The year in review.....

It may take me a while to write this one...I feel like this year was at least a decade long!
While it was a long and painful year, one full of emotional ups and downs I can say that I am truly grateful that I had God walking along side me through it...I even suspect that He carried me through a great deal of it.

The year started with my hysterectomy....which believe it or not was not one of the down times...it was a blessing and I am thankful to be free of all that came with having that stubborn uterus of mine! My surgery and recovery went well...despite the two biopsies they had to do afterwards just to be sure.

Just 14 days after my surgery my husband left for a six month deployment...what we were thinking? Well, in the beginning I was trying to wait until he came back to have the surgery....but two months of agony cured me of that thought process...which meant I had a choice to make wait and suffer for 6-7 months and risk the possibility of more biopsies and waiting....just so he could be home for my full recovery....OR have it right before he left, recover with the help of the kids (oxymoron if there ever was one)...but be pain free, So we decided to go for it before he left. That meant the poor guy went 6 months and 2 weeks without any due benevolence......ahh the life of a sailor!

Next came the opening of the preschool. We had worked long and hard for that moment and it was such a blessing and relief to see it come to pass. However, what we did not anticipate was the complications of bringing two people together from two different backgrounds which brought two different meanings to the foundational building blocks of a business. It was a struggle and I shed a lot of tears. I carried so much inside that it started to affect my health and well being.

I truly believe that when my partner made the statement..."If you need to get paid, you need to find another job," my subconscious was relieved. I had been working 12-13 hour days, keeping in things I should have been saying to keep the peace,and was definitely in a state of depression.

At that point I just saw a way out of the oppression....and I prayed and asked God what He wanted me to do and when He answered in His word....Depart from this place Depart from this place...I made a hasty departure. I cut it all off....in hindsight it probably wasn't the best way to leave....but I working with God to fix it:)

Less than 24 hours after being told to find a new job...I had an interview...and then less than 24 working hours later I had I job that today I can say I love and that I am so thankful for.

Days after receiving the new job my husband came home from pac...this was the hardest pac of his entire career for us...it was a miracle that we made it out in one piece. Separation is really hard on a marriage...add inconsistent email communication and there is a huge area where misunderstandings and misconceptions can come in. He had no way of knowing the pressure I was under at the preschool and in our fiances because of the preschool and there was no way I was going to put all of that in an email that the whole seventh fleet may get a chance to read.....so I blogged which made him feel like I was communicating with others rather than him....but the things I needed to tell him I couldn't tell him through email.....so I let steam off here with you my friends.

But he did come home and I am thankful for the healing God has brought. I am also thankful for the healing that has been going on in his relationship with Britt. They are two of a kind and tend to bump heads...he just wants what's best for her and doesn't trust boys her age...he still remembers what it was like....and she wants to be seen as a young woman, an adult and he isn't ready for her to be one....due mostly to the fact that he has missed most of her growing up .

Next, came my families visit...it was wonderful...it really was. Yes, we had one big blow out....but hey we don't see each other that often and I think one every once in a while is a good thing...I just pray that we can all find healing and love in the aftermath(bro and sis's......I will be heading over to our blog to address this...so stay tuned:) But it was a great trip, whose idea was born out of love. About 5 or 6 years ago my mother fell down the stairs and was unconscious in ICU for over 30 days. During a family visit(which was actually suppose to be my sisters wedding day...which THANK GOD it was not:)) we started to talk about my parents 40th wedding anniversary and how we wanted to do something special for them. The first idea was a wedding reception...but we changed that idea because none of us live in NY...so we had a family trip to Hawaii.

It was great and it went very well...thanks to my brothers planning and desire to make sure we all had a great time:) But then it came time for them to leave. I will tell you internets I have cried every day since they left...I miss my family:) It has even had me looking a houses in New Hampshire:( AND made my heart jump when Rick came home with the list of possible orders in hand...one of them for an ANAV on a boat in the NH shipyard...yeah like I could sell my house in this market!

I feel like this year was not such a good year for me in regards to my relationship with Christ...I feel like I stumbled and fell in so many ways....I let circumstances and fear speak louder than His love and Word. I think that is my biggest regret for this year...because He is the only thing that kept me sane this year and I repaid Him by allowing others to crowd our relationship....I am working on forgiving myself.

God blessed us greatly this year to see so many milestones....Josh, Andrew, and Netta graduated from Jr High, OJ and Darius from high school. Josh and Andrew went out for and made the jv football team...then stuck with all the long grueling practices...I am so PROUD of them. Britt went out for and made the Varsity cheer leading squad...she so something and she went after it. Jay and Khat had their baby girl. Shalei and Mike got married, Chantel and Charles got married and pregnant...in that order:) My parents celebrated their 40th wedding anniversary. So very many blessings...I am thankful!

The next year brings so many changes...Britt will graduate, turn 18, and go off to college...all within a 3 month time frame. I will finish my BA and start my masters. Rick will ride a boat as his own for the last time (or so we think....you never can tell), and Becca will start high school...and these are just the changes that I know of:)

My Layout....

Ok, so my brothers and sisters and I have a family blog that allows me to change the background and layout....and it is with blogger also....but mine won't let me change it.

The generic ones offered really don't suit my personality...lol Does anyone have any advice on how to change the layout to one not offered by blogger?

Facebook.....

So I have been a member of several Internet boards for military wives, submarine wives, and christian women for several years now and have been blogging for about a year. My husband never understood what it was all about and just never understood it...UNTIL

Until his graduating class had their 20th reunion...yes he is old... he will be 39 in less than a month which brings him closer to 40 than I am:) After the reunion invites to facebook were flying and he begrudgingly joined....now he is on there daily...he even let our youngest daughter get one...wow.

So he is getting to know people he hasn't seen in over 20 years....and now I think he gets it:)

Why is it????

Ok my friends I am slightly irritated about several things today....but I will release some steam here about the most mundane item on my list right now...because the others would just be airing dirty laundry!

Why is it that people with monster trucks feel it is necessary to come to almost a complete stop when going over speed bumps?!?! You must be thinking really Jill this has gotten you irritated?

Let me explain ......our community has about a billion kids running around every day....so from the main street to my house there are 6 speed bumps.....where I park at work has speed bumps every 25 yards or so.....for 6 floors...so as I have to follow all these big truck driving people as they go painfully slow over the speed bumps...I have a lot of time to think!

They are TRUCKS people....big v-8 having engine trucks...they are built for a little bump in the road here and there...there is no need to come to a complete stop and then ease over them. Put your foot on the gas and go!

I can say this because I drive an Armada....which is fitting seeing how my husband is in the Navy....let me know if you got that one!?! It is a monsterous v8 engine having affair...I ride over curbs sometimes just so the poor thing can see some real action. So I just glide over the bumps...I don't rush at them like I am in a cross country race...I just approach them and glide. Let's say it together...GLIDE For Pete's sake I go over them faster in Rick's car and its a low to the ground sports car...GLIDE I say GLIDE!!!!

I spend more time waiting at traffic lights in Ewa (they have been times...all of them on Fort Weaver Rd are 4 minutes each people....4minutes) and waiting for lolo's to meander over speed bumps than I do blogging these days!

Only in Hawaii....

You see we live on an island that has to depend on it's own resources to exist.....

Twenty billion Christmas lights Wasteful
Twenty million air conditioners running Comfortable
Family and friends at the house Joyful

NO ELECTRICITY ON THE WHOLE ISLAND PRICELESS

Yes, internets....the entire island was without electricity for 9 hours last night...some still don't have electricity.

Thankfully, I had gotten up from the table to make dinner when the notion came to me...because I had just taken our turkey pot pies out of the oven...so we had dinner. Sheila and I were sitting at the table working on center pieces for the teen social tonight when the lights went out...so that ended the process right there.

