4

2010-01-03T01:38:00.001-05:00

August:

It's hotter than HELL here in Okinawa.

Bryson starts the first grade.

September:

Carter starts Preschool.

Our things finally arrive.

Bryson turns 7.

October:

We love to visit the tide pools.

Happy Halloween from Star Wars.

Happy Thanksgiving

December:

Joseph turns 31.

Chase gets his first tooth.

Pictures with Santa.

Merry Christmas.

Pictures with Santa

2009-12-26T01:06:00.000-05:00

Chase did so well, but was so sleepy. It was past his nap time.

I love this one. Bryson is looking at Chase, Chase is looking at Santa, Santa is looking at Carter, and Carter is looking at me.

We wish you a Merry Christmas!

2009-12-25T19:20:00.002-05:00

We had a wonderful Christmas this year. We have so many new toys to play with and I am not just talking about the kids. The highlight of Christmas was the gift that Joe bought for the family. It's a running joke from me to him that he should have labeled the gift to Joe from Joe. Are you wondering what it is.....it's a PS3. We bought the boys so many new Wii games that they haven't even thought to play the PS3. Joe has had a good time with his present.

Santa brought Bryson a new computer. His old computer he has had since his 2nd birthday so it was time for an upgrade. Bryson loves to get on the computer had visit his school homepage. He also got a lot of DS games, Wii games, Computer games, Star Wars toys, Bakugan's, UP Bluray, Board Games, Books, a Race Track, new Bike Helmet, Transformers, and a digital camera. He and Carter have had so much fun taking pictures and making videos with it. You should see some of the videos they have made. You can hear them giggling over them for hours.

Santa brought Carter a Nintendo DS. Which he absolutely loves and Bryson is so thankful that he doesn't have to share his anymore. He also received a lot of DS games and a Case, Wii games, Star Wars the Clone Wars Bluray, Star Wars toys, Computer games, Transformers, Bakugan's, Board Games, Books, a Race Track, new Bike Helmet and a Darth Maul Dual Light Saber.

Santa brought Chase a Car/Walker and a Learning Play Table. He has had so much fun on the table. Chasers also got a Sorting house, Peak-a-boo Blocks and Train, a Wooden Train with shape blocks, Little Einstein Rocket ship and Conductor's Wand, a few different Bath Toys, Stacking Blocks, and Books.

Besides Joe's PS3 and games he got a Bluray Home Theater System and a Kindle. He also got a few shirts from American Eagle and NMSU. He is also shopping around for a new golf club.

I got an awesome new video camera. My old one was was bought by my dad before I had Bryson. That means it's over 7 years old. Though it works awesome my wonderful hubby thought I needed an upgrade. The Video Camera he bought me is a Canon Vixia HG21. It has a hard drive built into the camera. Though I haven't figured out how to get the video off the camera hard drive and on to my mac. I also got a new point and shoot. I like to have a point and shoot as well and my nice SLR. It's nice to be able to just throw that in my pocket and go. Oh and it's pink. I have never had any other color but black or silver. It's super cute!

All in all we made a killing this Christmas and we must have been really good this year. Truth is...we are just really happy Joe is back from Afghanistan and that this Christmas we didn't have a 6 month deployment looming ahead of us.

Oh and in addition to a fried Turkey we fried a Prime Rib this year. It was awesome.

Christmas Eve

2009-12-24T20:07:00.000-05:00

Christmas Eve night the boys always get to open a present. They haven't caught on to the fact that it's the same present every year. Christmas pjs and a new Christmas book.

Carter did surprise us this year and he said "I really hate this!" It was quite funny because he was expecting a toy and out come clothes. I told him that was fine and that I would take his boxers back to the store. His tune changed very quickly and he said that he loved them and he was thankful.

Bryson on the other hand loved his Christmas pants, and Chase looked adorable in his sleeper.

After their bath and Christmas pjs were on I made the boys hot chocolate. We then put the angel on the tree. Bryson put the angel on last year and it was Carter's turn this year. After the angle was in her place Joe read the boys their new Christmas books that Grammie and PopPop got them.

Then it was time to run up stairs and jump into bed. About 10 minutes after the boys were in bed I remembered that we forgot to lay out Santa's cookies and milk. So back up the stairs I went and told the boys what we had forgot. They rushed back downstairs and decided 5 cookies was a good amount for Santa to have. Then back into bed they went. Dreams about Santa sure to come next....

Christmas Eve Luminaria's

2009-12-24T06:37:00.000-05:00

We spent a good part of the day setting up Luminaria's on our street. We thought it would be a nice treat for our neighbor's and any passerby's. We never got a correct tally on how many we set up but I believe there were over 2 hundred.

Joe put on his headphones and got to work. He says we need to go bigger next year.

Carter would take the filled ones around to the front of the house. He said he was tired of all that walking back and forth.

We enlisted some neighborhood kids. Child labor is free!

Chaser's helped me take pictures and open bags for everyone.

We lined them up and down the street and around the outside and inside of the loop. We also did a smaller circle on top of the mound on the inside loop.

Our neighbor's liked them so much that they picked them up for us. Have I mentioned before we have great neighbor's?

Merry Christmas

2009-12-23T07:00:00.002-05:00

Send your own ElfYourself eCards

Merry Christmas Everyone!!

Merry Hip Hop Christmas

2009-12-22T22:04:00.001-05:00

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Merry Disco Christmas

2009-12-21T19:28:00.000-05:00

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8 Months

2009-12-20T19:31:00.004-05:00

Well....After holding you back and trying to hinder you from crawling, you are a crawler. A crawler at 7 months. Carter had you beat by a month and you had Bryson beat by 3 months. You have been a joy to have around. We love you so much...even if you are into everything now.