We all ate dinner and chilled for a while. Then we ended up with all five teens who spent the night playing cards by candle night...while we went to bed.

I thought about taking pictures....but I couldn't find the camera in the dark....and ummm it was dark. I mean REALLLLLYYYYY dark......imagine the whole island with no power.

Tweezers....

Apparently, my tweezers and hair spray are also fair game like my socks and panties. At this point my eye brows are threatening to take over my face....but I refuse to buy yet another pair of tweezers. I am going to have to rig some kind of system to attach them to my counter in the bathroom....

I hate barf....

So I am crazy busy working through lunch today and my cell phone rings....yes it is the YMCA day camp calling me...Zach has a stomach ache. So I wrap as much stuff up as I can and throw it in the car and head off to pick him up. Just as I get there he runs to the bathroom and as he is sitting there he is throwing up.......

Once we got home he set up camp on the couch to watch tv in the living room...something he knows he can only do because he is sick. At this point lets just say that my washing machine and clorox are very busy today:( Rick and I have managed to juggle our schedules so that we can stay home with him tomorrow.

Other than that the other kids are wrapping up their last day of school and getting ready for their Christmas break. Tonight Britt is going to the ballet with the cheerleaders and Josh and Becca will probably veg out.

Rick goes on leave tomorrow and standown begins. Me...tonight I have to teach a class and tomorrow I have a presentation at one of the high schools.

My thoughts of the day...on the economy!

So yesterday we got our copy of Military Money magazine in the mail and almost every article talked about the current state of the economy and what we should be doing to make sure we are safe. One of the articles that really caught my eye was titled “The Best Thing You Can Give Your Family For Christmas is Financial Security.” I was unable to read the article because of motherhood duties, but it got me thinking.

At every turn we hear about how the economy is failing and how we all need to do what we can to secure our finances and keep our heads above water. The news is telling us of bailouts, bankruptcies, and the dismal retail numbers. HOWEVER every commercial within the news cast is prompting you to buy the most expensive, flashy items you can find AND if you don’t you really don’t want what is best for your family.

I have never been a fan of advertising certain products….take for instance all the toys and products that are advertised during children’s shows…making children think they need that toy to be cool or have their lives complete. Or the commercials that make teenagers think that every teen has a top of the model phone…yeah right! My absolute number one on the low down dirty list of tricks advertising trickery is (*drum roll please…..) the candy in the check out aisle of the grocery store!!!!!! Come on by the time I get to the check out my nerves have had it (well my kids are older now so it’s not so bad….but I remember the pain and the agony of days gone by)

So here’s my message to all those toy, cell phone, jewelry, car, video game, music apparatus companies…..

How about if you all tone down the advertising onslaught that you usually engage in at Christmas time and join the rest of the country in attempting get the economy under control. I understand you need to make your money and you think your annoying commercials are going to brainwash me into running out and spending thousands of dollars I don’t have which will of course push me further in the hole and increase your profit.

AHA! This is the way it suppose to work. I am suppose to spend $40k on a SUV, make my monthly payments, pay my insurance, pay for gas, and repairs, and still bail you out? Does anyone else see the problem with this plan? I still have to pay my bills….failing companies so should you…hellllllooooo when people stop making their payments for their vehicles to you….do you offer to bail them out? Do you offer them assistance? No you make nasty phone calls to them…..well guess what? I think someone should make nasty phone calls to you! I say America should give them some of their own medicine.

Anyway back to this Christmas present thing. I think that EVEYONE is exercising caution this year, because it’s the wise thing to do. I think that the companies that make all of the items that are shoved in our faces night after night on the boob tube should join America in trying to cut back in all the unnecessary spending and be quiet!!!

And let me add here...Christmas is not supposed to be and was never meant to be about presents. It is about the birth of Christ the Saviour. I think those that choose to cut back on their spending this year and give the gift of time to their families will be like the man in the Bible whose master left him with the money and he invested it and it gave a profit. AND those who chose to buy into the commercialism of Christmas and those bloody advertisers will be like the man whose master gave him money and he hid it....making no profit.

Update.......

I am very glad I decided to take my truck instead of Rick's car to work today...because riding in the Armada was very appropriate today! As I pulled up to the parking garage at work I had to drive through water that was half way up the door of the truck....that water would have swallowed the jag. The roads were all flooded with some mud slides and sinkhole to. It was pure craziness.

When I got to work it was raining through the ceiling in the office next mine....yes through the ceiling....so we moved everything out of the office into the hallway.

The good news is that it only took me 40 minutes to get from my desk to my front door....that's incredible in Hawaii. The bad news is that it is suppose to pour all night again. I am going to work super early so I can beat the traffic tomorrow morning.

Tonight is a duty night so it is left overs and Grey's Anatomy:)

Weather....

This is the view from the drivers seat of my truck at 7:20 this morning...yes morning! It took me 2 hours to get to work and they are closing schools left and right. I have a house full.... I told Britt her and Zach could stay home. The preschool closed so now Shalei, Meghan, Amaris, and Tristin are headed there! I am work:( I'll keep you posted!

Where are all my socks....

Ok, I do laundry 2-3 times a week, so can somebody tell me why there is NEVER NEVER EVER any clean socks in my sock drawer? I buy new socks at least every other month....huge packs of socks from COSTCO...so I should never run out.

BUT every time I go in my sock drawer for socks there are NONE. I know where they are....hiding under beds, in gym bags, lying of the floor of teenagers...I even saw one under one of their pillows recently. How can you just take my sock and wear them like they are your own.....it's not like I don't buy you socks of your own.....but you never have any clean because you don't care to do your laundry. AND please please stop taking my underwear......

Don't worry I do not want the socks of the underwear back. I have issues with socks....they have to be white. Don't try to give me back the ones you wore all thought the streets of the neighborhood.....or the ones that look like you walked on hot molten lava with. Keep the nasty socks....you underwear/sock stealing keiki's.

Maybe I will buy some nice new socks and write "these are my mommies socks and I am wearing them because I am too lazy to do my own laundry...oh! and I might have her underwear on too" all over them in neon pink!!!!

What's Really Up....

Ok this is what is really up with me....my teenager is going off to college very soon...too soon for me. My baby just turned 10....no more baby:( And Saturday I got a phone call from my brother (in the middle of my Christmas party). He told me that my mom had pnemonia and my dad seemed really upset about it. When my parents called to wish Zach a happy birthday yesterday we were at church so I didn't have time to talk to them about it. So I called my dad back to day and asked what was up.

The very important detail that was left out Saturday came to light today. Apparently, when they did the xrays for the pneumonia they told my mom that she needed to get to the oncologist as soon as possible. Now to be honest that they said this is not a shock....but it is painful. My mother is a breast cancer survivor so for cancer to be mentioned is not a road that we have been down before. What makes it painful is that in spite of the fact that my mother beat cancer she continued to smoke like a chimney.

I really don't even have any words to say right now. I normally would ask for prayer from those who surround me and have been placed by God in my life to be part of my prayer circle, but I can't even bring myself to say it to them. I have talked to several of them today, so its not like I haven't had a chance...I just can't say it...so I am writing it.

So I am emotional case right now. Add to it something that is being changed and rearranged in me by God and I basically cry at the drop of a hat.

Catching up....

Why do I always feel like I am playing a game of catch up?

What's going on around here? Well let's see the week of Thanksgiving I had some icky ucky stomach thing. I was out of work for two days and thankfully I was able to eat a little of Auntie Carolyn's yummy Thanksgiving dinner.....but then I crashed on the couch. Once i woke up we played a competitive game of Phase 10..always competitive. Then we crashed on the couch again and ate some dessert!

The next day we went to the football playoffs...at which our team got slaughtered....it was really sad:( My daughter is now done with football cheering and we now move on to basketball.

Last week was crazy hectic with work, the chiropractor, and Rick's Christmas party. Work is good and I am enjoying what I do. The chiropractor is pretty cool...all that bone popping seems to be helping. Now Rick's Christmas party....was the lamest Christmas party I have been too in his entire Navy career.....that's 20 Christmas parties. The food was horrid, the entertainment was dismal and the prizes were pathetic. I was made I missed a hot bath and Grey's Anatomy for that one.

We are looking for orders. Right now the idea of 30 years sounds just peachy to me. You see by that time all my kids will be out of the house and I will not need to make enough to feed a small army. Additionally, my husband who is really a kid at heart is going to need all of my attention when he makes that transition from being active duty to civilian. So the orders they are proposing will take us out to thirty years....because if he takes these orders he will not have time to finish his degree. This means one more sea tour and a shore to finish the degree.

I love my husband, he truly is my best friend but I know in my heart of hearts this is going to be a rough transition for him......so if it means he has to do 30 so when he gets out I will be able to give him 110% of my attention instead of splitting it between him and three teenagers....I'm ok with that.

This past Saturday was the Hawaii ROTC ball. As mentioned earlier this is the only time my tow older ones will ever attend a formal event together. It was nice and we even got pictures....

This is Joshua, Brittany (mine), Alycea, and Andrew (Ms. Fran's) all dressed up and ready to go.... There was much drama and posing in order to get this picture. From what we were told a good time was had by all.

The picture was actually taken in the middle of the Chidlren's Ministry Christmas party....so they had an audience! The party was nice...a little low key for us because we are all exhausted!

After the party we went to OJ's basketball game. His school was in from the mainland to play HPU. Have to say it was a pretty good game!

Sunday was Zman's birthday. He rose his new bike and I think today he ate all of the remaining cake....after he had cupcakes at school and at church yesterday....wow!

My husband

My husband. I have a good husband who I am thankful for and makes my life most blessed. For example because I was so sick Wednesday after I picked him up from work he declared that he was taking all the kids to church so I could rest is peace....which was great because he had duty the night before and it was much less than peaceful in our home. So off they all went and I settled in to some good sleep:)

He supported me through me getting my degree, doing homework with the kids, and making dinner and handling the nightly business so I could go to class. He supported me 100% in opening the preschool and was probably madder than me when I had to walk away. Now he supports me in my new job.

In a conversation he had the other day with someone he said this and totally blew me away.....You know that Jill is one of the best leaders we have at our church. You and I know it....but others don't because she stays down the street and runs Children's Ministry...which is the best running ministry at our church. This means a lot to me for two reasons....1 My husband is one of the best leaders I know. His military training combined with the leadership skills he has obtained in the ministry make him stand out above the rest. So for him to compliment me in that way means a lot. 2. The conversation they were having was about my lack of confidence in myself...so that statement blew me away:)

So, while he may be a bit seniorchiefly and slightly off.....he is an awesome man and I am blessed to have him:)

Happy Thanksgiving

Graphics & Myspace layouts

The Kids

So my youngest two just figured out that their sister is really leaving for college and this is the end of family life as we know it.

Zach has been glued to Britt, and Britt has been attaching himself to her a little more also. He has to to hug her every time he walks past her and there have been less arguments in the morning when she gets him off to school. They hug and kiss each other good bye and good night.

I have heard the girls giggling more and yelling less....of course the bathroom and whose mess is whose will always be an issue.... Becca has refused to move into Britts room once she leaves....but I hate to tell her...she's going to have to because it has pink carpet and there is no way the boys will move in there!

Britt announced Friday that there was just 28 weeks exactly until she graduates...becca started crying...so did I:)

More blessings....

Day 3 My husband
Day 4 My job
Day 5 Rainy days
Day 6 I am almost done....with my BS two classes Lord!
Day7 The world wide web.....

I will be posting about these this week...stay tuned!

Catching up.....

Ok, things have been crazy around here....would you expect anything else? Rick came home Friday, the kids had a Try Wait seminar Saturday, and a UH football game Saturday night. Yesterday was church and a good long nap in the afternoon, followed by homework and dinner.

So.....Day 1 Ms Fran

You see I believe that Ms Fran is one of those friends ordained by God to be in my life. We have been carpool parents, co-workers, co-workers in the ministry, and the mother of not one but three sets of very good friends. I have taught her children and she has taught mine. We have sat in the audiences of school productions together, woman's ministry messages, in the front row orchestrating the children's ministry productions, in the stands of others high school graduation, and in a very short six months we will sit together as our daughters, who are best friends graduate from high school no doubt sharing a box of tissues.

Our friendship is one of balance and divine revelation. Our ministry as a team benefits from this friendship and is stronger because of it. While she is calm and quiet....lets just say I am not. I have seen her get a little more boisterous over the years....even (mock sigh of horror) wear jeans to church, and I have seen myself become a little more quiet in certain areas (come on I said certain areas) I have seen God take our strengths and weaknesses and blend them together to make us both stronger.

Football games are the perfect example of this. I understand football, so I explain it to her, and she possesses enough team spirit for both of us...I really think she is a (shutter) a closet cheerleader.

Last Tuesday I was driving to work thinking about the next couple of weeks and all that needs to be done. Our four oldest will all be going to a ROTC ball the same day we are having a Children's Ministry Holiday Fellowship. When I realized that they would be going...all four them I began to cry. This will be the only time that Britt and Josh will ever go to a formal dance at the same time...they go to different high schools...so this is rare. Then I thought about pictures and the memories they will all share on this night and began to cry.

I naturally called Fran because the way God has spaced our children puts the older three for me and all of hers all at the same stages of life at the same time. I knew calling Fran would put me in touch with the only person who really understands what it meant to me.

So I am thankful and blessed to have Fran in my life...a true friend who will correct me. love me. laugh with me, and over the next few years stand by my side as our children go through the milestones in their lives.

I AM Blessed.....

I know I said I would share something everyday from now until Thanksgiving about why I am blessed.....but life is crazy....so here is the list so far and I will go into greater detail later(I just don't want you guys to think I forgot)

Day 1 Tuesday: Fran
Day 2: More changes in the relationships of my children:)

Gotta run...stay tuned!

I am blessed...

Although next week is Thanksgiving...my thankful attitude has nothing to do with the holiday. It has to do with the fact that I am very blessed woman:) I have really been thinking about how blessed I am.

Even though I lost a dream this year, which almost ruined us financially and my emotional and spiritual healing is still in progress... I am very blessed. God gave me another job the minute I asked for it...which pays more, allows for more advancement, and they have also given me a part time trainers position that pays more in a three hour class than in a regular day. I am blessed:0)

My kids argue fuss and fight and generally take me to places mentally that I would rather not go...but they are good kids...they don't take drugs or drink, they are not sneaking out of the house, they are not having sex (Lord please please keep their minds focused on you). Instead they play football, cheer, dance for the youth group, are on the youth council, work in the ministry, and for the most part are good kids.....I am blessed:)

So everyday from now to Thanksgiving I will blog about one thing that makes me feel blessed!

The Fam

The Preschool....

Ok I have finally come to the place where I can accept that it's not God's will for me to be at the preschool and that I did was I was suppose to do AND the place where I can let go of the anger and hurt of how it happened.

It would be really pointless to tell you all what happened because I have discovered something on this little journey.....each persons perception is their reality and no matter what anyone else says it will remain how they see things.

My ex-partner has her version and perception and I have mine. I am quite sure that neither of them are absolute and that the truth is somewhere in the middle.