This month you have:

You have two bottom teeth.
You can eat a whole dunkin doughnut by yourself.
You eat about 6-8 jars of baby food plus some items we eat.
You drink about 40 ounces of formula a day. Thank goodness it's starting to decrease a bit.
You are wearing size 12-18 month clothing.
You started crawling a 7 1/2 months.
You had your first Thanksgiving and loved it(lots of real mashed potatoes and sweet potatoes).
You celebrated Daddy's birthday.
You helped decorate the Christmas tree(and have left it alone so far).
You had your picture taken with Santa.
You still sleep from 7-8 until 7-8 in the morning. You are such a great sleeper.
You take 2- two hour naps.
You don't want us to hold you to sleep anymore. You use to enjoy us holding you while you drifted off to dreamland. Now you want us to lay you in your bed. You always fall right to sleep.

Chase you are our special little boy and we are so thankful for you.

At the beginning of the first video it looks like he is reving up to go.

Merry Country Christmas

2009-12-18T02:34:00.001-05:00

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Home Work Assignment.

2009-12-17T02:31:00.000-05:00

Bryson had to name 10 items and then count how many we had and give the plural amount. He wanted to count all my wine bottles.....um.... No Bryson you may not! "Why Mom?"

His teacher might think awful things....He decided to count Presents instead.

Merry Classic Christmas

2009-12-16T02:30:00.000-05:00

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Japanese Parks...

2009-12-15T01:43:00.004-05:00

are nothing like in the states. They have these huge roller slides that if you don't bring a piece of cardboard to ride on your butts going to burn.

There are also, what I call drop slides. You hang on to a bar with your body dangling and let go. You drop until the slide curves and you meet back up with it.

These parks are so much fun and they are all over the island. If these parks where in the states they would be a law suit waiting to happen.

31

2009-12-06T23:35:00.003-05:00

Last year he was gone but this year he was here...and we are so thankful!
I hope it was a memorable one.

First tooth

2009-12-05T23:40:00.000-05:00

Today you got your first tooth. You are such a trooper, it hasn't phased you a bit.

Happy Thanksgiving

2009-11-26T23:31:00.003-05:00

We had a wonderful Thanksgiving this year. We spent the afternoon with our friends the Salas' and then in the evening we went over to our neighbors house the Slattery's.

Our Thanksgiving food was fabulous. Leann made a turkey, ham, mashed potatoes, fruit salad, stuffing, a few casseroles, apple, cherry and pumpkin pie. Her mom is in town and made all the pies, and helped prepare so much. I made the fried turkey, rolls, sweet potatoes, bourbon carrots and rum cake. Leann had her neighbors and another couple over and they brought all the appetizers. We had so much food, and it all was so delicious.

The kids all played outside until it was time to eat. Bryson and Carter love to spend time with Anthony, and I love to spend time with Allissa. Its fun to have a girl around.

I am really thankful that my family is all together this year. We really missed Joe last year.

Special Olympics

2009-11-22T21:05:00.000-05:00

The special olympics were held here and we decided to go and cheer them on. During the races they had some japanese drummers preform. We had a great time watching them.

Mura Park

2009-11-21T21:16:00.000-05:00

A friend of mine asked me to take some family photos of her and her family and we decided to scout out a park here in Okinawa for the perfect picture spot.

We ended up choosing another location but here are a few picture I took while walking around. I would like to bring my family back for some photos here. It was a lovely place.

7 Months

2009-11-20T18:35:00.005-05:00

Chase your dad and I are holding you back. You want to crawl so bad but every time you lay on your belly we pick you up and sit you back down on your butt. Or I will yell at Bryson and Carter to pick you up. I will admit it....I don't want you to crawl. Once you start crawling its over, you will be a mover and into everything. You won't be out little bitty baby, you will be on your way to a toddler.

Because we are always picking you up you have found other ways to move around the living room. You hop on your butt! Its the cutest thing to see, and it works. We will set you in the middle of the living room then you hop on your butt all the way to the coffee table and then pull yourself up. There really is no stopping you, you are one little determined child to get where you want to go.

This month you also said your first word. Mama. This was a shock to me as Bryson's first word was ball and Joe remembers Carter's first word as being Dada but I will have to double check that.

You love all your fruits, sweet potatoes and mashed potatoes. I think you have eaten your weight in sweet potatoes.

You weigh 20lbs.

You love to talk now, you babble at the boys and they just laugh.

You still love to be held and you get mad when nobody pays attention to you.

You were left for the first time while the rest of the family went to a movie without you. We went to see A Christmas Carol. You stayed with our neighbors Andrea and Chris. They love to watch you.

Chase you are one special little boy and we are so thankful for you.

Okinawa Zoo

2009-11-15T21:03:00.008-05:00

We decided to go to the Zoo for Veteran's Day. Bryson had already went on a filed trip with his class but the rest of us had never gone. It was a nice day and not to hot. It was a nice zoo, I was rather surprised. Of course there were a few animals I felt really bad for with being in such a small cage but they all seemed to be pretty happy.

The elephants there even put on a show for us. They bowed, shook their heads, played a harmonica, made a basket with a basketball, and the boys were even able to feed them.

It was funny to see pigs and horses here in the zoo. Though its not like the states where you see horses down a country road.

Counting to ten....in Japanese.

2009-11-11T22:17:00.007-05:00

Carter has learned so much in his pre-k. You can click on here and watch him do flash cards when he was just 2. He really does love his numbers.