Our perceptions of any given situation are determined by many things: our past experiences, our values, our morals, our priorities, our integrity, our education, our culture, our religious beliefs and maturity...the list goes on and on.....

No two people will have the same perception of any given event, there will always be slight differences. When you talk about offering something like quality education there is much room for each person to have differing opinions. Your experience, education, and understanding of education are going to shape how you see quality education and the things required to achieve it.
Managing and leading people is also going to differ...even if you are saying the same key words....it doesn't mean that you both have the same definition of those same words or that they mean the exact same things to each of you.

Also, things will mean different things depending on what position you hold...if you are the person who is responsible for making sure the quality education occurs then you will be looking for all the tools required to make that happen because that is your responsibility. If you are the person responsible for paying the bills you may not see the items needed to provide a quality education as important as you see paying the bills....because paying the bills is your responsibility.

For me it was a very valuable lesson on many levels. I learned so much setting up the preschool from scratch....I loved every minute of it. I also learned that with my personality and my views on how to get things done to a certain standard that I will never go into business with anyone but myself again, In my mind I know what I think is right and what is wrong, what is acceptable and what is unacceptable....again my perception. BUT I am stubborn and unwilling to compromise my stance on many things, which I am sure makes me a joy to work with:) So it is best that I not go into business with anyone....

So there it is....

I just decided what I want to be when I grow up....

I have say that I am a really great preschool teacher....I'm not being boastful...I just really love teaching children. However, having done it for 17 years I was beginning to lose my excitement and I was teaching out of habit rather than excitement. Then I moved on to Directing which I also enjoy.

My new job is with PATCH Hawaii. The major focus of my job is to recruit, mentor, and assist Family Child Care providers. But like most jobs in Early Childhood Education I wear many hats. Today I think I found the hat that fits the "bestest" My boss asked me if i was available to teach a class on Talking with Preschoolers tonight, to which I responded yes!

It was amazing to teach about something I am so passionate about. To take all the skills and experience I have gained in early childhood education and the classroom and teach them to those who will in turn take them and adapt them into their classrooms and daily schedules was a rush.

I absolutely LOVED it. I think I have my answer to whether I will go back to school for my Masters...yes yes yes So I can teach our future generations of preschool teachers at the college level!!!

I have somethings I want to share...

I really do have somethings I want to share...the good the bad and the ugly:)

*The preschool....ugly.....I have been putting it off because I wasn't ready to deal with it yet....but I see a glimmer of hope and the beginning of healing...so I will be able to share soon:)

*The good my husband came home from WEST PAC...it has been long enough that I won't feel like I am violating any rules and regs in sharing that:)

* More good....I really like my job and I am blessed and excited by the new opportunities it offers.

* Still more good......my families visit was great and you can learn more about it on our family blog:)

* Bad bad bad...Mellie really is leaving:(

* There is another good...the kids have realized Britt is leaving and have started to get along a smidge better...just a smidge:)

BUT I am super tired so I cannot write about these things tonight...or tomorrow night because I have to teach a class tomorrow night (one of the good things about my job:)) So hopefully this weekend I will have time to share :)

On Being A Navy Wife.....

Many people assume that the hard or difficult part of being a Navy wife is the constant separation, but in reality it is not. The enemy we all struggle with is named "Yes, No, and Maybe."

Yes we are leaving today so I need to be at work at 5:30am. Later that day...maybe I will be leaving today but I'm not sure, but if we aren't I will be here until late. An hour later "No, we are not leaving so come get me now."

Yes, I am up for orders, maybe we will get what we want, no I have no idea when we will hear anything.

Yes, I am up for promotion, no I don't know when we will hear anything...once you make it...maybe we will get paid for it before the cows come home.

Yes, I will be here for Thanksgiving go ahead and make those camping reservations. Two weeks later....no I won't be here cancel the camping reservations.....three days later...Maybe I will be here can you get those reservations back?

This is what Navy wives live with on s consistent basis. We have been attached to subs that have sat pier side so long, waiting to go out to sea for so long that the shipyard has begun calling them building ***(insert hull number). Everyday for a month I would drop him off with a goodbye only to return to pick him up later that day. When they finally left I was not ready for it and in a state of shock.

I can handle anything as long as I can come up with a plan. I can handle him being gone and the truck breaking and the kids having to be in four different places at once all while maintaining my sanity.....if I can plan ahead. However, this constant state yes I will be here, no I won't be here, maybe I won't be here is about to drive me mad. You would think after 20 years of it I might have gotten used to it.....sorry no I haven't.

I have learned to plan without him and to keep rolling....but when you add a please, maybe I might need you to pick me up into the above chaos the ball stops rolling in one direction and begins to have some sort of spasms.


So to the Navy...YES I was in my right mind when this all began, NO I am not liking this tour, and MAYBE I will still be sane when this tour is over.

I Think It Should Be Illegal.....

To require the spouse of an active duty member to work on Veterans Day:( Yes, my friends I am at work and will be here all day. the truth of the matter is that it didn't bother me before yesterday because Rick was suppose to be gone. Those of you who understand the submarine lifestyle know that "suppose to be gone" really means nothing. So I left the house this morning with my family all snuggled into the bed :( sigh

The Countdown is On....

Well......the battery in my SUV decided that blowing up and spewing battery acid every where was a fine thing to do on a Monday evening....so that's what it did last week. Rick and I were too busy to deal with replacing the battery so we just carpooled last week. So Saturday morning we went to take the battery in to replace it and we discovered that it was under warranty, so we called the dealer and they told us we couldn't just bring the battery in we had to bring the whole vehicle in. So the tow truck showed up and off she went.......which is where she still is. This means all 6 of us have been getting around in Rick's Jag....and let me tell you it is a very tight fit.

I said all that to say this......

Yesterday we went to Uncle Mike and Carolyn's for a cook out....which means that all of us rode together out to Waianae in close comfort. I made the comment that we will only be living together as a family for a couple more months and then after that we will never live together as we are now. My youngest two gave me a bewildered look and asked what I meant. My response was that Britt is going off to college next year and after that she will probably never live at home again. Apparently, in all the college talk and arguing over who was going to get which room it never occured to my two youngest that their sister was going to move on to the next phase of her life....without them.

This is when the tears began....Becca just sat there and outright bawled and Zach put a blanket over his head to disguise his tears. Me....I have been crying for months. A song that they play at al lthe graduations came on the radio the other day and I started tearing up...Rick finds it highly amusing, but we will see who is crying next summer. I suspect that he will have his share of tears also.

She has started to put her college applications is and is scouting out scholarships...she is excited about moving on and I am excited for her....but I am really going to miss her:(

MONDAY MONDAY......

Oh how you drag on......I suppose it may have something to do with the doctor who suggested that I take muscle relaxers three times a week as opposed to him doing his job and adjusting my hip bones. Seriously, if you can't do it please refer me to a doctor that is not scared.....

Family Visit

For those of you who are anxiously awaiting the blogs on my families visit you can go check out our family blog at http://thekriegerfamilylegacy.blogspot.com/ I will be posting the vacation blogs there:)

Quick Update

It's a couple of hours before my family leaves.....we took over 2000 pictures and had tons of fun. I have many adventures to blog about...I'll be busy this weekend blogging...and oh yeah writing that 8 page term paper on Computer Piracy I have been blowing off!

The Eve of the Eve of the Arrival....

Ok so my entire family will be here in less than 48 hours....for two weeks....this is the most time that we will have spent together since I got married 19 years ago....and there are several new additions to consider....like two son in laws, one daughter in law, and one boyfriend we have nicknamed the meat man (long story:)), and seven grandchildren.

We have grown and changed and most of us are grown ups:) I really am looking forward to it...with a little tiny bit of anxiety. After all we have grown and changed and we are all at different points in our lives. My youngest sister is single and dating the meat man, my middle two siblings are married and have children who have not yet begun school yet, and I have four.....one of which is getting ready to graduate from high school. My parents have raised us (did a pretty good job if I do say so) and have moved on to enjoy peace and quiet in their home once again.They say they miss their grandchildren....but we have all heard the phrase absence makes the heart grow fonder....wonder if it applies in this case?

Rick washed and waxed both vehicles in anticipation of their arrival.....and of course there was a torrential down pour on the way to work today so they are both a little dirty:) Griswold luck at its finest....

That's another point...individually we all possess the "griswold factor" it was handed down to us by Crazy Jim (my dad's nickname). So can you imagine the proportions of Griswoldness we will have to endure as we all inhabit the same small Pacific Island? It's frightening I tell ya!

My house is freshly painted....such lovely colors...thanks to my wonderful husband. The kids rooms may get clean before their grandparents get here....or at least they may manage to stuff things away to make them look clean.....it's ok, we are staying at the Barbers Point Beach cottages for two weeks so my parents will only do a small tour of the house....and hopefully will not open any doors:)

I am suppose to be cleaning now....but there is no one home and I just want to sit and enjoy the peace and quiet for a while. My friends so much has happened since August I don't even think there is any way I could catch you up.....even if I understood what transpired myself.

Well I am off to do my chores.....

I Think I Might Enjoy this....

As you all know I was not looking forward to the whole cheerleading deal.....but I have to say its not as bad as I thought it would be...

Here is a picture of Becca and I before Britt's game... see the tiger prints on her cheek...so much school spirit...to bad she goes to another school!

Here is Britt and her mini me Netta.

I would love to show you all some pictures of Josh in his uniform but he is not as interested in posing as Britt is. My whole family will be here next week, maybe he will let me take a picture then.

Going to the games is now a family event. We take dinner our chairs and prepare to stay for the long haul. I figure I mine as well enjoy it...I have to do it for another 7 years.....

My apologies....

To my readers...I have truly been MIA for quite some time now....

My husband returned from deployment, the kids are in school full swing, and I have left my preschool and started a new job. Things have been absolutely crazy and we have been going through numerous transitions as a family all at the same time. It has pretty much taken all my focus and energy to navigate through these changes....so my apologies to all who have come to visit and found the same stale posts staring you in the face.

Let's start with the return of Dad...as I type this Zman is declaring that it just sucks that his Dad just came home and now they are making him have duty...yeah I pretty much agree with that one Zman:) The return was nice and I will post the pictures in the next couple of days.

I missed you all and promise to be more active in sharing my wonderful life with you:)

Mom Madness.....

I was going to wait until my laptop wanted to cooperate to blog, but I need to share my adventures with other moms:)

Britt hurt her back last week at cheer leading....it is a vicious sport. Back when I was in high school the greatest danger a cheerleader faced was getting beaned in the head with food from the stands...and no I have no idea who threw that:)

These days they have trainers and everything. I am very proud of my cheerliscious daughter. She has worked really hard all of her academic career to keep those grades up and is currently carrying a 4.3 GPA ...with six AP classes which will give her 18 college credits before she even graduates from high school. Now, she is dedicated and committed to cheer leading. She makes every practice and is excited.

So she hurt her back and the pain got increasingly worse over that last couple of days to the point where she was in extreme pain, crying on Wednesday morning. Now this is the child whose nose was broken for almost 48 hours before she cried. SO when she cries from pain its time to head for the hill...otherwise known as Tripler.

My dilemma came in when I had to decide whether or not to pick Zach up from school. I could have left him at A plus, but in doing that I ran the risk of him and Becca being home alone together for longer than wise for them....which is anything over 45 minutes. So I edged on caution and picked Zach up.

So we head over to the hill, only to drive around for 30 minutes looking for a parking spot. No worries there though...I have learned to arrive with enough time for a prime parking spot. Not that I am against using the parking garage. But there have been several times I have attempted to use it, only to drive all the way up to the top and all the way back down...finding no parking spot! When I had my biopsy DH gave up and parked in a handicap spot...thankfully there was no ticket waiting for him. I also REFUSE to use the valet parking...why would I pay them $5 PLUS tip to have them park my truck in their poorly ran hospital without enough parking?

I spent the next 45 minutes listening to my children fight over what they would be watching on the waiting room tv...we were the only ones in there. Then the next 30 in the waiting room with Zach while Britt was being seen...with him asking, "Are they done yet?" UMMMMM do you see your sister?!?!?!? NO...then I guess they are not done yet!!!!!

OK..then we go back to see Doogie Howzer and Britt and he informs me that she may have fractured her spine....lovely! I can tell by the look on both of their faces they have spent at least the last 15 minutes arguing about what this will do for her cheer career. You see tomorrow is her first game and next week is the game that my house has been looking forward to since the schedule came out....my Josh's high school vs Britt's. She was very upset that she may miss that game...never mind have a spinal injury!

Down we go to Xray....another 20 minutes of Zach's nagging and her whining about the injustice of it all (I took a picture of her in her hospital gown...I will post it when my lap top behaves) Of course we have to make a stop at the pharmacy...muscle relaxers....and motrin

By now it is almost 6pm, so I swing by to pick Josh up from practice and head home. There is a strange quiet on the way home....the boys watched Happy Feet and Britt slept. Good thing because it took an hour to get home in the traffic. Dropped them off at home and then I headed to the store for toilet paper....why do they wait until we have NONE to tell me we are out?

Anyway Doogie Howzer called today and said that she has no bone damage...just severe muscle strain and may return to cheering next week....in time to make enough practices for her brothers game..........I will for sure take pictures of that game and all that it promises to bring.

I'm Back

Sorry...friends...life got crazy and I had to take a step back for a while:)

I have all the pictures of my last three starting school...wow I am the mom of a senior and a freshman. As crazy as they make me I have found myself in tears several times over the last couple of weeks. This is the last full year I will have my oldest living with me. It's exciting and sad at the same time. I am excited that she will be going on to embrace and discover what God has in store for her. I am sad that she will not be as close as down the hall as she is now....

My son NFLman I am very proud of. That boy rides the bus to school every day, stays at practice and then rides it home. He has stuck with this football thing longer than he has stuck with anything in his whole life. The first offical game is next Saturday. Then the following week they play his sisters high school. So for the JV game I will sit on his side, then I will move to the other side of the field to cheer for her.

The Curves thing is going great...I have lost 6 inches, 2% body fat, and 2 lbs of body fat. I like it...it's mindless. You go to each station and workout for thirty seconds then the lady tells you to move on...30 minutes I am in and out. It requires little to no thought on my part....I like it.

I will be back later....just wanted you all to know I have not fallen off the face of the earth:)

I Just Don't Understand.....

Why if I pay over $2000 in property taxes a year......do my children have to pay to ride the SCHOOL BUS???? Where I come from you don't pay to ride the school bus....it is covered by the school district ...who gets their money from the collected property taxes!!!!

Another thing I don't understand is why do we have to constantly be fund raising? When my kids went to a private school I understood the need to fund raise...all of the money coming into the school was from the parents, with no assistance from the state. But now that they are at a public school all they want the kids to do is fund raise.

What bothers me even more is the tricks they use to lure these kids into fundraising...it's almost as devious as the candy in the checkout aisle in the grocery store.....evil I tell you!

They hold an assembly to lure the children into fundraising with the promises of goods to be won...if they sell 1000 candy bars. What's even worse is that little Johny's parents take their candy everywhere they go to peddle the 1000 candy bars...when they could just buy them a Ipod shuffle for $50 at Walmart!

Then my child is having a conniption because I will not kill myself to sell a ridiculous amount of candy bars....appalled at the fact that I will not buy 5 Entertainment books at $25 a piece!

I just don't understand...........................

Venting.....

A couple of weeks ago I shared that I had joined Curves...the gym for women...and by the way it's working out great. Part of the membership is a subscription to their magazine. As as a reader I will read anything that sits still....

So one of the articles talked about daily stress and how to relieve it in a healthy way. One of the issues that came up was frustration and how to get rid of it in a positive way....their answer surprised me. They suggested that you take deep cleansing breaths and calm yourself down RATHER than venting.

We have been told to get our feelings out and it will make us feel better....and I have certainly done so lately. But after reading that article and thinking about it I began to think about how it tied in spiritually.....

This is what came up with.....

Proverbs 19:11 Good sense makes a man restrain his anger, and it is his glory to overlook a transgression or an offense.

I know that when I call someone and vent I am just stirring up the frustration and anger....not getting rid of it or ignoring it...just making it grow stronger and more potent....

So I am going to take the natural advice of taking deep breaths and calming myself down over just dumping in an unhealthy way. I am also going to take the spiritual advise and restrain my anger and frustration...and over look the offense.

Please don't get me wrong, I truly believe in talking to people and getting advice or counsel.....and if I need to I will AFTER I have calmed down, and overlooked the transgression or offense.

Sometimes I think we are quite simple.....sometimes we fail to look at our instruction book for life...instead we let others tell us how we should live...which of course just frustrates our spirits all the more...simple simple simple. All we have to do is read the Word to know what to do.....

Wedding Weekend!!!!

Ahhh...It's Monday again...but I had a busy weekend...the good, the bad, and the ugly......

I am going to start with the ugly and work my way to the good...so that you can walk away smiling...I just love you all like that!

OK the ugly would be my daughters bathroom and it was astugsting (one of my preschoolers ways of saying distgusting) I have been more than gracious concerning the cleaning of their bathroom and bedrooms....giving grace for the amount of time they spend working at the school for me and running around doing the things I need them to do for me....but my grace has expired. I refuse to pay this much money for a house.......when half of of it looks like the city dump...soooooo

I took the doors off of their bedrooms AND their bathroom. I cleaned the bathroom from top to bottom and it reaks of clorox...too bad...I needed that much bleach to kill whatever was living in there.

Diva 2 came in and didn't even say a word...she just got a plastic garbage bag and sat on her floor in tears cleaning....I do not feel bad. Diva 1 won't be home until tonight...and I told her that I was going to do it sooner than later.....the time has come!

They can have their doors back when they prove to me they can keep their rooms clean AND they keep the bathroom clean...to my standards WITHOUT arguing about whose turn it is to clean it. My hope is that they don't get it together until their dad comes home...because I don't want to lug those doors back up the stairs...

Now the bad....so Friday afternoon I am finishing up the work on my desk so I can leave for the day when my cell rings...it's Joshua telling me that they broke the window by my front door ...I hung up without saying a word and called Auntie Carolyn who was on her way to the house to take a look and give me the truth about the situation. So she and Grandpa next door fixed it and she attempted to get my kids out of there before I go there...she almost made it:) I had nothing to say...they broke it arguing and I could not trust myself to utter a word.

A couple of hours later two of my 5 husbands (my husband has left several of his friends with instructions to be my other husbands...) called to tell me they secured the window and the house to prevent a break in and that it would probably only cost around $80-$100 to fix the window rather than the $800-$900 I was imagining.

My middle two...the offenders in this case knew not to push my buttons yesterday...they did not talk or argue all day...I acted like I was still mad....I plan on allowing them to think that I am still on the edge and mad at them...it keeps them on their toes.

Now for the good....my adopted little sister Shalei got married Saturday. We spent the night at a hotel in Waikiki Friday night...and have found the perfect room for when DH returns from his travels....jacuzzi tub IN the room...perfect....

Anyway....Saturday morning I went to have my hair done...and I came out looking like June Cleaver...no lie...thank God for Monique who was able to fix the mess the salon girl made...we had to start over...from the beginning...I mean I had to rewash my hair start over.

Other than my do.....getting ready went off without a hitch...much thanks to the wedding planner who was more like a drill sargent...but she got the job done. We were ready early and we had to wait for the limo.

I wrote my wedding toast on the way to the country club....made myself cry:) But we arrived there early and had a few moments before we began...just enough time to relax....but not enough time to get nervous.

Shalei looked so beautiful and we had so much fun...now she is married and all grown up...until the next time she walks into my office pouting:)

Law of the Garbage Truck

This was sent to me via email and it was so good I thought I would share it with you all....

Garbage Truck Rule One day I hopped in a taxi and we took off for the airport. We were driving in the right lane when suddenly a black car jumped out of a parking space right in front of us. My taxi driver slammed on his breaks, skidded, and missed the other car by just inches! The driver of the other car whipped his head around and started yelling at us. My taxi driver just smiled and waved at the guy. And I mean, he was really friendly. So I asked, 'Why did you just do that? This guy almost ruined your car and sent us to the hospital!' This is when my taxi driver taught me what I now call, 'The Law of the Garbage Truck.' He explained that many people are like garbage trucks. They run around full of garbage, full of frustration, full of anger, and full of disappointment. As their garbage piles up, they need a place to dump it and sometimes they'll dump it on you. Don't take it personally. Just smile, wave, wish them well, and move on. Don't take their garbage and spread it to other people at work, at home, or on the streets. The bottom line is that successful people do not let garbage trucks take over their day. Life's too short to wake up in the morning with regrets, so... 'Love the people who treat you right. Pray for the ones who don't.' Life is ten percent what you make it and ninety percent how you take it!

Laundry Detergent

Did you ever have one of those weeks........

You see I go to some sort of store at least once a day...for work, home, or church. I went to the store specifically to get laundry detergent 4 times last week and all 4 times I forgot it. The other times I meant to get it....but those last 4 times that was the reason I went to the store....and I got side tracked each time. I mean I had other things on my list so it's not like I totally walked in and got side tracked by shiny things....I just got everything on the list BUT the laundry detergent.

Let me say that I do not have a physical list...but one in my head.

So anyway,Friday after I left Walmart and got about half a mile down the road I remembered I forgot laundry detergent. So, I called Mellie and asked her to please please please get me some when she went to the NEX. I told her anything small and cheap...just enough to get me started. I jokingly said that if she forgot to get it that it would be a sign that I was not suppose to do laundry ever again.

So....yup...you guessed it! Mellie forgot to get it at the NEX and ended up having to stop at Foodland and buy me some laundry detergent.

I am only 37...how could I keep forgetting laundry detergent? Maybe because I really don't want to do the laundry.............

Great Weekend!!!

Ahhh..it's Monday afternoon and I am debating falling asleep here at my desk...afterall...who would yell at me?


My weekend was pretty good......

Auntie Carolyn and I decided to hit the beach again this weekend....with two goals....to get some adult conversation in...after all we are married to two men from the same home town who we swear share the same brain.... AND to allow the kids to get out and spend time together while expending some of their energy.

Brett, Zach and Reese just hanging around!


The gang with their....feet in the sand!


Kelsey and Becca in the bunker.

Brett and Josh.....acting like Mike and Rick!

Here I have to take a detour...you see my Internet friends you have yet to hear any of our "Griswold" tales......Of course you remember Chevy Chase and his Griswold character.......Griswold Family Vacation, Christmas Vacation...all from our beloved 80's. Well, my family is under some kind of Griswold cloud...it has gotten to the point where if we think we should go right...we go left because whatever we think will lead us astray...especially on vacations and road trips. Uncle Mile and Auntie Carolyn dwell under their own cloud of griswoldness....so when you combine our clouds you double the Griswold damage.

OK...back to the beach....so we are out there soaking up the rays...the kids are off frolicking doing kid stuff...and all of the sudden this super dark cloud settles over our heads...and stay there for 4 hours. It never went away...and all around the cloud were bright blue skies....completely Griswold!

The Griswold Beach Cloud
Despite the cloud we had a great day...however, I have discovered that my son has discovered he has testosterone. He was all over those girls....not in a vulgar way or in way that suggests that he knows what he's doing....but in a bumbling...I am laughing so hard I may pee my pants way. The poor guy he was clueless. Here are these bikini clad girls who last week were simply his cousins...and now they are well....bikini clad babes that have caught his eye. Oh! MY!! his dad needs to get home quickly because I really have no clue what to say to the poor boy.....heaven help us!
Josh and Katie.....
The next thing I know Zach has migrated over to another group of bikini clad babes and has started to help them dig a hole. Zach has a finesse about his wooing.....

So I got a pretty good tan...despite the icky dark cloud and me hiding my head under the towel so I could laugh!!!!

Computer Woes.....

I have burned out the power supply thingy on my lap top yet a second time, so I am stuck using my desktop at work until the replacement comes in.

You must be thinking....so no big deal. Well, in the normal world it would be no big deal. But in my world it is a big deal. You see my man the Deac is always on the prowl for any virus or attachment which will destroy my computer.

Just before he left he sat down at my desk and found 450 pop ups up on the screen. The more he tried to close them the more they sprung up....he tried for an hour. Then he broke my computer down and scrubbed it clean. Erased everything and rebuilt it.

You must be thinking that I have a wonderful husband...while he is wonderful and fine to look at...his computer wizardary gets to me. You see he put something on my computer that does not allow certain links to be followed or pictures to be uploaded. This was to keep the kids from using all the sights that result in 450 pop-ups.

He did such a good job of hiding it and making sure it was surefire that he has no idea what he did or how to fix it. Uncle Obie spent 4 hours one Friday trying to fix it...to no avail.

So now I cannot post any pictures or finish all my blogs than are piling up....because I cannot load any pictures. For to believe my dad was bungee jumping you need to see it.....

However, (just a side note here) what everyone did not need to see was my dad in his speedo! Every year they have a Jacuzzi opening party in May. They eat lobster and sit in the Jacuzzi for the first time of the season. They live outside of Buffalo, NY and the Jacuzzi is outside on the deck...so they only use it in the spring and summer.

Well, my aunt crazy little thing that she is decided that she would buy my dad a speedo for the party...not thinking he would wear it...haha the joke was on her and it was not funny. Because she is now scarred for life she sent us all a picture of him modeling it to our emails. The Deac was in California a Command Career Counseling school at the time so I sent it to his email.

This is where his computer wizardary strikes again. He decided to take it and make it the screen saver for all the computers in the school house. So all those attending Navy classes that day got a view of my dad in his speedo.....I tell him now he is an international swimsuit model...icky!!!

As you can see I am at a loss without my lap top...I am rambling spilling my families secrets.

Rick Springfield Fan

Apparently, I offended a Rick Springfield fan in my mullet post because this is the comment I received from ANONYMOUS.

FYI, Rick Springfield still has a large fan base, just because you don't like his hair doesn't mean much.

I think anonymous is from Rochester, NY which would add credibility to my theory that, that particular area of NY is stuck in a time warp.

What anonymous does not realize is that my blog tracks visitors according to where they live....so I could be wrong....but I believe they are from NY.

Another thing anonymous does not realize is that I am the Queen of this Kingdom....That was the title of the first blog I ever wrote was and I only allow what I want to appear on my blog..... And don't think that it takes a lot of courage to leave a post with the name anonymous...do you?

But since the comment supports my theory I thought I would give it it's own special post...

My good friend who hates writing proposals for her job right now and is looking for any reason to avoid them looked Rick Springfield up on the net for me and found the following:

Just for reference, he is ranked 584, right under Rick Astley.

http://search.msn.com/xrank/results.aspx?q=Rick+Springfield&p1=%5bGenericXRankAnswer+EntityType%3d%22musician%22%5d&wf=XRankListEntity&FORM=H5RE


and....she had this to say....

The only really good thing I can say is that Rick’s mullet was at least better than the current scruff he’s sporting…
http://www.rickspringfield.com/

So to all of you who are Rick Springfield fans.......Don't You Wish You Had Jessie's Girl?

You Know Your an 80's Child....

Ok....my thirtysomethings.....join me. Just leave a message with your additions to....

You Know Your An 80's Child If......

1. You remember leg warmers and owned at least three different pairs..all different colors

2. Jelly bracelets ran up and down your arms....and they did not refer to anything sexual...they we just bracelets!

3. You remember jelly shoes

4. Duran Duran brings back memories

5. You may have still been a virgin when Madonna's hit song "Like a Virgin" first came out

6. You remember trying to tape songs off the radio on your "boom box"

7. You made, traded, and wore friendship pins.

8. You remember all the Back to the Futures...and thought Michael J Fox was cute

9. The bigger the hair the better....

10. You rolled your pant legs up at the bottom

12. You wore socks with your flats

13 You may have worn a sweatshirt/sweater off your shoulder like Flash Dance

14. You know what movie the line, "Nobody puts Baby in a corner" comes from.

15. You had a spiral perm

16 You know what a banana clip is

17.You know the words to songs by the the Hair Bands...Bon Jovi(they have to be first), Poison, White Snake...etc

18. You remember when MTV began

19. You remember Video Killed the Radio Star

20 AND of course the big hoopla over the Thriller video

Come on children of the 80's......give me some more!

The Hairstyle That Refuses to Die.....

While on vacation in NY my sister and I realized that western NY is stuck in a time warp. My parents live in the country....about 50 minutes outside of Buffalo, NY and it's like they are stuck. Everywhere we went people were dressed like it was the 80's...and not the part of the 80's that we peeking through some of today's fashion...straight up 80's.

It's the same when we visit my husbands hometown...they are all still wearing high top Reebok's and stone washed jeans. It's strange really...almost like stepping back in time. His hometown is about 40 minutes outside of Providence, RI. Now, most of the state of RI is still in the 80's.....big hair will never go out of style in RI.

But in both states there is one hair style that just refuses to die...it was a bad style when it was in...now its just down right creepy....the mullet. What were we thinking swooning over Rick Springfield (yes I went there) and his mullet?

The mullet was everywhere in NY....on hillbillies, on suburbanites....on city slickers.....it was an ever present reminder that Western NY is dying a slow and painful death. The steel mills are closed and the industrial companies have moved to greener pastures leaving behind buildings that represent what Buffalo seems to turning into....an empty shell.

BUT there are several things that will remain: the mullet, The Buffalo Bills, the Sabres, and of course buffalo wings.

My love for Buffalo wings and the Bills will never die....ahhh but the mullet...no love loss there!

Well I did it.....

You all must think I am a little off or have nothing to do....I am off and I have more than the average person to do. BUT I am currently without my hubby so I have to share with someone...why not the whole free world?

Anyway I did it....I joined Curves tonight and I actually feel pretty good about it. I am 37 and some day I will be 40....and I plan on feeling good about myself when I get there. I think the biopsies and the hysterectomy made me realize that I had better take care of my body so that I can live a long healthy life......Not only that I was promised a complete dry dock overhaul of my bod...if I reach a certain weight. I get to have anything I want tucked, lifted, sculpted, sucked or enhanced. I will need some enhancement...the girls will shrink if I loose weight...Rick doesn't believe me...but they will.

The worst part was the weigh in and the measuring...ugh to see it put on paper is not pretty.....

I am also modifying the way I eat....I am on a fruit and veggie fast of sorts.....does anyone think I can get away with calling peanut m&m's a veggie? Really, that has been my only stumbling block in the last two days...those darn peanut m&m's. I have been eating baked potatoes for dinner...they ARE a vegetable and mixed variety of fresh veggies for lunch, and a slimfast shake for breakfast. In between I munch on plums, cherries, strawberries, and of course bananas.

So now I have to stick to this exercise thing because I am paying for it...you know you really aren't committed to the base gym because it's free. So now that I am spending my m&m money on Curves I need to be there. The hours are pretty flexible on the weeks when I open the school I can stop on the way home (it is directly between the school and my house....unfortunately it is also next to the KFC....what were they thinking?) and on the days I close I can go in the morning before I go in.

When DH comes home the only way he will know its me is because his children will be standing next to me.

Zman's First Day of Fifth Grade

Well, today begins a school year of first and lasts for our family. Today Zman started his first day of 5th grade. He was excited to start....not so excited to have his picture taken, so I had to get these two on the sly with my camera phone while we were walking up to the school.


He is not happy with the pictures, but that is what happens when you do not cooperate with a mom. He has a man teacher for the first time ever. He told me this morning that he was a little nervous because it ends his streak with lady teachers.

When I picked him up he was happy and seemed to be impressed with his teacher. He said he was funny and made them laugh a lot. Take it from this teacher you always laugh a lot on the first day. I think it will be good for him to have a strong teacher (this is the mans rep) it will help him stay within his boundaries.

My youngest daughter will be the only one in our family at her school....at first for her. I hope it helps her build her confidence and learn how to represent:)

My oldest son will be a freshman...not sure if he'll let me take his pictures...I may have to bribe him with a ride the first day of school. As I type he is at jv football practice...OMG!!! I have a son old enough to be on the football team....girls be warned I am a little off and you had better not even think about looking at my son that way.......

Finally.....my daughter who will turn 17 in two days (sniffle) is going to be a high school senior. Today I made the appointment for her senior portraits...SNIFFLE. She has narrowed her degree path(s) down to a double major in media and public relations, and a minor in social work and business...for real. My wonderful daughter cannot make up her mind and to be honest this is narrowing it down...you should have seen the list before. Lord, help us find a school that has all that she is seeking...except for boys...no need for any of those.

So my family is definitely entering a new era.....they tell me I will miss them when they are gone....I have denied it with all that is in me....but today I see that they may be right.

10 Positive Things...

I am grouchy today...really out of sorts....noting major just a lot of little things battling to overtake me with bitterness and frustration....

1. People with double standards
2. People with "selective" memory loss...you can remember what you want too...
3. People who claim that their kids are their world...but leave them at school for almost 13 hours a day...EVERY DAY. I can see occasionally needing to leave them at school so you can get things done but to leave them there longer than they need to on a regular basis sends another message all together. THEN have the nerve to come to the school with a tude asking when you will get to see the teacher...ummmmm how about my teachers don't work 13 hour days...so unless you come during normal working hours (which you could if you so desired) you won't see your child's teacher.
4. Stupid people (I'm just saying....)

Ok...that is just a small chunk of what is battling for attention in my mind today. So in an attempt to apply reverse psychology on myself today I am going to borrow an idea from my friend Mellie's diary....list ten positive things for the day......

Here we go....

1. Zman starts fifth grade today...pictures to follow.
2. Diva1 got her clearance from the doctor to go back to cheering with no restrictions
3. NFLman is loving football...and using quite a bit of his energy reserves....good for the rest of us
4. Diva2 has been out of the house all week babysitting
5. I believe that I may be hovering somewhere around the half way mark of this deployment
6. My tan is not fading...major thing here!
7. I have a half tank of gas
8. I have two checks in my purse to deposit $$$$$$
9. I have on the most comfortable pair of sneakers I have ever bought....they even breath on the side...way cool
10. I have an appointment to join Curves tonight.

So I do feel a little better....but I still need to get a handle on this attitude and frustration that is threatening to over flow into my out loud voice.

Dani's last 15 years....

Dani was one of the takers on my up for grabs post on the last 15 years....Dani is not only the spouse of a submariner she is active duty herself...my hat off to you Dani...dealing with the Deac's boat stuff is more than enough for me...I wouldn't want any of my own!


Dani's post....


Here's the deal. Think back on the last 15 years of your life.What would you tell someone that you hadn't seen or talked to for 15 years? How would you sum up your life? You get 10 bullet points. A list of 10 things to summarize about you. At the end of your list, tag 5 more people and send on the love.

1. Well first off, in 1993 my family moved from Annapolis, MD to Tarpon Springs, FL. Little did we know at the time that this would be our last move for quite a bit of time (prior to that we had moved about every two years). My dad had resigned from the Navy and went into the reserves, as well as starting Adams Atomic Engines. I started school at my third (and last) elementary school that fall.

2. 94 - 97 I went to a magnet middle school for advanced math and science. During that time I was swimming and playing softball. Of course those were the awkward pre-adolescent years ... I think I have blocked out a lot of that time period.

3. In 1997 I started high school at a brand spankin new school (it was the second year that it was open) so there were no seniors that year. I was doing International Baccalaureate (another magnet program) which consisted of a lot of college level courses. High school saw me swimming on the school team, playing softball my sophomore year (winning the state championship) and participating in Mu Alpha Theta (a math competition team) as well as other various activities.

4. I graduated on June 5, 2001 and 24 days later reported to Annapolis to begin the fun that is known as plebe summer at USNA. That summer was the first of many that I would celebrate my birthday somewhere other than home.

5. At the Academy I studied Systems Engineering .... which eventually cumulated in doing a Trident Scholar project my senior year. I focused on determining the angle of approach of a target using a reconfigurable array of sonar sensors. Thus began my interest in underwater acoustics and sonar.

6. My four years at the Academy was also a great time of growth in my faith as a Christian. I got involved in OCF and met my core group of friends from the Academy. These are the friends that I can talk to after long stretches and pick up right where we left off. I also met my husband there and we started dating our senior year.

7. In May 2005, we graduated and were commissioned as ensigns and second lieutenants. About a week after graduation, my husband proposed to me in Central Park (we had stopped in NYC to see Wicked on our way home from a wedding at Holy Cross).

8. At the end of the summer, I headed up to Boston to work on my masters in Mechanical Engineering at MIT. A few months later, DH headed down to Charleston to begin the fun known as nuke school. We got married during the two weeks between Nuke School and Prototype on April 29, 2006. Afterwards he moved to Saratoga Springs, NY (which was a little bit closer). The best though was when he was in Groton for 3 months for Submarine Officer Basic School since we could visit every weekend.

9. In Jan 2007, DH finished up SOBC and moved down to VA. He flew out to meet his sub for the last month and a half of their deployment. He returned at the end of May ... I flew down to VA to close on our house and be there for homecoming. I graduated in June and reported to my ship two days later.

10. DH and I are currently doing the dual military thing. He is on a fast attack and I am on a large deck amphib. I can hardly believe that I have been aboard my ship for a year. DH left on deployment recently and I will be shortly. So far God has blessed us with similar schedules for the most part. We have settled into the area and are looking forward to having more time to explore it. DH just recently qualified in submarines and I will be heading up to RI for my school this weekend and should be qualified by the end of the month.

I think I am going to leave it open to those who would like to participate and not actually tag anyone. My past fifteen years have included a lot of growth since it covers the time from 5th grade to a year out of grad school. I hope you enjoy ... thanks for reading.